The first two sitting weeks of the 48th Parliament are now over, and I was honoured to deliver my first speech to Parliament.
This marks an important landmark as an elected representative – it’s a promise to the people of Parkes that I will serve them to the best of my ability, and fight for their representation at the highest level.
As well as telling my own and my family’s journey, I spoke to Parliament about the challenges faced by the Parkes electorate, and my priorities for this term of government. As Mayor of Gunnedah Shire for eight years, as well as chairman of the NSW Country Mayors Association and a member of the board of Local Government New South Wales, I have great understanding for the many issues regional NSW and Australia faces.
I talked about the need to progress essential services and key infrastructure, such as the Inland Rail and water security and storage. I also talked about the need to grow the population of this great part of the world through responsive and inspired policy that supports young families and encourages businesses.
The sudden and unguided escalation of wind, solar and battery installations is of great concern in the electorate of Parkes and beyond. Even in the past two weeks, we have seen an announcement by the Labor Government that the Capacity Investment Scheme is going to increase by 25 per cent. That’s more millions on disastrous wind, solar and battery projects – the majority of them foreign-owned.
How can we justify this spending when just this week our farmers are facing significant flooding at one end of the Parkes electorate, and devastating drought at the other? My thoughts are with those people who cannot access the funds that will allow them to keep going as primary producers for the rest of the country.
As I told Parliament in my first speech, I intend to continue to fight for the rights and necessities of regional people – including ensuring that unrealistic and impossible energy targets are not pursued at any cost.
I am, however, as a member of the Coalition, willing to work with the Labor Government to implement changes that are needed or that will help and protect Australian people – including the recent changes to the childcare industry. We welcome a bipartisan approach, and do not intend to play political games where the outcome is the right one for Australians.
You can watch my speech through the Jamie Chaffey MP Facebook page or YouTube channel.
Parliament will now not sit again until the end of this month, and that allows time to attend some important events in the Parkes electorate, including a visit to Bourke and attending the Louth Races this week and AgQuip in Gunnedah from the 19th to the 21st of August.
I was also lucky enough to attend the Nyngan Agricultural Expo last week and the presentation of medals to members of the Castlereagh Zone Rural Fire Service. Congratulations also go to all the members of the Wee Waa and Pallamallawa Rural Fire Service for the medals they will receive this week.
A big thank you to those volunteers who help keep their communities safe. We know how important that is in times of trouble, and that has been highlighted by the recent flooding. The NSW SES has responded to 2,092 incidents, including 25 flood rescues in the past week.
I look forward to representing the people of Parkes both in person and in Parliament across a wide range of issues of importance in my role as the Federal Member for Parkes.
Jamie Chaffey
Member for Parkes