This week is the 52nd year of the AgQuip Agricultural Field Days in Gunnedah, one of the biggest field day events in the Southern Hemisphere and a significant week in the agricultural calendar.
I will be at AgQuip to listen to what the people who make regional Australia tick have to say. This event brings together primary producers, representatives from a huge range of support industries, and many, many people who just want to take a look.
AgQuip is important not just as a gathering place but as a place where big decisions are made – business decisions and sometimes even life decisions, like buying a house or investing in something new.
One concern I am expecting to hear is the ongoing struggle with the ever-increasing cost of living. We are experiencing a time when everything has gone up – and continues to get more expensive. Just about every aspect of our lives costs more – our homes, our groceries, our insurance. And many people are about to receive their latest power bill – which could be up to 10% higher than the bill issued at the same time last year.
While the Labor Government continues to chase impossible targets, Australians – particularly regional Australians – are bearing the brunt of rapid and unguided solar, wind and battery projects. As well as creating conflict in regional communities, the cost of backing these projects continues to add to the massive escalation of our cost of living.
We are racing towards an unrealistic date, an unrealistic goal, and it is costing all of us dearly.
This week, we also recognised Vietnam Veterans Day. On this day, Australians pause to reflect and remember the service and sacrifice of those who served during the Vietnam War, one of the most complex and challenging conflicts in our military history.
There is more rain predicted for areas of the Parkes electorate that have recently flooded.
I was out at Bourke and Louth the week before last where unfortunately the races were cancelled due to wet weather. I also visited the Louth Weir with Shadow Water Minister Ross Cadell where we saw a good flow in the weir and heard serious concerns about proposed changes to the height of the weir.
I inspected roads in the Gunnedah and Narrabri shires last week, where promised funding for road damage sustained in the 2021-22 floods has still not been delivered.
Disaster declarations have been made for both shires, who remain frustrated by the fact they have no certainty for repair funding. Both Gunnedah and Narrabari – and many other shires – have had delay after delay when it comes to getting the correct advice from the NSW Government. I believe the figure of outstanding funds across the electorate of Parkes would be well over $100 million.
The total funding needed is rarely approved. There needs to be a much smoother process from both the State and Federal governments that allows timely repairs to a standard that ensures these roads will not be damaged over and over again.
Councils – and regional people – deserve better.
Finally, I would like to encourage students in Years 10-12 to take part in the My First Speech competition. By writing about something they feel strongly about, they will have the chance to deliver their speech in Federal Parliament.
You can find out more at https://mfs.houseofrepresentatives.gov.au/
Got something on your mind? Go on then, engage. Submit your opinion piece, letter to the editor, or Quick Word now.