It’s now one year since I received the keys to 123 Byng Street, Orange and occupying the position of Member for Orange, having been elected by you to represent the Orange electorate. A lot has happened over the past 365 days; It has and it will remain my privilege to be your advocate and your gatekeeper, maintaining vigilance on both the electorate and the NSW Parliament. I will relentlessly and vigorously apply pressure upon the NSW Government, to honour their promises to you and to provide this community with the resources and support you need and deserve.

On November 21 last year I hit the ground running. I wasted no time in filling my calendar with appointments to see anyone who wished to meet me and personally discuss the issues affecting them which they sought my assistance with. Since opening my office doors I have personally met with thousands of individuals, listening to and discussing with them a wide range of issues they faced.

When I walked the streets, knocking on the many doors across this electorate prior to the by-election last year, I heard loud and clear what you wanted; you wanted a representative who represented you. You wanted someone who could identify with the issues you faced. What I also heard was that you wanted a representative who was accessible, approachable, considerate and genuine.

Consciously aware that the Orange electorate office is at the far east of the electorate and realising that there has previously been a lack of face-to-face meetings from elected political representatives in the western area of the electorate, I was determined to remedy that fault and former neglect.

I scheduled regular constituent meeting days at both Forbes and Parkes in temporary offices kindly provided by the councils of both townships. This allowed the many people in that end of the electorate to meet me without having to travel to Orange or resort to telephone, postal or e-mail to communicate with me.

Further to this I scheduled “meet and greet” barbecue events throughout the electorate. To date I have hosted meet and greet events in Cudal, Cumnock, Eugowra, Forbes, Molong, Orange, Parkes and Peak Hill. I also hosted “Pull-up-a-stump with Phil”, which was a politics in the pub event I hosted in Orange. I will continue to host events across the electorate at which all are openly invited to meet with me. 

Arising out of my meetings with constitutes were many questions. I have dealt with many of your questions and concerns by making both written and/or personal representations to various ministers, and both the Premier and Deputy Premier.  Additionally, I have to date delivered six Questions Without Notice to the Legislative Assembly and 83 Written Questions to NSW Parliament.

This year I have contributed to the debate in parliament on a variety of bills which I felt affected rural and regional NSW and our electorate. I have also delivered a number of Notices of Motion to the Legislative Assembly.

I contributed Private Member Statements and recognised a great number of worthy individuals, organisations and institutions by delivering Community Recognition Statements which will be permanently recorded on the public record in Hansard, for future generations to see.

I was proud to have been given the honour of tabling the 10,000 plus signature petition by Push For Palliative Orange. The significance of this petition was that it represented approximately half of the adult population of Orange, who all called on the NSW Government to establish a dedicated palliative care ward at our hospital, which was sadly abandoned with the old Base Hospital.

The petition was eventually debated in parliament, but disappointingly the Minister for Health ignored the signatories and chose to argue against their request. The debate’s failure to awaken the NSW Government into responding only strengthened my resolve in pursuing this cause.

I set about forming a committee of stakeholders and community representatives to establish a dedicated specialised palliative care/hospice facility in Orange. Those meetings continue on a regular basis and I am confident a solution will eventuate. 

This year I introduced two bills into the Legislative Assembly, following their successful passing in the Legislative Council where they were introduced by my Shooters Fishers and Farmers colleagues. The first bill was the Public Health Amendment (Registered Nurses in Nursing Home) Bill 2017. The second being the Local Government Amendment (Amalgamation Referendums) Bill 2017. Despite both Bills successfully passing the Legislative Council, they were each defeated in the Legislative Assembly. The Government, who voted down each of the bills, demonstrated their lack of reason and hypocrisy.

Earlier in the year I became aware of the introduction of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017. I recognised the topic of euthanasia was a potentially divisive one and which many people in our community are sensitive to. Maintaining my commitment to serve you as your representative and voice in NSW Parliament, I mailed a survey electorate-wide seeking the community’s view on how I should vote when this bill was to be debated.

I was overwhelmed with the several thousand responses to the survey, many of which detailed touching personal experiences which you relied on to support your view on this bill.  81% of you instructed me to vote in favour of the bill, which I was determined to do as your voice. Unfortunately, just last week the bill was voted down in the Legislative Council.

I am pleased to have learned in many cases, cheques of significant value have been recently presented by Government representatives throughout the electorate. While I am unable to personally sign and present those cheques from the Government, I will continue to support you and pressure Government to fairly distribute proceeds of their state asset sales by giving the Orange electorate its fair share.

I will remain a steward over this electorate whilst ever you see fit to elect me as your representative. Thank you for your trust and I look forward to reporting on the next 12 months.