Politics coverage
Politics
FEDERAL Member for Parkes and Shadow Assistant Minister for Resources, Jamie Chaffey, and Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign Capability, Andrew Willcox, have announced the Coalition will push for a Senate Inquiry into the future of Australia’s metals manufacturing industry. The Coalition says Australian smelters and refineries are at risk of collapsing, with an [...]
Local Government
LOCAL Government NSW last week released a new report on cost-shifting, with the Country Mayors Association of NSW saying impacts are more deeply felt in rural, regional and remote communities. Cost-shifting is the term given to offloading cost burdens by State and Federal Governments to already cash-starved Local Government. The report, Cost Shifting 2025: How [...]
Local Government
COUNCILS across New South Wales are now absorbing $1.5 billion in cost-shifting from State and Federal governments each year, according to a new report commissioned by Local Government NSW. Cost shifting occurs when State and Federal governments force councils to assume responsibility for infrastructure, services and regulatory functions without providing sufficient funding to support the [...]
Law and Order
MEMBER of the Legislative Council, Stephen Lawrence, was in Moree earlier in the week as part of a roving tour across the north-western and New England regions of New South Wales. Mr Lawrence visited Inverell and Armidale, where he met with Labor party branch members and was hosted by Moree Country Labor on Wednesday. He [...]
Northern Tablelands
Bingara’s annual orange-picking ceremony and Orange Festival was a huge success with thousands of people visiting the town for the events. The orange trees were planted along Finch Street in memory of the town’s fallen soldiers and each tree is a unique living war memorial. The orange-picking ceremony began in 1960 while the festival came [...]
Parkes Electorate
MEMBER for Parkes Jamie Chaffey this week met in Dubbo with concerned NDIS providers to discuss changes to the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2025-26. The roundtable discussion was hosted by Marathon Health and included providers and occupational therapists who had contacted Mr Chaffey directly with their concerns with NDIS changes brought in by [...]
Northern Tablelands
Long-term Gwydir Shire Council general manager Max Eastcott has retired after 24 years in the role. He has worked for more than 50 years at local government throughout New South Wales, including Sydney and Byron Bay before landing at Gwydir Shire Council in 2001. Gwydir Shire Council hosted a retirement dinner at the Roxy Theatre, [...]
Parental Leave
CHANGES to Paid Parental Leave began July 1, giving around 180,000 families a year more flexibility and support at one of the most important times in their lives. From Tuesday, the amount of Paid Parental Leave available to families increased to 24 weeks, giving parents an extra two weeks to spend with their newest family [...]
Crackdown
THE NSW Coalition will introduce a Bill in Parliament to crack down on criminals and make NSW the hardest place in Australia to sell illegal tobacco and vapes. Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said while other states have cracked down on illegal tobacco, the Minns Labor Government has let New South Wales become the easiest place [...]
Northern Tablelands
I try to put as much local content in my weekly report but this week I have been in Parliament for the handing down of the 2025-26 NSW Budget. In terms of the Northern Tablelands, we have secured $252 million in additional funding. This is on top of multi-electorate funding and funding previously announced. The [...]
