Room named in honour of Pat Brassil AM

Oct 26, 2021

Riverina Water's boardroom has been officially named in recognition of Pat Brassil AM's contribution to the organisation.

Mr Brassil is on record as the longest-serving Councillor in Wagga's history and one of the longest serving in NSW history, from 1974 to 2004. He was mayor seven times, chiefly from 1989 to 1995, and delegate and chairman of the Riverina Water County Council, and its predecessor, for 25 years.

His wife Anne and family joined current Chairperson Councillor Greg Verdon in cutting the ribbon to mark the occasion.

"While many notable people have held significant roles with Riverina Water and its preceding entities, none have had as much an impact as inaugural Riverina Water Chair Pat Brassil," Clr Verdon said.

"As the current Chairperson, I have a great appreciation for the dedication and effort he showed to the position while balancing his role as a Councillor.

"Pat was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1997 for services to local government, notably regional development and decentralisation.

"To him, this award was only surpassed by the granting of the Freedom of the City in 2007 from the community that he had made his home after meeting wife Anne.

"I hope naming this room in Pat’s honour is a reminder to current and future board members of our responsibility to provide safe and reliable drinking water to the community; and guides us in our decision making."

Mr Brassil's other accolades included being an executive member of the Local Government Association of NSW and chairman of its Water Management Committee for a decade, highlighting his understand of water and its significance to our region.

He was also chairman of the Country Mayors Association and founding member of the Riverina Regional Development Board. In these roles, Mr Brassil was a key driver in the case for balanced state development, arguing that the NSW government paid scant regard to the needs of people west of the ''sandstone curtain''.