2NZ turns 90

Radio station 1188 2NZ at Inverell blew out 90 candles on Tuesday with a barbecue celebration.

Station 2NZ is part of the fabric of the Inverell community and it was excellent to celebrate the milestone.

The Inverell Macintyre Lions put on a barbecue and there was a big cake on the day.

Well done to Phil and the team!

NSW Farmers Retired Members

I spent Tuesday this week in Inverell catching up with the NSW Farmers Retired Members group.

This group of ex-farmers come together monthly to discuss important issues affecting the region and wider Australia.

Lots of topics covered and a lot of knowledge in that room.

Fuel

Regional communities are being hit hardest by fuel shortages and price rises and our households are feeling it.

The Federal Government responded with halving the fuel excise, releasing fuel from national reserves, and easing regulations to boost supply.

Although these short-term measures are welcomed, we need to address the underlying issue of Australia’s heavy reliance on imported fuel and our long-term supply security.

While fuel is primarily a federal responsibility, I am doing what I can by continually raising the issue with the government and pushing for prioritised delivery to regional New South Wales.

CSIRO job cuts

The CSIRO has indicated plans to reduce its overall workforce by approximately 300–350 staff in 2026.

CSIRO Agriculture and Food has proposed cutting 50 staff positions with the majority of these losses coming from livestock research in the areas of animal health, welfare and genetics.

This is what makes up the core focus of the CSIRO Chiswick facility at Uralla.

Staff numbers at the Chiswick site have already been declining in recent years due to natural attrition and those departing staff not replaced.

If these cuts are made then more than half of the remaining scientific workforce at Chiswick will remain.

This level of reduction would leave only a skeleton staff, putting the site’s ongoing operational viability at serious risk.

The CSIRO Chiswick facility plays a significant role in Australian livestock research with around 80 years of research which provide practical and applied solutions to the agricultural sector.

It hosts Australia’s only paddock‑based, quarantine‑regulated livestock research facility, which is essential for critical work such as flystrike vaccine development.

These proposed cuts are occurring at a time when the rural and agricultural sector is facing significant challenges, making the timing particularly concerning.

Uralla Shire Council and stakeholders do not support the potential redundancies and are struggling to get consistent and accessible information about CSIRO’s plans for the future of the Chiswick facility.

As an Australian Government authority, the CSIRO falls under the Federal Government and have made to both the Federal Minister for Industry and Innovation and the Minister for Science seeking clarity and information around these potential job cuts.

Double demerits

Double demerits began today for the Easter long weekend and end at 11.59pm on Monday, 6 April. Please take care driving over the long weekend.

Mobile offices

I will be hitting the road this month for mobile offices.

Please keep an eye out for confirmed times and dates in coming weeks. If you have any state government matters to discuss, please come along.

Nowendoc: April 15

Mungindi: April 21

Deepwater: April 23

Ebor: April 30

Upper Horton: July 21

Yetman: July 22

Active Regional Communities Package – Community Participation grants

Applications for grants from $100,000 to $1 million are now open through the Community Participation stream of the Active Regional Communities Package.

Funding is geared towards not-for-profits who aim to increase social cohesion and liveability of communities through greater participation in community activities.

Projects can included new and improved infrastructure, new or expanded programs and activities, and addressing barriers to participation, increased safety, supervision and transport.

For more information and how to apply, visit Community Participation Grants.

Applications close May 1.

Have your say on Business Connect program

The NSW Government is conducting a 90-day review of the former Business Connect business advisory service, with feedback to inform a future business advisory model for small businesses across NSW.

The key objective of this review is to understand what worked well under Business Connect and what can be improved, so we can deliver even more value for the small businesses of New South Wales.

The survey will close on Sunday, 19 April.  To access the survey, please visit Have Your Say Small Business.

Service NSW mobile centres

Service NSW is bringing their mobile service centre to Toomelah, Mungindi and Boggabilla.

The mobile service centre can help with driver knowledge tests, drivers licence applications and renewals, working with children check, birth, death, and marriage certificates, and more.

The mobile service centre will be at Outreach Health Clinic, Toomelah on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 from 9am until 11am.

The mobile service centre will be at Community Health Centre, 74 Merriwa Street, Boggabilla on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 from 12pm until 3pm.

The mobile service centre will be at Barwon River Park, 155 George St Mungindi on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 from 10am until 3pm.

What’s On

BreastScreen mobile van: Armidale until May 20 at the Visitor Information Centre carpark

Peel Valley Cutting Club Cuttin’ For Cash: Armidale Showgrounds: April 2-5

Bingara Anglers’ Club Easterfish: April 3-5

Warialda Cup: April 12

School holiday activities

Armidale: Library Program and Events

Glen Innes: Holiday Break-Up Program

Inverell: Pathfinders School Holiday Program

PCYC Armidale and Moree school holiday programs: PCYC School Holiday Programs

Commentary by Brendan Moylan, Member for Northern Tablelands