New GM sees bright future for Bourke
Bourke Shire Council’s new General Manager Mark Riley is keen to promote tourism and infrastructure projects. Photo TWH
Bourke Shire Council’s new General Manager Mark Riley has had an illustrious career in local government spanning much of his working life.
Mr Riley will be in the role for twelve months and brings with him a wealth of experience and a passion for the region.
Mr Riley has spent 38 years in local government, 34 of them at Dubbo City Council and 14 of those years as General Manager.
Despite his strong ties to Dubbo, he is enthusiastic about his role at the Bourke Shire Council and is keen to drive tourism and infrastructure projects during his tenure.
“Bourke has good structure in terms of all the works going on at the moment and the amount of grant funding is phenomenal,” he said.
“Former GM Ross Earl and the entire team should be congratulated for that. With all the money coming in though, there is a challenge to deliver.
“Council has a comprehensive chart of works and we need to make sure we are pushing all those projects through to meet funding guidelines. At the moment we have quite a few staffing vacancies and we will be seeking applications to fill those roles with good capable people. I firmly believe in Equal Employment Oppurtunity which is about getting the best person for the role.
“Certainly, tourism is a big focus, and I am keen to see Council develop a tourism strategy to map out where it wants to get to and the actions needed to achieve the vision. This matter will be an item for discussion with Councillors
“The people who are here are most energetic and we have to harness that to go forward in a structured manner.
“The opportunities in domestic tourism over the next two to three years are incredible, illustrated by the fact that there is something like an eight month delay on getting a caravan.
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