It was a pleasure to welcome Premier Chris Minns to Wagga today as part of the Daily Telegraph’s Bush Summit at Charles Sturt University.

The summit also included a visit by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who described Wagga as ‘a place of energy and ambition, a city that plays a key role in the security of our nation from the paddocks to the barracks.”

Bringing together leaders, advocates and industry figures from across regional NSW, the summit was a terrific opportunity to address some of the issues facing regional communities.

In a meeting over lunch, I took the opportunity to raise a number of matters with the Premier, including the need to duplicate the Gobba Bridge and reform the state’s health system. We also discussed serious community concerns over renewable energy infrastructure and the need for funding for the Wagga Women’s Health Centre domestic violence prevention program to be restored..

Later, we had discussions with housing agencies and Wagga City Council about ways in which the city’s housing shortage can be eased.

Thanks to the Premier for listening to our hopes and concerns. I look forward to continuing to advocate with the government to deliver the infrastructure and support our growing community needs for the future.