A cancelled flight may have shifted plans when Parkes had its chance to contribute in-person to a hearing of the Parliamentary Inquiry on Energy from Waste facilities this week, but the opportunity for residents to be heard on the matter was not lost.

A public forum where the Select Committee for the inquiry was to hear direct from the general public was to take place on Monday afternoon, with the public hearing following on Tuesday.

But a flight cancellation on Monday morning which would see most of the committee not able to arrive in Parkes until the evening, pushed the public forum to after the hearing on Tuesday afternoon.

Despite the last minute changes, multiple stakeholders in the proposal to build a facility in the Parkes Special Activation, including Parkes Shire residents and farmers, still had time to speak directly to the committee.

Which committee chair Nichole Overall said was extremely important.

"As a committee we want to hear from all sides and all communities, including those who are against and those who are supportive of such projects," she said.

Through the inquiry the committee is examining the potential impacts of Energy from Waste facilities at Parkes and Tarago, with a focus on how the technologies compare to best-practice international standards, their predicted emissions and health effects, and risks to water, soil, agriculture, and local communities.

From the more than 1400 submissions the committee had received for the inquiry, Ms Overall said there were people in favour of Energy from Waste facilities.

"There are some submissions for it, like Warren (near Nyngan)," she said.

"There are some areas who would give it consideration but then there are places like Parkes who are flat against it.

"But we're here to unearth that information and to hear these different viewpoints and why they have these concerns."

On Tuesday over four hours, the committee heard evidence from stakeholders during the public hearing, including from Parkes Shire Council, Lachlan Shire Council, Parkes Clean Future Alliance, NSW Farmers Peak Hill, Parkes CWA Branch, Parkes Christian School, Peak Hill Local Aboriginal Land Council, Condobolin Local Aboriginal Land Council, Peak Hill Bogan River Aboriginal Advisory Committee and Parkes Aboriginal Community Working Party.

There were 28 registrations for the public forum in the afternoon involving members of the community giving two minute speeches.

Submissions for the inquiry alone isn't enough for the committee to fully gauge people's feelings and concerns on the issue, Ms Overall said, that's why being on the ground and having public hearings and forums are crucial.

"It's one thing to be here - to have that direct engagement and consultation is really important," she said.

"It's great for the committee to make that effort to be here too, for the community to see we're here.

"Because submissions closed at the end of October, between that time and now there could be new information.

"We wanted to offer the opportunity of a public forum.

"Engagement on a personal level can elicit different information and viewpoints."

Ms Overall said it was important for the community to know they are being heard.

The meetings were also a good opportunity for Parkes people to ask questions on behalf of their community that need to be answered.

"For the committee and myself, we want to be as fully informed as we can be, we're leaving no stone unturned," Ms Overall said.

The next public hearing for the inquiry will take place in Sydney on 4 May before the committee will head to Goulburn to conduct a hearing and public forum like they have in Parkes, on 14-15 May.

More coverage on the Parkes inquiry hearing and public forum will appear in later editions of the Champion Post.