Cowra's voice on state stage

Cowra's interests will be firmly in focus at one of the state's most significant local government gatherings, with councillors highlighting the importance of ensuring regional communities have a voice in decisions shaping the sector's future. Cowra Council has officially endorsed Mayor Paul Smith and Deputy Mayor Cheryl Downing as its two voting delegates for the 2026 Local Government NSW Annual Conference, continuing its established practice of appointing the mayor and deputy mayor to represent the council. The upcoming Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Annual Conference, scheduled for 22 to 24 November in Wollongong, will bring together representatives from councils across the state to debate motions and determine key policy priorities. During discussions about Cowra Council's voting delegates, Councillor Peter Wright encouraged those attending to remain confident in their positions and ensure their decisions reflected the interests of Cowra and the surrounding region. "I hope that with what you support, you don't give up, and what you do support is for the benefit of Cowra Council as well as the region around us," Cr Wright said. His comments came as councillors considered a recommendation to endorse Mayor Paul Smith and Deputy Mayor Cheryl Downing as Cowra's two voting delegates for the conference. The annual gathering is regarded as the principal policy making event for the NSW local government sector, providing an opportunity for councils to influence the direction of the organisation and contribute to discussions about issues affecting communities across the state. Delegates attending the conference will consider and vote on motions that help determine LGNSW's policies and priorities, with the outcomes informing the organisation's broader advocacy on behalf of councils. For Cowra, participation offers an opportunity to contribute to statewide discussions and ensure the experiences and priorities of regional communities are considered when decisions are made. While the conference brings together representatives from councils of varying sizes and locations, each delegation has an opportunity to contribute to discussions about the future of local government. Cr Wright's remarks reflected the importance of approaching those discussions with confidence and maintaining a clear focus on the interests of the communities councillors represent. He also encouraged Cowra's delegates not to be intimidated by the "more polished so-called city councillors". Rather than allowing differences in council size or resources to influence their participation, his comments reinforced the importance of standing by positions that would benefit Cowra and the wider region. The discussion formed part of a report prepared by Cowra Council General Manager Paul Devery, which recommended continuing the established practice of appointing the mayor and deputy mayor as the council's official voting delegates. Under LGNSW conference arrangements, Cowra Council is allocated two voting delegates, who are responsible for casting the council's votes on motions considered during the event. Although other councillors can attend and participate in conference activities, only those formally nominated as voting delegates can exercise the council's allocated votes. According to the report, five Cowra councillors had registered to attend the 2026 conference. They included Cr Smith, Cr Downing, Cr Nikki Kiss OAM, Cr Tony Horton and Cr Erin Watt. The report identified the mayor and deputy mayor as the logical choices for the voting positions, noting that councillors attending the conference would have opportunities to discuss motions before votes were cast. This would allow the broader Cowra delegation to share perspectives and consider the implications of proposed policies before the council's official votes were submitted. Cr Watt expressed support for maintaining the existing arrangement, saying it was appropriate for the mayor and deputy mayor to continue representing Cowra in the formal voting process. "As we've already talked about, the Local Government New South Wales Annual Conference is coming up next month, and this suggests we can continue our existing precedent of having our mayor and deputy mayor represent us there," Cr Watt said. "So I'm very happy to support that." Cr Downing also confirmed her willingness to take on the responsibility. "Just to say, happy to represent the council," she said. The conference provides an important opportunity for councils to exchange ideas, consider common challenges and contribute to discussions about how local government operates and is governed. For regional communities, participation in these discussions can help ensure that policies and advocacy priorities reflect the diverse circumstances of councils operating outside major population centres. While councils across NSW share many responsibilities, the circumstances facing regional communities can differ considerably depending on their population, geography and available resources. Having representatives involved in statewide policy discussions provides an avenue for those perspectives to be considered alongside the experiences of larger councils. Cowra's participation also allows its representatives to engage with councillors from other areas, exchange ideas and consider approaches that may be relevant to the local community. With the annual conference approaching, the discussion highlighted the importance councillors place on ensuring Cowra is represented in decisions affecting the future direction of local government. As representatives from across NSW gather in Wollongong later this month, Cowra's councillors will have an opportunity to contribute to the conversations and policy debates that help shape the sector.