Mayor column: with Cr John Harvie

Published on 02 July 2026

Did you know that Murray River Council has more than 3,400 kilometres of roads? To put that into perspective, that's roughly the distance from Melbourne to Perth.

We also maintain 121 bridges, 322 buildings, and more than 17 square kilometres of community, operational and Crown land across our municipality.

Behind the scenes, Council manages essential infrastructure that many of us rarely think about until something goes wrong. This includes: 270 kilometres of filtered water mains, 148 kilometres of raw water mains, 22 water pump stations, 7 water treatment plants, 206 kilometres of sewer mains, 77 sewer pump stations, 8 sewer treatment plants, 118 kilometres of stormwater pipes, 39 stormwater pump stations ans thousands of sewer manholes and stormwater pits.

And while we are home to approximately 15,000 residents, spread across a vast geographic area, our responsibilities extend across every corner of the municipality. Around 60 per cent of our population lives in Moama, but that represents only a small portion of the land area Council services and maintains.

What many people may not realise is that rates and annual charges account for only around 36 per cent of Council's income. The remainder comes from grants, user charges and other revenue sources that help us maintain and renew the infrastructure and services our communities rely on.

This is why discussions around local government funding are so important.

Councils across Australia are increasingly being asked to deliver more services and meet additional compliance requirements, often without corresponding funding from other levels of government. This cost shifting places increasing pressure on local councils and, ultimately, local ratepayers.

The challenge is simple: when costs continue to rise but funding does not keep pace, councils are left with difficult decisions.

Like many councils, Murray River Council is committed to maintaining the services and infrastructure our communities expect while keeping rates as affordable as possible. However, without fair and sustainable funding arrangements from other levels of government, that task becomes increasingly difficult. When we advocate for funding, challenge cost shifting or call for a fairer share of government investment, it isn't about politics. It's about ensuring we can continue to maintain roads, deliver reliable water and sewer services, care for community assets and support the quality of life that makes our region such a great place to live.

The next time you drive on a local road, turn on the tap, visit a community facility or enjoy one of our parks and reserves, remember that there's a significant network of infrastructure and services operating behind the scenes….and local staff working every day to keep it all running.

That's why sustainable funding for local government matters to every resident.