Gary Roberts, President of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga, hands Chris Roche his award. Photo: Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga.
A Wagga businessman said the death of a newborn baby in a tent at Wagga Beach moved him to take a more active role in advocating for homeless people, as he was recognised for his longstanding community work.
Chris Roche was presented with a Paul Harris Fellow Sapphire Pin by the Rotary Club of South Wagga Wagga in recognition of his extensive contribution to the community.
The 60-year-old grew up in Wagga before moving to Sydney, where he owned and managed two hotels. He returned to the Riverina with his family in 2006 and joined the Rotary Club of South Wagga Wagga.
Although he is no longer a Rotarian, Mr Roche has remained involved in community causes and has become a prominent advocate for homeless people in recent months.
His advocacy intensified after a newborn baby was found dead in a tent at a homeless encampment near Wagga Beach in May, when police found a 37-year-old woman and two infants in the tent.
“The baby’s death really hit me … seeing the lack of government care and compassion at all levels has really sparked me into action,” he said.
“Homelessness is not just the fault of the current government, but of previous governments too. If we built public homes instead of just knocking them down, we wouldn’t have this problem,” he said.
Mr Roche has spoken at council meetings and lobbied politicians, calling for a more compassionate approach to homelessness.
He opposed Wagga Wagga City Council’s threat to issue fines to homeless people who refuse to leave Wilks Park, arguing more resources should be directed towards assistance rather than compliance.
He has also challenged the government’s use of privately operated accommodation to house homeless people.
“I’m really questioning how much the taxpayer money the government is spending. If I were back in the business, I’d buy a hotel and only lease to the government, who pay the highest price with no accountability,” he said.
Mr Roche’s community advocacy stretches back several years. He is also president of the Wagga Ratepayers Association, a role in which he has advocated for the interests of local residents, including raising concerns about the impact of the Federal Government’s Inland Rail project.
“Council is doing what they do, but it’s good for them to get outside opinions and scrutiny,” he said.
Chris Roche has been advocating for ratepayers for years. Photo: Chris Roe.
Mr Roche previously served as treasurer of the Rotary Club of South Wagga Wagga, where he received a Club Service Award. He was first recognised as a Paul Harris Fellow in 2017 and has now received the Sapphire Pin, a further level of Paul Harris recognition within Rotary.
After leaving Rotary, he continued to support Circus Quirkus, an annual community circus event hosted in Wagga by the Rotary Club of South Wagga Wagga.
Circus Quirkus is a family-friendly, non-animal circus featuring performers including acrobats, jugglers and clowns. Rather than selling tickets to the public, local businesses sponsor tickets which are distributed free to families in need, including disadvantaged children and children with special needs and their carers.
The Wagga event has been running for many years, with the 2026 show held at The Range Function Centre in July.
Mr Roche’s message to young people is to get involved in their community and volunteer.
“Rotary is a great organisation to get involved when you’re young as you make some wonderful connections. I have made some great friends and have received great personal satisfaction in giving back to the community.”
