AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER - FROM MAYOR DAVIS

Published on 05 June 2025

An Open Letter to Canberra – When the Bush Pays for the City's Silence
Mayor Margot Davis has sent a letter to the Prime Minister, with copies also sent to NSW Senators, the Member for Northern Tablelands, and the Member for New England, calling for action to support rural communities like ours.

Council is asking the Federal Government to:

• Restore the full 1% of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) to local government by 30 June 2025
• Push for long-overdue structural reform that funds rural councils fairly and sustainably
• Prioritise mental health support and workplace protections for local councillors and council staff
• Acknowledge that the current Special Rate Variation (SRV) process is broken and damaging trust between councils and communities

“The cost of reaching financial sustainability isn’t just dollars and cents—it’s emotional. It divides councils and communities at a time when we need to come together,” Mayor Davis said.

 How you can support this initiative:

• Share Council's Facebook post. 
• Write to your state and federal representatives
• Add your voice to the call for fair funding

Council encourages the community to speak up. Restoring the 1% would help ease pressure on ratepayers and reduce the need for future SRVs.

Read the full letter here