Chaffey’s Corner – Monday, 27 October, 2025

I’ve been on the road in the electorate of Parkes over the past couple of weeks
which has only confirmed to me the importance of connections and good transport
between our towns and cities.
When you live in a remote or regional area, you have to travel. It’s a fact of life. You
have to travel for medical appointments, business reasons, family events, and so
many other reasons.
This is one of the reasons why it is so important to ensure we have reliable and
sustainable airline services.
The recent news that there is a United States buyer for regional airline Rex could be
good news, but it is very early in the process, and there are many questions to be
answered.
This is more than just a business for people in regional New South Wales. It is a
lifeline. The issue of regional airlines is much wider than just Rex. We need this
airline as we need the others that are currently operating in regional areas – to
provide the number and regularity of services that are required.
I will be keeping a close eye on this development to see exactly what it will mean for
people who live in regional New South Wales.
Another absolute necessity in the electorate of Parkes are reliable regional roads.
I have spoken before – both in Chaffey’s Corner and in Parliament – about the
decline in the Federal Government’s commitment to funding for regional roads. It has
been in a steep decline for the past three years.
During the time of this Federal Government, the road infrastructure backlog figure
has blown out to an average of $236.7 million a year across the Parkes electorate,
according to NRMA figures.
That is an increase of more than 250% in the electorate in the years of this Labor
Government.
In addition, Parkes electorate councils have been knocked back for about $150
million of the funding they have sought to fix roads damaged by disasters in the past
three years. That is a massive amount of money for our small councils to find just to
restore their roads networks to the same standards.
Safe and reliable roads aren’t a luxury. They are an absolute necessity for regional
Australians.
The Albanese Government’s plan to find an answer to substandard roads by telling
regional people to drive more slowly is laughable. Labor Minister Catherine King is
proposing reducing speed limits on dirt, gravel or sealed roads in need of repair.
It is unreasonable and unfair to again put the burden on the people of the Parkes
electorate to make up for the government’s lack of support for regional New South
Wales.
In the past couple of weeks, I have been to Moree for the opening of a new Westpac
service centre, I have been to the ORISCON Cross Cultural Festival in Dubbo,
helped celebrate 100 years of the Royal Far West in Dubbo, I have talked to Broken
Hill City Council, the Rural Doctors’ Network and a number of other organisations
about the potential for improvement to health services in Broken Hill, talked to
Wilcannia residents about the future of the weir, and had more meetings in
Narromine and Parkes.
It’s time to go back to Parliament for two weeks and then I look forward to being out
and about in the electorate again, including for the presentation of the Member for
Parkes Vocational Student award in a number of schools.