Well, its six months in the government benches and the pace is still furious.

However, I am pleased to report that the O’Farrell Government is delivering on our election commitments and getting on with the job of making NSW number one again.

For the people of Epping, there can no more pleasing development than the progress of the North West rail link - a fact confirmed at a briefing I attended last month. I would urge anyone interested to visit the information centre at Castle Hill.

The most obvious benefit will be a reduction in the number of cars gridlocking roads in the electorate.  Motorists got a taste of a wider Epping Road on the October long weekend when an extra lane was opened.

I said to the Roads Minister Duncan Gay:  “I would like to see that happening every day Duncan.”

There are contractual problems that might stop a complete reopening but I’d like to explore those in coming months.  I will never give up the fight to “give us back our Epping Rd” but I am also trying to get some of the more dangerous areas of the road fixed up.

I was also pleased to re-opening of the war memorial at Beecroft, which fell victim to a terrible act of vandalism, when the plaque was stolen.

It was an important symbol of courage for the people in the Beecroft area, and it was most important to get it back. If we don’t recognise those who fought in war on our behalf - particularly in a close knit area like Beecroft – with a shrine to the fallen we are letting them down.

I was most pleased that Veterans Affairs Minister Victor Dominello and I were able to help set that right, with a contribution from the government.

Readers of the Weekly Times might be aware of the titanic struggle between myself and Victor in the paper’s football tipping comp.

 Alas Victor got a break on me when I was too busty and had to ask a staff member to submit my tips. I was never able to reel him in after that and went down by 2 points, but watch out next year Victor. 

Congratulating him is a little easier because like me, he is Wests Tigers fan – along with the Premier and the Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts. We hope to be celebrating a premiership next year.

Just like the Woodies, who broke the stranglehold Sydney University had on the Sydney grand completion with a splendid grand final win in extra time.