Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton caught up with members of the Toomelah Local Aboriginal Land Council last week.

Apply now for Volunteer Grants

I am inviting eligible not-for-profit organisations in the Parkes electorate to submit an expression of interest to my office for the 2022-23 Volunteer Grants program.

Whether it’s volunteering with Meals on Wheels, helping in the canteen at the junior soccer or responding to emergencies with the State Emergency Service, our volunteers play an important role in our communities, and these grants help ensure local volunteers can continue their valuable work.

Grants of between $1,000 and $5,000 are available to help community groups pay for equipment or for promotional activities that increase participation in volunteering, as well as reimburse fuel costs and expenses associated with transport and training.

I know how beneficial these grants have been to previous recipients over the years, so I encourage all eligible organisations to download an EOI form and submit an expression of interest to my office by 5pm AEST Friday 16 September.

More information is available by contacting the Dubbo electorate office on 02 6882 0999 or by downloading the Grant Opportunity Guidelines.

Happy National Science Week

This week is National Science Week – Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology.

Science plays a vital role in Australia’s economy, standard of living, health, environment, and future, and this week is an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of scientists, engineers and technologists around the country, as well as to inspire the next generation of young scientists.

This year, National Science Week events will be held online and in-person throughout the country, and I encourage people in the Parkes electorate to get involved.  Residents can also explore Australia’s plant biodiversity from the comfort of their own homes by participating in ABC’s National Science Week project ‘Australia’s Favourite Tree’. People can go online, explore the science and wonder of iconic native plants, and vote for the trees they love.

National Science Week 2022 runs from 13 to 21 August. Event details can be found at scienceweek.net.au.

Chance for senior students to make their voices heard

I’m encouraging senior students in the Parkes electorate that are keen public speakers and passionate about politics to consider entering the House of Representatives’ My First Speech competition.

The competition asks year 10 to 12 students to imagine they are a new Member of Parliament making their first speech and record a 90 second video of themselves talking about an issue in their local community.

The three winners will be flown to Canberra with a parent or guardian to present their speeches live and undertake a program at Parliament House.

This competition is a wonderful way for our next generation of community leaders to have a say in our national parliament.

For more information, visit www.aph.gov.au/myfirstspeech

Working with Indigenous communities

It’s been too long since I’ve spent time in Toomelah and Boggabilla, in the north-easternmost tip of my electorate, so it was great to catch up with local leaders in both of these communities last week.

It was great to meet the new principal Greg Bass at Toomelah Public School to present three new flags to the school. I also caught up with the Toomelah Local Aboriginal Land Council to discuss a number of issues in the community, including rubbish collection, phone coverage, flooding at the cemetery and the demolition of unoccupied dwellings.

At Boggabilla, I met up with Chris McGrady on the block of land that has been purchased as the site of the Northern Gomeroi Men’s Shed. The Northern Gomeroi Aboriginal Corporation has received Federal Government funding to establish a Men’s Shed in Boggabilla, but there’s still plenty of work to do to get this site up and running. I’m very supportive of this project, which I believe will make a positive difference in Boggabilla, providing men of all ages with a place to go to have a yarn, connect with each other and be involved in the community.