By leave: I owe the House an apology for raising the Northern Beaches Hospital debacle way back when. It has taken up a considerable amount of time of many people. But it is important and, based on the amendments that have been moved, all members understand just how important. By and large, I support the motion and the amendments. I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to debate on the motion. I will make a private member's statement on the matter later in the week. My staff have had to deal with this issue from day one, when we put our feet under the desk, opened the door and said, "Hi, this is the member for Wakehurst's electorate office. Come to us with any problems."

From that day on, we have heard from members of staff, doctors, nurses, cleaners and patients. They kept coming in with story after story. The issue would not go away. Every time we asked questions of Healthscope or the local health district, we got the response, "Nothing to see here." There was no empathy, no nothing. It was awful. But we continued down that path. Today is a momentous day. NSW Health will basically be able to take control. It has removed the obstacle of Healthscope and the receivers. We will be able to take back control of the hospital. The two hospitals in Manly and Mona Vale were in a dire state of disrepair—at level 4 status and offering private services, I might add. I make it clear that they provided private services. We were told that the level 5 hospital we were promised would also deliver those private services and be a tertiary hospital. What we ended up with was the conflict that we have all read about in the audit report.

I take the opportunity today simply to say to the community that we will continue to advocate for what is there going forward—the bones of a really positive structure. I will continue to look forward and not backward. I will continue to work with the community and the staff. I note the contribution by the member for Davidson during which he read out numerous emails and quoted different people who are contacting the same doctors that the member for Manly, the member for Pittwater and I have met with. They have some genuine concerns. I love that the Minister for Health met with them directly and committed even today to continue to meet with them to work out those concerns and design a model going forward. That is important.

They have a view and those within the hospital, like nurses—some of whom were in the gallery today— also have a view. They are over the moon about what is about to take place. They are grateful for all the advocacy and for the Government's work. That point should not be lost, and I will speak more about it in due course. There are different views. So many families and ex-patients came through the hospital, and the masses are as one. They are using their tragedies purely for good. It is inspiring. I cannot stress that enough. It makes me cry to think about what they continue to go through. Many members do not know that there are others who have experienced tragedy. That is why today's announcement is so important. It removes a huge obstacle and allows us to start fresh, with great hope for not just the masses but the nurses and the staff, who are burnt out and exhausted but trying to keep things going for the community's sake. That is incredible. I thank them.

I thank the Opposition for supporting Joe's law and for supporting my bill, which helped to advocate for it. I finish by acknowledging the Minister's team, who have been deep in this with me from my first meeting with Minister Park, helping me to navigate the bureaucracy. Since we made the decision to go where we have gone, they have had an extraordinarily difficult time. I know how many resources this has taken, and I know that it is exceptional and extreme. It takes a toll. Well done to all of them. I thank members in this place for their continued support. It is the right decision. It is the right thing to do for this community and for New South Wales in general. We should all be proud of that. I look forward to the next speech.

Read the entire Public Interest Debate in the NSW Hansard here