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Narromine’s Abram Liddell has been recognised at a ceremony in Sydney after finishing top of his class in the 2021 Higher School Certificate. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said the St Johns College Dubbo graduate has now topped the NSW HSC Electrotechnology Examination. “Abram spent his childhood helping with electrical jobs, and his decision to study electrotechnology through TAFE NSW has clearly paid off!” Mr Saunders said. “Abram considered going to uni and becoming a pilot, but instead he thought “there’s always going to be electrical work”, and has already started an apprenticeship with Dubbo surveillance and security […]

Eligible local seniors can now apply for the 2022 NSW Regional Seniors Travel Card, which will see them receive $250 to help with everyday travel costs. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said the popular initiative, which has seen more than 690,000 cards issued to regional seniors in NSW since the start of 2020, has been extended for another two years. “The Regional Seniors Travel Card was a commitment we made before the 2019 NSW election, and I’m proud to say it’s one we have delivered for locals,” Mr Saunders said. “We’ve already seen the difference this card is

Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders is urging people across the Dubbo electorate to nominate outstanding women in the community for 2022 Local Women of the Year Awards. The Local Woman of the Year Awards is an annual program which recognises and celebrates the support women give to their local communities across NSW. Previous recipients include Gulgong’s Joy Harrison and Wellington’s Pip Smith, while Dubbo’s Joh Leader, Lucy Samuels, Lucy Taylor, Izzy Kelly and #buyfromthebush founder Grace Brennan were honoured at last year’s NSW Women of the Year Awards. “These women make a massive contribution to their communities, and

Unfortunately we couldn’t upload ALL of the entries as it threatened to bring down my entire website! 😬 A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who entered and congratulations again to all our winners!

Local not-for-profits will benefit from a funding boost to ease financial pressure and help them recover from impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown. Member for the Dubbo Electorate Dugald Saunders said the NSW Government’s ‘Social Sector Support Fund’ is providing organisations with grants of between $10,000 and $200,000. “The social services sector has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to support people doing it tough, and this funding will provide our frontline organisations with a hand-up,” Mr Saunders said. “The funding will support not-for-profits who have seen a decline in their revenue, and can be used to assist with brokering services and

Country show organisers across the Dubbo electorate will be able to make plans with certainty, thanks to a NSW Government program providing financial support to ensure these much-loved community events come back bigger and better than ever. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said the $5 million Country Shows Support Package can provide funding for a range of reasons, including to make sure shows are COVID Safe, subsidising stall fees, equipment hire, upgrading facilities or engaging local artists or musicians. “Country shows are the heartbeat of our communities,” Mr Saunders said. “After years of drought, COVID and now flooding,

The world’s first driverless ute is one step closer to reality, with the Ford Ranger now retrofitted with automated driving capabilities as it enters the next trial phase on Dubbo streets in the weeks ahead. Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said regional NSW was leading the way in exploring how automated vehicle technology could deliver a more reliable and accessible public transport offering. “The Smart Ute uses drive-by-wire technology fitted with radars and cameras to collect data to allow it to drive mapped distances on the road and recognise and respond to a variety of obstacles, including kangaroos,” Mr Toole

Landcare groups will be able to help restore riverbanks that have suffered from recent natural disasters to their former glory, thanks to a new NSW Government $3 million support program. Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Adam Marshall announced the Landcare Small Grants Program today, which is part of the NSW Government’s $200 million Regional Recovery Package. “The program will fund grass-roots projects that will both restore and future-proof damaged riverbanks, while also providing immediate economic stimulus,” Mr Marshall said. “Whether it was the bushfires, drought or repeated flood events, our riverbanks and waterways have been severely impacted over the

State-of-the-art irrigation screens will be installed along the Macquarie River as part of the NSW Government’s $200 million Regional Recovery Package delivering benefits for farmers and native fish alike. Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Western NSW Adam Marshall announced the $13.5 million package in Dubbo today and said the projects would deliver significant economic, social and environmental benefits for regional towns, particularly those in the Central West. “This program of works will ensure 70 per cent of extracted water is screened, clean and fish friendly, saving more than 2 million native fish every year in the Macquarie River,” Mr