By Matt Kean
2020 will not be forgotten in a hurry. It has been a year which has tested us and shown our strength as a community. As we head towards the end of the year I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you are able spend this time with family and loved ones.
This year despite the difficulties posed by COVID-19 we have still achieved many things for those in Dural and surrounding areas. Earlier in the year I was pleased to award Dural Rural Fire Service $11,177 through the Community Building Partnership grant. This was to replace members lockers at the station.
Hornsby Hospital has begun to move into the brand new Clinical Services Building. The paediatric unit moved in October and medical imaging has been operating since early this year.
Hornsby Hospital is also one of the first hospitals in the state which has gone solar. The system will yield over one million kWs of power per year, saving $250,000 and 900 tonnes of carbon emissions every year. Retirement village residents across will also be protected by new laws that increase safeguards around the sale of their property. We have introduced a number of new reforms that will improve access to exit entitlements, make the transition to aged care easier and cap the period of time residents pay recurrent charges for general services.
I would also like to thank our frontline workers who this year have been faced with a once in a lifetime pandemic. They have worked incredibly hard, often giving up time with their families to ensure our community is safe. Thank you.
