LAST week Coonabarabran, Gilgandra, Tooraweenah and Coonamble received a visit from one of the state's newest Members of the Legislative Council (MLC) Scott Barrett as part of a regional 'meet and greet' tour.

Mr Barrett was appointed to the Legislative Council in February as the National Party's representative following the departure of Tamworth-based Trevor Khan who resigned in January to take up a position as a magistrate.

The Legislative Council is the Upper House of NSW Parliament and is known as "the house of review" with the 42 members investigating, consulting and reporting on areas of proposed reform.

"There are lots of committees and lots of inquiries," Mr Barrett said.

"There are Standing Committees that run all the time and then others are referred to us from the Parliament. At this point I'm involved in a dozen or so Inquiries," he said.

These include an inquiry into the future of the timber industry, proposed changes to animal welfare laws and organisations under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, and an inquiry into homelessness in people aged over 55.

Mr Barrett lives in Orange and, as the most western MLC in the state, has been designated to represent the Barwon electorate now that his fellow Orange-based MLC Sam Farraway has taken up additional duties as a Minister in the Perrottet / Toole government.

Since taking up the role, Mr Barrett has also visited Cobar, Hermidale, Nyngan, Bourke, Broken Hill, Silverton and Wilcannia.

"Being in government means I can be a direct link to government Ministers," Mr Barrett said.

"Part of my role is to advocate for regional people's wants and needs so I've been talking to councils and others in the community about what matters to people each area at the moment."

Mr Barrett grew up on a farm near Orange and, prior to his election, worked for national charity GIVIT distributing support to victims of drought, fire and flood around the state.

He worked closely with Neighbourhood Centres, CWAs and other local organisations during the 2016 to 2020 drought.

According to our new MLC, spreading positive messages about regional communities is particularly important right now.

"I see a big part of my role is to promote and protect regional New South Wales," he said.

"We don't want people thinking it's not a wonderful place to live and a great place to work and raise a family, because it is."

This week Mr Barrett will join his colleagues in Macquarie Street, Sydney for the latest sitting of NSW Parliament.