Community Newsletter

20 November 2025

My team and I have returned from a busy fortnight in Parliament, where I hosted a roundtable on climate risk and resilience, and a discussion on eating disorder awareness and treatment. I also hosted a Parliamentary Friends of Climate Action event with Doctors for the Environment on how climate change affects mental health — a sobering reminder that governments must consider the impacts of fossil fuel decisions on health.

I also joined the Australian Olympic Committee and Paralympics Australia in farewelling our Winter Olympians, Paralympians and Milano Cortina 2026 hopefuls as they prepare for their final training and qualification events.

In great news for our creative sector, the government has introduced new laws requiring streaming services to invest in Australian content — a huge win for local jobs and Australian stories. This follows my petition, signed by more than 13,000 people, calling for stronger local content rules.

Locally, I’m delighted the Milsons Point Post Office will remain open — a big win for our community. Thank you to everyone who spoke up, and to Australia Post and Transport for NSW for listening.

It’s also been a busy few weeks in Warringah. Thank you to all the Team Zali members who joined Mary’s House Walk to raise awareness and funds to end domestic violence. My team and I also attended Remembrance Day services honouring all who have served, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Finally, congratulations to our Year 12 students on completing their HSC — I hope you take time to relax and celebrate your hard work.

Read on for updates on:

• Zali in Parliament
• Grants in Warringah
• One Meal Christmas Hamper Appeal
• Out & About in Warringah
• Upcoming Events
• Here to Help

Changes to our environmental laws

The government has introduced new legislation to reform Australia’s environmental laws — a big opportunity to protect nature and make development approvals more efficient and transparent. The reforms fall short of what our environment urgently needs. If we don’t get this right, Australia’s unique plants, ecosystems and endangered species remain at risk.

My proposed amendments to strengthen the Bill:

• Ensure decision-makers show a duty of care to future generations
• Require proponents to disclose financial risks from climate change in line with sustainability rules passed last year
• Assess cumulative environmental impacts, so existing approved projects are considered
• Guarantee fair appeal rights under stop work orders

Unfortunately, the government did not support these amendments. The Senate has voted to refer the Bill to an inquiry for future scrutiny but the Government may yet do a deal, either with the Coalition or the Greens.

Proposed reform to Freedom of Information

In the last sitting, the government passed a Bill in the House of Representatives to reform the Freedom of Information (FOI) system, claiming it will streamline processes and reduce misuse. But the FOI system is about more than efficiency — it ensures government accountability. Alarmingly, this Bill rewards secrecy and undermines transparency and accountability of government.

My biggest concern is a proposed exemption that would make it even easier for the government to hide cabinet documents. This proposal comes despite a recommendation by the Robodebt Royal Commission to roll the exemption back. I opposed the Bill because transparency is vital for trust and democracy. We need reforms that improve efficiency without sacrificing accountability.

Heatwatch

I was delighted to meet with researchers from the University of Sydney to discuss their latest urban heat mapping project. The project analyses how rising temperatures are affecting communities across Warringah and Sydney. This work will be vital for future climate resilience planning.

The researchers' tool HeatWatch extracts real-time public weather data to provide individualised heat risk ratings for anywhere in Australia. In Australia, heat has killed close to 300 people and hospitalised more than 7,000 in the past decade. According to the government’s National Risk Assessment, if temperatures continue to rise, Sydney will experience four times more heat-related deaths by 2050.

Local Sporting Champions Program

We were delighted to host the recipients of the Local Sporting Champions and Para Champions Program at a function at Queenscliff Surf Life Saving Club. An Australian Sports Commission initiative, the program supports up-and-coming athletes and officials by providing financial assistance for those participating in state, national or international championships.

Special guests were Olympians Emma Jeffcoat (triathlon) and Robin Bell (canoe slalom), and local skier and youth Olympian, Duncan Cowan. They shared their experiences and provided valuable insights to the younger athletes about the opportunities and challenges of competing at sport’s highest levels.

Applications for Round 3, 2025-26 of the Local Sporting and Local Para Champions are now open until 31 January 2026.

Manly Warringah Gymnastics Club

It was a pleasure to attend the official turning of the sod for the new Manly Warringah Gymnastics Club Centre of Excellence. This exciting project, jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments, will provide a world-class training and community facility supporting grassroots recreation, future champions, and pathways for women in high-performance gymnastics. I was delighted to see construction begin after strongly advocating for this important investment in our local community.

Manly Life Saving Club Redevelopment

I’m pleased to see that, after significant delays, Northern Beaches Council has lodged the development application for the new Manly Life Saving Club. Redeveloping the ageing clubhouse is important to ensure the safety and sustainability of lifesaving services at this iconic beach.

While I continue to support the project, I understand the community’s concerns about the design, scale and cost. I also share concerns that ongoing delays could jeopardise the availability of the secured federal funding before construction begins. It’s vital that the redevelopment balances the needs of club members, the community and the local environment.

One Meal is a 100% volunteer-run not-for-profit community organisation providing free food to people in need. It’s aiming to fill 5,000 food hampers for Christmas, helping to ease the burden and share some joy.

Empty boxes can be collected from Zali’s office in Manly or the Neutral Bay Hub (3/173 Military Road) and returned filled by Monday 24th November.

Suggested non-perishable food items include canned vegetables, spaghetti & baked beans, rice & pasta, biscuits, tinned tuna and breakfast cereals. Or if you’re feeling festive, a gift voucher or Christmas decoration would be greatly appreciated.

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (25 Nov – 10 Dec)

Several walks against violence are taking place including the following walks in Warringah:

Walk for Women
Friday, 28 November, 10am to 12pm
Rawson Oval, Mosman

Walk Against Violence
Friday, 5 Dec, 9am to 11am
Queenscliff Lagoon to Shelly Beach, Manly

Fit for Office (3 – 30 November 2025)

Fit for Office is a physical activity initiative, inspiring Australia's leaders to lead by example to move more and more often. The campaign aims to help inspire the nation to gradually build up to 2.5–5 hours of moderate activity or 1.25–2.5 hours of vigorous activity per week, along with two strength sessions and regular breaks from sitting.

I encourage you to get involved and enjoy the beautiful walking trails, beaches and outdoor spaces in Warringah. More information can be found at Fit for Office - AUSactive.

At the end of this month, I will be running the Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko - 161km in the Snowy Mountains to raise funds for Lifeline Northern Beaches. If you can, please contribute to help ensure no Australian in need faces their toughest moments alone. Your donation, no matter the amount, can make a big difference.

Changes to Aged Care

New aged care changes implemented from November 2025 include the introduction of the Support at Home program, replacing Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care, which simplifies in-home care funding.

The new Aged Care Act 2024 introduces stronger quality standards and a new regulatory model, with residential care places now assigned directly to individuals instead of providers. Additionally, aged care fees have been updated to better balance contributions from individuals and the government, while worker protections and whistleblower protections have been strengthened. 

For further details please visit the My Aged Care website or contact my office.

For more information on Zali’s community activities and updates follow @ZaliSteggallMP on Instagram, Facebook, BlueSky, LinkedIn, X or Tiktok.