Country Mayors Statement

In November 2023, the Chairman of the Country Mayors Association, Cr Jamie Chaffey released a statement about the impact of escalating costs and cost-shifting on local government.

An extract of the statement is included below, and the statement in full can be read in the Document Library.

"Local government, the level of government closest to communities across New South Wales and Australia, is drowning under a wave of escalating costs, cost-shifting by state and federal governments, increasing responsibilities and ageing infrastructure.

People across New South Wales rely on their Councils to provide a clean water supply, remove their waste, provide and look after their local roads, assist in planning, provide airport facilities, cultural and community facilities, sporting fields, walking tracks, swimming pools, tourism and economic facilities, and so much more.

And yet the support, resources and funding available to local government is rapidly shrinking. Councils are having to take action to find the funds they need to continue to provide services through the only avenue left available to them – special rate variations."