Inner West Council Mayor, Darcy Byrne, has taken the reins as the new President of Local Government NSW (LGNSW), winning 66% of primary votes after a ballot of more than 400 delegates at the annual LGNSW conference today.
Mayor Byrne (pictured at the conference) will succeed outgoing president and Forbes Shire Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM, in leading the organisation and advocating for councils across the state.
As his top priorities, Mayor Byrne nominated ensuring that local government has a seat at the table and addressing the inequities faced by regional communities.
“I’m determined to make sure that the voices of Mayors and Councillors are heard and respected at all levels of government,” he said.
“In order to serve their local communities, councils need access to Ministers and decision-makers and as President of LGNSW it’s my responsibility to make that happen.
“Having spoken to Mayors and Councillors across the state, I have learnt a lot about the inequities that regional, rural and remote councils are struggling to overcome.
“I will be advocating alongside them for a fairer deal. Regional councils have enormous asset bases, limited revenue, and often have to take responsibility for providing health, aged care, and childcare services themselves.”
He said increased funding from the State and Federal Governments to regional, rural and remote councils was desperately needed for basic infrastructure like sewerage, water, and roads, that urban communities take for granted.
“LGNSW is a non-partisan organisation responsible for advocating on behalf of every council and I am looking forward to working with all local representatives to lift up the status of our sector.”
Under the Rules of LGNSW as a registered organisation, the role of President is elected by members every two years at the Annual Conference. The role alternates between an elected representative of a rural/regional council and an elected representative of a metropolitan council.
The role of President is to represent the interests of local government, to speak on behalf of the sector and to work collaboratively with State and Federal leaders to achieve the best outcomes for councils and their communities.
Mayor Byrne went on to acknowledge the work of the outgoing President.
“I want to thank Phyllis Miller for her incredible work and her passionate dedication to the local government sector.”
“Alongside our previous President Councillor Darriea Turley AM, they ensured that the State and Federal governments were held to account and that LGSNW presented a strong and united voice on behalf of all councils,” he said.
