5 March, 2025

It has been a busy start to the year, and I am thankful to have had the chance to be working in and for our community! This month's Regional Ramble provides an insight into some issues and activities that have been occupying me as the Mayor this month.

What is front and centre? What are we championing on your behalf? Let’s get into it!

Is youth crime on everyone's mind?

The words 'youth crime' are increasingly heard across traditional and social media. How can we ensure everyone feels safe, and at the same time nurture our young people so that they grow into caring, responsible adult community members?

There is no denying that for a five week stretch from Christmas through to mid-February our region saw a massive spike in crime, particularly break and enter and motor vehicle theft.  It seemed to me that the crime wave coincided with an increase in anti-social behaviour in public places, all of which shattered a level of tranquility that we had taken for granted.  Quite rightly the community was asking all levels of government and various authorities to step up and put an end to it.

I have had numerous meetings with the Police, Brendan Moylan and community groups as well as those who have been impacted by the crime wave.  Whilst it is not eradicated, we are starting to see a return to normality and I want to give a special shout out to the Police who have done their level best within the legislative confines in which they operate.  Also a huge thank you to the wider community and the grass roots organisers (I am looking at you Kate Clare) who have been instrumental in providing a focal point for those who have felt they weren’t been heard – what you have done is add to the evidence that is being put to Macquarie Street that the regions need more attention and unique solutions.

Speaking of unique solutions – I need to acknowledge the dedication and initiative shown by the crew at Backtrack.  Many of you won’t know this but they have been undertaking night patrols around Armidale and talking to kids who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  The impact of this sort of ‘intervention’ cannot be accurately measured but it is a uniquely Armidale solution for which we should all be proud and which is making us all safer.

TeamARC manages airport closure 

The sudden failure of the airport runway a few weeks ago highlighted the importance of regional air connection and was a test case in managing a multifaceted crisis with an indeterminable timeline. 

Fortunately, as I write this the issues at the airport have been resolved but on reflection it was a very testing time for council, the airlines and the wider community. The pavement failure on the runway happened as contractors were putting the finishing touches to scheduled maintenance and was caused by underground water being disturbed, leaching upward and causing cracks.

With safety of the travelling public front of mind, the ARC airport team had no alternative but to close the airport until the runway could be repaired.  This required working closely with the airlines to come up with solutions to ensure air travellers weren’t left stranded – additional planes coming in and out of Tamworth along with connecting buses to Armidale was a key feature of this.

From an engineering / project point of view, it was a case of diving into the unknown as the extent of the problem could not be readily quantified.  This saw an ‘all hands on deck’ approach and at one point it seemed as though every bit of earthmoving equipment in the region was at the airport.  These teams worked from sunrise to sunset (and perhaps a little longer) to get on top of the problem.

Closer to the community, our Customer Service team and Communications team were keeping everyone informed as to what was happening.  I'm proud of how TeamARC managed the unexpected closure of Armidale Regional Airport and more so how the community responded with patience and understanding!

Canberra meetings give our region a seat at the table

I have been meeting with federal ministers and shadow ministers this month

General Manager, James Roncon and I travelled to Canberra this month as part of a Regional Capitals Australia delegation. This was an opportunity for us to brief the federal government and opposition in what is likely the last parliamentary sitting before an election.

We were pleased to have the chance to speak with ministers and shadow ministers during a full program of meetings which covered regional development and infrastructure investment, immigration policy, water and housing, along with other important issues impacting Australia’s regional capitals; and separately. Our focus was to highlight the Renewable Energy Zone -  its opportunities and its impacts on our region particularly in relation to housing and water security.

It was time well spent, building relationships with key decision makers and advocating for our region and community

Council approves multi-million dollar deal to benefit region

At this month's Ordinary Council Meeting, we agreed to a benefit sharing arrangement with ACEnergy worth up to $14 million dollars

ACEnergy is behind a proposed 400-megawatt battery energy storage system in Armidale. By negotiating and endorsing this agreement, council is ensuring our region and community benefits directly from the project.  It should be noted that the quantum of the agreements we have been able to negotiate with energy storage (such as batteries or pumped hydro) have set the benchmark for the rest of the state. We have been able to do this by sticking to the Community Benefit Framework adopted in the previous term of Council.

This agreement with ACEnergy is one of a number of arrangements already made, or that will be made, with renewable energy companies that are on track to bring in more than $60m to fund amenities in our region.

If approved, ACEnergy's Gara Battery Energy Storage System will be one of the state’s largest and will connect directly to existing 330kV network infrastructure.

Ask us anything!

Regular coffee catch-ups are an opportunity to chat about issues and share ideas

This week Councillor Paul Gaddes and I were at Herdies Coffee in Armidale for the fourth 'Ask us Anything' session for 2025, and enjoyed the chance to chat with people over a morning coffee!

The next 'Ask us anything' will be at the new Cafe Patisserie (242 Rusden Street, Armidale) on Wednesday 19 March between 8am and 9am.

Councillor Robinson and I will be there and keen to meet you.

Can't make this one? Don't worry, regular 'Ask us anything' sessions are already scheduled at coffee shops for the next few months. Watch my socials for more!

Autumn Festival celebrates this beautiful season in our region

The Armidale Autumn Festival is a much-loved annual celebration of this region's beautiful autumn season, and it is coming up fast!

The 2025 event will be held on 4 and 5 April, and will deliver the special things we look forward to each year - and a lot more. I'm looking forward to joining in the fun!

Check out the program, sign up to have a float or stall, and watch council's socials for updates. Did you hear about the flyover this year?

Skilled migration round table 

It was valuable to gather with other regional leaders at the New England North West Skilled Migration Roundtable

I was pleased to be part of the Skilled Migration Roundtable facilitated by Business NSW in Armidale this week, exploring skilled migration solutions for our region - an opportunity to help create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

NOVA, the UNE SMART Region Incubator facility designed for collaboration through a partnership between council and UNE, provided the ideal space for knowledge sharing and ideas. 

Armidale to receive funding to improve freight network efficiency

Glad to support efforts to improve the safety and efficiency of freight network

I am glad to support efforts by Regional Cities NSW to improve the safety and efficiency of the freight network across New South Wales. A traffic bottleneck in Armidale (the intersection of Lambs Avenue, O'Connor Road and Kentucky Street) is among 10 priority projects that are part of a pre-state budget pitch for government investment.

The business case found this location and 92 other chokepoints across the network were responsible for $80 million in lost efficiencies each year.

Early ticket sales surge for Big Chill Festival 2025

Excitement is building as The Big Chill Festival smashes early ticket sales records, with over 1,200 tickets sold in just the first two weeks! This overwhelming response highlights the community’s enthusiasm for the festival and the incredible lineup of high-profile musical talent set to take the stage in Armidale.

With previous artists like Diesel, The Ruebens, and Birds of Tokyo, it’s no surprise that the 2024 event attracted over 4,000 festival-goers across the weekend. More than just a music festival, The Big Chill delivers a massive boost to our local economy, generating over $2.3 million in economic benefits. From local shop owners and hospitality businesses to accommodation providers, the impact of this event is felt across the entire region.

If you haven’t already, don’t miss your chance to be part of The Big Chill 2025 – tickets are selling fast! Grab yours now attend be part of an unforgettable weekend!

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