2 April 2026
Much needed time-out for a busy sector
I hope you’re all looking forward to taking a break over Easter, some much needed time out after a busy period for the sector.
Understandably, concerns around the supply and cost of fuel are dominating a lot of council work at the moment as we continue to provide much needed services and facilities to our communities.
Thank you to all those mayors and GMs who took part in our fuel security webinar on Wednesday. A summary of the discussion and the key asks is included below as well as an update on my meetings this week with the Treasurer, Minister Sharpe and Minister McBain.
There seems to be a constant stream of information and guidance coming from the Federal and State governments at the moment, but I wanted to alert you to two particular resources that have been provided:
LGNSW will keep our members updated and we look forward to your continued support and feedback as we advocate for the local government sector during these troubling times.
LGNSW Fuel Security Webinar
On Wednesday we had more than 60 councils represented at an online meeting of mayors and GMs to discuss the impacts of fuel shortages, particularly on waste collection services.
It was a great opportunity to hear first hand how uncertainty over supply of fuel, as well as the increase in costs of various products, material and equipment is already having an impact on councils, particularly in rural and regional NSW.
As well as the impact on waste services, concerns were raised over a range of other services, including the operating of council cemeteries and airports, the impact on community events and festivals, and the rising unpredicted cost of materials for ongoing projects, particularly regarding projects covered by Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
As a result of the meeting, I am calling on the State Government to use funds collected via the waste levy to subsidise any fuel cost increases being incurred by councils. As highlighted by some of the participants at our meeting, the pain of the current fuel shortage needs to be shared – it cannot and must not be borne solely by councils and our communities.
Other outcomes included organising an urgent meeting with senior representatives from the waste sector to jointly discuss responsible ways forward for communities, councils and waste service providers.
I will also be making representations to relevant authorities to look at ways of adjusting parameters around projects covered by Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and speaking with the EPA about reviewing regulations on landfill sites.
Again, thank you to those mayors and GMs who were able to join us and contribute.
Meetings with the State Treasurer and Minister Sharpe
Yesterday, I met with Penny Sharpe in her capacity as Minister for Energy, and then Daniel Mookhey, NSW Treasurer, reiterating in both meetings the need for the NSW Government to prioritise fuel supply for councils’ essential services.
Both Minister Sharpe and the Treasurer were receptive to our representations and, in particular, the Treasurer has requested that LGNSW collate information and data from our members about their experiences with fuel distribution issues.
We’re happy to assist the State Government by providing this information direct from councils on the ground so we will be in touch with you all early next week about how that information can be sent through.
I also thanked him for his ongoing work to reform the Emergency Services Levy. I again made it clear that the ESL must be removed from councils and insurance policies, and that as a State levy it should be collected by the NSW Government – not councils.
Meeting with Minister McBain
Our National peak body, ALGA, has also been busy on the issue of fuel security and facilitated a meeting with Minister Kristy McBain.
I conveyed to the Minister the issues around uncertainty over supply, and raised with her the need to review arrangements for projects funded by the DRFA. In her capacity as both Local Government Minister and Minister for Emergency Management and Regional Development, I’m hopeful she will commit to addressing these particular concerns.
Social Cohesion Grants and Templates for anti-racism strategies – Grants close 22 April
I was pleased to see recently that the State Government has released the NSW Local Government Anti-Racism Strategy Guidelines and a Template for councils wanting to roll out their own Anti-Racism strategy.
These resources are designed to support councils in collaborating with community to develop a tailored anti-racism strategy. Of course a strategy is not the end point, but it can lay some solid foundations and provide good guidance to an organisation.
As we all know, councils are already doing some incredible work in regards to community harmony and social cohesion. As we have seen in recent times, when that social cohesion is undermined, communities fracture and deep irreversible harm can be done.
I welcome the support from the State Government for councils in designing antiracism strategies and/or related strategies, particularly via a new grant opportunity aligned with the NSW Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government program.
Over the past five years, the highly successful NSW Social Cohesion Grants program has delivered almost $2 million to 21 local governments, aimed at providing practical tools to address local social cohesion challenges and foster inclusive, connected communities. I encourage you to take this opportunity to secure funding for your council.
Applications are now open and will close at 11:59pm on 22 April.
E-bike and e-scooter sharing scheme – consultation
Just a reminder that elected local government officials across NSW are invited to attend an in-person briefing on the E-micromobility Sharing Scheme Reforms, hosted by the Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Dr Marjorie O’Neill.
As you may recall, Transport for NSW is changing the way micromobility sharing schemes operate in NSW via the Road Transport and Other Legislation Amendment (Micromobility Vehicles and Smartcards) Bill 2025 .
These reforms will give new powers to Transport for NSW and local authorities to control minimum standards for operators and support the safe use of shared devices for communities.
Date: Monday 20 April 2026
Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm
Location: Theatrette (in-person), NSW Parliament House, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW
Please register to attend the in-person session
If you are unable to attend in-person, an online briefing for the Country Mayors Association of NSW will be hosted by Transport for NSW.
If you have any questions regarding the briefing, please email Transport for NSW at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Mayor Darcy Byrne
LGNSW President