POLITICS
FROM THE MAYOR’ S DESK
with Hawkesbury City Mayor Les Sheather
Hawkesbury City Council’ s goal in everything we do is to support our community to be all it can be. A lot gets said about the work we do with building roads, parks and community facilities, but we also work hard with our partners in the community to help improve wellbeing and support worthwhile projects to achieve the same.
That is why we are proud supporters of the Hawkesbury City ClubGRANTS program alongside our partners at Panthers North Richmond, Richmond Club, Windsor RSL and Windsor Leagues Club. ClubGRANTS provides funding for community organisations and groups proposing to carry out projects that provide support to people in the Hawkesbury through community welfare and social services; community development; employment assistance activities; community health services; and projects aimed at improving the living standards of low income and disadvantaged people. If you have a project or program that fits the bill, I encourage
you to go to www. clubgrants. com. au and apply.
A lot of the work we are doing in the community will be on full display at the Hawkesbury Show this month from 24- 26 April. Our show tent will once again highlight the many exciting community projects and services our Council is working on at the moment, including major parks and facility upgrades, arts and culture, waste and resource recovery and environmental improvement. We’ ll have plenty of our experts on hand, as well as customer service staff, to collect your feedback and help answer all your questions. Come see us in the emergency services area at the Show!
Speaking of arts and culture, our Hawkesbury Regional Gallery is holding an art exhibition that is all about our local artists. Home: A Place to Call will run until 31 May and it is an exhibition for the Hawkesbury, by the Hawkesbury. And best of all, entry to the Gallery is free! While you are there, make sure to say hi to our wonderful curators and find out all about the exhibitions and school holiday activities that are coming up at your libraries, museum and gallery.
Government under fire as NSW police numbers decline
A sharp drop in police numbers across New South Wales has sparked criticism from Shadow Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Anthony Roberts.
Newly released public sector data shows there are now just 176 police officers per 100,000 people in NSW- down from 205 in 2019- despite continued population growth across the state.
Mr Roberts said the figures reflect what many communities are already experiencing: fewer police on the beat at a time when concerns about gang activity and community safety are rising.
“ Families across New South Wales are increasingly worried about crime in their communities. The last thing NSW should be seeing is fewer police on the streets,” Mr Roberts said.
“ Day after day, families are reading reports of gang-related violence and organised crime in their suburbs- including a shooting in Lidcombe just this morning. Under the Minns Labor Government, community safety continues to be an afterthought.”
He said police were already under significant pressure, warning that lower staffing levels lead to longer response times, increased strain on officers and reduced visibility in local neighbourhoods.
Local MP Ms Preston echoed those concerns, highlighting the impact on rapidly growing areas in the North West.
“ Our region covers a large geographic area with many rural and semi-rural communities. When police numbers decline, it places additional pressure on officers who are already working hard to respond across vast distances,” she said.
“ Communities such as Box Hill and Gables are expanding at an extraordinary rate, yet they continue to rely on a single police station at Castle Hill to service a rapidly growing population.”
Ms Preston said she supports calls for a new police station at Rouse Hill- a position also backed by Hills Shire Mayor Dr Michelle Byrne.
18 ISSUE 191 // APRIL 2026 theindependentmagazine. com. au THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT