Minister briefed on Hinds Street community project

The Minister for Agriculture, Regional NSW, and Western NSW stopped into the Hinds Street area on her visit through Narrabri last Tuesday to hear about the community project that has been gaining momentum and local support.

Tara Moriarty’s visit gave the community group a unique opportunity to hear from local government and address issues in the area on a state level. Hosted in resident Bill Chiplin’s carport and facilitated by Marilyn Binge, Tara Moriarty, joined by members of her office, Member for Barwon Roy Butler and Narrabri Shire councillor John Clements, looked over street maps and discussed community plans for the area.

The minister, who opened the new $15.2 million International Centre of Crop and Digital Agriculture at the University of Sydney’s I.A. Watson Grains Research Centre earlier in the day was also eager to get out on the ground and hear directly from the locals.

“I’m meeting with different groups while I’m here, engaging with community groups and engaging with the council to see what we can do to help,” said Ms Moriarty.

“I want to listen, I want to hear from the community about the services that they need as the Minister for Regional NSW and Western NSW, and it’s important that I hear directly from people what the government can do to help.”

Boof the Red Cattle Dog provided the official welcome to guests, dishing out tail wags and receiving plenty of pats from both Mr Butler and Ms Moriarty.

“It’s great that the minister came to Narrabri and met with grassroots people to talk about practical problems in their community. The solutions are simple, and I’m confident the minister will take action to address the residents’ concerns,” said Mr Butler.

“These are practical people. They’re not asking for much. They want their streets to be safe at night with lighting and, footpaths and a recreational area returned that was removed years ago.”

The group then presented maps provided by Narrabri Shire Council that were marked up by community members to show potential locations for footpaths, street lighting, bus shelters, and children’s parks for the area.

Mrs Binge who helped Mr Chiplin and Mr Trindall put together the petition and facilitate the project described the opportunity to meet the minister as a real win for the residents.

“Hinds Street has become one of those places where you blink and you miss it, out of sight out of mind, now it’s got the attention and people from surrounding areas are starting to know what we’re all about.”

“Now that people are listening, we can get out and do the work,” said Marilyn Binge.

When Shorty Trindall and Mr Chiplin’s petition to ‘clean up Hinds Street’ gained signatures from almost 300 people, they were amazed at the resounding support of local businesses and residents for the neglected area.

Far from falling on deaf ears, it was soon picked up by Cr Clements and brought to the attention of Roy Butler, who started providing support to locate funding for the amenities.

“When the government at different levels tells the community that they are important and they listen to them and do things to help then that’s a big step up,” said Cr Clements.

“There is good community spirit here, everyone knows everyone.”

Right now, the lack of basic amenities in the area is a major concern for residents, including the rising level of crime on the busy Hinds Street, and was of great interest to Ms Moriarty.

“These are basic services that people are entitled to, so I’m going to get some more information about it and see what we can do to help and how we can work with the council, but people are entitled to street lighting,” she said.

After hearing about the Hinds Street project, Mr Chiplin thanked Ms Moriarty for taking the time to come out and offered to escort her on a trip of the area in his ute to look around the area.

“This is exactly what should be happening, the local community telling us and the government what they need,” said Ms Moriarty.

“I’m here as the minister in someone’s carport, hearing directly about the services that are needed in this community and that’s very essential to me to be able to deliver for them as the minister.

“So, keep going because we’re listening, and we want to know what we can do to help.”