Welcome to 2026!

I hope everyone is feeling rested and recharged after the festive season and looking forward to the year ahead.

Changes to gun laws

Premier Chris Minns recalled Parliament in the lead up to Christmas to make unnecessary changes to firearms laws in NSW. I voted against these changes, as did the rest of the NSW Nationals.

The Government played politics by combining firearm provisions in a single bill with anti-protest provisions. In regional NSW, firearms are essential tools for biosecurity, animal welfare and livelihoods.

Farmers, professional and sporting shooters, gun clubs and regional businesses already operate under some of the strictest gun laws in the world.

The changes to the laws include imposing a cap (meaning an individual can have no more than four firearms, with exemptions for primary producers who can have up to 10), introducing two-year licencing, stricter eligibility (Australian citizens only), further vetting prior to licence approval, and stricter storage and safety requirements before a firearm is acquired.

Responding to terrorism by targeting law-abiding firearm owners undermines public trust and does not improve safety. The changes to the gun laws were not required and penalised lawful firearm users for an act of terrorism.

Portfolios

NSW Opposition Leader Kelly Sloane unveiled a new Shadow Cabinet last week and I am pleased to be taking on the Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Prevention of Regional Crime portfolios.

These portfolios give me an opportunity to continue delivering for the Northern Tablelands by leading important discussions around two areas which are fundamental to the electorate.

(from left) Brendan Moylan with Superintendent Chris Nicholson from NSW Police Aviation Command, New England Police District Superintendent Chris McKinnon and Moree Plains mayor Susannah Pearse in Moree to launch an Australian-first drone system to assist with police operations.

In terms of regional crime, the issue goes beyond the regional crime rises above the usual argy-bargy of politics, and I intend to keep working constructively with the Attorney General and others to ensure it remains firmly on the agenda. There is so much more that can be done in this space. While our opposition crime bill was ultimately defeated, it contained many strong measures, and my job is to keep prosecuting those ideas, particularly around giving victims a greater voice and tightening bail conditions.

On agriculture, it’s the old saying: when farmers are doing well, small businesses in town do well too. It’s a significant challenge and a portfolio everyone in The Nationals wants, and I’m genuinely looking forward to it. I’ve already reached out to NSW Farmers to start identifying where we can make real improvements.

Moree drone trial

Moree Police will trial an Australian-first drone system to assist with operations. The new technology will help with managing crime, reducing community fear, speed up response times in emergency situations, assist search and rescue operations, motor vehicle collisions and more.

The drones will be operated remotely by POL AIR from Bankstown airport and the trial will be conducted within the Moree CBD for the next six months.

Lamb and Potato Festival

Guyra’s Lamb and Potato Festival started on Wednesday and will continue until 26 January. The festival showcases local produce, boutique stalls, entertainment and more. Get along to sample some of the local produce and support this fantastic annual event.

Glen Innes Cup

The Glen Innes Cup was held last Saturday, and it was a great day of bush racing. Well done to the Glen Innes Jockey Club committee for a great day’s racing and congratulations to the race winners.

Next stop is the Deepwater Cup on January 24 and I encourage the community to get along and support the event.

Rural Women’s Network Skills Roadshow

The Rural Women’s Network Skills Roadshow aims to upskill women living in regional NSW. The roadshow is free First Aid and Mental Health training in eight different locations in NSW.

The Northern Tablelands will host a workshop at the Glen Innes and District Community centre on 6 and 7 February.

To register, visit Rural Women’s Network Skills Roadshow.

Community Building Partnership applications

Applications for the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership program are anticipated to open soon.

Now is the time for not-for-profit organisations to start pulling together their applications for community infrastructure projects that deliver positive social, environmental and recreational outcomes while also promoting community participation, inclusion and cohesion.

To sign up for alerts about the next round of CBP funding, visit Community Building Partnership.

NSW sheep and goat eID equipment rebate

Eligible farmers can claim a 50 per cent rebate (or a maximum of $1500) on the purchase of a handheld eID (electronic identification) reader.

This follows on from the implementation of the mandatory NSW Government’s eID program for sheep and goats.

What’s On

January 14-26: Guyra’s Lamb and Potato Festival

January 15-18: Walcha Golden Gate Campdraft and Rodeo

January 18: Armidale school holidays race day at Armidale Jockey Club. First race at 1.30pm.

January 24: Deepwater Cup at Deepwater Racecourse.

Commentary by Brendan Moylan, Member for Northern Tablelands