The central west offers so much to see and do, so while health orders limit our travel, let's explore our own backyard for a unique staycation, seeing and doing some of the things we always wanted to, while helping our great region thrive.

It's important to be active and engaged for both our mental and physical wellbeing. Enjoying a staycation here in our Central West home will also help support local business and employment.

MURKY WATERS

Last week in Parliament saw the final showdown on the issue of water transparency. My colleague, Helen Dalton MP, sponsored the Water Management Amendment (Transparency of Water Rights) Bill 2020 into the Legislative Assembly, after it successfully passed the Upper House. The debate ensued, yet the Minister for Water Melinda Pavey MP, and her Liberal National Government, maintained their opposition of transparency, and they ultimately voted against the bill.

Their reasoning for opposing this bill just doesn't wash; they've cited potential activism as a concern, but by opposing this bill they've just protected the continued anonymity of powerful players who prey on our primary producers and country communities for profit, pure and simple.

Water is being purchased and traded by unknown entities, speculators, from as far away as the Cayman Islands. Who knows whether some of our politicians have an interest? Now we may never know, as the water deals remain murky, all because the Government opposed this bill.

We Aussies have the right to know who is buying and selling our water. One wonders what the government has to hide. We have all seen in the media the current and former government members, and their offices, the subject of alleged integrity issues, which are so serious that they're presently being investigated by ICAC. One would think a government plagued with integrity issues, whether they're real or perceived, would institute and embrace transparency, even champion it. By voting against this bill the Government have demonstrated the complete opposite.

TRANS-MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LINKS

In 2007 The Nationals made a pre-election promise to build a Bells Line Expressway, citing this project was well overdue and that is was nation-building infrastructure which was key to economic growth of the Central West. In spite of being elected to Government in 2011, the Government failed to keep their promise of delivering an expressway.

With the announcement of the inland rail hub at Parkes, improved road and rail connectivity between Sydney and the west is more essential than ever to be the spoke from that hub to drive economic growth and support decentralisation. I've been bringing this to the attention of Government ever since being elected.

Recently I met with representatives of Western Link to discuss their initiatives for quicker, safer and more reliable routes between the Central West and Western Sydney. They've initiated an e-Petition to have this issue debated in NSW Parliament.

Visit the following link to learn more about their initiative and to sign the e-Petition: westernlink.org.au/