Four more motions, making a total of eight, will be raised by Federation Council at the 2024 NSW Local Government Conference in Tamworth November 17-19.
Council resolved, at its latest monthly meeting, on October 22, on the motion of Crs Derek Schoen and David Bott that:
- Council calls on the NSW Electoral Commission to review the information and procedures for candidates nominating for Local Government Elections.
- Local Government NSW lobby the NSW State Government to adopt mirror legislation to prevent demonstrations as occurred on October 13, 2024 in Corowa from taking place.
- Local Government NSW lobby the NSW State Government to review the waste minimisation legislation in order to improve the situation for regional and rural landholders.
- Local Government NSW request the NSW State Government to not restrict real estate agents and developers from being councillors.
The above four motions are added to the previous motions agreed at the new council’s inaugural, extraordinary meeting on October 15.
- Federation Council wants quicker building approvals. It will request Local Government NSW to seek the NSW Government to continue to review the planning portal to ensure improvements can be made to ease the burdens on councils and developers.
- Council wants increased funding for telecommunications infrastructure, specifically mobile phone coverage in regional and rural areas, and partner strategically with councils, the Federal Government and Telco providers to ensure a more co-ordinated strategic rollout of improvements to connectivity.
- Council wants the state government to reinstate the Stronger Country Communities Funding Grant program and to increase funding for all councils.
- Funding for health infrastructure, based a strategic needs-based assessments, should also be increased according to Federation Council.
Federation Council resolved to also lobby the State Member in relation to the above.
All councillors agreed with the nine proposed motions, the latter four resulting from a report from council’s General Manager Adrian Butler.
“Council considers the motion in relation to legislation to restrict the recent racist march in Corowa to reflect the broader community views in opposition to this march, and that council also has had other feedback in relation to the electoral process and various suggested improvements,” Mr Butler said.
Council candidates expressed frustration at the application process, describing it as “a minefield”, “very time consuming” and causing “many choice words”.
In his support of the motions, Cr Pat Bourke said the proposed exclusion of real estate agents from being councillors would be discriminatory.
Mayor Cheryl Cook and deputy mayor Rowena Black will represent Federation Council at the Local Government NSW Conference, at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre.