Most of us have made a visit to a public hospital at some point, whether it be to the emergency department for a serious injury or illness, or to a ward for a scheduled surgery. It is always a daunting experience when health issues are involved. I have spoken to countless people in the Heathcote electorate who unfortunately have had harrowing experiences at a public hospital. Let me be clear: None of those issues have concerned the level of compassion, dedication or effort from nurses, doctors and other allied health staff. They are all doing their best. However, the standard of the public health system declined significantly under the former New South Wales Liberal-Nationals Government. That is a fact.

The Bureau of Health Information's last quarterly report, for January to March of this year, highlighted the dire state of the hospitals serving the southern and northern ends of the Heathcote electorate. For instance, just 41.8 per cent of patients presenting to the Wollongong Hospital emergency department left within the four-hour benchmark. Just over two-thirds of patients presenting to the ED during that same period actually started treatment on time. Make no mistake, those statistics are not a reflection of the incredibly hardworking staff at the hospital. They are doing their best under extremely testing circumstances. The former Government failed dismally to adequately support or resource our public healthcare system, and those results in Wollongong are a reflection of that failure. Further north, during that same period just 50.4 per cent and 50.5 per cent of patients who presented to Sutherland and St George hospitals respectively left the department within the desired four-hour period.

Again, that is a reflection of the former New South Wales Government's incompetence to efficiently support and resource our public hospitals; it is in no way indicative of the hardworking hospital staff. Those statistics should also greatly concern the member for Miranda and the Leader of the Opposition, who is also the member for Cronulla. During my inaugural speech in this place, I highlighted the plight faced by my friend and nurse Collette Duff. Collette was one of the many nurses on the front line who sacrificed her own welfare and health during the outbreak of COVID-19. How did the former Government thank her and the thousands of others on the front line? It made them beg for more colleagues and basic personal protective equipment. That is a disgraceful and disgusting way to treat those brave and selfless frontline workers.

We know beds in hospitals are precious, which is why it defies belief that so many are being taken up by patients due to issues within other systems. My friend Kym Flowers is the perfect example. Kym, who has complex health issues, was forced to spend seven months in Sutherland Hospital occupying a bed due to the privatisation of group homes under the former Government. I understand that care, support and services for those who are disabled is primarily a function of the Commonwealth Government. However, Kym's case highlights how an issue at the Federal level can have flow-on effects for the State. Kym's fight with the disability sector is far from over, and I am continually inspired by her resolve and the resolve of her mother, Penny. They have both suffered so many setbacks, but that has not stopped them from fighting another system in desperate need of repair.

I have stood side by side Kym and Penny for years, and I will continue to do so until they receive the respect and support they deserve. Recently, there were six beds in Sutherland Hospital that were taken up by patients who were medically cleared but unable to be discharged, just like Kym. Four of those patients were unable to be discharged due to NDIS reasons. I am buoyed by the fact that my good friend and member for Keira, Ryan Park, is now the Minister for Health. There is no doubt that he is the perfect person to not only identify the many shortfalls of our system but also fix them. Our health system's primary focus should be on servicing patients. That is a notion that those opposite were never able to understand or appreciate during their 12 disastrous years in government.

To ensure that the needs of patients is the primary focus, staff need to know that our Government has their back. They need to know that our Government will support them through thick and thin, just like they have supported the State. I have spoken to countless nurses, doctors and allied health workers since being elected as the member for Heathcote, and I know they have the utmost confidence in the Minns Government and the Minister for Health to heal the State's broken health system. Recently I was pleased to stand by the side of the Minister for Health to announce that the opening hours of the Bulli Hospital Urgent Care Centre are being extended. It is outcomes like this that will make a positive difference to the health system. Those on the other side of the House should take note. I thank the House.