The May meeting of the Country Mayors Association (CMA) hosted the NSW Premier Chris Minns who spoke briefly and then opened the floor to questions without notice. His frank and open engagement with the 150 mayors and general managers in attendance was praised by those in attendance. Chairman of the CMA and Temora Shire Council mayor Rick Firman said that the members appreciated the willingness of the Premier to answer questions without notice from the floor, with his frank “pull no punches” responses was welcomed the attendees. “This is a Premier, who (as he says) was Sydney born and bred, however he has shown, we believe, a genuine commitment to be Premier for all of NSW,” Cr Firman said. “The CMA has seen this firsthand in his willingness to establish in partnership with the CMA the Premier’s Rural, Remote and Regional Advisory Council (PRRRAC) and we’ve seen it reinforced through his earnest engagement with country-based mayors and general managers. Cr Firman kicked off the Question and Answer session seeking Premier Minns’ reaction to the CMA’s ‘Invest In Us’ campaign to raise awareness of the vital work of councils creating the communities that we all live in, from parks and sporting fields to libraries, art galleries, museums and of course roads, bridges and footpaths. The campaign aims to restore the Federal Government’s Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) to one per cent of national taxation revenue. “I am and always have been in favour of the one per cent. That would be money well spent,” Mr Minns said. “It was not a one-way street, with Premier Minns also seeking support from Country Mayors,” Cr Firman said. Mr Minns said he needed the help and support of the CMA in addressing the appallingly inequitable GST distribution “We need a statewide campaign,” Mr Minns said. “We (in NSW) now receive 83c for every dollar we send to Canberra. Victoria receives $1.07 - an additional $1.5 billion. The WA Government is rolling cash.” The CMA has lodged a submission with the Productivity Commission addressing the inequities with the current GST distribution methodology, which results in NSW, the state with the largest dispersed population in Australia not receiving its fair share. Other issues raised to the Premier included questions on the Great Western Highway closure and its impact on local businesses, drought, rural health services, emergency services staffing arrangements, mobile phone coverage and councillor remuneration. The cessation of the Inland Rail was also raised with the Premier, who expressed his concerns about the proportionately small quantum of the national spend on infrastructure that is going to NSW. “On behalf of the CMA Board and our 89 Members, I thank our Premier, for on-going engagement with the CMA board and our members,” Cr Firman said. “We need our Premier’s strong, ongoing support to ensure financial sustainability of our NSW rural, remote and regional Councils – it’s at a critical situation as the status quo cannot continue – and we believe our Premier has heard this loudly and clearly.”
