Murraylands council watch: November 2025
New deputy mayors are elected, the Coorong’s mayor takes a break, Murray Bridge Racing Club gets its discount back and more.
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New deputy mayors elected in Murray Bridge and the Mid Murray
Two Murraylands councils have elected new deputy mayors as they head into the final year of their current terms.
Mannum’s Georga Warhurst will serve as Deputy Mayor of the Mid Murray district after being elected unopposed at that council’s November meeting.
Councillors discussed the idea of not having a deputy at all, but ultimately agreed that the role was more important than it used to be, especially with Mayor Simone Bailey running in next year’s state election.
She would not automatically become the mayor if Ms Bailey were elected; any councillor could theoretically be chosen to stand in between March and the local government election in November.
The appointment represents a quick climb for Cr Warhurst, who had only been elected to the council eight months earlier.
Another first-term councillor, Tom Haig, will serve as Deputy Mayor of Murray Bridge for the next 12 months.
He thanked the city’s other councillors for their support, and promised to do his best to live up to the examples set by previous deputies Airlie Keen and Andrew Baltensperger.
Health issue forces Coorong mayor to take a break
Meanwhile, Coorong Mayor Paul Simmons has stepped away from his official duties for a while for health-related reasons.
The council announced as much on its social media channels on Tuesday.
Deputy Mayor Jonathan Pietzsch will step up into the local leadership role while Mr Simmons is away.
Anyone wanting to send well-wishes to the mayor and his partner Wendy can email council@coorong.sa.gov.au or drop a card at any of the council’s offices.
Racing club gets its council rates discount back
Murray Bridge Racing Club has had a major win in its efforts to secure a discount on its council rates bill.
Councillors voted in November to continue the 50 per cent discount – worth more than $60,000 – the club had enjoyed for much of the past decade.
That was a reversal of a decision from earlier this year, when councillors had voted to make the club pay full tote odds.
Club representatives lodged a protest, and wound up getting their way.
However, the decision was not unanimous.
Cr Andrew Baltensperger argued for a lower rebate of 25%, while Cr Karen Eckermann argued that the council should not be subsidising an organisation which existed to facilitate gambling.
Councillors may offer a rebate to any individual or organisation at their discretion; they are traditionally given to community groups and not-for-profit organisations.
The racing club is a not-for-profit.
- Read more: Racing club appeals $64,000 council decision
Churches shouldn’t get a discount for ministers’ houses, councillors decide
In another contentious decision, Murray Bridge’s councillors also voted not to give a property rates discount to the Salvation Army.
The property for which they had applied for a discount was a manse: the house where their minister lived.
Several councillors, including Clem Schubert and Mat O’Brien, argued that the Salvos were a charity and deserved the help.
But Tom Haig and Fred Toogood pointed out that the property in question was not one where services were provided to the community.
“Unless we change (our) guidelines, we leave ourselves wide open … every parish that’s occupied by a pastor, for his or her residence, they’ll apply for a rebate,” Cr Haig said.
“We’ll be flooded with requests,” Cr Toogood said.
The final vote was 4-3 against offering the rebate.
Speed limits at Sturt Reserve are too high, councillor suggests
Should the speed limit be lowered at Murray Bridge’s Sturt Reserve?
Councillor Clem Schubert thinks so.
The risk to children and the elderly was too great along Murray Cods Drive, Jaensch Road, Charles Sturt Drive and Sturt Reserve Road, he suggested.
“Considering the amount of money we’ve spent on Sturt Reserve, and (the fact that) it’s a tourist area … I’d (recommend) the reduction of speeds.”
Council staff will report back to a future meeting with some options.
Everyone deserves music, councillors decide
For the first time since its restoration almost 20 years ago, the Station – Murray Bridge’s youth centre – will open its doors for a regular all-ages music event in 2026.
Former youth officer Paul Ankerson and a group of musically minded locals plan on establishing a monthly open mic event for people of all ages and abilities.
The Music Connections program will be based on an event which briefly got started at the Murray Bridge Club in the months before the COVID-19 pandemic.
There was a need for people over the age of 25 to have opportunities to perform, Mr Ankerson told the council in August, especially in a venue which did not feature alcohol or gambling.
Young people who came up through the council’s Band Connections and Hip Hop Connect programs were cut loose as soon as they aged out of the 12-25 bracket.
Meanwhile, the council had paid top dollar for a venue and equipment which was being used by only a small segment of the community.
The council’s community services manager expressed concern that the event could add to the burden on staff at the Station, who were already under-resourced.
But Mr Ankerson promised the event could be delivered by volunteers.
Councillors voted to allocate $6000 to the program in the council’s annual budget.
Community grants will help Coorong communities recover from drought
Three Tailem Bend organisations are among 12 which will receive community grants from the Coorong council this year.
Councillors voted in November to give:
- $1400 to St Luke’s Anglican Church
- $1200 to Tailem Bend Progress Association
- $1000 to the Revival Church of Tailem Bend
The projects for which the grants were awarded were not listed in the council’s minutes.
The council is also in the process of distributing $10,000 in left-over community grant money to organisations around the Coorong district for Christmas celebrations.
Council staff argued the extra support was warranted in the face of this year’s drought, which had caused significant hardship in rural communities.
“The festive season presents a unique opportunity to bring people together and restore community spirit after prolonged hardship,” they said in a report to councillors.
“Allocating funding to support community-led festive events is a strategic investment in community resilience and wellbeing.
“These events ... will deliver much-needed festive cheer and foster a sense of unity and renewal.”
Water from standpipes gets cheaper
Finally, water from the standpipes at Palmer, Summerfield and elsewhere around the Mid Murray district will get slightly cheaper now that they are being automated.
Residents will need to pay $20 for a swipe card to use the automated standpipes, but will then pay $6 per kilolitre, down from the previous $7.50.
Non-residents will have to pay $50 to get a swipe card.
Mid Murray councillors approved the new fee structure at their November meeting.
But don’t bank on the discount lasting forever – council staff suggested it was intended to encourage people to start using the new swipe cards, and would be re-evaluated in 2026-27.
Disclosure: The author is a member of the group which is collaborating with Mr Ankerson to establish an all-ages open mic event at the Station. Correction: The section on the racing club has been updated to more accurately reflect the positions of Cr O’Brien and Cr Eckermann.
