I have just returned from two excellent local government conferences.
The first one was the ALGWA Conference (Australian Local Government Women's Association) held in Griffith.
The conference aimed to unite and inspire women in local government by encouraging women to embrace fresh ideas and innovative approaches to leadership.
In today's evolving landscape, inspiration is vital for personal and professional growth.
The conference provided a great platform for relationship building – both with women who have spent many years in local government and with younger women paving a new path; women who will be shaping the future of local government.
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The past three days were spent in Albury at the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Water Management Conference, which included in-depth discussions, knowledge-sharing, and on-the-ground learning about all things water – including some of the most pressing challenges facing local water utilities (LWUs) and the communities they serve.
Key topics of discussion included the need for appropriate funding and regulatory reform for local government-owned water and sewerage services in rural and regional NSW.
Other areas of focus included the risks posed by ageing infrastructure, PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) contamination, drought preparedness, flood recovery, the need for skilled resourcing, and the impacts of climate change.
LGNSW President and Forbes Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM, addressing the 200 delegates, said the conference underscored the critical role of local government in ensuring the provision of reliable water resources for communities across the state.
“Councils are at the frontline of ensuring safe, sustainable and affordable water services for our communities. There are 89 council-owned LWUs across 700,000 square kilometres of NSW, collectively serving a population of 1.85 million people in 890,000 homes and businesses. Councils want to deliver safe, secure and affordable water for all of NSW, but duplicative reporting and planning obligations are getting in the way. Resources are being unnecessarily diverted into regulatory reporting that adds little value. We need regulatory reform, certainty of funding, and a real commitment to risk-based management - not merely ‘rinse and repeat’. We also need to ensure that the state’s LWUs remain in local government hands."
She called on the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to continue the Safe and Secure Water Program and Town Water Risk Reduction Program beyond 2028.
These programs should be co-designed with LWUs to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
She also emphasised that ageing infrastructure remains a critical risk, with the capital investment backlog already exceeding $5 billion.
“This figure could be far higher once new risks are factored in. Councils need funding security from the State Government in order to upgrade and replace this infrastructure,” she said.
Water Information Evenings for Harden and Boorowa will be held in October - dates to be advised.
And, of course, a reminder that our Hilltops Festivals are just around the corner with the Boorowa Woolfest on the October Long Weekend, followed by the Harden Kite Festival and finally the Young Cherry Festival in December.
"Be like Water." - Bruce Lee
Councillor Joanne Mackay
