Dubbo Regional Council: First look at who will be next term’s councillors

A mix of fresh and veteran councillors will be joining Dubbo Regional Council as counting continues across the region. Here’s who is guaranteed a spot.

Dubbo Regional Council offices. Picture: Ryan Young

A mix of fresh and veteran councillors are set to make up Dubbo Regional Council as counting continues.

Councillors Joshua Black and Pam Wells have kept their positions for another term with the Australian Labor Party securing more than 16.3 per cent of votes.

Wellington nominee Adam Ryan will be sworn in if preferences are secured.

Mr Black told this publication he was “excited to be re-elected” and thanked the community.

“I feel that there’s a fairly large vote of people who would never have voted for a Labor candidate, but who have seen the job I’ve done over the last term of council, such as saving the sale yards from privatisation, Regand Park from privatisation and opposing the pool management privatisation,” Mr Black said.

Mr Black also pushed for a crime summit and actively tried to publicise council travel expenditure.

Dubbo Regional councillor Joshua Black. Photo: Supplied

“They’ve liked what they’ve seen so I won’t let them down. It’s based on local issues – if you represent the community well, then people will vote for you,” he said.

“I think it’s as simple as that really, that’s what it comes down to.”

Incumbent mayor Mathew Dickerson has also secured another spot with 3476 votes so far, while new face Jen Cowley (independent) has also seen success with 1840 votes.

“I’ve very much enjoyed the process, I just love talking to people and it’s been really interesting to get around and talk to people from as far away as Stuart Town and across the local government area,” Ms Cowley said.

“My message is that I love where I live, and I know that other people love where I live as well so I want to be that conduit if I can.

“I’ve spent my last 35 years working to make this a better place and hopefully I can continue to do that.”

Jen Cowley. Photo: Steve Cowley.

Incumbent councillor Matt Wright has also secured his position.

The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party secured two members in council, Kate Richardson and Phillip Toyton, with votes tallying more than 16.8 per cent.

Ms Richardson told The Dubbo News the voters of the region had made it clear they “want a change”.

“I just think council needs to get back to its grassroots,” she said.

Shooters, Farmers and Fishers leader Kate Richardson

“Roads, rates, rubbish. We just need to concentrate on the basics and listen to what the community wants as a whole and find out their needs and wants.

“Everyone I speak to just want to know when the roads are getting fixed or why aren’t the roads fixed.

“Get rid of all the extras in council, get rid of all the wokeness.

“People get very disheartened because they see their rates money being burned up and they don’t like it.

“I love this town, so if I could do something in a small way to make it a better place to live for everyone else, then I will.”