Mayoral Memo - 4 January 2023
It is an oft-quoted expression that trust takes years to build, seconds to break and forever to repair.
As we enter 2023, an exciting year looms for our community and the broader region.
The first step in seizing on that opportunity is to have a Council that people both within and outside the community have confidence in and can trust.
The last few years have been anything but smooth sailing. On the wider horizon, years of drought were followed by bushfires and a mice plague and a once in a lifetime pandemic with a dose of record-breaking floods to finish off the year. At a local level we had a region that had lost trust in its largest Council which has impacts that reach much further than most people realise.
2022 became a year of rebuilding. Rebuilding trust. Rebuilding communication levels. Rebuilding finances. Rebuilding a team environment at Council.
That is where this team of Councillors and the wider region is poised at the moment. Ready to capitalise on the opportunities that exist in the region.
The pandemic showed the wider community that a metro-centric approach to living is not always the best option and many people discovered regional locations for both tourism and permanent living. That presents both a challenge and opportunity for Council as we further develop residential areas where future residents will live. More businesses of a variety of sizes are discovering the incredible opportunities that are present in regional areas. Governments are seeing good value for their expenditure in regional areas and are trusting that money that is given to Council will be expended in an efficient manner. Roads are a huge issue and with some dry weather ahead, not only can road repairs be undertaken but strategic road networks can be planned and developed. The Renewable Energy Zone is in its infancy but this will be a huge economic driver for our region for the next decade and beyond. The Touch Footy carnival to be held in February, with over 10,000 people coming to our region, is just one example of major organisations that trust that we can deliver.
How our Council performs can have an impact on all of this. With nine new Councillors to Dubbo Regional Council, the early part of 2022 was spent in training and induction and all of 2022 was a huge learning curve for Councillors. Councillors embraced the learning environment and devoured the workload presented to them. All of that bodes well for a year to capitalise on that experience and learning that has already been undertaken in 2022.
Through all of this, the trust bank that has been built up over 2022 will hopefully go a long way to repairing that trust in the Council that can be so important to success in this region.
Bring on 2023!
Councillor Mathew Dickerson
Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council
Last Edited: 09 Jan 2023