Welcome to 2023, a new year of opportunity for your council and your community. Kiama Council is an organisation of people who are deeply devoted to the community we serve. Some of us are councillors, some staff, and others volunteers.We all continue to believe in the promise that together we can pull out of our current short-term issues and create great goals that will be rewarded by great results.This year, councillors will determine the best strategic use for the proceeds of the Akuna Street sale, adjusting our ratios to a more normal setting and in doing so, hopefully calm our bankers and other keen observers.The process of the sale of Blue Haven Bonaira will also evolve into an open and transparent strategy that retains a healthy suite of aged care offerings in the district but shifts Council’s focus from an aged care business into a council with a retirement village as one of the many strings to its revenue bow.The past year has not been all doom and gloom. We have in fact achieved victory over many aspects of council’s performance, and this year we will achieve even more.We will move from a strategy of divestment into a strategy of sustainable revenue.Building a robust financial strategy is about far more than crunching numbers, good financial monitoring and demand management. It is collaboration, communication, ownership, vision and trust, especially between council staff and elected members.This year I know we will be mindful of the past, but our eyes will be on the future.There will be new life in the heart of our commercial and retail centre: the construction of a new Woolworths-anchored mini-mall and, together with the right contractor, an iconic revitalisation and unique makeover for Hindmarsh Park.We may also see the beginnings of what will be built on the Akuna Street site.The rejuvenation of these three major locations will result in quite the makeover for central Kiama during the next year or two. I’m looking forward to seeing the transformation.I have found great value in keeping the mayoral door open. I plan to enrich this in 2023 with additional opportunities to improve my accessibility, create an open flow of communication and maintain closer relationships with the community.Now, with the end of our financial issues in sight (note, I didn’t say over!), culture within our council is noticeably enriched and we can build on this with increased vitality.A new year offers a fresh perspective and opportunities. Rather than resist and hide in the old, I hope you’ll join me in welcoming and shepherding in the new. Together we shape the future of our Local Government Area.

I am going to borrow a quote from Kelly Clarkson the singer who said “The thing about Christmas is that it almost doesn’t matter what mood you’re in or what kind of a year you’ve had – it’s a fresh start”.I like that sentiment of a fresh start. I am excited about what the new year holds for all of us.It’s been a hard year at Council, there’s no denying that. We’ve shared much of that hardship with all of you: the facts of it, the solutions to it and the need for a fresh start.I sincerely hope that as this year closes, we don’t forget all the hard work, all the good work that gets done every day by our staff and the effort that our Councillors and community members put into making this wonderful community of ours a great place to live in and be part of.I hope each of you get a chance to enjoy all the lovely things about Christmas: friends, family and colleagues.Being on council gives a unique perspective to observe our community, and to see the good everywhere. In the volunteers that drive buses, cook snags, deliver meals and plant and weed and bring us music, and the exciting people who teach and talk and enrich our lives in countless ways.We see the gifts donated to the Mayor’s Giving Tree; we see the little notes of thanks when a Councillor has championed a good cause or a staff member has gone out of their way to assist someone who really needed a little help.We see neighbours who help neighbours, and not just at Christmas. On frosty winter days, ovals get line marked by volunteers, scouts and guides are taught bushcraft, passers-by warn visitors of dangerous surf conditions, and so much more.There is much good in community and, as we head into a new year, let’s all take the chance for a fresh start and to reflect on this year.Enough from me, here’s some tips from Kiama’s Councillors for Christmas:Cr Matt Brown: Stay hydrated and make the best use of local attractions and experiences such as Illawarra Fly, Jamberoo Action Park along with our beaches and National Parks. Merry Christmas!!Cr Mark Croxford: Be adventurous and try something new. The helpful team at the Kiama Visitor Information Centre on Blowhole Point is there to give you lots of suggestions.Cr Imogen Draisma: Just living in Kiama is a rare gift, enjoy it all: the ocean, the countryside the bustling towns and all that’s good in life.Cr Jodi Keast: Explore Kiama’s hidden treasures by asking a local what they love about Kiama. For me, I enjoy walking around the Minnamurra headland and riding through Bonaira Native Gardens.Cr Stuart Larkins: Visit (and support) as many of our local small businesses as you can. On a cooler day, enjoy our local bushwalks or our fantastic coast walk. Remember to look after our environment and take your rubbish with you.Cr Karen Renkema-Lang: Choose you own adventure – there are so many options. Or just sit back, relax and soak up the magic of Kiama and the surrounds.Cr Kathy Rice: Pack your worries away and don’t pick them up again until the holiday is over. Make sure to take some time just for you and keep your eyes open to the magnificence that is all around you in Kiama.Cr Warren Steel: Enjoy spending time with your family.

We are all part of a larger picture.British writer Douglas Adams is probably best known for The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, but just as good is Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency in which he coined the phrase ‘the fundamental interconnectedness of all things’.I’ve been noticing this interconnectedness lately and the more you pay attention, the more you see.Cobar is situated in the centre of New South Wales, and in 1975, it seemed as though I passed through this lovely old mining town every other week as part of my Army training. I was reminded of that connection as I spoke to Cobar Shire Council’s GM, Peter Vlatko online last week.He told me of Cobar’s troubles as aged care providers. Financially, they cannot hang on until Christmas. Although the message is sad and related to the viability of aged care, the interconnectedness of all things is both how we know – I met Peter at the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Annual Conference in Albury this year– and why we know – because Kiama Council also runs aged care and we deeply understand the challenges right now.As a council, we have many, many internal and external connections we can use to help our decision-making, to compare our progress, and learn useful lessons. As well as the aforementioned LGNSW network, we have the Country Mayors Association of NSW, where 60 councils share the joy of regionality. Our council is also part of the Australian Coastal Councils Group, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation and the new Greater Cities Commission.Within our municipality, we have precincts, associations, community groups, council committees and workgroups.Local Government NSW, a connected council group in itself, promotes council membership of other connected groups. The Australian Local Government Association is the national connected voice of local government putting us in touch with 537 councils Australia-wide.It is wise to research, look outside our own bubble and see the world of lived, previous experience and understand if lessons learned by others can be applied to our own situation... in life as well as on council. It is also a good exercise in gaining perspective.As well as empathising with Cobar, I look at Lismore’s flood woes, Central Darling Shire Council who gave away their aged care facility and Central Coast Council clawing its way back from the abyss. I look at Randwick Council, who years ago divested of aged care services, or any number of Victorian councils who are right now doing the same.Our own experience with aged care has been somewhat of a beacon to others in near-identical situations. In fact there are 13 NSW councils who still own or manage aged care facilities. All of them regional, most much smaller than Kiama (average population 7,500, where ours is 23,000) and all struggling with this aspect of their business.As I’ve discovered from talking to the Mayors, CEOs and GMs of other councils, we have more commonalities than we have differences and that’s a good thing.There really is a fundamental interconnectedness of all things and it’s cathartic to find you’re not alone and answers do exist. Those answers often come from those who have been there and done that. All you have to do is connect.

I learned lifelong lessons from the first book I read... and the last and the next one!The first book I ever read was called 5 Pennies to Spend. I was five years old, so there was symmetry. I think I loved the pictures as much as the story.It had the lot: money management, maths, kindness and a surprise ending. I know it contributed to my adult sense of social justice and responsibilities. No kidding, it did.Neil with the book that sparked his love of readingSo, I read that Little Golden Book and good things happened to my brain, but the keyword is reading.I attended to the NSW Public Libraries Association conference “Switch 2022” in Albury last week, and was pleased to learn that they coaxed an additional, indexed and ongoing $41 million every year from our State Government.I saw bestselling author and musician Holly Throsby at Kiama Library, in conversation with publisher Richard Walsh about her new novel, Clarke. I read a book about a bored little boy to the kids at Ss Peter & Paul primary school in Kiama and the children laughed and learned about how it’s always best to just be you.I met with Sally Rippin, Australia’s highest-selling female author, who has ventured into the previously unknown territory (for her) of adult non-fiction with her new book Wild Things, about how we learn to read and what can happen if we don’t.In council we have to do a great deal of reading. Our business papers (the council meeting agenda) are often more than a thousand pages long. And we only have days to take it all in.The Mayor reading to Ss Peter and Paul studentsReading is so vital, and sometimes so rare that if you can read this, you can count yourself lucky. Many people have either no or just basic reading skills.Without the ability to read, some of life’s most essential necessities become far out of reach.It becomes difficult to have a job, to access information, to engage in local democracy and even community participation can prove challenging when your reading skills are low or limited.So, when I talk about the first book I remember having read having a great impact, research backs me up. It confirms that a child’s early years of brain development shape the adults we become, the success we achieve and the contributions we make socially, economically and personally.According to the World Literacy Foundation, if a child reads for just 20 minutes a day, they are exposed to 1,800,000 words per year.Our Kiama Library service promotes literacy skills in early childhood and provides literacy resources and services to all. Our library staff are the best of the best.And I’m pleased that our newest library space – Gerringong Library and Museum (GLaM) – is celebrating its first anniversary on 3 December and everyone’s invited to the party (see the council website for details).On the other side of one of those five pennies are people living with dyslexia: a learning disability that can cause difficulties with reading and writing. Dyslexia is not a reflection of intelligence and more common than you may think, it actually affects around 10 per cent of the Australian population.Ask our excellent library staff and they’ll point you in the right direction for support with dyslexia if you need it.Local Government is more than just roads, rates and rubbish. Kiama Council plays a vital and very broad role in the lives of each and every person in our community.Our libraries and crew do a fabulous job that is well regarded throughout the state, I am incredibly proud of that team.Don’t forget to visit your local library soon – after all, it’s the building with the most stories in town.

This week I addressed the annual Mayor’s Breakfast hosted by the Kiama and District Business Chamber.My thanks to the Chamber for allowing me the chance to speak directly to a large and important part of our community: our local business owners and operators.What I had to say, in short, was this:I’ve heard it said we (Kiama Council) would be in a whole lot better shape if we ran it like a business. There is only one thing wrong with that sentiment: it isn’t a business.Roads seldom make money, and neither do our parks or libraries. We don’t charge fees at the entrance in order to be ‘run like a business.’Kiama municipality may not be a business, but it has a lot of the characteristics that good businesses believe are their hallmarks.When I am asked ‘Are you running council like a business?’, I say that we employ first-rate business principles, alongside the highest principles of good governance.Most businesses would have a hard time matching our service or functioning in such a highly regulated and highly public environment where every move we make is legislated and subject to very public scrutiny.Our financial situation is improving and we are taking steps to improve our cash flow by divesting assets that are no longer providing the utility that the community expects.To enhance our bottom line, we are seeking revenue-making opportunities and being open and transparent with our bankers, our auditors and the NSW Government.Everything we do for the next little while will fall into one of these categories:Improve cash flowDevelop a surplus budgetActively pursue sustainable revenue streamsAvoid administration.I am also committed to ensuring that this council will become much more business-friendly.Business people are our neighbours, our friends, our families and they keep our community strong.That’s why I am committed to a small business charter.I believe what benefits small business benefits the whole community.This means Council working with businesses across all sectors to revitalise the local economy, to attract new customers and investment.To this end, we are recruiting for an Economic Development Coordinator.This is to offer support in enquiries from businesses to accelerate procedures and assist in developing a Small Business Friendly Council Charter.From my own working life, I understand the strain, the stress and the risks small businesses take daily.After COVID, we must have strategies in place that will offer support, cut red tape and bring real benefits to our local small business community.

Sometimes, those who give the most are the ones with the least to spare. Time is one such commodity that some people give, very generously, even though it is often in short supply.For this reason, I believe one of the greatest honours you can show to someone is to respect their time.Jamberoo legend John Downes – Mumbles to everyone who knows him – has shared that precious commodity with us. He has given us his time. Fifty-seven years of it, in the service of the Jamberoo Fire Brigade. Mumbles is part of a very small group of people across New South Wales to receive a NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioners Commendation for Service. This was presented on Sunday. I was privileged to be there when John received his award alongside other brigade members receiving National Emergency Medals for their service in the Black Summer Bushfires of 2019-20.The very next day I was asked to welcome the Wollondilly CWA members to their eighty-ninth conference in Kiama. As they gathered, I saw many big hearts and brains that volunteered their time to make an impact in our community. The whole conference was about everything they could do for others. They want to try a little harder, to dream a little broader and have their hearts stretch a little farther. The conference was full of people with ideas seeking others of their own kind. What a hoot for the Chicks With Attitude!On 28 October, I will be at the Red Cross Zone 28 conference, with volunteers from all over our area. I know that these groups not only help us, but they also help each other. The Gerringong Red Cross needed a place to come together and provide Devonshire tea... the local RSL freely gave their hall. When renovations had to be made and the hall could not be used, Rotary came to the party and offered their facilities. Collaboration among the champions.People who give their time to helping us in either front-line jobs or volunteering are true ambassadors and champions for our community. It is a noble thing to pitch in as a volunteer in your community and we are fortunate to live where we live, where more than 25 per cent of locals volunteer, compared to 18 per cent across NSW.Perhaps the most amazing, if not surprising thing is that when awards are given for community service and volunteering, those who receive them are generally reluctant to take the limelight. This is a hallmark quality in those who give more than they take. But, I believe, these people should be known by the wider community. Therefore, if you know of someone or a group who deserve recognition, you should nominate them for an award!Our local Australia Day Awards recognise those people that play a part, large or small, in our community. The Australia Day Awards are for:Local Citizen of the yearYoung Citizen (24 years or under)Senior Citizen (65 years or over)Community GroupThe Awards are presented at a ceremony each Australia Day, 26 January. This year, we’ll be holding our awards ceremony at Kiama Leisure Centre, to recognise the fact it’s the centre’s 40th Anniversary.Nominations for our Australia Day Awards 2023 close 30 October 2022. Nominate someone today.

The time has come for bold and decisive action. I have spent a good part of the past 10 months as Mayor receiving data and the undeniable conclusion is: as a council, we need to change. It’s time to make difficult choices and be responsible.We have been more open with our community this year than ever. I appreciate that transparency and I know the community value this as well. It’s part of being the change we need to see.As anyone who has been following our story will know by now, we are in crisis. We need $30 to $40 million dollars in the next two years to service our loan repayments and that won’t come without some tough choices. We have had written warnings from the Minister for Local Government, statutory committees and our own Finance Advisory Committee on this. They all tell us that we need to change and correct our course.Blue Haven’s Residential Aged Care Facility is currently running at a loss of $75- $119 per bed per day, whereas the average for the industry is only a $24 loss. We have 134 beds and that means yesterday we lost $16,000, today we’ll lose $16,000 and tomorrow as well and so on and so on. If we continue running at this level of loss, we will need to severely cut council services and considerably raise rates. That would be nuts. It’s time for us to re-examine our core function, which is as a local council.To this end, I will be calling for an Extraordinary Meeting to be held next week on 13 October. At the meeting, I will seek to rescind the previous motion from our September Ordinary Meeting (item 20.1) which talked about our cash flow, the long-term financial position of Council, Blue Haven and the Barney Street Quarry.As well as seeking to rescind that motion, I will be proposing an alternate motion.This will be a balanced and sustainable approach, one which demands compromise, a little give from everyone. Compromise is necessary to enact the sort of strategic advantages that will lead to real improvements for the whole community.Here is the compromise I’ll be putting to council:Point one: The sale of the entire lot of Blue Haven Bonaira, ensuring uninterrupted operations of the Independent Living Units and Residential Age Care Facility.Point two: Following the completion of the business case and valuations we retain Blue Haven Terralong and seek the highest levels of residents’ engagement with any future use.The time to act is now, while we still control our destiny. Any delay now could be fatal to our council and our future. I’ll be addressing these initiatives with the Minister for Local Government, seeking her assent for the motion to be put. This bold motion will naturally require a majority of councillor’s support to be adopted.None of this has been easy, we are making big decisions and everyone has had to accept some degree of compromise. But we all know it’s time to change. To continue to deliver the local government services you need, want and expect, we must return our full focus to our core business. The end result will be the best outcome for Kiama Council, our community and the residents, families and staff of Blue Haven.

The lockdowns of the Covid 19 pandemic clearly demonstrated the value of essential workers here in Kiama. I have found that with the staffing issues of Blue Haven, essential workers no longer seem to be able to afford to live in our community, it’s a real problem for us all. This is a problem we can fix, but only if we make the right choices.Existing state regulations enable the least sustainable form of development: greenfield expansion. These proposed and approved rural subdivisions are car-dependent for almost every need. People there will live in isolated, sprawling places that cause high personal vehicle usage and with little or no walk-to retail and services. The answer, to my mind, is clear: greater urban density. This means having a home that is affordable, appropriate to needs, and within reach of transport, employment and essential services.I like urban consolidation—it creates vibrant town centres while limiting greenfield development. I also believe that if people accept greater density in our town centres, their children will be more able to buy a home, and seniors will be able to downsize in the town where they live. Building height is not a measure of density. The perception that high-rise equals high density is often confounded by reality. Best practice, including infill, good use of public space, and good design, create liveable higher density. According to figures from Savills, London’s most desirable and expensive borough is also one of its densest, with 135 dwellings per ha, the majority set in low and mid-rise.The politics of land-use planning – what gets built and where – favour those who oppose change. Community interest in urban planning is extremely strong in the Kiama LGA. Social media espouse that people see any change in regulations as a ‘watering down’ of standards.Political websites espouse sound, public-transport friendly development, yet members of those sites oppose every development that will deliver just that. This is sad as our LGA is among the least affordable in the world, and there is an acute shortage of low-cost rental housing.I acknowledge that Council and councillors have an important, although limited, role to play.We are actively working to advocate for and facilitate sustainable housing options for our community that are affordable, appropriate and available. The hard political reality is that people do not want rural expansion or urban consolidation. I am scared that this attitude will eventually lead to our exclusion in the debate. Decisions will be made for us.Which side of the argument you are on will depend greatly on your stake in the housing market—or lack of it. One person’s housing affordability crisis is another’s eagerly defended retirement nest egg. There are many reasons why density is seen as a good thing, but in short it is regarded as more sustainable, in the full sense of the word — environmentally, socially and economically.Population growth, and many of the supply and demand factors that impact housing availability and affordability, are outside of your council’s control. Focusing on urban and suburban centres and limiting greenfield development does not offer a neat set of solutions that we can just pick up and run with. But higher urban density offers significant insights and options that should be considered. If we can make a significant contribution towards ensuring that all our LGA have places to call home that meet our needs and supports ourquality of life, both now and into the future. We need enough density to allow for car-free living in a town that is resilient and walkable, while keeping us close enough to the ground to maintain our relationship with the earth and with one another.

A few weeks back, I reflected on our youth and the valuable contribution they make and will continue to make in our community. At the beginning of September, myself and the Councillors got to workshop ideas with local students at our new-look Youth Engagement Meeting at the Pavilion, it was a fantastic experience and valuable insights were gained all round.At the other end of the scale, and equally enlightening, can you imagine witnessing an entire century with your own eyes? To have personally witnessed 100 years of life?For most of us, such longevity and the wisdom that comes with it is a dream. Happily there are quite a few people right here in our area with just such a long and delightful story to share. As it turns out, we have heaps of folks in their 100th decade. So, we believe it’s only right to recognise these centenarians (anyone aged 90+) with a great big party!This is part of one of the five pillars of our Community Strategic Plan: that we are part of a connected and liveable community.What could be more connected and liveable than to celebrate with people who have lived through some of the most remarkable events of human history? Their lives were shaped by the changing fortunes of time. Now, two-and-a-bit decades into the twenty-first century, we will come together at Barroul House Cafe to chat to those that have lived, learned, changed, forgave, forgot, and learned some more.If you have a friend, relative, centenarian (or anyone in their senior years for that matter) who wishes to celebrate with us, you will be welcome. Come along and join the ‘100 Club’ with us.Senior members of our community and their optimistic attitude, their glorious sense of adventure and wonder touch me deeply. I count us as very lucky to have such an excellent aged care facility as Blue Haven here in Kiama. Whatever transpires with our financial issues, I can guarantee that it will continue to be there as it is, whether owned by Council or not.Two wonderful centenarians I know well are Harold and Eunice West, both of whom I met through my membership of the Kiama/Jamberoo RSL Sub branch. Harold, the sly young pup, married an older woman, so Eunice (his wife) turned a hundred months before he is due to tick over the ton... on 16 September!You can meet Harold and Eunice at our ‘100 Club’ celebration at Barroul House Cafe on 30 September.Kiama Council and Blue Haven will be providing afternoon tea and entertainment and the event is free to attend but you must register at www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/100-club

Since January, we have seen an already difficult work environment become even tougher.What we discovered when we started planning for the short, medium and long-term sustainability of Kiama Council, was that things were not as we had expected.Tonight, at the time of my writing this, we’ll have a Council meeting to table a letter from the NSW Auditor General to the Minister for Local Government. It’s accurate and spells out the errors of the past that plague the present and mean the Auditor is unable to conclude our audit for Financial Year 2020-21. It’s not pretty. But it does validate what we have been openly saying about the seriousness of our financial situation ever since we were elected.My hope is we’ll accept the letter, acknowledge the issues, share the information and set about resolving the problems as a matter of urgency.The unfortunate downside of openness, however, can be that people respond by behaving badly. This is usually due to shock, fear and the terrifying prospect of change and the unknown. This creates more tension and unease. Inside even the most functional teams, negative emotions can take up space that we should be used to consider what’s best for the community. But there will always be some who can’t accept less than perfection, some who want to change everything around, and some who want to deny the past.The reality of this moment is that the Office of Local Government is watching every move we make, which doesn’t make things any easier. But we’ve got to keep doing what we’ve been elected to do. Make decisions, determine our best future and resolve to reach it.As a Council, we are undergoing a massive reform. Most of us here are feeling like we have been dice in a cup and we’ve been shaken up and thrown out onto a board and wherever we landed, that’s our new role. Lots of us have found ourselves in quite different places than where we started in 2022.I want everyone in the community to know that we are all doing the best we can. There’s enormous pressure on us right now to keep up the pace, even though we are doing new work with new people, with information that is relatively new to come to light.More than all this, this Council have chosen to be more open than any Council before us.That’s not to say we can slow down for a minute, but please forgive us if we make a few mistakes on the way. For instance, I have been known to get a bit techy three-and-a-half hours in to a four-hour meeting at the end of a long day, but I’m OK after a good night’s sleep and I apologise for being Mr Cranky-Pants to everyone.My take-home message here is we all need to look after ourselves, and each other. Be compassionate and try to remember that everyone is in the same boat. We all care about the same things: that our Municipality is well-run, well-managed and continues to be the best place in the world.As we move through the significant challenge that openness brings, it's entirely normal to wobble for a while. This is OK because we’re on a learning curve, we’re righting the ship.People are tired, stressed and under pressure but they’re still showing up and working hard. For this I am truly grateful.Lastly, a shout out to the entire Council team and those helping us. Your curiosity, consideration and desire to serve our community has brought reassurance and inspiration to me and everyone who benefits from your work.

We are facing some big changes in the course of our council. They are changes that many of us hope will be a course-correction. Big topics such as sustainability, town character and finances form the basis of some vital and exciting questions: What kind of community do we want to live in? What do we care about and for who? And why? A simple answer to the final question is: ‘The future!’Naturally, I make it my business to engage with all of our community members on these important issues, but I plan to direct a significant amount of interest towards the youngerpeople of our area.To my mind it seems we spend a lot of time on the adults in our society. In development, planning and many other things, I do not want to overlook our future generations.The idea that young people don’t have as much to contribute as adults is ingrained in our culture. As adults, we often perpetuate the same things grown-ups told us when we were young. Young people of all ages can make a contribution whether they’re in school, work, training, or some other arrangement or community organisation. I am taking time to listen and learn from them. And I will do whatever I can to ensure the voices of our youth are included and heard at council.Everyone is busy, including young people. They have packed schedules with school, extracurricular activities, work, and helping at home. Some may be carers – of siblings, parents or other family members – or they may even have young children of their own. If they are going to be giving up some of their time, they need to know it will be time well spent.In scheduling youth engagement, we are mindful of that. Time is a precious commodity.It is often assumed that more experience is always better. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It is very easy to dismiss the ideas and skills of young people as lacking experience, and shut them out of the conversation. We need to recognise that young people have valuable and unique insights and knowledge. We should make room for different kinds of experience and value different perspectives.With this in mind, this year’s annual Youth Engagement Council Meeting on 1 September will take a new format. One that invites participation from young people across our municipality, who will bring a range of talents, understanding and perspective. We will work in groups to discuss strategic goals and council plans that affect us all, much like we did with our Community Strategic Plan workshops earlier this year. No experience is necessary to join in the creation of the future when you’ll own it!I well remember how intimidating it can be to speak up in a group of adults. I’ll make sure that once our youth are at the table, we create an environment of respect that allows their voices to be heard.We’re also keen to include a diversity of gender, age and circumstances to promote better and more meaningful youth engagement. This is absolutely necessary to ensure we’re not making assumptions based on our own beliefs, which may not be the reality for the next generation.And it won’t begin and end with one meeting. I will also be visiting the Youthie (SENTRAL Youth Services) more regularly, seeking advice from our excellent Youth Services staff to make this a successful initiative. This way, we will ensure that the intergenerational conversation keeps flowing.I believe that young people and adults have much to learn from each other because, together, we’re all creating the future of Kiama Municipality.

Mike Cains of the award winning Pecora Dairy, a sheep's cheesemaking farm on the upper western edge of the Kiama LGA at Knights Hill, won a prestigious Nuffield Agricultural Scholarship in 2021. COVID meant that he has only recently been able to undertake his overseas study tour. Here he shares his thoughts on what he saw:On the longest day of the year the sunset seems to go forever in the Netherlands. I find myself on a sparkling crystal-clear June evening, cruising through the Venetian-like canals of Giethoorn. I was travelling in a group, a tour organised as part of my Nuffield Agricultural Scholarship.  Giethoorn is magical, with its other-worldly roadless village, thatched roofs and dozens of wooden pedestrian bridges that we had to duck under. We were on a motorised pontoon with a BBQ, large wooden table and crates of Heineken. It’s all that 6 Aussies, 2 Irishmen a 2 south Americans, a long way from home, could possibly have wanted. As we drifted through the neighbourhood, meandering past cafes, bistros and front yards Kenneth Grahames Wind in the Willows sprung to mind “there is nothing–absolutely nothing–half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats”.Some of the other Scholarship winnersWe had just spent the afternoon touring Pieter Winters 300 hectare farm whose operation is as impressive as his hospitality. I thought I was going to see a potato grower who processes his own raw product into branded frozen fries, but when we get there he doesn’t talk about growing potatoes – he talks about no waste philosophy, about circular farming, about being an electricity generator. You see, to get a bag of perfect potato chips there is a lot of waste – waste that Pieter can’t abide. So, to address this problem all potato waste is now either fed back to chooks or to his on-farm bio-gas plant. 50% of the manure from the 115,000 broiler chickens, on the farm is used for fertiliser and the other half feeds the bio-gas installation. So along with the 7200 solar panels on the roofs of his barns and the energy captured by the bio-digester Pieter's farm creates green energy for 5,500 households – but he still a potato farmer apparently. Pieter's bio-digestersNecessity is the mother of all invention - in the Netherlands farmers have to be efficient with farming practices and frugal with their inputs. They must strictly account for nitrogen use and land is hideously expensive. Ruminating on this on my way to Canada and USA it struck me that it is an oversimplification to equate, for instance, vegetarianism with a “better for the environment” statement – because the more powerful question than “what do you farm?” is “how do you farm?”. Pieter's farm is the exemplar. Feeding the world isn’t a problem we need to grapple with up here on our 180 acres on Knights Hill - so I was intensely curious to see big farm USA. I wanted to see big tractors, I wanted to see robotics, precision farming, artificial intelligence and farm tech. Different mode of transport and farming in KansasWhen Brian invites me for a quick whirl around his Kansas farm, I didn’t expect to be taken to the helicopter. On our way we walk through the biggest farm shed I have ever seen, one of many on this farm near Scott City Kansas. In the pristine layout of the shed, I see 10 John Deere rigs worth about half a mill each and wall to wall caged plastic 1000 litre tanks filled with chemicals like glyphosate (Round Up). These are scientific farmers, there are screens with google earth images, integrated with drone shots – machines are GPS equipped for precision farming, transmitting parameters like yield, soil moisture and location in real time. Through the window of the chopper there are endless miles of perfectly spaced corn, wheat, soy and sunflowers. I come away feeling in equal parts impressed by the scale and the tech but also uneasy with the sheer volume of chemicals that is used on these GM crops.The US leg included sessions at the powerful Department of Agriculture Phil, on the other hand, is an organic crop farmer in Ontario Canada, and is the Director of Soil and Crop Improvement Association. He is growing much the same crops as Brian from Kansas. I am standing beside a huge pivot irrigation system that is standing idle while Phil's dad on yet another huge John Deere tractor is tilling between emerging rows of corn to keep the weeds under control. This also requires precision farming to not damage the plants, and as he goes up and down the rows behind him there are billowing plumes of topsoil. I bend down to inspect and crumble a clump of grey lifeless dry soil through my fingers. This is the opposite of regenerative I thought - it made me sad. If this is how organic pasta or Weet Bix starts out then I am not sure I want it.A sheep farmer in his element It’s obvious to me now that farming is full of trade-offs. There are no absolutes and no easy answers. If you want to feed the world you can optimise for either yield, efficiency, no chemical, soil health or water usage – but you can’t have it all. Finding the right balance still remains the challenge for modern farming.

For me, this has been a more than interesting month.I’ve collapsed at a council workshop, had rides in ambulances, wires in my heart and a rebore on an existing stent. I discovered that I was a grandfather (first time and although unexpected, most welcome!) and have taken some time to reflect on how we’re doing as a Council and how, in my role as Mayor, I can improve things.One decision I have made is to focus more on the strategy than the day to day. Many of us have the wrong idea about strategy. We think it's about workshops and documents, and then struggle to understand why everyone's still doing what they've always done.Much of this stems from a confusion about what strategy really is – spoiler alert: it isn't a document. Strategy is all about how we make decisions, and whether those decisions point us in the same direction. As a Council, we probably already know what needs to happen, we’re just afraid to put a stake in the ground and do it.I do a lot of work away from the office, but to ensure I still feel the pulse of our wonderful area, I plan to have fortnightly slabs of time just to hear your voices. I will schedule open mornings and afternoons as well as offer set times you can share your ideas, fears and tears about Council.I want to be at markets with a sign that says “the Mayor is IN” so I can talk directly with you, hear your views and ideas and listen. More about this soon.For all those who have been concerned about my wellbeing, I am profoundly touched. But know this: my prognosis is good, I will keep being bold, keeping it simple and staying the course. I’m also willing to change it up when required and, to this end, I will continue to reflect on the importance of the civic role myself and my Councillor colleagues hold. Your votes put us here, to represent your ideas and hopes for the future.We won’t always agree, that is the beauty of democracy, but we will strive to make a difference and add value to our municipality and our community.One of the most important roles that councils all around Australia play is in planning our communities: the shape of them, the size of them, the height of them and the kinds of parks, libraries, pools, roads that support them.It’s a complex process, planning, with vision documents, LEPs (Local Environment Plans), DCPs (Development Control Plans) and legislation and regulation heaped on top of each other. Some councils (like us) make decisions on development applications, others have outsourced committees of experts.Regional panels exist, regional plans abound, and beyond that, there is the State, the Commonwealth and the courts. We all play a part in the complex web that constitutes planning for urban and rural communities.Some recent decisions our community has seen made by the State about developing our area have not necessarily aligned with what many of us believe is in the best interest of “our place”. We respect the decision makers but, as I said, we don’t always agree. I believe, as do many in the planning arena and other local governments, it’s time for a change.As we finalise our Town Centre DCP and begin work on important documents such as the Housing Strategy and the Economic Lands Strategy, we need to understand why are we doing this and what are we hoping for.The answer to that is: to give a local voice and local input into what the shape and look for our communities will be into the future. We are more than just housing targets set by others, we are places for communities, spaces for industry and work, and areas for recreation and environmental protection.The newly legislated Greater Cities Commission may be able to help. We know that one size will not fit all, as different areas have different demographics, growth needs and character.What I am interested in achieving is that Kiama Municipal Council finds its place and voice in the region, and among the Greater Cities framework, while still maintaining what is special and unique right here.For too long, local governments have had to surrender control of planning to state governments and silence local voices. It’s time for change, and who better than us to lead the charge. As the saying goes, all politics is local.

In the Mayor’s absence this week, it is an honour to write to you all and I wish him a speedy recovery.In the aftermath of the recent flooding, we have again seen the full effects of La Niña on our coastline, waterways, and the Bombo cemetery.Jamberoo Mountain Road has been severely impacted, with multiple landslides and tree falls, which has resulted in the need for extensive works.Council will continue to work with both state and federal governments to get the road operational again.Thank you to our first responders and Council staff who have again stepped up to meet the challenges of recurrent weather events.A reminder that the Disaster Recovery Payment is now available via Services Australia to all individuals in the Kiama LGA who have been impacted by the recent flooding event: www.recovery.gov.auOn a positive note, our annual exhibit at the Old Fire Station for this year’s NAIDOC Week ‘Get Up, Stand Up and Show Up,’ was a stunning example of Indigenous arts.Also, Kiama Library hosted the Wodi Wodi All Around competition, celebrating the traditional owners of the land on which we live.The theme this year is not just a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, but a call for justice and equality.We all have a duty to ‘Get Up, Stand Up and Show Up’ in our community, and that is something that our Council acknowledged in supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart – reconciliation starts here.

‘Every artist was once an amateur’!This is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American writer 1803-1882.However, Emerson’s most famous quote is - ‘Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but rising up every time we fall’. I often think of these quotes, when painting and remembering the early days of establishing my retirement business, Alexander Art Supplies. The shop opened in 2018 from very humble beginnings, in a $25 per week space (not much bigger than a trestle table) in the ‘Old Kiama Co-op’, which was located opposite the Terraces in Collins St. I opened the shop a couple of years after we retired to Kiama, from Canberra, where I had a 43-year career in education. I always felt connected to the South Coast, as my childhood was spent growing up on a dairy farm at the base of the escarpment behind Dapto. After finishing high school, I completed a Bachelor of Education in Canberra, majoring in Art. Despite my passion for art, I never taught art. Instead gaining employment as a primary & high school teacher, with my final 15 years working as a careers advisor for students at Telopea Park High. With a sea change retirement to Kiama, I felt a sense of belonging to the town, as my ancestor, Francis Alexander emigrated from Ireland to Kiama in 1860 (the same year the Kiama Post Office and Police Station were built). Francis is buried in the Bombo Cemetery with the words, ‘Born County Tyrone’, on his headstone. A few years ago, my husband and I visited Ireland and located his family and farmhouse in Dromore, County Tyrone … a very special time. After years in Education, I pictured my retirement to be immersed in art. Thanks to Ken Tucker’s encouragement, I joined the Kiama Art Society and was soon enrolled in weekly acrylic painting lessons with art teacher, Kathy Karas. Despite having a background in art, I was very much a beginner, as the techniques and materials had changed since I last picked up a brush. I wasn’t interested in purchasing art supplies on line, as I preferred to go into an actual shop and select from a range of quality products. As Kiama didn’t have such a shop, I opened my eyes one morning and said, “I’m going to open an art supplies shop!” My cousin, Kate Broadfoot, a Bulli artist, gave me advice as to where to source high quality art supplies. Kathy Karas gave my lots of moral support, and my husband Rick, supported me with the logistics of setting up my rented space, plus putting together the massive art stands that came in a kit. I also need to give a big thank you, to Tammy and Sean who leased the ‘Old Kiama Co-Op’. They gave me the opportunity to start small, with an unbelievable $25 week rented space! My art supply business slowly gained momentum and was soon able to double the rented space, at a cost of $50 per week! This might seem an insignificant amount, however to a sole trader, who vowed to only grow if the business could support the growth, it was a big step.My shop in The Collective nowWith the threat of the Old Kiama Co-Op closing, due to a proposed new development, I relocated my art shop to The Collective in Terralong St. Once again, I was grateful that such an opportunity existed for a small business to thrive in a collective space with 40 other small local businesses. In my new location inside The Collective, it wasn’t long before my shop floor size doubled again! The Collective Beat, has friendly staff who are always willing to support customer requests. If staff are unable to answer a question, or locate a particular product, they phone me and together we solve the issue. This sometimes means placing a special order with my Sydney supplier. The name, Alexander Art Supplies, comes from my pioneering connection to the Kiama area. My logo is a paint palette, taking the shape of the wooden paint palette used by my brother, Gordon. Sadly, Gordon passed away at 32 years from renal failure. He spent many years connected to a dialysis machine with his colourful wooden paint palette, not far from his side.Gordon's palettePaul Kelly sings, ‘from small thing, big things grow’!This maybe true, however the survival of Alexander Art Supplies in this current financial climate can only happen with the support of many …. including the many wonderful customers who choose to BUY LOCAL.  I recall a customer saying to me, “If people don’t support local businesses, they will wake up one day and say, Kiama once had a high quality art supply shop… I wonder what happened to it!” If you’re seeking advice or purchasing from Alexander Art Supplies, you can do so by: - visiting the shop, located inside The Collective Beat, 100 Terralong St, Kiama.    Open Mon-Sat 9.30-5pm & Sun 10-4pm- purchasing on line – www.alexanderartsupplies.com.au(the website is still in progress, so not all products available are online)- facebook and instagram @alexanderartsupplies- speaking directly with Susan ph 0407 110 853

The road to financial recovery will not be easy, but we have taken the first steps by following the objectives of our recent council resolution to consider all options for Blue Haven.The financial statements are decoupled...At Tuesday’s Audit Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) meeting, our financial team, comprising of internal staff and contractors, presented Blue Haven’s notional Statement of Assets and Liabilities. This document and others were developed from the limited information available and are a good guide to inform our future deliberations.Community engagement has begun...We are developing a schedule of community engagement that has started with face to face meetings with the Blue Haven residents and staff. On Tuesday we met with the residents of Blue Haven Terralong. The week before, we met Blue Haven Bonaira residents and carers in the Residential Aged Care Facility and residents of the Independent Living Units (ILUs) at Bonaira.We will soon be holding public meetings with all our community who are interested to come along this journey down the road to recovery. The council website now has a Frequently Asked Questions page that will be updated regularly, as more and more questions are answered. There are many other ways we will employ to listen and learn from our community.Negotiations have started with our bankers...We have put a number of proposals to TCorp, our bankers, and are awaiting their consideration of these.From the limited information available, the sale of our Akuna Street landholdings is well underway and will be brought to council in June. The rest of our assets, such as Spring Creek, Holiday Parks, and other Council facilities and landholdings and will also be scrutinised to determine how we can maximise their use and ensure we maintain the best balance of community services and financial stability now and into the future.Budget...The 2022-23 budget and Long-Term Financial Plan will be presented at our June meeting.Community survey...A qualitative survey of residents and ratepayers will be undertaken to further gauge opinion, views and thoughts as to Blue Haven’s future.Ministerial support...I personally have made arrangements to meet with the new Federal Minister for Aged Care, Mark Butler. Also, through our association with other council bodies, we have made arrangements to meet with NSW Ministers and NSW Shadow Minister for Health seeking their advice.On a similar note, I’ll be reaching out to the Mayors of other Councils that own aged care facilities which are leased out or run as joint ventures, to get their feedback and so we can discuss the challenges we all face as Local Government owners of aged care. Note, Kiama is the only remaining Council in NSW that still both owns and runs a residential aged care facility.Focusing on our future...We will take this journey one day at a time, focusing on our future, learning lessons from our past and dealing with the present. Our process will be guided by experts both within and external to council maintaining governance from the Local Government Act and ensuring we take the community with us.As always, please get in touch with me if there’s anything you’d like to discuss. And watch this space for further info on when and where our upcoming community consultation sessions will be held.

I am new to this role of Mayor and interested in moving council into a new era of openness to enhance our connections with the community we serve. Sometimes this means looking back in honesty, but more importantly, looking forward in hope.We need your help to contribute as well.We have recently put on exhibition our Draft Community Strategic Plan, Draft Delivery Program, Operational Plan and Budget as well as our Draft Long Term Financial Plan. The exhibition of these documents can be thought of as a picture of our community in the future.We are seeking your inspiration to serve as the framework for what, why, when and how we achieve your council’s plans. Please look at these documents which are on display now for your comment: www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/your-say/cspIf you haven’t had your say, now is your chance.Since January, this council has revealed more about its workings than any other previous council, in my experience. I am interested in achieving meaningful change within your council and through successful collaboration and communication.It would be a good idea to briefly look at these important documents.A Community Strategic Plan (CSP) is a whole of community document, with many people needed to contribute to its success. The document describes what people love and value about our municipality and how they want it to evolve over the next decade.The CSP is both the community’s vision and roadmap for the work of Council over the next 10 years to deliver on that vision.The Delivery Program, Operational Plan and Budget outlines the steps to making the vision a reality by setting specific strategies, plans, actions and measurements.Our Long Term Financial Plan is a 10-year plan for Council’s finances that underpins the work into the longer term. It contains specific information on how we’ll organise our spending and earnings in the first year, a detailed plan for the next five years, and strategic guidelines up to the 10-year mark.The role of communication in shaping council’s future is imperative, is two-way and open. We really need your views to gain insight into how we can build a more inclusive community through these important, guiding documents.We must have an agreed purpose, vision and objectives to drive an impacting and lasting change at a future, desired level. Please help us by having your say.

For almost 140 years, Kiama’s Blowhole Point has been a vital source of light helping ships to navigate. But from June 3 to 13, the Point will light up like never before, playing host to the illuminating, exhilarating 2022 IGNITE Kiama Winter Festival, proudly sponsored by Harcourts Kiama. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS FRIDAY 3 JUNEIt all begins on Friday 3 June, as we switch on the lights that will see more than 20 of the iconic Norfolk Pines that dot Blowhole Point sparkle in spectacular fashion.  Book quickly for the VIP experience as Diggies Kiama invites you to a mellow evening, dining in style, or ice skating under enchanting lights, while harpist Yasmin Russell provides the “light” entertainment and sets the mood. A perfect way to begin the festival and a unique evening out for couples and friends alike. THE ICE IS RIGHT DAILY 4 – 13 JUNEAs we just hinted at, starting from 5pm Friday 3 June, an authentic ‘real ice’ rink will be available on the Blowhole Point tennis courts.  Open every day and evening through until the long weekend (Monday 13 June), this rinky-dink ice rink welcomes bookings in 45 minute time slots, with skate hire and fitting on site.  For those less confident on skates, pick up a friendly penguin with your booking who will safely guide you around the rink.  Squint and it’ll be like you’re at New York’s Rockefeller Center at Christmas! Tickets:Adults $20Concession $15Child (under 12) $10Family (two adult/conc and two children): $50Penguin hire $5Groups of 10 adults or more $18 each – offering a great opportunity for Office Team Building or gifts to your loyal customers. School and community group bookings also welcomed. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets: ignitekiama.com We thank Kiama Coast Holiday Parks for sponsorship of the IGNITE Kiama Ice Rink.  HARCOURTS KIAMA - IGNITE WINTER FESTIVAL SATURDAY 4 JUNEThis is the big one. Ignite your senses, imagination and tastebuds as Kiama’s Blowhole Point hosts a winter party that brings together fire, ice, rhythm and feasting – Saturday 4 June, 12pm till 8:30pm. This FREE family-friendly event invites you to rug up and chill out, with an exciting afternoon and evening that will include:·        Two live music and entertainment stages, roving fire and illumination acts, sky and land circus performances;·        Kiama Leagues Club Festival Bar;·        Bush Tucker and traditional indigenous smoking and fire performance;·        Eat Street food market;·        Special performance by Olympic Figure Skater Kailani Crane;·        Guest appearance by Elsa from Disney’s one and only Frozen;·        Fire and Jungle Rhythm Show as the sun goes down;·        Surrounding trees lit up to set the scene;·        Ticketed Ice Skating for all, see ignitekiama.com for how to book!…And no IGNITE event would be complete without FIREWORKS with orchestrated soundtrack and light show! IGNITE promises to be an event unlike anything else seen in Kiama – bringing an entirely new space to life in breathtaking fashion. Whether you’re relaxing on the lawn in front of the Pilot’s Cottage to enjoy the stage acts, slipping and sliding on the ice rink, reaching new heights on the aerial rig or simply enjoying the food, drinks, music and ambiance, this one is sure-fire not to be missed.See a special performance by Olympic Figure Skater Kailani CraneMark it in your diary, tap it in your phone, post-it note it to your bathroom mirror and magnet it to your fridge – because IGNITE is going to be lit! Thank you to the following sponsors:·        Kiama Municipal Council·        Regional NSW·        Harcourts Kiama·        WAVE FM·        Kiama Leagues Club

AP’s founding partner, Garry Pinch, has built his career on taking start-up businesses from infancy to successful ventures.The unwinding of tax concessions for small businesses will create opportunities and challenges for all business owners.The amount of tax at risk is so large it could never have been contemplated by Treasury when designing the concession package. The cost in extra taxes has been made worse by rising property values and the speed at which some businesses recovered from COVID and lockdowns.In many cases the cause of the hidden taxes is highly technical and the impact between business owners could vary. Instant Asset Write-offsDuring COVID lockdowns, businesses were able to write off all their assets to reduce taxes. In many cases, the tax usually paid by business owners was reduced substantially. However, from 2022 many businesses will start to pay extra tax because they have no depreciation left to claim. Further if any of the written off assets are sold or traded in, the proceeds on sale maybe taxable in full.  Cashflow BoostCash Flow Boost paid to employers to meet employees' wages is generally not taxable. However, if paid to a company, it may become taxable when paid as a dividend in later years. ATO announces review of trust distributions to family members Recently, the ATO has advised their intention to tax certain distributions to family members at the top tax rate of 49%. If your business trades as a Trust and you distribute profits to family members, seek advice from your tax advisor before 30 June 2022. Significant Capital Gains on sale of assetsThe last three years have seen substantial gains in residential and commercial property values. Although Capital Gains are taxed concessionally, many gains will be taxed at the top marginal tax rate of 49% this year.  If you have sold a property during the year, it is essential to get some advice before 30 June. Several strategies can be adopted to defer the capital gain to a later year and/or reduce the tax payable. Unused Superannuation Contribution CapsBusiness owners can contribute tax-deductible contributions of $27,500 each year to reduce tax payable. Business owners can also pay the shortfall contributions from previous years and receive a tax deduction in the year it is paid. This can be particularly important to reduce the tax payable on significant capital gains and high-income years. Other tax issues business owners should considerBusinesses should also consider the tax benefits from:Writing off bad debts before 30 JuneValuing stock at the lower of cost or market valueMaking prepayments before 30 June Paying employee superannuation for the June 2022 quarter in June 2022Crystallising capital losses to offset capital gainsMaking superannuation contributions to qualify for co-contributions paid by the governmentReviewing the legal structure of their business before a new year starts.Review the impact on HELP debts, excess tax on superannuation contributions and childcare subsidies if your income is higher than normal in 2022.2022 is anticipated to be one of the most significant tax years for businesses as government stimulus measures start to unwind. Seeking professional tax advice before 30th June 2022 could avoid large, unexpected tax bills.Contact Accounting Professionals for more information. Email: ap@accpro.com.au