Mr GREG WARREN (Campbelltown) (16:07): I am delighted to contribute briefly to debate on the Community Improvement Districts Bill 2025. I acknowledge my friend and Minister in the other place the Hon. John Graham—who is otherwise known as "Rockin' Johnny" Graham because of all his innovative ideas for investing in our night-time economy and elsewhere. I also acknowledge the Minister for Roads, and Minister for Regional Transport, who is in the House representing Minister Graham and who will see this legislation come to fruition. I am not the only one who is delighted to see this legislation. Many businesses, Local Government NSW, the local government sector and local councils—particularly local councils that are included in the first round of the pilots—are also pleased. I will deal with them shortly, as well as with the second round of pilots.
At the end of the day, this bill is yet another example of the Minns Labor Government supporting local communities through a streamlined process that will cut bureaucracy and red tape in so many ways. I acknowledge a couple of comments by the member for Newtown in her impassioned contribution. Many community organisations are doing their own thing, and it is indeed fantastic to see communities come together to support and invest in each other's vibrancy. I am advised that the Newtown‑Enmore business community has started something with King Street, Enmore Road and Erskineville Road, bringing their communities together to celebrate everything they are. That is wonderful. Every member would welcome and enjoy watching communities come together and organise themselves to celebrate their vibrancy and what makes them unique. My own community of Campbelltown celebrates numerous festivals.
The bill represents the New South Wales Government getting onboard with those initiatives and streamlining the process. The Community Improvement Districts Bill 2025 establishes a dedicated legislative framework for the provisions of the community improvement districts [CIDs] in New South Wales, and it is the first of its kind in the State and Australia. I again credit the Hon. John Graham and all other Ministers and members who have played a pivotal role in establishing this legislation to ensure that streamlining is in place. To confirm and put simply for the record what community improvement districts are, a CID is a model of urban governance. The model empowers a group of local businesses to elect to form an entity. The entity then develops a proposal to provide services, activities and projects within a defined geographic area. The proposal is voted on by relevant stakeholders and, if successful, a levy is raised to fund that proposal.
Some examples of the services, activities and projects that a CID could undertake include non-physical interventions such as district branding, transaction data collection and joint strategic planning, as well as physical interventions such as events and programming, public art and beautification projects, improved public amenity, and security and safety measures. I suggest that all of those things are welcomed in almost any community. I again refer to Local Government NSW's support of the bill, and why not? Any level of government would support having a more streamlined process to support communities to celebrate all that they are. We know that, when communities display and celebrate all that they are, it drives their local economy and makes sure they put the pride of that community on display for everyone to see. We also know that, when that happens, we see greater investment in those communities and people from other communities coming in to celebrate those communities.
Other benefits of streamlining the establishment of the community improvement districts include providing an incredible opportunity for local businesses, in partnership with business landowners, communities and councils, to take the lead in place activation. CIDs provide a way for businesses and business landowners to formally partner with councils, government and the community to deliver improved place-based outcomes for the community, as well as enhancing the local trading environment and encouraging economic growth, as I referred to earlier in my contribution. New South Wales needs to start sharing in the many benefits CIDs have to offer. Internationally, improvement districts have existed for over 50 years and are now commonplace in North America and the United Kingdom, and even our friends in New Zealand—
Mr Anthony Roberts: Friends?
Mr GREG WARREN: Yes, I agree with my friend the member for Lane Cove: That is debatable at times. Community improvement districts can increase the enjoyment of improved places and new amenities including street art, public seating and all those other investments that are important to enhancing those communities. When I say "enhance", we know that many communities already have wonderful attributes, assets and stories to tell. The bill provides a more streamlined process to allow those communities to tell those stories. The pilot includes the Clarence Valley, Haymarket in Chinatown, the Inner West Ale Trail—which the member for Newtown referred to—Murwillumbah, Muswellbrook, Randwick Health and Innovation Precinct, St Marys under the Penrith City Council, Walsh Bay and YCK Laneways, which is also in the City of Sydney.
I am advised that those councils have welcomed this good initiative with open arms. That is a positive outcome. The pilots will help those communities invest in their local businesses, put themselves on show and work collaboratively to ensure their communities get the investment they deserve. Government members know that the best outcomes are achieved by working together. We also know that, when governments support local businesses and other levels of government, good outcomes are achieved. I believe that is a great outcome, and I urge all members to support the legislation. I thank the House.
