NSW Farmers to be a strong presence at AgQuip

NSW Farmers will host Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt at AgQuip in Gunnedah next week to discuss critical issues facing agriculture.

An informal forum with Minister Watt and Assistant Minister for Trade Tim Ayres at 10am on Tuesday morning will include the latest updates on trade, biosecurity, drought, and innovation, and provide an opportunity for visitors to the NSW Farmers shed to hear how the new National Reconstruction Fund can support growth in agriculture.

In addition to the Ministerial visit, NSW Farmers was bringing back a number of popular offerings for visitors including the free barbecue lunch for members and guests as well as free refreshments from the WFI Coffee Cart, and the popular hydrogen-powered haircuts will once again be on offer.

More than 150 Ag Quip visitors took advantage of free hydrogen and solar-powered haircuts from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) H2Cuts demonstration trailer last year, and the truck will be back in Gunnedah from August 22-24.

Local NSW Farmers Regional Service Manager Michael Collins was among those who visited the affectionately named ‘shearing shed’, and he said it proved a hit with visitors.

“One of the highlights of an event like Ag Quip is seeing what’s new in agriculture, and I didn’t mind jumping into this demonstration headfirst,” Mr Collins said.

“But there’s also the old favourites like the GRDC Breakfast on Wednesday morning where the Brownhill Cup will be presented, and at 12.30pm we’ll welcome back Aussie cricket legend Brad Hogg to talk about the importance of mental health.

“Whether you’re an old cockie or a first timer we hope you’ll enjoy everything Ag Quip has to offer, and stop by the NSW Farmers shed to say g’day!”

Among those based in the NSW Farmers shed will be Association President Xavier Martin, policy staff from the NSW Farmers environment team, the Young Farmer policy advisor and a representative from the workplace relations team. Mr Collins said there would also be representatives from the Farm Safety Unit on hand, with refreshments served up by the famous CWA volunteers.

Partners and stall holders will attend the NSW Farmers shed throughout the three days including:

• WFI Insurance

• Bunnings

• Spray Smart Chemical Trainers

• Mobil

• Sonic Natural Farming

• Prisma Tech Drones

• Verified Lending

• NSW Rural Fire Service

• Water NSW

• Isuzu Trucks

• Rural Aid

• Frontier Services

• Dell Computers

Come visit the NSW Farmers Shed at Ag Quip site GH 24/25.

NSW Nationals rolling up to AgQuip Gunnedah

This year the NSW Nationals friendly volunteers will again be manning site J24 at AgQuip 2023 in Gunnedah. They will be there to hear from you about relevant issues and concerns and discuss NSW Nationals values and policies.

“Recent changes in government doesn’t mean that we are taking a holiday. Regional NSW can be assured of support from its strongest political ally,” said Peter Strahorn, the NSW Nationals Parkes Federal Electorate Council Membership Officer.

Local Members of Parliament, the Hon Mark Coulton MP, Federal Member for the Parkes, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP, Federal Member for New England, and the Hon Kevin Anderson MP State Member for Tamworth will be in attendance. They will be taking in the show exhibits, events, and performances. They will also be there to say hello. You can meet with them from 22nd to 24th of August 2023.

“Another example of the NSW Nationals on-going regional support and desire to be continually up to date and relevant, is to remind people that we are always on the lookout for new members,” said Mr Strahorn.

“Adding new members brings a greater variety of ideas and energy and helps to better represent all aspects of the local community. By joining the NSW Nationals you can make a difference too, and bring your unique perspective to join with other like-minded members.”

“Everybody deep down is looking to find what their purpose is in life, asking themselves ‘what can we do that will endure beyond our own generation’. Joining the NSW Nationals offers a tremendous opportunity to do this. If you are thinking this way, feel free to come and discuss becoming a member with the great team at the show site.

“The NSW Nationals are working hard for our regions and will continue to build on the solid foundation of past efforts, whilst becoming more enriched and relevant, and remaining, as always, the party that best represents the people and interests of regional NSW.”

One-stop transport shop at AgQuip Field Days

Transport for NSW will once again be participating in the annual AgQuip field days in Gunnedah from 22-24 August, providing a one-stop shop with a focus on safety and tools to stay safe on and around the roads, water and rail networks.

The Transport exhibition will feature information about road safety, including level crossings, trip planning, maritime, freight and rail with the help of key partners including NSW Police, Service NSW, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and UGL Regional Linx.

Transport for NSW North Region Director, Anna Zycki, said AgQuip, which attracts about 100,000 attendees over three days, is a great opportunity to communicate important safety messages to regional communities.

“Country people make up around a third of NSW’s population, but over the past five years deaths on country roads made up 70 per cent of our road toll,” Ms Zycki said.

“People who live and work in regional NSW can face a variety of transport safety issues, including how to interact safely with heavy vehicles on the road, trains, as well as maritime issues such as how to use waterways safely.”

The Transport for NSW exhibit will also feature safety demonstrations, including the correct way to service inflatable life jackets.

“Water levels in most NSW inland dams are still high, with many boaters taking the opportunity to enjoy a day out on the water even during the colder months,” Ms Zycki said.

“Please come along to the Maritime exhibit for more tips on how to boat safely and responsibly.”

NSW train and coach operator, TrainLink, will also be in attendance. One of the key features of the exhibition will be a car that was involved in a level crossing crash, to show the impact of a collision with a train.

“This particular aspect of the exhibition is a timely reminder for everyone in regional NSW to have safety at the forefront of their minds ahead of harvest season when we expect to see more harvesters, oversize and/or overmass machinery and trains on the network,” Ms Zycki said.

“Trains can come from any direction, at any time, and there can be multiple trains on tracks that can travel at speed of up to 160km/h.

“Some trains can take more than a kilometre to come to a complete stop, so even if drivers can see you, they can’t stop, which is why it’s so important to always obey signs and signals at level crossings.”

For the first time the Transport exhibition will feature information about the Live Traffic NSW website and app, which provides real- time information about incidents and changes in traffic conditions that affect road users’ journeys.

“This vital service from Transport for NSW has expanded in the past year and now allows many councils to include local road information, and by 2024 all councils in NSW will have the opportunity to contribute to Live Traffic NSW,” Ms Zycki said.

“Transport staff will be available to answer questions about Live Traffic NSW and provide tips on how to get the most out of the platform for planning trips.”

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator will also be onsite at AgQuip, conducting a variety of presentations, covering topics including heavy vehicle compliance and agricultural notices affecting transporters and primary producers.

NHVR Central Region Director Operations, Brett Patterson, said the regulator would have some of its NSW staff available to answer questions during the field days, including safety and compliance as well as stakeholder engagement officers.

Service NSW and NSW Police will be on site to provide information on registrations, licensing and general enquiries.

AgQuip is run by ACM Rural Events at 134 Black Jack Road in Gunnedah from August 22-24. For more information, visit https:// acmruralevents.com.au/agquip/home.

Heroic Army Nurse Honoured

Last week I visited the newly unveiled statue of Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel AO MBE at the Australian War Memorial.

This remarkable woman is a hero and deserving of each of the many accolades she received during her life. She is the first individual woman or nurse to be honoured by a statue in the grounds of the Australian War Memorial.

After completing high school and nursing training in Broken Hill, Lt. Col. Bullwinkel served in the Australian Army Nursing Service and was the only survivor of a massacre which occurred in 1942 on Banka Island off the coast of Indonesia. She then spent more than three years as a Prisoner of War.

After all of this she spent the rest of her life devoted to nursing, to honouring the memory of her fellow nurses who lost their lives, and to service. Hers is an incredible story of courage and resilience, which I hope all who visit her memorial will take the opportunity to reflect on.

Connections With The Republic Of Korea

One of my roles as Chief Whip for the Nationals is to provide briefings to delegations coming to Canberra through the Australian Political Exchange Council.

Last week I spoke to the 8th Delegation from the Republic of Korea, including representatives from both the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) which has been the ruling party over the last decade under different names and its opposition, the People Power Party (PPP).

They were very interested in the sheer size of the Parkes electorate, which is roughly 4 times the size of Korea, and how Australia balances its economic growth across both urban and regional areas, which is a challenge for both countries.

Australia and indeed the electorate of Parkes has important ties with the Republic of Korea, especially in the area of critical minerals, so maintaining our connections is beneficial for each of us.

Local Champion Sets Her Sights On Paris

During the week my wife Robyn and I were able to catch up with a local champion in Parliament House.

Jamieson Leeson of Dunedoo is a world champion in the sport of wheelchair boccia and has her sights set on the Paris Paralympics in 2024. With the support of her mother Amanda, Jamieson achieved a gold medal at the Montreal 2023 World Cup and returned with a ranking of 2nd in the world.

We met Jamieson in Parliament House for the Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Australia Parliamentary Event which focuses on advancements in SMA research and treatment. New treatments are resulting in improved quality of life, especially for the next generation affected by SMA.

We’ll be cheering for you Jamieson – best wishes as you train for the coming year.

Gwydir ARTS + HEALTH