The Network of Joint Organisations in NSW
Joint Organisations are the statutory umbrella entities for local government in regional New South Wales.
Joint Organisations were proclaimed in 2018 through the Local Government (Regional Joint Organisations) Proclamation 2018 and have been operating under the provisions of the NSW Local Government Act since that time.
Joint Organisations (JOs) are statutory local government bodies under the NSW Local Government Amendment (Regional Joint Organisations) Act 2017 No 65 and the Local Government Act. They provide a way for local councils, the NSW Government, the Commonwealth and Industry to work together to deliver things that matter the most to regional communities.
Joint Organisations represent a long term commitment to the development of a shared vision for a region.
Principal functions of joint organisations
The Local Government Act directs that a Joint Organsiation has the following principal functions:
- to establish strategic regional priorities for the joint organisation area and to establish strategies and plans for delivering those strategic regional priorities,
- to provide regional leadership for the joint organisation area and to be an advocate for strategic regional priorities
- to identify and take up opportunities for inter-governmental co-operation on matters relating to the joint organisation area.
Joint organisations are also empowered to undertake a range of other functions including capacity building for councils (section 400S) and may undertake regulatory functions of a council if delegated to do so (sections 377 and 379).
The voting members of a Joint Organisation Board comprise elected representatives (Mayors and, in some JOs, Councillors of their member councils.
Regional Organisations of Councils (ROCs)
Regional Organisations of Councils were formed prior to the development of Joint Organisations and are voluntary local government associations of General Purpose Councils and in some instances County Councils.
ROCs generally operate under the provisions of the NSW Associations Incorporation Act 2009.
Network of Joint Organisations in regional NSW
| Joint Organisation | Member Councils |
|---|---|
| Canberra Region Joint Organisation | Bega Valley, Eurobodalla, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Hilltops, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Upper Lachlan, Wagga Wagga City, Wingecarribee, Yass Valley. |
| Central NSW Joint Organisation |
Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Weddin. |
| Hunter Joint Organisation | Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Singleton, Upper Hunter. |
| Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation | Kiama, Shellharbour City, Shoalhaven City, Wollongong City. |
| Namoi Unlimited | Gunnedah, Gwydir, Liverpool Plains, Narrabri, Tamworth, Uralla, Walcha. |
| New England Joint Organisation | Armidale, Glen Innes Severn, Inverell, Uralla, Moree Plains, Narrabri, Tenterfield. |
| Northern Rivers Joint Organisation | Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Tweed. |
| Orana Joint Organisation | Bogan, Gilgandra, Mid-Western, Narromine, Warren, Warrumbungle. |
| Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation | Albury, Berrigan, Carrathool, Edward River, Federation, Griffith, Hay, Leeton, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Narrandera. |
| Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils | Bland, Coolamon, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Greater Hume, Junee, Lockhart, Temora and Goldenfields Water. |
| Mid North Coast Joint Organisation | Port Macquarie-Hastings, Kempsey, Bellingen. |
| Far North West Joint Organisation | Bourke, Cobar, Walgett |
| Far West Joint Organisation | Balranald, Broken Hill, Central Darling, Wentworth |
Recent major initiatives of the Network:
Joint Organisations and their Regional Organisations of Councils partners undertake an extraordinarily diverse range of initiatives in response to regional issues and opportunities.
Recent major programs have included:
- Central NSW JO: Transitioning Integrated Water Loss Management to Integrated Planning and Reporting
- Central NSW JO: The Spare Capacity in Housing Project
- Canberra Region JO: Regional Community Strategic Plans project
- Canberra Region JO: Embedding Resilience in Integrated Planning and Reporting Toolkit
- Canberra Region JO: South East NSW Resilience Blueprint
- Mid North Coast JO: Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Framework for Integrated Planning and Reporting
- Mid North Coast JO: Setting up a Disaster Risk and Recovery Network
- Mid North Coast JO: Developing an Alumni Program for Disaster Preparedness
- Illawarra Shoalhaven JO: Regional Resilience Integrated Planning and Reporting Guidance
- Illawarra Shoalhaven JO: Illawarra Shoalhaven Economic Development Blueprint
- Illawarra Shoalhaven JO: Regional Energy Strategy – Illawarra Shoalhaven
- Illawarra Shoalhaven JO: Wood Cycle Connect Innovative Power BI tool – July 24 2024
- Illawarra Shoalhaven JO: Regional Framework to Benchmark Social & Sustainable Procurement – Illawarra Shoalhaven (nsw.gov.au)
- Illawarra Shoalhaven JO: Illawarra Shoalhaven Regional Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy – Illawarra Shoalhaven (nsw.gov.au)
- Hunter JO: Climate Change Integrated Planning and Reporting Package
- Hunter JO: Regional Contaminated Land Capacity Building Project
- Hunter JO: Disaster Resilience IP&R Support Package, Simtables & Disaster Waste
- Hunter JO: Hunter Airports Strategy (Freight)
- Hunter JO: Circular Economy Program
- Hunter JO: Hunter Export-Ready Tourism Marketing Strategy
- Riverina Eastern ROC: Disaster Risk Reduction Community Education Resources
- Riverina Eastern ROC: Regional Energy Efficiency and Net Zero Plan
- Riverina Eastern ROC: Energy and Innovation Conference
- Riverina and Murray JO: RAMJO-Regional-Freight-Transport-Plan-Version-3-final-document-1.pdf (nsw.gov.au)
- Riverina and Murray JO: FINAL-Water-Position-Paper-16052024-compressed.pdf (nsw.gov.au)
Cross JO Projects / Outputs: