Presentation : Jude Manahan Nov 26th 2019

PRESENTATION TO EUROBODALLA SHIRE COUNCIL MEETING, 26 Nov 2019

25 November 2019

Mayor, General Manager, Councillors and council Executive

Moruya Business Chamber is requesting the sequester of monies received by Eurobodalla Shire Council from the proposed sale of Southern Phone Australia to AGL be used for job creation in the Eurobodalla Shire.

The total monies received from the proposed sale will be in the vicinity of over $800,000 and this money could be called a ‘windfall’ for council.

It is an unexpected piece of good luck, money that has just appeared, like ripening fruit from a tree, that can either be put to good use or just left and absorbed into the general routine of council’s environment.

In 2002 Southern Phone was created by local people from Moruya, who had a vision for a not for profit telco that would support councils around NSW. The creation of the telco had one major objective, to create ‘jobs in Moruya and the shire’ and Moruya Business Chamber wants this objective to stay alive, possibly as seed money for new local enterprise.

With the knowledge that council would not be receiving this money if it were not for the original inspiration and commitment of local Moruya people, Moruya Business Chamber believes the origin of the money is employment and that job creation should be its allocation not general revenue.

With a desire to emphasise the importance of investing in our local people the chamber will again state the extraordinary ‘windfall’ council has benefited from. With a $2 investment it has received substantial yearly dividends and now a lucrative payout.

The income from Southern Phone is the result of a business model inspired by a desire to create local jobs and the chamber wants the initial inspiration ‘to create local jobs’ to be the focus once again and is therefore requesting the sequester of monies received by Eurobodalla Shire Council from the proposed sale of Southern Phone Australia to AGL be used for job creation in the Eurobodalla Shire.

We want the money as an opportunity for another ‘Southern Phone’, ask the business community, the community in general, it is a chance to grow the shire’s economy.

We ask that the monies received from the sale be put in a fund and held as seed money, while council in collaboration with shire chambers, go to the community.

THANK YOU

Jude Manahan

Secretary

Moruya Business Chamber