This week's Minute with Mayor McKibbin

April 16, 2026

Published on 9 April 2026

The Country Mayors Association (CMA) meeting was held on 27 March 2025 at the theatrette in Parliament House Sydney. The CMA is pursuing a campaign to have 1% of total tax revenue from the Commonwealth Government allocated to Local Government. In the 1990s Local Government received 1% and this has reduced signiﬁcantly since then to around 0.5% today.

Obviously, the closure of the Great Western Highway and current fuel situation were issues pervading the CMA meeting. Minister Atchinson could provide no estimated timeframe for any rectiﬁcation works to the sandstone bridge on Victoria Pass as investigations are still being carried out. The Government has said that in tandem with investigations a rectiﬁcation plan will be devised with the ability to fast track repair work. Work is also being undertaken on the Darling Causeway to assist with the increased volume of trafﬁc and greater use by trucks. Oberon's business including its timber industry has experienced increased timeframes to reach Sydney due to the longer detour at Hartley back to Lithgow or travelling via O'Connell Rd to Kelso then to Lithgow. In many cases this has affected the number of deliveries of product that can be made to the Sydney region daily.

Despite the closure of Victoria Pass, trafﬁc is still moving through the Darling Causeway, Chiﬂey Road and into Lithgow and tourists from greater Sydney and coastal regions to the Central West should not be deterred as so far there has been minimal delays. Additional train services have been put on to Lithgow and Bathurst.

Oberon Council met for the ﬁrst of a series of ﬁnance workshops on 31 March. Council has considered the short-term impact on budget of the increased price of fuel particularly diesel and for the current 2025-26 believe Council can absorb the increase within its budget. Current stock levels of diesel are still satisfactory however this is dependent on continued deliveries to top up the reserves. The longer-term impacts of increased fuel costs, bitumen costs, transport costs for contractors and plastic costs (including everything delivered in plastic drums/containers) are yet to be fully evaluated with many uncertainties lingering not least when the Iran war will end. The inﬂationary impact may require Council to consider expenditure cuts in 2026-27 which may impact the level of services provided.

The Section 356 Grants Applications are now open for community groups to seek assistance from Council in 2026-27. Applications can be made via the Council website. All Applications will be considered on their merits and within the Council parameters for such grants including the total allocation that Council makes for such grants.

Andrew McKibbin
Mayor