Local Response to a Global Crisis

Bellingen Shire Council Mayor, Cr Dominic King, has praised the Bellingen Shire Coronavirus Pandemic Response Group’s joint efforts to ensure we are a resilient community that is prepared for the future challenges the Coronavirus presents us.

Cr King said the Bellingen Shire Coronavirus Pandemic Response Group was made up of representatives from Council, local medical, emergency, Chambers of Commerce and community service providers.

“There’s been a lot going on behind the scenes in terms of coordinating local resources and talent to establish this group, which will be working together with our community to deliver initiatives, actions and information to provide a local response to this global crisis.”

“Moving forward we’ll also continue to invite and recruit to the group as we’d like to talk to representatives from the education sector and other various service providers that operate within our community.”

Cr King said the group would focus their efforts on the key community areas of clinical support, community preparedness and resilience, community information, business support services and the maintenance of Council’s essential community services.

“For example, members of the group are local medical professionals who have been working tirelessly to complete the forward planning necessary to actively seek and secure Commonwealth funding to establish our own Covid Clinic.”

“This initiative would provide our Shire with a dedicated facility to test for the virus, coordinate patient after care support services and reduce the risk of transmission of the Coronavirus at one of our local medical clinics, because this situation could result in the closure of that clinic.”

“The group will also work towards identifying opportunities to address the range of challenges we will face and identify ways to support our local economy, the elderly and isolated and the services we rely on from the potential impacts this virus might have on the way we live our day to day lives.”

“I also think it’s important that as a community we remain informed, engaged and aware of each other as we all work together towards meeting the challenges the current pandemic situation presents us both at work and at home.”

“That’s why Council has created a single point of truth on our Create Engagement Portal called Coronavirus Community Updates so you can have online access to lead pandemic agencies such as Federal and State Government Health Departments and regular updates on the local initiatives an actions of the Bellingen Shire Corona Virus Pandemic Response Group.”

Cr King said Council would be working in partnership with our local media outlets including the Bellingen Courier Sun, I Love Bello and 2 Triple B FM to provide our community with as many opportunities to access local information and to support their efforts to maintain a forum for the many voices of our one community.

“We are a connected, informed and engaged community and we will work through these challenging circumstances together just as we did during the recent drought, fires and floods.”