Mudgee & Gulgong

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 […]

Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders has backed a move by the NSW Government to extend the popular Dine & Discover initiative by a month. Mr Saunders said the stimulus had proved popular and played a valuable role supporting local businesses as well as reviving consumer confidence, and said giving people until July 31 to use the vouchers would mean another bumper school holiday period for the hospitality and events industries.  “This program is win-win for communities – it’s provides local businesses with much needed stimulus and families with hip pocket relief,” he said. “People of all ages and

Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders is encouraging people in the community to put their hand up for help if they are struggling, with more mental health support available than ever before.  An extra 57 Ongoing Response and Recovery Specialists will provide counselling and other services as part of the NSW Government’s investment in mental health support. “The great thing is that the counsellors are members of our community, so they are ideally placed to provide local insight, as well as helping individuals and families access further mental health support close to home,” Mr Saunders said. “We know that

Twenty young people in the Dubbo electorate will receive cash grants of $1,000 to help achieve their academic aspirations and training goals as part of a NSW Government scholarship program. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) Scholarships will help lift the load for students in their final years of high school and early years of tertiary education. “The program is an investment in the future of young people growing up in social housing, or who are in out-of-home care,” Mr Saunders said. “These scholarships aim to improve school completion rates, boost

A new round of funding to help regional councils fix local roads is set to drive safer, smoother journeys in the region, and support thousands of jobs in the bush. Applications are now open for round three of the NSW Government’s $500 million Fixing Local Roads Program which is helping regional councils repair, maintain and seal priority local roads in their communities Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said the program demonstrated the NSW Government’s commitment to ensuring safer and more reliable journeys across regional NSW. “Our local councils have a mammoth task in providing for their communities and

Crown land managers and community groups that use Crown land in the Dubbo electorate are invited to apply for a share of $17 million in grants to upgrade and maintain community facilities and reserves across NSW. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said applications for the NSW Government’s Crown Reserves Improvement Fund are open until 25 June 2021. “In the last round of this program we funded some wonderful projects, including a multipurpose tennis court at Mungery Hall, electrical and solar upgrades at Hargraves Recreation Reserve, amenities and water upgrades at Cooyal Recreation Reserve, and a new judge’s tower

Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders has welcomed a decision by the NSW Government to backdate rebate claims for mouse baiting programs. Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced today that households and small businesses impacted by high numbers of mice across regional NSW will be able to backdate their claims to February 1, 2021. Claims will be able to be made from early July. “I’ve discussed the situation with the Deputy Premier and with the Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall, and I’m glad that this measure has been taken,” Mr Saunders said. “Every day I speak to people who have had

Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders has welcomed the re-designing of SafeWork NSW’s Mentally Healthy Workplaces Strategy, which is focused on helping businesses in the region become mentally healthy. In the past two years SafeWork NSW received more than 5,000 calls for assistance and information in relation to bullying and other psychosocial risks as well as how to get started in creating a mentally health workplace “Thanks to the NSW Government, hundreds of businesses across the state have been supported to implement mental health plans, and thousands of employees have been trained, but there’s a lot more work to