Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (18:32): Only 11 weeks remain this year, which would send shockwaves through many of us, particularly those with a Christmas list. I better get a wiggle on. Having said that, time has passed, and we are more than halfway through this parliamentary term. It is certainly a good time for me to reflect on what has been achieved to date. The Minns Labor Government has been working hard for the good people of New South Wales, in particular for my local community in the electorate of Macquarie Fields. The former Liberal Government had 12 long years to deliver for the people of Macquarie Fields but did not do so, deliberately ignoring my local community's needs despite clear evidence. However, that all changed when our community elected a Minns Labor Government in 2023.
It took a Labor government to finally deliver an accessibility upgrade of Macquarie Fields station, to build a long-awaited high school for the many families of Edmondson Park, to confront the housing challenge in New South Wales, to rebuild essential services, to invest in new local preschools, to provide more support classes and to give teachers and other frontline workers a well-deserved pay rise. Since its election in March 2023, the Labor Government has also been keen to help families with the cost of living. It introduced a $60 weekly toll cap for motorists, particularly those from areas like south-west Sydney, like my local community of Macquarie Fields, and other parts of Western Sydney, where people are forced to take the toll roads to get to and from work or to see their friends. Those long commutes are not only slow and painful but also financially prohibitive. That is why the $60 weekly toll cap has been so important.
The list does not end there. The Minns Labor Government has introduced historic rental reforms. We ushered in a new era of stability and security for the State's 2.3 million renters. As housing affordability continues to be a challenge, more and more people will rent, and they will be renting for longer. A typical renter now is not just a young Australian, fresh out of university, trying to share a house with some friends; renters are represented across all household types and sizes. That is why our rental reforms are important, modernising rental laws for the needs of our modern community. Such reforms include ending no-ground evictions, making it easier to have pets in rentals, limiting rent increases to once per year and banning fees for background checks.
The Government is getting on with the job of delivering for the people of New South Wales, particularly in my local area. I am thrilled to see work progressing at Macquarie Fields station. The project includes the installation of two new lifts and a new passenger footbridge. They will create an improved experience for our elderly, those with disability, and carers and parents with prams or carrying lots of shopping. The station will be modernised with a new accessible entry forecourt, improved canopy coverage, accessible parking and landscaping. The project is on track for delivery. The Macquarie Fields station upgrade is a wonderful example of a long and hard-fought community campaign. It is a major win for our local area and comes after years of advocacy. I thank my local community for their perseverance and patience over so many years and now, during this construction phase.
It took this Labor Government to restore fairness and integrity to station upgrades. We clearly recollect how the former Liberal Government shamelessly pork-barrelled station upgrades, making a mockery of the Transport Access Program. In 2020 the Auditor-General slammed the former Liberal Government for politicising station upgrades. It should not matter who the local member is; it should only matter what the needs of the community are. Our rapidly growing communities have long been crying out for new infrastructure. Local families have long been calling for a high school in Edmondson Park, and I am pleased to say that progress is well underway. The new high school will include fit-for-purpose classrooms and core facilities to meet enrolment demand in Edmondson Park and support our growing surrounding community. The high school will accommodate up to 800 students, with the capacity to later increase to 1,000 students.
Only last month I had the honour of attending a topping-out ceremony to mark the significance of the delivery of Edmondson Park High School, with the building's structural phase now complete. The project is scheduled to be completed by day one, term 1 of 2027. I thank my community for their patience as the project progresses, and I know what a difference it will make for so many families. I also take this opportunity to thank my Federal colleague Ms Anne Stanley, MP, the member for Werriwa, for another great local community campaign. We have worked together to ensure that our community gets our fair share. The Labor Government will continue the important job of building a better New South Wales for all.
