Councillor KateO

28/08/2026

Today the CEO and I presented a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport, representing the Local Government Rural Health Funding Alliance.

It was a challenging and nerve-wracking experience, but a great opportunity to speak directly with Federal Members about the challenges facing local governments in MM6 and MM7 LGAs.

We hope they take on board our written submission and today’s comments, and that we see the financial support we need — in the form of increased Federal Assistance Grants, and potentially the State Government finally adding GPs to the list of essential workers entitled to GROH housing in MM 6&7 LG’s, so that local governments aren’t also left covering the cost of GPs’ homes. Fingers crossed Meredith Hammat receives a copy of their findings and acts to assist us.

28/08/2026

A catchup on the recent work being done by the LG Health Alliance.

27/07/2026

The Shire of Gnowangerup warmly invites you to join members of the community in celebrating the outstanding contribution of Officer in Charge Todd D’Souza and his wife, Tasma, as they prepare to leave Gnowangerup.

Throughout their time in the community, Todd and Tasma have made a lasting impact through their dedication, and genuine commitment to the people of the Shire. Whether through policing, volunteering, or simply being active members of the community, they have touched the lives of many.

As someone who has worked alongside Todd and Tasma, or whose organisation has benefited from their support, your presence would be greatly appreciated as the community comes together to thank them and wish them all the very best for the future. Should you wish to say some words on the evening please let me know.

Community Farewell for Todd and Tasma
Date: Friday, 31 July 2026
Time: From 5.30 pm
Venue: Gnowangerup Sporting Complex

Light refreshments will be provided.
Please feel free to share this invitation with other members of your organisation who may wish to attend.

21/07/2026

21/07/2026

The Shire of Gnowangerup is delighted to have its annual business forum, Fields and Fortunes, included in WALGA’s recent publication on economic development case studies. The Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) has highlighted some of the best examples of economic development projects around the State and has included Fields and Fortunes 2026 with the intention that others can learn and grow their own projects. Check out the full story on the Shire website - latest news.

21/07/2026

A little chat about rates and responsible decision making….

15/06/2026

L A N D F O R S A L E ‼️🏡 Land Release & Tender Update | Shire of Gnowangerup

A reminder that the tender for 2 Garnett Road, Gnowangerup closes at 4:00 PM TODAY — don’t miss out!

And exciting news for our community — we’re thrilled to announce that three new blocks of land are now available for purchase:

📍 27 Whitehead Road, Gnowangerup
📍 9 House Street, Gnowangerup
📍 Lot 213 Carpenter Street, Ongerup.
Increasing land availability and housing options has been a strategic priority for Council for some time, and it’s wonderful to see this vision becoming a reality. Opportunities like these are an important step in supporting the growth and future of our region.

All sales are being managed by Elders Katanning. For enquiries, please contact Ian Hannah on 0427 215 076.

We encourage anyone interested to reach out to Ian directly — these are fantastic opportunities and we’d love to see them go to people who want to call our Shire home. 🌾

Housing

03/06/2026

This morning, ’s Nadia Mitsopoulos spoke with .mettam about the very real crisis facing health services in rural WA — and our Local Government Rural Health Funding Alliance was part of that conversation.

We’re grateful to both Libby and for amplifying this issue. Rural communities deserve access to GP services, yet local governments are being left to financially carry what should be a state and federal responsibility.

We’re calling on and to act — because the status quo is not sustainable for our communities. 🌾

27/05/2026

Budgets, budgets and more budgets…. Council and Executive staff have been working tirelessly to complete our 2026/27 budget, and of course an important role in our planning is to set rates. Here’s a little update of the direction we are moving in.

25/05/2026

🏛️ Taking rural health to Parliament House. Today the National Rural Health Alliance brought its message straight to Parliament House in Perth, meeting with Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Health, Libby Mettam MLA, to highlight a growing challenge facing communities like ours. The conversation focused on the very real financial pressures local governments are under when it comes to funding GPs — costs that are increasingly being met from the ratepayers’ purse. For rural and regional councils, propping up essential medical services is becoming an unsustainable burden, and it’s a conversation that needs to be had at the decision-making table. It was great to see Libby genuinely engaged and interested in the issue. .mettam has assured the Alliance that she will raise it as part of future budget deliberations — an encouraging step for rural communities working hard to keep healthcare local. Access to a GP shouldn’t depend on your postcode. We’ll keep advocating for fair, sustainable funding so our communities can get the care they deserve. 💙