Craig Davies and Alliance of Western Councils demand candidates consult them on major election issues

The planned scrapping of the regional health portfolio by opposition Labor, the biodiversity offset scheme affecting growth of housing pushed by the Greens, the Coalition's water scheme for farmers, transport of produce and goods from regions, inland rail efficiency to grow manufacturing, state of rural roads, and paltry consultations are the biggest issues for them.

"The decisions being made on our behalf by bureaucrats who have no idea of what works in rural and regional communities has to stop," Alliance of Western NSW Councils chair Craig Davies told the Daily Liberal after the 'Pollies Panel' at Dubbo last week.

Mr Davies, the Narromine shire mayor, represented the 13 town mayors in the alliance at the panel discussion portion of the recent Inland Growth Summit at Lazy River Estate, which was also attended by the minister for regional development Kristy McBain, independent Barwon MP Roy Butler, Dubbo MP and minister for agriculture and western NSW Dugald Saunders, and Parkes MP Mark Coulton.

"Too often we have important policy made without consultation or simply lip service and our politicians need to be better than this," he said.

"We have a democracy where we have elected people to represent us but they seem to allow the bureaucracy to dominate our affairs which is not the democracy we seek.

"Ministers need to take a stand and put a stop to these lousy decisions and start a consultation process with regional and rural people before they implement decisions."

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Mr Davies insisted the alliance formed two years ago after the Orana Joint Organisation of Councils was dissolved is "non-political" and explained their role is to lobby all representatives of political parties for policies that enable the development of country towns and they will be unapologetic when chasing issues at state and federal levels.

The AWC consists of the Midwestern Council, Central Darling Shire Council, Dubbo Regional Council, Bogan Shire, Warren, Gilgandra, Narromine, Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Coonamble, Walgett and Warrumbungle Council.

These council areas occupy at least 30 per cent of western NSW regions.

"Country mayors are the coal face of rural communities and their knowledge and experience far surpasses that of city based bureaucrats who are generally clueless but influence outcomes that affect us," Mr Davies added.

The AWC has also hit out at opposition Labor's plan to scrap the regional health portfolio if they win in the March 25 election because it will be a "tactical and strategic mistake" that can lead to further decline of frontline health services in rural towns.

At a forum in Sydney last week, the 80-member NSW Country Mayors Association (CMA) asked political leaders if they would be retaining the Ministry of Regional Health and the independent Health Advisory Committee currently advising Minister Bronnie Taylor on the 44 recommendations from the Upper House inquiry post the election.

Deputy Premier Paul Toole confirmed the Coalition would commit to the request but Labor's representative stated they are committed to having one Health Minister for the state if elected.

"When patients in Trangie can go to our local health service and have cancers removed by a visiting team is a giant leap forward," Mr Davies said.

"The Coalition have taken on board the country mayors' initiated review [of regional health services] and whilst we have a long way to go to achieve any level of parity or even acceptable level of service, the findings on [health inquiry in parliament] will implement the findings.

"Why are there more people involved in administration than the delivery of medical outcomes in NSW health will never cease to baffle us. We will need to take up the fight to keep our doctors."

At least 160 delegates representing the CMA held a forum in Sydney with candidates of the Coalition, Labor Party, Greens Party, One Nation, Shooters fishers and Farmers Party, and animal Justice Party.

CMA chairman and Gunnedah Shire mayor Jamie Chaffey said he was encouraged by answers at the Sydney forum but stated they are "hopeful that both Labor and Coalition will match our calls to build country homes, build country trades, fix country pinch points and provide smarter country water users".

Mr Davies said the Bio Diversity Offset Scheme is viewed by country towns as a "tax on regional development" impacting housing affordability and availability because in a country town such as "Bourke for example, a $48,000 block of land is taxed $480,000 in bio diversity costs".

Freight and transport costs for farmers is also at the forefront of the AWC issues they would take up to candidates because farmers needed to "drive down freight costs to Port of Newcastle by as much as $25 per tonne that adds a competitive aspect to all east coast ports" of produce for the export markets.

Mr Davies said the AWC would support the Inland Rail program in NSW because "its the greatest driver of growth, investment and development" in regional corridors.

"Inland Rail will provide high tech manufacturing and ongoing jobs in their thousands in the shires," Mr Davies said.

Mr Davies they are in discussion with relevant ministries on water issues for efficient irrigation of agricultural based towns, improvement of rural roads recently funded by the NSW government, and widening their consultation line with levels of government.

"It's taken the initiatives and priorities of country mayors to bring about the resolve and its pleasing the government has announced to resurrect our freight network and rural roads, it is most welcome.

"I feel very privileged to have been given a spot alongside state and federal politicians [at the panel] to give the perspective from the level of government closes to our people.

"The panel was a great initiative ensuring the real issues pacing rural and regional areas are brought to the fore and not glossed over.

"[We] would be the last to suggest civil disobedience or whatever but when governments act against the interest of our people there has to be a considered response."