When I stepped back from Council, I did so with clarity and optimism — not just about where our cities were headed, but about the role planning could play in shaping our future. For over two decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of planning, politics, and community, as a mayor, consultant, and researcher. I’ve seen the power of good planning to create liveable, inclusive, future-ready places. I’ve also seen how easily it can be derailed by short-term thinking — and how costly that can be for clients, communities, and councils alike. Greiss Planning exists to bring clarity, rigour, and steady leadership to the approvals process, so good projects can move forward with confidence.
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This article covers a Mayoral Minute where George Greiss addresses a long-running governance and financial dispute between NSW councils and the state government over the ownership and accounting treatment of Rural Fire Service assets (often referred to as the “red fleet”). Greiss explains that councils are being directed to record RFS assets in their financial statements as council “property,” including absorbing depreciation costs and financial risk — despite councils having no real control over acquiring, deploying, or disposing of the assets. The article also links the issue to the Auditor-General’s 2021 Report on Local Government, which increased compliance pressure on councils.
Greiss’ position is framed as both pragmatic and principled: Campbelltown Council will comply in the short term to avoid audit findings and disruption, but will continue to advocate for reform through LGNSW and direct correspondence with government ministers and shadow ministers. The piece highlights a wider issue relevant to planning and governance: the way state policy decisions can shift costs and risk onto local government, affecting councils’ capacity to invest in community infrastructure and city-shaping priorities.
Read more → Bizarre dispute over ownership of Rural Fire Service equipment