Monday, 11 December 2017
MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall has congratulated Inverell Shire Council Mayor Paul Harmon on his election last week to the board of Local Government NSW, the peak industry body representing the State’s councils.
Mr Marshall said it was a huge honour for Councillor Harmon, who has been Mayor of Inverell Shire since 2012, and would help put more focus on the issues facing the region and country councils.
“Paul has proven himself a fierce and passionate advocate for Inverell Shire over many years and I have no doubt he will bring that same work ethic to his new role as the voice for councils right across rural and regional NSW,” Mr Marshall said.
The MP, who also served as a board member and Senior Vice President of Local Government NSW’s forerunner, NSW Local Government and Shires Association, said he previously enjoyed working together as Councillors with Paul Harmon and now working even more closely as the local State MP.
Cr Harmon was elected at last week’s Local Government NSW annual conference as one of seven Directors representing rural and regional councils. He is the only representative on the board from across northern NSW. There were also seven metropolitan Directors elected at the conference. They will serve a two-year term.
Mr Marshall said having Cr Harmon with a seat at the Local Government NSW table and Moree Plain Shire Mayor Katrina Humphries as the head of the NSW Country Mayors Association at the same time, put the region in the box seat in terms of local government repetition state-wide.
“Having Paul joining Katrina in speaking up and speaking out on behalf of all country NSW councils will be good for the bush and help highlight issues of concern to their city counterparts and also state and federal governments,” Mr Marshall said.
“I wish Paul every success in his new role.”