East Hills issues voiced at first post-election community cabinet meeting outside CBD
Residents spoke directly to Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her ministers about issues close to their heart at the first NSW cabinet meeting held in East Hills.
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Representatives from local organisers, schools and clubs had a rare opportunity to question Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her ministers at the first ever community cabinet meeting at East Hills.
The several invited guests spoke to the ministers for an hour on Monday, with the premier and cabinet welcoming the opportunity meet the East Hills voters and community leaders for the first time, outside an election campaign.
East Hills state Liberal MP Wendy Lindsay said no other premier has visited East Hills as much as Ms Berejiklian, who strongly supported the first-time MP during her campaign, where she replaced two-time Liberal MP Glenn Brookes. The cabinet met in a closed session at the club after the community meeting.
Resident Rosemary Daley, who spoke to a few ministers, said she did not raise any issues with them.
“I am happy the held their cabinet meeting here for the first time,” Ms Daley said.
“I don’t have any issues to ask them but its so lovely to see all of them here.”
Only Stuart Ayes, the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, was absent at the meeting.
Ms Berejiklian said she was delighted to be here again, having spent many days in the lead-up to the March elections where her Coalition government was re-elected.
“I am so happy to be here and could not have a better venue for our first non-CBD cabinet meeting,” said Ms Berejiklian, who freely mingled with several guests under the watchful eye of her security detail.
“We don’t take you for granted.”
Ms Lindsay, who had earlier visited Panania Public School with Berejiklian and Education Minister Sarah Mitchell, said residents can follow up any queries they made with the ministers, with her.
“I am delighted the first cabinet meeting outside the CBD since the election is held in East Hills,” Ms Berejiklian told the Express.
“This is the first community cabinet meeting after the election and my government will deliver all the promises we made.
“The funding for the ($1.3 billion) Bankstown Hospital is in the (2019/20) Budget.
“I want to thank the residents for their support.”
At Pannia Public School, Ms Berejiklian had earlier unveiled her priority plan which aims to increase the number of public school students in the top two NAPLAN, or equivalent, bands for literacy and numeracy by 15 per cent by 2023.
Under the new priority, an additional 18,700 students will improve their literacy skills and 13,500 students will boost their numeracy skills across NSW.
She thanked the residents and volunteers at service clubs for their efforts to make their community a better place.
“When I am here I can fee the hopes and aspirations of what is across the state,” Ms Berejiklian told the gathering at Club Condell Park.
“Your voice to me is Wendy (Lindsay) who has a direct line to us.
The government has also committed $750,000 for the upgrade of Marco Reserve. one of
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell confirmed the Government’s Bump It Up program, which identifies schools that have the greatest potential to lift their students’ performance in literacy and numeracy, will be extended to all schools across the State.
Panania Public School has participated in Bump It Up since 2016 and has 130 students sitting NAPLAN each year, with around 20 additional students in the top two bands of NAPLAN in 2018.
“Since introducing the 2015 Premier’s Priority, around 20,000 students achieved results in the top two NAPLAN bands for literacy and numeracy in the last year alone,” Ms Mitchell said.
“By 2023, we expect to see significant, tangible improvement in literacy and numeracy, right across the State.”
Ms Berejiklian will reveal her full Premier’s Priorities later this week.
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