AUSTRALIA DAY 2025
It was such an honour to be this year’s Australia Day ambassador for Trundle. It was a real privilege to join with the Trundle community to celebrate Australia Day, and also formally opening their brand-new Community Hub and street enhancement, along with their new community gym. Well done to the Trundle community and Parkes Shire Council.
A special part of Australia Day festivities is being involved in the citizenship ceremonies of our newest citizens. It was a real privilege to join with Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM, new citizens, family and friends at Forbes Shire Council for the special occasion.
Australia Day is an extra special day for me and my wide, Nadia. It happens to be our wedding anniversary, and this year we celebrated 28 years of marriage!
2025 COMMUNITY BUILDING PARTNERSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM – OPEN
The Community Building Partnership (CBP) 2025 grant round is now open.
Apply by 21 February 2025 - Community Building Partnership 2025 grant round.
Visit nsw.gov.au/cbp to read the Program Guidelines and start your application today! I would encourage all eligible community groups to apply for grant under this program.
All applications must be submitted by Friday 21 February 2025 (5 pm AEDT). No applications will be accepted after the closing date and time. All projects must be completed by 3 August 2026.
Tullamore visit
Grants funding is essential for supporting community organisations in our rural towns. The Tullamore Bowling Club is an important social hub for locals, and I’ve been pleased to support a number of funding grants for them over the years.
On my recent visit to Tullamore I took the opportunity to meet with members and check out progress of the bowling club’s $43,000 enhancement project which I supported, including new water tanks and irrigation – which is a particularly valuable enhancement given we are now in the peak of summer and the heat-tortured greens need all the pampering they can get.
I also dropped in to visit the Tullamore preschool and childcare centre. This is such a vital service for this community, and I was pleased to have previously supported them with $16,185 in grants funding for a new kitchen. The new kitchen has been installed and it looks great. This upgrade will help to support the ongoing operation of the preschool and help develop our young people.
A bundle for Trundle
Last week I dropped in to Trundle Central School and caught up with Principal John Southon, to personally congratulate him on the several hundred thousand dollars in funding his school will receive to refurbish their science lab. The lab is largely the same as it was back in the 80s, when some of the current teachers were students at the school! I was pleased to be able to assist John in securing this funding, which will benefit not only students from Trundle, but also other schools who use their lab.
The Trundle community are truly fortunate to have such a strong advocate, passionate educator and principal. John always has his students and the community front and centre in his mind. I look forward to seeing the lab get its long overdue facelift.
It was lovely to also make a return visit to the Trundle Children’s Centre. There I officially congratulated the team on the $11,770 in grants funding they’re receiving for a new play area shade sail I supported. This facility is so important to the community and helps prepare the kids for ‘big school’.
I also visited the Trundle War Memorial Hall School or Arts. I formally congratulated Secretary Kim White and President Andrew Rawsthorne in securing $10,000 grants funding which will go towards the purchase and installation of a hearing loop. Hearing impairment, especially among our elderly, contributes heavily to socially isolation. It is hoped the hearing loop will help to encourage older residents who are hearing impaired to participate in events and meetings hosted at this historic site. This is a great initiative, and I was pleased to help the project along.
While in Trundle I managed to get a sneak peek of Trundle’s first community gym last week, and of course I had to test the equipment while I was there. The gym is now officially open, and it is located in the rear of Trundle War Memorial Hall School of Arts. This is a great initiative, and fantastic for the community who will be able to access it at all hours of the day. As I always say, an active community is a healthy community.
GUESS WHAT?
Unfortunately, NSW Parliament only allows me to have the one office – which most of you will know is located in Orange. Whenever I have hosted constituent meetings and some events at Forbes and Parkes I have relied on the hospitality of the local council. I’m truly grateful for the generosity of our current and former mayors of both Forbes and Parkes, who’ve kindly allowed me to use their facilities for these meetings and events, but for a long time I have wanted to establish a local shopfront to provide locals with a dedicated space to meet with me. Well, late last year the opportunity finally arose and it all fell into place. I recently took possession of the keys to a new office, centrally located in Forbes. My face and name are now on the shopfront, so it’s a done deal! Once it’s officially opened, I’ll let you all know and I will also be looking forward to taking appointments to meet with locals at my new Forbes office on scheduled dates.