Mrs JUDY HANNAN (Wollondilly) (20:41): I begin by saying something that in many ways is simple but can never fully express what is in our hearts: Thank you. Thank you to every volunteer, family member, emergency service worker, search and rescue professional, landowner, local organisation—such as Wollondilly North Rotary—community group and stakeholder who played a part in the eight-day search for young Lily Hooper. Thank you to the people who may feel that what they did was small—making a cup of tea, offering a hug or a message of hope, lighting a candle or standing quietly alongside others. Those acts mattered. They reminded us that in difficult and uncertain moments, people do not have to do something extraordinary to make a difference. Sometimes simply being there is enough.
Tonight I particularly recognise the remarkable community spirit of Oakdale. The village showed what a community can look like when people come together with compassion, discipline and a common purpose. People wanted to help, and they did so by respecting the advice and direction of emergency services and search and rescue authorities. That was incredibly important. Search operations in bushland can be complex, unpredictable and dangerous. Well-intentioned people without coordination entering bushland areas can unintentionally place themselves, other volunteers or emergency responders at greater risk, or interfere with an organised search. The Oakdale community understood that.
I also acknowledge the candlelight vigil at Willis Park. There was something deeply moving about seeing people come together in such a quiet and respectful way. They showed the family that they were not alone, and they showed the wider community that Lily mattered to all of us. Those moments will remain part of the story of how Oakdale responded. As we move forward, I hope we can take something constructive from the experience, particularly when it comes to bush safety. Our national parks are extraordinary. We are blessed to have opportunities close to our homes to walk, exercise, explore, connect with nature and spend time with family and friends. But enjoying the bush also means respecting it. We should give serious consideration to making access to personal beacons a second‑nature decision before entering national parks.
Finally, to Lily's family and to everyone else who has been affected by this experience, please know that the kindness shown throughout the community has been genuine and heartfelt. I know Lily was a guide on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and had other roles in our community. We cannot bring Lily back to us, but perhaps we can think of her passing as a bridge of another kind: a bridge from the life we knew with Lily to the memories, love and lessons she leaves behind; a bridge from grief towards healing; and a bridge that connects a community that came together in extraordinary circumstances and will, I hope, remain connected long after this moment has passed.
I also thank the Premier for approving the purple lighting on the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons on the day of Lily's funeral. Lily's life has touched people from near and far across that bridge, and the love and kindness shown in her name will continue to carry us forward. The Oakdale community showed compassion without getting in the way of the people whose job it was to lead the search. They respected the process, supported one another and found countless quiet ways to help. That is community, that is kindness, and that is something worth carrying forward. I thank Oakdale, the Wollondilly community and supporters from across the State for showing what it means to stand together. Our deep condolences to Lily's family.