Oatley Electorate

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-148722

Hansard session: Fifty-Eighth Parliament, First Session (58-1)

Oatley Electorate

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (16:55:20):

On the very last sitting day I take this opportunity to reflect on what a wonderful 2024 it has been—that is, of course, if those opposite do not decide to use the reserve week. We will see what happens. This year we saw an incredible Paris Olympic Games, with some success on the global stage for our very own breakdancer, Raygun; a very interesting presidential race in the United States, which certainly turned some heads—we might even see Elon Musk as a high-ranking government official; who would have thought?—and an AI explosion that, I must say, created some fantastic Instagram captions. I also opened my second commuter car park in opposition at Beverly Hills railway station this week with my own red ribbon from home, which means we are now two for two.

On the home front in Oatley, my team is working harder than ever before. I thank the people in my electorate for continuing to put their trust in me. It is not an easy job but someone has to do it. In all seriousness, being in opposition has been both one of the greatest challenges and one of the greatest opportunities in my political career. It shows that, despite challenges, we can deliver better outcomes for those in my community and, for that matter, throughout New South Wales—all whilst holding this Government accountable. I truly believe the St George community is the best place to live, work and raise a family not only in New South Wales but also in the whole of Australia. We are truly blessed.

This year some incredible things have been accomplished, many of them years and even decades in the making. They include, as I mentioned, the opening of a brand-new commuter car park at Beverly Hills, bringing more than 200 new parking spots to that station, which will be so important for the local economy and the local area for many years to come. Construction on stage three of the St George Hospital redevelopment is progressing well and looking fantastic. Work is also continuing nicely to widen King Georges Road from two to three lanes in each direction, which will get local residents home sooner and safer. I was also privileged throughout the year to hand out a number of grants to support local community organisations and schools like Aspect in Peakhurst; the Chinese Australian Services Society, or CASS; Penshurst West Public School; and Riverwood Public School, just to name a few.

This year was another full year of achievements within my community. It is only thanks to the amazing people across my local area that we were able to do so well. Next Friday I will be hosting the fourteenth—I cannot believe it—annual St George Community Awards in order to recognise the many wonderful and dedicated volunteers and unsung heroes in the St George area who keep our local area moving. These are always fantastic nights and I truly cannot wait to congratulate and thank, with the over 350 people attending, all the award winners as we celebrate their work.

In my shadow ministry portfolios—and there are many—it was another action‑packed year. I took part in the celebration of many community and cultural events in our multicultural calendar across New South Wales from Lunar New Year to Ramadan to Hanukkah. Meeting with stakeholders across the industry, science, innovation and technology spaces has also been an exciting experience. They continue to be portfolios that I am extremely passionate about and I look forward to continuing to hold the Government to account in those spaces well into the future. As shadow Minister for South-Western Sydney, I have also had the pleasure of meeting and fighting for that community for better services and infrastructure across the region.

Finally, I have had the opportunity to work alongside some excellent people this year, many of whom I am lucky enough to call some of my closest friends. As every good MP knows, you cannot do this job well without good, talented staff. I thank each one of them—Clayton, Jayden, Jess and Will—for helping me work tirelessly for our community each and every day, from answering phone calls to mobile office visits, to train stations and shopping centres, to running my office and at least trying to keep me on time, which is not an easy feat. I also thank Olivia Simpson and Raif Hasan for the part they played on my team this year and their efforts to support the community.

Most importantly, my biggest thanks go to my wife, Adla, and our kids, Hurricane and Tsunami—I mean James and Sam—for allowing me to do the job I love most. I love you guys so much. You make me the proudest dad and husband in the world. I am very much looking forward to some more time spent around the dinner table and a bit of time to kick my feet up and relax with you guys. Finally, as the end of the year fast approaches, I wish everyone in this House—all the staff, the members of Parliament and the attendants—and everyone in my community a very merry Christmas, a happy, joyous festive season and a happy new year.