COVID support payments expanded

The NSW Nationals in the state government have announced an additional $287.5 million in COVID-19 financial support to assist workers and vulnerable communities in rural, regional, and metropolitan NSW. The additional funding will see the COVID-19 emergency hardship payments, test and isolate support payments, and community empowerment grants expanded across all of NSW. Deputy Premier…

Responding to Covid19

Stay-at-home order for Yass Valley

Restrictions will be reintroduced for the Yass Valley Council area from 12:01am Tuesday, September 14 for two weeks. One COVID case has been confirmed in the area following a recent positive sewage detection. Urgent investigations and contact tracing are underway. Following updated health advice from NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant about the growing…

Locals urged to help build Newell overtaking lanes

Local businesses, suppliers, and contractors are invited to tender for work to build new overtaking lanes along the Newell Highway between Coonabarabran and Narrabri. The NSW Nationals in the state and federal governments are jointly funding the rollout of additional overtaking lanes along this busy freight corridor, with 19 new lanes already delivered, eight under…

Bronnie Taylor

$1.5 million boost to youth mental health services

Young people across NSW will have access to expanded digital mental health support thanks to a $1.5m investment from the NSW Nationals in the state government. The Moderated Online Social Therapy (MOST) platform, designed by youth mental health organisation Orygen, will be embedded in eight eligible youth mental health services across NSW between now and…

Full steam ahead for HSC

All HSC students will get the opportunity to complete their studies in 2021, with the full complement of HSC exams to go ahead from November 9. Nationals Education minister Sarah Mitchell has announced students will be able to sit their HSC exams and receive their results in time for university offers to be made. The…

Nats welcome border bubble return

The Queensland government has announced the NSW-Queensland border bubble will be reinstated. The bubble, originally introduced during last year’s COVID outbreak, will allow students and essential workers to travel from the 12 New South Wales Local Government Areas, where restrictions are being eased, into Queensland. The bubble will come into effect from 1:00am on Monday,…