Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to bring to the attention of the House a snapshot of local issues that are important to people on the Central Coast. Over the last week more than 250 local residents and businesses have contacted me to share with me what matters to them. There are people like Bill from Point Frederick, who was one of many who see the No. 1 issue as an urgent priority for more local jobs, especially in Gosford. With fewer local jobs, many people commute to work or to study, like Kai from Green Point who said there are significant internet blackspots from Woy Woy heading into the city, which underlines the importance of the coalition's election commitment to deliver continuous mobile coverage on the train line between Wyong and Hornsby.

Troy from Macmasters Beach supports our $10 million investment in a performing arts centre in Gosford. His daughter also travels four hours every day to study the arts in Sydney. With so much young talent on the Central Coast, Troy is confident the centre would be a massive boost. Chris at Tascott said that his priorities include the need to reduce the high rate of suicide and he asked a powerful question: what can be done to give people hope? Cathy from Kincumber alerted me to fears of an above-average rate of asthma, which is something that I will raise with local experts. Dozens more posted on my Facebook page, many with local issues that I will follow up directly with state and local government. As Graeme from Bensville put it, people do not care which level of government problems fit with; they just want things fixed. There were many more comments which I hope to share with the House at another time, but to those who have responded so far, thank you. We will deliver on our commitments.