Discovering More Information About Melanie Gibbons

7/29/2019 Discovering More Information About Melanie Gibbons

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Understanding WhoMelanie Gibbons

Really IsCopyright 2013www.melaniegibbons.com.au
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www.melaniegibbons.com.au Copyright 20132

Table Of ContentsPage 3 - Political Will Protects The Community A

Fine Example From Melanie GibbonsPage 5 - Working On It Jobs Creation Is A

Community Development Agenda ForMelanie Gibbons

Page 7 - Melanie Gibbons Works With Constituents

For A Clean And Green CommunityPage 9 - Drawing The Line Melanie Gibbons Takes

Steps To Get Graffiti Under Control In MenaiPage 11- Melanie Gibbons And The RMS Help

Preserve Motorist Safety With DeadmansCreek Bridge Upgrade Plans

Page 13- Melanie Gibbons Campaigns For SaferSchool Crossings

Page 15- Melanie Gibbons Dedicated To Serving thePeople Of Menai

Page 17- Melanie Gibbons Puts Babies And NursesOn Top Of Healthcare Agenda

Page 19- Why Did Melanie Gibbons Choose To

Champion Autism and Disability SupportPage 21- Melanie Gibbons Making Waves As MP For

Menai


3/22


Political Will Protects The Community: A Fine

Example From Melanie Gibbons

The problem of asbestos isa global health concern, most

especially in areas where this

building material has seen

widespread use. Australia, in

particular, tops the list of

countries with the highest

incidents of asbestos diseases

per capita. While asbestos has been banned as a building material since2003, and there is now a national plan to get rid of public buildings with

asbestos by 2030, the countless structures that used it are still standing and

have been tagged as ticking time bombs. In fact, a study has calculated that

over the next 20 years, an estimated 40,000 Australians can be diagnosed

with lung diseases caused by asbestos exposure.

Meanwhile, as the state government works on the long-term and

widespread solution, communities make it their responsibility to makeurgent, decisive decisions to reduce the risk of asbestos exposure in their

localities. A shining example of this is the case of Newbridge Heights

Public School that showed how local awareness and committed leadership

helped secure the wellbeing of children and the community.

MP for Menai Melanie Gibbons advanced the local campaign to

reduce asbestos risk as she helped the parents and students of Newbridge

Heights Public School to urge authorities to finally take concrete steps intoensuring that the school grounds are safe for students use and

maintenance after asbestos was found on the grounds. Under the former

Labor government, the community had long been promised

comprehensive testing of the school oval and playing field, but this has

been delayed or postponed repeatedly.
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Gibbons invited the stakeholders for a discussion of the issue and

studied the documents and video footage that revealed the negligence. She

also certified the 500-signatory petition for a complete remediation of the

site, and delivered this to the Minister of Education. The Minister then

ensured immediate, careful remediation that will protect the safety of the

schoolchildren. Meanwhile, the specific details of the petition were

forwarded to the Legislative Assembly stating the following points:

temporary closure of the school oval; comprehensive soil sample testing of

the entire school site; a report of the testing results; and an accurate

asbestos management plan submitted to all parents, teachers, school staff

and the community of Newbridge Heights Public School.

Observers say this incident proved how community action plus

political will is indeed an effective combination for positive change. Local

mum Linda Lambourne has this to say: I have enormous respect for Ms.

Gibbons. After many refused to address the seriousness of asbestos,

Melanie reacted immediately. If all our politicians displayed the same

compassion for childrens wellbeing, we would have no reason to

complain.

Asbestos is a building material that has been used heavily across theworld. A few years ago, it was discovered how toxic and fatal exposure to

asbestos can be. Asbestos is made up of long, thin strands of microscopic

fibre, unseen by the naked eye. Dormant and enclosed between other

materials used for insulation, asbestos is considered low risk. However,

when it is disturbed for some reason, such as if someone hammers a nail in

the wall or the ceiling structure begins to weaken over time, the small

fibres can float in the air and can be easily inhaled. The fibres can easily

accumulate and get lodged in the lungs. This can cause scarring,

inflammation, breathing problems, and eventually, more problematic

complications such as cancer of the lungs and abdomen. Moreinformation

mentioned here.
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Working On It: Jobs Creation Is A Community

Development Agenda For Melanie Gibbons

Global and local leaders are now all looking towards growth and

revival after the most recent economic downturn. While a majority of

affected sectors are still struggling to get back on their feet, reports say the

outlook is generally positive, and there is much hope and support given to

the various programs and policies that are being set in place towards a

speedy and sustainable recovery.

One of the focus areas that are being given more interest and

attention today is the goal of jobs creation. Almost every politician has a

jobs plan or a workforce opportunity program being designed for their

constituents a natural direction to take, political observers say, given

that job stability is an urgent and major concern for the millions of

individuals and families that are facing unemployment or

underemployment.

While providing a source of livelihood for everyone sounds like a

good plan, thinking leaders know that a truly effective strategy is one that

puts jobs creation in the context of all other community issues. MP for

Menai Melanie Gibbons believes that decent work opportunities arise only

if the state of the community is in good condition, and so she provides
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support for the labour force by integrating jobs creation into her

community development agenda. As a New York Times columnist wrote,

Jobs, in other words, are not the cause of a healthy economy; theyre the

by product.

When a multinational company decided to situate their $40 million

facility in Liverpool, Gibbons was among the first to provide her support

and encouragement into the investment. Setting up the new headquarters

of HPM Legrand Australia was estimated to regain 380 jobs and create 40

new more. Gibbons welcomed the investments, knowing how beneficial it

is for the community to have job opportunities created that are closer to

where people live, as the local newspaper quoted her.

Gibbons priority objectives are also connected to the aim of serving

the labour force and making the community more prepared for the local

and global job market, from her work as Acting Speaker of the Legislative

Assembly and as Deputy Chair of the Committee on Children and Young

People, to her programs to help the disabled and disadvantaged, to her

focus on community health and wellness, and to her unwavering

commitment to uplifting the morale of her constituents by providing

genuine, constant service. Never say you cant, Gibbons says, quotingher favourite uncle, paraplegic and accomplished athlete Bourke Gibbons.

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7/22


Melanie Gibbons Works With Constituents For A

Clean, Green and Healthy Community

The phrase politics is a dirty job, may be loaded with meaning, but

for some hardworking politicians, the meaning can be simply literal. MP

for Menai Melanie Gibbons has walked on landfills, picked up trash,

cleaned up dirty rivers and tightened measures against vandals, all in thename of making the community greener, cleaner and healthier.

In the morning of Clean Up Australia Day, Gibbons walked to the

Thompsons Bay Reserve on Fowler Road at Illawong with the Menai Scout

Group, Menai Wildflower Club and the Woronora River Rural Fire Service

to start the river clean-up. The group moved amongst mud and the

mangroves to pick up rubbish, plastic and heaps of glass. After hours of

cleaning, they carried the trash to the boat provided by the Rural FireService. Afterwards, they were regaled by the local historian with stories of

how the place used to be a social hub in the 1880s. Learning that the area

was once a place where people held picnics, played cricket games and a

major transportation route made the clean-up team even more inspired to

revive neglected areas in the neighbourhood.
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Another activity that similarly aims to make good use of the

beautiful, useful spaces in the community is the enhancement of the

boating facilities in the Georges River and Botany Bay. Gibbons supported

the waterway safety initiatives that were proposed through The Botany

Bay Georges River Boating Safety Plan, which includes removing objects

that are considered a navigation hazard and installing CCTVs at

designated areas. The plan also proposes the establishment of an aquatic

park at Floyd Bay, Lansvale to make way for more water-based activities.

Gibbons likes things clean, including electric power. She paid a visit

to one of the largest landfills in Australia, the New Illawarra Road Landfill

at SITAs Lucas Heights Resource Recovery Park, as a show of support to

its ability to generate clean, green power for 20,000 homes in the NSW grid.

The facility converts methane and waste gases from the landfill to pump

sufficient energy, into what the community describes as a way of turning a

liability into an asset.

Another clean-up activity led by Gibbons is her support for the

campaign to curb vandalism through a set of proposed changes on the law

against graffiti offences. According to her, graffiti is the most complained-

about problem to her office, and so she considers it a big step to have alegislative framework that requires offenders to clean up their graffiti and

to appear in court. People take pride in their homes and the area they live

in so this funding will help us find a solution that works, Gibbons was

quoted as saying. To learn more about this, consult Melanie Gibbons

Menai.
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9/22


Drawing The Line: Melanie Gibbons Takes Steps

To Get Graffiti Under Control In Menai

In most communities,graffiti is considered a negative

presence. The term pertains to

writings or drawings that have

been marked onto walls or

other public surfaces. Often,

these markings consist of single

or multiple words or elaborate

illustrations that may haveunderlying social or political

messages. They may also be symbolic forms that mark the territory of

certain groups or indicate activities related to gangs.

While the "artists" behind the graffiti often claim that these

markings are expressions of their freedom of speech and creative, artistic

inclinations, in the eyes of city officials and community members, putting

graffiti on public or private properties using paint, spray paint, or markersis considered an act of vandalism and defacement, and as such, is a

punishable crime. In the electorate of Menai in New South Wales, MP

Melanie Gibbons vowed to take control of the proliferation of graffiti in her

community by supporting measures to curb graffiti vandalism that were

debated in State Parliament.

In August 2011, a bill was passed by the Legislative Assembly

with the following proposals: offenders will be required to face courtinstead of merely being given a caution; magistrates will have the power to

order offenders to remove the graffiti and restore the appearance of the

defaced buildings (unless this is found to be impractical); and courts will

have the power to suspend the offender's driver's licence for up to six

months, dispense demerit points, or extend time on L-plates or P-plates.
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Gibbons, along with fellow Liberal MP Mark Speakman (for Cronulla)

were among those who backed these proposed changes. They believed that

losing one's driver's licence would make a person more hesitant about

engaging in vandalism, especially since an offender can simply refuse to

pay a fine he has been slapped with, and because many offenders no longer

fear being reprimanded when they get caught for the offence.

The Opposition also supported the bill in the Legislative

Assembly, although certain MPs expressed concerns about the measure to

suspend licences. Lakemba MP Robert Furolo, specifically, said that the

suspension may push offenders to commit a much more serious offence

driving while unlicensed. The move, he said, would also have the effect of

criminalising young people and giving them a long-time record

something that can substantially affect their ability to get into universities,

apply for jobs, and provide for their families.

The government decided to accept two of the proposals that

offenders must face court and that magistrates can order them to remove

the graffiti and restore the buildings appearance but not the

controversial plan to suspend licences for up to six months. Despite this

seemingly "watered down" version of the legislation, the Sutherland ShireMPs were pleased that the legislative framework for this community

problem has been laid down and were optimistic that it would create a

huge, positive impact on the task of curbing the issue. Gibbons said that

requiring offenders to appear in court would be an effective deterrent in

itself, as offenders would now be forced to tell their parents about their

deeds.

According to Attorney-General Greg Smith, the approvedreforms turned out to be significantly stronger than anything that the

Labor Party has introduced in its 16 years in office. Visit this sitefor more

info about this.
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11/22


Melanie Gibbons And The RMS Help Preserve

Motorist Safety With Deadmans Creek Bridge

Upgrade Plans

Deadmans Creek Bridge, a

narrow, two-lane bridge on Heathcote

Road found in Sandy Point (an area in

the New South Wales electorate of

Menai), is an important public passage

in this locality. It connects the two

sides of Menai and serves as a

valuable link between communities.

Heathcote Road is a major arterial link

that serves both local and commercial

traffic from Liverpool to Wollongong,

not to mention the Department of

Defence at Holsworthy; thus,

countless cars and heavy vehicles (like

trucks) pass by the road and this bridge every day, as well as a number ofpeople on bikes or on foot.

Unfortunately, Deadmans Creek Bridge has been known as a

notorious "black spot" residents know very well that many accidents

have occurred here and that the dangerous stretch often throws traffic into

chaos. There is a high risk of vehicles crashing into or clipping each other.

One resident who lives 300 metres from the bridge reported witnessing

many near-accidents and calls the decision of some people to ride a bike orwalk across the bridge as "verging on suicide."

Before being elected as Menai MP in 2011, Melanie Gibbons

announced her plans of upgrading Deadmans Creek Bridge to protect road

users and eliminate the reputation of Heathcote Road as one of the most
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dangerous in the area. In November 2012, Roads and Maritime Services

(formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) Minister Duncan Gay disclosed

that although the initial plans were to upgrade or widen the bridge, the

preferred option is now to replace it entirely. The decision was made days

after another serious accident took place on the bridge a truck rolled

over just before 4am on a weekday. Thankfully, the driver escaped serious

injury. But in the past six years, the bridge has already claimed nine lives,

and Gibbons and the RMS believe that a total replacement of the bridge

would be the best solution to prevent more accidents from happening.

The 69-year-old Deadmans Creek Bridge will carry two lanes of

traffic in each direction and will include wider approaches on either side.

Improving the tight curves, steep grades and narrow shoulders will greatly

improve visibility for motorists and cyclists and will also reduce safety

risks. The replacement is due to be completed in early 2015. Gibbons made

the plans for the project accessible to the community so that they could

provide their feedback and insights. According to the MP, the project is an

"important and exciting step in meeting the commitment I and the NSW

Liberal party gave to the community during the election campaign."

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13/22


Melanie Gibbons Campaigns For Safer School

Crossings

It was a dreadful accident on Old Illawara Road that prompted

Menai MP Melanie Gibbons to take action. A 12-year-old school girl, like

many of her fellow students, was in the habit of crossing the road to

attempt to catch a red Metrobus. That day, however, she missed the ride

and, on her way back, was hit by an oncoming vehicle. The young girl was

rushed to the hospital with a broken leg unfortunate, but a decidedly

much luckier outcome given the circumstances.

Known for being a champion of causes for children and young

people, Gibbons raised the issue of school crossing safety in the House as

soon as the incident had been brought to her attention. The main problem

indicated by the accident is that the section of the road where the girl was

hit was not a designated crossing and the traffic there could be quite busy.

The stretch of road closer to the school required vehicles to slow down, but

at that point of the road which pupils still needed to navigate to get toschool or back home, cars tended to speed by at about 60 kilometres per

hour. At the beginning and end of the school day, you were bound to find

young children dodging traffic and walking down the lane lines as they

traversed to the other side in groups. Something obviously needed to be

done to keep young pedestrians safe on their way to and from school.
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Gibbons reported to the House that the Sutherland Shire Council had

quickly collaborated with Roads and Maritime Services in extending the

school zone. Measures had also been taken to put signage reminding

drivers to watch for pedestrians. While its best for everybody if children

and young people were to observe correct road crossing practices, it would

be irresponsible to take for granted that they would.

Since the issue was first raised, the school zone has been extended to

cover this and while flashing lights were already installed closer to the

school, consideration is being given to relocating them to this area or

installing another set. During the term, these are turned on in the morning

and in the afternoon to coincide with the arrival and departure of the

students.

Extending the school zone may not have completely eradicated the

problem, but it has significantly increased safety for the students as they

regularly cross to catch the Metrobus. In relation to this, Gibbons remains

in discussions with pertinent agencies on what other measures can be taken

to improve road safety.

Melanie Gibbons is lauded for actively listening to the concerns ofher constituents and for wasting no time in springing to action to resolve

issues. Sutherland Shire-born and raised, Gibbons is fully committed to

serving the people of Menai. Her background includes working for TAD, a

disability charity, and her record shows continuous active support for the

young and the disadvantaged. For more info, browse through Melanie

Gibbons Community Programs.
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15/22


Melanie Gibbons: Dedicated To Serving The

People Of The Electorate Of Menai

A Member of the New South Wales Parliament brings forward the

views of the people in his or her respective electorates in debates regarding

public policies and proposed laws. Within the appointed four-year term,

one works to assist constituents in a number of matters that are relevant to

maintaining a good quality of life, and this includes health and hospital

services, public housing, roads and transport, fair trading, industrial

relations, community services, public works, electricity and gas services,

and others. In addition, an MP also acts on behalf of the people to address

various government agencies, the local council, and State and Federal

Ministers.

Melanie Gibbons successfully performs these functions and so

much more. Born and raised in Woronora in the Sutherland Shire, she

demonstrated her commitment to serving the community early on by

becoming Councillor of the Sutherland Shire Council in 2004; she

completed her second term in September 2012.

Prior to her election into the Legislative Assembly, Gibbons worked

as the Fundraising Manager for the not-for-profit organisation Technical

Aid to the Disabled (or TAD) in NSW, a charity that was established to

provide custom designed aids, communication or computer support
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services, and other technical skills that can help improve the lives of people

with disabilities. This experience taught her much about the opportunities

and options available to the disadvantaged and how she can bring these

closer to the people who urgently need assistance.

Gibbons assumed her position as Member of the New South Wales

Legislative Assembly for Menai in March 2011. In addition to her primary

duties of acting as an advocate of the Menai community, taking the

concerns of residents to Parliament, and voicing out her electorate's views

on new laws that are being introduced, she also currently serves as Acting

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and as Deputy Chair of the Committee

on Children and Young People in NSW, a current joint standing committee

that reviews the work of the Commission for Children and Young People

as well as examines trends in the issues relevant to children and young

persons in order to make the suitable recommendations to Parliament. She

is also Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Mental Illness Group.

With the distinct responsibilities, achievements, and advocacies of

Melanie Gibbons, the residents of her area are assured that they have a

strong, committed, and compassionate voice speaking in their best interests

and working to bring harmony and a true sense of community to theirlocality.
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17/22


Melanie Gibbons Puts Babies And Nurses On Top

Of Healthcare Agenda

Improvement and protection of the communitys health is one of the

primary advocacies that Melanie Gibbons is known for as MP for Menai.

Some of the causes she is most passionate about include supporting people

with autism and disabilities, and she is very visible in her role as Deputy

Chair of the Committee on Children and Young People and Co-Chair of the

Parliamentary Friends of Mental Illness. Gibbons has often said that her

main goal is to provide better options for the disadvantaged, and this focus

on health and wellness is seen as one way to achieve that vision.

One of her most recent moves is to work with the Miracle Babies

Foundation, a foundation that provides support and services for families

who have a premature sick baby. As with most subjects she handles,

Gibbons sees the situation with a wide-angle view. She understood how

having a preemie with medical conditions is a concern not just for the

parents, but also for their friends, families and loved ones, and for the

whole community as well. In her Private Member statement, she mappedout the various issues that needed to be addressed from the emotional

weight of the problem, to the tricky logistics of repeated hospital visits, to

the financial expenses of extensive testing, medications and rehabilitations

and a whole lot of other interconnecting concerns.
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She knew that this complex web of issues requires an equally layered

and sophisticated support network as well. By working with the Miracle

Babies Foundation, Gibbons believes that she can lend a hand in enhancing

community awareness and raising this knowledge to the level of a national

issue specifically, that there are 44,000 babies born in Australia every

year that need the help of newborn intensive care. The birth of a

premature or sick newborn can be an overwhelming and traumatic

experience for families. Their lives can be changed permanently and

influenced significantly by their newborn intensive care unit experience,

she said.

Meanwhile, Gibbons knows that the only way to help care for the

sick and the disadvantaged is to care for the health care providers as well.

Thus, she also makes it a priority to provide help and support in the

funding and enhancement of the facilities of local hospitals and the

development of medical workers and professionals. For instance, she

provided support during the process of Liverpool Hospitals

redevelopment, and she has also led the welcoming party when new

nurses took their posts at Liverpool and Sutherland Hospital. According to

the community newspaper, the new nurses are part of the stategovernments promise to provide an extra 2,475 nurses over the next four

years. This promise has been delivered, with there being 4,000 more

nurses and midwives employed by NSW Health than when they were

elected. For additional information on this,click here.
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19/22


Why Did Melanie Gibbons Choose To Champion

Autism And Disability Support?

MP for Menai Melanie Gibbons hasdeclared early on during her inaugural

speech, to be accurate that her main

advocacy for this term lies in providing

support to people with disability and mental

illness. I will judge my time as a

parliamentary representative and the

performance of this government by how

successful we are in supporting those livingwith disabilities, she said in her inaugural

speech in June 2011.The benchmark must be

by how much we have improved their lives

and delivered greater independence.

Her pet projects have remained aligned with this vision more than

two years after she has outlined her priorities. The two pivotal roles she

now holds accurately reflect on her chosen advocacies. Gibbons is anActing Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Deputy Chair of the

Committee on Children and Young People, and is a Co-Chair of the

Parliamentary Friends of Mental Illness Group.

For local political observers, the long-standing commitment of

Gibbons to help heighten support for people with physical and mental

disabilities can be anchored to her years of professional and personal

experience with related health conditions, as well as her electoratespresent situation. This decision is seen as a natural route for her to take,

after she had earlier revealed how she had seen first-hand the unfairness

and difficulties that the elderly and many people with disabilities face on a

daily basis.
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Improving the lives of the disadvantaged is an advocacy close to her

heart, and the following reasons may have also strengthened her

commitment on healthcare, mental health and disability issues:

She has a personal stake on the issue. Gibbons has said that one of herlife heroes and main inspiration for her principles is her uncle Bourke

Gibbons. Bourke has cerebral palsy, is a dual paralympian, and is

described by the local paper as an amazing fund raiser. Her uncles

influence on her is seen early in her career. Prior to the elections, she

worked for the charity Technical Aid to the Disabled. More recently, she

served as chair of the Sutherland Shire Councils Aged and Access

Committee.

There is a significant autism rate in her community . Records show that

more than 50% of children with autism from NSW are living within a 40km

radius of Liverpool. Gibbons is aware that autism is a collective concern,

and that helping affected individuals is also providing support to the

community. Not only is the child with autism affected but so is his or her

family, and in turn, the community," she said.

Local support groups need support. Funds are vital to not-for-profitorganisations... that rely on the generosity of the community, she said. On

behalf of Premier Barry OFarrell, Gibbons has presented Liverpool-based

Autism Advisory and Support Service a $5,000 grant to help the release of

an autism awareness DVD in April 2012. Since then, Melanie Gibbonshas

continued to work for the improvement of local healthcare and more

support for medical workers and professionals.
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21/22


Melanie Gibbons: Making Waves As MP For

Menai

She had set her sights on entering the Parliament of New South

Wales in 2004, but an unsuccessful attempt to win pre-selection kept herfrom doing so. Seven years later, however, Melanie Gibbons was finally

able to secure her seat as the MP for Menai and she did it with gusto.

Gibbons was born and bred in Sutherland Shire and developed her

commitment to public service as she fulfilled her role as Councillor of the

said location (she completed her second term as Sutherland Shire

Councillor in September 2012). She also worked as the

Fundraising/Development Manager of the not-for-profit organisation

Technical Aid to the Disabled (TAD NSW) which was established to assist

people with specific disabilities.

2011 proved to be an interesting year for state elections as all four MP

seats for Sutherland Shire were won by members of the Liberal Party.

Gibbons was elected for Menai, while Mark Speakman, Graham Annesley

and Lee Evans cinched the seats for Cronulla, Miranda and Heathcote,

respectively. Gibbons also had a particularly remarkable achievement

gaining an impressive swing of 27.5 per cent, the third largest in the state.

Labor Party candidate Peter Scaysbrook (who ran for the Menai seat

against Gibbons) expressed his belief that the larger than average swing

may be attributed to the proposed Moore bank intermodal freight terminal.

As a community representative, Gibbons believed that she would be able
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to be a voice against this proposal, especially as she planned to work with

local residents and federal Hughes MP Craig Kelly as a demonstration of a

united effort.

Gibbons aimed to hit the ground running upon assuming her MProle by addressing the crucial election campaign promises that were made

(in addition to the freight terminal). These included upgrading Deadmans

Creek Bridge, the expansion of the M5, and the transformation of

Heathcote Road into a much safer transportation channel. And of course,

because providing services for disadvantaged people is an issue that is

very close to her heart, Gibbons also vowed to help make disability services

more accessible for everyone who needed them.

Gibbons credited her uncle for providing her with life lessons and

solid inspiration for attaining her goals. Bourke Gibbons, who has cerebral

palsy but never let the condition prevent him from representing Australia

at the 1988 Seoul Paralympics and 1992 Barcelona games, would always tell

his niece to "never say you can't." This dear uncle gave his support

throughout the campaign and joined in celebrating the victory of the new

and first Liberal MP for Menai. Discover more about Melanie by

browsing throughMelanie Gibbons Political Plan.
http://www.melaniegibbonsmp.com/http://www.melaniegibbonsmp.com/http://www.melaniegibbonsmp.com/http://www.melaniegibbonsmp.com/

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Discovering More Information About Melanie Gibbons