Editorial

Welcome to this week’s editorial, Elec on weekend for Eurobodalla and… half of the community have no idea it is on and most of the other half have no idea who to vote for. So who will win is anyone’s guess. Due to the Covid Rules there will be no gauntlet of eager supporters thrus ng how to vote leaflets at you. You might even be hard pressed to find a Democracy Sausage stall other than the ever present BBQ marquee at Bunnings. There will be posters around the polling booths that might offer hints that there are Blue, Red and Green teams. If you haven’t already driven past one of the many posters nailed to trees up and down the shire, posted by the team of a current councillor (who really should know be er) you will be seduced at the Polling Booth by smiling faces on the corflutes invi ng you to scan a QR Code for their How to Vote sugges on. In all the visual sugges on of an elec on has been low key. So much so that there may well be a higher than normal number of the community facing fines for having not voted. Whatever happens will see one new mayor and eight new councillors elected. We might not know the results straightaway due to postal vo ng but all will be revealed in good me. Hopefully we end up with a good council as there is much to do and we need Councillors who represent the community, bring vision and turn around the toxic rela onship that the Council of old has allowed to fester. Already the new candidates are looking at the history of Council staff a emp ng to control the narra ve. It is understood that the General Manager was surprised to learn that many of the key Mayoral Candidates have indicated they won’t be a ending Council on Christmas Eve (Dec 24th) for a three hour induc on. The schedule to the le might be what the General Manager wants however, to send this out, without any consulta on, to candidates that haven’t even been elected saying “I wish to advise that if you are successful in the elec on, we have the following sessions scheduled to assist you with your transi on as a Councillor” has riled candidates, ge ng them off to a bad start believing that the General Manager has forgo en she is actually an employees of the new Councillors. And what is Councillor Induc on? The Office of Local Government describes the Induc on program as aiming “to equip mayors and councillors with the informa on they need to perform their role effec vely over the first few months and has a par cular focus on building posi ve, collabora ve rela onships between councillors and with staff”. So far this hasn’t got off to a good start. The Induc on process has been likened to an Indoctrina on process where the staff introduce layer on layer of Acts, legisla ons, policies and guidelines that, one a er another, begin to strip away any ideas new councillors had of bringing change and a fresh approach. The Sir Humphrey Appleby approach will be present that the “Community knows what the community knows” and that “Councillors only need to trust in the staff as they are the professionals and know what they are doing”. Translated it means “You are just rubber stamps so enjoy the ride”. So let’s see who is elected and then, as we saw with the Innes Era, watch the seduc ve “Vote for me” promises fade as the ever-mighty bureaucracy steps in to “educate” the newbies. Un l next—lei

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The Moruya Museum is opening its doors again on Wednesday December 15th and ready to welcome fully vaccinated visitors. We open with two exhibi ons: Seldom Seen (pictures & portraits from our collec on) and Moruya Stories. Our opening hours are Wednesday/Friday/Saturday from 10 – 12 noon. Entry cost is $5 for individuals and $15 for families. The Genealogy Library is also open (Monday/ Wednesday/Friday 10 am – 2 pm) and volunteers are there to help with all aspects of family and local research at a modest cost depending on the type of inquiry. “We are very proud to announce that we received a “Highly Commended” in the Museums and Galleries NSW IMAGinE awards ceremony which was held last week.”

The award is for the beau ful online meline developed as part of our exhibi on “Illuminated: The Art of Children’s Book Illustra ons” which was put together in 2020 by Brian Harris, Mick Newnham and the Collec on Team from the Museum. It is available online on the blog site (h ps://mdhsociety.com). The IMAGinE awards celebrate and recognise outstanding projects and programs created and presented by NSW museums and galleries.

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Illuminated: The Art of Children’s Book Illustra ons

community Ten tonne load limit imposed for Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Cu agee Bridge Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 The load limit for Cu agee Bridge on the TathraBermagui Road will be reduced to 10 tonnes from Monday 6 December following an independent structural assessment. The assessment, carried out Photo supplied by Cardno Consul ng Engineers, reviewed the structural integrity of the bridge and iden fied a number of concerns that require urgent works. Un l these works can be completed, Council is implemen ng a recommended 10 tonne load limit and a reduced speed limit of 5km per hour un l these urgent repairs can be undertaken. Bega Valley Shire Council’s ac ng Director of Assets and Opera ons, Ian Macfarlane said safety is the number one priority. “Cu agee Bridge is nearing the end of its func onal life and is already subject to weight restric ons due to its deteriora ng condi on,” Mr Macfarlane said. “We commissioned this independent structural assessment to ascertain the current state of the bridge and check it was s ll safe to use. Unfortunately, the bridge is in a worse condi on than we hoped, and we need to lower the load and speed limits to ensure the safety of all road users un l the urgent repair works are completed. “Emergency services and key agencies have been informed of the changes, and Council staff are endeavouring to contact other impacted businesses and organisa ons. “There will also be some changes to Council’s waste collec on service for a number of residents—we are s ll finalising the details and impacted residents will be no fied shortly. “At this stage, we are planning to undertake the repair works in early January as it will take me to procure the specialised components which are not locally available. “I’d like to thank the community for their pa ence as we work through this.” Photo supplied Alterna ve routes for heavy vehicles are via the Princes Highway. Cars and other small vehicles under 10 tonne can s ll safely use the bridge, but will be required to comply with the 5km per hour speed limit. A er comple on of the urgent repair works and based on the structural assessment, the maximum load limit may be increased to 15 tonne with the reduced speed limit of 5km per hour, due to the overall poor condi on of the bridge.

Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 Cover Image courtesy of Josh Burkinshaw images. Josh would like Beagle readers to know that he is taking his last orders this Sunday for Christmas. So if you would like to get a print or canvas for that special someone get in soon. CHRISTMAS 2021 SALE NOW ON!!! Use Discount code XMAS25 at checkout to receive 25% off your order.

Photo supplied Visit: www.joshburkinshawimages.com.au

Affinity Quartet - 2:30 pm Saturday Dec 11 St Paul’s Anglican Church, Narooma Music by Schubert & Debussy Tickets $23 from Mitre 10 Gi s, Narooma & Nested on Wallaga, Bermagui; $25 at the door Kindly supported by Helen Ryan & Elizabeth OliverHawkey Since winning the ANAM Chamber Music Compe on in their inaugural year, Affinity Quartet has established itself as one of Australia’s leading string quartets. Their interna onal touring has included cri cally acclaimed performances in Europe at the Amsterdam String Quartet Biennale, Fes val Les Voix In mes Belgium, Fondazione Cini Venice, Mirabell Palace Salzburg; and in the UK at St Mar n-in-the-Fields, Southbank Centre, City Music Society, and Prussia Cove Interna onal Musicians Seminar.

The quartet is known for innova ve programs traversing the string quartet’s diverse history, including Australian commissions, world premières by Jack Symonds, Ma Laing and Darrin Archer (AU), and Australian premières of the complete string quartets of Leos Janáček and Pavel Haas; Benjamin Bri en and Sir Andrzej Panufnik. Affinity has been a featured ensemble in Melbourne’s underground classical series Play On Music, and ensemble-in-residence at Shepparton Fes val, Kennedy Nolan Architects, and 75 On Reid. In 2021-22 Affinity Quartet are Melbourne Recital Centre Local Heroes.

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community Narooma prac ce manager recognised for contribu on to GP training

Training the next genera on of GPs takes a team, and local GP training Vol 16 September 15th 2017 provider GP Synergy has recognised Kay Lane as the GP Synergy Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 Prac ce Manager of the Year for South Eastern NSW for the part she plays. Kay is prac ce manager at of Katungul Aboriginal Corpora on Regional Health & Community Services, which has been an accredited GP training prac ce for many years. Kay’s work behind the scenes ensures that the doctors training to become specialist GPs understand the challenges and benefits of working in Aboriginal health. “I find working in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector is such a rewarding posi on to be in,” Ms Lane said. “While with us the trainee GPs have the chance to experience Aboriginal culture and the needs of our communi es. “We offer training in a service that delivers holis c services that includes GPs, allied health and Aboriginal health workers. “I like working in the background just doing my job and all the li le things that help the organisa on, so being recognised for the work I do is fantas c and I’m very humbled to receive this award. Mrs Georgina van de Water, CEO of local general prac ce educa on and training provider GP Synergy, said the training of GP registrars relies heavily on accredited general prac ces. “GP Synergy is delighted to be able to present the annual Prac ce Manager of the Year award for the South Eastern NSW to Ms Lane in recogni on of her commitment to excellence in general prac ce educa on and training,” Mrs van de Water said. “Prac ce managers are integral to training facili es maintaining their accredita on and suppor ng the training of GP registrars. “Providing GP registrars with opportuni es to undertake training in Aboriginal health is one of our key priori es. “The consistent feedback we receive from GP trainees is that training in an Aboriginal health facility, such as Katungal Aboriginal Corpora on, is a rich and rewarding learning environment. “Prac ce managers like Kay, play a key role in helping create this posi ve learning experience. “With nearly 190 general prac ces in the South Eastern NSW training region accredited for GP training, Ms Lane’s achievement is something to be proud of.” Above: GP Synergy Prac ce Manager of the Year for South Eastern NSW Kay Lane with Amanda who is a clinical admin officer at Katungul. Photo: Kay Lane has been awarded the GP Synergy Prac ce Manager of the Year for South Eastern NSW for the part she plays in training the next genera on of GPs in Narooma at Katungul Aboriginal Corpora on Regional Health & Community Services. Photo: Supplied.

The rainy weather is upon us across much of NSW and with that extra moisture it means Vol 16 September 15th 2017 turtles are on the move. Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 Turtles o en leave the safety of their current watering holes and wander on land, looking for new water sources and at this me of year a nes ng sites in the so er ground. Whilst on the move they inadvertently cross roads and this is when they are most likely to encounter vehicles and become vic ms. The most common problem encountered with rescued injured wild turtles is a shell injury. Shell injuries can be complicated and mean the turtle can be in care for 1-2 years but luckily for local Eurobodalla turtles, the Mid-South coast WIRES branch has some awesome vets willing to help out. Recently the branch experienced a spate of turtle road vic m rescues due to the wet weather. One par cular turtle came from surfside and upon x-Ray to see the extent of her shell injury it was discovered she had 11 eggs inside her. Luckily the shell wasn’t too badly damaged and the staff at Casey’s beach vet were able to repair it. Now this lucky girl will be in care with rep le coordinator Kay for 6-12 months depending on the rate of healing. Whilst in care the turtle will lay her eggs and these will be ar ficially incubated for 2-3 months by WIRES members who have an amazing success rate. November was Turtle Month and WIRES announced it will be suppor ng more projects to address the vital conserva on of endangered turtle species including partnering with Western Sydney University (and a grant of $175,000 )for a new project to Future Proof Freshwater Turtle Popula ons, as part of the 1 Million Turtles Community Conserva on Program. Please see link here - h ps://www.wires.org.au/mediareleases/turtle-conserva on

Community Help grow a Discovery Garden

Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 A new venture is taking root at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden, with the area’s first Discovery Garden set to sprout in 2022. Garden manager Michael Anlezark said the Everyone Can Play Discovery Garden would open up a whole new world of interac on for the young and the young at heart. “The new Discovery Garden will replace our old sensory garden that was destroyed in the Black Summer bushfires,” Mr Anlezark said. “We’re growing back bigger and be er. We want to design a garden that engages all the senses in fun and interes ng ways, regardless of age and ability.” Mr Anlezark invited the community to visit the ERBG on Saturday 11 December between 10am and 2pm, and to “bring your big ideas to help us create something amazing”. He said anyone unable to a end the community consulta on event could par cipate by way of an online survey a er the community event. The Everyone Can Play Discovery Garden is a collabora on between Council and the NSW Government. For more informa on visit www.everyonecanplay.nsw.gov.au

Above:: The Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden’s sensory garden was destroyed in the bushfires. Garden manager Michael Anlezark is asking the community for some big ideas in designing a new Discovery Garden at the site.

Renters in Eden-Monaro are paying thousands of dollars more this year to keep a roof over their head, making it harder and harder to get ahead when wages have flatlined. Housing affordability in the region has go en Vol 16 September 15th 2017 significantly worse in recent years, especially for families, students, pensioners, and young people, who rent. Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain said while rent has skyrocketed across most of the country, parts of EdenMonaro have been hit the hardest.

TOWN/SUBURB MEDIAN SEP MEDIAN SEP ANNUAL DOLLAR Yass $485 $400 + 21.3% $4,420 Cooma $395 $330 + 19.7% $3,380 Bega Valley $480 $420 +14.3% $3,120

Queanbeyan West $515 $465 + 10.8% $2,600 Bungendore $593 $550 +7.7% $2,236 Tumut $350 $329 +6.1% $1,092 Source: Domain Rental Report, September 2021 “Everywhere I go across Eden-Monaro, I hear the same thing, we are in a housing crisis and people are at the point that they don’t know how they will keep paying their rent,” Kristy said. “In places like Yass and Cooma rent has gone up around 20 per cent, and yet ABS data has shown once again that real wages across the country are going backwards. This means families are having to choose between paying rent and pu ng petrol in the car or food on the table. “I have met with women’s services, family services, Mission Australia and housing providers across the region and they all tell the same story – they are suppor ng more and more people because we are at crisis point. “My office has also had families come in to talk to us directly about the issues facing them - skyrocke ng rent and the risk of homelessness.

“The problem is also affec ng our local businesses who tell me that the lack of affordable rentals is making it near impossible for them to get the staff they need. “This is an issue that has been ge ng steadily worse over a number of years and it is essen al that all levels of government work to address it, this includes building more affordable housing. “I am proud to support Labor’s policies which look to start addressing these issues including establishing the Housing Australia Future Fund which will build 30,000 social and affordable homes across the country.” Over the first five years, an Albanese Labor Government will build:

 20,000 new social housing proper es, including 4,000 homes for women and children fleeing domes c and family violence and older women on low incomes who are at risk of homelessness; and

 10,000 affordable homes for the heroes of the pandemic – frontline workers like police, nurses and cleaners that kept us safe in the covid pandemic.

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