Bourke Shire Mayor Barry Hollman is fuming at state Water Minister Rose Jackson for missing a meeting they had scheduled in Sydney. 

In recent weeks, Mr Hollman travelled to Sydney to meet with several ministers to discuss Bourke shire matters.

“Minister Jackson failed to front for a meeting we had booked with her to discuss water security in Bourke and increasing the height of the Bourke weir,” Mr Hollman said. 

Bourke Council has long advocated for an increase to the height of the Bourke Weir in a bid to enlarge the capacity of the Bourke Weir Pool. 

According to the council the capacity of the weir pool is currently such that once water ceases to flow over the weir, and there are no further inflows, the Bourke township has just six months of river water supply available to it. 

Hence, Bourke Shire Council wanted to get a commitment from the Water Minister that they would increase the height. 

Barry Hollman. Image: ABC. 

“But we only got to speak to her chief of staff, that’s not the same thing” the Mayor said. 

Mr Hollman said he was “totally flabbergasted". 

“After travelling so far, I cannot believe she would do that to us.” 

He said they had been promised meetings in the past, “and these haven’t come to fruition either. I find her attitude at a minister for the crown to be quite disappointing”. 

The veteran Mayor said he understands Ms Jackson even returned to her office while he was speaking wit the chief of staff, but “still didn’t come and meet with us”. 

“I think its fair to say any increase to the height of the Bourke weir is still a long way off”. 

Over the years Council representatives have attended numerous consultation sessions, met with relevant Ministers and departmental officers, and whilst there have been verbal commitments to an increased weir height, Council says it has seen little actual progress.  

Rose Jackson. Image: NSW Parliament 

In March CEO of the NSW Water Sector, Ms Amanda Jones told Council “that Bourke Weir is a high remediation priority for the NSW Government.” She advised that “upgrades to the Bourke Weir, as part of the Western Weirs project, have been incorporated into the Better Baaka program, a holistic, system-wide approach to regional water infrastructure planning.”

She further advised “the strategic business case for the Western Weirs program was completed in November 2021” and further that “the NSW Government continues to work with the Australian Government on suitable funding arrangements to progress to a final business case. 

In another matter, Mr Hollman described his meeting with roads Minister Jenny Aitchison the same week he was supposed to meet Ms Jackson, as highly productive. 

He said Ms Aitchison agreed to fund safety lights at the crossing near Bourke Public School. 

“We have been trying to get those lights for two or three years now. Those lights will assist greatly with the safety for students and residents alike. 

Ms Aitchison also informed Mr Hollman that she will be attending Bourke in January. 



Ms Jackson's office has been contacted for comment.