As reported by the Lismore App on November 16, Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg has been elected as the Chair of Regional Cities, a network of 15 regional centres across New South Wales.

Mayor Krieg said the role will allow him to further develop Lismore's connections with other regional cities and advocate for their needs at a state level.

“For Lismore, no one’s going to see a dramatic improvement in services or anything,” he said.

“But for me, being in the role of mayor now for three years, and post the flood of 2022, I definitely had my hands full dealing with a lot of different issues. This time around, I wanted to commit to one external body in a little bit more of a meaningful way. And by that, I mean as far as my professional development and improvement as a mayor goes.

"I wanted to step up and take on a role externally to just being the Mayor of Lismore. The Regional Cities is a forum that I have grown to love very much, in that there's 15 regional centres across our state that are all member cities, and you've got some of the best general managers in the state, some of the best and well-respected mayors in the room, so for me, it's about pushing myself to be a better official and a better mayor for Lismore.

"Hopefully, the residents will see a more improved mayor for their city through learning and getting help from some of the other mayors from around the state.”

The NSW Government has said in its Regional Cities Action Plans document that in the next twenty (20) years, three-quarters of the state's growth in regional NSW will occur in four areas: Lismore, The Tweed, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie.

As part of that growth, Mayor Krieg has revealed his ambitious plans to grow Lismore to 60,000 people by 2040.

The Mayor pointed to Tamworth's growth as a model for Lismore, noting the city's transformation from a 27,000-person town to a thriving 65,000-person city through industry and development.

"For me, we can hold a city like Tamworth as a guide as to what we can be like," the mayor said.

He emphasised the importance of creating jobs and attracting new residents to achieve this goal. He outlined a multi-pronged strategy to facilitate this growth, including attracting government departments, fostering business development, and addressing the housing shortage.

"We need a collaborative approach, working with developers and exploring diverse housing options, including multi-level dwellings and townhouses."

The Mayor acknowledged past challenges in attracting development to Lismore but expressed confidence that the new council is committed to streamlining processes and creating a more business-friendly environment. He pointed to positive feedback from builders and shed manufacturers regarding the council's recent performance.

While acknowledging that Lismore is not in danger of losing its Regional City status, Mayor Krieg stressed the importance of embracing the opportunities presented by the region's growth projections. He expressed optimism about Lismore's future, stating, "I think in the next five to 10 years, if we, as a council can fulfil our ambitions... Lismore is just going to go from strength to strength."

To reinforce that point, Mayor Krieg said the council has the state government’s “100% faith” and is on the “right path” to recovery, despite admitting there is still a “mile of work to do”.

The Office of Local Government praised the council’s progress over the past two years to Mayor Krieg after last week's Local Government conference.

“They actually said, compared to where you were two years ago, to where you are now, is mind-blowing.”

“And I said, well, you see where we are in another two years, and you see where we are in another six years, you won’t believe it.”

“We’ve probably got a 10-year roadmap to actually get to where we want to be,” he said. “It sounds like a long time, but we are rebuilding an organisation from the ground up.”

The Mayor said he was confident the council had the right personnel in place to execute the long-term plan, noting that the council has been “left behind due to lethargy in local government.”

He also highlighted the importance of attracting investment to Lismore, noting that several entities had recently expressed interest in the city as a potential site for future investment.

When you think about the first 1000 days since February 2022 and then read the broad plans for Lismore's growth in the next 16 years, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Lismore's future.

We have to go through the post-flood pain to reap the rewards that are ahead.