A delegation from the Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) had an intensive series of meetings with Australian Government and Opposition representatives in Canberra last week, with a focus on improving awareness of the financial plight of rural, regional and remote Councils and the dire need to improve Federal Financial Assistance Grants to support sky-rocketing operating costs.

The CMA delegation included Chairman and Temora Shire Mayor Rick Firman OAM, Deputy Chairman and Bega Valley Shire Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick, plus Executive Board Member and Tamworth Regional Council Mayor Russell Webb.

They met with the Federal Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, the Hon Kristy McBain MP; two senior advisors for Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Murray Watt; Shadow Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Resources, the Hon. Jamie Chaffey MP; Riverina MP, the Hon Michael McCormack; Federal Nationals Leader the Hon David Littleproud MP; and Shadow Federal Local Government Minister the Hon Dr Anne Webster.

“We appreciated a warm welcome from all who we met with in Canberra,” Mayor Firman said.

“We do need to keeping educating in that direction. Rural, regional and remote Councils in NSW need more untied funding support for their general operating expenses – it’s that simple but appreciated to varying degrees by those who we met with. Of course, country mayors value a funding program like Roads to Recovery but project-based funding grants do not help councils to pay their bills.”

The trio representing NSW Country Mayors were not just lobbying in their interests in Parliament House, they were also in the corridors of power to support Mr. Chaffey.

This article appeared in Narrandera Argus, 7 August 2025.