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Critical meeting about flood safety in the Hawkesbury
This Wednesday evening an important community meeting will take place. Convened by the Hawkesbury Business Group the purpose is to put the issue of flood mitigation back on the radar of government for the people who live and trade on the Hawkesbury Nepean catchment.
Happy 160th Birthday, Richmond School of Arts!
This month we celebrate the 160th anniversary of the opening of the Richmond School Of Arts, and I was pleased to represent the Mayor in attending a function on the weekend to commemorate this birthday.
Vale, Brett Wild (Scheyville National Park)
Recently I was saddened to hear of the passing of Brett Wild, Chairman of the Taskforce Veteran organisation and a tireless advocate for the restoration of the Scheyville Military Precinct at Scheyville National Park.
All the talks from the recent TEDx Hawkesbury event
Recently I was honoured to host the inaugural TEDxHawkesbury event at the Richmond School Of Arts. All the videos from the presenters are now online through the TEDx Global YouTube Channel and if you weren't able to attend the event, I commend them to you. Included in this post are my introductory remarks.
Major Update on Detached Dual Occupancy in the Hawkesbury
There have been many important developments on the question of permitting Dual Occupancy in the Hawkesbury, and I promised you an update.
How much debt is Hawkesbury Council in?
Do you know how much debt Council is in? No? Would you even know where to look?
With so much recent discussion around Council's financial management, I've managed to score a win for some transparency in the way we report this.
Hawkesbury Council bans two media organisations from the Chambers
Recently, Hawkesbury Council came to some very unwelcome national attention when the Mayor and the General Manager acted unilaterally to ban all 'representatives, volunteers or agents' of the Hawkesbury Gazette and of Hawkesbury Radio from attending Council meetings. I was appalled by this move.
The $72 million cost blowout for Richmond Pool
Richmond pool is at the end of its life, and few would argue that an upgrade is not needed. A recent visit taught Councillors that the main pool is leaking 15,000L of water a day.
But Council has a duty to manage its finances wisely. Any proposed improvement can't be rubber-stamped "at any price".
Oakville Public School pedestrian and traffic safety improvements a step closer
The business paper just published for next week’s Council meeting contains a significant update for those in the Oakville community. I have been fighting for upgrades to the footpaths, parking, traffic and pedestrian safety around Oakville Public School for many years. I am pleased to report is that detailed costings and engineering plans have finally been completed in an effort to make the project “shovel ready”, but the program is only partially funded.
Happy 215th Birthday to the Hawkesbury!
Happy birthday, Hawkesbury! Recently we celebrated the 215th anniversary of Governor Lachlan Macquarie proclaiming the names and locations of what we now know as the "Five Macquarie Towns".
Interview on Hawkesbury Radio – December 2025
Shaun Williams, presenter at the "Common Point" program at Hawkesbury Radio told me we were overdue for a chat. I thought this was a good opportunity to recap the year on Council. We covered a lot of territory! I'll be breaking this up in to more digestable fragments over the Christmas / January break.
Hawkesbury Council’s 39% Rate Hike
At its November 2025 meeting Hawkesbury Council decided in an 7:4 vote to hike everyone's rates by 39.4% over four years. I voted against it. Here's what you need to know.
Deputy Mayor Nathan Zamprogno
(opens in a new tab)The page of the Independent Deputy Mayor of Hawkesbury City Council, Nathan Zamprogno.
This Wednesday evening an important community meeting will take place. Convened by the Hawkesbury Business Group the purpose is to put the issue of flood mitigation back on the radar of government for the people who live and trade on the Hawkesbury Nepean catchment.
Venue: Windsor RSL
Date: This Wednesday 4th November
Time: 7pm
Here are some facts:
💧 When the NSW Labor government was elected in March 2023 they promised to ditch a key safety initiative – the long-overdue raising of Warragamba dam. They replaced it with a nebulously defined program that involved levees to safeguard places like Pitt Town and McGraths Hill. They promised to complete that task within two years of election.
It is now nearly four years later, and no levees have been built.
💧 The NSW Government completed a Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Disaster Adaptation Plan over a year ago which may provide crucial guidance on the kinds of capital works which will make our community safer but they have refused to release it or to answer media questions about it.
💧 The NSW Reconstruction Authority has upgraded its estimate of the number of people who would need to be evacuated in the case of a bad flood to 234,000 people.
I am told that the sponsors of the meeting will be advancing their own idea about a capital program to tunnel through the chokepoints of the river at Sackville in an effort to increase flood-time flows.
I do not know whether this idea is the solution we are looking for, but I do agree that it is worth further exploration because we cannot do nothing when our community faces such an existential risk.
In this video I discuss the upcoming meeting and those risks with local planner, Troy Myers.
NSW Reconstruction Authority
Chris Minns
Janelle Saffin - Member for Lismore
Tonight the NSW RFS - Glossodia Brigade celebrated its 85th anniversary.
These events bring joy to me as they underline the volunteer spirit that makes our community strong.
Congratulations to the brigade members and their families, Captain Peter Morrison, President Paul Crick and newly inducted life members.
I was joined by Susan Templeman MP, Robyn Preston MP, fellow Councillors Les Sheather and Jill Reardon, Superintendent Jonathon Hill and Inspector Ethan Parker from the RFS
Tonight I joined the Mayor, Mary Lyons-Buckett, Councillor Peter Ryan, Councillor Les Sheather, and many friends at the Annual General Meeting of the Hawkesbury Sports Council.
Our governance model delegates the management of our playing fields, 2-and-5 year plans for improvements, and sporting club liaison with this dedicated group of volunteers, who have delivered value and grass roots support for sports clubs across the Hawkesbury for 34 years (although early moves stretched back 39).
We're very grateful for their stewardship.
Here's me with a very old and dear friend, Matthew Austin of Duck Man Sports Media.
That's me at Windsor High School in Year 12 (lower left in photo). I would be embarassed to admit to the year.
Industrial Arts classroom. Engineering Science. Mr Blok (no, really).
And now, 36 years later, I'm dispatching my own students there to sit their HSC exams, starting this week. These symmetries in life please me.
If there's a young person in your life sitting HSC exams in the next few weeks, give them a hug. Tell them you know they will do their best. Remind them that this will not define them for long.
I hope someone can help this man recover his lost tools.
This content isn't available at the moment
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.
Politicians like me should listen when people in the areas we represent express distress about their cost of living pressures. Not being able to afford to live in your own home, or being forced to sell at a time that you don't choose must be a nightmare. This should be a “canary in the coal mine” moment for our governments.
Look at where Sydney’s distressed-property sale activity is highest – right here in the Hawkesbury.
The Richmond/Windsor VIEW Club is a wonderful local club whose philanthropy supports underpriveleged youth get a leg up in life.
I was absolutely delighted to be invited to open their Spring/Summer Fashion fair yesterday at the hall at St Monicas in Richmond. I counted nearly 80 ladies in high spirits enjoying a wonderful spread of tea and cakes while their supermodels strutted the catwalk.
I love seeing this side of our community through groups who are devoted to helping others, in style!
Good news concerning Detached Dual Occupancy!
Following a motion I brought to Council in June of last year, Council have now commenced public exhibition of a policy that will allow owners of land in RU1, RU2, RU4, RU5, C3 and C4 zones to place a second, detached house on their lot without subdivision.
Public comment is sought until 29 October 2026.
This is a big step towards the adoption of this as our active policy.
I have lamented in comment I have made over the years about how slow progress has been towards this widely desired flexibility among Hawkesbury landowners.
A link to my most recent video on this subject is also below.
I encourage all people who have looked forward to this reform to examine what is now on exhibition and to provide comment through the "Your Hawkesbury, Your Say" website linked below.
www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/planning-proposal
youtu.be/XGkm4kBx9bE?si=GSwsmiRs-4_gKCK_
