Mr NATHAN HAGARTY (Leppington) (21:18): In recent years, modular construction has shifted from a niche idea to a proven way of delivering public infrastructure faster, more efficiently and with greater cost certainty. Nowhere is that clearer than in the education space. Across New South Wales, modular construction has enabled schools to be delivered in months rather than years, and for classrooms to be manufactured offsite in as little as 12 to 14 weeks and then installed onsite in days. That means that students and teachers can move into high-quality learning spaces far sooner than traditional builds would allow.

In fast-growing communities like mine in Leppington, that speed matters. Twelve long years of neglect and underinvestment in education is now being turned around through the use of modular building. Families are not left waiting years for classrooms to catch up. Students can attend their local school instead of being sent elsewhere. Communities grow with confidence, not frustration. But this is not just about schools. Modular construction gives us a practical way to deliver critical infrastructure wherever growth is happening. Take, for instance, emergency services. As suburbs expand, demand for ambulance and fire stations rises just as quickly. Traditional construction often lags behind, leaving communities exposed. Modular delivery allows these facilities to be up and running far sooner, keeping response times and public safety in step with population growth.

I should be clear: This is not about cutting corners. Modular buildings meet the same safety, accessibility and quality standards as traditional construction. The difference is smarter delivery. Offsite manufacturing reduces weather delays, cuts waste and provides far greater certainty around cost and timelines. That certainty matters across the construction sector, especially as we face ongoing skills shortages. When projects can be delivered two or even three times faster, the same workforce can deliver more. Productivity increases without simply demanding more labour. In a constrained market, that is critical. It also matters as we confront the housing affordability crisis. Modular housing is increasingly recognised as a practical way to increase supply more quickly and at lower cost. I have seen modular homes firsthand in my electorate in places like Austral and Leppington. They are well designed, permanent and compliant; not temporary fixes, but real homes for growing communities.

Modular construction is not the whole solution, but it is clearly part of it. This is where local government must start thinking differently. The NSW Audit Office's 2025 local government report highlights ongoing challenges with delivering major infrastructure on time and within budget. Poor scoping, weak planning and governance gaps are driving delays and cost overruns. Those delays do not sit on paper. They affect families waiting for pools, sporting fields and community spaces that have already been promised. But there are better ways to deliver. Across Australia, modern construction methods are already being used to build aquatic and wellbeing infrastructure more efficiently. Projects like the Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre in Victoria show what is possible when contemporary approaches are embraced.

We are also seeing innovation in modular aquatic facilities. Concepts like Aqua Box offer scalable, modular pool systems that can be delivered faster, with clearer costs and the flexibility to expand as communities grow. Instead of locking councils into complex, high-risk builds, these approaches allow facilities to open sooner while managing financial pressure—which brings me to the Carnes Hill aquatic centre. For years, residents have called for the Carnes Hill aquatic centre. They have signed petitions, shown up to meetings and continued to pay their rates and contributions. Yet the project has become defined by delay and rising costs. My community is not asking for extravagance. They are asking for fairness and access to basic infrastructure that supports families, promotes health and builds connection.

Modular aquatic facilities offer a practical path forward for the lagging project at Carnes Hill. They could achieve faster delivery, greater cost control and less risk of further blowouts. Most importantly, the council would finally deliver what has been promised for many years. If modular construction can fast-track schools, support housing delivery and even build bridges, as has been brought to my attention by a resident recently, then it should be able to provide community infrastructure such as pools. It is time for Liverpool council to stop delaying and start delivering on the Carnes Hill pool. Our community does not need perfect projects that are years too late. It needs practical solutions now, and modular construction is one example.