Councillors advocate for the community to Opposition Leader

Getting decision-makers to make the drive is half the battle for regional councils so when Opposition Leader Jess Wilson came to Mansfield Shire last week, Councillors Mandy Treasure and Bonnie Clark made sure she left with plenty to consider for Mansfield Shire in the lead up to the 2026 Victorian election. 

The Councillors attended Wilson’s community forum for local women as part of her statewide tour of all 88 electorates and took the opportunity to hand her a copy of Council's Advocacy Priorities document.

Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said Council welcomes the opportunity to open dialogue with state government politicians regardless of political affiliation in the lead up to the election.

“While this is a Council that focuses on delivering core services, we represent the community and know that it’s also our role to advocate strongly for infrastructure we need to serve the shire's growth, our community's needs that local government can’t provide on its own," he said.

“We need an Emergency Services Precinct to keep our community safe from disasters, safer roads, energy and telecommunications resilience and we need a fairer go for regional Victoria on infrastructure funding."

"Our community lived through the 2026 Victorian Bushfire season - they know what's at stake and they expect their representatives, no matter which side of politics they sit on, to understand it too."

“We’ve made our voices heard on key issues, including the ESVF tax and the removal of planning powers from local government."

“During the election period, we’ll be working to get the message out there that as a regional community, we need and we deserve more than we've got in the recent past."

“Councillors Treasure and Clark made sure the shire's priorities were heard directly by the Opposition Leader and left her with a clear, written record of what matters most to the Mansfield community.”

Council's Advocacy Priorities document outlines nine key priorities for the Shire, including the Mansfield Emergency Services Precinct, road safety upgrades, the Lakins Road Industrial Precinct, the Bonnie Doon Recreation Reserve Masterplan, emergency relief and recovery infrastructure and calls to repeal the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy and the Better Decisions Made Faster Bill, which strips planning powers away from communities.

Council will be actively circulating the document to those looking to form the Victorian state government in the lead up to the 2026 election. 

Council’s current advocacy priorities can be viewed at www.mansfield.vic.gov.au/council/advocacy