The Narrandera Shire Council will provide $3300 to the Rural Doctors Network for the 2026-27 financial year. It also made provision for an annual allocation of $3300 from the Contribution to Local Organisation Expenses account to support the Bush Bursary and Country Women’s Association Scholarship Program and allocate $1320 (including GST) 2026/27 financial year if no alternative accommodation is available. The Council considered an initial and reoccurring financial assistance request from the Rural Doctors Network for $3300 (including GST) to allow for the continued delivery of the Bush Bursary and Country Women’s Association Scholarship Program within Narrandera Shire. The Rural Doctors Network (RDN), Bush Bursary and Country Women’s Association (CWA) Scholarship Program provides selected medical, nursing, and midwifery students in NSW/ACT with a structured four-to-five-day rural immersion experience. The program is designed to increase awareness of rural health careers and lifestyles. This funding helps support the students’ cost to attend placements including certain travel costs, accommodation, as well as a daily sustenance for food and discretionary spending. Narrandera Council has supported this program since 2022, with annual funding from the Contribution to Local Organisation Expenses account. A report from each participant is provided to the local government authority. The program organiser has advised that four students will have the opportunity to spend two days in Narrandera. For the 2026-27 financial year the adopted budget allocation was $30,000. At the date of finalising the report to Council, $11,200 had been distributed with additional requests for support and the waiving of fees and charges expected. The request to support accommodation contribution had not been requested before, nor has Council made an additional payment outside of the sponsorship. Options available to Council included: 1. Resolve to contribute the amount of $3300 (including GST) to the Bush Bursary and Country Women’s Association Scholarship Program for 2026-27 and provide for this contribution annually as part of the annual Financial Assistance Program. 2. Resolve to contribute the full amount of $3300 (including GST) plus the accommodation contribution request of $1320 (including GST) to the Bush Bursary and Country Women’s Association Scholarship Program for 2026-27 and provide for this contribution annually as part of the annual Financial Assistance Program. 3. Nominate an alternative amount to contribute to the program for 2026-27 then annually as part of the annual Financial Assistance Program. 4. Resolve not to provide financial assistance to the Bush Bursary and Country Women’s Association Scholarship Program. The staff report to Council stated that the Bush Bursary and Country Women’s Association Scholarship Program provided a unique opportunity for medical students to visit Narrandera Shire to gain that essential practical experience across a wide range of healthcare settings with local providers. The program enables students to immerse themselves in country life, gain a deeper understanding of both the challenges and rewards of rural healthcare, and to experience first-hand the diversity of career opportunities available in regional medical practice. The staff recommendation was for Council to support this program through the Financial Assistance Program Policy.
