From the Mayor - October 2026

Published on 23 September 2026

As your Mayor, one of my most important responsibilities is ensuring the voices of our community are heard, particularly when major projects have the potential to affect local residents and businesses.

At Council's September Ordinary Meeting, Councillors endorsed a Mayoral Minute calling for stronger protections and clearer commitments for residents who may be impacted by infrastructure associated with the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).

Council will advocate directly to EnergyCo on behalf of affected residents, seeking property-specific mitigation measures and greater transparency around potential impacts.

While we recognise the significance of renewable energy projects to our region and the broader state, it is equally important that local people are treated fairly and have confidence that their concerns are being properly addressed.

Residents living near planned infrastructure and construction routes deserve clear information about what impacts may occur, what measures will be put in place to reduce those impacts, and who will be responsible for delivering and maintaining those measures.

Council will be advocating for Environmental Impact Statements to include appropriate noise mitigation and visual screening where required, along with other measures that help protect residents' amenity, safety and quality of life. We will also continue encouraging project proponents to engage openly and constructively with affected landholders.

As always, Council remains committed to representing the interests of our community and ensuring that local concerns are heard at every stage of the planning process.

Warm regards,
Mayor Robert Bell