MATTERS OF STATE | Invitation lost in the mail? No, PM just has 'bad manners'

The answer for those that have been asking is, I wasn't invited!

I'm neither surprised nor disappointed by this, but it is bad manners to say the least.

Speaking to a wide variety of people, rather than only "yes men/women" who agree with your every word, seems to be an important way of running a government as far as I'm concerned.

Sadly, local Councillors weren't informed or invited and yet the meeting took place in the Orange Council Building with the Mayors from Blayney, Parkes, Forbes and Cabonne in attendance.

To add insult to injury, the Prime Minister made his announcement here in Orange that federal funding will be available for farmers in Dubbo, Bathurst and Blayney (among other areas), bypassing Orange altogether due to our area "not meeting the criteria".

With so-called leadership like this, the Liberal National Party aren't doing themselves any favours.

More to the point, it's no wonder as to why we remain in a state of crisis.

While the PM was meeting with mayors and "yes people", I was out on the ground in barren paddocks listening to the farmers about what they're contending with.

I heard from one farmer who was wondering how much further he could go in increasing debt to keep feeding his stock and put food on his own table.

I listened to his son who left a trade to help his father on the family property.

This farmer's son went on to say that there is no future in farming and has urged his father to sell rather than carry on a family farming tradition and gamble on whether he could financially support his own family in the future.

This young man says his young mates on neighbouring farms all feel the same way.

The PM and his political ilk in State Government don't really listen, they don't get it and they just don't seem to care.

Their solution is to bury their heads in the sand and hope it rains.

They're not thinking about the next generation of farmer walking off the land and selling up.

The future of family farming here in Australia is a risk, and what will be the result of that?

I would say "food for thought", but there'll be no food for anything at this rate.

Over the last month I've had the pleasure of presenting six of the seven 2019 'Hidden Treasures' awards.

The most recent being another worthy recipient to be presented their award this month, Helen Karrasch of Orange whose certificate of inclusion into the 2019 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll capped this year's honours.

The Hidden Treasures award recognises the women volunteers who really go 'above and beyond' in their contribution to our community.

These women ensure the viability of so many important community groups and charities; without their contribution many local initiatives we take for granted would just not be possible.

It's an honour to be able to celebrate women volunteers who give so much of their own time, effort and dedication to their community.