G’day Folks,
The last two weeks have been spent mostly travelling, either flying around for committee hearings or on the road out in the electorate. Last week I was accompanying the Minister, Jodi Harrison, around Barwon, but this week it’s back to Macquarie St. The August sitting week will be followed by another trip out to Barwon, but most of the month will see ministers grilled at Budget Estimates. It looks like it should be an interesting month.
Committee Hearings
As I said, a good portion of my time over the last two weeks has been taken up with committee work. On July 21 I flew to Albury to join other members of the Industry, Investment and Regional Development (IIRD) Committee (of which I am chair) to travel to Griffith, Deniliquin and Tocumwal for hearings and site visits.
We are looking at the impacts of the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 on NSW regional communities. We are focusing on issues such as the reintroduction of water buybacks, the risks to achieving legislative outcomes such as reducing unlicensed water take, the effect of environmental water rules and rules-based changes in NSW, and options that may be available to improve any of the government programs designed to offset the impacts of buybacks.
Day one started with a trip to Tocumwal to meet with members of government agencies delivering Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM) projects. We were shown Tuppal Creek, where river crossings created ad hoc from soil and rock are being removed and replaced with some nice, sturdy concrete bridges to improve river flow. This is being done at no cost to the local landholders and should mean that water released upstream can make it where it is supposed to go.
On day two and three, in Deniliquin and Griffith, we held hearings taking evidence from a range of people including councils, primary producers, industry peak bodies, businesses, community representatives, environmental and Indigenous groups. There was a good range of views, and I want to thank all those who gave evidence.
There will be more hearings in the North and Far West as well. Dates and locations will be announced when confirmed.
Indonesian Delegation
In August, Indonesia celebrates 80 years of independence. Australia played a significant role in helping the Indonesians gain independence from the Dutch, providing support through diplomatic efforts and peacekeeping forces. Since then, economic, cultural and political ties between Australia and Indonesia have been strong, but it is important they are maintained.
Recently I had the privilege to meet with a delegation of MPs from Indonesia, along with my parliamentary colleague Clayton Barr MP, Member for Cessnock, by way of strengthening our friendship with one of our nearest neighbours.
Australia’s links with Indonesia are broad, including tourism, trade, politics, and military ties, so it is not surprising we had a broad-ranging discussion. But talk focused mainly on agriculture policy challenges and some of the differences between our two countries.
One thing that the Indonesians found of particular interest was our problems with feral pigs. The topic generated a fair bit of animated discussion. For the Indonesians this was something quite out of their experience, given that their most challenging pest species are rodents and insects.
Maintaining relationships with our nearby neighbours is just common sense — we can learn a lot from, and have a lot to offer, each other.
Oceans2Earth
I took a bit of time to head to the Bega Valley to visit Tim Crane, who is originally from Wilcannia but runs a company that turns marine and timber waste into an amazing soil enhancer. He showed me how a hard patch of rocky clay-heavy soil had been converted to a black, healthy soil after being treated with his product. It now supports thick grass, has a multitude of worms and grubs, and is returning carbon to the soil profile. Last time I was here, the black soil extended about 6–7 inches; that has now almost doubled.
Being from Wilcannia, Tim shares a passion for river health, and the biggest threat to water quality and native species is carp, making up around 90% of the biomass in our rivers and lakes. By taking carp waste and timber waste and turning them into a product that can improve soil, Tim is taking two problem forms of waste and turning them into something beneficial to agriculture.
I also went to look at the farm of Bega dairy farmer Toad Henderson (who you may remember as one half of the winning couple from My House Rules a few years ago) who has been working with Tim. After five years he has vastly improved the carbon bank in his soil. He has also set up his own composting operation using Ocean2Earth microbial products. He can now take any type of protein — pest deer, feral pigs, or livestock that have to be euthanised — and use it in the compost.
This has significantly reduced waste and provides an on-farm source of high-quality living compost, which can significantly improve the productivity of his farming operation in the future. My hope is that, in Barwon, landholders could duplicate what Toad is doing with on-farm composting.
To find out more go to: https://ocean2earth.com.au/
Minister Jodi Harrison in Barwon
Last week I was out on the road in Barwon with Minister for Women, Seniors, the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jodie Harrison. We visited Lightning Ridge, dropping by to see the Walanbaa Dhurrali Aboriginal Child and Family Centre and meet the staff who provide services to the community.
This service, like many others, is essential for the healthy development of local children and for ensuring their parents can work — especially those in front-line roles.
While we were there it was clear the high level of care and attention given to the children. They have plans to expand this vital service, and I have offered to help them in any way that I can.
While the Minister was in Lightning Ridge, she announced that the town will soon be getting a purpose-built $6.2 million women’s and children’s refuge. The facility will comprise six two-bedroom units. Common areas will include child-friendly spaces such as indoor and outdoor play areas, a teen space, study nooks, a multipurpose room, as well as pet-friendly spaces.
Additionally, there will be access to support services, such as counsellors and assistance in entering the rental market. Investment in infrastructure like this will help to break the cycle of abuse and improve communities all over NSW.
We finished the trip in Coonamble with another important announcement for a women’s refuge. The $6.4 million facility will have six self-contained units and is designed to be inclusive of women and children with disability. A children’s play area and pet-friendly common spaces will also cater for all types of families who stay there.
On-site support services include a mix of communal and private spaces to facilitate services such as counselling, legal assistance, and group programs. Other features will include meeting rooms and advanced technology to allow residents to participate remotely in court hearings, if required.
These facilities will provide a much-needed safe and supportive environment for women and children.
New Fire Trucks
Over the last few years with some notable fires across the west, it was good to hear that 26 new fire trucks are in Barwon or en route to stations in the electorate. These are all new trucks and will help bolster firefighting capabilities in Barwon.
The LGAs of Cobar, Bogan, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narrabri, Walgett, Warrumbungle, and the Central Shire have received or will soon receive a new vehicle.
The firefighting tankers, along with new operational technology and equipment, come as a boost to the RFS ahead of the upcoming bushfire season. This is a fantastic outcome for so many of the small brigades across Barwon, thanks to the Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib and the NSW Government.
The fire season is quickly approaching. The Bush Fire Danger Period for parts of northern NSW began on 1 August, with the Danger Period for the entire state beginning on 1 October.
Wee Waa Local Health Committee
One of the key recommendations of the independent review into Hunter New England Local Health District’s handling of the Wee Waa Hospital reduction of services was the formation of a Wee Waa Local Health Committee. The idea of this organisation is to ensure that there is proper community consultation on all aspects of implementing the recommendations of the report.
So, HNE LHD is asking for a range of community members to be part of this committee. Ideally, the committee should include a broad spectrum of community members including parents, carers, retirees, people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people living with a disability — anyone with some experience of the local health system.
Every voice matters, and each unique perspective will help add to the broader picture of the health needs of the community.
To find out more and to apply (before August 17), go to:
https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/nsw-health/service-directory/wee-waa-hospital
Community Building Partnerships
There are a lot of community-based organisations that go above and beyond serving their local area on shoestring budgets — with volunteers operating out of places with poor facilities, few creature comforts, and outdated equipment.
Which is why it is great to see some of those organisations benefiting from government programs like Community Building Partnerships (CBP), which offer grants for infrastructure projects that deliver “positive social, environmental, and recreational outcomes, while also promoting community participation, inclusion and cohesion.”
A range of projects across Barwon have shared in nearly $500,000 funding. These are:
- PCYC Broken Hill – boxing room air conditioning: $11,495
- PCYC Walgett – audiovisual youth hub: $15,000
- PCYC Bourke – extraction fans and air conditioning in the kitchen: $18,910
- Enngonia Rural Fire Brigade – equipment storage facility: $12,100
- Mendooran Gun Club – all-terrain vehicle: $29,700
- White Cliffs Community Hall – improvements: $16,500
- South Broken Hill Golf Club – air conditioning: $57,522
- Namoi Bushman’s Carnival – upgrades to arena and yards: $35,000
- Cobar Memorial Swimming Pool – replacement of starter blocks: $25,423
- Life Education NSW – upgrades to Healthy Harold Mobile Learning Centre: $23,978
- Riversmart Warren – upgrades for energy efficiency: $14,014
- Baradine Rusty Club – shade and shelter over recycling area: $11,866
- Back O’ Bourke Picnic Race Club – portable grandstand: $29,045
- Walgett District Pony Club – storage shed: $13,940
- Warren Youth Centre – irrigation and storage: $25,239
- Narrabri RFS – upgrades to brigade station: $12,850
- The Y Broken Hill – upgrades to expand use of their stadium: $20,000
- Lachlan and Western Regional Services – improving back area of the LWRS building: $37,561
- Central West Family Support Group – services at Lake Cargelligo Community Hub: $26,275
- Narrabri Air Base – pumps for RFS use during bushfire: $12,300
Congratulations to all the worthy recipients. I look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition.
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