Jazmine Howarth awarded Country Mayors Association scholarship

Skilled labour shortages are among the challenges that are much worse for rural, regional and remote councils than their city counterparts.

The Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) is encouraging inhouse upskilling, with an annual scholarship program setting the example.

“The CMA is proud to offer a $5000 scholarship each year to an excelling member council to help a talented trainee/apprentice to advance their education or training,” CMA chairman and Temora Shire mayor Rick Firman OAM said. “We offer the scholarship to the runner-up in the prestigious LGNSW Rural/Regional Bluett Award and ask that council to nominate a worthy recipient.

“The 2024 runner-up was Moree Plains Shire Council and the 2025 CMA scholarship recipient was geographic information systems officer, Jazmine Howarth.

“Our members pay a modest yearly subscription fee and that made our scholarship program possible.

“Moree Plains Shire Council identified an inspirational young local government professional to support. When gratefully accepting her scholarship, Ms Howarth addressed a meeting of the CMA at NSW Parliament House, educating the 150 mayors and general managers present about her GIS work, its importance to her council (with its road network totalling almost 2500km) and her education and training journey.

“It might have been a daunting experience, but this young professional did not show it.”

Ms Howarth’s skill-set is very thin on the ground globally and the Moree Plains Shire is fortunate to have her, according to Moree Plains Shire mayor Susannah Pearse.

Ms Howarth completed her Diploma in Spatial Information Services through TAFE NSW last year and will now use the CMA scholarship to further her studies, undertaking a Bachelor of Science Majoring in Geospatial Science online through the University of Southern Queensland (USQ).

“I feel very honoured to have been chosen to receive this award; it will make such a significant contribution to my studies,” Ms Howarth said. “I am also excited to pursue this area of science and will work to continue to expand council’s GIS platforms for all to utilise. I thank the Country Mayors Association of NSW.”