Published: 9 June 2022

Lately I've been asked to lay out my vision for the shire at different local events. Being lucky enough to speak with large groups of residents at these events reminds me how unique the Eurobodalla is. Residents of each town and village want different things and it's clear to me there is no cookie-cutter option for where we go as a community. So what do I see?

Respectful and genuine engagement between our Council and community is key. We will lead by example and we are trialling different approaches to that now.

I would like to retain our unique and relaxed coastal character. We all love the environment around us and we want to protect the unspoilt aspect while balancing the need to house our community.

I want to facilitate more job opportunities, whether that be through continued traineeships at council, pilot programs, or encouraging new industry.

I want to see more cohesive communities that turn within during disasters to support themselves - we need to be more resilient.

I want to see a more strategic shift in tourism towards sustainable eco-tourism and arts/culture tourism that will bring visitors outside of the traditional times. A more robust events schedule supported by Council will help to bring tourists when we need them most, but also provide opportunities for residents to get out and enjoy what we have to offer.

Above all else I want to see open and transparent dialogue between Council and community. I’m excited to have an amazing group of councillors who support this. It’s also very encouraging to get support on initiatives from the staff who want the same goal. The feedback so far has been great but what’s important is we all realise, as do I, that we can always do better. We must continue to look at new ways to engage and get the best outcome.

Ultimately my vision is your vision as I will be guided by you. We won't all see the same goal but we will work together on the journey to try to bring as many as we can along for the ride.

- Mayor Mathew Hatcher, June 2022

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