Thanks to the Nyngan Junior Rugby League team for a top breakfast. Our Ambassador, Dr Clio Cresswell really enjoyed her time in Nyngan, particularly the yabbie races at the Bowling Club, and helping the local band.  

Appreciation is extended to the members of local organisations who set up information stalls in the hall as part of Neighbour Day. We need to do more next year to invite and encourage new residents to the town to attend the celebrations and become more locally involved. 

Thank you to the High School students who led our National Anthem, Rev Jo and Lesly, and the members of Council staff who prepared and decorated the hall and organised what from all reports seemed to be a very enjoyable morning. It is always good to welcome some new Australian citizens on Australia Day.  

Some substantial changes have occurred to Ministers in portfolios that effect Rural Councils like ours with new Premier Gladys Berejiklian State Cabinet reshuffle. 

Our new Local Government Minister is the Liberal Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton. Her state seat is right in the middle of three Councils fighting forced amalgamations. There are also new Ministers for Roads, Tourism, Health and Education with Deputy Premier John Barilaro promising stronger action by the State National Party, including stopping the forced Council amalgamations that are currently fighting the action in Court.

The whole Fit for the Future process, even though it took a lot of staff time, was probably not a bad exercise as it made Councils have a good look at their performance, service delivery, financial management and planning. However, Council mergers can only be successful if they have the necessary community support and are driven from the bottom up, not forced from the top down as the former Premier Baird did.

The number of Councils in the state, 152, needed to be reduced, with most city ratepayers probably not concerned what Council they are in as long as they have good services provided. It is different in rural and regional areas.

Hopefully the new Local Government Minister will work with Councils, not against them, and help us to fund and deliver the services we are responsible for, and increase funding for repairs and maintenance to our rural roads. The State and Federal National Party and local members need to promote the necessary action to ensure our Bush Mobile Service remains the same and is not changed to a Day Care model which would destroy it for isolated families. Also, work to have our local Rural Counsellor retained for another two years after June, exclude March from Daylight Saving and amend the flood damage repair criteria so that initial grader repairs by local Council staff is claimable.