I have served the Hornsby community and beyond for nine years and have decided that I will not stand for preselect ion but will eventually look to further contribute to nursing, my first career, in some capacity; I will continue as Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Health until the election and look forward to assisting in policy development. This has been an extremely hard step for me to take and one I have spent many hours deliberating upon.
There have been people with whom I have discussed this decision: obviously my family (who have taken the journey with me and understood the hours of work it takes to adequately attend to the needs of the community), but also my fantastic staff and key advisers who have provided excellent work, wonderful support and wise guidance in this and so many other critical decisions.
I have loved every minute of my representation of the Hornsby Electorate – there have been many challenges but equally as many rewarding moments and a number of significant achievements.
Despite the current woes of Hornsby Hospital and the need for a significant rebuild, in my time we have seen new Accident and Emergency, Maternity and Paediatric facilities, including a Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre and a Mental Health Intensive Care Unit.
Along with sewerage connection in Brooklyn and Dangar Island, two railway station upgrades and an additional car parking area at Berowra Station have all happened on my watch. A new substation and improved power supply to the Galston and Dural areas have also been achieved.
We are imminently going to see long-awaited traffic lights installed in Mount Colah, as well as housing for homeless people in our area and my work with many families and individuals to help them with their personal issues has proved to be satisfying when solutions to the problems were found.
Unfortunately great tragedies have occurred in the lives of some residents, one example being the death of Vanessa Anderson, and working with her family as well as the hope to have legislated Vanessa’s Law in the NSW Parliament has been a driving force of my work.
There are too many other examples to list of residents’ problems and traumas and fights for resolution or justice, but I hold all of them in my heart and mind and tried hard to walk with those who were suffering in whatever way.
Of course, as has been the case since I was elected to the Seat of Hornsby in a By-election in 2002, the community remains a paramount priority and I will continue to contribute to it and work hard to meet the needs of the diverse people I have had the honour to represent over all these years.
“There is no greater privilege than to have been elected to represent community members in a non-partisan and non-judgemental manner and to have their faith and hopes entrusted to you.
I thank the people of the Hornsby Electorate for giving me the opportunity for what have been amazing experiences of a lifetime – experiences and friendships that I will never forget.
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