The demands will be submitted as motions at the Local Government NSW Annual Conference in November by Mayor John Harvie and Cr Joy Allan.
If adopted, they will help inform the peak body’s advocacy and policy priorities.
Cr Harvie used a mayoral minute to propose an initial five motions, which were moved by Cr Gary Pappin and seconded by Cr Geoff Wise.
During the debate, Deputy Mayor Neil Gorey raised additional concerns about how potential changes to short-term visa rules could impact the region, saying a number of organisations relied on the workers to function and council should be treating the issue with urgency.
“The (Federal) Government is quick to seem like they’re nutting out the deficiencies in the present visa system,” Cr Gorey said.
“They’re starting to send a lot of people home, they’re restricting visas coming into the country.
“But the problem is they haven’t come up with an alternative.
“We’ve really got to highlight this issue, not just for the people (affected) but for our local economy.”
Cr Gorey’s worries were echoed by several other members of council, including Cr Harvie, who warned the changes could affect everywhere from council water plants to the Moama Bowls Club.
The deputy mayor’s additional motion was accepted, and all six proposed motions received near-unanimous support.
The motions will ask LGNSW to call on the state government to:
(1) Carefully consider any further impacts and implications new or revised legislation may have on licensed, law-abiding firearms owners and primary producers in rural, regional and remote communities.
(2) Remove the requirement for development application (planning approval) for single dwellings and associated outbuildings on suitably zoned residential land
(3) Increase investment to rural and regional councils’ water and wastewater infrastructure through reinvestment in the Safe and Secure Water Program
(4) Reverse its decision to close the Riverina Domestic Firewood Collection Programme in the Murray and Murrumbidgee Valley national parks.
(5) Increase investment to councils for the construction of local enabling transport and community infrastructure and utilities critical to supporting national and state housing targets
(6) Lobby the Australian government to ensure adequate seasonal workforce visas are available to address the need of primary producers, hospitality and health industries across NSW communities.
