Steph Cooke MP
Member for Cootamundra

Steph Cooke MP and Sam Perry (Junee Shire Council) for the Canola Gateway Festival Junee has secured a $20,000 boost through the 2026/27 Regional Event Fund to support the launch of the inaugural Canola Gateway Festival, marking a major milestone for the region’s tourism offering. The funding recognises Junee as a destination of choice for new and emerging events, backing the community’s vision to create a vibrant celebration of the Riverina’s iconic canola season. Member

Steph Cooke MP participanting in school holiday activities at the Temora Library Community organisations across the Cootamundra electorate are being encouraged to apply for funding through the NSW Office of Youth’s Holiday Break Program – Spring and/or Summer 2026-27, helping to deliver free, fun and inclusive activities for young people over the break. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the program is a fantastic opportunity for local organisations to create memorable

Steph Cooke MP with Paul Best (Mayor), Matthew Sykes (GM Weddin Shire), Sean Haylan (GM Destination NSW Central West), Belinda Power (HLF President) and committee members at the Henry Lawson Monument, Grenfell. The Henry Lawson Festival has received a major boost, with the iconic Grenfell event awarded $30,000 per year for three years through the Regional Event Fund 2026. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the funding was a significant win for Grenfell and a reflection

Steph Cooke MP at the Seniors Week High Tea in Cowra (2026) Applications are now open for the 2027 NSW Seniors Festival Program with a share of $200,000 available to support events and celebrate older people and communities across the state. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke is encouraging local councils, community groups and organisations across the electorate to apply for the funding to host their event in 2027. The 2027 Seniors Festival will run from March 1 to 14 wit

Monday, 6 July 2026 Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke MP has welcomed a $2 million NSW Government investment for Freeman Vineyards in Young to establish the state’s first dealcoholisation facility. The facility will position the Hilltops region as a national leader in the rapidly growing non-alcoholic wine market. “This is a landmark investment for Freeman Vineyard and the Hilltops wine region, cementing our reputation as a centre for agricultural innovation and premiu

Bruce Howard of Young has been recognised for more than 42 years of dedicated service to NSW Ambulance, with Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke presenting him with the NSW Government Service Medallion. Mr Howard joined the NSW Ambulance Service on 15 October 1979, beginning a remarkable career that would see him attend countless callouts, save lives, support families on their worst days, and serve his local community with extraordinary commitment. “I was a paramedic in Young

Tuesday, 30 June 2026 With construction on the Temora Hospital Redevelopment progressing, Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke welcomed the opportunity to see how the project is taking shape. Murrumbidgee Local Health District, hospital staff, project stakeholders and Temora Local Health Advisory Committee gathered on Monday June 29 for a Construction Progress Celebration Afternoon Tea. The event celebrated the completion of all eight concrete slab pours for the new eastern

​​Tuesday, 30 June 2026​ The Cootamundra Turf Club has officially unveiled the newly named ‘John Barnes’ Grandstand, recognising one of the district's most influential pioneers as part of the Club's 150th anniversary celebrations. The naming of the grandstand honours the legacy of John Barnes, the Club's inaugural President in 1876, whose vision and leadership helped shape both the Club and the wider community. The event also celebrated the successful restoration of the

The Minns Labor Government has neglected the state’s primary funding program for town water infrastructure for the fourth consecutive year, despite NSW facing a multi-billion-dollar backlog in critical projects. The Safe and Secure Water Program was established by the former Coalition Government to support the design and construction of essential capital works projects that ensure regional communities have access to safe and reliable drinking water. Since being elected in

The Minns Labor Government’s final Budget has delivered continued funding for major health projects across the Cootamundra Electorate, but little investment in the new projects local communities have been fighting for. The Cootamundra Electorate joins regional and rural NSW communities in being short-changed, with critical infrastructure priorities outside Greater Sydney once again overlooked. Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, said the Budget was a disappointing result