Paul Gaddes, Councillor - Armidale Regional Council

24/03/2025

29/11/2024

Paul Gaddes, Councillor - Armidale Regional Council

31/10/2024

Paul Gaddes, Councillor - Armidale Regional Council

A massive congratulations to our Activation and Precincts Team for winning the Outstanding Visitor Economy Collaboration Award at last night’s State Business Awards! This award recognised ARC's collaboration with local business and community organisations to deliver the The Big Chill Festival in 2024!

The Business Awards celebrate the innovation, resilience, and dedication shown by businesses and organisations across NSW. The Big Chill 2024 brought an unforgettable experience to our region, featuring incredible headline acts like The Rubens and Diesel, and provided a significant boost to our local economy and tourism sector.

Over the last year, our Activation Team has also achieved other key milestones events, including the Armidale Light Show, Christmas in the Mall, and last year’s Halloween in the Mall.

Well done, team—a well-deserved award for a team committed to creating unforgetable experiences for our community!

09/10/2024

Paul Gaddes, Councillor - Armidale Regional Council

The newly elected Armidale Regional Council met for the first time at today's Extraordinary Council meeting.

Nine Councillors took the oath of office:
▪️ Cr Sam COUPLAND
▪️ Cr Kay ENDRES
▪️ Cr Paul GADDES
▪️ Cr Eli IMAD
▪️ Cr Susan McMICHAEL
▪️ Cr Todd REDWOOD
▪️ Cr Dorothy ROBINSON
▪️ Cr Rob TABER
▪️ Cr Bradley WIDDERS

Councillor Sam Coupland has been re-elected as Armidale Regional Council's Mayor, and Councillor Todd Redwood has been re-elected to the position of Deputy Mayor.

(Photo credit: Simon Scott Photo)

06/09/2024

The most effective way to achieve growth in our region is to VOTE 1 - ABOVE THE LINE - for GROUP D on the ballot paper.

Pre-poll opens Saturday 7 September
- Armidale Town Hall
- Guyra Community Hall (Showground)

Election Day 14 September
- 9 polling stations around the region

www.vote1growth.com

Written and authorised by Paul Gaddes, Independent Candidate - Armidale Regional Council

03/09/2024

And here are the facts.

Decisions are best made on facts and not speculations.

This has been an extraordinary pre-election period when it comes to water. We've had:
• conspiracy theories;
• allegations of coverups without evidence;
• claims by some they can deliver water security and water quality at no cost;
• that raising Malpas dam wall is all that is needed (the actual experts must be wrong);
• that water security can be achieved by simply re-running the numbers until they deliver a more convenient result;
• that water rates will double;
• and statement after statement from aspiring councillors without any basis.

So for the record, here are THE facts:

• At the May 2021 Council meeting (two council terms ago and prior to my time as mayor), Council unanimously noted the report that raising Malpas Dam wall will not meet the secure water needs of our region (it will only provide 80% of what is needed for our current population);
• The March 2022 Council meeting unanimously accepted that the best option for water security was Oaky Dam + 6.5m raising of Malpas Dam (the only alternative was to build a new dam on the Styx River);
• The October 2022 Council meeting voted unanimously to enter into a funding agreement with the NSW Govt for pre-construction works;
• At the December 2022 Council meeting the ARC Council agreed to purchase Oaky Dam for the bargain basement price of $4.3m;
• The Public Works Authority report detailing all options on how to proceed and what will be required to get actual water security will be put before the new council very early in the new term. It is the new council which will have to decide what options to pursue and in what priority. We can have whatever we want – it will be a matter of deciding how much we want to pay
• Oh and the supposed ‘missing $27m’ – it was never received by ARC and likely wasn’t earmarked in the NSW Govt Safe and Secure Water Program. Enquiries with the Water Minister are ongoing.

As a region we have big issues before us and need serious people to make serious decisions about how we move forward. There's been an enormous amount of rubbish spoken and it's time for candidates to show some real leadership on behalf of the community and decide if they genuinely want water security or whether they're more interested in sloganeering and talking rubbish.

03/09/2024

Water security. Best to listen to the facts.

01/09/2024

Enormous achievements from the current term of council. More to come.

30/08/2024

The challenge put simply.

www.vote1growth.com

25/08/2024

The focus needs to continue.

www.vote1growth.com

20/08/2024

www.vote1growth.com