Pam Halliburton elected Junee mayor in historic changing of guard

JUNEE has a new Mayor, with long-serving councillor Pam Halliburton defeating incumbent Bob Callow to become just the second woman in the town’s history to hold the position.

Cr Halliburton was elected by her fellow councillors during Junee Shire Council’s ordinary meeting on Tuesday and will serve as Mayor for the next two years.

Both Cr Halliburton and Cr Callow nominated for the top job, with councillors resolving to determine the contest by ordinary ballot, a written, secret vote rather than a show of hands.

Cr Pam Halliburton defeated incumbent Cr Bob Callow to become Junee’s second-ever female mayor | Images: Junee Shire Council

Council General Manager Michael Jackson confirmed Cr Halliburton secured the most votes and was subsequently declared Mayor.

Her elevation represents a significant milestone in Junee’s local government history, returning a woman to the mayoral chair for the first time in 12 years.

She follows in the footsteps of trailblazing former councillor Lola Cummins, who became the town’s first female Mayor in 1997.

Cr Halliburton thanked her fellow councillors for backing her to lead the Shire.

“I would like to thank the councillors of Junee Shire Council for electing me Mayor for the next two years,” she said.

Cr Halliburton said her focus would now turn to building on Junee’s growth, with economic development and tourism among her priorities.

“As Mayor I hope to continue to enhance the growing community of the Shire and its economic and tourist footprint, in particular,” she told the Junee Bulletin.

“I have the best interests of all ratepayers and residents in my heart, and I am looking forward to enabling our further growth and continuing to showcase our Shire as the best place to live in NSW.”

Cr Halliburton’s election also continues an extraordinary period of stability at the top of Junee Shire Council.

She is just the fourth person to serve as Mayor in the past 29 years, following Cummins, Neil Smith and Callow.

Former Junee mayor Lola Cummins presents a wreath at Junee’s main commemorative Anzac Day service in 2025 | © The Junee Bulletin

Cummins served on Council for 33 years, including an extraordinary 17 years as Mayor, before hanging up her hat and passing the baton to Smith in 2014.

She had already broken new ground when elected to Council in 1983, becoming only the second woman to serve as a Junee councillor, before making history again 14 years later as the town’s first female Mayor.

Cummins remains Junee’s longest continuously serving Mayor.

Smith succeeded her in September 2014 and would go on to hold the position for another nine years, continuing an extraordinary run in which just two people led the Shire across more than a quarter of a century.

That changed in September 2023, when Callow succeeded Smith as Mayor.

His departure from the position this week after three years makes his continuous tenure the shortest Junee mayoralty in almost three decades.

Outgoing mayor Cr Bob Callow pictured at Junee’s main commemorative Anzac Day service in 2026 | © The Junee Bulletin

Callow’s time at the helm spanned two terms, including an initial one-year stint shortened by the COVID-disrupted local government election cycle, before he was re-elected Mayor following the 2024 council election and served a regular two-year term.

Mr Jackson, who arrived in Junee as Council’s new General Manager earlier this year, paid tribute to Cr Callow following the leadership change.

“As he has been my first mayor here in Junee I’d like to thank Cr Callow for the warm welcome he showed me when arriving and for his work for the community as Mayor,” Mr Jackson said.

“We have been to numerous engagements together and he is always looking for the best outcomes for Junee and has continued to be very supportive of staff and management here at council.”

Junee Shire Council General Manager, Michael Jackson | Image: Junee Shire Council

For many in Junee, however, the new Mayor needs little introduction.

Cr Halliburton has deep ties to the Junee community, having spent decades contributing to the town through education, local government and a host of community organisations.

Generations of local families know her through Junee High School, where she spent many years as a teacher before later turning her attention to local government.

Cr Halliburton was first elected to Junee Shire Council as an independent in 2012 before being returned at successive local government elections.

During her 14 years on Council, she has served two years as Deputy Mayor and represented the Shire on a range of council and external committees.

Her elevation to Mayor this week comes almost exactly 14 years after she first joined the council table, following a remarkably similar path to Cummins, who had also spent 14 years as a councillor before taking the top job in 1997.

Incoming Junee Mayor, Cr Pam Halliburton | Image: Junee Shire Council

Cr Halliburton’s community footprint also extends well beyond the council chambers.

She has held leadership and representative roles across a number of local and regional organisations and has been closely involved with institutions including the Junee Co-operative Society, Cooinda Court Aged Care and Riverina Regional Library.

She has also represented Junee Shire Council on Inland Rail’s Albury to Illabo Community Consultative Committee, providing a direct link between the community and one of the largest infrastructure projects to affect Junee in decades.

Her contribution to the wider community was formally recognised in 2018 when she was named a NSW Local Woman of the Year, an honour recognising women for their outstanding contributions to their communities as leaders, volunteers, mentors and role models.

Mr Jackson told the Junee Bulletin he was looking forward to working closely with the incoming Mayor, saying Cr Halliburton had consistently demonstrated her desire to secure the best outcomes for Junee.

“Council has voted to replace one very strong advocate for the community with another very strong advocate,” he said.

Tuesday meeting also saw Cr Marie Knight returned as Deputy Mayor, meaning women will now occupy both of Junee Shire Council’s top elected leadership positions.

Cr Marie Knight was returned as Deputy Mayor | Image: Junee Shire Council

Council resolved that the deputy mayoralty would also carry a two-year term, with councillors having the option of instead electing a deputy for one year.

Cr Halliburton and Cr Robin Asmus had initially nominated alongside Cr Knight for the position.

Cr Halliburton’s nomination was automatically withdrawn after she secured the mayoralty, while Cr Asmus subsequently withdrew his nomination, leaving Cr Knight as the sole remaining candidate.

She was therefore declared Deputy Mayor without a ballot and will continue in the position for another two years.

Cr Halliburton’s election comes at a significant time for Junee, with the Shire in the midst of major infrastructure works, continued population and housing pressures and significant change within Council itself, with Mr Jackson succeeding long-serving General Manager James Davis in April.

Cr Halliburton will serve as Mayor until the next scheduled mayoral election in 2028.