The editorial rightly highlighted the failure of the State Coalition Government to extend the basic courtesy to Mr Phil Donato, the member for the Orange electorate, of inviting him to attend government announcements which affect his electorate.

The exclusion of Mr Phil Donato, our democratically-elected Member of Parliament, is more than “petty” – it is outrageously “grubby”.

I, along with the citizens of the Orange electorate, expect the Government of the day properly to acknowledge and respect our local member.

The editorial made specific reference to the Coalition’s formal announcement of a new ambulance station for Molong – something that was promised by the Coalition just prior to the March 2015 State election.

Two and a half years later, nothing had happened.

Our Member, Mr Donato, raised the matter in parliament about two weeks ago. The Minister for Health fobbed him off no doubt realising that Phil “was onto something”.

Then the Coalition turn up at Molong to present the people of Molong with the start of their new ambulance station.

The only sin Mr Donato has committed in all this was that he had the temerity to front the Coalition in parliament and make them account for their promise to the people of his electorate.

No doubt he will be committing more sins of this nature in respect of other promises made by the Coalition to the people of the Orange electorate.

The general consensus is that Mr Donato, as the member for Orange, is doing a good job.

Keep on keeping the bastards honest, Phil.