Ashford’s Sunhaven Hostel will receive upgrades to their residents’ beds thanks to $16,000 secured through the Community Building Partnership program.

The beds will be modernised and made which not only betters the lives of the residents but also gives their families peace of mind knowing their loved ones are received the best possible care.

It also means Sunhaven Hostel is meeting aged-care standards and guidelines.

Congratulations Kamala Wheeler

Moree SES leader Kamala Wheeler was honoured at the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards by receiving the 2025 NSW Adult Volunteer of the Year Award.

Kamala has been a volunteer at the local SES for nearly 40 years and lead teams through floods, bushfires and other natural disasters.

It is great to see her dedication and service being recognised at a state level.

Well done, Kamala.

School presentations

It was excellent to get to Macintyre High School, Inverell High School and Uralla Central School this week for their annual presentation ceremonies.

Congratulations to all the staff and students for their outstanding achievements and fantastic results.

More places for future doctors at the University of New England

The University of New England has received another 10 Commonwealth-funded places for future doctors to study medicine.

We all know there’s a shortage of doctors in the bush so increasing the number of medical students is a step in the right direction to enticing doctors to stay.

The university has world class facilities, exceptional staff and is topped off by being in Armidale.

It is something I have pushed for, but all credit must go to UNE vice-chancellor Professor Chris Moran and his team for putting in the work to secure these additional places.

Electorate Office closures for the Christmas period

The Armidale, Moree and Inverell Electorate Offices will be closed from Friday, December 19, 2025 and will re-open on January 12, 2026.

The phones and email will also be unattended during this time, and we will respond upon re-opening.

Greg Inglis Goanna Academy visiting Moree

Former NRL, Queensland and Australian rugby league player Greg Inglis is bringing his Goanna Academy to Moree next week.

The organisation opens up honest conversations around mental health across Australia.

His Moree visit will have two clinics – one for youth and an adult forum – and a catch-up with Moree Elders on Tuesday, December 9 for morning tea.

The adult mental health forum will be at the Moree Services Club from 5.30pm until 7pm on Tuesday, December 9.

The Gold Mind and Movement Clinic will be on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at Boughton Oval and Moree PCYC for up to 200 young people.

Legal Aid Seniors’ Diary

The very popular and free Legal Aid Seniors Diary is back for 2026.

It is full of useful tips and legal information on avoiding scams, goods and services, driving and fines, Elder abuse, money and Centrelink, and much more.

The Seniors Diary features a calendar, important dates and puts legal information in an understandable and easy-to-read format. I encourage seniors across the region to secure their copy. The 2026 Seniors Aid Legal Diaries are free but limited to two per household.

It is available by contacting the Armidale, Moree and Inverell electorate offices.

The diary’s cover features artwork by Aboriginal artist Shelby-Rae Lyons.

Dog breeding rules

On November 21, 2025, changes were made to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 and the Companion Animals Act 1998 to strengthen puppy and dog welfare in New South Wales.

These new laws apply to everyone who breeds dogs in NSW, whether you’re an experienced breeder or have a one-off accidental litter.

The laws ensure all breeders meet minimum standards to keep dogs healthy, safe and well cared for.

Mandatory breeder identification requirements for all dog breeders in New South Wales, whether regular, occasional, or accidental must obtain a breeder identification number.

Lifetime breeding cap for dogs and associated reporting requirements – a dog can have a maximum of five litters, or up to three caesarean litters, whichever happens first.

Minimum staff to dog ratio requirements – dog premises must have at least one staff member for every 20 dogs.

All advertisements for selling or rehoming dogs born after that date must include the dog’s microchip number and the breeder’s ID number.

From December 1, 2026 Breeders with an exemption to hold more than 20 non-desexed female adult dogs must not have more than 50.

What’s on

December 5: Guyra Christmas Carnival in Bradley Street from 4pm until 8pm.

December 5: Warialda Christmas Carnival and lighting of the Christmas tree at the Warialda Town Square from 6pm until 10pm.

December 6: Red Cross Christmas Tree Display in the Glen Innes Town Hall from 9am until 12pm.

December 8-9: Armidale Women’s Shelter Clothesline Project at Armidale Centro from 9am until 4pm.

December 10: Free Clothesline Project community event in the mall from 11am until 2pm.

December 12: Christmas at Twilight, Moree from 5pm until 9pm at Ron Harborne Oval.

Commentary by Brendan Moylan, Member for Northern Tablelands