Ms TRISH DOYLE (Blue Mountains) (22:13): I contribute to debate on the Workers Compensation Amendment Bill 2021. I note the remarks that were made in a newspaper article. Often the people of our State who have lost faith in parliamentarians fail to listen to us from both sides. Their view of the world is one taken from what they read in the media. In November 2021 Anna Patty put together a great summation of this particular bill in her article entitled, "Essential workers set to lose COVID-19 workers compensation protection". She writes about the "plans to repeal automatic compensation rights for essential workers under section 19B of the Workers Compensation Act 1987". She quotes a number of people in that article. It is important to acknowledge the unions that represent our workers, the combination of workers who pulled together under the banner of our unions. Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey said that the impact of this policy change was "harsh, heartless and unnecessary". That pretty much sums it up. He said:

Any savings to government will be tiny, but the impact on individual workers will be massive. The most affected workers will be those who are putting themselves in harm's way … overwhelmingly this will be women.

Some of my colleagues in the other place have said "the changes introduced last year that were designed to protect frontline workers like nurses, teachers, bus drivers and retail staff who had a higher risk of being exposed to COVID‑19" meant that those frontline workers thought they were being looked after by this Government—but they were not. Without these laws, the people who have been keeping us safe, keeping us fed and keeping our city running will not have the protection they deserve if they catch COVID-19.

I acknowledge the great work done across the New South Wales Parliament with and for the people, telling their stories. I acknowledge Adam Searle, MLC. I particularly note the member for Cessnock, Clayton Barr, who many years ago made one of the most remarkable speeches I have ever heard in this place about workers compensation. I have never heard someone speak about injured workers and the need to look after workers as those words spoken by my colleague Clayton Barr. I acknowledge the fantastic work of the member for Canterbury, Labor's spokeswoman and our shadow Minister for Industrial Relations. She said that this policy change was a stab in the back for tens of thousands of workers fighting COVID-19.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we all spoke to our communities, our families, our neighbours and in this place about how we all pulled together to help support our community, the unions representing the workers, small businesses, charities and community organisations. But this Liberal-Nationals Government has turned its back on COVID workers, and people are absolutely furious about the repeal of section 19B of the Workers Compensation Act 1987. Furthermore, it is critical for those of us who are privileged enough to represent our communities in this place, in this Parliament, to be reminded of the principles of protecting workers, especially when we speak of workers compensation. I will briefly mention mental health, which is a growing challenge in our workplaces. With the adult population spending more than one‑third of their life at work, workplaces play a fundamental role in protecting, improving and supporting the mental health of workers.

Today I particularly speak for a group of workers who are often forgotten—our casual or contract workers who do not get leave entitlements. I said I will make my contribution brief. For every essential, frontline worker; for every teacher, every cleaner, every paramedic; for every nurse, every aged‑care specialist and disability worker; for every shop assistant and barista and retail worker; for every tradie and construction worker; for every train guard, all of our railway station staff, bus and ferry and taxidrivers; for all of those who worked to keep us safe—I oppose this legislation.