• Charles Sturt University, in collaboration with the Central NSW Joint Organisation, have formed the Local Government Lab Policy Working Group 
• The group will focus on collaboration to address key issues within regional Australia
• A key goal is to facilitate the growth of the regional health workforce

Continuing its advocacy for regional Australia, Charles Sturt University has formed a working group with the Central NSW Joint Organisation that will focus on addressing key issues facing regional communities.

The Central NSW Joint Organisation is a local government network comprised of 11 regional NSW councils including Lithgow City Council, Blayney Shire Council, Oberon Council, Bathurst Regional Council, Orange City Council, Cabonne Shire Council, Forbes Shire Council, Parkes Shire Council, Cowra Shire Council, Weddin Shire Council and Lachlan Shire Council, along with the Central West Water Authority.

The Local Government Lab Policy Working Group (LGLPWG) met for the first time in Bathurst recently, which saw representatives from Charles Sturt and the 12 organisations from the Central NSW Joint Organisation collaborate on policy to improve outcomes for regional communities using research, education and action learning.

Co-Chair of the LGLPWG and Working Group Lead Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research at Charles Sturt University Professor Mark Evans said the group intended to work together to inform policy for improved outcomes for the groups’ shared regional communities.

“The Working Group has two areas of focus - the first being to facilitate the growth of our regional health workforce; and the second is to develop policy more broadly for local government,” Professor Evans said.

 “The forming of this group reflects Charles Sturt’s renewed commitment to going the extra mile for regional communities by collaborating with external stakeholders to address pressing issues facing regional Australia.

“One of the group’s main focus areas is to facilitate the growth of our regional health workforce which is an ongoing issue for many of our country communities.”

The main objectives of the Working Group will be achieved by:

• Facilitating up to five Policy Labs per year using an ‘action learning’ model
• Co-developing marketing collateral for advocacy purposes
• Encouraging stakeholders to pilot new ideas and innovation
• Building stronger and better-informed networks

Chair of the Central NSW Joint Organisation Cr Kevin Beatty Mayor of Cabonne said the formation of the Working Group represented another milestone in the relationship between organisations at the local level and Charles Sturt.

“Charles Sturt is an anchor institution for a large part of NSW, extending into Victoria,” Cr Beatty said.

“Our local councils have enjoyed a close working relationship with the University for years which has benefitted local communities in many ways, most prominently by contributing to local employment and service delivery.

“The new Working Group can only serve to strengthen collaboration and action on tackling the issues that matter most, thereby strengthening our voice and bargaining power at the local level to achieve outcomes for regional Australia.”

ENDS