I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we meet and work, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. I wish also to acknowledge the Dharawal people of the country on which the electorate of Heathcote sits. As the traditional custodians and occupants, they have a spiritual, social, cultural and economic relationship with the lands and waters. I thank them for their stewardship over the past 65,000-plus years and pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. I extend an acknowledgement to any Indigenous brothers and sisters here. I am a strong advocate for social justice and First Nations justice. I am proud to be part of a progressive New South Wales Labor Government that will work on a treaty in New South Wales. We have committed to starting treaty discussions with Indigenous communities. I look forward to the national referendum to give our First Nations people a voice and the recognition they deserve.

The electorate of Heathcote is a very special and unique part of New South Wales. It takes in the Royal National Park—the second oldest national park in the world—as well as the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge and the Woronora Bridge. Both bridges were proudly built by Labor State governments. The Royal National Park is characterised by coastal cliffs, secluded beaches, eucalyptus-rich bushland, ancient Aboriginal sites and native wildlife. New South Wales Labor governments since 1947 have gazetted 150 national parks and, in the last Labor Government, we protected 123. Given the significance of the Royal National Park to my electorate—which covers from the Sutherland shire in the north to the Illawarra in the south—this is a track record of which I am incredibly proud. We are not averse to bushfires in the Heathcote electorate, and we know how important it is to address climate change in order to avoid a repeat of the 2019-20 catastrophic fires. I love the beach, the surf, the smells of the salty air, our coastal waterways and our bushlands—they are my happy places. I am so grateful to have lived here for most of my life.

The Heathcote electorate is extremely diverse. It consists of traditional mining towns and some of the most creative and artistic communities throughout New South Wales. Four generations of my family reside there. This community really does mean the world to me. It has been an aspiration of mine for a very long time to be here on the floor of this Chamber in Australia's oldest Parliament. It is an honour and a privilege to serve the people of Heathcote and New South Wales in this House over the next four years. Rest assured, I do not—and will not—take this responsibility and opportunity lightly.

I am the youngest of seven children and have six older brothers. I was born in Quirindi, as our dad worked on the railways and was stationed at Werris Creek. I was so lucky to be born into a loving family with so many protectors. You can only imagine how nervous my husband, Russell, was when I first brought him home. When I was four, we made the move back to Engadine. I was raised in a three-bedroom house, not very far away from where I live now. Dad was a train driver and a locomotive inspector. He taught many train drivers, including my good friend and Secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, Alex Claassens, who is here with us today. Dad was very well respected in the railways and went on to become the employees' representative on the State Rail Authority Board. Dad's role as employees' representative was to assist his fellow employees right across New South Wales. Dad received many phone calls—on the landline in those days—asking for his help or advice on an industrial or workplace matter. Remember, these were shift workers who used to call Dad, night or day, seven days a week. I heard his empathy for his colleagues, some of whom were particularly vulnerable. Dad advocated for and supported them until he eventually retired from the railways after more than 45 years of service.

My mum was a secretary to the Director of Music at the ABC. At the time, the Commonwealth Public Service Act of 1922 was still in force and female Commonwealth Public Service employees were required to resign when they married. Therefore, Mum resigned from that position after marrying Dad. Thankfully, pressure from the public, the Opposition and members of the Government led to the removal of the marriage bar back in 1966 on the grounds that it wasted female talent in the community; that women, rather than the State, were best placed to manage the demands of work and home. Thank you to those suffragettes and activists for their passion for women to have this right to choose. The New South Wales Labor Government would look very different if that draconian Act was still in force.

To our parents, faith, family and friends were so important. They were selfless, kind and loving people, and they made many sacrifices for us. Being the only daughter, my dad and I were very close. In later life, Dad had a desire to go into politics—into the Senate, in fact. However, as Mum's health began to deteriorate, my dad decided not to pursue the Senate. Dad and I were always talking about politics. When we were young, we were always encouraged to play sport, especially team sports. We had a big backyard and played tennis on a cement slab with two outdoor benches as a pretend net. We also played cricket, touch footy, had chickens and a whole Royal National Park to explore for tadpoles and blackberries. Life was good. Mum and Dad provided all they could for us.

Poor Mum did not enjoy cooking or making seven lots of school lunches, and she absolutely detested Vegemite. Mum also did the housework. Can you imagine the washing and ironing for nine people? She ironed hankies and pillow slips, tea towels, everything. She was a devoted wife and mother and was so loving. Mum did not enjoy good health in her later life, but she always remained selfless. Upon visiting her, she would always ask after everyone else. She would never complain; she was strong and resilient. In 2016 Mum passed away surrounded by her family. The palliative care team from the local area health service and the aged care nurses and staff were incredible. Mum had dignity and respect right till the end.

In 2020, four years later, our father passed away. The difference in care was stark over those four years. The nurses at the Sutherland public hospital intensive care unit [ICU] were incredible to Dad and to us every time Dad was admitted. The last time, when we were told there was nothing more they could do, Dad wanted to go home. Dad was in the same nursing home as Mum but this time there was no palliative care team flying squad. His experience was very different and extremely painful. Thank goodness Dad had us close by to advocate for him. Our family has always been close, and my brothers and I, along with our families, were there for Dad. It was a privilege to be there for Dad; however, it was obvious how health and aged care over those four years had deteriorated. We had aged‑care workers in tears and apologising. Those same workers had looked after Mum and they knew the care at every level was not as good for Dad as it was for Mum.

During the recent campaign I spoke to a woman who had a similar story. Her mum was at the end of her life. I said to her, "I totally understand and, if elected, will treat your mum like my mum." I often wonder about those who have no family or friends to advocate for them. What must their last few days look like? My hands were tied then but they are not anymore. I will advocate for us, as a civil society, to resource and support palliative care teams to provide dignity and respect to all at end of life. I thank all New South Wales nurses for their commitment to their profession and note the need for safe staffing levels for all hospital workers. I acknowledge the wonderful NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association. Shaye Candish, the secretary general, is here with us today. I have stood with them for well over 10 years in advocating for more nurses.

I wish to pay particular attention to Judy from the Sutherland Hospital ICU and Colette from the emergency department, who is here with us today. I know how hard they had to fight for personal protective equipment and face shields during the COVID outbreak. There have been many times over the past few years when it was too much for Colette—continually having annual leave denied and the sheer exhaustion of backing up every day to face the masses with COVID and knowing they were short staffed yet again. They faced excessive workloads daily, fatigue and high staff turnover. I am so proud to be part of a New South Wales Labor government that will prioritise the welfare of frontline workers like nurses, teachers and our wonderful paramedics. It is not just about wages for our State's frontline workers; it is about respect for their profession and conditions of employment. Thank you for hanging in there, Colette. We have your back and I will continue to be a strong advocate.

I attended local schools and sat my HSC at St Patrick's College Sutherland. Russell and I have been so fortunate to have many lifelong friends, many of whom are here today. For years they have put up with me and my political discussions. We have laughed and cried over many things in our lives. I cannot thank them enough for always being there for me and my family. My first full‑time job was with the Trades and Labor Council, now Unions NSW, working in the occupational health and safety training unit. I realised then and there that this was my calling. I could not help workers with my feet under the desk. So I began my community activism in the Australian trade union movement.

It was at a time when the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 was passed and we were training construction workers and union members building Darling Harbour. That is how long ago it was. There was a video that was shown in the training course called "Alice's fight for life." It was about a woman who acquired asbestosis from washing her husband's overalls after work. Alice died a slow and painful death from mesothelioma. It was incomprehensible to me that someone could not return home to their loved ones after a workplace accident or could acquire a terminal disease just by doing their job. My dad used to talk to me about the union struggles and strikes to achieve decent conditions. Dad's father, Pa, was an engineer in the tin mines in Emmaville. He was a proud member of his union. I have his union badge with me today.

I have been a lifelong union member since I was 14 years and nine months old in my first job at Woolworths Engadine. We must never forget the struggles of those who came before us. I stand on the shoulders of great people: unionists who have battled for the right to have safe workplaces and to be paid fairly, and for conditions such as occupational superannuation, which is now often taken for granted. I have worked for many unions over the years, including the Australian Services Union, the Public Service Association, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union. The Rail, Tram, and Bus Union continued my love for trains that was instilled in me by my father. I look forward to working with our wonderful transport Minister, Jo Haylen, to provide a great network—a network that is world class and one we can actually be proud of.

TAFE is another great passion of mine. I studied industrial relations at Gymea TAFE and began organising workers. I am a very proud beneficiary of TAFE. However, in those days TAFE was a vibrant hub for learning, not the ghost towns they have become today. Make no mistake, TAFE changes lives and sometimes saves lives. At a time when we have significant skills shortages, we really need our TAFE more than ever. A stronger advocate for TAFE you will not find. I will work hard to ensure we can save and rebuild our TAFE in New South Wales with our committed Minister, Tim Crakanthorp. Education provides knowledge and knowledge gives you power. Like good-quality health care, regardless of your postcode or your parents' bank account, quality education should be offered to all to provide a lifetime of opportunity. I pay my thanks and respect to all teachers and support staff—though you deserve more than just thanks; you deserve fairer pay and better conditions—something Premier Chris Minns and this New South Wales Labor Government are committed to delivering.

I thank the Deputy Premier and education Minister, Prue Car, for working with the department and the unions. It would also be remiss of me not to thank these frontline workers for putting their lives and the lives of their families at risk every day during the pandemic and beyond, especially friends and family in the teaching profession and education sector: Leonie, Dianne, Bernadette, Kim, Julie, Joanne, Leanne and my nephew Matthew—to name a few. I believe if you have the capability and the drive you should help those that are unable to help themselves. I am a fighter—always have been, always will be. I will champion tooth and nail for our firies, our New South Wales police, our public transport workers and all our wonderful New South Wales public sector workers. I stood with the local community to save from demolition the education precinct at Loftus—a TAFE college and a University of Wollongong campus with a special needs school for local students.

I will fight for the environment and nature to address the climate and biodiversity crisis. Over the years I have campaigned and won to save the Royal National Park from having a freeway, the F6, tear through it. This was a ludicrous idea from the former Government. It would not have been a "freeway" anyway, given it was to have a $10 toll each way for a car and $30 each way for a truck. I helped save a wildlife corridor that was a known koala habitat in Woronora Heights from being cleared and developed. Recently in Heathcote National Park, volunteers Tom Kristensen—who is here with us today in the gallery—and Steve Anyon-Smith found a disease‑free colony of 80 koalas. I can report today that the colony is prospering, and we now have over 160 koalas. One of those koalas is named Maryanne and one is named Minns after our Premier. To my New South Wales Labor Environment Action Network colleagues, you have taught me so much and we have undertaken great initiatives in this State. With our new New South Wales Labor environment Minister, Penny Sharpe, we will create so many more. I am super excited.

I will continue my work for those with a disability in our community. They have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and the right to quality of life. My good friend Kym Flowers was to be here but she has unfortunately been hospitalised. Kym was a victim of the privatisation of group homes in New South Wales. She was homeless and stranded in Sutherland Hospital for over seven months whilst trying to find a medical home that could accommodate her complex health needs. Her struggles with fairness under the NDIS continue today. Her mum, Penny, is here and she is incredible. Every day she works to give her daughter the voice she deserves. Kym, I hope you are watching from hospital. I will not give up until you have the quality of life you deserve. And, Penny, I will not give up until you have the peace of mind you deserve.

I have had a strong commitment and length of service in both the industrial and political wings of the Labor Party, joining the Australian Labor Party when I was 21. It was because of the Labor values of dignity, respect, equality, fairness and opportunity that I was drawn to standing up and speaking out, particularly for those who are most vulnerable. For me, it has been a long journey to arrive here: three campaigns and 12 years or more all up, at times with many obstacles and roadblocks. But I conquered. As Michelle Obama says, "When they go low, we go high." I have gone high. Here I am and I have the wisdom, life experience and resilience to be a great member for Heathcote. But no-one ever does it by themselves.

I pay tribute to and thank the following for their unwavering support: Unions NSW for their Essential Workers Deserve Better campaign; the Electrical Trades Union; the NSW Teachers Federation; the Fire Brigade Employees Union; the Maritime Union of Australia; the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association; the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union; and the Communications Electrical Plumbing Union. To all the many local branch members, friends and family who have stood with me for many, many years, I will never, ever forget.

I point out two very special friends: Sharryn Usher, a TAFE teacher from Grafton who could not be here because she is teaching at TAFE this evening, and Graham Ottley who should be in the gallery. Graham is a NSW Fire and Rescue officer and was our comic relief during pre‑poll. Both Sharryn and Graham never left my side during early voting. I especially wish to mention a local branch member, Peter Ikin. Peter stood beside me on train stations and street stalls for years. He was there rain, hail or shine. Last year he became a life member of the Australian Labor Party and I was honoured to witness that. Unfortunately, Peter passed away the Saturday before the State election.

The last is my beautiful, supportive, caring and loving husband, Russell. None of this is ever easy on our partners. He is my rock, my best friend, and I am so lucky our paths crossed. He is very smart, very kind and most of all makes me laugh. After 30 years of marriage, I still love waking up next to you, sweetheart. We have been blessed with two happy and healthy children. I have had many personal challenges keeping pregnant, with two miscarriages and one stillborn. I share this very personal and painful story to let other women know who I am and that I understand. Russell and I cherish our two cherubs: Sarah, our creative, talented and very bright young woman; and Max, who is currently studying in the United Kingdom, making new friends and new memories. Thank you, children. You are my inspiration. Dad and I are super proud of you both and love you to the moon and back. It is never easy on your family and goodness knows my family have had to make many sacrifices over many, many years to help me get here. Thank you for believing in me and for your determination and strength too.

My gratitude extends to the Hon. Bob Carr, who is unable to be here today. He has been a great adviser, supporter and bushwalking buddy. To our NSW Young Labor Flying Squad and the mighty Illawarra Young Labor Association and the Southern Sydney Young Labor Association, an enormous thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your many doorknocks and phone banks. You are all amazing and very special to me. To Ryan Park, the Minister with responsibility for health, regional health and for the Illawarra and South Coast, and member for Keira, thank you for all your support and counsel over many years and thank you to your beautiful staff. I am so proud of you in the Health portfolio. You are such a strong advocate for quality health care. Thank you also to my other Illawarra friends and MPs, particularly the member for Wollongong, and Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, and the Federal member for Cunningham, Alison Byrnes. You have long been by my side, doorknocking and providing advice.

To the women and supporters from EMILY's List, thank you. Notably, I am the first woman elected to represent Heathcote in the New South Wales Parliament. To all the wonderful women mentors I have had and continue to have in my life, you provide me with great comfort. I thank the NSW Labor team: Bob Nanva, Dom Ofner, my campaign organiser Alex Costello, Max Kennedy and many more who have supported me for years. I have always appreciated your friendship and experience.

I thank the Clerk of the House and all in the Department of Parliamentary Services for your helpful inductions. It has been a relatively smooth transition. Finally, to brothers in arms David McKinley and Mark Buttigieg, I would not be here without either of you. Your tenacity and advocacy have not faltered for me. You are a great doorknocking buddy, Mark. And, Dave, you are a great adviser. Together you can be a bit of hard work, but I truly thank you and your beautiful wives for your belief in me.

Since being elected I have hit the ground running. As Russell says, I am just like Winnie the Pooh who has fallen into a big honey pot. I feel so comfortable in this role. I have already started visits to schools, day care centres, hospitals, police stations and businesses. I have met a koala named Teddy who was rescued after being orphaned. Teddy was eventually released back into the wild, where he belongs. Recently I was present with Minister Sharpe in the Royal National Park to see female platypuses released back into the park after a 50-year absence. Witnessing that was one of my greatest joys. I look forward to watching them prosper like the koala colony in Heathcote National Park.

When I met with the Sutherland shire police area commander recently, I asked him, "What are the three biggest local issues?" He advised that they were domestic violence, youth support and mental health. It is the hidden discrimination and violence against women in the home and in the workplace that I am most passionate about. I am just one voice, but now we have 50 per cent women in our New South Wales Parliament—women in their rightful place. I commit to working with the Sutherland commander, our local NSW Police Force and youth services and health professionals to help keep all safe and healthy in our community.

Thank you to Premier Chris Minns and Deputy Premier Prue Car for your brave and progressive agendas. I look forward to delivering improvements to Heathcote Road, better public transport services and connectivity, additional hours in the Urgent Care Centre at Bulli Hospital and a school hall at Sutherland Public School. I also look forward to addressing issues such as homelessness, housing and rental reforms. Those measures are desperately needed for our young people and so many others. I thank the people of Heathcote for your trust and confidence in me. You witnessed my determination, my hard work and my love for our community with advocacy and leadership. As a result, you rewarded me by electing me your member for Heathcote.

I have loved your many congratulatory messages, such as "You deserve it," "It's about time," and "You've worked so hard." Know that I will not let you down—all 57, 500 of you. My hard work for you has just begun. I will enjoy my time getting to know each and every one of you. I am super excited to be working with my colleagues in the Minns New South Wales Government to deliver positive outcomes for the people of Heathcote and New South Wales. Apart from the beach and the bush, I have arrived; I have found my happy place.