I look forward meeting and speaking to my parliamentary colleagues about the electorate and the many great projects that are currently in planning or underway, such as the ongoing redevelopment of Dubbo regional hospital.

The NSW Government is funding an upgrade to 400 school zone signs across the state to improve the safety for students. 

This includes removing and replacing the existing static signs with school zone signs with flashing lights that aligns to the latest Roads and Maritime design installation specifications and standards. 

In the Dubbo electorate the Dennison Street school zone of Mudgee Public School and the Myall Street school zones of St Mary’s Primary School Dubbo will reap the rewards of this initiative as we strive to make New South Wales schools a safer place for our students. New flashing signs will be installed and tested at a time outside school zone operational hours. If you have any questions, please contact via the email at flashinglights@rms.nsw.gov.au. 

Recently the state Government announced new funding to champion small businesses through a series of events organised as part of the inaugural Back to Business Week.  Back to Business Week is a NSW Government initiative created to celebrate small businesses and acknowledge the critical role they play in local communities.

Back to Business Week will run from 26th February to 4th March, in recognition of the leading role small businesses play in training, educating, creating jobs and producing a wide range of quality products and services across the state and especially in our Dubbo Electorate.

I’m delighted to see the NSW Government providing support for our local small businesses which are the driving force of our economy, generating growth, innovation and jobs. Small businesses which are in an excess of 690,000 in New South Wales make up 98 percent of business in the state.

For more information on Back to Business Week go to: industry.nsw.gov.au/backtobusiness The past week we have seen extremely hot weather across the region and the state prompting emergency services and health authorities to join forces and warn the community about the conditions.

The heat also brings with it fire conditions which can be extremely challenging.

Thank you to the families and work places that are made amazing volunteers available over the past few days to work with emergency services across the region and the state.