Farewell Councillor Sue Price OAM

Farewell Councillor Sue Price OAM

After just over 12 years around the Council table, Councillor Sue Price OAM formally resigned from her position and attended her last meeting of Moree Plains Shire Council today.

The decision to step down from Council stems from Mrs Price relocating earlier this year to Toowoomba to be closer to her children and grandchildren.

General Manager, Mr Lester Rodgers has described Mrs Price a tremendous asset to the Moree Plains Shire community, “Councillor Price will be sorely missed throughout the community”.

“During Mrs Price’s time as a Councillor, she fiercely advocated for the Mungindi community and was an active member of multiple internal council committees, advisory committees, 355 committees and external committees concerned with regional development, the Inland Rail and rural roads”, said Mr Rodgers.

Since her election to Council, Mrs Price served as Deputy Mayor and held the position until 2016.Over her 12 years with Council, Mrs Price was a part of 13 committees including:

Council Committee of the Whole General Manager’s Performance Review Committee Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre Ltd Board Mungindi Crime Prevention Committee Road Network Consultative Group Mungindi Aged Care Committee Mungindi Showground & Racecourse Committee Mungindi Youth Council Weemelah Public Hall Management Committee Treasurer of Arts North West

Mrs Price also represented the broader Moree Plains community and over her tenure as a Councillor, chaired the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail Alliance, chaired the Australian Rural Roads Group and was a board member of Regional Development Australia – Northern Inland.

In May 2019, Mrs Price was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to rural and regional NSW and announced as the recipient of the 2019 Minister’s Award for Women in Local Government as an Elected Representative from a Rural or Regional Council.

Moree Plains Shire Council Mayor, Katrina Humphries stood for local government office in the same year, “Sue and I came into Moree Plains Shire Council together in 2008”, said Mayor Humphries.

“Sue has been a wonderful Deputy Mayor and a fabulous representative for not only Mungindi but the whole of the shire. Sue is loyal, dignified and gracious.

“Sue gave everything possible to the progress of the Inland Rail and I would not be able to imagine the number of kilometres she has travelled over the years to benefit us all.

“Sue will be missed very much by our community and also by all the other people across the North West she has helped over the years.

“On behalf of the people of the Moree Plains and beyond we thank Sue so much. We wish Sue and Glenn all the very best for their future; they will always have a place in our hearts”, concluded Mayor Humphries.

Mrs Price concluded her responsibilities as Councillor today at her final council meeting.

In relation to the vacancy created by Councillor Price’s resignation, Council today resolved to apply to the Minister for Local Government to provide an order that this vacancy not be filled prior to next year’s elections in September, given that Cr Price’s resignation has taken place within 18 months of such elections. This will dispense with the need to convene a by-election.

Photograph: Councillors at Mrs Sue Price’s last Council meeting.