Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

She lives in Alice, too. That's exactly right, Member for Lingiari.

To Nan, Aunty Robyn, the 'Lady of Labor', the matriarch of the Reid family and a proud Aboriginal woman: thank you for encouraging me to run in 2022. Without that moment, none of what we have achieved so far would have been possible. So thank you, Nan.

I want to offer my deepest thanks to two exceptional people who have stood at the heart of my parliamentary office: my chief of staff, Jo Lloyd, and my press secretary, Jesse Corda. Jo has led our team with strength, integrity and a tireless commitment to serving not just me but the people of the Central Coast and of Australia. Her leadership and strategic mind have guided us through every challenge with clarity and with resolve. Jesse has been our voice—sharp, principled and unwavering—navigating the public arena with skill and with conviction. Their loyalty, professionalism and belief in the work we've done together have meant more to me than words can express.

And I want to take a moment to thank the extraordinary group of people who have been the engine room of my parliamentary office—Cherie Pulley, Jackson Tumpey, Matthew Henry, Lily English, Bernadette Cox, Joshua Partier, Cooper Lloyd, Max English and Megan Connor. Each of them has brought dedication, heart and an unshakeable work ethic to everything that we have done for the people of the Central Coast. Whether it was helping a constituent through a difficult time, helping to deliver vital local projects or simply keeping the wheels turning, day in and day out, they showed up with professionalism and they showed up with purpose. Their belief in our mission and their service behind the scenes has been nothing short of remarkable. I'm deeply proud of what we have achieved together, and I'm forever grateful for your talent and your care.

To my campaign team—Chiara Moore, Chloe Oliver, Chistian Lauber, Oskar Loofs: all of those months of doorknocking, phone calls, letter boxes, street stalls, train stations and so much more paid off. Labor now holds the seat of Robertson with a historic margin, one of the highest since the 1930s. I wish these brilliant young Labor campaigners all the best for their futures, and I look forward to them continuing to contribute to our great Labor Party.

I want to pay special tribute to the trade union movement, those who stood shoulder to shoulder with me through this campaign. I want to make special mention of the USU, the United Services Union; the Transport Workers' Union; the Rail, Tram and Bus Union; the SDA; my amazing health colleagues in the HSU; and the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives' Association. I am unashamedly a supporter of the trade union movement. Your support was not just political. It was principled, passionate and deeply rooted in the belief that working people deserve a voice, dignity and a fair go. You knocked on doors, made calls and stood in the rain because you know what's at stake not just at elections but in everyday lives. The trade union movement has always been and remains the beating heart of progress in this country. From better wages to safer workplaces, from universal superannuation to paid parental leave, unions have fought for and delivered the foundations of a fair society. Thank you for everything you've done, not just for me but for the country we all believe in.

To the incredible Labor volunteers: thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are the true soul of our movement. You gave your time, your energy and your passion, not for recognition or reward but because you believe in a better future and a fairer Australia. You knocked on doors, handed out how-to-vote cards, made calls, put up signs and had countless conversations, each one an act of faith for what we believed in.

To the New South Wales Labor Party office: thank you for your support. To General Secretary Dom Ofner, Assistant General Secretary David Dobson and organiser Peter Duggan: your support of me and our team over the last term has been appreciated.

I want to also acknowledge and recognise my federal and New South Wales state government counterparts, particularly the member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch. Along with former member for Gosford Marie Andrews, I could not have asked for a better support duo. Thank you to both of you. And to the rest of the Central Coast Labor caucus—Senator Deborah O'Neill, Assistant Minister Emma McBride, Minister Pat Conroy, Minister David Harris, Minister Yasmin Catley, Parliamentary Secretary David Mehan and the fantastic New South Wales MLC Mark Buttigieg: thank you.

I also want to make special mention of several local Labor branch members and supporters who went above and beyond in this campaign to help with this re-election. Thank you to Sam Boughton, Hugh Sykes, Dr Jon Fogarty, Margaret McDonald, Jenni Neary, Joe Colbran, Genny Murphy, Sharon Dunn, Jenny Taaffe, Mils Brown, Harry Barnett, Bill and Pauline Hayden, Kim De Laive, Penny Rogers, Rhonda Audsley, Claire Pullen, Leighton Drury, Valerie Govind, Hannah Mercer, Sarah Loaney, Scott Palmer, ED nurse Kelly Falconer and Corel Roberts—and a quick shout-out to my Aunty Deb Mawson and Uncle Gary Matthews. That rain and wind was cold, but that victory sure was sweet. To the over 400 Robertson Labor branch members and volunteers who helped me during this campaign: your support was invaluable and helped us achieve this historic win. Thank you for believing in me, my campaign and our vision for a stronger, more prosperous Central Coast.

During the 47th Parliament, I was able to secure significant funding towards several major projects on the New South Wales Central Coast. These federally funded projects included securing $100 million for the upgrade of Avoca Drive through Kincumber. The upgrade of Avoca Drive is now gathering pace, reaching critical milestones and progressing closer to having shovels in the ground. Just recently, Transport for NSW published the project's consultation report, following community feedback on its strategic design options. There were 337 individual submissions from the community which will now help shape the future design of the upgrade. I thank everyone who contributed during the feedback period, and I look forward to continuing to support Transport for NSW as they progress this vital piece of infrastructure for my community.

Another major funding allocation that I fought hard to secure was the $40 million Central Coast Local Roads Package. That package is helping Central Coast Council undertake much-needed road renewal works and local road infrastructure in our region. These renewals benefited Rickard Road in Empire Bay, Debenham Road South in West Gosford and Beach Street in Umina Beach, plus many more, and during this term of parliament I will work with the Central Coast Council to help improve local road infrastructure and to identify additional funding sources from the federal government.

The Narara community battery has now been established and is storing excess solar electricity from nearby rooftop solar panels in the suburb. This community battery is helping to reduce electricity costs for Narara residents and helping to lower emissions. Since the establishment of this community battery, with the support of Ausgrid, there has been a marked increase in interest from my community for this technology. Several groups in suburbs from across my electorate have now been formed to explore the viability of community batteries and whether one can be established in their communities. There has been considerable interest from beachside suburbs including Copacabana, MacMasters Beach, Avoca Beach, Davistown and Saratoga, plus Patonga.

Like any region in Australia, sport plays an integral part in our community. I had the pleasure of meeting with and supporting many sporting organisations over the course of the last term. Examples of this support include federal funding for upgrades to local sporting facilities at Frost Reserve in Kincumber and at Kariong recreation precinct. The upgrades to the sporting facilities at Frost Reserve are progressing in collaboration with local sporting organisations, the Kincumber Roos and Avoca Kincumber Cricket Club. Upgrades to Kariong sports facilities include refurbishment of interior changing rooms and other amenities to ensure they are fit for purpose and reflect growing female participation in sport.

A huge highlight during my last term was the opening of the Peninsula Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Umina, which has now seen over 17,000 patients, all of whom have been bulk-billed. As an emergency department doctor I see firsthand the impact Labor's Medicare urgent care clinics are having on our healthcare system on the Central Coast and more broadly across Australia. Patients now have a place to go when they are too sick for a GP and not sick enough for the emergency department. I welcome the Albanese Labor government's commitment to continue to roll out more Medicare urgent care clinics across the country.

Now, in this new parliamentary term, I will be continuing to deliver for the people of Robertson and for the Central Coast community, working on delivering the commitments made during the federal election. These commitments include securing $115 million to commence works to upgrade Terrigal Drive through Erina and Terrigal; establishing another Medicare urgent care clinic to service the northern end of the electorate of Robertson; providing $10 million towards improving maternity services at our public hospitals in Gosford and Wyong; delivering $15 million to assist in upgrading intersections in Empire Bay and Bensville; providing $1.8 million to upgrade Ettalong Beach foreshore in conjunction with the Central Coast Council as well as $2.1 million towards the construction of a shared pathway at Avoca Beach; and, lastly, delivering $985,000 to upgrade Breakers Indoor Sports Stadium in Terrigal. I look forward to delivering on all my election commitments and continuing to identify further areas on the Central Coast where the federal Labor government can continue to support.

Australians have backed Labor's plan for the future of our country. They want to see more investment in health care, housing, education and infrastructure. That's our record investments in women's health care, improved access to medications through our cheaper medicines policy, Medicare urgent care clinics and our record funding for bulk-billing so that more Australians can see a doctor for free. That's our Housing Australia Future Fund and its investments in building housing for vulnerable Australians or our policies to help younger Australians get their foot in the door of home ownership, making it easier to buy a first home. That's fully funding public education in Australia, giving all young Australians the best possible start in life through a quality public school system.

The nation is built on the shoulders of working people, on the dignity of secure jobs, on the power of education and innovation and on the belief that a fair go means looking after one another through both the good times and those times of crises.

Labor understands that a strong nation is a self-reliant nation, and that is why today, as part of my contribution, I want to speak about a defining issue for Australia's future: our industrial sovereignty. From health care to defence and from energy to transport—all are vital for our nation to thrive into the future because, when I talk about sovereignty, I'm not just talking about flags and borders. I'm referring to something deeply practical: the ability to care for our own, to protect our communities and to stand on our own two feet in a fast and often uncertain world.

The Australian Labor Party has always believed in the power of local industry. From the NBN to Medicare to the rebuilding of our industrial base, Labor governments build for the future because that is what responsible governments do. Since the pandemic, Australians understand more than ever that we must never again find ourselves in a situation where we are overly reliant on fragile overseas supply chains, whether that be for medications, vaccinations or equipment that our hospitals need and that our families depend on for the care that they need.

That is why Labor is delivering a future made in Australia—an economy built on Australian innovation, on Australian jobs and on Australian resilience. Industrial sovereignty is no longer just an economic aspiration; it is a national security imperative and a strategic necessity. In a world of geopolitical tension, disrupted supply chains and strategic competition, Australia must never be in a position where we cannot produce what we need to protect our people and what we need to care for our people. Whether it's critical medicines, security, energy systems or advanced technologies, our capacity to manufacture at home is part of the foundation of our resilience. This is not just about economics. It is about national preparedness. It is about ensuring that, in times of uncertainty, Australia remains strong, Australia remains self-reliant and Australia remains steadfast in the knowledge that the future truly is made in Australia.

I again want to thank the people of Robertson for re-electing me to this House. It is truly a privilege to sit on these benches. Whether it be in government or in opposition, it is an honour to represent your community in here, because what we do matters and what we say matters. What we do in here makes a difference to people's lives, to the lives of working people, families, the young and the old—or the young at heart, I should say—and of our First Nations communities, whether they be in New South Wales, the Northern Territory or WA, right across our vast continent. The decisions that are made and the words that are spoken in this chamber and in the other place will matter now and for the rest of time for our country. I truly believe that.

We are lucky to live in this country. It's a beautiful place. I'm a bit biased, but Robertson is a beautiful place. I'm even more biased: Umina Beach is God's country. I encourage every member to look at that beautiful place. Lion Island, sitting out there just off the coast, used to have a fairy penguin colony. It's absolutely beautiful stuff. Umina Beach is one of the best beaches on the Central Coast and one of the best beaches in Australia.

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