Parliament started last week, and once again I went to Macquarie Street armed with plenty of issues, ideas, and concerns that I have been discussing with people, councils, primary producers, and businesses across Barwon.
Some important issues haven’t changed as much as they should, but we have made important progress on many and there are also some new ones that we are now working on. It is already shaping up to be a busy start to the parliamentary year.
Australia Day
I had the great privilege this year of being with the Coonamble community for their Australia Day gathering.
Australia Day always sees people nominated for awards who have done outstanding things in their community.
It was no different in Coonamble, the local shire council put on a lovely ceremony that was very well attended despite the heat.
Congratulations also to those Barwon citizens who were named in the Australia Day Honours list. These people have also done some great things for their respective communities and deserve the recognition. They all help make Barwon a better place to live.
Councillor Victor Bartley of Bourke – Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division for service to government and the community of Bourke.
Elaine (Ruth) Sandow of Broken Hill – Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division for service to the community in a variety of roles including RFDS and Milparinka Heritage and Tourism Association.
Congratulations also to Rodney Coombes of Coonabarabran VRA for being awarded the Emergency Services Medal.
I know and have great respect for these recipients. Very well deserved.
Wee Waa Panthers
Recently while I was out on the road around the electorate, I met up with the Wee Waa Senior Panthers committee to find out how we can help re-establish their rugby league club.
Having not operated for several years, they will need some equipment, and the grounds they use need improvements.
At the next opportunity I will talk to the Narrabri Shire Council and see what can be done to assist the club members to find the necessary funding to help them get the club back up and running.
The meeting was held at House on Rose Cafe. If you haven’t been, this is a great spot in Wee Waa for a coffee break or something to eat in a beautiful setting.
While I was at the cafe, I took the opportunity to speak with several other people from Wee Waa about matters they need assistance with or information about. Wee Waa is a great town, with a strong sense of community.
Nighttime economy
Last week I was in Brisbane for a series of meetings, but while there I made extra time to take a good look at some of the things Queensland does well to sustain and grow tourism.
In Fortitude Valley, just a short walk from the CBD, in the area around the Brunswick St Mall there a dozen or more live music venues along with plenty of great places to eat and drink. The place really comes alive at night.
I have often talked about the importance of tourism for regional economies. The visitor economy helps attract people to the region, creates employment and brings in new money from outside the electorate.
Tourism makes local economies more robust when agriculture, small businesses, or resources (the mix differs across the electorate) struggle.
On the one hand that means having more things for people of all ages to do and see by day. Which slows travellers down, so they stay longer and spend more. They also spread the word, and in recent years, they returned for more.
Transport is a big consideration in any plan to revitalise tourism economies, particularly at night, and in larger regional towns. While some have many things within walking distance there are others like Broken Hill, where visitors often fly or catch a train, leaving the car behind but they still need some way to reach the town’s attractions or make their way to and from accommodation to food, drink, and entertainment venues.
The Sydney nighttime economy has taken a hit over the last decade or so, and restrictive rules in regional NSW have meant venues wanting to grow night attractions have been held back.
The NSW government recently announced a 24-hour Nighttime Economy Commissioner with a remit that has been extended to all of NSW.
On my recent visit to Brisbane, I couldn’t help but compare it to the 90s, when I was in the Army visiting the CBD which was then largely a business district. Since then,
Brisbane has become its own tourist destination with solid daytime and nighttime attractions to keep people entertained and spending money.
The 24-Hour Economy Legislation (Vibrancy Reforms) Amendment Act 2023 should allow regional NSW to grow liveability and tourism, especially at night.
Councils can create “special entertainment precincts” with longer trading hours and extra concessions for live entertainment. This could benefit all communities, even smaller pubs and clubs, to offer their patrons and visitors great experiences in regional NSW.
Making it easy for venues to trade and provide great experiences for people at night, like dining and entertainment, can mean extra tourism dollars for our towns out west.
I have sought a meeting with the new Commissioner to ensure Regional NSW and its unique communities participate in these changes for council areas that want to embrace it.
Back to school
Kids went back to school, or started their long journey through the school system, which, for many families, has brought some financial pressure. For adults, shoes might last years, but kids being kids, they seem able to destroy them in six months.
On top of that there are also the uniforms, bus passes, stationery and textbooks required each year – all of them come at a cost.
This is tough for families and at the moment there is only limited assistance available. I will speak to the Education Minister and the Premier about getting some better arrangements in place.
If you are having trouble with the costs of returning to school, please contact my team so we can raise this on your behalf.
To order photos from this page click here
