The Bugle 2 May 2020
A fortnightly celebration of people and places on the Upper South Coast of NSW Serving the communities of Kiama, Gerringong, Jamberoo, Kiama Downs, Minnamurra and Gerroa and now at www.thebugleonline.com
Online meeting approves relief Kiama Council’s first online meeting, conducted via video conferencing, has approved a financial relief package for ratepayers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The temporary relief package is for commercial and primary place of residence ratepayers who cannot pay the next installment (31 May) of their current rates and annual charges. Those who apply to postpone the payment will not be charged interest for the deferral period up to 31 August, when the first installment of 2020-2021 will be due. Council will also refrain from implementing any legal recovery actions during that time. The generous package has the potential to affect Council’s cashflow by anywhere between $2.7 and $4.8 million, depending on its take-up. Ratepayers will apply for the deferral online, by filling in a simple form. No proof of hardship will be required, with applicants asked to provide a reason for the request from the options of: unemployed, reduced working hours, business interruption, loss of rental income or other (non-specified). “Councillors were very strongly of the view the form needed to be as simple as possible,” says Kiama Council’s General Manager, Kerry McMurray. Council has already intro-
Attendees at the April Council meeting: Cllr Mark Way, Cllr Matt Brown, Mayor Mark Honey, Cllr Don Watson, Cllr Mark Westhoff, Cllr Kathy Rice, Cllr Neil Reilly, GM Kerry McMurray, Cllr Andrew Sloan, Director Environmental Services Jessica Rippon, Director Blue Haven Clare Rogers, Cllr Warren Steel, Director Engineering & Works Mike Dowd and Acting Director Corporate and Commercial Services, David Mead
duced measures to help residents and local small businesses, including paying within two weeks of receiving a correctly rendered invoice, ensuring users of Council facilities are receiving a credit or refund for cancellations, and not charging fees for activities that can no longer be utilised (such as outdoor cafe chair fees). After a period of inaction, since our last edition the NSW Government has introduced relief measures to help councils cope with the new world they are operating in. Regulatory changes have been introduced to give more flexibility, including: ▪ allowing councils to delay sending out the first quarterly rates notice for 2020-21 and extend the payment deadline by one month ▪ removing the public notice
and instead allow them to be published on a council’s website. Mr McMurray says that, at this stage, he expects the budget will ready to present to the May Meeting of Kiama for documents to be avail- Council, in accordance with periods for reducing or able for inspection if they the usual timeframe. waiving fees are available electronically ▪ giving a one month extens“We have just finished a ion for submitting budgets, ▪ removing the requirement full line by line analysis of plans and annual reports for council notices to be this year, in order to see how Continued on p6 ▪ removing the requirement advertised in newspapers
Testing net widened Following the NSW Government doubling its COVID-19 tests to around 8,000 a day and the first relaxing of isolation restrictions, anyone with symptoms is urged to immediately get tested. “Testing is crucial in reducing community transmission of COVID-19 and managing local clusters,” says the Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward. “Increased testing is an important step toward looking at lifting restrictions. “From now on, anyone in our community with symptoms of COVID-19, includ-
ing mild symptoms, should come forward and get tested. Testing is available seven days a week.” Testing is available seven days a week, through both the public and private health systems. The NSW Government is particularly urging all health care workers, aged care workers or workers in other high risk or residential care settings with symptoms to come forward immediately for testing. Similarly, any people who live in a residential care setting, or have contact
with health care, school or residential care settings with symptoms are particularly encouraged to come forward for testing, and to make their contact with these settings known. Testing is available locally at Shoalhaven, Shellharbour and Wollongong hospitals. Details: If you have COVID-19 symptoms either: ▪ Contact your GP ▪ Call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 ▪ Visit a NSW Health COVID-19 clinic at a local hospital.
From the Editor Given the constantly evolving situation the world is currently experiencing, please keep yourself up to date with other reliable news sources and health.nsw.gov.au We remain committed to keeping you informed about local news, at a time when our community spirit will serve us well. Stay safe, and help others stay safe. We are all in this together.
Inside this issue Local cheesemaker wins the NSW Rural Women’s Award p 3 60 unit development for South Kiama Dr p3 Pulling off a Virtual KISS p4 Vale Ken Methold p 13 Help establish Kiama Community Radio p10 Part 1 of our Getting through isolation series p14
First National Coast & Country’s Real Estate News p7-10
Did you know...
Around 18,000 children and young people are in Out of Home Care in NSW. We need your help. 1300 000 WCF wcfoundation.org.au
Enquire about becoming a foster carer today.