June 02, 2026

June Update

Visit from the Premier • New shark surveillance drones • E-bikes in Parliament • Bushfire Protection Bill

Welcome to June, Wakehurst!

Hi Wakehurst!

With the autumn months now officially over, we've had some exciting updates to share about education, health, housing, roads and safety programs across the Northern Beaches. From NSW Parliament to Pittwater Road, key highlights include updates on the Northern Beaches Hospital's transition to public hands, the launch of new aerial shark surveillance drones, and our continued push for sensible bushfire protection laws. We also welcomed the Premier to Wakehurst for a visit to important local sites.

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

The Premier visits Wakehurst
New aerial shark surveillance drones launched
E-bikes in Parliament: accelerating better rules for riders
An update on my Bushfire Protection Bill and next steps
Northern Beaches Hospital update
Northern Beaches Network Review
Wakehurst Parkway update

Cheers,

THE PREMIER'S VISIT TO WAKEHURST

It was great to welcome the Premier to Wakehurst recently for a visit to several important local sites. Here is what we covered:

The new Forest High School

The Premier joined us for the official opening of the new Forest High School. After years of planning, it is extremely satisfying to see the school finally open. Alongside Principal Nathan Lawler and the school’s student leaders, we officially declared open a campus that can host up to 1,500 students.

The vision for this relocated campus has been in the works since my early days as Mayor. A $160 million investment delivering 73 classrooms, a performance theatre, a synthetic sports field, five basketball courts and views across the Northern Beaches, and in time, both the theatre and sports field will be available to the broader community. This is what world-class public education looks like.

Congratulations to Principal Lawler, the teachers, staff, students and families who carried the school’s strong community spirit into its new home. The best is yet to come!

The old Forest High School site

The old Forest High School site is vacant public land, already rezoned for 1,000 dwellings and a town centre, in a prime location next to the Northern Beaches Hospital. But only 150 of those dwellings will be affordable housing. And key workers don’t qualify for that. So what about them? The redevelopment of this site is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shift the dial on affordable and key worker accommodation on the Northern Beaches. Bus drivers, police, teachers, nurses and health care workers should be able to live in the communities where they work. We don't need 850 more multi-million dollar apartments for the well-heeled.

For years, I've been making the case to the Government that we need an ambitious and innovative plan for this key strategic site. During the Premier’s visit I met with hospital staff, bus drivers and police who would directly benefit from more local affordable housing. I then asked the Premier directly in Question Time what his government is doing to act on this opportunity.

In his answer, the Premier announced that the NSW Government will launch a Registration of Interest campaign in June, seeking proposals for the redevelopment of the site and challenging developers to put forward proposals with the maximum amount of affordable and key worker housing possible. This is a positive step forward. Because otherwise the standard process is to sell the site to the highest bidder. So, if we get this right, it will be a game changer for our community. I am determined to make sure we don’t let this opportunity pass us by.

County Road

County Road remains a priority for me. It is owned by the State. It is in need of a significant upgrade and I raised this directly with the Premier. Our open spaces need to keep pace with our growing community, and I will continue to push for investment here.

ENSURING PATIENT CARE & CONTINUITY AT NORTHERN BEACHES HOSPITAL

With the Northern Beaches Hospital now in public hands as of the end of April, I asked the Minister for Health, the Hon. Ryan Park MP, about the changes our community can expect with this transition.

The Minister confirmed in Question Time that more staff will be hired across the board, services for public patients will expand, and the hospital will be better integrated with NSW Health. These were the core promises made during the transition, and it is good to see them being acted on.

Among the specific changes expected: more Junior Medical Officers and improved nurse-to-patient ratios, which were chronically understaffed under Healthscope; interventional cardiology services for public patients, previously unavailable at this hospital; a new thrombolysis service for timely stroke treatment; and upgrades to the Mental Health Short Stay Unit, including more single rooms and better privacy and safety for adults and adolescents.

I will continue to monitor delivery of these commitments. Please reach out to my office if you have any concerns or questions.

NEW AERIAL SHARK SURVEILLANCE DRONES LAUNCHED

I was pleased to join Surfing NSW and Minister Moriarty on the 4th May for the launch of an expanded drone rollout to 60 surf clubs across NSW.

This aerial shark surveillance program is part of the NSW Government’s $4.2 million committed towards the Shark Management Program, announced last year, helping to expand and improve beach safety for surfers, swimmers and local communities.

This is also a meaningful step in honouring the legacy of Mercury Psillakis, a much-loved and respected member of Long Reef Boardriders. I want to give a huge thanks to the Psillakis family, whose bravery and perseverance have been instrumental in securing these drones to keep our beaches safer.

This is a real and practical investment in safety, awareness and our coastal communities. I thank everyone who supported my calls for this funding.

E-BIKES IN PARLIAMENT

I recently spoke in support of the Road Transport Amendment (Non-registrable Motor Vehicles) Bill 2026 in NSW Parliament. The bill strengthens police seizure powers, aligns NSW with other states by reducing the allowable motor power from 500W to 250W, and increases penalties for manufacturers and suppliers who breach safety standards.

E-bikes offer real benefits, particularly on the Northern Beaches where transport options are limited. But community expectations are clear. A survey through my office found strong support for measures including registration, licensing, minimum age requirements and lower speed limits on shared paths.

While this bill is a positive step, I believe more needs to be done. We should consider registration and licensing for higher-powered e-bikes, clearer statewide speed limits, minimum age requirements and greater investment in separated cycling infrastructure.

I also acknowledge the leadership shown by St Luke’s Grammar School and Northern Beaches Council, both of which have taken proactive steps to improve e-bike safety. I will continue advocating for a balanced framework that supports both innovation and public safety.

The outcome of MY BUSHFIRE BILL

Both major parties voted against my Bushfire Protection Bill in NSW Parliament this month. The bill sought to ensure the NSW Rural Fire Service retains strong powers to oppose unsafe rezonings for new homes on bushfire-prone land. They both spoke against it preferring to rush housing approvals and lower the Fire safety standards. Quite astonishing actually.

It was backed by the NSW RFS Association, the Bushfire Protection Association and eight former Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners from the RFS and Fire and Rescue NSW, people who understand the risks posed by increasingly dangerous fire conditions.

Current planning reforms risk weakening the role of bushfire expertise in planning decisions, including around proposals like the Patyegarang (formerly, Lizard Rock) subdivision on the Northern Beaches, which has so far been stopped by RFS expert advice.

I support housing growth in appropriate locations, but not in areas of high bushfire risk. I will continue to advocate for strong bushfire protections in the planning system.

NOTICE: WORKS ON WAKEHURST PARKWAY

From the 1st June, the NSW government is delivering improvements to Wakehurst Parkway between Frenchs Forest and Narrabeen, focusing on safety and capacity for this key roadway for our area

Key work activities include:

Installing safety barriers and temporary fencing
Clearing vegetation
Carrying out earthworks and excavation
Installing temporary asphalt to allow for placement of safety barriers, and
Carrying out drainage and flood mitigation works

Work times are:

Standard working hours are Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm and 8am to 1pm on Saturday.
In June, Transport will be working up to ten night shifts (Sunday to Thursday 8pm to 6am. Noisy work will be completed before midnight. )
Some temporary traffic changes will be in place at night

REMINDER: THE NORTHERN BEACHES NETWORK REVIEW

The Northern Beaches Network Review is a real opportunity to improve our local bus services and road connections in and out of the beaches. Community feedback is essential to getting it right. Whether it’s inconsistent timetables, overcrowded services, poor connections, or gaps in accessibility, your experience matters.

HAVE YOUR SAY! SUBMISSIONS CLOSE 15 JUNE 2026

Suggestions for new routes are welcome too. I encourage everyone to make a submission and have their say, because better public transport starts with listening to the people who use it every day.

Keep an eye out for Transport for NSW public presentations and make sure you get along.

We get one shot at this. I know many want a metro, but that would be decades away if ever.

Right now though, we need higher capacity buses, more frequent services, and of course pay the drivers more so that we can attract them to the job and retain them. Lets stay focussed.

OPPORTUNITY: SUMMER INTERNSHIP WITH TRANSGRID

Students in our community have an exciting opportunity to kick-start their careers, with Transgrid now opening applications for its 2026 Summer Internship Program. This 12-week program offers hands-on experience in a dynamic and supportive environment, giving interns the chance to contribute to real projects helping shape Australia’s energy future.