State Matters – A Weekly Bulletin from Dave Layzell MP

Member for Upper Hunter – 24 March 2025

TIMELINE UPDATE – THE AUSTRALIAN Government has released a revised timeline for the New England Highway bypass of Muswellbrook.

Canberra will bring forward its $304.8 million investment in the project for construction to commence ahead of schedule.

Work to relocate critical utilities will start this year with the tender for major construction expected late next year, with building the Muswellbrook Bypass to commence in 2027.

According to the latest Australian Government announcement the NSW Government’s contribution to the project is $76.2 million. 

The $381 million will build nine kilometres of new highway with a single lane in each direction including full southern and northern connections with the existing highway.

Transport for NSW’s October 2021 Review of Environmental Factors estimated construction would take about three and a half years to complete.

AUTUMN RACING – Congratulations to Emirates Park and Arrowfield studs on Marhoona’s Golden Slipper win at Rosehill on Saturday.

Bred in the Hunter Valley, the filly sired by Arrowfield stallion, Snitzel, and Emirates Park mare, Salma, gave the Lootah racing team their third Golden Slipper success.

It capped off a big 24 hours for Arrowfield after co-trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich had Know Thyself win at Scone on Friday to join stable mate Intervarsity in the Country  Championship Final at Randwick on April 5.

Muswellbrook takes the racing spotlight on Friday for the 2025 Muswellbrook Gold Cup with gates open at 11.30am.

For the diary, the two-day Scone Cup carnival will be run on Friday and Saturday, May 16-17.

EVENT FUNDING – Destination NSW is calling applications for the 2025-26 Regional Event Fund with submissions to be lodged by 6 April. The Regional Event Fund identifies and supports  events that enrich the state’s diverse calendar of event experiences, drive increased overnight visitation and boost local economies.

The program’s plan is to grow the NSW visitor economy by empowering communities to host events that reflect local culture and create authentic experiences that attract visitors and drive  expenditure for local businesses. 

Last year’s Upper Hunter Electorate recipients included Broke Fordwich Wine and Tourism Association for A Little Bit of Broke, Dashville for The Gum Ball and Tocal Field Days Association for  the Tocal Field Days.

Applicants are now invited to apply for funding across the three funding streams for Incubator Events, Flagship Events and Event Development.

For further information: www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/regional-event-fund-flagship-event-stream

MORE INFO SESSIONS – The Hunter Transmission Project (HTP) is holding community drop-in information sessions this week at Cessnock and Singleton.

The project team will have the latest HTP updates on the environmental impact statement being prepared and early findings from some of the impact assessments.

EnergyCo will be at Performance Arts Culture, Cessnock on Tuesday 25 March, 3-6pm, and Club Singleton, Wednesday 26 March between 3pm and 6pm.

If you are unable to make the informal sessions, questions and feedback about HTP can be raised with the locally-based community team Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm on: 1800 645 972 or  email:  htp@energyco.nsw.gov.au

FOGO GRANTS – Grants are now open to support councils to move all households to food organics and garden organics (FOGO) recycling by July 2030.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is running the $31.4 million Go FOGO grants program to assist local councils to fast-track their transition to FOGO and tackle the state’s waste crisis.

NSW has become the first state government to mandate FOGO statewide and backed it with the FOGO Fund.

Councils can access the grant funding based on the number of households making the transition to FOGO, with extra support for high-density areas. 

Councils wanting to apply for the Go FOGO and Scrap Together grants can apply until Tuesday 29 April via the NSW EPA website: www.epa.nsw.gov.au/Working-together/Grants

COMMUNITY GRANTS – Community groups and organisations are encouraged to apply for the 2025 Qantas Regional Grants Program.

Qantas will provide $2 million this year to support Australian-based, not-for-profit community groups and projects that benefit regional areas.

The criteria include the applicant directly services a regional community need and demonstrates a measurable socio-economic impact, and the extent to which the applicant can maximise local  community benefits in regional Australia with the funding.

Grants will include a combination of cash, marketing support and flights according to the specific needs of each group.

Applications are now open and close on 10 May with further details at: www.qantas.com/au/en/about-us/our-company/in-the-community/qantas-regional-grants.html

HOME SCHOOL CHANGE – Oversight of home schooling in NSW will revert to the Department of Education from May this year.

The transfer of oversight from the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) to the Department of Education is to align the state with most other Australian jurisdictions.

The Department has obligations under the Education Act 1990 to ensure students are either enrolled in an approved school or registered for home schooling.

The changes will better enable the Department to ensure it is meeting that responsibility.

NESA staff currently involved in the regulatory oversight of home-schooling transfer to Education, to retain the expertise, working knowledge and relationships that are important to the  administration of home schooling in NSW.

The NSW Government will also consider any recommendations made in relation to home schooling in the NSW Auditor-General’s review of Education in alternative settings. 

WINE LIST AWARD – Upper Hunter Electorate sommeliers, restaurant owners and hospitality managers are being called on to enter the NSW Wine Industry Association 2025 Sommelier’s  Wine List Awards.

The awards program is supported by Destination NSW with the winners to be announced at the NSW Parliament on 27 May. 

Entries are being sought that reflect the diversity of style and varieties in NSW wine regions with wine lists from restaurants, bars, pubs, hotels and clubs all eligible. 

The awards categories are Best NSW Wine List in a Regional NSW Venue less than 60 seats as well as greater than 61 seats and the Best NSW Wine List by a Caterer or Function venue.

Outstanding Support of the state’s wine Industry is also being recognised with the NSW Wine President’s Award. 

In addition to being crowned a NSW Wine Star, the winners will feature as ‘hero venues’ during the NSW Wine Month campaign in November.

The awards are free-to-enter by simply completing the entry form online by 11 April at: https://nswwine.com.au/pages/entry-information-wine-list-awards

MUSWELLBROOK ON TARGET – Muswellbrook Pistol Club is one of the 25 projects to be awarded funding under the NSW Government’s Safe Shooting Program.

Shooting clubs, shooting ranges and shooting organisations are supported by the program to improve storage, security and safety, as well as purchase new equipment such as electronic targets.

Another key objective of the program is to increase participation in shooting by removing barriers for women and girls, people with disability, First Nations peoples, people from culturally and  linguistically diverse communities, and LGBTQIA+ people.

Muswellbrook Pistol Club receives $49,852 for a safety wall upgrade after its safety walls slumped below minimum height due to rain events.

Minimum heights are required to be compliant with the club’s ‘safety range’ status which allows it to operate without a fallout zone.

For further information on Safe Shooting Grants including the list of 2024-25 grant recipients visit: www.sport.nsw.gov.au/grants/safe-shooting-program

LAST NOTE – MusicNSW is looking for tour-ready original acts based across regional NSW that want to connect with other artists, grow new audiences, learn more about touring and hit the road to play shows.

The state music body for NSW is a not-for-profit organisation funded by Create NSW.

Registrations are currently open for the Sound Advice: Regional Touring Toolkit online series.

The five-part series begins 9 April and is designed for artists based in regional NSW looking to build their careers and navigate the music industry with confidence. 

It’s free and accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, so go to: www.musicnsw.com/program/regional-nsw/

Contact:
Email address: upperhunter@parliament.nsw.gov.au;
Phone number: 6543 1065;
Postal address P.O. Box 493, Muswellbrook 2333.

www.davelayzell.com.au/news/categories/state-matters