Project Updates

What an extraordinary year 2021 has been for the Wagga Wagga electorate.

This year we have seen the opening of Wagga Wagga Base Hospital’s health services hub. Work is now under way on the six-storey car park. There will be more than 900 spaces across the hospital campus. I advocated strongly to ensure the whole $30 million originally promised for the project was spent at the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital.

Renewal in the Snowy Valleys is continuing after the 2020 bushfires. I was pleased to see the allocation of funding to the region in the wake of the bushfires. Projects to benefit include an emergency evacuation and multipurpose centre, improvements to community pools, improvements to local businesses and works on local tourism facilities.

I continue to advocate for those impacted by TransGrid’s EnergyConnect and HumeLink projects. For more than a year, I have been calling on TransGrid to improve the way it dealt with landowners and the wider community. Criticism of TransGrid in a report from its own landowner and community advocate, came as no surprise to me. I

was extremely disappointed at the decision not to demerge Snowy Valleys Council after the Boundaries Commission voted 3-1 in favour of it. I have repeatedly called for the demerger, citing the deep opposition to the amalgamation from parts of the community.

It was good to see Charles Sturt University responding to my concerns about governance and regional representation. I was pleased to hear two regional NSW residents have been appointed to the university’s council and an independent chair of their audit and risk committee. I will continue pushing for a Wagga Wagga representative to be appointed.

Stage one of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music project is under way and is due to be completed next year.

It is great to see the redevelopment of the Tumut Hospital coming to its completion, as planning continues for the new ambulance station.