G’day,
Regional communities are built on the hard work of small business owners, farmers, primary producers and families who contribute so much to the strength and prosperity of our local area. In recent months, my advocacy in Parliament has focused on ensuring the voices of regional people are heard and that government decisions do not unfairly disadvantage those living and working outside metropolitan centres.
I recently stood alongside family-run licensed firearms dealers whose businesses have been severely impacted by recent fiream,s reforms. These are legitimate, law-abiding small businesses that have invested years of hard work and significant personal resources into serving their communities. Many have suffered substantial financial losses following reforms that were introduced with inadequate consultation, and some are now questioning the future viability of their businesses. I have called on the Government to provide fair support for those adversely affected and to ensure regional businesses are not left carrying the burden of poorly implemented policy changes.
At the same time, I have continued advocating for farmers, orchardists, vineyard owners and other primary producers who are facing growing regulatory and financial pressures. I have raised concerns in Parliament about uncertainty surrounding land tax exemptions for producers who diversify their operations through cellar doors, farm-gate sales and other value-adding activities. Farmers should be encouraged, not penalised, for finding innovative ways to keep their businesses sustainable.
I have also highlighted issues affecting regional landholders, including pest management regulations, delays in kangaroo management permits, rising water compliance costs, the impact of energy infrastructure developments on productive farmland and the increasing burden of bureaucracy on family farming operations. Regional communities need practical, common-sense policies that recognise the realities of operating a business, running a farm and raising a family in country New South Wales.
Another issue that demands continued attention is the scourge of domestic and family violence. Following a number of tragic domestic violence-related deaths, I have used my time in Parliament to advocate for stronger legal consequences for the most serious offences. This includes proposing the Crimes Amendment (Mandatory Life Sentences) Bill 2026, which would provide for mandatory life imprisonment without parole in carefully defined circumstances involving murders committed in the context of domestic and family violence.
The proposal was inspired in part by the tragic death of Molly Ticehurst from Forbes, whose murder sparked serious community discussion about whether current laws adequately protect victims and appropriately hold offenders to account. My position is simple: where an offender is already subject to bail conditions or an apprehended violence order designed to protect a victim, deliberately breaches those protections and then takes a life, the strongest penalties available under law should apply.
While tougher penalties are one part of the response, preventing domestic and family violence also requires investment in victim support services, early intervention programs, community education and effective justice system responses. Every victim deserves protection, every family deserves justice, and every preventable tragedy demands action.
Whether advocating for small businesses, supporting our farming communities or pushing for stronger protections for victims of domestic and family violence, my focus remains the same: standing up for regional communities, delivering practical outcomes and ensuring country voices are heard in Parliament.
Cheers Phil
