12 September 2023
A warm welcome to our new Chief Executive
At the outset I want to extend a warm welcome to our new Chief Executive David Reynolds, who took the helm of the organisation on Monday.
He joins us from Hills Shire Council, where he has been Group Manager, Shire Strategy, for five years.
I have the utmost confidence that David’s extensive experience and drive for excellence will ensure that LGNSW can continue to deliver for our members right across NSW.
I’m sure he will be a terrific leader and colleague for the whole team at LGNSW.
I know that David is a great fit for the organisation.
ALGA Roads Congress
Last week I attended the ALGA Local Roads, Transport and Infrastructure Congress at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra.
I was very pleased to facilitate a panel on managing local government infrastructure in light of increasing natural disasters.
The session focused on emergency response and recovery through the lens of Berrigan Shire Council’s lived experiences, and we also heard about ANU’s work with councils to test innovative ways they can mitigate flooding risks in their communities.
Meeting with Minister Ryan Park
On Monday I met with The Hon Ryan Park MP, Minister for Health, Regional Health and Illawarra and the South Coast.
We discussed health, particularly regional healthcare.
Specifically, we addressed the need for strengthening the partnerships between state and local government in regard to facilities, recruitment and retention of healthcare staff, service delivery and general community wellbeing.
Country Mayors' Rural Health Forum
Later this week I’m looking forward to attending the County Mayors' Rural Health Forum in Wagga Wagga, which will be a great opportunity to discuss and find ways forward for the health issues facing rural and regional communities.
LGNSW has been very busy advocating on health issues for members.
LGNSW made a submission into the current Parliamentary Inquiry looking into the equity, accessibility and appropriate delivery of outpatient and community mental health care in New South Wales.
LGNSW staff are also preparing a submission for the inquiry looking into the recommendations made by an earlier inquiry into health outcomes and access to hospitals and health services in regional NSW. The current inquiry is looking specifically at workforce issues, workplace culture and funding considerations for remote, rural and regional health.
To help build the case for our submission, LGNSW would welcome feedback and any case studies from councils. Please send to [email protected] by Friday 15 September.
Human Resources Conference – Early bird tickets ends this week
There is just one month until the LGNSW Human Resources Conference, to be held at the Swissôtel Sydney from 10-12 October.
Featuring a range of expert speakers, this event will help HR professionals stay up to date on the latest tools, trends and data to navigate the fast-paced changing landscape of corporate office environments.
I strongly encourage all general managers and CEOs to support the professional development of your HR teams and to facilitate your staff attending.
The member early-bird ticket offer finishes this Friday (15 September), so don’t miss out.
Register now
Net Zero Webinar - Sewage and Water Treatment Plant Energy Efficiency
The fifth and final webinar in our free Net Zero Series, held in partnership with the NSW Government Sustainable Councils team, is coming up on Thursday 12 October.
You'll learn about the interactive energy efficiency opportunities toolkit, which enables site specific details to assess the feasibility of actions for water and sewage treatment plants.
The tool can also identify the sewage treatment plant size that a waste-to-energy project would be viable.
Register now
Sincerely,
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