Member for Barwon Roy Butler MP has been active in NSW Parliament in recent weeks, as reported in his community newsletter.

"The sitting weeks kicked off for me with a hearing on the Review of the NSW Reconstruction Authority, which is a joint select committee of which I am a member," Mr Butler said.

"The committee heard from a range of stakeholders including NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers AFSM, NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan, NSW State Emergency Service Acting Commissioner Debbie Platz APM, Acting Deputy Commissioner Nicole Hogan and the Acting Chief Executive of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Ms Joanna Quilty.

"There were also representatives from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, Office of Local Government, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the Premier’s Department. 

"They spoke about their experiences with the now defunct Resilience NSW and discussed what could be done to improve emergency management and coordination of all organisations under the Reconstruction Authority."

The Committee’s report is due on November 28.

Mr Butler also moved a notice of motion in Parliament of NSW regarding the Wilcannia weir replacement project.

The motion to the house read,

• Notes the original consultation that resulted in an agreed design for Wilcannia Weir was nominated for an award.
• Observes that the design was changed without community consultation for contentious reasons.
• Recognises that the Wilcannia Community does not support the revised design.
• Agrees, as a disadvantaged indigenous community, Wilcannia should not be short changed.
• Asks the State and Federal Government to listen to the Wilcannia community and build the weir they agreed to and deserve.

"Since the revised design was unveiled in December last year, I have been talking to the Wilcannia community and to the government to find a way forward with the project, one that will take notice of what the community is asking for and will deliver what they need," Mr Butler said.

Mr Butler also shared details of the work he has been doing on the Regional Communities Consultation Standards Bill.

"In about January my team and I began working on creating a bill that would set standards for community consultation on government projects," Mr Butler said.

"That bill made it onto the business paper in May and last week it was finally voted on in Parliament.

"Fortunately, the bill received support from the government, with amendments that helped sharpen some aspects of the bill and did not affect the intent."

The Bill now moves to the Legislative Council, where the Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty, has carriage of the bill, before it returns to the Legislative Assembly to become law.

"It is a long process, but it makes sure that everyone has their say and that the bill does what it is supposed to do," Mr Butler said.

"I want to make sure the voice of regional NSW communities is heard and considered in the decision making for both agencies and NSW Parliament. This bill goes a long way to ensuring that."

Mr Butler is also working on improving regional manufacturing in the bush.

"Years ago, in Australia, we made things—cars, fridges, lawnmowers. But a lot of our manufacturing has gone offshore," he said.

"During the pandemic, we discovered this left us open to supply chain issues and greatly impacted our cost of living.

"I moved a motion for the Public Interest Debate (PID) in NSW Parliament. PIDs are a way of discussing topics that, as the name suggests, are relevant to the public.

"My motion drew attention to NSW's vulnerabilities to supply chain disturbances, noted the commitment of the NSW Government to support manufacturing, and urged the parliament to revive manufacturing in Regional NSW.

"The motion received bipartisan support, and both sides spoke very respectfully about the need to see more local manufacturing. There was wide agreement that regional NSW is ready, willing, and suitable to contribute to a stronger NSW."

To see the debate, head to the link

Images: Roy Butler MP