July 15, 2026

July 2026

Community Safety Forum • Wage Subsidy for Our Bus Drivers • Warringah Road Snap Poll Result • How to Report Illegal Tobacco and Vape Retailers

Welcome to July, Wakehurst!

Hi Wakehurst!

We're well into winter now, and this month's update covers the State Budget, transport, energy costs and local recreation across the Northern Beaches. From NSW Parliament to Pittwater Road, key highlights include the 2026-27 NSW State Budget, the new Home Energy Saver Program, and our ongoing push to fix public transport across Wakehurst, including the Northern Beaches Transport Network Review and the recent Keolis industrial action.

Here is what is happening in Wakehurst this month. In this newsletter you will find:

2026-27 NSW State Budget: Key Wakehurst wins
Upcoming Community Safety Forum
Firefighter recruitment in Parliament
Wage subsidy win for our bus drivers
The Northern Beaches Transport Network Review and Transit Lane on Warringah Road Snap Poll result
Home Energy Saver Program
Red Hill mountain bike jumps update
How to report illegal tobacco & vape retailers

Cheers,

2026-27 NSW STATE BUDGET
Key Wakehurst Wins

Last month we broke down the 2026-27 NSW Budget in detail. Quick recap of the wins I'd been pushing for:

$184.1 million boost to frontline domestic and family violence services (50% increase)
$86.6 million over 2 years for the new Shark Management program
$480 million for interest-free solar loans, up to $15,000 per household
$22 million to support Northern Beaches Hospital's transition to public hands
$631.9 million for the Thriving Kids early intervention program

For the full breakdown, including where I think the Budget fell short, check out last month's newsletter:

2026/27 NSW State Budget eNewsletter

UPCOMING PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNITY FORUM
with the Northern beaches Police Area Command

You would likely have seen recent news reports of violent and antisocial incidents across the Northern Beaches. Join me and representatives from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command for a special Public Safety Community Forum.

Like you, I’m feeling concerned about some of the shocking reports we’ve seen in the news. I take these matters extremely seriously, especially as a legislator. Crime, particularly youth crime, is a hot topic across NSW and requires a strong but strategic response from the NSW Government and the NSW Parliament in making new laws.

Thank you to everyone who has written to me about their concerns. While I generally don’t comment publicly on active police matters let alone seek to politicise them, I am pleased to organise this forum and thank the local area command for their willingness to engage and participate. I’ve been actively engaging with local police regarding specific incidents and other recent issues raised with myself and my office. I’m confident these are being robustly investigated and prosecuted wherever necessary.

This forum will be an opportunity to raise your local safety concerns, hear updates on policing and community safety initiatives, and discuss the crime and public safety issues being addressed locally and in NSW Parliament. Our community deserves to feel safe and we can all play an active role in that.

Date: Tuesday 21 July 2026
Time: 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Location: Swan Lounge, Dee Why Surf Life Saving Club, Dee Why NSW 2099

Places are limited, so please register as soon as possible.

Tickets Avaliable Here

FIREFIGHTER RECRUITMENT IN PARLIAMENT

I spoke in the Legislative Assembly last month in support of a motion brought forward by Trish Doyle MP, Member for Blue Mountains, recognising the invaluable work of Fire and Rescue NSW and the importance of recruiting more firefighters to strengthen our emergency services.

Trish's motion recognised six new firefighters in the Blue Mountains. I used the opportunity to share some good news closer to home too, welcoming two new firefighters now stationed at Dee Why, and made the case for continued investment in frontline staffing on the Northern Beaches.

Our community sits between the coast and large areas of bushland, so our firefighters respond to everything from house fires and bushfires to road accidents, hazardous material incidents and storm emergencies. Supporting them means ensuring they have proper staffing on the ground, as well as the equipment and resources they need to do their jobs safely.

I also reinforced my push for key worker housing at the old Forest High School site, now set to become the new Frenchs Forest Town Centre. Firefighters, nurses, police and teachers, among other essential workers, should be able to afford to live in the communities they serve.

Thanks to all Fire and Rescue NSW personnel, and the volunteers who back them up, for the work they do every day for our community.

BUS RELIABILITY ON THE NORTHERN BEACHES

Transport remains the issue I hear about most, whether it's congestion on Warringah Road, delays on Pittwater Road, or buses that don't turn up. With buses being the only public transport option for most Wakehurst residents, late, cancelled, or unreliable services have a real impact on getting to work, school and home.

The routes I hear the most about include the 270, 271, 179, 181X, 154X and 174X, made worse last year when 80+ bendy buses were pulled off the road for repairs. I managed to negotiate an additional 10 new double deckers to increase capacity on the B-Line, plus 50 additional bendy buses for the Northern Beaches and across the state.

However, the core problem is the chronic bus driver shortage.

Pictured: My recent visit to see our brand new B-Lines before they are deployed, plus the Premier and Transport Minister's visit to Keolis Brookvale Depot last year.

Reliability has been further threatened by industrial action against Keolis, with Opal readers switched off from 18th June to 2nd July and drivers pausing operation of buses with any dashboard warning lights from 6-10 July. Both actions were part of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union's dispute with Keolis over a new enterprise agreement.

Bus drivers need to be paid more. This is critical to support driver recruitment and retention. That’s why I have been pushing for a bus driver wage subsidy package from the NSW Government.

I was very pleased over the weekend to see Minister for Transport John Graham put a $200 million wage subsidy package on the table to boost pay offered by private bus operators.

The Government has made this funding package contingent on workers and operators landing a new enterprise agreement, as well as providing more options for part-time work, better training opportunities and other workplace improvements like more practical meal breaks.

This is a huge win for commuters on the Northern Beaches and an important piece in the puzzle to keep bus drivers behind the wheel and reliably getting us where we want to go.

I also remain laser focused on getting maximum essential worker housing, including for bus drivers, in the development of the new Frenchs Forest Town Centre so drivers can afford to live in the community where they work.

THE NORTHERN BEACHES NETWORK REVIEW

Last month I spoke in Parliament on the Northern Beaches Network Review and what needs to happen next.

This transport review is a useful step, but it can't just be a report that sits on a shelf. It identifies a range of practical improvements, but what matters now is turning those ideas into funded projects that actually improve how people move around our community.

My recent snap poll asking whether residents support a bus or transit lane on Warringah Road drew over 800 responses in a few days, with 73% in favour. The catch? People only want bus priority if it comes with more reliable, more frequent services. Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the snap poll, your insights are seriously helpful.

I incorporated the results of the poll directly into my submission to the Northern Beaches Network Review. I expressed support in principle for improving bus priority along the A8 and A38 corridors, while also making it clear that road changes cannot be implemented in isolation.

I also took your feedback directly into the NSW Parliament during my recent Private Members' Statement on the Northern Beaches Network Review. You can read my Private Members Statement to Parliament here.

I'm continuing to push for a stronger Dee Why to Chatswood bus corridor, building on what the B-Line has already shown works. I also raised the need for better transparency around transport decisions, including being upfront about the trade-offs involved when changes are made to existing roads and services.

If you would like more detailed information on my own submission to the review, please contact my office. Thank you again for all your input! I'll continue pushing the Government to deliver practical transport improvements that make a real difference for Northern Beaches commuters.

More broadly, the Northern Beaches region still lacks a clear long-term transport strategy.

Since the Beaches Link tunnel was cancelled by the previous government, there has been no real plan for how the Northern Beaches will manage the growth ahead. With nine new town centres and possible major developments (like the proposed Warringah Mall development) on the horizon, we need more than short-term fixes. We need a coordinated approach that looks at capacity, reliability and future demand together, rather than reacting project by project.

A lot of people justifiably want a Metro. With the cost currently exceeding over a billion dollars per kilometre to build, a Northern Beaches Metro line is more expensive than the Beaches Link Tunnel proposal which will serve more people across the beaches and open up greater public transport options.

Neither the previous government nor this current government had plans for any rail to the beaches. We must lock in improvements now for the bus network such as higher capacity buses like bi-articulated buses (think bendy buses) which carry over 200 people, more than double that of a B-Line bus. Brisbane currently has them and I’m seeking government support to trial these.

Download the Review & subscribe for updates

HOME ENERGY SAVER PROGRAM

This one is so exciting. A HUGE win for Wakehurst and households right across NSW. The $557 million Home Energy Saver Program is now official, a policy I took to the 2023 election and have pushed hard for ever since. After consistently meeting with the government and raising this in parliament, it's so great to see this energy cost-saving initiative actually realised.

The program offers zero-interest loans of up to $15,000 for solar, batteries, water heaters, double glazing and even draught-proofing. Homeowners with a combined household income up to $210,000 can apply. Discounts of up to $4,000 are also available for households earning up to $80,000 combined, or for concession card holders. Renters are encouraged to raise with their landlords to take advantage of this program.

The upfront cost has always been the biggest barrier to going solar or improving your home's energy efficiency. This program removes that hurdle.

Check your eligibility here

RED HILL UPDATE

Progress on restoring the Red Hill dirt jumps has been frustratingly slow. The land tenure situation is complicated, involving Crown Lands, Catholic Church land and a Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council claim.

I'm not giving up. One option worth exploring is a direct lease with Crown Lands, potentially involving an interested not-for-profit, similar to the Bare Creek arrangement.

In the meantime, I'm requesting resources into the Mt Narra/Deep Creek mountain bike trail network, which has real potential, and pushing Council to deliver on the proposed tracks at Seaforth Oval.

Thanks to everyone who signed the petition and has engaged on this. Let me know your ideas for other important next steps.

ILLEGAL TOBACCO & VAPES IN WAKEHURST :
How to Report

Across Wakehurst, I've heard consistently from parents, teachers and even young people about illegal operators near schools and shopping strips. Students from Wheeler Heights Public School even came to me directly about a tobacconist near their school.

Thank you to everyone who has spoken up, especially the kids themselves.

Police have shut down a number of illegal tobacco retailers over the past six months, but we often see them reopening after their closure expires or popping up in new locations. In February I spoke in Parliament in support of legislation extending penalties to landlords who knowingly lease premises to illegal tobacco retailers. That bill passed.

Legislation alone isn't enough. Police resources are stretched thin across NSW, so enforcement on the ground is difficult. Our community needs to play an active role in holding illegal operators accountable.

If you've noticed a retailer selling illegal tobacco or vapes in our community, there are clear ways to take action.

If you spot something, report it:

📞 Call the NSW Health Tobacco Information Line: 1800 357 412, or
🖥️ Submit a complaint online via the NSW Government Report Smoking and Vaping Portal

STOP THE PRESS
Northern Beaches Hospital Inquiry Report Released

This month the NSW Parliament's Public Accounts Committee released its final report into the safety and quality of health services at Northern Beaches Hospital. As a member of the Committee, I was proud to contribute to this important inquiry, which heard from patients, families, healthcare workers, unions, NSW Health, Healthscope and many others.

The report acknowledges the courage of those who shared their experiences and concludes that many of the hospital's challenges were not isolated incidents, but stemmed from fundamental flaws in the public-private partnership model that governed the hospital.

Personally, I want to say thank you to everyone who took the time to make a submission.

The report makes 11 recommendations to improve patient safety, strengthen staffing, integrate hospital systems, rebuild community trust and ensure lessons are learned for future public-private partnerships. With Northern Beaches Hospital now back in public hands, the focus must be on delivering the improvements our community deserves.

I will continue working with NSW Health and the Northern Sydney Local Health District to ensure these recommendations are implemented and that Northern Beaches residents can have confidence in a safe, high-quality public hospital for the future.

Read the report here

COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

Every day my office works through casework for residents across Wakehurst, big and small. This is why the job really matters. A few messages from residents whose issues we've helped sort out this month so far:

Debbie from Narraweena
“You have accomplished in one week what has taken me over two years.”
We advocated for necessary repairs to Debbie’s social housing.

Stanley from Forestville
“Thanks very much Michael and Gypsy for your great work for us local residents in Wakehurst.”
In response to our general advocacy around planning reforms.

Joseph from Killarney Heights
“Thank you so much for the good news and your effort of following up. Much appreciated.”
After the Forestville lift was repaired (again).

John from Dee Why
“Thanks Paul. Great work. It is now done.”
After chasing an urgent pothole repair.

Yvonne from Allambie Heights
“Having your voice, having you actively listen and drive this forward is fantastic.”
We assisted new Forest High students get more bus services and rectify scheduling issues.

Maxwell from Frenchs Forest
“The level of communication I’ve received for a simple concern has really gone above and beyond.”
In response to our updates regarding a major February protest in the CBD.

Thank you so much for this lovely feedback. It means a lot to myself and the team. If something's not right in your street or suburb, my office is here to help.