A year after asking Gunnedah Shire Council to consider providing subsidised rental accommodation for two police officers, the Gunnedah branch of the NSW Police Association is still waiting on an answer.
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Branch chairman Damian Wood said rental costs were the "biggest problem in attracting staff to Gunnedah" and the force had not been able to fill two vacant positions.
"We're keen to try and find out from the council where they're up to with their inquiries about police housing," he said.
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When the NVI contacted the council, a spokesperson said staff had been "investigating options" and had spoken to the association.
"[Staff] are working towards a report to council," the spokesperson said.
However, they said they could not provide a timeframe for the report.
In a letter to the council in November 2018, the Gunnedah association branch cited "ongoing" staffing issues at the police station.
It proposed that the council obtain housing and rent it to police transferring into town; or provide a subsidy through a rental assistance scheme.
Member Terry Melville spoke to the councillors on the day of the March ordinary meeting to explain the struggle to attract police to the station.
That afternoon, councillors voted to defer the decision, and to wait on staff to investigate the feasibility of the request and present a report.
