First Step to Improving Social Services Access for Residents
The Shire of Augusta Margaret River’s advocacy efforts are beginning to deliver results with the Department of Communities announcing they will convene a meeting with local social service providers.
Scheduled for late May 2025, the meeting will give state decision-makers the opportunity to hear directly from local service providers about what’s needed to better support people living in Augusta Margaret River.
The announcement comes after Shire President Julia Meldrum and the Shire’s CEO, Andrea Selvey met with the Department’s Director General Mike Rowe in April to highlight critical community issues.
Shire President Julia Meldrum said the Department of Communities meeting was an important first step towards the long-term goal of improving access to essential social services for residents.
“It’s no secret that our rapid and continued population growth has left our Shire underserviced when it comes to social services,” she said.
“While the state is investing in Bunbury and Busselton based services to support the southwest, that support isn’t flowing through to the people who need it here in our community.
“As a local government we have a limited capacity so we need the State and Federal Government to fill the gap. We’re hopeful this meeting will lead to greater investment in on-the-ground support and service so that everyone in our community can access the services they need and deserve.“
The news follows another recent advocacy milestone, with WA’s Public Transport Authority agreeing to explore the possibility of a local bus service following discussions with the Shire in January.
“These outcomes reflect the hard work of our Shire staff and are a a direct result of Council’s proactive engagement with State and Federal representatives to ensure our community’s needs are heard and addressed,” said President Meldrum.
“We know effective advocacy takes time, so we’re committed to the long game. We have identified key priorities for our Shire and now that the State and Federal elections are behind us, we’ll be focused on connecting with the new Ministers to ensure our region and community remain front of mind in future planning and decision-making.”