As a long term supporter of local art I have been very disappointed that the Weymouth Couture Collections winners of the National awards for many years are rarely on display and languish in boxes somewhere within Griffith.

While this is only part of the story there are other valuable items and collections which cannot be displayed because of lack of exhibition space, unsuitable air conditioning, security , etc.

My strong support is for a purpose-built art gallery and cultural centre that can display the collection I have been associated with over many years.

The existing gallery occasionally displays a small percentage of the National Jewellery Contemporary Collection of which Griffith is the caretaker.

I am asking Griffith City Council to seriously consider building and locating a new purpose built Gallery adjacent to the Tourist information centre for all its obvious advantages.

It was the Hawk government who introduced the rights of children, and parents lost out in discipline their children.

With today's education, one has to ask, what has gone wrong with Australian governments, and the Department of Education when it comes to education in our schools?

Every parent has the right to know what is being taught in school in regard to gender fluidity ideologies in NSW classrooms and universities in Melbourne.

There is a website where a booklet tells students they have a right to "identify themselves as either male or female or both" and students have a right to decide what gender they want to be boy or girl, and are told gender is a social construct and not biological, and may change their names at school.

Parents are their children's protectors, guardians and are responsible for their education and upbringing, and have the right to know what is being taught in the classrooms, reading, writing and maths and not being brain ashed to wear rainbow colours. It's called respect of one another.

Congratulations to the Nationals and state leader John Barilaro on their victory in the Upper Hunter by-election. It was a resounding result which no doubt will give the party a confidence boost.

Hopefully there will also be lessons learned about what is required to win tough battles in regional NSW.

In recent times the Nationals have lost large parts of their traditional base in areas including Murray/Murrumbidgee, western NSW and central NSW. This occurred because they lost touch with key local issues in these regions.

In the NSW Murray the previously 'blue ribbon' National Party seat fell at the 2019 election because voters were fed up with being ignored by the party they had supported for many decades.

On the key issue of water management, the Nationals were not prepared to stand up and fight for the communities that were suffering from poor water policy. One could be excused for thinking they believed their traditional support would be enough to ensure their incumbent was re-elected. How wrong they were!

It will be interesting to see if anything changes. Will the National Party stop pandering to its wealthy northern NSW mates, or will it genuinely try to help those in the south who have suffered from poor water policy and management?

It won Upper Hunter by convincing enough voters it will fight for the issues which matter in that region.

Whether it learns the lesson and takes the philosophy to other parts of the state remains to be seen.