Five Southern NSW Councils have joined forces to host a Southern NSW Drought Summit, creating a vital opportunity for farmers, industry leaders, local governments, and policymakers to come together in response to worsening drought conditions across the region.
The summit will take place online via Zoom at 12noon on Monday, 4 August, and is a collaborative initiative of Greater Hume, Snowy Valleys, Wagga Wagga City, Cootamundra Gundagai, and Yass Valley Councils.
The summit will feature direct contributions from producers and regional leaders, alongside invited NSW Government and Shadow Ministers with portfolios in agriculture, water, emergency services, and regional development.
“We are calling this summit because the drought is escalating, and the people experiencing it need to be heard,” said Mayor Lea Parker. “This is about solutions, not slogans — and hearing directly from the ground up.”
Key objectives of the summit include: Communicating the real-time impacts of the drought on livestock production,
infrastructure, and community wellbeing; • Challenging current policy settings, including calls to recognise drought as a natural
disaster; Advocating for urgent measures such as freight subsidies, LLS rate relief, and a review
of the Future Drought Fund; Launching a Regional Drought Taskforce to maintain momentum and coordinate future
advocacy.
The event is an invitation to, producers, Councillors, MPs, industry representatives, and peak bodies who are encouraged to register their interest via executive@greaterhume.nsw.gov.au.
“This is a pivotal moment for Southern NSW. We have strong local leadership and the lived experience—now we need the political will to act,” said Mayor Parker.
Event Details:
Date: Monday, 4 August
Time: 12noon to 1.30pm
Location: Zoom (link provided upon registration)
Contact: executive@greaterhume.nsw.gov.au to express interest
