HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT IND 184 SEPTEMBER 2025 | Page 24

POLITICS
How
my office and I can help you
• Represent you in Parliament and raise local issues with the appropriate Minister or Department
• Answer questions, help you access government services and provide information about community groups and events
• Facilitate applications to become a Justice of the Peace or to obtain a Seniors Card
• Update your electoral enrolment details
• Send a congratulatory letter for anniversaries and birthdays of significance
• Provide you with details on how to apply for government grants
The office is located at Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus Building R4, College Drive, Richmond. M: PO Box 505 Richmond NSW 2753 T: 02 4578 0300 E: hawkesbury @ parliament. nsw. gov. au
Authorised by Robyn Preston MP. Funded using Parliamentary entitlements. with Robyn Preston Member for Hawkesbury
In August 2024, I introduced the Summary Offences Amendment( War Memorials and Other Protected Places) Bill 2024, which would see perpetrators who damage and desecrate our war memorials reap a penalty in-line with the utter disrespect they show.
This Bill was voted down by Labor MPs, Greens MPs and some Independent MPs.
In February of this year, I made a second attempt to honour the contribution of our veterans and current and past serving Defence personnel by introducing a similar Bill, with further penalties. Again, this Bill was voted down by Labor, the Greens and some Independents.
Once again, a bipartisan approach was denied and, instead, the Labor Government has introduced a copycat version of the Bill. The maximum fine proposed by Labor($ 4,400) is 80 % less than the fines proposed in my Bill($ 22,000).
I am still in belief at the Minns Labor Government’ s attempt to politicise a topic which RSL sub-Branches, veterans, past and current serving Defence Personnel, and Australian citizens have supported as a matter of urgency.
For a year, I have been working to see changes made to the Summary Offences Act 1988 in the hopes of deterring further acts of vandalism on our war memorials and other protected places. I cannot believe that under a NSW Labor Government, the words veterans, mateship, camaraderie, and ANZAC cannot be considered without first thinking of politics and tactics.
Since my amendments were first rejected by the Minns Labor Government, we have seen a continued increase in attacks on these sites. If the Government had taken a bipartisan approach from the beginning, some of these more recent attacks may never have occurred.
Thank you to everyone who gave me guidance in the Bill I prepared. Know that I will continue to advocate on behalf of veterans and their families, every single time.

New kit- big and small- for Hawkesbury RFS Brigades

with Susan Templeman MP Federal Member for Macquarie
Have you noticed new signage, shade sails, water tanks, concreting, or a shipping container installed at your local Rural Fire Brigade shed?
Bushfire season is almost upon us, and while NSW Rural Fire Service“ Get Ready” events every September help us take individual responsibility to prepare ourselves and our properties, our local Brigades are also more prepared.
They have been busy investing the $ 50,000 federal funding I committed to each of the brigades in the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains, to allow them to complete local priority projects benefiting their station, their members and their community.
Each brigade has had the opportunity to choose the equipment or upgrades they need- it’ s not a one size fits all approach, and individual decision-making at the brigade level was a key feature I secured in this unique funding.
Items made possible by this funding include electrical works at Grose Vale and East Kurrajong, roller-door upgrades at Bilpin and Blaxlands Ridge, water tanks at Tennyson and Upper Colo, laundry equipment and kitchen upgrades at Oakville and Freemans Reach, and improved signage at Glossodia.
Hawkesbury Headquarters will receive a training hot cell which will assist in skill development for brigades across the region.
All of these projects, big and small, will make things safer, more efficient, and more
comfortable for our volunteers who give so generously of their time and energy when our community needs them.
I look forward to visiting more of the brigades to see their new equipment and fit outs as they continue to be rolled out in coming months, and to seeing the progress on the new RFS Headquarters at Wilberforce, which has State and Federal Government funding.
You can get your preparation started now by heading to www. myfireplan. com. au to refresh your family’ s fire plan.
Insurance for flood-prone homes: upcoming event
Residents, businesses and other stakeholders are invited to a special insurance forum I’ m hosting on Monday 8 September at 10am in Windsor.
For people who live on the flood plain,
home insurance has become a crisis.
I know many people can’ t find an insurer who will offer them flood coverage, or the price that they’ re asked to pay is just completely out of reach. My last three years of work on this has shown me there is no easy fix, but we do need to take action.
So I’ m bringing the Insurance Council of Australia, the peak body for insurance companies, to Windsor to hear firsthand from residents about their experience in trying to insure what is, for most people, their largest asset. CEO Andrew Hall will also share insights into the issues and potential steps community, government and insurers can take. This is designed to be a constructive look at a critical issue.
Seats are limited, so if you’ re interested in attending please register your interest at the Have Your Say tab on my website.
22 ISSUE 184 // SEPTEMBER 2025 theindependentmagazine. com. au THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT