November 7, 2024 • 17 mins
It was close local election result, but Russell Fitzpatrick is into his second term as Mayor of the Bega Valley. He's big on credibility, and it all starts with making sure ratepayers dollars will be spent more wisely.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Why are fast that ghost?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I'd like to see the respective council be changed. The
council gets blamed for everything. But you've gre oupen and
transparent the problems that we address them and a dress
them quickly enough. I think you know the credibility of
council will increase substantially today.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I'm James Fantasy. Great to have you with us in
this episode where speaking with the recently re elected mayor
of the Bigger Valley Shire, Russell Fitzpatrick. Russell, congratulations on
being re elected. You came out with a thirty six
vote win ahead of Labour's Helen O'Neill. That must be
one of the tightest results in history.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I think so. Yeah, I haven't heard of many, too
many times. I've talked to a few people around and
other mayors and things, and yeah, very close, too close
to my liking. But anyway I was saying, is you
only need fifty percent plus one and I saw that counts.
But very humbled to be re elected and I'm just honored.
I treat the position as very prestige in my mind,
and to represent the whole of the community.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
We obviously do have a lot of within the Bigger
Valley Heading into your second term as mayor, as well
as the general stuff like representing the community and all that,
what do you see as the most important priorities for
the next term.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah, Councils, we've got a lot of capital works happening.
We budget to do a lot more roadworks. We need
to make sure we can get those done as further budget.
We need to finish our capital projects like the sporting complexes,
a couple of other things as well, make sure they're
done with budget and on time and delivered for the
community as the community expects and now without having to
have any further rating creues. It would be great if
(01:34):
we can run our budget tight enough and keep it
tight with and deliver all the serves community expect. But
sooner or later, we have two billion dollars with other assets,
and we're going to have to have some hard discussions
about which assets we need to keep out of that.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So, just on that, are you saying that there might
be future rate rises or we might actually have to
decide that to maybe close down some of our pools
or libraries.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Well, they're the things we've got to look at and
where there's pretty clear up we don't want future eight rises,
so that means that we have to look at those
hard decisions that may have to close down siming fields,
We may have to look at that reduce the libraries.
Other councils have done some of that, and there's been
a favored of public keyback the other way. So it's
giving out balancing act and make sure that financially sustainable
(02:20):
as well as delivering what the community speaks, which is
in their way that local government funded is very difficult,
but we'll keep arguing about how much local government should
get off the federal government and also the cost shifting
in the state government. So we just need at an
advocacy level, we need to be continually advocating for that
to stop and for less charts to be put onto
(02:42):
local government.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Russell Council is obviously made up of representatives from different
parties and with different values and views, but in order
to get things done, you do need to work together.
How do you plan to lead this council and help
with some new councilors coming in help them to work.
Is one unit to achieve the best outcomes for the
bigger valley.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Jameson, We've already started doing that. We've already had a
couple of meetings and now I think everyone's on the
same page that we're there for the community. We're not
there for anything else but the community and to work
the best of the community. I've been pretty impressed with
some of the new counselors who have come on board,
and they seem to have that attitude, and I just
think it's important that everyone leaves their egos at the
(03:24):
door and we think about the community when we actually
go into meetings and what we do.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
And how do you plan to address key concerns of
some residents on the far South Coast, particularly around infrastructure
and regional development there.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
It's a hard one. I think through the election campaign
most places we went to everyone wanted more, but now
I want a rate increases. So you've got to work
out what infrastructure and the feasibility of delivering that infrastructure,
and what beyondgoing costs is going to be the councilor
and what may have to be missed out somewhere else.
We can try to rationalize things, but seems to start
to try and rationalize things, we will object to something
(04:01):
being taken away. So it's a very hard juggling case
for all counselors to come across the end of the day,
you also have to be financially sustainable, so there's a
real juggling act and has very hard decisions for counselors
to make, but that's what we're elected to do to
represent the community and sometimes you won't please everyone.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
We put it out to the public if they had
any questions for you, and one that came in was
what's council's debt situation like and what's the plan to
keep the shy's future economically viable.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
That's one of the things I'm pretty proud of since
I've become Mayor James. We had that in twenty sixteen,
twenty seventeen to thirty eight million. We're now down to
twenty meters and we're actually reduced to our debt levels
by about eighteen MEI and over the last five years,
which has been done deliberately. As soon as you have
debt in your gent what's called your general fund, which
we have about ten million dollars worth of dead in
(04:50):
our general fund. The repayment of that comes out of
works that would normally done by cleaning toilets and providing
community services like mowing the lawns and the park and
things like that. That's where the money comes from, which
is what the general fund money is spent on. And
also you're owed, so by having debt in your general fund,
you'll actually reduce down the services you can provide with
(05:11):
the sewer and water funds. It's a bit different. We
also have debts in our sewer fund, but that was
the sewer of the villagers years ago calaru Canlow Malamoron
and that it was done like that over long term.
It was done by prior to even the administrator or
just after the administrator. I think it was done when
they first borrowed that money. We're now paying that off
pretty quickly. We're down about ten men on that, so
(05:33):
that ten me in and our sewer funded ten million
in our general fund of debt left. So that's a
great result compared to other councils, where well ahead of
the game trying to keep our debt down and having
borrowed extensively. Some other councils have had infrastructure they've had
to contribute to and had to borrow extensively, where fortunate enough,
we haven't had to do that to the levels that
other councils have done.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And Russell, what's your response to some in the community
saying that council are out there applying for two many
big government grants and then councils having to foot the
bill if something goes wrong, like the timing with the
federal government grant and the new biggest sporting complex.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Well, a new biggest sporting complex is a probably classic
example where we're given a certain amount of money that
delivers something, the scope of works ends up being twice
what was originally expected. And now it's problem with the
grants and the way the grants have done. You know,
you've basically given a political promise. Well, and we'll have
(06:30):
the same problem with Categy Bridge, where fifteen million has
been offer at the present time for it, and you know,
if it's to be a two lane concrete bridge, the
cost could be anywhere at thirty million. Our council we're
going to have to find out or the stake I'm
we're going to have to cough up for it. So
we're going to have those problems even away from our
sporting fills, but in our own and bridge infrastructure as well.
(06:51):
By not except putting him for the grants, well, that
means if the community want to done, the rate payers
will have to pay for the whole lot. So we
try and jugglate around fine which grant to meet with
what our capital works programs are, what our renewal of
assets are. Currently we've got a program that says any
we won't accept any new assets. We want assets renewal
of our current assets to a better standard. So that's
(07:13):
what we're trying to promote at the present time and
stick to. So most of the grants that we put
in for are the new existing assets or upgrade and
improve the existing assets that we have. We have a
lot of footpaths. You will have seen our active transport
strategy where we've designated so we can connect uptowns like
Pemia of the South, Formula, Marimba and Tura over a
period of time and putting for grants to those. So
(07:35):
we've already got that strategy in place that we can
go ahead and start doing that. Are funding comes available
in the active transport area, so they're good things that
counselor plan well ahead that we can actually go ahead
at any time when there's a grand available.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Stick around. More to come from the bigger valleys man
for the next four years. Russell Fitzpatrick High Heart, fast, outh,
cost higher fast that ghost. Hi there, I'm James Fantasy
where chatting with recently re elected Bigger Vali Shire Mayor
Russell Fitzpatrick. He'll continue to lead our shire over the
(08:13):
next four years, with Marimbula Councilor Mitchell Naden to serve
alongside him as the shire's new deputy mayor, replacing our
going councilor and Deputy Kathy Griff. Although it was just
thirty six votes that separated Fitzpatrick from Alp councilor Helen O'Neill,
he's chuffed about being in the top job again and
says he has plans for managing the environmental challenges facing
(08:35):
the Bigger Valley.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Looking at making all our sites net zero by twenty
thirty and we're already doing that by putting solar panels
on most like all the fire shoes are getting done
and all the councils who are facilities. We look at
our sea level rise. Our airport could be affected by
sea level rise, so we're constantly monitoring that. We have
monitoring peas Famley and where we've built the new General
(08:57):
Aviation you'll see build at a higher level than the
rest of the to cover that. So around the environment,
we're always doing things around that. There is other things
we need to mitigate, and we need to catch the
water supply better so that we have less flood damage
from time to time when we do have flooding, and
we need to have a look at our rivers and
estries all the time, and we have a great team
(09:18):
in councilor the environmental team who do that.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
I know there's a lot of people around Marimbula that
haven't been happy over the years with the Marimbula Surge
treatment plant and the ocean outfall in particular. Can you
just give us a bit of an update on that
and what the future looks like.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah, so we've done all the designs the ocean outfall,
but again it comes back to what we can afford
to pay the costs the aation outfall. I think the
last course we had was we'll over thirty million, and
we have a certain amount from the state government for it,
and we all as a state significant program and we
also have been putting money away to do that, but
we're still well short of that. We don't want to
increase their rates to do it. So the state government
(09:54):
needs give us a really significant, state significant program. The
state government need to start funding it properly.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
What about the people who were just flat out against it.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Well, at the moment goes under the beach chain, So
the ocean, if we go to the ocean out for
is a far better environmental result. It might be the
greatest result, but it's a far better result that was
currently in place who are just going under the beach. Sure,
it would be great to put it in the storage
somewhere and use it on farm land, but the cost
of that will be probably I think when we first
looked at doing that in twenty twelve it was five
(10:23):
times higher than what the ocean our for costs would be.
So that's and I'm sure the rate payers they want
them to be leavy with that.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Affordable housing is a growing concern across regional New South Wales.
How does council intend to tackle this issue for locals?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Tried to the fires and we started tackling that with
some rezoning to try and get urban development closer to
the CBDs to allow more development in those and high
I density buildings. We've also got our structure plans for
Biga or Alumni going ahead, which identify about two than
three hundred lots overall, and we're trying to get those
through at the present time as hold ups with developers
(10:59):
and knowledge that unfortunately they're not in control of all
the developers. They relying on them to do the works
and make sure they're done as the specifications that Counselor
set out. We've identified areas to be developed, so that
mount's up to the developers or the people who own
that land whether they want to develop it or then
will look for other land to be identified. The only
(11:21):
way to make housing affordable for young people is to
have supply into the market, and in some areas there
is supply and we can't release it because of environmental
factors are holding it up, you know, and things like that.
So it's a very hard acting In the Biger Valley
where we've got so much biodiversity on any bit of
land and counsel owned land, they can't be developed because
(11:43):
of the biodiversity of sets that are required will make
it totally unfeasible and unviable to do so. As the
real problem of how this Diversity Act actually restricts land
releases in the Biga Valley just quickly.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Russell mcbrosnan from the Social Justice Advocates of the Saffaire
Co said he wants Counsel to come along for the
ride in terms of helping homeless people in our region.
But there's been issues and hold ups along the way
with them getting their same day granny flats approved and
with DA's those moveable dwellings. Can you just give us
(12:17):
a bit of an update on from your point of view,
where things sit with that and how you plan to
tackle that.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
So on the Council's planning that were tied to, we
try to a bathics requirement and a building requirement or
a caravan part requirement or removable dwelling. So if they're
movable dwelling, they're based on axle with wheels, are not
permanently located fermanly fixed into the sewer, things like that.
So that's the simple explanation to it. Our legal device
is that they don't classify as movable dwellings once they're
(12:47):
removed from their trailers and axles. That's the legal device
Counsel have had unfortunately, and they meet the requirement and
therefore we have to apply the same as everyone else
who puts in for a DA to construct a house
or a unit, they have to meet that requirement. Unfortunately
they don't. They'd be a great solution, but we've been
trying to negotiate with the state government on it. RaSE Jackson,
(13:09):
the Minnesipa Housing and one of the ministers Housing has
been tripping talking to us and she's looking more modular homes.
And you'll see in some areas we've got the rent
down to d and golf Course where they've put the
modular homes on and where you actually rent the land
and you own the house. Macaysha Ponds and Mill again
is similar typing that's been going quite well for over
(13:31):
fifty five. So that sort of model of the model
that the state government appeared to be looking at is
more of a modular home model.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Russell, Many young people are leaving the region for work
and education opportunities. What's your strategy to retain and attract
younger generations in the bigger valley.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, I think we're doing better. There's still more to go.
Education is a major problem for us, but the new
Taste site in Vegas filling part of that. But there
would be great to have a country university campus somewhere
as well to assist the Willingong University that's situated in
Burger for education purposes. But young people will who lost
(14:08):
one of those people myself when I first started work.
You wanted to go and not so much you want
to get around and see the big country and you
what you do want to move. So there is how
are we going to be an element that leave? I
think workwise, there is more opportunities. We've got numerous opportunities
a council that we can't even get applicans for, to
dodet ships, apprenticeships on the way through as well as
(14:30):
being fully qualified. So I think the opportunities are there.
The Circle Economy will center in Bingham will provide more
opportunities and more investment in the area through different businesses
and what we're currently here. I look at the seaweed
industry and think we can be a major player in
that area and what that provides is through the Circle
(14:50):
Economy and also through the environmental benefits of it all.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
And Russell, I mean you've touched on some of them there,
but it's not all germ and gloom. With counsel. There
are some exciting things happening. Tell us about some of
those over the next years.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
We're doing a lot in the waste area. We need
to really have a look at our waste and our recycling.
We've been doing that for a couple of years now.
Fouga is the start of it, but we also got
to look at actually commercial waste and building waste and
how we better process that. We've got a tripic operator
out of our central waste facility's always looking at that,
looking at new techniques of how we can do that
(15:25):
and make sure if things don't gather the landfill. So
we're working really hard on that. For me. One of
the concentrations on it is actually our roads. Our roads
budget has been increased in the next twelve months or
in the twenty four to twenty five year by seven
million dollars across the board, which is at both urban
and rural roads.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Most people don't get excited by Rhodes Russell, but they
do like it when they don't have holes in them.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
They've got to be fixed, they've got to be done,
and we've got heritage issues or legacy issues in the
whole right across the shire where storm Waterer was never
put in because places developed of the years. Back in
the sixty seventies, it was some requirement for curb and
gathering or stormwater drain you should be put in when
the development happened. Now development, So we've got legacy issues
(16:10):
that we're trying to fix up. You'll see them for
a bit of work going on in Marimula and a
few of the streets that have all the houses have
been affected by floating at times in the storm. While
we're trying to address that. People will be too similar.
It'll probably be next on the list. But we've got
a long list of places like that that we need
to fix up and do. No fault of anyone, it
just wasn't a requirement back then. But people today in
(16:31):
twenty twenty four expect that they can have their house,
they've got curb and gathering, and they've got stormwater drains outside.
A lot of our streets haven't got that, so we
need to address all that as well. So it's not
sexy stuff. I fully appreciate that, but it's worked that
we need to do to make everyone's living environment a
lot better for them.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Yeah, it's not always sexy work on counsel, but it
can be good work. Last question, Russell, looking forward, how
do you envision the Bigger Valley evolving over the next
four years under your leadership.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
That's a really interesting question. I'd like to see the
respective Council be changed. Council gets blamed for everything. I
think if we're open and transparent, like everyone talks about
open and transparency and that goes can go so far.
But if we're open and transparent and the problems that
we address them and dress them quickly enough, I think
you know the credibility of Counsel will increase substantially and
(17:21):
that's what we need to do. We think we need
to do it right across the board, in every part
of Council. There's always going to be objectives to certain
things and how we handle those objections is pretty important.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
So what will the next four years look like in
the Bigger Valley or we have some idea. Ultimately we'll
have to wait and see. That's all for now. When
I Heart Fast South Coast proudly supported by the new
South Wales Government, I'm James Fantasy. Catch you next time,
my Heart Fast South Coast
Why are fast that ghost?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I'd like to see the respective council be changed. The
council gets blamed for everything. But you've gre oupen and
transparent the problems that we address them and a dress
them quickly enough. I think you know the credibility of
council will increase substantially today.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I'm James Fantasy. Great to have you with us in
this episode where speaking with the recently re elected mayor
of the Bigger Valley Shire, Russell Fitzpatrick. Russell, congratulations on
being re elected. You came out with a thirty six
vote win ahead of Labour's Helen O'Neill. That must be
one of the tightest results in history.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I think so. Yeah, I haven't heard of many, too
many times. I've talked to a few people around and
other mayors and things, and yeah, very close, too close
to my liking. But anyway I was saying, is you
only need fifty percent plus one and I saw that counts.
But very humbled to be re elected and I'm just honored.
I treat the position as very prestige in my mind,
and to represent the whole of the community.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
We obviously do have a lot of within the Bigger
Valley Heading into your second term as mayor, as well
as the general stuff like representing the community and all that,
what do you see as the most important priorities for
the next term.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah, Councils, we've got a lot of capital works happening.
We budget to do a lot more roadworks. We need
to make sure we can get those done as further budget.
We need to finish our capital projects like the sporting complexes,
a couple of other things as well, make sure they're
done with budget and on time and delivered for the
community as the community expects and now without having to
have any further rating creues. It would be great if
(01:34):
we can run our budget tight enough and keep it
tight with and deliver all the serves community expect. But
sooner or later, we have two billion dollars with other assets,
and we're going to have to have some hard discussions
about which assets we need to keep out of that.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So, just on that, are you saying that there might
be future rate rises or we might actually have to
decide that to maybe close down some of our pools
or libraries.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Well, they're the things we've got to look at and
where there's pretty clear up we don't want future eight rises,
so that means that we have to look at those
hard decisions that may have to close down siming fields,
We may have to look at that reduce the libraries.
Other councils have done some of that, and there's been
a favored of public keyback the other way. So it's
giving out balancing act and make sure that financially sustainable
(02:20):
as well as delivering what the community speaks, which is
in their way that local government funded is very difficult,
but we'll keep arguing about how much local government should
get off the federal government and also the cost shifting
in the state government. So we just need at an
advocacy level, we need to be continually advocating for that
to stop and for less charts to be put onto
(02:42):
local government.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Russell Council is obviously made up of representatives from different
parties and with different values and views, but in order
to get things done, you do need to work together.
How do you plan to lead this council and help
with some new councilors coming in help them to work.
Is one unit to achieve the best outcomes for the
bigger valley.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Jameson, We've already started doing that. We've already had a
couple of meetings and now I think everyone's on the
same page that we're there for the community. We're not
there for anything else but the community and to work
the best of the community. I've been pretty impressed with
some of the new counselors who have come on board,
and they seem to have that attitude, and I just
think it's important that everyone leaves their egos at the
(03:24):
door and we think about the community when we actually
go into meetings and what we do.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
And how do you plan to address key concerns of
some residents on the far South Coast, particularly around infrastructure
and regional development there.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
It's a hard one. I think through the election campaign
most places we went to everyone wanted more, but now
I want a rate increases. So you've got to work
out what infrastructure and the feasibility of delivering that infrastructure,
and what beyondgoing costs is going to be the councilor
and what may have to be missed out somewhere else.
We can try to rationalize things, but seems to start
to try and rationalize things, we will object to something
(04:01):
being taken away. So it's a very hard juggling case
for all counselors to come across the end of the day,
you also have to be financially sustainable, so there's a
real juggling act and has very hard decisions for counselors
to make, but that's what we're elected to do to
represent the community and sometimes you won't please everyone.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
We put it out to the public if they had
any questions for you, and one that came in was
what's council's debt situation like and what's the plan to
keep the shy's future economically viable.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
That's one of the things I'm pretty proud of since
I've become Mayor James. We had that in twenty sixteen,
twenty seventeen to thirty eight million. We're now down to
twenty meters and we're actually reduced to our debt levels
by about eighteen MEI and over the last five years,
which has been done deliberately. As soon as you have
debt in your gent what's called your general fund, which
we have about ten million dollars worth of dead in
(04:50):
our general fund. The repayment of that comes out of
works that would normally done by cleaning toilets and providing
community services like mowing the lawns and the park and
things like that. That's where the money comes from, which
is what the general fund money is spent on. And
also you're owed, so by having debt in your general fund,
you'll actually reduce down the services you can provide with
(05:11):
the sewer and water funds. It's a bit different. We
also have debts in our sewer fund, but that was
the sewer of the villagers years ago calaru Canlow Malamoron
and that it was done like that over long term.
It was done by prior to even the administrator or
just after the administrator. I think it was done when
they first borrowed that money. We're now paying that off
pretty quickly. We're down about ten men on that, so
(05:33):
that ten me in and our sewer funded ten million
in our general fund of debt left. So that's a
great result compared to other councils, where well ahead of
the game trying to keep our debt down and having
borrowed extensively. Some other councils have had infrastructure they've had
to contribute to and had to borrow extensively, where fortunate enough,
we haven't had to do that to the levels that
other councils have done.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And Russell, what's your response to some in the community
saying that council are out there applying for two many
big government grants and then councils having to foot the
bill if something goes wrong, like the timing with the
federal government grant and the new biggest sporting complex.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Well, a new biggest sporting complex is a probably classic
example where we're given a certain amount of money that
delivers something, the scope of works ends up being twice
what was originally expected. And now it's problem with the
grants and the way the grants have done. You know,
you've basically given a political promise. Well, and we'll have
(06:30):
the same problem with Categy Bridge, where fifteen million has
been offer at the present time for it, and you know,
if it's to be a two lane concrete bridge, the
cost could be anywhere at thirty million. Our council we're
going to have to find out or the stake I'm
we're going to have to cough up for it. So
we're going to have those problems even away from our
sporting fills, but in our own and bridge infrastructure as well.
(06:51):
By not except putting him for the grants, well, that
means if the community want to done, the rate payers
will have to pay for the whole lot. So we
try and jugglate around fine which grant to meet with
what our capital works programs are, what our renewal of
assets are. Currently we've got a program that says any
we won't accept any new assets. We want assets renewal
of our current assets to a better standard. So that's
(07:13):
what we're trying to promote at the present time and
stick to. So most of the grants that we put
in for are the new existing assets or upgrade and
improve the existing assets that we have. We have a
lot of footpaths. You will have seen our active transport
strategy where we've designated so we can connect uptowns like
Pemia of the South, Formula, Marimba and Tura over a
period of time and putting for grants to those. So
(07:35):
we've already got that strategy in place that we can
go ahead and start doing that. Are funding comes available
in the active transport area, so they're good things that
counselor plan well ahead that we can actually go ahead
at any time when there's a grand available.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Stick around. More to come from the bigger valleys man
for the next four years. Russell Fitzpatrick High Heart, fast, outh,
cost higher fast that ghost. Hi there, I'm James Fantasy
where chatting with recently re elected Bigger Vali Shire Mayor
Russell Fitzpatrick. He'll continue to lead our shire over the
(08:13):
next four years, with Marimbula Councilor Mitchell Naden to serve
alongside him as the shire's new deputy mayor, replacing our
going councilor and Deputy Kathy Griff. Although it was just
thirty six votes that separated Fitzpatrick from Alp councilor Helen O'Neill,
he's chuffed about being in the top job again and
says he has plans for managing the environmental challenges facing
(08:35):
the Bigger Valley.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Looking at making all our sites net zero by twenty
thirty and we're already doing that by putting solar panels
on most like all the fire shoes are getting done
and all the councils who are facilities. We look at
our sea level rise. Our airport could be affected by
sea level rise, so we're constantly monitoring that. We have
monitoring peas Famley and where we've built the new General
(08:57):
Aviation you'll see build at a higher level than the
rest of the to cover that. So around the environment,
we're always doing things around that. There is other things
we need to mitigate, and we need to catch the
water supply better so that we have less flood damage
from time to time when we do have flooding, and
we need to have a look at our rivers and
estries all the time, and we have a great team
(09:18):
in councilor the environmental team who do that.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
I know there's a lot of people around Marimbula that
haven't been happy over the years with the Marimbula Surge
treatment plant and the ocean outfall in particular. Can you
just give us a bit of an update on that
and what the future looks like.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah, so we've done all the designs the ocean outfall,
but again it comes back to what we can afford
to pay the costs the aation outfall. I think the
last course we had was we'll over thirty million, and
we have a certain amount from the state government for it,
and we all as a state significant program and we
also have been putting money away to do that, but
we're still well short of that. We don't want to
increase their rates to do it. So the state government
(09:54):
needs give us a really significant, state significant program. The
state government need to start funding it properly.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
What about the people who were just flat out against it.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Well, at the moment goes under the beach chain, So
the ocean, if we go to the ocean out for
is a far better environmental result. It might be the
greatest result, but it's a far better result that was
currently in place who are just going under the beach. Sure,
it would be great to put it in the storage
somewhere and use it on farm land, but the cost
of that will be probably I think when we first
looked at doing that in twenty twelve it was five
(10:23):
times higher than what the ocean our for costs would be.
So that's and I'm sure the rate payers they want
them to be leavy with that.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Affordable housing is a growing concern across regional New South Wales.
How does council intend to tackle this issue for locals?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Tried to the fires and we started tackling that with
some rezoning to try and get urban development closer to
the CBDs to allow more development in those and high
I density buildings. We've also got our structure plans for
Biga or Alumni going ahead, which identify about two than
three hundred lots overall, and we're trying to get those
through at the present time as hold ups with developers
(10:59):
and knowledge that unfortunately they're not in control of all
the developers. They relying on them to do the works
and make sure they're done as the specifications that Counselor
set out. We've identified areas to be developed, so that
mount's up to the developers or the people who own
that land whether they want to develop it or then
will look for other land to be identified. The only
(11:21):
way to make housing affordable for young people is to
have supply into the market, and in some areas there
is supply and we can't release it because of environmental
factors are holding it up, you know, and things like that.
So it's a very hard acting In the Biger Valley
where we've got so much biodiversity on any bit of
land and counsel owned land, they can't be developed because
(11:43):
of the biodiversity of sets that are required will make
it totally unfeasible and unviable to do so. As the
real problem of how this Diversity Act actually restricts land
releases in the Biga Valley just quickly.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Russell mcbrosnan from the Social Justice Advocates of the Saffaire
Co said he wants Counsel to come along for the
ride in terms of helping homeless people in our region.
But there's been issues and hold ups along the way
with them getting their same day granny flats approved and
with DA's those moveable dwellings. Can you just give us
(12:17):
a bit of an update on from your point of view,
where things sit with that and how you plan to
tackle that.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
So on the Council's planning that were tied to, we
try to a bathics requirement and a building requirement or
a caravan part requirement or removable dwelling. So if they're
movable dwelling, they're based on axle with wheels, are not
permanently located fermanly fixed into the sewer, things like that.
So that's the simple explanation to it. Our legal device
is that they don't classify as movable dwellings once they're
(12:47):
removed from their trailers and axles. That's the legal device
Counsel have had unfortunately, and they meet the requirement and
therefore we have to apply the same as everyone else
who puts in for a DA to construct a house
or a unit, they have to meet that requirement. Unfortunately
they don't. They'd be a great solution, but we've been
trying to negotiate with the state government on it. RaSE Jackson,
(13:09):
the Minnesipa Housing and one of the ministers Housing has
been tripping talking to us and she's looking more modular homes.
And you'll see in some areas we've got the rent
down to d and golf Course where they've put the
modular homes on and where you actually rent the land
and you own the house. Macaysha Ponds and Mill again
is similar typing that's been going quite well for over
(13:31):
fifty five. So that sort of model of the model
that the state government appeared to be looking at is
more of a modular home model.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Russell, Many young people are leaving the region for work
and education opportunities. What's your strategy to retain and attract
younger generations in the bigger valley.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, I think we're doing better. There's still more to go.
Education is a major problem for us, but the new
Taste site in Vegas filling part of that. But there
would be great to have a country university campus somewhere
as well to assist the Willingong University that's situated in
Burger for education purposes. But young people will who lost
(14:08):
one of those people myself when I first started work.
You wanted to go and not so much you want
to get around and see the big country and you
what you do want to move. So there is how
are we going to be an element that leave? I
think workwise, there is more opportunities. We've got numerous opportunities
a council that we can't even get applicans for, to
dodet ships, apprenticeships on the way through as well as
(14:30):
being fully qualified. So I think the opportunities are there.
The Circle Economy will center in Bingham will provide more
opportunities and more investment in the area through different businesses
and what we're currently here. I look at the seaweed
industry and think we can be a major player in
that area and what that provides is through the Circle
(14:50):
Economy and also through the environmental benefits of it all.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
And Russell, I mean you've touched on some of them there,
but it's not all germ and gloom. With counsel. There
are some exciting things happening. Tell us about some of
those over the next years.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
We're doing a lot in the waste area. We need
to really have a look at our waste and our recycling.
We've been doing that for a couple of years now.
Fouga is the start of it, but we also got
to look at actually commercial waste and building waste and
how we better process that. We've got a tripic operator
out of our central waste facility's always looking at that,
looking at new techniques of how we can do that
(15:25):
and make sure if things don't gather the landfill. So
we're working really hard on that. For me. One of
the concentrations on it is actually our roads. Our roads
budget has been increased in the next twelve months or
in the twenty four to twenty five year by seven
million dollars across the board, which is at both urban
and rural roads.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
Most people don't get excited by Rhodes Russell, but they
do like it when they don't have holes in them.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
They've got to be fixed, they've got to be done,
and we've got heritage issues or legacy issues in the
whole right across the shire where storm Waterer was never
put in because places developed of the years. Back in
the sixty seventies, it was some requirement for curb and
gathering or stormwater drain you should be put in when
the development happened. Now development, So we've got legacy issues
(16:10):
that we're trying to fix up. You'll see them for
a bit of work going on in Marimula and a
few of the streets that have all the houses have
been affected by floating at times in the storm. While
we're trying to address that. People will be too similar.
It'll probably be next on the list. But we've got
a long list of places like that that we need
to fix up and do. No fault of anyone, it
just wasn't a requirement back then. But people today in
(16:31):
twenty twenty four expect that they can have their house,
they've got curb and gathering, and they've got stormwater drains outside.
A lot of our streets haven't got that, so we
need to address all that as well. So it's not
sexy stuff. I fully appreciate that, but it's worked that
we need to do to make everyone's living environment a
lot better for them.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Yeah, it's not always sexy work on counsel, but it
can be good work. Last question, Russell, looking forward, how
do you envision the Bigger Valley evolving over the next
four years under your leadership.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
That's a really interesting question. I'd like to see the
respective Council be changed. Council gets blamed for everything. I
think if we're open and transparent, like everyone talks about
open and transparency and that goes can go so far.
But if we're open and transparent and the problems that
we address them and dress them quickly enough, I think
you know the credibility of Counsel will increase substantially and
(17:21):
that's what we need to do. We think we need
to do it right across the board, in every part
of Council. There's always going to be objectives to certain
things and how we handle those objections is pretty important.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
So what will the next four years look like in
the Bigger Valley or we have some idea. Ultimately we'll
have to wait and see. That's all for now. When
I Heart Fast South Coast proudly supported by the new
South Wales Government, I'm James Fantasy. Catch you next time,
my Heart Fast South Coast
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