Flooding in the north-west
Tropical cyclone Kirrily has resulted in large storms across north-western NSW, and Lightning Ridge has been one area of the electorate hit particularly hard by heavy rainfall. While this has benefited some, it has also caused significant damage to homes and businesses.
My thoughts are with constituents who have withstood the worst of the flooding, and I will continue to monitor the situation.
Honours for Parkes constituents
It is with great pride that I congratulate the members of the Parkes electorate who were named in the Australia Day 2024 Honours list:
- Mrs Ruth Sandow (Broken Hill) has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the community through a range of roles
- Mrs Ellen Stanmore (Dubbo) has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the community of Dubbo
- Mr Victor Bartley (Bourke) has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to local government, and to the community of Bourke
- Mrs Anne Bell Knight (Gunnedah) has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the arts
- Ms Sue-Ellen Lovett (Dubbo) has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to horse sports, and to the community
- Mr Robert North (Dubbo) has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to medicine, and to the community
- Mr Rodney Coombes (Coonabarabran) has been awarded the Emergency Services Medal (ESM)
Congratulations also to everyone in the Parkes electorate who received an Australia Day award – I’m proud to represent such outstanding members of rural and regional Australia.
Meeting with the Muslim community
Recently I met with members of the NSW Central West Muslim community regarding the current situation in Gaza.
We held a meaningful discussion about their concerns, and they have given me a petition to present to the Federal Parliament calling for an urgent ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aide to the region.
