MURRINDINDI: ‘Awareness divide’ concerns Mayor
Murrindindi Shire Mayor Cr Damian Gallagher (pictured) said he is concerned about what he calls an “awareness divide” between Mel-bourne people and locals.
“At Benalla, for the Hume Local Government Network forum of 12 Councils from Mitchell and Murrindindi up to Wodonga and Towong, I reported upon our financial sustainability challenges and raised my concerns about a growing ‘awareness divide’ between Melbourne and rural communities.
“I heard similar stories from across the region along with a unified concern for the impacts of the Emergency Services Volunteer Levy on rural communities.
“I thanked Strathbogie Shire Mayor Claire Ewart-Kennedy, for her chairing of the forum this past year.
“That evening, I attended the Yea Saleyards complex to see the highly professional process of the yarding and weighing of cattle which progresses throughout the Thursday night that precedes a monthly store sale.
“In the face of some recent climatic challenges, the quality of local cattle at the market was top-shelf, supporting the claim of farmers and participating stock agents of Yea being the premier sale facility in Central Victoria.”
Cr Gallagher was also a guest on ABC Radio Melbourne, sharing “some of Council’s strategies for supporting the community with climate change mitigation and Council’s successful implementation of four kerbside bin collections”.