Ms Goward paid tribute to the tenacity of member for Orange Andrew Gee in convincing her to visit the centre in September to see firsthand how vital it was the government continue to finance the centre.

She said as Mental Health Minister she had many problems to address in her role.

“But I had another problem, he was six foot four and it was Andrew Gee,” she said with a smile.

The minister said it was Mr Gee’s persistence about the importance of the centre for people in rural areas experiencing mental illness that finally convinced her to come to Orange to “see for myself”.

“I came with an open mind and now I am delighted to make this announcement,” she said.

“The centre has played a pivotal role in working to improve mental health in rural communities and I am so pleased that their work will be able to continue for the benefit of all our rural and remote communities in NSW.”

Acting director of the Orange-based centre on the Bloomfield campus, Trevor Hazell, said the service was dear to the hearts of the 13 counsellors working with the service across rural NSW.

Mr Gee thanked Ms Goward on behalf of rural NSW.

“You have navigated this through the bureaucracy to secure the future for this centre,” he said.

“It was you who said I am not going to listen to what people are telling me in Sydney. The turning point was you coming to Orange and after that there certainly was momentum for this important funding.

Univerisity of Newcastle chair of psychiatry Professor Brian Kelly told the minister it was centres liked the one in Orange that made a difference to the mental health of people in the bush.

“We know that the mental health of the rural community depends on centres such as this,” he said.

janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au