Last year HOME in Queanbeyan served more than 15,000 meals for the less fortunate in our community. Recently as part of Anti-Poverty Week, I took time over lunch to thank volunteers who do so much for the needy in Queanbeyan. HOME focuses on providing much-needed care to those in our community with chronic mental illness who find themselves without shelter and support.

The co-operation and efforts of several local churches makes this possible. Their efforts go a long way to making our community a better place for all.

Anti-Poverty Week happens each year. The week aims to foster awareness of the causes and the consequences of poverty in Australia and around the world, as well as encourage both discussion and action to help end poverty.

Currently more than a million Australians find themselves in situations of poverty and severe hardship. Everyone can play a part in Anti-Poverty Week by attending an activity, donating their time to an organisation or organising an activity to raise awareness about poverty in their local community.

It was my pleasure to take part in Anti-Poverty week this year. I strongly encourage everyone in our community to get behind HOME and other organisations that work hard to address poverty in our local region.

In addition, I want to thank the community and in particular my family for supporting me in becoming the leader of the NSW Nationals and deputy premier. I am honoured to represent NSW as a whole, but my priority first and foremost are my Monaro constituents who gave me this opportunity in the beginning.

I promise to bring the same passion, drive and work ethic to this role just as I have done so working for my electorate, the Monaro, and Cabinet portfolios.

I am proud of what the NSW Nationals have achieved so far, building the hospitals, roads and schools our communities need to keep them strong, but I know there is much more work to do to regain the trust and rebuild the party’s reputation as proud representatives of regional NSW in Australia’s oldest Parliament.