Mayoral Matters December 2023

It has been a busy month for our newly elected Mayor, Cr Rob Haswell. As a first-time mayor, Cr Haswell has hit the ground running by participating in an intensive introduction to governance training program led by the both the Director of Corporate and Community Services and the Manager of Governance at Northern Grampians Shire Council. This tailored training provides a comprehensive education in the day-to-day operations of the municipal body and the role that each of the Executive Team perform in conjunction with mayoral responsibilities and is designed to ensure that Cr Haswell, as mayor, is well-informed in the legalities of governance and operations. 

Well equipped with all the important details needed to fulfill his role moving forward, Cr Haswell attended the Department of Transport and Planning quarterly meeting, where he met with regional representatives and discussed issues of local importance, such as school crossings in Stawell.  

Shortly after, Cr Haswell attended the first of the three Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) Forums. With the first forum focusing on Short-Stay Accommodation Taxes. The proposed benefits and pitfalls were discussed in depth, with the potential for the tax to free up housing as well as the impact that this tax may have on tourism highlighted by the mayor as key topics of interest to our shire. Cr Haswell also participated in the VLGA Joint Councillor and Officer Governance Advisory Network (GAN) meeting. 

On Saturday, 11 November, Cr Haswell undertook his first official engagement as mayor, attending the Stawell Remembrance Day service, held at the memorial cenotaph located near the Stawell Library. Here, a wreath was also placed on behalf of Northern Grampians Shire Council.  

A cenotaph is an empty tomb, or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although the vast majority of cenotaphs honour individuals, many noted cenotaphs are instead dedicated to the memories of groups of individuals, such as the lost soldiers of a country or of an empire, such as the centotaph in Stawell. 

Cr Eddy Ostarcevic graciously attended the St Arnaud Remembrance Day service as representative of Northern Grampians Shire Council, in place of the mayor.  

The week following included a council briefing and Unscheduled Council Meeting, in which a decision on the pre-prep modulars for St Arnaud was made. This meeting was livestreamed and is available for viewing on our council Youtube channel. We encourage community members to attend our council meetings in person or online and reminders can be set through Youtube or our council website if you would like to do so.  

Following on from this meeting, Cr Haswell was invited for an interview with Rebecca Lowe on ABC Wimmera Breakfast in regard to the pre-prep modular building in St Arnaud.  

The VNI West Option 5 Transmission Forum monthly roundtable meeting was held later that week, with our mayor and all relevant parties in attendance. This was closely followed by a meeting with Grampians Health, CEO Dale Fraser and Chair, Bill Brown. As Mayor, Cr Haswell will attend meetings with Grampians Health on a quarterly basis moving forward.  

Several members of the Hutchings family visited Stawell from Melbourne to celebrate the launch of their self-published family history. The family share a long history in our shire and Cr Haswell was able to take the oportunity to meet with them and take a few photographs to add to their collection.  

The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) organised a Rural and Regional Forum in Bendigo for CEO’s and Mayors, with Northern Grampians Shire Council CEO, Brent McAlister attending in person, Cr Haswell joining online. The forum offered the opportunity for attendees to hear important insights from SGS Economics and Planning, who delivered a keynote on statewide planning and zoning, with attendees then workshopping practical solutions in small groups. MAV also held their online quarterly meeting, where Cr Haswell was able to meet councillors and representatives from around the region, noting how valuable it is to hear the ideas and challenges faced by those in similar positions across the state.  

The Southern Wimmera Renewables Research Association (SWRRA) also met this month to discuss the Campbells Bridge Wind Facility with key stakeholders, including our mayor, in attendance.   

Here, at Northern Grampians Shire Council, our mayor and CEO meet for a weekly catch up to discuss pressing matters, review the past week and coordinate schedules. In addition to many aforementioned joint commitments, both were able to meet with Alison, the manager of Neighbourhood House in Halls Gap who have recently relocated to VIC Hub, with the assistance of Cr Gready and the council’s Director Strategy, Prosperity and Engagement for facilitating their relocation to the VIC Hub. Neighbourhood House in Halls Gap, as with those in neighbouring towns throughout the shire, assist community members with a range of important matters and those people living in Halls Gap who would like to understand more about the services available through Neighbourhood House, can view their website at hallsgapcommunity.org.au  

Heading to Halls Gap toward the end of the fortnight, Cr Haswell was able to open the hugely successful inaugral Grampians Peaks Trail 100 miler – a new 164 km run along the Grampians from Mount Zero to Dunkeld. With over 300 entrants electing to either run the whole track at once, aiming for a 20-hour non-stop marathon, in stages over 4 days or as part of a 50 km relay team. If you are interested in exploring the event further, the official event website can be found at www.gpt100.com.au 

We are an event friendly shire and encourage those looking to establish an event, major and smaller scale, to contact the council. There are a range of ways that council staff are able to assist you.