November 2025 Mayor's Message
Published on 21 November 2025
In my August Mayor’s Message I shared with you a summary of my opening remarks for Regional Development Australia Murray’s industry roundtable held in Tocumwal that month. In those remarks I highlighted a number of challenges for our community and the need to get attention within government.
I am pleased to say that since that time I have spent considerable time on the road and have been successful in securing critical meetings in both Canberra and Sydney advocating on key issues that concern our community.
In October, I visited the Leader of the Opposition and Member for Farrer, the Hon. Sussan Ley in her office at Australian Parliament House. I also had the opportunity to meet with Senator Deborah O’Neill, Senator for NSW. I raised with both a number of issues concerning Berrigan Shire including water buybacks and digital connectivity.
Later in October, Councillor Renee Brooker and I had the opportunity to meet with the Minister for Environment and Water’s office to discuss our concerns regarding the Murray Darling Basin Plan and the impact of water buybacks on our community and how they can be addressed, including through the $160 million Sustainable Communities Program. This meeting was followed this month with a meeting with Minister Tara Moriarty at Parliament House in Sydney to discuss the Sustainable Communities Program (which is being administered at state level) and how we consider this fund should be managed. It is our understanding that applications for the next round of funding is likely to occur soon.
Some of you will be aware that there is a current inquiry being conducted by the NSW state government regarding a proposal from the MP for Murray, Helen Dalton to split the Murrumbidgee Local Health District. As you are all no doubt aware, I have been a long time advocate for equitable health services in our community. I have spent a long time knocking on doors and was pleased to meet with the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Regional Health, Dr Michael Holland. I raised a number of concerns including the absence of an ambulance station in Tocumwal and CT scanners and dialysis machines in Berrigan Shire. I explained to Dr Holland that the health inequity we experience in Berrigan Shire is not simply about the city/country divide and that, indeed, there is inequity within the Murrumbidgee Local Health District itself. Council will be making a submission to this inquiry and I encourage all of you to consider doing the same. Submissions close on 19 December 2025.
As I write this Mayor’s message I have received an invitation to return to Canberra during the last sitting days of the year to meet with the Communication Minister’s Office. This is an opportunity to advocate for improvement to our mobile services, particularly during the peak tourism periods. I am heartened that the government has committed to a Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation and I will use this opportunity to provide feedback on that draft legislation and the urgency with which we need action.
I am pleased that we are gaining traction getting the views of Berrigan Shire heard. However, I am well aware that we need to continue to keep the pressure on. As we do, we will be sure to keep you, our community, informed.