General News
30 June, 2025
“Not a lot to be excited about” Country Mayors Association says of NSW Budget
The Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA), which represents 87 member councils and five associate members, says there’s not a lot to be excited about for rural, regional, and remote councils in the state budget.
The peak body for most of the state’s local government areas outside metro regions has described the NSW Government budget, handed down recently, as a “reactionary budget that is fiscally responsible in a time when investment in the regions is needed".
CMA chairman and Temora Shire Council mayor, Rick Firman OAM, said country councils have not been able to recover from catastrophic disasters before experiencing new ones, creating further issues for recovery and rebuilding.
“The $4.2 billion in the budget for disaster relief, with room for that to grow in response to need, is greatly appreciated by our board country mayors,’ mayor Firman said.
“Since the 2019/20 fires, disaster relief and recovery costs in NSW have increased by 1000 per cent,” he explained.
“Unprecedented disasters have hit all three tiers of government in Australia in their hip pockets. We must acknowledge the impact of that.
“However, as our members recover from disasters and work to restore momentum in their economies, there appears to be little to support that in the budget.”
Cost of living, policing and health spending is also on the minds of country mayors, as is the financial sustainability of rural, regional, and remote councils which are often major employers in their communities.
“We would've liked to have seen something in the budget to assist [with financial sustainability of councils],” mayor Firman added.
Country mayors are pleased with the news of $472.9 million to improve the biodiversity offset scheme, and a promise by the environment minister Penny Sharpe to workshop the latter with the CMA in August, mayor Firman said, but want to know how the funds will be spent.
However, the CMA is unimpressed with largely Sydney-centric measures in relation to housing, cost of living, and rural health, reminding the government that these issues are magnified in the bush.
“The cost of living and particularly the cost of housing in Sydney are generally the highest in Australia. Yet, when it comes to the housing shortage, the crisis is often even worse in our rural, regional and remote communities,” mayor Firman said.
“There are housing investment incentives in the budget, such as the innovative pre-sale guarantee initiative, which are largely Sydney-centric,” he added.
“The actual facts and figures in the budget for significant health spending was overwhelmingly in Sydney, which is disappointing. We are grateful for what has been allocated but all we continue to ask for is our fair share,” he said.
“Overall, not a lot for the CMA in the 2025-26 NSW budget to be excited about. However, we continue to advocate for equity for rural, regional and remote communities in the state,” mayor Firman concluded.
