Much more wet stuff needs to fall from the sky in order for things to fully turn around, and while a lot of us are rejoicing we do need to spare a thought for those who may not have received overly substantial falls.

That is why I used the first sitting week of the 2020 NSW parliamentary calendar to personally deliver a letter to the office of Treasurer Dominic Perrottet asking for consideration to be given to further government support for drought-impacted regions of the state.

We've seen the excellent work done to help communities affected by the bushfire emergency, and that assistance is certainly worthwhile, but I have asked that consideration be given to offering the same kind of rate relief and low-interest loans for business in our regions. Due to fiscal responsibility from the government, we're lucky to be in a position where the bushfire recovery efforts haven't come at the expense of drought support, and I look forward to further announcements being made in this area.

On Friday I announced that the Regent Theatre in Mudgee had been added to the NSW State Heritage List, a move which I believe will be a real win for the town and wider community. I know the Regent has a been a contentious issue in Mudgee for a while, and there is an element of the community who believes this move means the building will sit and gather dust. That is incorrect. All it means is that any work that the owner, or future owners, want to do to the building has to be approved by the Heritage Council of NSW.

I look forward to the Regent being a wonderful asset for the community, that provides a positive future while also remembering its past.

On Friday night I joined with members of the Dubbo community to say congratulations to Mark Nuttall on a great career at Dubbo PCYC.

As manager of the facility, Mark has been a leader within the community and the work he has done has been invaluable.