Steph Cooke MP
Member for Cootamundra

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

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

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 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

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 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 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 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

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 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

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

Annabelle Gray, Steph Cooke MP, and Lani Summerfield at St Anne's Catholic College, Temora. History has been rewritten at St Anne’s Catholic College with two young swimmers breaking a series of long-standing records once held by the Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke.   During this year’s annual school swimming carnival, Annabelle Gray smashed the 13-year-old 50-metre butterfly record previously set by Ms Cooke in 1990, with a blistering time of 33.76 seconds.   It’s the fif

Kurrajong Laundry in Narrandera has officially reopened at a brand-new location, marking a powerful comeback for the organisation after a devastating fire destroyed its previous facility.   The laundry provides supported employment for people with disabilities while delivering essential services to a wide range of local businesses across the region.   In May 2024, staff and the broader community were left devastated when the Myrtle Street facility was declared “completely des

Steph Cooke MP addresses local media at 2026 Cootamundra Mayoral Summit. Millions of dollars in road and transport upgrades are urgently needed from the NSW Government to improve driver safety across the Cootamundra electorate.   Safer bridges and rail crossings emerged as key priorities at the 2026 Cootamundra Mayoral Summit, with local leaders highlighting long-standing hazards that continue to endanger motorists.   Having gained a reputation as the Riverina’s most dangerou

Steph Cooke MP with Hilltops Mayor Brian Ingram. Water security for Boorowa and Narrandera remains uncertain, as New South Wales grapples with a multi-billion-dollar backlog of critical infrastructure projects.   A recent report from the Auditor-General found that at least $1 billion is required to support water infrastructure across regional and rural NSW, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing communities.   In response, Local Government NSW warned that a continued

Steph Cooke opening the 8th Annual Cootamundra Mayoral Summit.   The fight to secure Cootamundra a brand-new hospital is on, following a powerful campaign to save the town’s pathology lab that laid bare the urgent need for a modern, fit-for-purpose health facility.    In 2024, the Murrumbidgee Local Health District’s draft health services plan for Cootamundra Hospital prompted widespread community outrage, with residents and health professionals warning that a proposed reduct

Steph Cooke MP with students from St Marys and Monteagle Public. Students and parents shared nervousness and excitement outside the region’s school gates as teachers welcomed new and returning faces to the start of term one of the 2026 school year.   This week, a brand-new cohort of kindergarten students have taken their first steps on their educational journey, while HSC students have strapped themselves in for the final year of their secondary studies.   Member for Cootamun

Attendees of the Cootamundra Firearms Roundtable hosted by Steph Cooke MP in Junee. Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, is calling on the NSW Labor Government to thoroughly consult stakeholders before drafting any regulations concerning firearms and licence holders.   In December 2025, firearms legislation was rushed through the NSW Parliament without consultation with key bodies and without the support of the NSW Nationals.   These laws have been heavily criticised by prima

Steph Cooke MP at a community barbecue in Quandialla on Australia Day, 2026. Cootamundra came alive this Australia Day, with local events and gatherings drawing crowds in true Aussie spirit.   Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, covered more than 300 kms throughout the day, in an effort to celebrate with as many communities as possible.   Beginning with the Bland Shire Australia Day Mayoral Reception on Sunday evening, Ms Cooke started Australia Day in Temora at the Australi

Steph Cooke MP with members of the Boorowa Lions Clubs outside their new shed. Members of the Boorowa Lions Club are feeling energised after moving into their brand-new shed ahead of a busy 2026.    The initial aim for building a new facility was to provide an undercover shelter for the club’s mobile Driver Reviver van.    However, the final design has enabled members to store all of their essential items, such as their BBQ trailer.     Club President, Barry Miller, said the