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2022 Parliament Recap
Dr Joe McGirr MPPARLIAMENT RECAP It was another busy year for the NSW Parliament in 2022, with some important legislative reforms being considered by members INDEPENDENT MEMBER FOR WAGGA WAGGAof both houses. I have continued to advocate for the community on important issues.
I was pleased with the response to the petition I launched calling for the establishment of an
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independent department of rural health.
I am continuing to advocate that the Division of Regional Health will address the needs of regional, remote and rural NSW.
I have also been seeking community support for a petition which calls on the government to ensure people
undergoing radiotherapy treatment
in Wagga Wagga and the soon-toopen Griffith centre are not left out of pocket. The government has committed to ensuring there are
no out-of-pocket expenses for Griffith patients and I am seeking similar assurances for Wagga Wagga.
Housing and homelessness remain a major concern. As with elsewhere in the state, we are facing a lack of available housing, particularly affordable homes. I have been pushing to see the Tolland Renewal Project move forward as we look for ways to address this ongoing problem.
Action to address climate change remains a priority I support for our community. We are in the midst of an energy revolution that will deeply affect regional NSW. We need to make sure that regional and rural communities are treated fairly. That is why I have been raising concerns about overhead transmission lines, as well as a number of solar factories that are popping up in our area.
The Inland Rail project is nation-building infrastructure, but it has the potential to adversely impact Wagga Wagga. I have called on the government to address community concerns about noise and vibration and impacts on traffic, particularly around the Docker-Bourke streets crossing and Edmondson Street bridge. Unless these can be addressed, I believe a bypass of Wagga Wagga
should be considered.
With the passing of the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Bill, a new offence relating to abusive behaviour towards current and former intimate partners has been created in NSW to help combat domestic and family violence. I have worked with my Independent colleagues on amendments to improve based on feedback from industry.
After advocating strongly for improvements, I was pleased to see much-needed changes made to the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme. This scheme can help make a real difference to regional, rural and remote residents who are facing the substantial costs of travelling to the city for medical treatment.
The introduction of ride-sharing services in recent years has permanently changed the state’s taxi industry. I have pushed to ensure taxi licence owners are adequately compensated for the losses brought about by these changes.
It was pleasing to see the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council will be demerged, I am continuing to press for Snowy Valleys Council’s request to demerge to be promptly acted on and for the community’s wishes to be heard. Floods have impacted our city this year, causing financial losses and enormous impacts on affected residents and landowners.
I have repeatedly called for changes to be made to dam
management so that flood mitigation is properly considered.
With plans for the $20-million second stage of the Riverina Conservatorium no longer progressing, work on examining alternatives for performances spaces in Wagga Wagga is in the early stages. I will continue to push the government
