Mr NATHAN HAGARTY (Leppington) (13:31): I will make a short contribution to debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025, primarily because the member for Cessnock has encapsulated all the points I wanted to make, especially around U2. I note that we made some significant reforms to the planning system last year, but clearly the member for Wakehurst still hasn't found what he's looking for. When those reforms passed, it was a beautiful day.
Mr Clayton Barr: It was a Sunday.
Mr NATHAN HAGARTY: It was a Sunday but it was not particularly bloody. I note the intention of the bill is sound. I understand that the member for Wakehurst is trying to solve a problem. But as we heard earlier, the existing reforms that we have made to the planning system deal adequately with it. The bill would duplicate the system—and you only need "one".
Mr Michael Regan: Good reference.
Mr NATHAN HAGARTY: In particular, I will talk about bushfire protection and the fact that, prior to our reforms, the system was not quite keeping pace with where we were at. The suburb of Austral in my electorate was very rural 10 years ago, with lots of bush. A lot of people came to see me during the early months of my term who said that they had put in a development application for a dwelling and, as far as they could see, all the land had been cleared, but they were told they had to do a bushfire report because the bushfire maps were out of date.
Mr Michael Regan: I'm trying to fix that.
Mr NATHAN HAGARTY: I acknowledge the interjection. When the reforms were passed, I had a chat with the Minister and he said that they were the kinds of problems we were fixing with the reforms. I note the students are leaving the gallery. They are done with my U2 references. "With or without you" I will continue to speak about this important bill, which I do not support. I like the member for Wakehurst. He is very passionate about his community and tries to do what is right. As I and other members have said, this is not the direction that the planning department needs to go in. The Development Coordination Authority is coming together, and it will do important work. I believe that the Development Coordination Authority will, for the most part, deal with the problem that the member for Wakehurst is trying to solve, as well as a whole bunch of other problems.
I note that in my patch, in Liverpool, significant developments have been held up because they are waiting on flood evacuation mapping from State agencies. The Development Coordination Authority will solve that kind of problem and lots of other problems as well. This is just the start, and there are more reforms to come. I encourage the member for Wakehurst to speak to the Minister about subsequent reforms to see if he can help solve some further problems. Let me see if I have a song to wrap up with. I commend the bill to the House, but I think it is aLemon.
