As mentioned in Tuesday's Lismore City Council meeting by Mayor Steve Krieg, Regional Cities NSW (RCNSW) has welcomed an invitation to join the NSW Premier’s new Rural, Remote and Regional Advisory Council.

Mayor Krieg is the RCNSW Chair. He said the invitation to join the advisory council was a valuable opportunity to amplify the voice of regional cities in state decision-making, including Lismore.

“This is an important opportunity to work with Premier Chris Minns and Minister for Regional New South Wales Tara Moriarty to better understand and address the challenges in our regional cities,” Cr Krieg said.

“Our growing regional cities face similar challenges, such as job vacancies and skills shortages, economic growth, infrastructure investment, housing availability and supply, and water security,” Cr Krieg said.

“We want to ensure our regional cities continue to prosper and continue to be great places to live and work, so planning and investment are key,” Cr Krieg said.

“Our inclusion in the regional advisory council will provide a valuable avenue for Regional Cities NSW to help shape the government policy and action,” Cr Krieg said.

“Our 15 member cities are home to more than 820,000 people – around 10 per cent of NSW’s population – and that number will increase by another 150,000 by 2030,” Cr Krieg said.

“Regional cities are population centres and the economic and service engines of regional NSW. Together, these cities generate $44 billion in gross regional product every year, support almost 420,000 jobs and are home to 75,000 active businesses,” Cr Krieg said.

“Our regional cities connect and support the smaller towns and rural communities around them. When our regional cities thrive, the surrounding regions thrive, too - and that’s fundamental to building a strong regional New South Wales,” Cr Krieg said.

Announced at the 2025 Bush Summit, the advisory council will meet twice a year with representatives from across the state to provide advice on issues including essential services, infrastructure and workforce needs. 

The chairs of Regional Cities NSW and the NSW Country Mayors Association and representatives from Local Land Services, the Country Women’s Association, Indigenous councils, and the health, education and business sectors have been invited to be part of the advisory council.

The council’s first meeting is expected to be held this year.

(Regional Cities NSW representatives met with Premier Minns last month. At the meeting were (from left to right): Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council Cr Josh Black, Broken Hill City Council Deputy Mayor Cr Jim Hickey, Orange City Council Mayor Cr Tony Mileto, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, Regional Cities NSW Chair and Lismore City Council Mayor Cr Steve Krieg, Albury City Mayor Cr Kevin Mack, City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Nikki Williams and City of Wagga Wagga Mayor Cr Dallas Tout)