Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (23:31): My electorate has a rich history and an exciting future. I was delighted to recently attend the 100th anniversary celebrations of St Barnabas Anglican Church in Ingleburn, a wonderful milestone worthy of celebration. One hundred years in any language is indeed a very long time. The building and the congregations that have met within it under successive rectors have seen much change. I am certain that when Archbishop Wright visited Ingleburn all those years ago to unveil the foundation stone, he could not have imagined the changes that would take place.

But among all the changes, some things have remained a constant: a commitment to faith, fellowship, friendship and hope. I commend all of those who have helped St Barnabas reach this historic milestone. St Barnabas would not be the same today if it were not for the rectors, the staff and the congregation, people like former archbishop the Most Reverend John Charles Wright, who laid the foundation stone back in 1926; former archbishop Right Reverend Peter Jensen; the current archbishop, His Grace Kanishka Raffel; and the current rector of St Barnabas, Reverend Joe Wiltshire. I thank those members of our community who have shown a commitment to St Barnabas over many years.

The church has been a recipient of a New South Wales Community Building Partnership grant on two separate occasions, one for a new toilet block and one for new carpet. I understand the old carpet lasted for about 50 years, and that surely is a bit of a miracle given all the wear and tear it would have endured from the parishioners. Of course, the fabric of a good building is more than a carpet; it is actually the people who are woven together within its walls. My electorate is one where faith is a fundamental pillar for many. It is true that the form and expression of that faith vary considerably—its home can be a wat, a temple, a hall or a mosque. In the case of St Barnabas, it is a Christian church, and I think I can safely say that in Ingleburn at least, few places of faith and worship have had such a long and faithful witness to their community. One hundred years is a special milestone, and I was honoured to join in the celebrations at St Barnabas with my local community.

More broadly, we can say that a lot has changed in 100 years—technology, social diversity, medicine. But in one sense, the most valuable things never change. Our religious faith, our values, our moral compass and our ethical standards are guided and grounded through faith, the quality of our friendships, the importance of our families and our community, and our dedication to public service and the common good. Some things should never change, and places of worship are one of those things. These are unchanging values in our changing times.

While we celebrate our community's heritage, we must also embrace our future. That future is based on inclusivity, accessibility and equality. Take Macquarie Fields station, for example. I note that my good friend the member for Summer Hill is in the Chamber. She was a strong advocate for the station and was instrumental in driving the allocation of funds to make sure it finally got lifts. The people in our community are grateful for that. The upgrade of the station has finally delivered much-needed lifts for our community. I am proud that the Government is delivering that election commitment for my local community. A train station should work for everyone.

Since I was elected in 2015, I have worked alongside our community to ensure that Macquarie Fields gets its fair share. This community win is cause for celebration. The long overdue lifts make the station inclusive for all: people with disability, people with prams or luggage, older people and people with mobility challenges. I was delighted to be joined by the Minister for Transport for the official opening last week, which was a red-letter day for our community. I was also grateful to be joined by many Macquarie Fields residents who were eagerly awaiting the opening, including Donna in her mobility scooter, and long-time Macquarie Fields residents Olga, Margaret and Maria, who have stood with me at the station too many times to mention, as part of our campaign.

I was humbled to receive a thank you card from Robert and Maria. Robert, who is currently in hospital, expressed his disappointment at missing the official opening and conveyed his sincere thanks. I have no doubt that I will take Robert there when he is feeling better. This is a win for all of them and all the good people of Macquarie Fields, who have supported our community campaign for lifts and for our fair share over many years. Of course, the former Liberal Government ignored our community for 12 long years and blatantly politicised station upgrades, but that is now in the past. Thanks to the Minns Labor Government, Macquarie Fields can look forward to a future where inclusivity and accessibility matter. As Donna said about the station upgrade, it is a game changer for the people of Macquarie Fields and a great outcome for everyone. I could not agree more.