Wagga’s mayor has criticised the Australian Election Commission for moving an office from Narrandera to Wagga.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In an unusual move for a local government leader, Greg Conkey has written to the commissioner and Riverina MP Michael McCormack and Member for Farrer Sussan Ley to voice his disappointment about the decision.
“Hopefully it will send a strong message to other government departments thinking of relocating offices within this region,” Cr Conkey said.
“In this case Narrandera will lose three workers, which will have an impact on that community.”
An AEC spokesman said the relocation was because of the redistribution of the Riverina electorate.
“The Division of Riverina’s office was not moved to within the new Riverina divisional boundaries until all election and subsequent activities had diminished,” he said.
“Narrandera is now in the Division of Farrer, for which there is an existing office located in Albury and there are no plans for this divisional office to move.”
Cr Conkey said he was passionate about the growth and development of the city, but not at the expense of surrounding towns and villages, which he had worked to build stronger relationships with.
“We need to have a strong, vibrant region – I don’t mind if government services are relocated from Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle or Canberra – but not from with the region,” he said.
“We’re all in it together and Wagga businesses rely on strong regional towns and villages.
“We have much in common and there are ways that we can and do complement each other.”
Member for Riverina Michael McCormack said he appreciate Cr Conkey was upset, but said the decision was made by the AEC.
“It needs to have offices within the electorate it serves, there’s no point having two in Farrer and none in Riverina,” Mr McCormack said.
“I’m sure the constituents of Riverina, there are 115,000 of them, would be quite right in asking why they couldn’t access an office in my electorate. People need to remember the electorate’s boundary now stretches from Yerong Creek to Peak Hill… a good five hour drive from end to end.”
The electoral commissioner will formally open the Wagga office in September.
Stephen Mudd
Stephen Mudd is a journalist for Fairfax Media west of the great divide. He loves music, dogs and travel.
Stephen Mudd is a journalist for Fairfax Media west of the great divide. He loves music, dogs and travel.
