Monday 20 November 2017

Thank You Sydney, Moore Park Risk, Assisted Dying Disappointment, Transport Changes, Christmas in Pyrmont & Pets Christmas

Thank You Sydney

Sydney celebrated a positive response across Australia to the marriage postal survey last Wednesday and I watched in Canberra as legislation was introduced into the Senate Thursday.

I’m very proud of the strong support for legal equality from the inner city during the marriage postal survey. The federal Sydney electorate vote of 83.7 percent Yes and Wentworth electorate vote of 80.8 percent were the highest in NSW. The national response in favour of marriage equality and federal commitment to reform by the end of the year helps show the LGBTIQ community that Australians support a fair go and fair treatment for everyone. In Parliament, the Premier made a commitment to me to ensure that amendments to Births Deaths and Marriages would happen quickly to ensure same sex marriages can happen quickly.

A very big thank you to everyone who worked hard over many years to achieve this reform!

Moore Park Risk

Moore Park is under attack from redevelopment of the SGC, Driver Avenue, future Hordern Pavilion and Royal Hall of Industries leases, former Showground/Entertainment Quarter redevelopment, traffic and car parking and the proposed Alexandria to Moore Park road widening. Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Member for Heffron Ron Hoenig, Member for Newtown Jenny Leong and I have asked for an urgent meeting with the Premier to discuss the NSW Government’s plans for Moore Park, community issues and the future process.

We are concerned about private discussions with vested interests about proposals that will further reduce and commercialise precious public land. See The Guardian report on the SGC Trust, HERE. 

Assisted Dying Disappointment

It was disappointing to see the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill get defeated in the Legislative Council by just one vote. The house is out of step with community values: the latest poll shows 85 per cent of Australians think that doctors should be able to help a patient with a terminal illness who is experiencing significant suffering at the end of their life to die.

Despite evidence of high suicide rates among the terminally to avoid a prolonged bad death and international evidence that terminally ill people find comfort in having an option to get help to die if suffering gets unbearable without ever using it, some members just would not give up arguing that assisted dying is state sanctioned suicide or murder. I’ve been working on the bill with my cross party colleagues for two years and we are committed to reintroducing the bill in the next parliament.

Thanks to the many people in the community who have worked for reform, in particular Dying With Dignity, Doctors for Voluntary Euthanasia Choice and Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Euthanasia.

Transport Changes

New public transport timetables start 26 November, with new and extra services. For the Sydney electorate, this includes extra 324, 325 and 352. Extra 333 and 380 services will run during peak times but only between Bondi Beach and Bondi Junction.

The 389 bus will run between Pyrmont and Bondi Junction, with a new 379 route to North Bondi from the junction. The 379 bus will replace the 440 for that section of the route too, with the 400 to run between Bondi Junction and Rozelle.

A new F4 Cross Harbour ferry route will operate between Watsons Bay and Pyrmont Bay via Circular Quay and Barangaroo. Extra trains will run during peak times and high demand routes on weekends, but passengers will have to change trains on more routes and may face higher fares for longer peaks, information HERE. 

Christmas in Pyrmont

Join me at Christmas in Pyrmont Sunday 26 November 11am-4pm at John Street Square. As well as Santa and ABC’s Nay Nay, there will be a Chinese Lion, live music, face painting and crafts for kids, activities, market and food stalls. Funds raised go to Freedom Hub, Pyrmont Cares and Barnardos, information HERE.

Pets Christmas

My office is a drop off point for ‘Give a Dog a Bone, Keep Kitty Happy’, who collect treats, toys or food for cats or dogs and donate them to animal shelters and rescue services. You can leave donations until 15 December, HERE.