See Cr Bill West's call to candidates here.

Dear Editor

I write in reference to Cr Bill West’s recent media release concerning a call for candidates to support local issues.

I am pleased to be able to confirm that I too support the issues that are of most importance to the Cowra community.  It seems that Cr West and I are on the same page on this issue.

As a member of the NSW Nationals, I am committed to improving the lives of NSW residents by delivering better services and local infrastructure for all communities.  I believe in thriving, successful regional communities, towns and shires.

I am proud of my achievements for Cowra Shire. I have worked hard as Cowra’s local member for eight years, and as a member of Cabinet I have been a strong voice advocating on behalf of regional NSW. 

My list of achievements for the Cowra community is long. 

Following my exhaustive lobbying and representations to Parliament, a renal dialysis unit for Cowra Hospital was announced last December, and construction will commence mid-year.  The unit will initially have six chairs over three shifts per week, with a capacity to expand to eight should the need arise. 

This unit, combined with the improved performance of Western NSW Local Health District in both elective surgery and emergency care since Labor was in office and the recent employment of 65 new nurses and midwives in Western NSW Local Health District Hospitals illustrates that regional health is high on the list of priorities for the NSW Liberals & Nationals.  The Cowra Hospital is set to remain a strong, functioning hospital well into the future. 

The recent announcement of a huge boost to frontline staff and hospital activity over four years on top of the record boost in the State’s clinical workforce over the past four years also illustrates the Baird-Grant Government’s emphasis on investment in primary health.

A Service NSW one-stop shop has been announced for Cowra following my representations on behalf of the community.  Service NSW offers customers access to more than 800 government transactions including drivers licences, vehicle registrations, birth certificates, housing payments and more.

I was proud that the NSW Government provided Council with the $2.5 million in funding necessary to assist in the refurbishment of Kendal Street.

Teacher mentoring programs and student support packages, coupled with increased capital and maintenance funding at Mulyan, Holmwood, Cowra Public and Cowra High Schools have helped lift the standard of education in Cowra.  Three academically-gifted Cowra students attend the State’s new online school Aurora College, addressing a major equity issue affecting talented students in regional areas, allowing them access to the subjects and resources they need.  The Baird-Grant Government places enormous value on our teachers and quality education.

School zone flashing lights have been installed at Cowra High, Cowra Public, Holman Place, Mulyan Public, Gooloogong Public, Woodstock Public and Wyangala Dam Public Schools for the safety of our children.

The $29 million Wyangala Dam wall strengthening and the construction of the Wyangala Dam Bridge is something I am particularly proud of.  The Wyangala Sewerage Scheme has also received funds from the NSW Government.

I lobbied to have the tender opened for the Blayney Demondrille rail line, and am pleased to say that a preferred tenderer has been identified. As part of that tender process, Transport for NSW Freight and Regional Development has an obligation to examine relevant issues and risks that may arise from the submitted tender.  A detailed assessment is currently underway and it is anticipated the tender outcome will be finalised in April/May 2015.

Local community organisations have benefitted from increased funding in regional NSW.  Groups such as the Cowra Netball Association, which received almost $25,000 to upgrade surfaces at Col Stinson Park, the Cowra Youth Group which received $21,000 for their Cowra Community Cinema Digital Projection upgrade and the Cowra Show Society, which received $25,000 for their kitchen restoration, have all benefitted.  The Wyangala Country Club .too received funding of $25,000 to upgrade toilets and amenities blocks.  The list goes on.  And on.

Through Restart NSW’s Water Security for Regions program, Cowra Council has been awarded more than $90,000 to support the drilling of test bores at three sites previously identified as proven groundwater sources.  The long term outcome of this project will secure a proven groundwater resource for Cowra Shire to improve economic growth and productivity.

Under a re-elected Liberals & Nationals Government, Cowra Shire will also receive funding through Restart NSW for its Water Supply Sludge Management.  Improved water infrastructure and water security is an integral part of our plan to strengthen regional towns and cities, making them more drought-resilient and generate population growth.

For too long some of our smallest rural towns have suffered inadequate wastewater treatment.  Some towns have been dealing with these issues for up to 20 years as they waited for successive Labor Governments with no interest in regional NSW to deliver the funds.  NSW Labor has said that in government they will cut all funding the NSW Liberals & Nationals have allocated for these vital infrastructure works and divert them into Sydney-based projects.

Cowra’s residents and businesses will benefit from Liberals & Nationals plan to fix many of the mobile phone black spots.  The NSW Government’s Red Tape Reduction program will deliver $750 million in savings to NSW Small Businesses.  The Small Biz Bus has visited Cowra on several occasions.  We have given businesses the tools and government assistance necessary to prosper and create more employment locally.  

Locally, initiatives such as boosts to recycling and waste management in Cowra, a bus shelter upgrade, funding of Cowra’s bike paths and line-marking all prove that regional towns like Cowra are back in the Governments spotlight.

State-wide, 310 additional police across NSW, a campaign to combat the scourge of the drug Ice, tougher sentencing for child sexual assault offenders and a crack-down on anti-social and illegal behaviour in public housing communities have been recently announced. Community transport will receive increased funding with another $12 million boost for the State.  Seniors programs will benefit from a series of major enhancements and region-specific tourism campaigns, which will include our area, will receive investment from a re-elected Liberals & Nationals Government.   All of these incentives will help to make our communities safer, better places to live, work, bring up a family and grow old.

We are now starting to see the results of four years of a Liberals & Nationals Government.  Infrastructure such as bridges, roads and schools has been funded, frontline staff in hospitals, police stations and schools have been employed and real changes on the ground are benefitting regional communities.  But there is still much to do.

I have been listening to what the people of Cowra and regional NSW want, and the NSW Liberals & Nationals have been delivering. If re-elected, we will continue to deliver. 

Should I be successful this Saturday, I will continue to be a strong voice for my electorate.  I will continue to work with Council on the issues that are important to the community and the issues Cr West has raised.  I will always speak up for my constituents regardless of whether or not I am in Cabinet.

Yours sincerely

Katrina Hodgkinson MP