Connector
Community Newsletter from Jordan Lane MP, Member for Ryde Shadow Assistant Minister for Health and Multiculturalism
Ryde Youth Survey
Under 30? Stop Being Ignored!
Millenials and Gen Z represent our fastest growing demographics, and yet are one of the most underrepresented groups in Parliament. As one of only two MPs aged 30 or under, I feel you should have a greater say – after all, the future is yours to inherit!
I am launching Ryde’s official Youth Survey – a new initiative dedicated to amplifying the voices of young people to the NSW Government.
The purpose of a youth-focused survey is to hear directly from young people about what is or isn’t working for them, and how
the NSW Government can support and engage better with young people.
Here’s just a few reasons why you should participate:
1. Best Answers to Win!!
As a token of my appreciation for your time and insights, I’ll be giving away up to $500 worth of useful prizes for whoever shares the most interesting or visionary ideas for Ryde or NSW.
2. It’s Super Quick and Easy
I know you’re busy, so I made sure that the survey is super simple and short – less than 3 minutes.
3. Your Ideas Matter
Young voices cannot continue to be ignored. Whether you have views on housing affordability and rent, the environment, jobs, transport, sport or have ideas for the future, this is an opportunity to have them elevated in Parliament.
Your feedback will be raised directly in the NSW Parliament to ensure your voice is heard by the government and its decision makers. Depending on the number of responses, I will also try and share some of the findings from the survey with our local community.
This new initiative is designed specifically for Ryde’s younger residents, however if you are a parent, grandparent or know a local young person, please encourage them to partake. As one of the youngest MPs in the NSW Parliament, I am passionate about advocating for future generations, and ensuring we bridge the gap between decision makers, and those their decisions impact most
Improving Road Safety in Ryde
Due to the rapid growth in Ryde, there’s even more need for increased road safety measures. With more traffic on the road, the increased risk to pedestrian safety needs to be addressed to ensure the safety of our residents, particularly the hundreds of affected children and families.
As your local MP, I am pleased to advise you that our collective advocacy has been successful.
In response to a range of road safety measures I was fighting for in the state budget, we’ve been able to secure three sets of road funding to improve the safety of drivers and pedestrians in Ryde:
1. After 8 years of fighting for you across local council and as your State MP, I’m pleased to announce $3.5m in this year’s state budget for a signalised intersection at Bank Street and Constitution Road, Meadowbank – one of the first things I ever advocated for as a councillor!
2. A raised pedestrian crossing on See Street, Meadowbank equipped with fencing and concrete blisters will be installed to enhance the safety of everyone! This will provide a safer crossing for students walking to the Meadowbank Public School, Marsden High School, TAFE NSW, Little Stars Child Care and the Italian Bilingual School, whilst serving as a traffic calming device simultaneously.
3. Another raised pedestrian crossing equipped with fencing and concrete blisters will be installed on Argyle Avenue, Ryde to enhance the safety of everyone. This will provide a safer
Ryde Hospital Update
The previous State Government started the work on Ryde Hospital which I have been working hard to continue in this new Parliament. From August, you can expect to see much heavier activity on site as construction finally gets underway.
Seeing construction start on this revolutionary project is to see the culmination of many years of advocacy. I’m enormously proud that the Ryde Hospital rebuild has survived the change of government, which is a testament to the active engagement of so many in the Ryde community. With poor economic conditions, we were also fortunate to win a little bit of extra funding in the last Budget to ensure the project stayed on track.
However, the Labor government has still not committed to restoring the much loved and needed birthing unit, which will be essential if Premier Chris Minns expects us to continue building more housing. I’m hoping his next announcement will provide certainty for this vital part of the project.
I’d like to thank each and every one of you who has signed my petition my petition to restore our birthing units. I’ll continue fighting
New and Upgraded Schools in Melrose Park
On my first day as a new MP, I asked when Melrose Park would be getting their new school. For years, we have seen enormous development along Victoria and Wharf Roads. However, the infrastructure has simply not kept up.
crossing for Ryde Public School students and families as well as pedestrians using the route to Ryde Park and Top Ryde Shopping Centre. It will also be serving as a traffic calming device simultaneously.
I will be working closely with the Mayor of Ryde, Trenton Brown on construction to be delivered by the end of the year. In our fast growing community at Ryde, it’s crucial that our infrastructure keeps pace with this growth and that we continue to invest in the liveability and safety of our city.
Scan to sign the birthing unit petition
and keep you posted, as this long fought for project continues to come to fruition.
facilities, and a public preschool to cater for our local families with younger children. These upgrades are set to increase the school’s capacity from 170 to over 700.
Alongside the redevelopment, early indicative master plans of a new 700 student Melrose Park High School have also been released, next door to the existing Melrose Park Public School.
I’m pleased to announce long-anticipated plans for the redevelopment of Melrose Park Public School and the construction of the new Melrose Park High School is finally underway with works set to commence next year for completion by Term 1 of 2027.
The redevelopment of Melrose Park Public School will include the delivery of new classrooms, a new library and school hall, and a covered outdoor learning area (COLA), along with new staff administration
This project has been a long time coming, and while in retrospect, it should have been built before the residential development, there is no time like the present to ensure our community grows sustainably.
I will continue to keep the community updated, as I know there is huge interest in how our schools keep up when we are already 300% over our local housing targets.
Community Grants
Should we increase the age for social media?
The NSW Parliament is due to discuss increasing the age of social media access, and I am interested in your thoughts.
The group ‘36 Months’ has proposed increasing the age limit from 13 to 16 years based on two main arguments:
p Children need more time to develop healthy and secure identities before they’re exposed to the minefield of social media.
p Excessive social media use is rewiring young brains and resulting in mental illness.
I personally believe many parents may also feel empowered if supported by a policy change that restricts access for our youngest teens.
However, I am interested in hearing from you. How do we strike the right balance between supporting parents and their children, and remaining ahead of the technology curb?
Free Community BBQ
Meet your neighbours!
Like so many in Ryde, I live in an apartment. However, despite being so close to my neighbours, I find I speak to them less than when I grew up living in a house. This is a super common experience, and many people have told me they find apartment living can be quite isolating.
There are also many challenges that come from high-density and strata living:
p Lack of clarity for pet owners.
p Rental insecurity and affordability.
p Issues installing EV and solar infrastructure.
p Insufficient investment in health, education, transport & open space
To help address this issue, I have been working with Ryde Mayor Trenton
Scan QR Code to Request a BBQ hosting grant
Brown on a $250 neighbourhood BBQ program for high-rise communities! These are an opportunity for high-rise communities to come together, discuss issues and enjoy each other’s company.
If you live in high-rise and would like to host a BBQ, please visit the website to receive your $250 grant, and please consider inviting me along!
Help Save OOSH!
The Out of School Hours (OOSH) care facilities in Ryde have been an essential cornerstone of our community, providing invaluable education and support to our children and their families within before and after school hours.
Scan QR Code to Show your support
Do you support increasing the age of access to social media? GET IN TOUCH
Scan QR Code to Complete the survey
The Labor governments proposed privatisation would be a substantial loss for our community as it may lead to increased fees, reduced care quality and less community involvement. Other potential risks of privatisation also include inconsistent staffing (high staff turnover and rotation) and reduced transparency which may disrupt the consistency and quality of care for our children.
As your local MP, I have written to the Education Minister, strongly advocating for the continuation of the OOSH care services to remain with the P&C.
To further reinforce our support, I kindly ask all parents and guardians to fill out the brief form at the QR code. This survey is an opportunity for you to share your concerns — your responses will be crucial in demonstrating the community’s support and need for keeping OOSH under the P&C.
Connect with me online
如果需要，可以安排口譯服務。 每個星期四，我們還有會講普通 話的工作人員為選民提供服務。
