Delivering for Newcastle also means investing in our cultural heart. I recently had the privilege of speaking at the long-awaited reopening of the Newcastle Art Gallery. This revitalised gallery is much more than bricks and mortar. It's a statement about who we are as a city. It's a place where First Nations art and storytelling are honoured and elevated, a place where contemporary voices sit alongside those historic works and a place where young people can experience worlds beyond their own and maybe even imagine their own art hanging there one day.

The expansion has created jobs, of course, during the construction phase. It's boosted local contractors, and it will drive tourism and visitation in our region for decades to come. More importantly, it gives our community space to gather, to reflect and to experience other worlds and experiences through art.

Labor understands that infrastructure is not just about roads and rail; it's also cultural institutions and community spaces, places that enrich our lives and strengthen social cohesion. Once again, Labor is delivering.