Horsham Rural City Council, and Buloke, Yarriambiack, West Wimmera, Hindmarsh and Northern Grampians shires were due to send representatives.

The delegates were due to meet with Member for Mallee Andrew Broad and representatives of ministers, including Education and Training Minister Simon Birmingham.

Horsham Rural City Council chief executive Peter Brown joined the delegation in Canberra and said that a number of meetings had been scheduled.

“Some of the things we are going to talk about, with Mr Broad specifically, is the issue with general practitioners, National Broadband Network satellite-only service in Kaniva, the Western Highway and mobile phone coverage,” he said.

Mr Brown said a nationwide campaign by municipal governments to increase federal financial assistance grants would not be the main focus.

Horsham council has lost $500,000 since federal fund rates were frozen in 2014.

“The freeze on indexation of federal funds affects all councils across Australia but the delegation is about what Wimmera councils want,” he said.

“The specific things we will be pushing for are the Laharum Cameron Oval upgrade and the doctor shortage, which is a significant issue for regional Australia.”

Cameron Oval is waiting on funds for stage two of the project.   

Horsham’s medical clinics are short by nine doctors, according to Horsham Council Mayor Pam Clarke.

State Member for Lowan Emma Kealy has blamed the doctor shortage for an extra 500 people presenting to Wimmera Base Hospital’s emergency department in the last three months of 2016.

“We’re hoping to meet representatives of Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce and Senator Birmingham,” Mr Brown said.

“Sometimes we meet with advisers instead of ministers, depending on what’s going on in parliament, but we always get a good opportunity to put our thoughts across.” 

Mr Brown said he wanted to speak with Senator Birmingham’s office to discuss funding for 15 hours of kindergarten.

Horsham councillors have raised concern that some Wimmera kindergartens would not be viable if the current funding level is not continued next year.