Editorial Nov 26th 2021

Welcome to this week’s editorial, It’s official. We are under the influence of La Nina and as such it will be a wet summer. I don’t mind though. There is much healing power in rain and our forests and critters need all the healing they can get after the hammering they received in the drought and the following firestorm. It is a joy to hear the frogs back in my creek after so long and to see native shrubs and trees thriving with new growth. The last days of Spring are with us before Summer hopefully brings us out of our homes to enjoy all the reasons we live in this wonderful corner of the planet. One of the best things I have seen this Spring is the surprising growth of Vox Civitatis. For those not familiar with this rare gem I shall translate the Latin …. Community Voice. Across the Shire we are experiencing something I haven’t seen for many years. Civic outcry. Tomorrow (Saturday 27th Nov. 2021) will see a community march across the Moruya Bridge with calls to “Open the Doors at Level 4” delivering, loud and clear to anyone who will listen that the community was promised a Level 4 Hospital and they expect one to be delivered on Opening Day. Currently the Congo community are considering actions having been told that Council will begin felling trees along Congo Road next Monday morning. When confronted by a representation of the community Council advised they were allowed to do as they wished without environmental checks and balances or community consultation because they had legal opinion. When asked for it they faltered and said the legal opinion was privileged information. The Council acquiesced and said they would provide the legal opinion when pressed but then failed to do so by an agreed deadline. Had the community not rallied around and questioned the proposed tree removal by Council on private road without challenge would have gone ahead. As it stands the Council will now face intense scrutiny of their actions, claims and failures. Given that the Council is in Caretaker Mode the pressing ahead of the project by staff with no community representation is questionable in itself. Vox Civitatis has played its role and will continue to do so. Vox Civitatis has also been evident at Broulee with the land clearing that was an afront to the residents and based on a cock-up by Council that they are yet to apologise for. There is also civic outcry from Tuross Head regarding a development proposal that Council appears hell bent to want to rush through. Further south the voices of the Dalmeny community are now being added to the outcry demanding that Council engages with the community and listens to their concerns. It is hoped that a new Council will be formed after the December 4th elections comprised of Councillors who are committed to listening, and committed to wrestling back the ‘power’ that has been garnered from councillors of old who failed, in general to listen to, and respect the Vox Civitatis. The time has come to be loud it seems, and to step up when no-one else will do so. A good place to start to gain your Community Voice is by recycling all those cardboard packing boxes you received during lock-down and applying some paint. See you at the Moruya March for Open the Doors to Level 4. Until next Lei