USU Central West Regional Organiser Shane Reece attended an official visit by NSW Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig to Parkes Shire Council on 11 August 2026, alongside USU Central West Branch Delegate and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee Representative Sharon Ross.
Minister Hoenig was in Parkes to meet with 7 of the 9 Fresh Start apprentices and trainees currently working across Parkes Shire Council.
The visit provided an opportunity for the trainees to speak directly about their experiences and for Council representatives to highlight the enormous benefits the program is delivering to the local community.
Also attending were General Manager Kent Boyd, Mayor Neil Westcott and several Parkes Shire Councillors, who strongly endorsed the Fresh Start program and its contribution to Council’s workforce.
Discussions centred on Round 4 of the Fresh Start Apprentice and Traineeship Program, its success at Parkes Shire Council and the importance of continued government investment in local government apprenticeships, traineeships and cadetships.
The USU’s campaign delivering real results for Regional NSW
The USU through its determination and led by the strength of our General Secretary Graeme Kelly has consistently campaigned for investment in the future of local government, and the Fresh Start program is a clear example of what can be achieved when workers, unions and government fight for the same outcome.
Minister Hoenig acknowledged the significant efforts of the United Services Union, including the dedication and leadership of USU General Secretary Graeme Kelly, whose ongoing advocacy and campaigning have been instrumental in securing further support for this groundbreaking program.
For the USU, this is about more than simply funding positions.
It is about building the future of local government.
Fresh Start gives councils the resources to employ and train local people while developing the skilled workforce they need to deliver essential services to their communities.
Investing in local workers
Local Government across NSW has been facing ever increasing and significant skills shortages. Councils need skilled workers now and, importantly, they need a pipeline of skilled workers for the future.
The Fresh Start program provides councils with an opportunity to train people in the skills their communities actually need, while creating genuine career pathways for young people and job seekers.
This is particularly important across regional and rural NSW, where councils have historically struggled to attract and retain skilled workers.
By training local people and providing them with meaningful employment opportunities, councils can develop a workforce that understands the community it serves.
It also provides councils with the potential to reduce their reliance on costly external contractors and outsourced services by developing the skills and capacity to deliver more work in-house.
A win for workers and their Communities
The success of the Fresh Start program at Parkes Shire Council demonstrates what can happen when governments invest directly in local government workers and communities.
The program supports jobs, skills, training and long-term workforce sustainability.
It gives young people an opportunity to establish a career close to home rather than having to leave regional communities to find work.
It gives councils an opportunity to develop the next generation of skilled workers.
And it gives communities the benefit of having trained, locally based workers who understand their community and are committed to its future.
The latest expansion of the Fresh Start Program will allow councils to continue growing their workforces and developing locally based employees with strong connections to the communities they serve.
The USU will continue to campaign for the investment our local government workforce deserves.
Fresh Start is proof that when governments invest in workers, local communities win.
The message from the Central West is clear: keep investing in local government, keep investing in apprentices and trainees, and keep building the skilled workforce our communities need.
