Mudgee & Gulgong

Communities across the region are invited to share their views on how the NSW Government can respond to increasing pressures on the supply and affordability of housing in regional NSW.  Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said anyone can participate in the online sessions which will be hosted by the Regional Housing Taskforce during August. “It’s no secret that places like Dubbo, Wellington, Narromine, Mudgee and Gulgong are experiencing housing shortages, in both the purchase and rental sectors,” Mr Saunders said. “Several months ago I urged councils and other stakeholder groups to come together and work towards solutions, and

The call is out for organisations across the region to apply for grant funding for activities that support the delivery of the 2022 NSW Seniors Festival. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said the $200,000 NSW Seniors Festival Grants Program supports initiatives that encourage people aged 60 or over to stay healthy, engaged and active. “This is an opportunity to celebrate or build on the diverse skills and interests of seniors in our community in areas like art, sport, health or technology,” Mr Saunders said. “The 2021 NSW Seniors Festival included e-safety sessions, drumming circles, movie nights and gardening

More than 1700 residents from the Dubbo electorate have taken up the chance to upskill through a fee-free JobTrainer course during the pandemic. It comes as NSW records more than 100,000 Jobtrainer enrolments since the jointly-funded Federal and NSW Government program was announced in October. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said the most popular courses to study were operating forklift and forklift truck, statement of attainment in construction and statement of attainment in hospitality. “It’s great to see locals using their time during lockdown to learn a new skill, change their career or get their first qualification,” Mr

Rebates of up to $10,000 are available from today for eligible farmers in the region to assist with the purchase of zinc phosphide mouse bait as part of the NSW Government’s $150 million mice support package. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said many farmers are preparing to fight a spring surge in mouse numbers following a winter lull. “The whole of the central west felt the effects of the mouse plague over summer and autumn and thankfully we’ve had some reprieve as they settled down over winter,” he said. “Given the numbers we saw, the experts are predicting

Young people will develop the skills and knowledge they need to support future employment, education and training opportunities through a NSW Government grant program which opens today. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said local not-for-profits, community groups and councils are being encouraged to apply for grants of up to $50,000 as part of the NSW Government’s Youth Opportunities program. “These grants will help young people develop tangible skills to support future employment, education and training opportunities,” Mr Saunders said. “They will also support young people’s participation, engagement, and inclusion in the community.” The Youth Opportunities grants provide one-off,

A charity that provides assistance for families of country children diagnosed with cancer and other chronic life-threatening illnesses has been given a helping hand to expand operations. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders announced today that $7500 has been allocated to Wagga-based organisation Country Hope to establish itself in the Dubbo region. “Country Hope does amazing work in providing financial and emotional support for the families of sick children when it’s most needed, so it’s a great feeling to be able to provide support,” Mr Saunders said. “We all hope we’ll never find ourselves in a situation to need

Residents across the Central West and Western region are urged to make sure they know and follow the COVID-19 rules currently in place to keep regional and rural NSW safe, as the State remains on high alert. Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders said the NSW Government is doing everything it can to keep the community safe, and we all need to continue following the rules to protect our loved ones and the community. “As a region, we’ve been doing a great job of keeping our part of the world free of COVID-19, and given what is happening in