In local government news: Dubbo is confident of keeping the February touch footy fest for another three-year tender — while calling on accommodators to keep a cap on prices — while a new lifeline for Rex Airlines could see council get back its lost thousands, and a slim-lined document management system seeks to make keeping track of council easier.

New three-year bid for “tip” conference in town

No one does sport quite like Dubbo, with council dead-keen to keep the hugely successful (and profitable) annual NSW Touch Junior State Cup Northern Conference for another three years.

Held in February in what is usually a quiet time for local business, sport, and the community generally, DRC is supporting Dubbo Touch’s tender application for the next 2027-29 cycle. The last of the current 2023–25 contract, with the 2026 footy fest added-on, will be running over the February 20–22 weekend at Lady Cutler Sporting Precinct.

Councillor Shibli Chowdhury — who admits to being no sporting buff himself — said that Dubbo Touch Association, with a little help from council, has done a top job on the event.

“Absolutely, for the past three years, it’s been run very well,” he opined. “We’ve really enjoyed the feedback from the organisers and the people travelling here, for how well it has gone,” he added.

Only fly in the ointment from council’s point of view, he said, were complaints about increased charges for accommodation as local hotels, motels, B&Bs, camping, and short lets fill up.

“Accommodation is always a bit light, so we’ve been advocating to keep a cap on prices. We’ve been working together with the providers, to make sure rates aren’t too high,” Cr Chowdhury revealed.

Cr Pam Wells echoed his sentiments, with local providers apparently claiming that it is all down to dreaded automated computer calculations.

“We had a recent meeting with hoteliers, council, and Dubbo Touch, and they apparently said that, as the bookings increase, an algorithm adjusts room prices,” Cr Wells said. “We asked could they change that, and they said, they’d look into it,” she added.

Otherwise, she believes, the tournament has operated like clockwork over the past three years, with council’s main contribution a pile of in-kind support and services for the footy fest.

“There’s traffic organisation, closing roads, that sort of thing, planning and compliance, opening the Showground for tents. We’re very confident of keeping it, families that come here are exceedingly happy, we even offer free entry to the pool for players registered in the tournament,” she added.

This major sporting show brings more than 10,000 visitors to the region with a near $10 million boost to the local economy and a 7.4 per cent kick in growth, Mayor Josh Black said, adding that cooperation was the key.

“Putting the Dubbo Region’s best foot forward is what we can all do to support this next tender process,” Cr Black suggested.

“It’s the ‘Team Dubbo’ approach that demonstrates to our coastal counterparts, we can host major sporting events really well in the country,” he concluded.

On a wing and a prayer, Rex is back in the air!

Local air travellers, as well as major creditor Dubbo Council, were no doubt breathing a sigh of relief when it was recently announced that US-based company Air T Inc is set to buy our embattled regional carrier.

Being propped up by the Federal Government since Rex Airlines entered voluntary administration in July 2024, the deal still has to be approved by the company’s creditors, among them, local ratepayers.

Council, he said, welcomed “a new Australian Government funding program to support regional and remote airports impacted by Rex Airlines’ voluntary administration. This initiative will allow us to apply to have the money owed to council by Rex reimbursed, providing a pathway to recover outstanding payments.

“Before Rex entered voluntary administration, our council was owed almost $660,000, so this program represents an important opportunity to restore those funds.”

Cr Black also thanked the Federal Government for their “commitment to regional aviation through its support for Air T’s acquisition of Rex.”

This, he said, should keep them in the air through retaining Rex’s aircraft and simulator fleet and ensuring “continuity of regional and remote routes” that had been serviced by Rex.

New system to streamline business papers

Those who remember times past when computers first became widely used in office work, may also recall the myth of the paperless office.

Dubbo is now well on the way to this dream, with a new business paper system designed to make it easier for councillors, staff, and ratepayers to access council meeting docs online.

The new system, Resolve, is web-based to allow faster access and better usability, Corporate Governance Team Leader Susan Wade said.

“Once the business papers are generated in the system, they will be automatically distributed to designated councillors, staff, and community members and made publicly available,” Ms Wade revealed.

“The new system streamlines the process and cuts down time from over 45 minutes to publish the papers, to about 15 seconds,” she added.

Councillors would also use the system to vote, with the function to be displayed on the councillors' iPads during meetings.