From the Mayor - 25 August 2021
Spring is arriving in Mosman and with it comes COVID and an extension to our lockdown. As we notch up nine weeks at home it is impossible to sugar coat the situation, with increasing levels of anxiety impacting on our mental health and wellbeing. I am in total awe of parents with toddlers or older children juggling work, childcare and home schooling. Behind every closed door in Mosman are stories of amazing resilience and adaptability because we all understand the need to stay the course and work together.
The safety and health of our community is Council’s number one concern. Council is continuously responding, with popular library services, youth services and community care activities now operating online. A really good news story is the current four-week intergenerational sketch competition between our younger and older residents vying for votes for their artworks with future plans to hold a post-lockdown exhibition. Please check out events.mosman.nsw.gov.au
A central issue of an entirely different nature is the proposed government changes to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Infrastructure Contributions) Bill 2021. The amendment will legislate for the NSW Government to absorb the majority of local council developer contributions income, currently at between $1.7 to $1.9 million per annum in Mosman. This loss of income will directly threaten Council’s ability to provide essential infrastructure and place intense pressure on Council to raise rates to meet the shortfall and maintain service levels. A united collaboration of metropolitan Mayors is implementing a major media campaign, which will supplement the significant achievements already gained by Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (NSROC) and the recently completed NSW Upper House Inquiry. Council is united in opposition to these amendments and I will continue to keep the community abreast of all developments.
In sad news, many in the community are mourning the recent death of past Mosman Public School principal, Kate Cooper. Kate was principal for 19 years from 1994 to 2013 and will be remembered for many significant academic and personal achievements. I will honour Kate’s considerable contribution to our children in a Mayoral Minute at the September Council meeting.
On a positive note, the Olympic Games provided moments of pure joy and amazing sportsmanship and now we can all sit back and marvel at the skill and resilience of our Paralympians. Enjoy every minute.