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LATEST NEWS


LOCAL SPORTING GROUP FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR WOMEN’S INITIATIVES
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke is encouraging local sporting groups to apply for their share of $500,000 to help improve female participation in sports, both on and off the field. The Play Her Way Innovation Program is part of a four-year strategy to strengthen opportunities for girls and women across the state, helping them take up a new sport or continue in their chosen field. “Women and girls deserve equal opportunities to participate, lead and thrive in sport, and

Steph Cooke MP
Apr 10


COOKE CALLS FOR ‘FUEL FOR HARVEST’ GUARANTEE FROM NSW GOVERNMENT
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke is calling on the NSW Government for a ‘Fuel for Harvest’ guarantee, and to outline the measures they will implement to ensure farmers will have access to fuel during the critical 2026 harvest period, and beyond. The call follows statements from Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen that fuel supplies are secured “until May”, leaving farmers uncertain about the future beyond the autumn sowing window. Ms Cooke said the NSW Government must g

Steph Cooke MP
Apr 9


CALL FOR IPTAAS EXPANSION TO SUPPORT RURAL PATIENTS AMID HIGH COST-OF-LIVING, FUEL PRICES
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke is calling on the NSW Government to increase subsidy rates under the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS), to support rural patients accessing life-saving care. IPTAAS provides financial assistance to patients who must travel for specialist medical treatment not available locally, subsidising travel and accommodation costs. However, patients using a private vehicle receive only 40 cents per kilometre and

Steph Cooke MP
Apr 9


$1.29 MILLION IN ROAD SAFETY UPGRADES SECURED FOR NARRANDERA SHIRE
Steph Cooke MP with Narrandera Mayor Neville Kschenka. Pedestrian and cyclist safety across Narrandera Shire is set for a major boost, with $1.29 million in new funding to deliver safer, more accessible local infrastructure. The investment will support key upgrades in both Narrandera and Grong Grong, targeting areas where residents regularly walk and cycle but face safety risks. In Narrandera, $997,200 will fund the construction of a shared footpath and a new pedestrian b

Steph Cooke MP
Apr 7



Steph Cooke MP
Mar 31


GRANTS AVAILABLE TO HELP LOCAL EVENTS THRIVE
Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, is encouraging local event organisers to apply for funding to support both established and new events across the electorate. The Destination NSW Regional Event Fund has been created to support events in regional areas with the potential to become a flagship tourism event, attracting overnight visitors and delivering long-term benefits to the region. Ms Cooke is encouraging local organisers, associations, councils, and community groups

Steph Cooke MP
Mar 30


NOMINATIONS OPEN TO CELEBRATE REGION’S HIDDEN TREASURES
Steph Cooke MP with 2024 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll inductee Jen Sturrock. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke is calling on residents across the electorate to recognise the extraordinary contributions of local women by nominating them for the 2026 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll. The Honour Roll, coordinated by the NSW Rural Women’s Network, celebrates the often-unseen efforts of women who dedicate their time to supporting community groups, sporting clubs, emergency services,

Steph Cooke MP
Mar 30


SIGNIFICANT SAFETY UPGRADE SECURED FOR NOTORIOUS RAILWAY CROSSING AT BRIBBAREE
Steph Cooke MP at the Mary Gilmore Way railway crossing near Bribbaree. Design work for a significant upgrade to the railway crossing along Mary Gilmore Way at Bribbaree has commenced following a vocal campaign to improve safety at the site. Transport for NSW has commenced design work to transform the crossing from a passive to an active level crossing, with boom gates, flashing LED lights, warning bells and improved signage. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke welcomed th

Steph Cooke MP
Mar 27


FOUR MEASURES TO ALLEVIATE PRESSURE ON REGIONAL FAMILIES AS FUEL PRICES INCREASE
Steph Cooke MP in NSW Parliament on Wednesday. Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, is calling for an urgent increase and expansion of the School Drive Subsidy to alleviate cost-of-living pressures on regional families with preschool and school-age children. Rising fuel costs and growing concerns about fuel availability continue to place significant strain on regional families, particularly those living on isolated properties or in small villages. Ms Cooke told the Parliament

Steph Cooke MP
Mar 26


COMMUNITY CONCERNS MOUNT OVER NARRANDERA WATER QUALITY
Narrandera residents with Narrandera Council representatives, and Nationals leaders. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke is calling on the NSW Government to deploy a temporary water treatment plant to Narrandera, with neither the State nor Federal Government committing to fund a permanent infrastructure solution. The call follows a Roundtable hosted by Ms Cooke in Narrandera on Sunday, attended by Nationals Leader Matt Canavan, Federal Shadow Water Minister Michael McCormack,

Steph Cooke MP
Mar 23


GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY CLOSURE EXPOSES NEED FOR LONG-TERM CENTRAL WEST TRANSPORT PLAN
Steph Cooke MP at the Lachlan Valley Way in Boorowa The indefinite closure of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass has exposed the urgent need for a long-term transport connectivity plan between Greater Sydney and the Central West. Following the discovery of a geotechnical fault, the NSW Minister for Transport announced the highway would be closed for at least three months, forcing traffic and freight onto alternative routes. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said

Steph Cooke MP
Mar 16


TINA KENDALL-DAVIS NAMED 2026 LOCAL WOMAN OF THE YEAR
Tina Kendall-Davis, her daughter Emma, with Steph Cooke MP at NSW Parliament Tina Kendall-Davis of Coolamon has been named the 2026 Cootamundra Electorate Local Woman of the Year, recognised for her outstanding contribution to improving access to mental health support across regional communities. As Founder and Director of Anytime Counselling, Ms Kendall-Davis has established a service delivering timely and confidential support to people in rural and remote areas, helping t

Steph Cooke MP
Mar 5
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