I’m so proud of what our community achieved together at both Warringah then Northern Beaches councils. It culminated in winning the A.R Bluett Award as the best Metropolitan council in all of NSW. Twice – 1 for each of the Councils I led.
And what I’m most proud of – how we supported our community through the challenging years of COVID and through the recovery process we are still enduring. That’s a whole other story to be told…
What drove me at all times in my role as Mayor was a sense of service, of helping others, of finding genuine solutions to improve our community.
I can’t just sit back and throw stones at the tent. I want to be in the tent helping to solve the problems. Be part of the solution. The more complex the better.
I know exactly where this sense of service came from – my family and my upbringing.
My mum and dad are sadly no longer with us, but I was so blessed to have them both show me the way. Each in their own style taught me so much.
Dad, the Maths teacher constantly giving of his time and his skills to others.
I hate that I didn’t fully appreciate him and his sacrifices until we lost him. Gone at just 48 years old. Having fought off melanoma as a teenager in the 1960s, it came back for him a few decades later.
I think that early brush with death compelled him to live life to the full.
He had so much love for his siblings, his mates, his nieces, and nephews and of course his four children – Suzy and I and then Ashleigh and Andrew – just 8 and 6 when he died.
But yeah, I hate that he never got to meet any of his 5 grandsons and I’m acutely aware that I’ve already outlived him.
And my Mum, what to say about mum? Again, I didn’t realise how much she was showing me at the time about family, about love, about sacrifice. Again, taken too soon, just a few years ago. Cancer again.
I was fortunate to be surrounded by family on both sides who taught me a sense of what is right – to speak up – to act.
Mostly they were strong, vocal women and I’m so grateful for that.
I have my beautiful Aunty Deb, Aunty Beth, and Aunty Olga here tonight who I think have been putting up with me the longest – and my step mum Kim who’s been trying to pull me into line since I was 15.
All strong women.
My sister Suzy who is here from Perth – 45 years we’ve been in each other’s space –
Thank you for travelling across Australia to be here –
To meet Suzy today you’d never know she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis – or MS – in her early 30s.
Her newborn son, my nephew only a few weeks old and she was told she would be in a wheelchair within 5 years.
She bravely put her hand up for a medical trial and today over a decade later, thanks to science and experimental drugs, she is with us still – Pretty much cured – and she helped get the drug onto PBS.
She has absolutely changed the game for other MS patients.
Suzy, their world – and my world – is a better place because of you.
Watching online I’m sure I’ve got all my brilliant QLD relatives (including Uncle Mick who always taught me to not take myself too seriously… ever) – Those relos loved my campaign colour of “maroon” although I insist it was “Pinot”…
And of course my awesome Central Coast cousins and my beautiful uncles over in San Francisco.
My family have taught me so much over the years, about courage, community service, justice, sacrifice and love and I will be forever grateful for the upbringing I had and the lessons that formed my values and sense of purpose.
From Aunty Deb – so nurturing and caring, a surprise to no one that she’s dedicated her life to nursing and mentoring others in the medical profession. Married Uncle Dave – a teacher who again gives so generously to his students and to his family.
Or my Aunty Beth who back in the early 80s – despite being 6ft tall and passing her exams – was not allowed to join the Police Force.
Because she was married.
That decision would prove to be the best and worst decision for the people of NSW.
Why? – Because thanks to a bit of help from a now high profile former officer, she was allowed to join and went on to impact the lives of many victims in a positive way despite the best efforts of the male dominated force to destroy her.
As well as that, she reluctantly helped reform the NSW Police Force, along with her husband – my Uncle Paul – who was also a police officer of note in the homicide squad.
They changed the way the force treats their own and their legacy continues to change the lives of our first responders.
Then there’s my father’s brother – Aunty Glenn (as he insists, I call him).
In 1984, at age 23, when I was just 11, Glenn was bashed to within an inch of his life and ended up in intensive care.
A victim of a targeted gay bashing.
I remember being there when he finally came out of the coma – and he told my mum and dad he was gay.
He explained to them that this was why he was attacked but he begged them not to tell Nanna and Pop.
At that point, my parents smiled and said, “no kidding you’re gay”.
They reassured him they were pretty sure his parents already knew.
When I reflected years later, I thought… how awful.
Fancy hiding who you are and then losing the opportunity to come out in his way, in his time, and control his own story.
Robbed of the most basic of rights.
I was 11. I didn’t really know what a gay man was. I just thought he dressed better than the rest of us and hung out with trendier people.
And speaking of fashionable folk, my beautiful Aunty Olga, who’s family had escaped Russia in WW2 and wound up in a refugee camp in Cessnock.
I’m pretty sure that’s where Aunty Olga was conceived.
She’s taught all of us about making the most of our opportunities, the importance and strength of family and never forgetting our past.
She married my beautiful Uncle Al who gave so much to his local cricket community – particularly youth development and women’s cricket, recognised with a posthumous OAM after we lost him so tragically to cancer in 2019.
I know Uncle Al would have loved to have been here tonight – He’d certainly appreciate the tie I’m wearing –
The black and gold of the original SCG XI cricket team – I played with them at Lord’s the day Uncle Al joined me in the Long Room for our team dinner.
Those that know me know how much I love my cricket, but I want to take a moment to explain that passion.
It’s not simply about the contest of the bat and the ball – as thrilling as that is – it’s far more than that.
Cricket is a big part of my life:
- The friendships I’ve made,
- The wins I’ve had,
- the crushing defeats I’ve dealt with,
- the travels I’ve had; but most importantly,
- the values I cherish.
The Spirit of cricket has always been vitally important to me and it’s why I choose to wear this tie tonight.
The Spirit of cricket is hard to define, many have tried and failed over the years, but I’ll give it a go…
You see cricket is an exciting game that encourages
- leadership,
- friendship and
- teamwork
It brings together people from different nationalities, different cultures and different religions.
The Spirit of cricket involves respect for:
- Your opponents;
- Your own captain and team;
- The role of the umpires;
- The game itself and
- its traditional values
It involves putting the team ahead of personal interests and milestones;
It requires you to play with discipline and control and to be a good example on and off the field.
The Spirit of cricket is a theme with me and it’s how I try to live my life.
I also think the Spirit of cricket is especially relevant when you look at our Parliament.
Imagine a Parliament that encourages
- leadership,
- friendship and
- teamwork.
Where all Members show respect for:
- Colleagues on both sides of the aisle;
- For the Speaker
- For the original values of the Constitution of NSW.
Imagine a place where the community interest is prioritised ahead of personal interests and milestones;
Where we all exercise our role with discipline and control and strive to be a good example inside and outside the Parliament.
My request tonight to the Speaker, the Premier, the Opposition and to my crossbench colleagues is to execute our duties to the People of NSW in that exact manner.
How about no more attempts at “Gotcha moments”…
How about just asking or answering a question without spin?
How about we demonstrate to the public that Question Time is actually a valuable part of our parliamentary process and without the perception it has now of
- bullying,
- intimidation and
- immature behaviour.
The exact kind of stuff we try to protect our kids from on social media or in the playground. It’s not that hard.
Substance.
Work with and not against.
Support and Respect.
Is any of that too much to hope for? Or indeed ask for – even demand? Cause I’m pretty sure it’s what the community wants.
Let’s be the parliament that passes the most legislation, that works across party lines and every now and then compromises on things… because compromise is not a dirty word.
Let the 58th Parliament be the parliament that “gets it done”.
That’s the challenge, so Pad Up!