News
27 February, 2026
Premier’s discussions with Wingecarribee Mayor and General Manager ‘constructive’
In the NSW Premier’s visit to the Southern Highlands on Thursday, he also paid a short visit to Wingecarribee Shire Council to sit down with the Mayor, Jesse Fitzpatrick and General Manager Lisa Miscamble.
In the NSW Premier’s visit to the Southern Highlands on Thursday, he also paid a short visit to Wingecarribee Shire Council to sit down with the Mayor, Jesse Fitzpatrick and General Manager Lisa Miscamble.
The Premier thanked the Mayor and the General Manager for their time and said he will be back again to visit soon.
“It was great spending time in the Southern Highlands this week. This is a great part of NSW – one with a bright future,” Premier Minns stated.
“I appreciated the independent MP Judy Hannan, the council and locals giving me their time.
“It was good to pop into the council, to hear about the shire’s priorities, and I’ve taken that back to Sydney with me.
“Our government is regularly talking with the Wingecarribee Shire Council, and I let them know they can knock on my door anytime.
“Local governments are hugely important to our state, and we listen to them closely.”
Mayor Jesse Fitzpatrick stated on his official Council Facebook page that the discussions with the Premier were ‘constructive and positive.’
“The meeting provided an opportunity for Council to share its long-term vision for Wingecarribee, discuss the Shire’s priorities and address the evolving needs of the community,” the page stated.
“Mayor Fitzpatrick highlighted the critical need for significant infrastructure investment to ensure Council can meet growing demand. A key area of discussion was the scale of investment required in water and sewer infrastructure to support current and future populations. These projects represent investment in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars.
“The discussion also focused on the scale of current and future infrastructure costs and the growing financial strain across the entire local government sector.
“Mayor Fitzpatrick emphasised that regional and rural councils cannot continue to absorb expanding infrastructure responsibilities without clear funding commitments and sustained support from State and Federal governments.
“He raised the need for meaningful financial reform, noting that without structural change many councils will face significant sustainability challenges over the next decade. It was made clear that ongoing rate increases cannot be the sole solution to addressing these pressures.
“Council thanks Premier Chris Minns for taking the time to meet, acknowledging his very busy schedule. The discussion was constructive and positive, and Council will continue to engage with the Premier’s Office and relevant Ministers to progress and advocate for the Shire’s priorities.”
Read More: Moss Vale, Southern Highlands