Tamworth councillors are heading to Canberra to deliver a laundry list of regional issues at one of the biggest local government conferences in Australia.
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Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) agreed in March to submit nine motions to the 2024 National General Assembly of Local Government (NGA), three times the number Tamworth submitted last year.
The motions include calling on the Australian Government to:
- Increase funding for recycling
- Start an education campaign about water recycling and provide a framework for the approval of water recycling projects
- Urgently address the shortfall in Financial Assistance Grants for road funding
- Provide more funding for essential infrastructure required for new housing in rural and regional areas
- Exempt the proceeds from the sale of a family home from inclusion in the pension asset test
- Add mental health nurses to the Medicare Rebate system
- Give insurance subsidies to "regionally significant" events
- Provide funding for local government pounds to de-sex adoptable cats
- Fund the first 12 months of wages for apprenticeships and traineeships and 50% reimbursement thereafter until their training is complete in all Local Governments throughout Australia
TRC sent mayor Russell Webb, deputy mayor Judy Coates, councillor Phil Betts and councillor Marc Sutherland to Canberra to attend the assembly from July 2 to July 4, 2024.
"It's a good opportunity for us to get a feel for what's going on across the country. Especially at the moment with our Special Rate Variation and the increase in rates, it's a good time to find out what's happening with other councils," Cr Coates told the Leader from Canberra.
"I can tell you our council is not much different to a lot of others in terms of what's happening with that."
After approving the 18.5 per cent rate rise for the 2024/25 financial year, Cr Webb said he predicts many councils across NSW will apply for even bigger special rate variations once they're safe from re-election after September.
As for the motions councillors are taking to the assembly, Tamworth's deputy mayor says she sees the first four as the most important since they cover local government's traditional purview of roads, rates and rubbish.
"Financial Assistance Grants are essential for all regional councils, and [motion four] adds on to that to provide more funding for essential infrastructure around housing," Cr Coates said.
"Those kinds of things are core council business."
Cr Coates also said the TRC delegation will be looking for opportunities to speak directly with Australian Government ministers to bring the concerns of the Tamworth community straight to the top.
Jonathan Hawes
Originally from Austin, TX. "I wasn't born in Tamworth but I got here as soon as I could!" Jonathan covers a little bit of everything, but his main priorities are Tamworth Regional Council, Business, and Property. Send story tips to Jonathan via jonathan.hawes@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Originally from Austin, TX. "I wasn't born in Tamworth but I got here as soon as I could!" Jonathan covers a little bit of everything, but his main priorities are Tamworth Regional Council, Business, and Property. Send story tips to Jonathan via jonathan.hawes@austcommunitymedia.com.au
