Rural
25 July, 2026
Council pulls the pin on SEATS
Goulburn-Mulwaree Council will withdraw its membership of the South East Australian Transport Strategy Inc (SEATS) because it is no longer considered relevant or strategically important to the area.
Goulburn-Mulwaree Council will withdraw its membership of the South East Australian Transport Strategy Inc (SEATS) because it is no longer considered relevant or strategically important to the area.
The decision was made at council’s meeting on Tuesday night with one councillor describing it as an “antiquated advocacy group”.
It comes as part of a review of all industry and professional memberships and subscriptions in a bid to improve council’s on-going financial sustainability.
The decision will save council almost $4000 a year in membership fees on top of the travel and accommodation costs for council’s delegate to attend quarterly meetings.
Council’s current delegate is Cr Bob Kirk – who is also the organisation’s current treasurer.
According to its website, SEATS is working to attract funding for a number of identified priority projects “that go beyond the boundaries of individual local councils and benefit the entire region and beyond”.
“Our goal is to advocate for an effective integrated transport network that stimulates economic growth, that is sustainable, sensitive to the environment and enhances communities.”
Its membership includes NSW and Victorian councils as well as government and corporate organisations.
Tuesday night’s decision to withdraw from SEATS came on the recommendation of council’s Director of Corporate and Community Services, Scott Gallacher.
Cr Jason Shepherd – who was council’s last representative on SEATS – acknowledged that meetings were onerous to attend because of the travel involved but said he would like to hear back from SEATS first.
“Maybe the benefit is there but we are not seeing what it is,” he said.
“Give them a chance to state their case first and show that there is a benefit for our community and we can look at it after that.”
Other councillors disagreed.
Deputy mayor Caitlin Flint said it was time to withdraw, suggesting SEATS was nothing more than an “antiquated advocacy group”.
She said council could achieve more through its membership of the Canberra Region Joint Organisation and through regular discussions with Ministers and Members of Parliament.
“I struggle to see the benefit,” she said, pointing out that other councils had also withdrawn their membership.
Cr Christopher O’Mahony also claimed SEATS was “past its used by date” and said it was hard to justify the money spent on membership and associated costs.
Cr Bob Kirk said Tuesday night’s decision was “about relevance and about value for money”.
“There is strength in numbers but we are capable of advocating for our own needs,” he said.
Cr Kirk said the organisation’s focus was primarily on the coast – particularly along the Princes Highway and the need to bypass towns and replace aging infrastructure.
He said there was no business case for the proposed East West Freight Link – linking Nowra to the Hume Highway at Goulburn and Nowra to Queanbeyan – and it was unlikely to ever occur.
Council’s decision was unanimous.
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