Mayor column: with Cr John Harvie

Published on 25 September 2025

Council's CEO, Stacy Williams and I catch up regularly with our local state representative Member for Murray, Helen Dalton MP and her staff to discuss matters affecting or of interest to Murray River residents. Here are a few of the responses that Helen has been able to solicit on our behalf recently:

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces: Designation of State Growth Centres or Priority Growth Areas – Moama.

1. Does the Government have a policy framework for designating State Growth Centres or Priority Growth Areas in regional New South Wales?

2. What specific criteria—such as population growth, housing demand, infrastructure capacity or economic development—must a regional town meet to be considered for designation as a Growth Centre?

3. Has the Government assessed Moama against these criteria?

4. If not, why has Moama not been considered for designation as a regional Growth Centre, given sustained growth in population and housing demand?

Answer: The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is currently reviewing the strategic planning framework for NSW. An outcome of this review will be updates to existing regional plans, including the Riverina Murray Regional Plan 2041. The updated regional plans will draw from robust evidence bases and assist with identifying strategic growth locations across regional NSW.

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, and Minister for the Hunter: Mathoura Police Station.

Q. Has the Government commenced planning, procurement, or site works for a replacement or refurbishment of the Mathoura Police Station?

A. No 

Q. What funding has been allocated in the 2024–25 or 2025–26 New South Wales Budgets—or included in the forward estimates—for constructing, refurbishing, or servicing a police station in Mathoura?

A. Mathoura Police Station has been tentatively included for minor upgrades as part of the Minor Works Program in the 2026-27 financial year, should the budget allocation permit. No funding was allocated in financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Q. What steps has the Government taken to consider the use of a transportable police station in Mathoura, in response to the closure of the existing premises?

A. A modular police station at Mathoura will be considered within any future budget allocation.

Look out for my next column to find out the answers to other questions put forward on your behalf. A big thank you to Helen Dalton MP, Member for Murray, for her assistance with these and other matters.