My Diary  

Dr Joe spent the weekend in Batlow for CiderFest, congratulating Richard Breward, the committee, volunteers and stallholders behind the highlight of the local calendar. He also dropped in to The Apple Thief Cider House to celebrate Dave and Mel Purcell's first birthday at the venue just north of town.

Dr Joe joined the Parliamentary Friends of Parkinson's event as co-chair, trying out exercise stations that showed how everyday movements become a real challenge for the 70,000+ people in NSW living with Parkinson's. Step Up For Parkinson's runs through May, register at https://www.stepupforparkinsons.org.au/DA5DF2.movements, such as signing your name, can be a big challenge for Parkinson’s patients and I can attest that the exercises were anything but easy!

With more than 70,000 people in NSW facing Parkinson’s every day, you can do your bit to raise vital funds for support, services and care by joining “Step Up For Parkinson’s” this May. Register here - https://www.stepupforparkinsons.org.au/DA5DF2

Dr Joe joined Kapooka educators and others at a Sydney rally calling for pay equity for community preschool staff, who do the same work as school-system teachers with the same qualifications but earn far less. He's pushing the government to deliver the pay rise the Fair Work Commission already directed.

Today was a great day for women’s sport in Wagga and surrounds, with the official opening of new and upgraded female-friendly amenities at Gissing Oval.

It was a great honour today to present a Local Senior of the Year Award to Ngiyampaa elder Aunty Donna Kirby, in recognition of decades of care for to her community.

It was wonderful to celebrate the 105th birthday of the Australian Air Force at the RAAF base at Forest Hill. Here with squadron leader Lisa Casey who is officer in charge of the base. Also joined by Wing Commander Craven-Griffiths and aircraftsman Kattenburg and deputy mayor of Wagga city Council counsellor Georgie Davies

I was delighted to attend the inaugural Parliamentary Friends of Medical Research breakfast at parliament last week.

It was my great privilege this week to present the NSW Seniors Festival 2026 Local Senior of the Year Awards to three truly remarkable people in our community.

I was honoured today to announce Ann Adams OAM of Gumly Gumly as the recipient of the 2026 Wagga Wagga Woman of the Year, as part of NSW Women’s Week.

Thank you to everyone who attended the IWD events I co-hosted with Women in Business Wagga Wagga on Friday.

It was a privilege to open this year’s Tumut Show.

It was great to meet Peter Rosethorn (Brett from Kath and KIm!!) at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club 100 evening - a very funny and very genuine guy! And a great evening - congrats to the MTC.

A big thank you to the Member for Barwon, Roy Butler, for taking me on a tour of part – a small part – of his vast electorate this week to research the challenges and opportunities of health care service provision, as part of my Rural Health Action plan.

It was great to meet Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty, the Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, REROC Chair Rick Firman and other local mayors today for wide-ranging discussions on the drought and other issues.

It was great to meet with the committee members of the Collingullie Soldiers Memorial Hall today. The hall is looking fantastic and it’s no surprise that more and more functions are being held there.

It was a pleasure to attend the recent Rotary awards and see so many outstanding members of our community recognised.

Wonderful to celebrate with the Girl Guides the 100th anniversary of World Thinking Day.

Great to pop into the Riverina Murray Regional Allinace Youth Dance Corroboree at the Wagga Multipurpose stadium.

It was great to celebrate the launch of the Wagga Wagga Arts Society Season and their wonderful exhibition “Water, Soil, Sky - Stories of the Riverina” in the wonderful “pink building” at 11 Small Street Wagga Wagga.

It was a pleasure to present the Rotary Club of Batlow with a Community Service Award on Sunday.

It was a privilege to attend the Wagga 2026 National Service Day commemorative service today.

It was great to join the Wagga Women’s Health Centre team this to announce an important domestic and family violence prevention program will continue, thanks to a funding grant from the NSW Government.

Congratulations to the Forest Hill neighbourhood network on their first colour run event here at Forest Hill.

It’s a great turn up and lots of Community organisations involved.

It’s great to see the spirit here.

Congratulations to John Deuis and the team. Fantastic leadership!

It was great to visit the St Vincent de Paul Return and Earn facility on Hammond Avenue in Wagga to celebrate 100 million recycled containers in the six years of operation.

It was an honour to speak at Wagga’s Australia Day citizenship ceremony and join the community in welcoming our newest Australian citizens.

It was a great pleasure to join the Murrumbidgee Local Health District team today to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the opening of the Acute Services Building at Wagga Base Hospital.

Thank you to community members and faith leaders from across the city who attended last night’s vigil for the Bondi shooting victims.

What a pleasure it was to present awards to the bright and engaging youngsters at Ladysmith Public School this week.

It was a privilege to present Ron Pascoe with a NSW Community Service Award at the South Wagga Lions Christmas lunch on Saturday.