G’day folks,

After a couple of back-to-back sitting weeks, it was good to get out into the electorate last week. I spent some time in Broken Hill where I talked to ambulance officers, met with Mayor Tom Kennedy, presented a certificate to a centenarian, before flying back in time for a charity event in Sydney. But this week I am heading west again to Bourke, Cobar, and Nyngan, before returning to Sydney for another sitting week.

Pharmacists check Parliament’s kidneys

During the May sitting weeks, parliament hosted a Pharmaceutical Society of Australia breakfast, themed around looking after your kidneys, given that it was Kidney Health Week (May 11-17).

Among those who spoke at the event was Health Minister, Ryan Park, who told us about the importance of pharmacists and the part they played in his childhood when he suffered a kidney disease. 

Chris Forbes, Chief Executive Officer of Kidney Health Australia, also spoke about his late father, a country pharmacist who was called on to do a lot of things that were beyond the normal job description of a pharmacist.

Later the pharmacists offered a series of tests to assess kidney function, blood sugar, blood pressure etc. (I took the tests and thankfully I will live a little longer). People might not realise that pharmacists across NSW can conduct health checks for blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. They do much more than just dispense medicines prescribed by doctors.

In fact the scope of work of Pharmacies across NSW is increasing, which is good news because for some common straightforward health issues it can save a trip to hospital or a Doctor. In regional communities Pharmacies are a key component of the health system, and allowing them to do more in their communities is a great step forward.

To take the kidney risk test to see if you might be at an increased risk of kidney disease go to https://kidney.org.au/kidneyrisktest

PSA Annual Country Conference 

Recently I was invited to speak at the Public Service Association of NSW Annual Country Conference. By way of introduction, I gave them a bit of the history of my 20-year career in the public service working in corrective services, disability services and as a civilian administrator for the police. I also talked about the support I have been giving public servants in parliament and took a few questions from the audience.

They had some interesting issues to raise, about pay and conditions, selection processes, jobs across a range of public service agencies. The PSA is fighting against the past trend of centralising public services and outsourcing jobs, which has tended to take a lot of public servants out of regional towns. But I am a passionate supporter of Public Servants being embedded in communities. When people live locally, the services are better informed, the policy advice reflects regional issues, and the economic benefits can help communities be more resilient in drought.

Regional Police

One thing I believe should be a priority for the NSW Police Force is ensuring that sector police in smaller stations - those with only 1 or 2 people - perform their duties in their sector.

Shortages brought about by past recruitment practices have put pressure on cops and meant that Police have had to often be dragged into staffing stations in larger regional centres.

But a new approach will deliver more police to Regional NSW and over time see more police on the street. With class 364 being full - 350 recruits and a 26% increase in applications - I believe we are about to see more police in their communities more often.

In our small towns cops do so much more than their core duties, like running the local PCYC, coaching sporting teams, organising events. And in many communities these police officers are the only 24/7 Government service. It is vitally important that cops get to stay in those smaller towns to continue to do the work that they do and continue to form a bond with the community.

Notice of Motion to help cleaners

In early May I went to a rally in Parramatta held by the United Workers Union, which is the union that covers cleaners who work in government institutions like schools and police stations. I promised to take their campaign to Parliament. During the second sitting week in May I delivered a notice of motion on the floor of the NSW Parliament to raise awareness of cleaning contracts in NSW.

I asked that the House:

1. Acknowledges the importance of quality cleaning services in public buildings across NSW.
2. Notes the significant failures in the $500m cleaning contract currently with thousands of hours paid for but no service provided.
3. Questions why Government employed cleaning staff are good enough for this Parliament and Hospitals but not our kids, Police or Public Servants.
4. Urges the Government to employ cleaners directly as public servants.

I will continue talking to the relevant ministers to help get the cleaners a better deal than they have been getting.

Worker Housing Inquiry

Having enough housing for essential workers is one of the great challenges in Barwon and across NSW. A lack of essential worker housing affects our ability to staff our health services, schools and police stations and makes it harder to attract workers to regional areas.

This week in Parliament I joined my colleagues Judy Hannan, Helen Dalton, Alex Greenwich, Dr Joe McGirr, Michael Regan, Independent Member for Wakehurst, and representatives from the Health Services Union NSW at a press conference welcoming the NSW Parliament Select Committee Essential Worker Housing Inquiry.

The State needs a coordinated plan to create enough housing across the state for our essential workers. There are solutions, but it will take a multi-agency strategy to make them happen. I will be reporting back on the progress of the inquiry. Look out for the call for submissions.

Regional Development Trust

On May 17 the government announced the first $35 million funding allocation, from the $350 million Regional Development Trust. This is a trust fund that will be used to support some important initiatives to boost the “long-term resilience” of regional NSW. The focus of funded projects is on job creation and primary industry expansion.

The funding will concentrate on four areas: 

•          Sustainable regional industries, including emerging and job creating industries

•          Aboriginal economic development and enterprise

•          Community infrastructure and capacity building

•          Improving regional service delivery

Among the projects is $15 million for upgrades to Western NSW airstrips. This will mean so much for our communities out West, particularly health and emergency services for those in remote areas and an increase in economic development.

There is also a $10 million Western NSW Workforce Activation Package to establish, expand, or upgrade early childhood and education care in three initial local government areas: Bourke, Broken Hill, and Cobar.

This $10 million will go a long way for families in these communities who want to return to work but cannot access long day care - this has been a huge issue out west for a long time.

Successful applicants must demonstrate that funded activities will increase their ability to offer additional childcare places.

A $5 million Aboriginal Economic Development package will go to supporting Aboriginal businesses and organisations to identify and execute commercial opportunities, leading to improved economic and employment outcomes.

Eligible Aboriginal organisations and businesses can apply to deliver projects that improve economic and employment outcomes, such as upgrades to community-controlled facilities or the expansion of native food operations.

Aboriginal projects are currently under consideration, and the pilot program will commence over the coming months. Growing existing businesses and creating more employment and economic activity benefits everyone in a community.

There is also $5 million to stimulate economic growth and employment in regional NSW.

This funding will provide low-interest loans to eligible small and medium businesses in regional NSW.

Food and beverage manufacturing small and medium businesses will be able to apply for loans between $100,0000 and $1,000,000 with a 2.5 per cent fixed interest for the life of the loan. 

This will allow our regional businesses to invest in new technologies and equipment that increase efficiency and productivity.

Regional small businesses said in the roundtable feedback they find it difficult to access finance from traditional lenders. 

This funding from the NSW Government has been developed to make it faster and easier for regional small businesses to thrive.

These will be great for Barwon.

Broken Hill Ambulance Workers

The Ambulance workers out at Broken Hill do an amazing job looking after the health needs of the far western city. But there are some things that urgently need to be seen to so that they can continue their work. For one thing their ambulance station is badly in need of an upgrade. I visited there last week to have a look at the station and to hear some of their concerns.

There are also issues with rostering that need to be sorted out. Also problems with training new intensive care paramedics, who need to be sent away to be trained, resulting in the potential loss of people who want to stay. I spoke to one who said he would be forced to leave Broken Hill if things continued the way they are.

I spoke to a couple of ambos who had been sent to Broken Hill but thought that there wasn’t enough of a career path or other incentives to keep staff there.

Another concern is that the 500 new regional paramedics are not being sent to the most beneficial locations.

These are things that I will be discussing with the health minister in parliament.

Claire Kelly centenarian

One of my favourite parts of this job is presenting constituents with certificates for amazing things that they have done. Last week I had the absolute pleasure of presenting one to Broken Hill’s Claryce “Claire” Kelly, on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

Born in Marrickville in 1924, Claire shared some great stories of her childhood and some of the mischief, I should say fun, she got up to. In her words “I don’t think kids today have half the fun that we did”.

She also talked about her time in the army and living in a lot of different places before she ended up in Broken Hill. Amazing stories from an amazing life. Claire still lives independently with some family living nearby. Here’s to many more birthdays for Claire.

Child Protection Ball

Last week I joined around 200 people at the Child Protection Foundation 10th anniversary Ball. This organisation is amazing. It sets out to educate, raise awareness about child abuse, and give kids the tools and skills to help keep them safe. A charitable organisation that depends on donations to keep doing its work. My sister Viktoriya was kind enough to join me in a room of people that were all about protecting kids.

So great to see so many people out in support of kids, their safety and the foundation. The Federal Member for Cook, Simon Kennedy was there. I have invited him to come for a run around Barwon to understand the different challenges we face. I will stay in touch with the Foundation through Bruce and Kerry (the founders) and try to help them spread their work across all regional NSW.

Check out their website:

https://childprotectionfoundation.org.au/