New England faces a series of serious, unresolved issues—yet clear solutions remain elusive. As the political landscape shifts with Barnaby Joyce leaving the National Party to join One Nation, the public and media are again turning their attention to long-standing community concerns.
Water security remains one of the region’s most pressing challenges. No regional development can occur without reliable, affordable water.
We also face the ongoing risks of droughts and bushfires. With the 2025 bushfire season underway, councils and civic organisations must prioritise preparedness. Recent floods, bushfires and storms show how quickly essential services, supply lines and transport networks can collapse—even when governments and councils try to respond.
Health services remain a critical concern. Earlier this year the community petitioned the NSW Parliament to split the Hunter New England Health District so New England could have its own. Despite a parliamentary debate and advocacy from our local MP, there has been no meaningful outcome. Meanwhile, Armidale Hospital’s emergency department is plagued with long after-hours waiting times, often 4–5 hours, causing many to leave without receiving care.
My Change.org petition, now with over 300 signatures, calls for an after-hours emergency medical clinic in Armidale. Tamworth has one, but expecting residents from Armidale, Guyra, Glen Innes, Deepwater or Tenterfield to travel there for urgent care is unrealistic.
Transport continues to be a major frustration. Reliable air services remain out of reach, with residents routinely travelling to Sydney a day early to protect international connections. Often, the airfares exceed $500 one-way and more than $600 return to Brisbane, placing a heavy burden on anyone who is not travelling under government or corporate reimbursement.
For more than three years, New England residents have sought improvements to public transport, including reinstatement of rail services north of Armidale. Community petitions, submissions, surveys and meetings with local councils have delivered little progress. The NSW Government’s response has been minimal.
In early 2024 the responsible Minister requested a detailed business case—a requirement that effectively froze progress, as such a study costs between $200,000 and $500,000. Volunteer-run community organisations cannot raise this level of funding, and many see this as cost-shifting rather than genuine engagement. Attempts to meet the Minister have failed, and the community is directed instead to the slow-moving regional planning process (SRITP), with the New England–North West plan not due until mid- or late-2026—just months before the March 2027 State Election.
It is clear the Minns Government is poised to complete its current term without addressing New England’s transport needs. As usual, election promises may flood in, but metropolitan infrastructure will continue to receive the lion’s share of investment, while regional NSW is largely overlooked.
When major parties ignore regional concerns, what alternatives do communities have? One option is to work with minor parties and true independents, who can still raise questions in Parliament, pursue inquiries, use Budget Estimates, and draw media attention to government inaction. Even when not in government, they can push issues into the public sphere.
For example, reopening the rail line north of Armidale requires the NSW Government to prioritise the project and include it in its forward infrastructure program before seeking federal assistance. Without strong community pressure—and without councils and business leaders joining the push—progress is unlikely.
In this context, the upcoming visit to Armidale by One Nation Senator Sean Bell this Sunday (December 14) is significant. He and former New England One Nation candidate Brent Larkham intend to meet with rail advocates to better understand the community’s proposals for restoring the Armidale–Queensland rail link. A public meeting at Armidale Railway Station at 10.00am will be followed by a private discussion at the Bowling Club.
Some residents, particularly long-time rail supporters, may feel uncomfortable about engaging with this event. But when other avenues are exhausted, should we simply remain silent? Should we continue hoping indefinitely without action? Our elected representatives at all levels of government must be held accountable for advocating on behalf of our region.
Finally, the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) raises profound questions. While the NSW Government promotes it as a State-Significant project and councils expect small revenue shares from more than 30 developments, many residents remain concerned about land impacts, lifestyle changes, and the region’s future water needs. Whether local communities will benefit from lower power prices is unclear.
Armidale Regional Council proposes a “Future Fund” to manage contributions from energy companies, but only 25–30% is earmarked for community benefit programs, with the rest allocated to unspecified council infrastructure.
As 2025 ends and 2026 begins, New England faces several unresolved challenges—water, health, transport, community services and large-scale energy development—while public frustration grows. Entering the pre-election year, all political parties will again turn their attention to regional NSW with minimal investment promises. The community needs to keep a close eye on such pomises and those unfulfilled.
Our hope is that the current NSW Labor Government will commit to genuine, long-term investment in regional infrastructure and services, and that our elected representatives—local, state and federal—will finally advocate strongly for practical, transparent solutions instead of relying heavily on consultants and bureaucracy.
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