Retired Muswellbrook pharmacist Richard French awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division of the Australia Day Honours List.

Broke Residents Community Organisation president Mick McCardle named Singleton Citizen of the Year and Lachlan Fleming received Singleton's Young Achiever of the Year.

Muswellbrook Shire had two Citizen of the Year award winners revealed on Australia Day at Denman with Uncle Glen Morris and Jeff Wolfgang named the recipients.

Merriwa Citizen of the Year Rob Tindall was also recognised as Upper Hunter Shire Citizen of the Year and Hamish Guiana honoured with the Upper Hunter Shire Young Citizen of the Year award.

Social justice campaigner and Martins Creek Quarry Action Group's James Ashton and Dungog High School student leader Gwen Rumble named Dungog Shire's Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year respectively.

I encourage seniors living in the Upper Hunter Electorate to apply for the state government's Regional Seniors Travel Card with applications now open for a fourth year.

Since the card was introduced in 2020, more than 20,000 applications have been made by seniors across the electorate with cards valued at over $5 million issued.

The $250 pre-paid Visa card can be used on fuel, taxis, electric charging stations, pre-booked NSW TrainLink regional trains and coaches, helping those eligible with the cost of getting from A to B. Applications will close on November 30 with seniors able to apply online at service.nsw.gov.au, by visiting their local Service NSW or calling 1800 569 070.

Parents whose children attend preschool programs at Long Day Care settings will enjoy subsidised fees, following the introduction of the new $1.3 billion Start Strong Affordable Preschool Program.

Research has shown that preschool is where the building blocks for lifelong success are established, making it vital that we support families in accessing quality early childhood education. All NSW families will be eligible for fee relief for 3, 4 and 5-year-olds attending a community or mobile preschool, for 4 and 5-year-olds attending preschool in a long day care setting on top of their Child Care Subsidy payment, and the equivalent of five days a fortnight of affordable preschool fee relief for all children in Department of Education preschools.

To access preschool fee relief, parents are encouraged to speak to their service with families enrolled in a community preschool or long day care service to complete a declaration form and nominate the service from which they would like to receive the fee relief.

Recent school leavers as well as people considering a career change can currently apply for NSW Health's Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Scholarships and the Enrolled Nurse Scholarships.

The Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Cadetship Program applications are being accept until February 5 and the Enrolled Nurse Scholarships applications close on February 12.

The Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Cadetship Program, and Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Scholarships provide Aboriginal people with the opportunity to receive financial and professional support during their university studies. The Enrolled Nurse Scholarships offer a position in the Diploma of Nursing program, cover course fees and lead to employment as an enrolled nurse in a NSW Health facility, following standard recruitment and registration processes.

Dave Layzell is MP for Upper Hunter