United by common challenges, Country Mayors of NSW are standing together like never before according to the group’s new chairman.
The Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) held its Annual General Meeting at NSW Parliament House on Friday, with close to 150 in attendance.
Temora Shire Council mayor, Cr Rick Firman OAM was endorsed as Chairman of the CMA, unopposed, while Bega Valley Shire Mayor, Cr Russell Fitzpatrick narrowly won the vote for Deputy Chairman over Armidale Regional Council Mayor, Cr Sam Coupland.
More than 130 eligible voters selected seven candidates from a field of 13 for the Executive Board. Elected Mayors were Cr Phyllis Miller OAM (Forbes Shire Council), Cr Sam Coupland (Armidale Regional Council), Cr John Medcalf OAM (Lachlan Shire Council), Cr Sue Moore (Singleton Council), Cr Josh Black (Dubbo Regional Council), Cr Russell Webb (Tamworth Regional Council) and Cr Sharon Cadwallader (Ballina Shire Council).
The team will serve for a two-year term.
Mayor Firman was delighted with the outcome of the AGM.
“We have an ideal cross-section of our membership on our board, from small rural to larger regional councils, from remote inland to coastal Mayors.
Many Mayors attended the AGM with their General Manager or CEO and there were two votes per Council. There were no informal votes. The results were very close and a motion was passed that should a vacancy occur in the Board, eighth place would fill it and so on,” he said.
“I’m deeply honoured to have been elected as Chairman of CMA. I have large boots to fill, following on from former Mayors in Jamie Chaffey (Gunnedah), Ken Keith OAM (Parkes), Katrina Humphries (Moree Plains) and so on.
“I know our Executive Board and I will work hard alongside our members to advocate for the priorities which our membership so determines. Obviously, housing, rural crime, health, roads and transport, skills shortages, connectivity are among those serious issues we’ll be immersing ourselves in, alongside our Government and Opposition, to find potential solutions. Financial sustainability is the number one issue at present, which is a significant matter for us”, Mayor Firman added.
The new Chairman has been in local government since 2004, was elected Temora Shire Deputy Mayor in 2009, and being elevated as Mayor in 2012. Mayor Firman has served as Mayor since that time, as well as being the Chairman of the Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils (REROC) Board (serving since 2016), a Commissioner on the NSW Local Government Boundaries Commission (since 2016) and was appointed last year to the NSW Regional Health Ministerial Advisory Panel.
‘I love being involved with local government, and the people that make it up – past and present. In rural and regional Councils – in the main, we are not party political. We’ll work beside everyone and anyone, as we just want the very best outcomes for our respective communities that we hold so very dear – and we’re all willing to work hard to achieve that outcome’ Mayor Firman said.
Meanwhile, guest speakers at the meeting included NSW Opposition Leader and Liberal Leader, the Hon Mark Speakman MP, Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, the Hon Steve Whan MP and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, the Hon. Jenny Aitchison MP.
“We greatly appreciate our State Ministers and Shadow Ministers taking the time to communicate directly with our Country Mayors and we look forward to our Premier, The Hon. Chris Minns’ undertaking to be our special guest speaker, at a meeting in 2025.”
The night before the meeting, Country NSW Mayors came together for a special dinner with NSW Local Government Minister, the Hon Ron Hoenig MP. The Cellos Room at the Masonic Club was packed with 112 diners and was a classic scene for networking and camaraderie. “I want councils to be preferred employers of choice. I want to reverse the trend of outsourcing and sub-contracting in Local Government.
Council procurement and local, long-term jobs are too important for country communities,” Minister Hoenig said.
“The Minister gave a frank presentation and took questions, then took the time to meet our members.
He agreed with Country Mayors who are frustrated that accounting standards require non-realisable asset values to have depreciation costs and negative impacts on Councils’ financials, especially in relation to the Red Fleet issue (Rural Fire Service vehicles being on Councils’ books). He also agreed that Integrated Planning and Reporting Requirements are not appropriate and do not provide Councils with a useful management tool,” said Mayor Firman.
“We accept Minister Hoenig’s statement that unravelling the complex, in-place policies and practices is not a quick and easy fix, however, CMA members cannot continue accepting the status quo. It was pleasing to hear that the Minister has been working with the Auditor-General on the inexplicable depreciation burdens placed on our member Councils’, he added.
“Minister Hoenig has always been very generous with his time. He plays a straight bat with CMA, which is appreciated. We mightn’t always agree with everything our Minister does, however, CMA do believe he’s on our side’, Mayor Firman added.
‘We’re very excited about the term ahead. There’s a lot of work for us to do, however, we’re definitely up for the challenge’, Mayor Firman concluded. “Our meeting also endorsed Regional Development Australia Northern Inland’s Gary Fry in the role of CMA Secretariat for another 12 months and Temora Shire Council’s General Manager Melissa Boxall in the role of Secretary. We’ve got a great, dedicated team.”
The group has 87 rural and regional Councils as members five associate members.
