Don Page recognised for lifetime of service

AFTER decades in public life, Don Page never expected a medal — but he’s proud of what he helped achieve.

The former Ballina MP, who served in state parliament for 27 years, has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the people of New South Wales, particularly on the North Coast.

“I’m definitely humbled,” he said.

“It’s a bit strange to be acknowledged for doing something I really enjoyed. Meeting people, helping the community, and getting things done gave me a great sense of purpose.”

A former minister for the North Coast, Page held a string of portfolios during his time in parliament and played a key role in major policy reforms, from coastal protection to local government oversight and infrastructure delivery.

Among his proudest achievements was helping develop and implement New South Wales’ first coastal policy in the 1990s, aimed at prohibiting high-rise development and preserving public access to beaches.

“The aim was to make sure our coastal towns stayed like villages, not turn into the Gold Coast,” he said. “It was about preserving the feel of these places and making sure development didn’t come at the cost of the environment or the community.”

Page was the only sitting MP on the NSW Coastal Council at the time. He worked closely with then minister for lands Garry West to push the policy through.

He also helped secure major local infrastructure during his tenure, including the construction of Byron Central Hospital, upgrades to Ballina Hospital, and multiple school expansions across the region.

“One of the big challenges was keeping infrastructure in step with population growth,” he said. “Sometimes the work wasn’t glamorous, but it was necessary and it made a difference.”

As minister for the North Coast, Page also commissioned the study that laid the foundation for the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

“It came back with a strong benefit-cost ratio,” he said. “I wanted to make sure we kept that corridor in public hands instead of letting it be sold off.”

In local government, Page introduced legislation allowing ministers to suspend dysfunctional councils more quickly, rather than wait for drawn-out inquiries.

He also oversaw a $1 billion infrastructure investment scheme that let councils fund long-overdue projects by subsidising interest payments.

“The state covered the interest for five years, and councils finally had the cash flow to fix roads and services,” he said. “We got $1 billion of infrastructure on the ground in under two years.”

He also established the roles of cross-border and small business commissioners and brought in a rule that required departments to remove two existing regulations for every new one introduced.

“I sometimes wish I’d made it three,” he said.

After retiring as Member for Ballina in 2015, Page was asked by the Federal and State Governments to chair Regional Development Australia (RDA) Northern Rivers. He held the role from 2016 until March 2025.

Page said the RDA’s main focus was job creation in a region where unemployment, once double the state average, has now fallen to roughly in line with it.

“The key to providing employment opportunities is to focus on industries where you have a competitive advantage,” he said.

“In our case that means sustainable tourism, food production, creative industries, aged care, construction, health, education, and anything that’s clean and green.”

After a lifetime of public service, Page said he now plans to travel with his wife Liz but hasn’t ruled out “doing something useful” for the local community in the future.