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It’s Hamma time!
Participants at the Cobar Shire Library’s School Holiday craft session on Friday morning, Phemie McLeod, Ember McDonald, Delilah McBride and Izzy Best (with Library staff member Natalia Papierniak), made Hamma Bead Bag Tags.
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Page 8 The Cobar Weekly Wednesday February 8, 2023
State Member talks to locals State Member for Barwon Roy Butler was in Cobar last week chatting to locals as part of his regular rounds of the electorate. Mr Buter said various topics were raised during a walk around the CBD including the proposed introduction of a cashless gaming card, security arrangements at pubs and clubs, rising insurance premiums and the increasing cost of living. The upcoming State Election was also a topic of conversation locals were keen to speak to Mr Butler about. In particular, residents wanted to know how things will change now that Mr Butler has resigned from the SFF Party (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) and has chosen to run as an Independent candidate. “Well, for one thing I have to fund and organise my own campaign,” Mr Butler told The Cobar Weekly. “But otherwise it will be business as usual. “None of my core values have changed, I am still representing the people of Barwon, listening to their concerns and taking them to parliament. “In a way I already operated a bit like an independent in parliament,” Mr Butler said. “Hopefully the voters will see that I am honest, hard-working and have their best interests at heart, regardless of whether I am an independent or a member of a party.” Mr Butler said he thinks it could be a “dangerous alternative” if the seat of Barwon were to be won by a major party. “In which case Barwon would effectively lose its independence, politically, and its member would be unable to criticise the government or operate in the best interests of Barwon where it conflicts with party policy,” he said. Mr Butler said he expects his run into the election will be difficult. “As always I will work hard for the people of Barwon. “In my term I have attracted record funding for the electorate (electorate specific funding in the budget has gone from $132 million in 2016-2017 before I was elected to $907 million in the 22/23 Financial Year). “I want to see the record funding and attention we are experiencing maintained. “If it’s a minority Government, and that appears likely, the crossbench has a disproportionate amount of influence in Government decisions. “That’s the position I want Barwon to continue to hold,” Mr Butler said.
