One of Ms Benedyka’s priorities is working with Chair Administrator Graeme Emonson to restore good governance to the council ahead of the 2028 local government elections.
“I have got the confidence to know that both of us on the panel really see this as a high priority,” she said.
“And that’s what we’re working towards. So our efforts will be directed in that way to leave the council in good stead, to make sure that people really want to put up their hand and there’s great representation.”
Ms Benedyka was born in Broken Hill, grew up in Wagga Wagga, and was chief executive of the Dubbo City Development Corporation before founding her own business in 1997.
She moved to north-east Victoria in 2000.
Her passion for leadership in rural communities saw her stand as an independent in the 2022 federal election in a bid to represent Victoria in the Senate.
Ms Benedyka and Dr Emonson have also been charged with conducting an electoral representation review in 2026.
“We’ll be keeping in mind it’s one Moira, it’s one shire,” Ms Benedyka said.
“But [we’ll be asking] what’s going to be the best way to structure that electoral representation, what recommendations will we make to government, and more importantly, how will we engage the community in making those decisions over that electoral review period.”
Before the sacking of the council by an act of state parliament in March 2023, the council consisted of nine councillors in an unsubdivided electoral structure.
Still in the early days of her appointment, Ms Benedyka said council governance was no longer only about as roads, rates and rubbish.
“A council is much broader than that. They’re fundamentals, they have to be right,” she said.
“It’s about trying to really understand how we live our lives and what’s important to our lives.
“That’s about really working with people across the community to ask, ‘what are the key challenges and issues, and how do we go about working together?’
“There’s a lot of advocacy involved, but there’s also a lot of work that councils can be doing to help communities find their own solutions as well.”
She spoke highly of council’s work in building leaders across the shire, including through its Youth Council and Community Panel.
The latter will work with the council to develop MoiraVision 2045, a document setting out priorities for the long-term governance of the shire.
“When we go to that election in 2028, I want to see really great people from all walks of live and all ages putting up their hand to be considered as councillors,” Ms Benedyka said.
“And that will come from having the confidence to put up their hand ... building skills in leadership, being connected across the communities, being able to understand other points of view, a whole range of things like that.
“So that’s where those leadership programs are really critical.”
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