Assistance to our community during COVID-19 pandemic

Although our customer service and administration centres are currently closed to the public, we are still open for business and continue to provide a service to our Ashburton community.

Shire of Ashburton President Kerry White said that as a local government we have a responsibility to our community members during an emergency event such as a health pandemic.

“In each of our towns Shire of Ashburton staff are activating community groups to provide assistance and support to a number of local organisations” said Councillor White.

“In Tom Price the Shire has assisted Gumala in closing off Wakathuni community, providing signage to close roads, helping community members with getting funding and in returning from town to land while also ensuring medicines and essential goods are continuing to be delivered.

“We are working with the Ashburton Aboriginal Cooperation and the Youth Centre to determine the distribution of Second Bite, a Coles and Brumby’s program to donate food to communities, and checking in with Tom Price Youth Support Association and the Department of Human Services who facilitate Centrelink and local employment opportunities.

“In Onslow we are working with VSwans, Wirrpanda Foundation, IGA Supermarket and Thalanyji Aboriginal Corporation to assist and coordinate support to Peedamulla and Bindi Bindi communities.

“We are coordinating with EPIC and Foodbank WA to offer a free online nutrition education workshop.

“Across all towns arrangements are begin implemented to replace our usual services such as a library program for children and adults to read books online.

“Our school holiday programs are being delivered through the preparation and distribution of fitness and well-being packs, as well as kid’s school packs, through our Rio Tinto Community Partnership in our inland towns and through our Working Together for Onslow partnership in Onslow.

“We have extended outdoor lighting at our ovals where possible to enable the community to exercise and ensure our community members can continue to look after their physical and mental health.

“Internally, staff from our libraries, recreational facilities and other outbound customer focused areas have been redeployed within the organisation providing assistance across all directorates while many of our office-based staff have been working from home and ensuring social distancing while in workspaces.

“Our maintenance crews are continuing to look after each of our towns ensuring they continue to be vibrant communities for us to live in at this time.

“Council are aware of the challenging time this must be for our local businesses and will consider a comprehensive financial support and relief package for all towns at next week’s Ordinary Meeting of Council.

“Local businesses that are still operating are encouraged to connect with the Ashburton Business Directory and list themselves as Open during COVID-19.

“The Shire will continue to participate in emergency management and incident support groups alongside WA Police, the Department of Health and the Department of Communities and Child Protection to provide situational reporting and continued updates and shared information across the various agencies”.

Stay up to date on COVID-19 on our website, and through Facebook by following both Shire of Ashburton page and Ashburton Community COVID-19 Info page.

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