Here at The Area News we're excited to be back in black and white with our printed edition at your favourite newsagent.

If you don't have the time to get to town or are still locked into working from home, you can always find the digital version right here.

One of the issues we're following is the debate of two water bills which are before state parliament.

One brought by our Member for Murray Helen Dalton and the other by NSW water minister Melinda Pavey.

They've laid out the reasons why they think each of their bills deserves to become law.

To see the issue brought to the forefront is a testament to Mrs Dalton's efforts to ensure there's plenty of transparency about the financial interests of our state politicians.

We expect our politicians to be of the highest calibre, and not to act in their own interests.

Except it seems that the interests of political parties seems to be getting in the way, the Nationals don't want Mrs Dalton to have a win, yet have been caught out leaving a loophole in the register of interests you could drive a truck through.

That it's taken this long for Mrs Dalton to put this issue on the floor of state parliament is another indictment of our political class and it shows it takes an outsider to shake things up sometimes.

Are voters worried about which political party notches a 'win'? Doubtful.

Will either bill add a bit extra to the workload of politicians? Absolutely, but then again that's why they're given the option of hiring staff.

Voters demand, and should expect, politicians to put their own selfish concerns aside and focus on delivering for their communities. Arguing over the finer points of new laws is fine, as long as political point scoring is left aside.

Declan Rurenga, editor

drurenga@areanews.com.au