Horsham Rural City Council has endorsed four motions to be put forward to the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) State Council, advocating for stronger support for rural and regional communities.
The motions, endorsed at this week's Council meeting, focus on improving access to mental health services, securing water for recreational lakes, increasing funding for integrated water projects and strengthening communications during emergencies.
The MAV State Council brings together representatives from all 79 Victorian councils and provides an important platform for local governments to advocate for issues affecting their communities and help shape statewide priorities.
Council will advocate for:
- Higher Victorian Government investment in rural and regional mental health services. It seeks a more complete mental health system that gives people access to support closer to home, including psychology, counselling, outreach programs and acute mental health care.
- The long-term reliability of water supplies for recreational lakes. It highlights the important role lakes play in supporting tourism, local economies, recreation and community wellbeing, particularly during drought and challenging seasonal conditions.
- Increased and ongoing funding for Integrated Water Management projects. These projects help improve water security, create greener public spaces, reduce reliance on drinking water and strengthen drought resilience in regional communities.
- Stronger telecommunications and communications networks in disaster-prone areas. The proposal supports improvements to mobile and communications infrastructure, backup power systems and satellite technology to help communities stay connected during emergencies.
Reflecting issues experienced across the Wimmera Southern Mallee and beyond, the four motions have gained the support of all six councils within the Wimmera Southern Mallee Councils Alliance and seek practical solutions to strengthen regional communities across Victoria.
"These are issues that people in regional communities live with every day. Whether it's finding mental health support closer to home, keeping our lakes healthy and active, or making sure people can receive information during an emergency, these are practical priorities that make a real difference to the lives of our residents," said Cr Rebecca Sluggett.
"By taking them to the MAV State Council, we're joining with councils from across Victoria to push for better support where it's needed most. Working together gives us a much stronger voice and a better chance of achieving real outcomes for our communities," said Cr Sluggett.
"Access to mental health care shouldn't depend on where you live. This motion seeks greater investment in a range of local mental health and wellbeing services, ensuring people can access the support they need closer to home. It also calls for acute psychiatric bed capacity in regional centres where those services are currently unavailable," said Cr Sluggett.
The motions will now be submitted for consideration at the MAV State Council meeting in October 2026.
