IN SHORT

• Central Darling Shire has reaffirmed its preference to maintain membership with the Western Division of Councils as the organisation works through a structural review. Member councils will meet in Cobar on 5 and 6 March to determine the future direction of the organisation, with Central Darling's chairperson attending to represent the shire's interests. The council has also expressed a preference to join the Far North West Joint Organisation as part of the broader review of joint organisation boundaries across the state.

Central Darling Shire Council has reaffirmed its commitment to regional unity in the Far West, resolving at its February meeting to maintain its membership with the Western Division of Councils as the organisation faces a significant moment of self-determination.

Member councils from across the western region are due to gather in Cobar on 5 and 6 March for meetings that will help shape the future direction of the Western Division. Central Darling's chairperson will attend to represent the shire and advocate for the continued relevance of the organisation as a vehicle for rural and remote council advocacy.

The review of joint organisation boundaries is the backdrop to these discussions. Under the current framework, councils can choose which joint organisation they align with for regional collaboration and representation purposes. Central Darling has expressed a preference to join the Far North West Joint Organisation, a position that reflects both geographic logic and shared advocacy interests with the communities of that part of the state.

The broader push for unity among Far West councils comes at a time when the New South Wales Government has appointed a dedicated minister for the region, a development that councillors noted creates both an opportunity and an expectation for western councils to speak with a coherent regional voice. Fragmented advocacy rarely moves ministers in the same way that organised, unified regional pressure does.

Key priorities for Far West councils in any regional advocacy agenda include increased police presence across western communities, improved emergency communications across vast distances, and sustained investment in infrastructure that keeps remote towns viable. These are not issues that any single shire can resolve alone, and the value of organisations like the Western Division lies precisely in their ability to aggregate and amplify the concerns of communities that are individually too small to command much attention from Sydney.