From the Mayor's Desk: July 2026
09 July 2026
Over the past month, I've been out representing Warren Shire to make sure our community receives the support and investment it deserves.
At the recent NSW Country Mayors Association Rural and Regional Conference in Ballina, I met with Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison, Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin and the new CEO of the NSW Reconstruction Authority, Kate Fitzgerald, who have promised to continue advocating for outstanding flood recovery funding owed to Warren Shire Council for emergency levee operations and the SR23 Gradgery Lane causeways. We'll keep working with the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Transport for NSW until we get the outcome our community deserves.
It was clear from the discussion in Ballina that Regional Councils across NSW are all facing similar challenges. With funding getting tighter, it's more important than ever that country communities aren't forgotten. We'll keep putting our hand up for every grant we can and making the case for investment in Warren Shire.
While those conversations continue, there's plenty happening here at home as well. Following the adoption of Council's 2026/27 Operational Plan and Estimates, we're turning our focus to delivering the priorities we've set for the year. We're looking forward to introducing a new kerbside recycling service across Warren, Nevertire and Collie from October. It's one of the biggest service improvements residents will see this year and something many people told us they wanted through our 2026 Recycling Services Survey.
We're also working with Inspector Chinn and NSW Police to help attract more officers to the Shire. Part of that is simply telling our story better with new promotional material showcasing what we locals already know—that Warren Shire isn’t just a great place to visit, it’s a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Driving around the Shire lately, it's not hard to appreciate just how fortunate we are to live in this part of the world. Looking across those green paddocks reminds me why I'm proud to call Warren Shire home.
Greg Whiteley, Mayor