There was a familiar face back in Glen Innes this week, with Heidi Hallam (née Williamson) taking time to catch up with locals while passing through town on her way to Brisbane.
Heidi, who grew up in Glen Innes, stopped in at the Town Hall Coffee Shop with her husband, Dave Hallam of Fox & Lillie Rural, as the pair travelled north to attend the Rural Marketing Agents Network Conference.
Fresh from her recent appointment as Senior Vice Chair of the NSW Nationals, Heidi said she has been spending time travelling across the state, listening to the concerns of regional communities, businesses and primary producers.
Among the issues front of mind is the future certainty of protein markets and ensuring regional industries remain strong and sustainable in the years ahead. Succession planning within agriculture and the livestock sector is also a key focus, with Heidi highlighting the importance of supporting the next generation of producers and industry leaders.
“The strength of our rural communities depends on our ability to plan for the future,” she said, noting that industry security and evolution go hand in hand.
The Rural Marketing Agents Network Conference brings together stock and station agents from across Australia to discuss market trends, industry challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
Glen Innes will be well represented at the event, with local stock agent Shad Bailey from Col Say & Co also attending, continuing the district’s long tradition of leadership within the livestock industry.
Many locals will remember Heidi from her earlier career working alongside former Nationals member and current member for New England Barnaby Joyce during his time with The Nationals. In recent years, however, her focus has shifted toward life on the land with Dave, managing their small producer enterprise while also dedicating time and energy to the future direction of the NSW Nationals.
Her brief stop in Glen Innes served as a reminder that, no matter where life and careers may lead, there remains a strong connection to home—and for Heidi Hallam, Glen Innes continues to be an important part of that story.
