Councils unite
SWAN Hill Rural City has joined 13 other councils from both sides of the Murray River to convince the New South Wales Government to ease its latest tough border restrictions.
As we’ve seen, the harsh restrictions are creating stress and anxiety for workers, businesses, and families, some of whom are facing enormous financial and emotional hardship because of the narrow permit zone along the border.
All 14 councils have taken the historic step of uniting in a collective call for the New South Wales Premier and Health Minister to amend the order to allow more workers and business owners to cross the border, travel directly to their workplaces, and travel directly back to their homes each day.
We’re urging the government to consult with us so we can save our economies while also ensuring we’re all working together to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading.
Council meeting outcomes
LAST week I wrote that I would highlight some of the other outcomes at council’s ordinary meeting for July.
This includes the adoption of the 2020/21 budget.
The budget, which may be revised later in the year after the implications of COVID-19 are better known, will be delivered with a 1.86 per cent average rate rise.
It includes almost $6 million to rebuild and upgrade roads and footpaths, and will deliver on the Robinvale levee project and the Robinvale netball upgrades.
The budget also allocates $510,000 for projects in smaller communities across the municipality – through their community planning process and from the Vibrant Villages project.
It includes a reduced rate for commercial ratepayers in Swan Hill and Robinvale as well as an increase in the discounted rate for dryland farming properties.
At the meeting, council also approved the use of funds, formerly allocated to New Year’s Eve, for COVID-friendly regional events.
This includes $7000 to help local community groups and clubs host a COVID-safe pop-up drive-in cinema event in Robinvale and Manangatang.
There is also $5000 of funds to develop a major event in Swan Hill as a means of post-COVID recovery for the region.
Council also adopted an action plan to implement the Robinvale Housing Strategy.
The strategy highlights the issues encountered in the Robinvale area such as a shortage of low-cost and temporary accommodation.
Actions include the development of eight houses in Ronald Street, with council planning to construct houses on recently subdivided land.
This has been made possible via $500,000 in funding from the state government, matching council’s own contribution.
Council also received a report regarding irrigated horticulture in the Swan Hill Local Government Area (LGA) from 1997 to 2018, showing the importance and growth of horticulture for the municipality.
This includes the amazing output of our irrigated crops, and their contribution locally, state-wide and to our country, as well as the value of water to our community.
In 2018 (representing the 2017/18 season) the gross value of production for irrigated crops in the Swan Hill LGA was estimated at $1.18 billion.
The report is available from council’s website at www.swanhill.vic.gov.au.
Council is commissioning a document regarding our broadacre crops, which will be available by the end of the year.
WWII memorabilia sought
THE Swan Hill Regional Library is currently photographing and recording World War II items for its collection as part of the Swan Hill Remembers project, which commemorates the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
It also aims to preserve history for future generations.
The library is asking community members to bring in World War II items for the project, for example, war records, letters, photographs, uniforms, medals, memorabilia – basically anything World War II related.
If you would like to be part of the Swan Hill Remembers project, you can call the library on 5036 2480 or bring your items in to be recorded between 10am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday.
