I had the pleasure of being involved in Women’s Association Electoral seminar in Orange last week – working towards greater participation of women in the Australian democratic and political process.

With over 20 years experience, it is my role to support and champion women to consider participating in political life at a Local Government level or just becoming better informed about Australia’s political systems.

This course was about informing and creating a supportive pathway for women into Local Government

Women are under-represented at every level of Government in Australia. We are only 37% across State and Territory assemblies, around 44% within Federal Parliament and 38% within councils across the country.

The next NSW Local Government elections will be held on Saturday 14 September.

Large scale flood repairs and with several major capital projects our expenditure is higher than normal. Council has not however received all the payment of flood monies and other grants.

The majority of funds owed to Council is for flood repair works that Council is carrying out on its own network where claims are delayed due to excessive bureaucracy and red-tape.

Council has been put in the difficult position where it must make a choice between:

1. Continuing to repair the road network post record floods even at Council’s own expense.

2. Stop works to remain financially viable but place rural residents who are still suffering post the floods at significant safety risk due to the roads being left in their flood damaged condition.

Council has had no choice but to continue road works, especially given the tight contractor market and significant capital works Council is currently completing meaning that if contractors were to be stood down Council would be unable to source resources once funding became available.

Of the $10.1m Council has spent on local and regional road flood repairs only $6m has been reimbursed and all of this was post significant political pressure.

Council is currently owed over $4.1m for flood damage works and this amount could easily increase by over $2m per month now that resources are being re-diverted to the local road network post completion of record flood repair works for Transport on the State Road Network.

Obviously this situation is very concerning, it is a crippling cost to councils, particularly when we have already been through a crisis.

I hope everyone has a safe second week of the school holidays, there are still plenty of school holiday activities to enjoy like the silent disco, BMX workshop, fishing, an activity day and ice skating. Enjoy

Until next week, God bless

Phyllis Miller, OAM – Forbes Mayor

I am very proud Forbes was host to Mayors, Councillors, General Managers and Executive staff from councils around NSW – ranging from Bega, to Byron and out to Bourke. It is an honour to host the Country Mayors Association event which focussed on the current housing crisis.

Forbes was selected as the location to show how we, as a council, activated the new housing market by developing Goldridge Estate, this single development of 221 future lots has now given private and commercial developers the confidence to further invest in our community with several other residential developments underway.

All great news for our growing population and also good insight for other councils and mayors to adopt the proactive stance of Forbes Shire Council. We had a host of excellent industry and State Government representatives including

Minister for Water, Housing, Homelessness, Mental Health and Youth, Rose Jackson, Shadow Minister for Planning, Public Spaces and Housing, Scott Farlow, Homes NSW Chief Executive Rebecca Pinkstone, local member Phil Donato, Sam Farraway MLC and more.

Organised by the Country Mayors Association, it was a great honour to welcome CMA Chair Jamie Chaffey and our fellow councils to visit key sites such as

the Central West Livestock Exchange – during the Tuesday sheep sale, Lions Park, the Central West Industrial Park, Moxey’s Dairy and more. There was high praise for our town, our council and our community.

I hope you all have your tickets booked for the old time drive-in movie on Friday night at the ski dam. This is the first of our Youth Week events and has been planned and will be run by our Forbes Youth Action Team. So pack up the car with loads of blankets and pillows and get ready to have fun watching the movie Tag with your family. I cannot think of a better way to start the school holidays and all relax on an end of term Friday night.

There are several events on during the school holidays – check them out on the Forbes Youth Action Team facebook page.

Until next week,
God bless.
Phyllis Miller, OAM – Forbes Mayor

I hope you all had a joyful and relaxing Easter break. It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying the Forbes outdoors over the long weekend.

The long weekend also saw our new Driver Reviver van open for all our visitors at Victoria Park. I would like to thank the volunteers with Forbes Lions and CWA for making sure everyone was caffeinated for their travels over the weekend.

It is important to schedule regular breaks when driving long distances to ensure you arrive safely to your destination.

This week we are hosting the Country Mayors Association forum from Sunday 7th to Tuesday 9th April. I am excited to welcome mayors from all around NSW to our beautiful town for this event. It is such an opportunity to be able to showcase the projects we are working on to this diverse group, and I am looking forward to further developing the strong relationships I already have with my fellow Mayors.

Coming up very soon are a few weeks of events for young people in our town for Youth Week and the school holidays.

Tickets are available for the drive-in movie at Forbes ski dam on Friday 12th April at 123tix. There is also a comedy workshop on Sunday 14th silent disco on the 19 th , creative community concepts on Monday 22 nd and ice skating on the 27 th. For more information on any of these events you can contact Council on 6850 2300 or youth@forbes.nsw.gov.au or head to Council’s website for the full program and registration.

Until next week, God bless
Phyllis Miller, OAM – Forbes Mayor

We have officially launched Frost and Fire 2024 and I am so excited that Vera Blue is headlining this year’s event. It is so heartwarming to see a well-loved local girl who is so successful in her music career come back and perform in her hometown.

Along with Vera Blue, we have other fantastic artists to serenade us under the stars including Raechel Whitchurch, Cler, Em & Jo, Gracey Denham-Jones and Cameron Sharp. And, of course, we can’t forget about our other entertainment for the evening including fireworks, Cirque Um Navigate fire dancers and Ice

Queen on stilts to help us celebrate this year’s Winter Solstice.

Tickets are on sale now via 123 tix so make sure you purchase yours to ensure you don’t miss out on our 5th annual Frost and Fire event.

This week is Harmony Week – a celebration of diversity in our community. This year’s focus is on belonging and bringing together Australians from all different backgrounds.

Forbes has a long history of diversity in our community, and Harmony Week provides the perfect opportunity for us to reflect on this and to celebrate the amazing people who have decided to call Forbes, and Australia, home.

Almost half our nation was either born overseas or has a parent who was and, according to the 2021

Census, 13.4% of Forbes residents were born overseas and 10.5% of us have at least one parent who was.

I am really proud of the way our community welcomes newcomers to town and ensures they feel the sense of belonging that Harmony Week is all about.

I would also like to remind anyone who has been affected by the 2022 floods that you can still provide feedback through the housing survey from NSW Reconstruction Authority. This survey will help the NSW Government understand the community’s needs to help them allocate their funding to assist in the Central

West’s flood recovery response. Even if you were only slightly affected, I would encourage you to complete the survey – you’ll be able to help yourself and others too!

Hard copy Surveys are available via Council’s office, or you can complete the survey online via www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/Central-West-Recovery or by calling 133 003 227. Council’s Community Recovery Officers will be available to help you complete this survey in Town Hall on Tuesday 26 March between 9am and 4 pm and Wednesday 27 March between 1pm and 4pm.

Until next week, God bless

Phyllis Miller, OAM – Forbes Mayor

This week the Central West Livestock Exchange is getting an upgrade, with readers for the new sheep and goat electronic identification devices being installed. This makes the Central West Livestock Exchange the first saleyards in New South Wales to have this technology installed. We are so proud of this facility and our involvement with the livestock industry.

The new sheep and goat electronic identification devices, or eID’s, are the same as those that have been used for cattle for over 10 years and are a key tool in animal health and biosecurity.

The use of eIDs has now been mandated for sheep and goats, with all saleyards and depots required to have scanning and upload capabilities by next January and all farmed sheep and goats to have eIDs prior to leaving any property by 2027.

This is a big change for our saleyards, and one that will make a difference for the protection of our livestock industry in New South Wales, increasing peace of mind for producers.

The Lachlan Street trees have taken a little bit longer than anticipated due to supply issues with the cement, our team is making sure the soil levels are correct and irrigation systems are working. We apologise to anyone who has been inconvenienced by this work, we look forward to seeing this project completed properly for the future of our CBD.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we are hosting a luncheon event on Saturday 9 March at the beautiful Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre.

The event will run from 12pm to 2pm and feature a talk from the inspiring Natalie Bramble, a Community Leader, Author and Keynote Speaker. Natalie will talk about improving the equity of access to peer and expert knowledge, tools and support for our community volunteers, boards, non-profits and social enterprises.

Tickets for this event are just $25 per head; with all proceeds going to Ronal McDonald House in Orange for their work in continuing to support our Forbes community and families in times of need. I hope to see many of you there.

Until next week, God bless
Phyllis Miller, OAM – Forbes Mayor

In collaboration with Parkes and Lachlan Shire Mayors, Neil Westcott and Paul Phillips, I am proud to say Rex Airlines has recently announced changes to their regional flight network, which will come into effect at the beginning of April. The airline has been under continued pressure due to supply chain issues and staff

shortages brought on by COVID-19.

The network changes will see a new flight schedule for services coming in and out of Parkes Airport, with two return services each weekday. These flights will depart from Parkes in the morning and middle of the day and depart Sydney in the middle of the day and evening.

Rex Airlines has been servicing the region since the commencement of the airline and we are very appreciative of their continued support as it is so important to our residents.

Isn’t the former Pitt Stop site looking fresh and enticing now that the turf and gardens are in? The temporary fencing will be coming down very soon; with the grass growing nicely it won’t be long before everyone can enjoy this bright new space. The new seating is being built as we speak and will be installed over the next couple of weeks.

You may also have noticed the new sculpture which has taken up residence in this space. Waiting for Rain was created by Jimmy Rix in 2019 and went on display at the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition in Bondi where Jimmy won the Waverley Council’s Mayor Award for the piece.

Waverley Mayor, Paula Masselos, described the piece as “an uplifting depiction of the strength of the Australian bush against the backdrop of a land ravaged by drought.” I am so happy to see yet another beautiful art piece placed on display – what wonderful work is undertaken by the Forbes Arts Society for the

Somewhere Down the Lachlan Sculpture Trail!

Our Welcome to Forbes event took place on Thursday 15 February at the Forbes Inn and I am glad to announce that it was once again a wonderful success. It would have to be one of my favourite events as it really brings our community together and makes newcomers feel so welcome.

This event takes place twice a year, so keep your eye out for the next one and make sure you join in on the festivities.

Until next week, God bless
Phyllis Miller, OAM – Forbes Mayor

We have some exciting progress at the Multipurpose Equestrian Centre, which is coming together very nicely. The trusses have been lifted and the roof sheeting will be added in the next couple of week. A huge effort to the teams on the ground, we can’t wait to start using this space.

This project will provide an exciting addition to our sporting facilities in town, filling a hole in the racecourse precinct that will cater for many fun events in the future, both existing and new to our town.

Housing is a huge issue for Forbes and as you know Council is working hard on this front. In a massive project for the Shire, the Land and Housing Corporation is seeking feedback on their master plan for the development of private, social, and affordable housing on vacant Crown Land located off Farnell and Dawson Streets. This project is set to provide over 100 new homes which will help ease housing pressures and provide more options to accommodate our growing population.

I would like to encourage everyone to attend the community feedback sessions next week to view the master plan in person, speak with the project team, and find out about the next steps for this exciting project.

The sessions will be held in the Town Hall on Wednesday 14 February between 4pm and 6pm, and Thursday 15 February between 9:30am and 11:30am.

How exciting to see the scaffolding down from around our beloved Vampire Jet. In even more exciting news, Oral Historian Rob Willis has produced an updated video outlining the history of the aircraft. This video is a part of the Digital Heritage Trail, which includes extensive information about many of our wonderful historic sites around town. I would like to thank Rob for his work on such a valuable resource to our community and visitors.

If you would like to view the Trail, information can be found on the Forbes Shire Council website or there are brochures available at the Visitor Information Centre. These brochures will be receiving an exciting update soon as well, so keep your eyes peeled!

Until next week, God bless

Phyllis Miller, OAM – Forbes Mayor

AUSTRALIA DAY

Australia Day was another fantastic day to celebrate our amazing town and community.

More than 1000 people attended one or all of the events held on the day, including the Rotary Community Breakfast, the Citizenship Ceremony and the Party in the Park.

The night before Australia Day we celebrated with our 2024 Citizens of the Year. Young Citizen of the Year – Jessica Ashcroft, Senior Citizen of the Year – Deirdre Quirk and Citizens of the Year – Cheryl and Rex Barton. It really was a lovely day to celebrate our town and our community.

VAMPIRE JET

I am so pleased to finally report the scaffolding is down and our beloved Vampire Jet has never looked better. It is now as solid as can be and after several new coats of paint and new decals is looking as good as it did the first day it wheeled onto the runway.

Oral Historian Rob Willis, has thoroughly researched the actual history of the jet and will be recording it for another QR video and audio history for our Digital Heritage Trail.

WELCOME TO FORBES EVENT

Are you new to town? Please come along to our Welcome to Forbes event. You can meet Councillors, connect with other families and meet the dedicated volunteers of our service and community groups.

It is a lovely evening and such a great way to find out more about your new community. Please invite anyone you know who is new to the area – we only have these events twice a year so it’s lovely to catch up. It will be on Thursday 15 February, starting at 6pm at the Forbes Inn – you can RSVP or ask any questions to Council’s events officer by 9 February. We look forward to meeting you there.

It is that time again – brush off your blue suede shoes and start swivelling your hips with the best! We’ve put 2023 to bed, it’s time to get your groove on for some Jailhouse Rock and welcome 2024 in style – let’s get this joint swingin’!Forbes Shire Council is a proud co-sponsor of the annual Elvis Festival which draws so many to our region and completely books out all accommodation providers – bringing our streets to life with colour and music and happy, smiling Elvis-loving faces. We welcome our visitors with open arms and know that they will love the area as much as we do. So much so that we invite you back again and again… keep in mind the amazing bonfire-night atmosphere of Frost and Fire on the beautiful foreshores of Lake Forbes each June – brought to life with an impressive musical line-up, entertainment and masses of fire buckets to keep away the winter chills.

Forbes is proud to host a breakfast in Templar Street each year and this is going to be another fantastic one with a huge line-up of Elvis’ Jailhouse Rock inspired music, including a performance by local artist Georgia Sideris. I am so excited that the always popular Sydney Swing Katz dance group is back and will be doing a workshop as well!! You’ll want to stick around awhile and get your kicks for this!!

Thank you to all our vendors and cafes for getting behind the Elvis breakfast. There really is no better start to the day than enjoying the delights on offer. We urge you to finish off your morning with a stroll around the ‘whole cell block’ – also known as the central business district! Take your time to stop and enjoy the amazing unique retail shops, stretch your circuit a little wider and take a closer look at our heritage buildings, museums and our newly renovated Visitor Information Centre.

Locals and visitors alike – check your programs and social media throughout the festival, Forbes’ clubs and pubs will be joining in the Jailhouse Rock spirit, with plenty of Elvis inspired action to liven up your evenings.

To find out more about the breakfast visit Amazing Forbes website or Facebook page. For more information on the overall festival or the times of the Forbes Shire Council sponsored bus transport for all you ‘jailbirds’ between Forbes and Parkes visit wwww.parkeselvisfestival. com.au or their Facebook page. Everybody let’s rock … come on and do the jailhouse rock in Forbes!

God bless
Phyllis Miller, OAM – Forbes Mayor