Hi Folks, 

We are two months into something that will hopefully only happen once in a lifetime. I want to offer my thanks to all of you, the people who have followed the public health advice, and the essential workers who have worked with risks to keep us all safe, and services functioning. 

As we move into an easing of some restrictions on Friday 15 May, please remain vigilant with the basic health advice. If you are a business looking to get back to trade, please be safe, and protect your staff and clients. 

If there is one positive from the COVID-19 pandemic it’s the widespread realisation that working from home works, says Member for Barwon, Roy Butler.

Mr Butler is calling on the NSW Government to review the suitability of all Public Sector positions for telecommuting, and introduce new requirements for Public Sector roles to be advertised as ‘suitable for telecommuting’. 

The way roles are currently advertised, shows a geographic area where the role is based, inhibiting the attraction of the best possible candidate, no matter where they call home.

“COVID-19 has meant more and more people have shifted to working from home, with videoconferencing for team meetings, and remote access tokens bringing the office to people’s dining room tables and study’s.

Do you run a small business?

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Money tips for small businesses can help you thrive in today's tough economy.

These tips represent real ideas to help you lower your overheads and cut your costs while still reaching your target consumer base and growing your business.

When it comes to food and fibre, consumers want to know who produced it, where it was produced and how it was produced. New AgriFutures Australia funded work not only confirms that building provenance through storytelling is a critical strategy for bringing brands and products to life, but also offers the practical tools to help small business achieve it. 

The provenance toolkit, developed by agricultural market research and digital marketing experts Honey and Fox, offers a suite of practical resources available for download via the AgriFutures Australia website. The toolkit is aimed at Australian producers who want to build an impactful provenance narrative for their food and fibre business and share it with current and prospective clients. 

Sharing your product’s origin story, history or journey to market is a powerful way to connect with your consumers and differentiate brands in the market. It’s an approach that can play a critical role in sustaining, increasing or expanding market share. 

Member for Barwon Roy Butler is calling on the NSW Government to provide financial support to community sporting and recreation clubs for fixed expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Sporting and recreation clubs are essential to the social fabric of our communities, but like so many of us they’re struggling to pay the bills at the moment,” said Mr Butler. 

“For many clubs, the closure of their particular sporting code due to COVID-19 has substantially reduced their ability to generate income from the games and events associated with a sporting season.

Member for Barwon, Roy Butler is calling on the NSW Government to give the new Department of Regional NSW proper powers and put it to work. 

The Deputy Premier's announcement states that the Department's first job will be delivery of recent bushfire, COVID-19 stimulus and drought initiative packages.

“The current description of tasks for this Department is simply Government business as usual with a grander title. Regional NSW needs more than that, it needs a Department located in regional NSW, working for regional NSW,” said Mr Butler.

The NSW Liberal-National Government failed to adequately support farmers during the drought. This meant farmers increased debt levels, let staff go, sold equipment and de-stocked leaving the whole sector in a vulnerable deficit.

For some people the drought was simply too much, they sold up, or were repossessed and left the sector.

The Government can’t say they didn’t know about it, I spoke about it in every session of NSW Parliament, used every mechanism available to me to get drought, and drought assistance on the agenda.

The tragic bushfires showed that the NSW Government can indeed find money, and get it out quickly… when it wants to.

GRDC Northern Region team members are just back from Grains Research Updates throughout Queensland and New South Wales. It was great to catch up with so many growers, agronomists and researchers at the events and even better to hear many regions had received rain. Let’s hope there is more on the horizon and everyone gets a winter crop in this season.

If you didn’t make it to an Update, you’ll find a lot of the valuable presentations from these events on our website. And if you did attend one of the Updates, you may find yourself or a colleague in social photo galleries from Wagga Wagga, Dubbo and Goondiwindi Grains Research Updates.  To view the latest Newsletter click the heading.

The National Farmers Federation has welcomed the release of the Murray Darling Basin Social and Economic Assessment Panel Draft Report.

Led by an independent panel comprised of Basin industry leaders, the report highlights the experiences of communities and how they have been affected by the myriad of reforms to water management in the Basin.

“The report’s findings are similar to the messages the NFF heard on our tour across the Basin last month: there is a need to bring communities back to the heart of the conversations and actions that ultimately impact their futures.”

The Coronavirus pandemic means the Independent Planning Commission will not be scheduling any public consultation meetings into two of the region's biggest proposed projects, for the foreseeable future.

The IPC has been asked to hold hearings for both Whitehaven Coal's Vickery coal mine extension project and Santos' Narrabri gas fields project.

However, due to the federal government's restrictions around public gatherings and social distancing, the IPC is unable to plan any public meetings at this stage.

Growers have copped a hammering on social media in recent times over how much water they take in the northern Murray-Darling Basin, and what part the industry may have played in the Darling River fish kills.

There is evidence, generated by the industry, that it has a poor public image.

Cotton Australia commissioned a wide-ranging survey by JP Morgan that found most urban Australians had negative perceptions about the industry.

Chief executive Adam Kay said they needed to do something about it.

THE NSW government is nearly ready to pass over its assessment of the controversial Narrabri Gas Project to the independent body that will have the final say on the development.

NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes formally requested to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) to hold a public meeting in Narrabri, in anticipation of his department wrapping up its assessment.

Water Management in NSW is not transparent. We have seen in the last few weeks the issues that this lack of transparency creates for everyone, be it communities or people holding water access licences.

Member for Barwon Roy Butler welcomed the news today that the NSW Nationals are backing his party’s call for a Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

The Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party have been calling for a Royal Commission into water for many months now. Pursuing a Royal Commission was one of the commitments the party made in its 10-point water plan. 

“Our political pressure and the pressure from the community has today seen the NSW Nationals finally stand by the comments of their leader in Menindee and support the calls for a Royal Commission,” said Mr Butler. 

Following the issuing of a Media Release today from the Leader of The Nationals backing a Royal Commission, the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party sought to suspend Parliament to debate the need for a Royal Commission. The Liberal-National Government voted against this call.

The decision to backflip on an embargo and waive restrictions on take in several tributaries and parts of the Peel, Namoi and Gwydir rivers doesn’t pass the pub test according to Member for Barwon Roy Butler.

“Minister Pavey pushes out information in the media about doing all she can to support communities through this drought then comes along with a decision like this that severely impacts on the mental health of everyone in Barwon.

“What Minister Pavey has achieved here is the creation of conflict between communities. Who does that benefit?

“What’s the point of creating this perfect storm of misinformation?

“I haven’t received a single call from anyone in Barwon that’s happy with this decision, what I have received are calls and messages from many people from farmers and irrigators, to people in towns and Aboriginal Elders asking what the Minister is playing at.

“There is a complete lack of transparency from Minister Pavey and the Department of Planning Industry and Environment about this decision.

Welcome to 2020 - it is certainly off to an unprecedented start, with communities across the length and breadth of the country dealing with fires, and others going into their eighth or ninth year of drought. Add to that relentless dust storms, and the odd flood event - there aren't many places experiencing a 'normal' season.

However, we have also seen Australia's generosity in response to the fires, with an outpouring of support . We have been overwhelmed with the way people want to help, both here in Australia and across the world

Expressions of interest are invited from qualified teachers interested in a career opportunity relieving in the position of classroom teacher, K-6, for the 2020 school year (with the possibility of an extension). The position will be located at:
Burren Junction Public School, NSW 7 Alma Street, Burren Junction, 2386
School Information
Burren Junction Public School has an enrolment of 40 students, with 3 multi-grade / stage classes. The school is situated in the rural community of Burren Junction, located 40 minutes west of the township of Wee Waa.

Are you happy in your marriage?

Certain habits will either make or break your relationship. 

Many people, however, only learn how to co-exist with their spouses after they get into a marriage. Making an effort to establish healthy boundaries and habits before getting into a relationship can be the difference between a sad and happy marriage.  

Member for Barwon, Roy Butler is calling on people across the electorate who know a remarkable senior volunteer to nominate them for the 2020 NSW Seniors Festival Local Achievement Awards.  “Seniors provide invaluable skills and help our community thrive in so many ways,”
said Mr Butler.  “This year in Barwon as part of the statewide Seniors Festival we’ll be recognising our senior volunteers – those selfless individuals who donate their time, energy and efforts to volunteering in our communities.

While Australians have been shocked by the scale of destruction caused by the current bushfires, the true horror awaits many farmers on their return home or during the cleanup process.

Buildings and fences have been destroyed, crops lost, and livestock have perished. Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie told ABC radio’s RN Breakfast the bushfire crisis would “devastate” the national herd, and there are fears up to 100,000 livestock could be lost.

The figures are almost too great to grasp. AgriWebb Co-Founder John Fargher knows the personal impact all too well, having heard the stories firsthand from customers. “There are people who have lost everything,” he says. His own family hasn’t escaped unscathed, with his father-in-law’s property hit by the Kangaroo Island fires losing all fences and livestock.

It is easy to lose focus throughout the year. Before you know it, 2020 is upon us. We get it. You get busy, jobs start to pile up, bills need to be paid and before you know it, you are buying Christmas presents! Make 2020 different. Before anything gets too wild, it's time to make a plan and set your business up for success in 2020.

These 3 key things will make sure you have the structure and rigour for business success in 2020! 

Ever wondered what the fuss was about the gluten-free diet?

There's actually a variety of health benefits to be had from eliminating gluten from your diet.

From increased energy levels to greater digestive comfort. There's plenty more that come with this great health move!

“It’s disappointing that the Government has decided to shuffle public service positions, and spend more money creating new offices within offices instead of providing real drought support,” said Member for Barwon Roy Butler. 

Mr Butler’s comments follow the sacking of Jock Laurie, the government’s drought coordinator, to make way for the new Office of Drought Response. 

“The drought coordinator’s position was set up to listen to farmers and communicate their views to government – to make sure their concerns surrounding drought had been heard.

RDA Orana will host a two-day discussion focussed on migration as part of the organisation’s commitment to regional workforce shortages.

“Locally-led migration strategies have provided a response to issues facing rural and regional communities, including shifts in workforce and population,” RDA Orana Director for Regional Development Megan Dixon said.

The event will begin with an employer forum to discuss visa options for employers who may be interested in hiring migrant workers. This will be followed by a workshop about migrant experiences and a roundtable to look at regional settlement.