Yesterday was a very moving day in the New South Wales Parliament. I was pleased to stand with the Premier and the Minister for Health as they announced the Health Services Amendment (PPP Prohibition) Bill 2025. But the most important people at the press conference yesterday were Elouise and Danny Massa, whose two‑year‑old son, Joe Massa, died at the Northern Beaches Hospital. Over the past five weeks, Elouise and Danny have shown extraordinary courage and conviction in speaking publicly about their experience at the hospital. In the face of devastating, deeply personal and individual loss, Elouise and Danny, and other brave families, are raising very legitimate questions and concerns about systemic issues at the Northern Beaches Hospital and the need to return the hospital to public hands. They also recognise that this is not just about our hospital; it is about preventing this model of care being replicated across the State. It should not take high-profile tragedies to get proper scrutiny of the Northern Beaches Hospital. But the reality is that is what it has taken. The Massa family has really brought this issue to public prominence. They have done a service to our whole northern beaches community, and I do thank them for that. I thank the Premier and Minister Park for being so responsive and, importantly, compassionate to the Massa family. You have shown us all what authentic and compassionate leadership looks like.

I welcome the New South Wales Government's legislation to stop the Northern Beaches Hospital model being rolled out in other parts of the State, but the reality is the northern beaches community is still stuck with the public‑private pariah as our local public hospital. Now, more than ever, we need more scrutiny of the private operator, Healthscope, more scrutiny of the contract with the New South Wales Government, more scrutiny of individuals' experiences and more scrutiny of structural problems they expose. That is what we are seeing. Alongside the public‑private partnership prohibition bill, a parliamentary inquiry is now underway. The extensive terms of reference for the parliamentary inquiry cover the financial, operational and clinical performance of the hospital as well as the implementation of recommendations from a 2019 parliamentary inquiry which also examined this controversial hospital.

The inquiry will also take into account the Auditor‑General's performance audit of the hospital, which is expected to be released very soon. The commencement of the parliamentary inquiry is a significant moment for our community on the northern beaches. This inquiry provides the profile and resources for the accountability our community is seeking. This inquiry will help to keep the performance of the private Northern Beaches Hospital in the spotlight, where it belongs. Submissions to the inquiry are open until 20 May. I encourage northern beaches residents and all relevant stakeholders to make submissions. Of course the ultimate goal is for the hospital to be brought back into public hands. The northern beaches community deserves access to a truly public hospital. We cannot change decisions of the past Government, but we can influence what happens next.

I was very encouraged that, when asked about bringing the hospital back into public hands, the Premier said yesterday that nothing is off the table. But in no circumstances do we want to let Healthscope off the hook. It signed up to this contract. It has serious legal and moral obligations to our community, not just to deliver profits for its shareholders. With Healthscope's financial situation deteriorating, my concern—as always—is how huge cost‑cutting pressure impacts staff, in particular, and the patients at Northern Beaches Hospital. We know Healthscope is looking for savings high and low, across staffing, equipment and more. Something has got to give, and too often it is staff welfare and patient care.

It is completely unacceptable for this private operator's financial woes to compromise outcomes for public patients and private patients in our community. To keep their social licence in our northern beaches community, Healthscope must prioritise investing in its people and facilities to meet legitimate expectations of standards of care. Importantly, that includes coming to the table in its negotiations with nurses and midwives right now. It means a pay rise of 15 per cent and safe staffing levels equivalent to those being rolled out in the public system. I was pleased to join the nurses and midwives on strike at the hospital again on Monday this week. Their message is clear: Healthscope, step up. But I add that the same company runs hospitals in Queensland. Those same nurses and staff are paid 16 per cent more, and their staff to patient ratios are what they are in the New South Wales public system. Why is New South Wales any different? It is the same company, some qualifications, but different scales of pay. It is not acceptable. We do not accept that.