Message from the Mayor - Sep 2026

Published on 25 August 2026

One of the biggest challenges facing rural councils across Australia is ensuring we can continue to provide the infrastructure and services our communities rely on while managing rising costs and increasing responsibilities.

That is why I welcome the Australian Government's recent announcement of a proposed Federation Compact with Local Government, which recognises the growing financial sustainability challenges facing councils and commits to strengthening support for the sector.

The Compact includes several important commitments, including ongoing annual increases to Financial Assistance Grants, greater flexibility in the use of Roads to Recovery funding, expanded apprenticeship opportunities in local government, and additional support to improve outcomes in housing, planning, emergency management and aged care.

For Uralla Shire, these commitments are particularly significant. We maintain approximately 924 kilometres of road network across more than 3,200 square kilometres, while serving a population of around 6,000 people. Like many rural councils, we face increasing costs associated with maintaining roads and other essential infrastructure, alongside the challenge of funding services for a growing and changing community.

The need for stronger support from higher levels of government is reflected in a number of issues currently facing our Shire. Recently, Council advocated for improvements to the proposed Disaster Recovery Funding Framework, drawing on lessons from last year's major snow event and highlighting the challenges regional councils face when responding to and recovering from natural disasters. Communities should not be left waiting for certainty when critical infrastructure and essential services are affected.

We are also continuing to work with neighbouring councils and government agencies to explore long-term regional water security solutions. Access to reliable water supplies is fundamental to the future growth and resilience of our communities, and investment in this area will remain a key priority for Council.

At the same time, Council is planning for the future through initiatives such as the Growth Management Strategy. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to provide feedback during the recent exhibition period. The strong level of community participation demonstrates how much people care about the future of our towns, villages and rural areas, and your feedback will help shape the next stages of this important work.

The proposed Federation Compact represents an important opportunity to build a stronger partnership between local, state and federal governments. It recognises that councils are at the forefront of delivering essential services, maintaining infrastructure, supporting communities during emergencies and planning for future growth.

Council will be writing to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Catherine King MP, to welcome this commitment and encourage the Australian Government to work closely with the local government sector to progress the Compact as a priority.

Securing the long-term sustainability of local government is not just about supporting councils; it is about ensuring communities like Uralla continue to have safe roads, reliable infrastructure, secure water supplies and the services needed to remain strong, resilient and prosperous into the future.

Warm Regards,
Mayor Robert Bell