I am pleased to speak in support of the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust Amendment (Public Transport) Bill 2023. As the Minister noted, the bill will revise a statutory licence in favour of the Minister for Transport to use the land for public transport and ancillary purposes. Specifically, the licensed area will be used for bus and light rail operations, and a public transport corridor, which are necessary to meet the transportation needs of Sydneysiders.

Without this legislative amendment to the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust Act 1983—the CPMPT Act—the land the subject of this licence would be reduced to an agreement between Transport for NSW [TfNSW] and the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust. The bill enhances that agreement by providing statutory protection, while the agreement sets out the terms and conditions, including details of the functions to be exercised by TfNSW and the CPMPT. Together, the bill and the agreement provide abundant certainty and clarity around the rights and obligations of both parties while ensuring transport services are provided to the people of Sydney.

The licensed area is accurately reflected through the bill and clearly lists the licensed land used for public transport, including bus and light rail services, following completion of the Sydney CBD and South East Light Rail project. Given that the CPMPT Act already lists some land as licensed to the Minister for Transport, the bill is the best option to clearly list all the land subject to the permanent licence. That option removes uncertainty by ascribing all the relevant land to the licence and protecting it in statute law. That statutory licence will be further enriched by the licence agreement for the land, which will be executed between TfNSW and the CPMPT before the bill's commencement at a later date by proclamation. I commend the bill to the House.