By PHIL DONATO, STATE MEMBER FOR ORANGE
Forbes Hospital theatre upgrade
Following a tour of Forbes Hospital and its ageing theatre with Health Minister Ryan Park last year, I made the funding of a new operating theatre a high priority request for this year’s NSW budget.
I am pleased to announce that Minister Park and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey MLC have supported my request by allocating $20.2m in the 2025/26 budget for a new operating theatre.
This will assist our hardworking doctors, nurses and the staff at Forbes Hospital in all they do caring for their community. Planning for the new operating theatre will begin in the coming months.
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Bedgerabong tennis court upgrade
It was great to make a return visit to Bedgerabong on July 3 where I met with members of the Bedgerabong Tennis Club, who are seeking to upgrade their tennis court, which is located on the local school grounds.
Tennis in country communities has a long history of bringing people together, and this is particularly evident at Bedgerabong where there are trophies that have been contested for decades.
These clubs and facilities are vitally important for social connectivity as well as physical and mental health. It’s great to see these community sporting clubs thrive and I am always happy to support them in any way I can.
Future Matildas and Socceroos?
I enjoyed an awesome day recently at the Forbes District Soccer Club for their Annual Youth Gala Day and official opening of the gymnasium. More than 85 teams of boys and girls aged 7 to 16 from all over regional NSW took part in over 180 games.
I was delighted to assist in obtaining funding for the gymnasium, which was purpose built for elite training, strength and conditioning. Funding came via the NSW Government Football Legacy Fund along with additional support from Forbes Shire Council.
Water infrastructure funding
It was great to welcome Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin MP to our electorate on July 1 to announce $27m in funding for further recovery from the flood event of November 2022.
Minister Saffin is no stranger to the devastation of major flooding, being the member for Lismore and I thank her for making time for this visit considering the ongoing natural disasters across our state.
This funding is something I have been advocating for since 2022 and is desperately needed to ensure major repairs and upgrades within Cabonne, Parkes and the Lachlan Shires are carried out. It was my top priority for the recent NSW Budget as there were no previous funding streams to help councils get this work done.
Lake Endeavour provides 30 per cent of Parkes water supply but the existing pipelines were all-but destroyed by the flooding. The budget for this job alone is around $20m.
Water security is increasingly important with the possibility of a dry spell on the way and Minister Saffin went in hard for this funding and I appreciation her support for this work. The team at the NSW Reconstruction Authority also deserve recognition for their ongoing work.
Western access program
It was a delight to meet Peak Hill Central School’s leaders Mackenzie Pabis and Lateekah Stanley at my Forbes office recently. The student leaders were seeking my support for further funding of the Western Access Program, an important initiative that delivers quality education to students in some of the most remote parts of western NSW.
Students in geographically isolated areas face unique challenges that can impact their educational outcomes.
The Western Access Program plays a critical role in bridging these gaps through a collaborative, multi-school model that ensures continuity of curriculum delivery, peer connection, and access to specialist teaching staff.
These young ladies pointed out that targeted funding is urgently needed to improve many aspects of support and development, not just for students but also their educators.
This investment is about more than resources - it is about fairness. Students living in remote and rural areas should have the same opportunities as their urban peers.
I don’t need any persuading to support our country kids’ vital education and development, so I’ve given my undertaking to pursue this with the office of the Minister for Education. It’s also great to see young people like Mackenzie and Lateekah actively engage on important issues.
