Mr NATHAN HAGARTY (Leppington) (19:00): In the spirit of Ol' Blue Eyes:

Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away
If you can use some exotic booze,
There's a bar in far Bombay

I am pleased to speak in debate on the Liquor Amendment (Airports) Bill 2025, which supports the Commonwealth Government's transition of liquor licensing and regulation at leased Federal airports in this State to the New South Wales Government. The bill covers Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, Bankstown Airport, Camden Airport and the soon-to-be-opened Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport in my neighbouring electorate of Badgerys Creek. It ensures that when responsibility transfers from the Commonwealth to the State on 1 April 2026, the process will be seamless, with no disruption to airport operations, passengers or businesses.

On 11 June this year, I had the privilege of attending the unveiling of the new international terminal at the Western Sydney airport with the Prime Minister and Minister Kamper. It was a great event. I can confirm to the House that the airport is a world-class, modern and efficient facility that is designed to meet the needs of a growing region and ever-expanding economy. The event was a reminder of the scale of change underway in Western Sydney and the importance of getting the details right. The bill is one of those details. It ensures that the regulatory framework that governs day-to-day operations, including liquor licensing, keeps pace with the infrastructure that the Government is building.

The airport is very spacious and open. Unlike traditional airports, it does not have obvious boundaries between the retail and general areas, so it makes sense to have regulations that support that its design. While the bill is largely mechanical in nature, it is designed to maintain the status quo when the responsibility is transferred from the Commonwealth to the State. The bill will also recognise the modern airport environments and ensure that liquor licensing is in line with other jurisdictions. Liquor licensing at federally leased airports has sat outside the State's jurisdiction for decades. Absorbing the airports into the State framework ensures there is consistency, clarity and proper oversight while bringing this State in line with every other jurisdiction in our wonderful Commonwealth.

Airports are unique environments. Many operate around the clock, serving millions of travellers each year in high-security, time-critical conditions. The Western Sydney airport will be a 24-hour airport. Restaurants, bars, duty-free shops and lounges can be found inside terminals, catering to a transient population at all hours. They are not typical licensed premises. Anyone who has had their flight delayed will know that. I will not name the airport, but last Monday my Dubbo flight was delayed by two hours. It was 7 o'clock in the morning so I did not frequent the bar. But at other times of the day when we might be stuck at an airport for several hours, we may frequent a bar. Because airport bars are not typical licensed premises, they require a legislative framework that reflects the realities of airport life.

The current Liquor Act 2007 defines airports as public airports established and maintained by local councils. As such, it excludes federally leased airports. The bill updates the definition of "airport" to ensure that the Act applies to all airports, regardless of ownership or lease arrangements. It effectively brings them under one umbrella. A major focus of this bill is flexibility in trading hours. Sydney airport currently operates from 4.30 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. I have made a previous contribution to express my thoughts on how ridiculous that is. Western Sydney airport will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and standard liquor trading rules, which include a mandatory six-hour closure period, will not fit that operating environment.

The bill allows licensed venues within passenger terminals to trade in line with an airport's hours, ensuring that services are available whenever flights are running. Under this bill, if I did choose to drink alcohol at all hours of the early morning, I could. It is a common‑sense reform. An airport cafe serving breakfast at 5.00 a.m. is not the same as a suburban pub. The bill recognises that difference and ensures that the rules are tailored to the context. The bill also reduces red tape. Under the existing law, packaged‑liquor outlets such as supermarkets must sell alcohol from a separate area, but airport duty-free stores often combine liquor, perfume and gifts in one space. The bill provides an exemption so that those stores can keep trading as they do now. When I was at Western Sydney airport in June, I walked through what will be the duty-free section. Once a passenger has passed through customs, they cannot avoid it.

Mr Clayton Barr: Who were you with?

Mr NATHAN HAGARTY: I was with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. It was a great day for Western Sydney. It will be an even greater day when that airport opens and when liquor trading at airports can happen at all times. I know some people in north‑west Sydney have issues with the new airport but we in the south-west are looking forward to it, with glee. The Western Sydney airport and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis project is one of the most ambitious economic development projects in this nation's history. The aerotropolis will transform the region into a 24-hour hub of transport, logistics and innovation. To support that vision, the bill allows the secretary to set trading hours for licensed premises within the aerotropolis precinct but outside the passenger terminal itself on a case-by-case basis. That will ensure that the regulatory framework is future ready and capable of supporting the growth of Western Sydney's economy, which many of us are looking forward to.

In conclusion, the bill ensures that when planes start taking off and landing 24 hours a day, the rules governing those terminals are clear, modern and, most importantly, practical. The bill balances industry needs with community expectations and safety and gives our regulators the flexibility they need without compromising standards. The Liquor Amendment (Airports) Bill 2025 is about good governance. It brings consistency, reduces duplication and ensures that the laws of New South Wales reflect the realities of modern airport operations. If he were still with us, I am sure Ol' Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, would love to land at Western Sydney airport and have a whiskey or two before getting on with whatever he was visiting Sydney to do. I commend the bill to the House. Long live Western Sydney airport.