McMahon meets with MPs in Canberra

Mr McMahon attended the Central NSW Regional Organisation of Councils (CENTROC) general board meeting at Parliament House on Thursday.

Riverina MP Michael McCormack arranged for eight ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, and the Minister for Regional Development, Regional Communications and Local Government and Territories, Senator Fiona Nash, to meet with Centroc representatives, including Mr McMahon.

Mr McMahon said having access to the Government Ministers provided councils with a great opportunity to hear from them first hand.

“It was important to hear about the Education Minister’s program for universities, which is very important to Hilltops at the moment, "  Mr McMahon said.

The creation of the new ‘Hilltops Education and Community Precinct’ is well underway. The new ‘Hilltops Education and Community Precinct’ includes the construction of a new Library and University Centre on Campbell Street, adjacent to the Young Community Arts Centre.

Mr McMahon said it was also important to learn of the Federal Government's plans for the regions.

"Hearing about infrastructure and road-funding programs, such as the east-west links in the future is certainly of high value to us out in the regions," he said.

Mr McCormack hosted the Centroc general board meeting and said the Government was focused on regional areas.

"We are co-funding with telecommunications companies and State Governments the construction of some 765 mobile telephone towers to improve communications in country areas," he said.

Among the issues raised at Centroc were health, the NBN, transport, energy costs and regional development. Centroc comprises the councils of Hilltops, Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Upper Lachlan and Weddin.