GM selection process questioned
Since the December 2021 election of nine councillors in the Eurobodalla Shire to manage the shire's residents and ratepayers business and provide the necessities for a growing shire-wide population, the elected also are responsible for making sure a general manager is employed to oversee all the local council operations. Since the December 2021 councillors elections the current general manager decided to move on
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That meant the newly elected inexperienced councillors were almost immediately left with the responsibility of choosing and employing a new general manager to oversee the shire's residents and ratepayers business, collectively. The council, councillors are now claiming they've adhered to the State Governments Endorsed Guidelines of the NSW 1993 Local Government Act for doing so.
The important part of all that's occurred to date by a resolution of the council on June 28 just gone is they, the councillors, claim they've met 'guidelines' to initiate the process, by nominating half a handful of councillors to participate in short-listing of nominees for a final interview for the position. The 'guidelines' they refer to are not law. Common sense should have indicated to the nine councillors all nine should have been involved in the whole process from the beginning, allowing the inexperienced councillors to learn about the process. Transparency also helps the elected!
Allan Brown
'Assist the recovery of tourism'
Most would know Pigeon House Mountain (or Didthul as it is known to Yuin Nation people). It once attracted hundreds of visitors per day. A perfect day walk with spectacular views. But it no longer attracts as many visitors because is no longer easy to reach. It now needs a 4WD vehicle AND a lengthy spell of clement weather.
Clyde Ridge Road is the main route, but the maintenance of this road is problematic. Only one kilometre is maintained by the council. The rest is maintained by Forestry, but has barely been maintained at all since the bushfires. Forestry maintains it when they are paid to do so, but it has now degraded to be regularly impassable. Visitors have gotten stuck and had their vehicles damaged in collisions negotiating the road. Not a good look for Shoalhaven as a tourist destination.
Representations to stakeholders - Local, State and Federal - have been unsuccessful. "No money", "Not our responsibility", "Perhaps in a few years". Fortunately, the people who live here make it possible to still get to Pigeon House. They maintain these roads and bridges, using their own equipment, time, and money. Their council rates go to fixing other local Shoalhaven roads, but not their own. It should not be necessary for locals to maintain tourist routes.
Shoalhaven City Council should take responsibility of maintaining Clyde Ridge Road, to assist the recovery of tourism in the Shoalhaven, and for the safety of visitors. Help make this happen by signing the petition at https://me.getup.org.au/p/pigeonhouse
Ross Higson
Push for mandate of vehicle emmissions
Mandating vehicle emission standards will be a sensible move for the Labor government to take. From the climate perspective, this will help accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles to enable the Labor government to meet its 2030 climate change goals. The health benefits are significant too; higher levels of air pollution have been linked to increased heart and lung problems, and increased mortality.
Fewer petrol cars on our roads will reduce air pollution and improve health outcomes for the general population. Any policy that will not only help us achieve our climate goals, but also reduce the burden on our overloaded public health system is simply a win-win policy.
