Standen Building is a Parkes based, family owned and run company with a licensed builder with 15+ years experience and a team of skilled tradespeople. Standen Building recently attended the Master Builders Association of NSW (MBA) “Excellence in Building Awards” in Orange – and won! The Master Builders Association of NSW (MBA) Excellence in Building Awards are a prestigious event that recognises excellence in the construction industry across NSW. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements in residential, commercial, and civil engineering sectors, highlighting the best in workmanship, innovation, and teamwork.

Standen Building won the Medium Density Projects category – 3 to 5 dwellings project – Lynch Street Units. The project was up against stiff competition including builders from Orange, Bathurst, Dubbo, Mudgee, and Young.

Cameron Standen. Director and Builder at Standen Building, was in attendance, but Riley Thomson, who is builder and leading hand for Stenden Building accepted their award on the night.

It’s fantastic to have an award winning, Parkes based and family owned boutique building and construction company, who specialise in custom new builds and renovations in our town.

Standen Building works with local contractors and suppliers as a default. Standen Building hires and trains local staff, has seen 3 of their staff complete an apprenticeship, has work experience students regularly from local high schools and have recently welcomed a school based apprentice into their team.

Recent works include; custom new build, building and carpentry work in the new state of the art SES facility, a large scale home extension, various renovations, luxury outdoor entertainment area and kitchen, a new dwelling at a local church.

G’day,

Regional communities are built on the hard work of small business owners, farmers, primary producers and families who contribute so much to the strength and prosperity of our local area. In recent months, my advocacy in Parliament has focused on ensuring the voices of regional people are heard and that government decisions do not unfairly disadvantage those living and working outside metropolitan centres.

I recently stood alongside family-run licensed firearms dealers whose businesses have been severely impacted by recent fiream,s reforms. These are legitimate, law-abiding small businesses that have invested years of hard work and significant personal resources into serving their communities. Many have suffered substantial financial losses following reforms that were introduced with inadequate consultation, and some are now questioning the future viability of their businesses. I have called on the Government to provide fair support for those adversely affected and to ensure regional businesses are not left carrying the burden of poorly implemented policy changes.

At the same time, I have continued advocating for farmers, orchardists, vineyard owners and other primary producers who are facing growing regulatory and financial pressures. I have raised concerns in Parliament about uncertainty surrounding land tax exemptions for producers who diversify their operations through cellar doors, farm-gate sales and other value-adding activities. Farmers should be encouraged, not penalised, for finding innovative ways to keep their businesses sustainable.

I have also highlighted issues affecting regional landholders, including pest management regulations, delays in kangaroo management permits, rising water compliance costs, the impact of energy infrastructure developments on productive farmland and the increasing burden of bureaucracy on family farming operations. Regional communities need practical, common-sense policies that recognise the realities of operating a business, running a farm and raising a family in country New South Wales.

Another issue that demands continued attention is the scourge of domestic and family violence. Following a number of tragic domestic violence-related deaths, I have used my time in Parliament to advocate for stronger legal consequences for the most serious offences. This includes proposing the Crimes Amendment (Mandatory Life Sentences) Bill 2026, which would provide for mandatory life imprisonment without parole in carefully defined circumstances involving murders committed in the context of domestic and family violence.

The proposal was inspired in part by the tragic death of Molly Ticehurst from Forbes, whose murder sparked serious community discussion about whether current laws adequately protect victims and appropriately hold offenders to account. My position is simple: where an offender is already subject to bail conditions or an apprehended violence order designed to protect a victim, deliberately breaches those protections and then takes a life, the strongest penalties available under law should apply.

While tougher penalties are one part of the response, preventing domestic and family violence also requires investment in victim support services, early intervention programs, community education and effective justice system responses. Every victim deserves protection, every family deserves justice, and every preventable tragedy demands action.

Whether advocating for small businesses, supporting our farming communities or pushing for stronger protections for victims of domestic and family violence, my focus remains the same: standing up for regional communities, delivering practical outcomes and ensuring country voices are heard in Parliament.

Cheers Phil

 

Parkes will host a Mini-Field community event on Sunday 4 October from 9:30am to 11:30am at the Parkes Lions Park to recognise those women and men within our community who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The Breast Cancer Network of Australia (BCNA) highlights the following statistics:

• On average, 56 people every day in Australia are diagnosed with breast cancer, approximately 20,336 people in 2025.

• The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer over a lifetime is 1 in 7 for women and 1 in 612 for men.

As Breast Cancer is still our biggest cancer in women it is important to recognise the effect it can have on not only the person with the disease but also their loved ones as they try and support them.

The event is being co-ordinated by Parkes Health Service’s McGrath Cancer Care Nurse, Dianne Green, who said:

“Over the years of holding this event my family have been my biggest support as they rally to help me bring the event together and for this I am truly grateful.

“Breast cancer has touched my family as it has sadly touched most people’s families or friends.

“The mini-field silhouettes displayed on the day pay tribute to those diagnosed including women through the hundred pink silhouettes, men through the blue silhouettes and for those we have lost to breast cancer there is a white silhouette.

“For those who like to write a message to a loved one there is the opportunity to place this around a silhouettes neck and I have kept messages back to 2009 which are also out on the day.”

Morning tea will be available to the community for a coin donation which will go to the BCNA. A selection of BCNA and McGrath Foundation merchandise will also be available for purchase in support of these organisations.

Everyone is welcome to come together over a cuppa and show support.

Parkes Shire Council General Manager Kent Boyd PSM has announced he will not seek an extension of his current employment contract, ending more than 34 years of service with Parkes Shire Council, including 15 years as General Manager.

Correspondence from Mr Boyd was tabled by Parkes Shire Mayor Neil Westcott at Tuesday’s Ordinary Council Meeting, advising that he intends to take accrued leave from the end of October through to the conclusion of his current contract on 2 July 2027.

Mr Boyd said the decision represented an opportunity for a planned and orderly transition to the next generation of leadership.

“After 34 years with Council, including the last 15 years as General Manager, I believe it is an appropriate time for a planned and orderly transition to the next generation of leadership.

“It has been a rare privilege to serve the Parkes Shire community for such a substantial part of my career. I thank the Mayor and Councillors, past and present, for the trust and support shown to me during my tenure and remain committed to ensuring a smooth transition.”

On behalf of Council, Mayor Neil Westcott acknowledged Mr Boyd’s dedicated service and leadership and his significant contribution to the organisation and the broader Parkes Shire community.

“Council acknowledges the enormous contribution Kent has made to Parkes Shire over more than three decades,” the Mayor said.

As part of the leadership transition, Council resolved to appoint Director Infrastructure and Sustainability Andrew Francis as Acting General Manager from Friday 30 October 2026. Mr Francis will remain in the role until a new General Manager is recruited and appointed, or until otherwise determined by Council.