Mayoral Column - Wednesday 9 June 2021

Resource and waste education

It has been a busy period for Council’s Resource and Waste Education team, with waste and recycling education sessions and the donation of new Return and Earn bins to schools across our region. Initiatives like these are valuable tools to help build good attitudes and habits in our young people regarding waste and recycling.

At the request of a group of local teenagers, the team last week installed new public rubbish and recycling bins at Jindabyne Skatepark. It’s good to see our region’s youth taking initiative and demonstrating responsibility for encouraging recycling and dealing with litter in our public spaces.

Education for local government elections

I once again encourage anyone who may be thinking about running in this year’s local government elections to take advantage of the educational resources available. Election is on 4 September.

The NSW Electoral Commission is conducting a series of online seminars covering everything a candidate needs to know about running for election and serving as a councillor.

Please visit: https://elections.nsw.gov.au and navigate to the page “Six steps to being a candidate” to learn more.

Snow Season almost officially underway

By the time you read this, Transport for NSW will have held its official Snow Season launch at Colinton on Tuesday 8 June. Emergency services and local government representatives from our wider region attended to spread the message of road safety for this winter.

For locals and visitors alike, please remember to: stop, revive, survive; test your tired self; and always drive to the conditions.

Perisher will also have opened (4 June) and the official opening of the season is on 12 June.

Protect your health, protect the Snowy Monaro

We will see visitor numbers to and through our region surge over the next few months, travelling from across the country to experience the place we are all lucky enough to call home.

As wonderful as it is to be welcoming people back after 2020, widespread restrictions, and lockdowns – so many people from so many places does increase the risk of a local outbreak.

I urge every resident to check their eligibility for the Federal Government’s COVID vaccination program, and to consider getting the vaccine as soon as you are able. This is an effective way to protect yourself, your family, our region, and our country. Tourism is key to our region.

Thank a first responder day

Today is Thank a First Responder Day. I would like to extend my deep gratitude, and that of our entire region, to all the emergency services and first responders for everything they do for the Snowy Monaro. Through fire, flood and the pandemic – they have been there for us. So to those that look out for all of us: thank you.