(Supporting motion, 4 June 2015, Legislative Assembly, NSW Parliament)

I speak in support of the motion introduced by the member for Coogee. The central business district light rail will reform the city for the better. It will reduce congestion by replacing buses that clog up George Street. It will enable city residents and workers to commute easily throughout the CBD. 

The City of Sydney and Transport for NSW have also conducted consultation forums in the lead-up to the rollout of the CBD light rail. The CBD light rail has the strong support of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce and many communities and businesses in the CBD that will be affected by it. The light rail plan for the CBD was taken to the last local government election by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and it was taken to the 2015 State election by this Government. Members in this place who supported the CBD light rail at the State election were re-elected. 

There is a concern that key cycling infrastructure is being removed or will be delayed. It is important to note that while construction occurs, more people will want to cycle into the CBD. Of course there will be disruption as a result of this plan, as there always is with major infrastructure projects. However, the Government is committed to strong consultation through various community consultation groups. I have attended a number of the consultation forums. A stakeholders group, on which I sit with the member for Coogee, was present in the planning process and is now present in the delivery process. We were able to raise any concerns we had and have them resolved. 

At this point we do not need politicians pandering to the Daily Telegraph. We do not need residents and businesses in the CBD to be talked down and told about the destruction that will occur. Those comments do not help business confidence. People must look to the future and come together to enable the transformative plan to work so that light rail will transform the CBD for the better. 

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