The Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) has expressed congratulations to recently re-elected Prime Minister, The Hon Anthony Albanese MP and his Labor Government, together with optimism that their ‘new chapter’ will be one of greater investment in rural, regional and remote communities by restoring funding to their Councils.

“On behalf of our CMA Board, together with our 92 rural, regional and remote Members, I extend our congratulations to our Prime Minister, Mr Albanese and his Government on their strong Federal election victory.  I’ve met our Prime Minister when he was the Federal Minister for Infrastructure & Transport, and can say, hand on heart – he’s a very decent man”, CMA Chairman and Temora Shire Mayor Rick Firman OAM said.

“The Prime Minister obviously ran a successful campaign, with the majority of Australians making it clear who they wish to govern. The CMA is keen for improved communication and collaboration with Mr Albanese, and his Government. Successive Governments have gradually reduced their investment in the grassroots services and infrastructure that councils provide for the communities they represent. This is  a major cause of substantial rate increases – necessary for a Council to remain in the black but hard on ratepayers’ hip pockets. Working together, we can ensure that the Federal Government recognises it is imperative that for remote, rural and regional communities to have anything that resembles equity of access, direct funding to councils must increase.

“To this end, the CMA will continue our lobbying and advocacy, alongside Local Government NSW and the Australian Local Government Association, for the crucial restoration of the Financial Assistance Grants back to 1% of total Commonwealth Taxation revenue.   We are the third tier of government, therefore it is only fair that we receive an appropriate share of the taxation revenues collected by the Federal Government. We need our Government to address its falling investment in Local Government. Costs have sky-rocketed and our funding has halved, this has created particularly dire consequences for many councils located in rural and remote locations where residents expect us to step in and fill service  and facilities gaps in areas like childcare, health and aged care, that are easily found in metro locations . Through investing in Local Government the re-elected Prime Minister and his team will support the delivery of grassroots services and infrastructure for every person living in Australia. Local Government is government at the coalface and that coalface is found in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote Australia,” Mayor Firman added.

“The CMA Board and Members also acknowledge the Opposition Leader, the Hon Peter Dutton MP.  His gracious concession speech was warm and sincere. We thank Mr Dutton for his long service to the Australian people. We wish him well as he commences his new chapter, post Federal Politics.” The also CMA applauded its immediate past Chairman, Jamie Chaffey of Gunnedah, on his thumping election victory in the seat of Parkes. “Our CMA Board and all our members are extremely proud of Mr Chaffey. We wish him all the very best in this significant role he’s been entrusted with. We know he’ll do an outstanding job for his constituents and for remote, rural and regional Australia,” Mayor Firman said.