Local roads funding remains a hot-button issue in the Snowy Monaro ahead of the September local government elections. Photo: Snowy Monaro Regional Council.
Roads, rates and rubbish will figure stronger than ever in voters’ minds as they head to voting booths across the Snowy Monaro on 14 September.
Sixty candidates have nominated themselves for the 11 councillor positions representing the 10 major urban areas and what lies between them in the 15,162 sqkm of local government area.
Community concerns sit primarily around the financial position of the regional council which formed on 12 May 2016 through a forced merger of the smaller Bombala, Cooma-Monaro and Snowy River shires.
Locals suggest that no better indication of that is the increasingly below par local roads, a 2647-km sealed and unsealed arterial network, the third highest figure for any council in NSW, which they say remain substandard.
Despite the council’s undertaking earlier this year a majority of funds raised through a special rate variation would be directed to some resealing and heavy patching work, there has been little joy for the concerns of rural residents who have been looking down the barrel of zero maintenance on low traffic and remote roads.
The heartland for all things snow and recreation, the region faces increasing land use pressures and is pegged for major tourism development, yet residents of the smaller communities of Berridale, Bombala and Adaminaby say they’re struggling to retain basic services including waste, mobile and outreach library services, pools, parks, cemeteries, weeds and water infrastructure maintenance with the more pedestrian issues of footpaths and safer road crossings also hitting council agendas.
Any hopes for a referendum seeking community opinion on a demerger were dashed by the failure of a May notice of motion by Councillor Bob Stewart, suggesting the question be put to the people on 14 September, with all but three councillors defeating it.
Individual candidates include Maree Stevenson (Jindabyne), Rachelle Edwards (Jindabyne), Lynley Miners (Adaminaby), Malcolm Bruce (Thredbo), Oliver Moran (Cooma), Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party representative Mathieu Nolte (Cooma), Barry Bridges (Chakola), Narelle Davis (Murrumbucca), current councillor Peter Beer (East Jindabyne), Vickie Pollard (Nimmitabel), current councillor Craig Mitchell (Countegany) and Bernie McDonald (Rock Flat).
Eight groups of candidates (Groups A-H) have also thrown their hats into the ring.
Group A, led by Colinton resident and incumbent councillor Luke Williamson, comprises seven candidates including Mick Newman (Cooma), Vele Civijovski (Countegany), Hamish Williamson (Colinton), Michael Freeman (Jerangle), Nicholas Kopievsky (Jindabyne) and Katherine Corbett (Cooma).
Their advertised platform is one of increasing transparency, prioritising community engagement, restoring community trust, focusing council spending back to essential services, spreading the rate burden by growing the population and housing levels and reassessing the draft Rural Land Use strategy.
Group B, led by Nimmitabel resident Andrew Thaler, is also a seven-candidate group and includes Charles Kolano (Dalgety), Nicolaas Luntungan (East Jindabyne), Michal Chotar (Cooma), Faye Simpson (Bombala), Allen Simpson (Bombala) and Kylie Paske (Cooma).
Mr Thaler has stated priorities that include cancellation of rate rises and debt collection, proper maintenance of roads, an end to wasteful spending, better transparency and community consultation, making service a priority, maintaining the mobile library truck and service and a demerger plebiscite.
Group C, is led by Cooma resident and incumbent councillor Christopher Hanna, who has served as mayor since October 2023, and consists of six candidates including current councillors Tricia Hopkins (Binjura) and Karlee Johnson (Cooma) in addition to Cindy Chawner (Binjura), Anne O’Leary (Jindabyne) and Guy Palframan (Shannons Flat).
Their platform is one of open and transparent communication, ensuring the financial sustainability of council, embracing diversity and fostering inclusivity, efficiency improvements and organisational reform and working together to see the Snowy Monaro region thrive.
Group D, consisting of three candidates, is led by Cooma man James Gilbert with Lionel Harris (Cooma) and David Chatterton (Numeralla) rounding out the ticket.
The Labor Party is fielding six candidates in Group E – led by Michelago resident, incumbent deputy mayor Tanya Higgins – including current councillor Lynda Summers (Cooma) plus Bill Walker (Cooma), Anthony Garvin (Cooma), Penny Judge (Craigie) and Kylie Phillips (East Jindabyne).
Their social media campaign has a stated focus of local road improvements and infrastructure upgrades, boosting transparency in relation to rural road upkeep and reducing reliance on external contractors by leveraging local expertise.
Group F is fielding six candidates, led by Reuben Rose of Beloka. He is supported by Chris Chan (Beloka), Sidonie Carpenter (Jindabyne), Stuart McKenzie (Jindabyne), Shawn Joynt (Jindabyne) and Jeremy Meeks (Hill Top).
They’re striving for better governance, fresh faces, review and restoration of council’s core functions and proposed expenditure, better accountability and transparency and no radical changes to rural land use.
The seven candidates in Group H are led by current councillor and former Bombala Shire Council mayor Bob Stewart of Bombala and include Nick Elliott (Jindabyne), Megan Downie (Delegate), Cathy Ingram (Bombala), Suzanne Bate (Bibbenluke), Richard Murphy (Bombala) and Michael Downie (Bombala).
Some of the candidates provide information about their credentials to run as councillors and what their priorities will be on the NSW Electoral Commission website.
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