The Snowy Monaro Regional Council (SMRC) has made an amendment to the draft suite of Integrated Planning and Reporting Documents now due to go on public exhibition, following discussions at an extraordinary council meeting today. The amendment, which involves an allocation of $100,000 to help projects become ‘shovel ready,’ was suggested by Councillor Hopkins and highlights the region’s struggle to secure federal funding in the absence of prepared projects.
PHOTO: SMRC Mayor Chris Hanna (centre) among other councillors received advice the region missed out on grants CREDIT: SMRC – screenshot
At the heart of the meeting was the surprising revelation that the Snowy Monaro region was largely overlooked during the latest round of federal election commitments, primarily due to the lack of projects ready for immediate implementation. “I’m a little bit concerned that we seem to be missing out on projects which are not funded,” expressed Councillor Hopkins. “We need grants for them, but we can’t get grants because they’re not shovel ready.”
Some councillors were made aware that regions like Bega, which was promised $16 million for a swimming pool upgrade, succeeded in securing funds because their projects were primed and ready to commence. “I’ve been told the reason we are missing out at the Federal election is because we don’t have anything ready to go, like literally nothing. Look at Bega, I mean they got promised a 16 million dollar pool upgrade, but that project was ready to go,” Mayor Chris Hanna revealed.
With the wider Eden-Monaro electorate promised millions by the major parties as a key regional seat, and the election just two days away on May 3, 2025, the opportunity has now passed. CEO Stephen Dunshea clarified the concept, stating: “In effect, you’ve got projects sitting on a shelf, which at times are ready. Costings are done. You’re ready to go to tender if necessary for those works to commence… Ideally you want to have those projects shovel ready.”
PHOTO: One of Kristy McBain’s commitments – March 2025, Bega pool funding.
Councillor Rose also indicated he has heard that the absence of a dedicated Grants Officer has been a significant obstacle in securing funding saying, “The information and advice I’ve had from a number of the local and federal members staff is that we’re missing out because we haven’t got a Grants Officer, so I support them.”
In response to this funding disadvantage, Councillor Hopkins’ proposed amendment was allocated $100,000 to help prepare local projects, which received majority approval and was carried. However, the amendment was not without objection, notably from Councillor Rooney, who opposed the decision citing financial constraints.
“Firstly, this is not enough to be effective. We’ve been advised by staff that $180,000 will be required. And secondly, it’s more than we can afford. We’re supposed to be tightening our belt, not spending money on speculative ventures,” Councillor Rooney argued.
PHOTO: Councillor John Rooney.
Councillors discussed the prospects of future state election opportunities, which are approximately 12 months away, as a further chance to prepare projects for funding. Councillor Davis highlighted the time needed for preparations, indicating that potential funding could not be accessed until these projects are ready. “Getting plans to shovel ready will take a year. So we’ll be going into a state election, and we wouldn’t have these projects ready,” she explained.
PHOTO: The Nationals’ John Barillaro announcing the funding for the heating of Cooma and Bombala pools – December 2021 CREDIT: Nationals
The pool heating for Bega comes as a kick in the guts to Cooma and Bombala residents who were already promised the same thing by the National Party before the 2022 election, with the heating upgrades never delivered and now revelations the region has missed out on the latest opportunities at the 2025 federal election.
As the SMRC begins its journey to rectify these planning shortcomings, it seems there will now be a greater focus on ensuring that projects are shovel ready ahead of future election cycles to maximise funding opportunities.
This is good now Council is now working together to get Project up and going instead of fighting amongst themselves. This should’ve been done a long time ago. I watched some of the meeting yesterday. You’ve gotta work together and stop this childish bickering and revenge to get one of the counsellors out, they may not like him but he does have some good points like yesterday making a point that they can save money by bringing back one billing for the rate payers and water rates to be go back to the original way it once was which will save Council money and not be such a nightmare for us ratepayers but I’m sorry to say Cooma Council still does not understand all the villages because when they talk about Bombala district area they leave our Delegate we also have trucks that come down high speed in our Main Street of Delegate and we do not have any roundabouts or pedestrian crossing for people to cross the road. There is one counsellor Bob Stewartthat talks about Bombala a lot yes Bombala and Delegate together but it’s always Bombala this and Bombala that i’m sorry to say our little village is going backwards because most of the funding or request they put into government is for Bombala yes we got a water treatment plant which is nearly finished but that was because the government John Barra give the Council money to do this behalf was to be spent in Bombala and the other half to be spent in Delegate and I’m sorry to say at least Bombala has had drinking water in the past Delegate has always had river water dirty water to wash our clothes. If you want to give it small child a bath you filled the water up and it was never coming out clean out of the tap was always dirty. You might as well just take them outside and get them to roll around in the mud that’s how bad the water was but hopefully. Once the treatment plant is definitely finished and up and running we will finally be able to turn our tabs on and put a glass under the tap to have drinking water mr. Bob Stewart needs to understand the Delegate is included in the Bombala district and start thinking about things. Delegate might benefit from grants instead of leaving this small town Off cancel meetings and help making this town a better place like Bombala. I have nothing against Mr. Stewart. It’s just he forgets but Delegate needs help as well and can do with a better help from the Council in grant funding and pushing for getting roundabouts and things like that to help our town as well instead of letting our little town fend for itself we are still waiting for things that we were promised and it was never delivered and as I said they might like one council person in the council chambers but they need to stop. The fighting people voted him in. They might like him but as I said they all need to work together.