MAYOR_Patricia White 2024 - ETCHED NECKLACE

Mayor's message


Read the Mayor's message for updates on all the news and issues affecting the Shoalhaven.

 

Can I hear a collective sigh of relief as the kids return to school? Maybe you’re already feeling the holiday blues? Either way, with the first school term of 2025 now underway, I implore you to drive safely around school zones and heed the signs at pick-up and drop off. Check out our Road Safety website to learn more about the rules and to access resources that will help keep our children safe. 

Earlier this week I attended a Bring Your Bills community event hosted by the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) at the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre in Nowra. There were many residents there getting help with their energy and water bills and seeking information and tips on legal and financial matters. Along with other service providers, our Shoalhaven Water team was there to offer advice on water issues and payment assistance. EWON offer a great service, and I’m pleased that we could play a part on the day. 

I’m delighted to announce that nominations for this year’s Local Government Regional NAIDOC Awards are now open. We had the privilege of hosting the event last year, which recognises impressive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who make outstanding contributions to improve the lives of people in their community, and beyond.  

Shellharbour City Council will host the NAIDOC Awards ceremony this year. There are seven categories, so make sure you get your nominations in by Sunday 9 March. 

Clean Up Australia Day is just around the corner. The event will celebrate its 35th year running on Sunday 2 March. We’re pleased to support the initiative by providing additional equipment such as gloves, bags, vests and rubbish picks. We can also arrange free disposal at our Recycling and Waste Depots. To join a Clean Up group or register a new site, visit the Clean Up website.  

The Nowra Show kicks off Friday 7 February. If you’re heading along, why not come chat to me at my Open Office session? I’ll be at the Exhibition Hall from 9:30am. I hope to see you there.  

Mayor,  

Patricia White 

 

 

I had the privilege of hosting the Shoalhaven’s Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony in Sussex Inlet on Sunday.  

On hearing the 26 nominees read out, I certainly didn’t envy the job of the judging panel who had to narrow it down to just three award winners.  

Congratulations to David Vadre Jones who won the Shoalhaven Citizen Award for his tireless volunteer work and fundraising.  William Dewsbury-Love was awarded the Shoalhaven Young Citizen Award for being an integral member of the Shoalhaven High School community. The Proudly Shoalhaven Award was given to North Shoalhaven Meals on Wheels and the army of 250 volunteers who cook, pack and deliver meals each day, while Peter Williams, received highly commended for the Proudly Shoalhaven Award for keeping the spirit of the Anzacs alive and well in the Shoalhaven. 

I’d also like to congratulate the wonderful Aunty Nell Mooney who received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the Shoalhaven's Indigenous community.  

Thanks to Restart NSW funding, Council has been able to connect and upgrade existing paths to create a 20km walking route from Narrawallee Inlet to Blackburn Head at Burrill Lake. It combines stunning scenery, 10 beaches, wildflowers, cafes and accommodation options. Do the walk in short sections or take on the 20km challenge – a wonderful thing to do in any season Southern Headlands Walk

Speaking of seasons, with school returning and holidays coming to an end for many, some of the Shoalhaven’s daily beach patrols will also be ending. A few beaches will still have weekend patrols so head to SLSA Beachsafe where you can search your nearest patrolled beach and make sure you know how to identify and survive rip currents by visiting the Surf Life Saving NSW website

Finally, are you getting along to the Nowra Show next Friday 7 February or Saturday 8 February? There’s a full line-up of entertainment kicking off from 8am Friday and I’ll also be hosting my Open Office sessions in the Exhibition Hall from 9.30am. I look forward to seeing you there. 

Mayor,  

Patricia White 

 

 

I’m thrilled to host this year’s Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony in Sussex Inlet on the weekend. The event will see 32 conferees from Bangladesh, Canada, Germany, India, Iran, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States become Australian citizens.  

The event celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the Shoalhaven community, and once again, the awards ceremony will recognise the outstanding and selfless, contributions of many residents across the region.  

I encourage you to gather outside the Swordfish Brewery at Sussex Inlet from 10:30am on Sunday, Australia Day, to watch the event. There will be a community picnic from midday at Ellmoos Reserve where you can enjoy live music and food by the water.  

Further south, people with a strong connection to the Conjola community are being invited to join a local working group to help create a memorial that commemorates the Black Summer Bushfires of 2019-20. The group will guide the process including decision-making on the location and design. If you’d like to be involved, you have until Monday 3 March to fill out the expression of interest form.    

To discuss this, or any other Council matters with me in-person, don’t forget to head along to one of my Open Office sessions. My next session will be today (24 January) at the Vincentia Shopping Village on Burton Street from 10am to 3pm and then at Nowra Show on Friday 7 February in the Exhibition Hall. I look forward to meeting you.  

Mayor,  

Patricia White 

 

It was exciting to be part of a special event earlier this week where $5 million was announced for the Nowra Riverfront Precinct, during a visit from the Prime Minister. 

The precinct will reconnect Nowra city centre with the Shoalhaven River waterfront and create an integrated space incorporating parklands, accommodation, areas for commercial and social activities, as well as active transport links. 

Funded through the Commonwealth Government’s Regional Precincts and Partnership Program, the $5 million will allow us to complete planning investigations and finalise the masterplan designs for the flagship riverfront park and conduct further community consultation and a business case to facilitate investment. 

I’ll be back in Council chambers next Tuesday for our first meeting of the year. If you’re curious to know more about local government and how we make decisions, I encourage you to attend a council meeting or dial into the live stream.  

Congratulations to local veteran and leader Fred Dawson who has been recognised with the RSL's highest honour - the Meritorious Service Medal. Mr Dawson has been a vital member and leader of the Nowra-Greenwell Point RSL Sub-Branch for nearly 35 years, helping build its membership and funds. Well done on this achievement. 

If you need to speak to me in person, my Open Office will be on Friday 24 January at the Burton Street Mall in Vincentia between 10am and 3pm.  

Mayor,  

Patricia White  

Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed a safe and restful break with your loved ones. I was delighted to see our towns and villages bustling over the Christmas period. It’s an important reminder of how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful area with so many places to explore. Thank you to the local businesses who do a marvelous job each year, opening their doors and offering an exceptional service during the busy summer holidays.  

I’m excited to be back at work and am feeling positive about the direction of Council in 2025. I’ll be holding my first Open Office for the year, today (Friday 10 January) at the Nowra Administration building between 10am and 3pm. If you can’t make it today, my next session will be on Friday 24 January at the Vincentia Shopping Village on Burton Street from 10am to 3pm. I hope to see you there for a chat.  

There’s still plenty of activities on offer for the kids during January. The Shoalhaven Indoor Sports Centre has a fun-filled holiday program featuring indoor sports, jumping castles, arts and crafts, while our leisure centres have great swim intensives and clinics. Our libraries are also running workshops until the end of January. If you’d prefer to be in nature with your family, our visitor information website has some great ideas for a day out in the bush or at the beach.  

I’d like to finish this week by acknowledging the dedicated service and professionalism of our Director of Shoalhaven Water, Robert Horner. Rob has announced his retirement after three decades with the organisation. He joined Council’s water utility as a civil engineer in 1996, rising through the ranks to become director in 2019. During his distinguished career he has overseen the design and construction of Lake Tabourie, Conjola/Bendalong, Currarong and Kangaroo Valley sewerage schemes. His leadership also resulted in our water being crowned the best tasting in the NSW/ACT in 2019 and 2022. 

Congratulations on a stellar career, Rob. You will be missed.  

Mayor,  

Patricia White  

This week we voted to apply to the independent pricing regulator for a Special Rate Variation (SRV). Early in the new year we will submit our application to IPART seeking an increase of 12 per cent, including the 3.8 per cent rate peg, from 1 July 2025.  

Our decision was not taken lightly. We carefully considered the individual responses from more than two thousand residents and strongly believe this rate increase strikes the right balance. While the proposal will assist Council to prioritise some of the backlog of maintenance across the city, it also recognises the financial pressures being felt by many in our community at this time. We also remain committed to our work finding savings and revenue internally.  

As I reflect on the year, indeed the past three months, it has certainly been one of big change and big decisions. After 12 years as a Councillor, I was elected Mayor and it’s a role I’m very much relishing, even with the challenges that come with any leadership position.  

Every decision I’ve made in this short time, I’ve had the wellbeing of the community and the future of the Shoalhaven in mind. Each day I’m reminded that we live in one of the most special places on earth, and I certainly plan to keep it that way.  

There is much to celebrate in 2024 – we saw major landslips completed, we fixed roads, launched walks and opened playgrounds, we put our Reconciliation Action Plan out for exhibition, we supported community events and even celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Bamarang Water Treatment Plant. And when it comes to honouring the people who have made outstanding contributions to the Shoalhaven, I’m certainly looking forward to meeting you at our Australia Day Awards on 26 January.  

I’m also filled with great optimism for 2025 and I’d like to thank the new cohort of Councillors for their efforts to work collaboratively for the greater good of the Shoalhaven and I look forward to continuing along this path.  

I’d particularly like to extend my gratitude to our Council staff who work tirelessly to deliver services to the community. For those who are working to keep services going over Christmas, I’m doubly grateful.  

As I write this message I’m post-surgery to remove a melanoma and I’m feeling grateful that it was caught in time. I’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing many of you at Friday's Open Office or at one of my sessions next year.  

Thank you for all your support in 2024 and see you in the new year.  

Mayor,  

Patricia White  

It’s just over a week until Christmas and there’s still a lot of work to be done before Council pauses briefly over the holiday break.  

Next week we will meet to decide whether to apply to IPART for a rate increase. During the consultation period from 7 November to 5 December, 1,966 people completed the survey and 168 submissions were made to Council. We’ve been reading your feedback and carefully considering what you’ve had to say ahead of our discussion at the meeting on Tuesday.  

On Thursday, the Nowra CBD will be lit up as part of the annual Shine Bright event. The Nowra CBD Business Chamber always does a fabulous job injecting Christmas cheer into our city and I’m sure this year will be no exception. Head down to Junction Court on opening night to enjoy live performances and an early visit from Santa.  

Lifeguards will also start their daily summer patrols at several of our local beaches from Thursday. Check the list of family-friendly locations before you head to the coast for a dip.  

Speaking of our natural environment - our Cadet Environmental Health Officer, Ariana Johnson, has received the Environmental Health Australia (EHA) Environmental Health Student Award 2024. Congratulations to Ariana on a wonderful achievement – a true testament to the ongoing hard work of our Council staff.  

And finally, the Shoalhaven’s golfing sensation Kelsey Bennett claimed victory at the 2025 Ford Women's NSW Open Regional Qualifying Event in Dubbo earlier this week. What a great way to wrap up the year for Kelsey and I wish her even more success for next year.  

Remember there’s still time to donate to the Mayor’s Giving Box and help make Christmas special for those in need, in our community. Take a look on our website to see which of the several drop off points is most convenient for you.  

Mayor,  

Patricia White  

I have some difficult personal news I’d like to share with you. This week I was diagnosed with melanoma. I’ve been informed I will need to undergo surgery later this month to have the cancer removed from my cheek. While it’s been a shock, I am pleased my doctor was able to detect it early, thanks to a regular skin check. I hope that my diagnosis will act as a timely reminder for you all to book in for a check and take care of yourself in the sun. Remember to ‘slip, slop, slap’ this summer.  

Unfortunately, the procedure means that I will have to cancel my next Open Office event on 14 December as well as some of my community engagements. I will provide you with future dates for my Open Office before the end of the year. I’d like to reassure you that while it’s important that I focus on my health right now, I remain committed to my role as Mayor and overseeing the progress of important Council matters.  

One of those matters is the proposed Special Rate Variation (SRV). Consultation closed this week, and I’m really pleased so many have taken the opportunity to have a say about the proposed options. Councillors will now consider submissions, comments and survey responses and make its decision about whether to proceed with an application to IPART at its meeting on 17 December.

It’s only four weeks until Christmas, which means school holidays are around the corner.  If you’re looking for ideas for a day out, I implore you to visit the Huskisson Mangrove Boardwalk. The 40-year-old structure has had an incredible refurbishment and was officially opened this week. 

You can now also take our 100 Beach Challenge Quiz. The quiz will suggest which of our coastal gems you should visit based on your ‘beach personality.’ Head to the quiz now to find out if you’re a Salty Seal or Stunning Starfish.

My congratulations this week goes to Iszi Crawford. Iszi won the Nowra Show Society's Young Woman competition. I wish her all the best as she represents Nowra Show at the zone Young Woman event in February 2025. 

Mayor,  

Patricia White 

I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who contributed to our Special Rate Variation (SRV) discussions by attending a workshop or visiting a pop-up information stall over the past few weeks.  

We’ve now completed our in-person engagement activities but you’re still welcome to provide your feedback about the proposed options through our online survey until Thursday 5 December.  

Don’t forget you can also discuss this, or any other council matters with me, at my upcoming Open Office events. I’ll be at the Ulladulla Civic Centre today from 9:30am to 12:30pm at the Sussex Inlet Neighbourhood Centre 10am to 3pm Saturday 14 December and the Nowra Administration Building from 10am to 3pm Friday 20 December.

This week we marked an important anniversary. It’s been five years since lightning struck bushland at Currowan, sparking one of the most devastating fires in our city’s history. It's important that we acknowledge and rally around the members of our community who lost loved ones in the fire, and those residents who are continuing to rebuild and recover.  

The hot weather this week is a timely reminder to prepare our homes and families by making a bushfire survival plan. The Rural Fire Sevice has some great resources to get you started.   

This week I’d like to congratulate Shoalhaven Heads junior bowler, Karen Murphy AM on her induction to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and Kevin Marshall from Marine Rescue Ulladulla for receiving a Life Membership award from Marine Rescue NSW. Well done to both Karen and Kevin for their outstanding achievements.  

And finally, I note the passing of lifelong Shoalhaven resident, Peter Leedham who died on Wednesday 20 November. My condolences to Peter’s family and friends and all who knew him.

Mayor,  

Patricia White 

 

I’m delighted to announce that we have finalised the selection of our finance committee, known as the Finance Review Panel. Establishing this group has been a priority of mine as we continue working towards financial sustainability. 

The committee will be made up of three councillors and five residents. Each of those I selected have demonstrated financial experience and acumen, and I am confident they will do an excellent job advising us about how to address our deficit. You can read more about the committee in the media release.  

We have also continued engaging the community about the proposed Special Rate Variation options. We hosted two pop-up information stalls and held a sold-out participation workshop in UIladulla on Wednesday evening. We will be at both the Berry and Nowra markets this weekend, so make sure you head along and seize the opportunity to speak to our friendly staff.  

The Mayor’s Giving Box is back for another year, and I’ve created more donation points across the city. I really hope we can band together to help some of the most vulnerable families and individuals in our community this Christmas. To donate or find out more about where to drop a present, visit GiveNow.

If you’re looking for other ways to give back to your community in the coming weeks, I’d encourage you to support the Milton Heritage Bakery as it raises awareness about Cancer. The business is also raising funds for the Cancer Support Foundation of Milton Ulladulla. Congratulations to the bakery for driving such a heartfelt initiative.  

On Friday 29 November, I’ll be holding another Open Office. I invite you to come and speak to me about the issues that matter to you. You don’t need an appointment to take part. Come meet me at the Ulladulla Civic Centre from 9:30am – 12:30pm for a cuppa and a chat.

Mayor,  

Patricia White.  

Page 1 of 2
15 Result(s) Found

Search Mayors Messages