General News
5 September, 2025
Roy Butler's Round Up - September 2, 2025
Member for Barwon's Round Up
G’day folks, it’s been a rainy month, with some closures of our unsealed road networks, but the last few days have given us some blue skies and spring should bring some nicer weather. Hopefully some of winter’s wet will be useful to farmers and we’ll continue to see some good growing seasons. Over the last two weeks I have been out and about in the electorate and some other areas in neighbouring electorates. This week, I will be hosting another minister in Barwon, and next week it will be back to parliament.
Huxley’s Heroes Mitch’s Run
On August 22 Mitch McKenny began running from Broken Hill to Newcastle to raise awareness of, and money for, people with Angelman Syndrome. You may never have heard of Angelman’s Syndrome, it is a condition present in around one in every 20,000 babies born, affecting the nervous system causing delayed development, seizures, speech and mobility problems.
Last year young Huxley, the child of Broken Hill couple Jess and Bree, was diagnosed with Angelman’s Syndrome. Researching the condition Bree and Jess found out about the organisation FAST (Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics Australia) and in collaboration with FAST they have launched the campaign ‘Huxley’s Heroes’ to raise funds for and awareness of people living with Angelman’s Syndrome.
There is no known cure but there are therapies available that improve the lives of people with the condition.
Mitch heard about Huxley and was inspired to do something. As part of the Huxley’s Heroes campaign, he is running the equivalent of 27 marathons, over 1,100km, from the outback to the coast. His run takes him from Broken Hill, to Wilcannia, Cobar, Nyngan, Narromine, Dubbo, Dunedoo, Merriwa, Denman, Greta, Lochinvar, Maitland, and finally Newcastle.
If you see him coming through town, give him a cheer and donate to the cause. They are hoping to raise $150k and they are at about the $120k mark. I wish him all the best. To donate go to https://move-for-a-cure-huxleys-heroes.raiselysite.com
AgQuip
There are agricultural field days, but there are none quite like AgQuip, which is Australia's biggest showcase of new agricultural products, services, and technologies. It’s held annually in Gunnedah, drawing a crowd of around 100,000. Despite the rainy weather people still turned out in droves.
This year I was invited to a discussion at the NSW Farmer’s stand. Hot topics among farmers at the moment include native vegetation mapping, the acquisition of agricultural properties into the National Park estate, water and drought. This was a good opportunity to share with people the work we have been doing on these issues. While at AgQuip I caught up with some members of the Australian Pig Doggers and Hunters Association who were representing lovers of the sport and who were there promoting a comp to win a pig trap. And of course, I had to stop in and see what Calibre Country Shooting and Outdoors had on offer.
There is so much to see and do at AgQuip; you really need the three days to take it all in. There were over 700 exhibitors this year. I had to resist the temptation to fill up my car with some interesting things I found at the show. I hope to revisit next year.
New Amenities building at Coonabarabran
I was really pleased to hear that the new amenities building at Coonabarabran’s number three oval is officially open.
The project is a culmination of the Coonabarabran community working together, and the result is a beautiful, modern, purpose-built amenity that will be of great benefit to the whole community.
A lot of thanks need to go to Michael and Fiona Kelly, who generously donated the land. The amenities were built with funding from the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, Resources for Regions Round Nine Program, the Coonabarabran Junior Rugby Club and the Coonabarabran Galaxy Football Club. This is an investment of around $1.2 million, and every opportunity was taken to spend the funds locally, using local labour, expertise and materials.
On a recent visit, I was able to tour the facility, guided by the president of the soccer club, Peta, and committee member Debbie, who were both the driving force behind the project.
I have to say that projects like this are vitally important. They are the sort of things that don’t make big headlines, but they put money into the local economy and contribute to making a town more liveable.
