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) (19:07): I am always delighted to take every opportunity to talk about my local Macquarie Fields community. I have called the Campbelltown area home with my family since 1988, when I was only a young lad going to the local primary school and high school. My parents had a business in the area. I am now raising my own family in an area of Sydney that I call home, and I have had the privilege of representing the community of Macquarie Fields since 2015. I take that honour and privilege very seriously.

It is only together—and I use that word deliberately—through the encouragement, perseverance and support of my local community that I can do the work that I love and achieve and deliver great things for our area. I suspect that is a common sentiment amongst MPs in the House. I think about some of the achievements that I have been able to deliver with the support of my local community, both big and small. Some of our achievements may be small in terms of capital value but still have meaningful impact. For example, we ran a campaign to get a post box at Edmondson Park, one of my new suburbs. That does not cost tens of millions of dollars but its value is measured in convenience, time saving and accessibility, which means a lot to so many people. Sure, people send emails, but they still send parcels—and lots of them. That is a meaningful impact and achievement.

At the heart of every community is its local public school. As a proud former student from the public school system, I take great delight that this Minns Labor Government has delivered vital infrastructure for our new suburbs while also investing in our established ones. The everyday mums and dads of the local P&Cs have joined my campaign to ensure that our kids get the best public education they deserve. Community advocacy and support has helped me to deliver a number of great achievements for my local area, including an early learning preschool, a primary school and a new high school at Edmondson Park. The high school will open day one, term 1 next year. The soon to be opened primary preschools at Sackville Street Public School and Curran Public School are other examples. Local parents will be able to do a single drop‑off rather than the dreaded double drop‑off, which many of us experience. That will save parents time, money and petrol, and improve convenience.

When I think of our local schools, there is a special place for our kids with special needs. We cater for students with intellectual and physical requirements. I remember the campaign from local parents, teachers and advocates about the need for a new special needs school in Minto. The Passfield Park special needs school was old, had mould and no longer met the needs of our local area. I campaigned with local teachers, parents, advocates and others who were concerned. The result, after a long, dedicated campaign, is a brand-new school at Passfield Park, on the corner of Pembroke Road and Durham Street at Minto. Delivering and achieving that means so much for many families now and well into the future.

There have been upgrades to the shade sails at Minto, new seating at Macquarie Fields High School, school playground improvements at The Grange Public School, the opening of the Macquarie Fields TAFE study hub, new boarding facilities at Hurlstone, and new classrooms and amenities at all of our schools. That is what being a local member is about. All members have a great privilege, but only with the support of and connection to the local community can we deliver those things. The list of achievements is long; there are so many of them. I only have five minutes to give a private member's statement. That does not allow me to read them all, but I will continue to articulate what this Government has delivered and, more importantly, what I have been able to achieve with my community's support and that connection to my community.

I have been a local in my community for almost 40 years. I can call myself a local. From time to time I bump into people who have been there for over 67 years, through multiple generations. They say, "You are local, but you are not as local as us." Nevertheless, that is the great sentiment and generosity of the Macquarie Fields area. Every four years, members reapply for their jobs to ensure that they remain connected to their local community. I am privileged to have been the member for Macquarie Fields since 2015. I look forward to representing my community at the next election to ensure it continues to get the services it needs and that we continue to deliver infrastructure and investment together.