Author name: Dugald Saunders

Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders believes the NSW Government’s Start Strong Free Preschool program is one of the best things to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Education Minister Sarah Mitchell announced on Sunday that tomorrow’s NSW Budget will include $150 million for the program, which will see families save up to $4000 per year per child in preschool fees. “One of the first things the government did when COVID hit was assign funding into early education so staff could stay employed and spots were retained for children when families were forced to stay […]

More than $2 million has been pumped into the coffers of local businesses as a result of the NSW Government’s popular Dine & Discover program. Data from the Department of Customer Service has shown the success of the rollout, which provided four $25 vouchers to every adult in NSW in an attempt to stimulate the economy in the wake of shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two of the vouchers were for use in hospitality venues, while the other two were for events and/or experiences. As of June 10 there had been 61,691 vouchers redeemed in the Dubbo electorate. Of

Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders says a dedicated drug court for the region is a signal of the NSW Government’s commitment to tackle the region’s ice issues. Mr Saunders joined Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Attorney General Mark Speakman at Dubbo Courthouse on Thursday to announce funding of $27.9 million for the expansion of the drug court to Dubbo will be included in the 2021 Budget, which will be handed down by Mr Perrottet next Tuesday. The Drug Court, currently at Sydney, Parramatta and Toronto, is a multi-agency response to drug-related offending. The court is

The battle against the next drought begins today with the NSW Government announcing a combined $64 million in the 2021-22 NSW Budget over four years for the ‘Future Ready Regions’ strategy that will help farmers and regional communities grow, thrive and plan for the future. Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders were at Boxleigh Park Merinos in Wellington today to meet with local farmers and make the announcement. “It’s great to see this new strategy build on the NSW Governments enourmous investment in preparing communities for drought including the popular $1

Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders has welcomed a move to extend and expand the very popular Regional Seniors Travel Card program. It was announced on Wednesday that the program, which allows eligible seniors access to a pre-paid $250 VISA card for use on pre-booked NSW Trainlink Regional trains and coaches, fuel and taxis, will run for another two years after an initial two-year trial in 2020 and 2021. It will also be expanded to include people of Age Pension age who receive either a Disability Pension or a Carers Payment from Services Australia. So far in 2021, 4858

Big ticket tourism attractions that will put regional towns on the map and improve accessibility for people with disability are set to receive a significant funding boost, thanks to the NSW Government. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders today announced applications are open for the $30 million Regional Tourism Activation Fund to deliver new or upgraded tourism infrastructure and improve accessibility and inclusion for people with disability. Mr Saunders said the fund will support the construction of new iconic visitor experiences or unique event spaces, boosting the profile of regional NSW and giving people even more reasons to take