Patricia Hellier - 25 October 2022

Patricia Hellier presented to Council at the Public Access Session on 25 October 2022.

PUBLIC ACCESS 25TH OCTOBER 2022

Good Morning Mayor, Councillors, Acting General Manager, Staff, Gallery and those comfortable zooming from home my name is Patricia Hellier from Batemans Bay.

Today I would like to speak on motions are currently listed on the LGNSW Conference Agenda by Eurobodalla Shire Council. I was pleased to see the ESC motion on “Resilience to Natural Disaster on the LG Conference Agenda.

In relation to the motion End Native Forest Logging NOM22/013 which was adopted by 5 Councillors on the 23^rd August 2022 whilst I acknowledge that the actual wording of the motion is correct I would like to know who authorised the following words at the bottom added as “notes” after the motion on the LGNSW Conference Agenda.

“We are living in a time of twin deteriorating crises – the Biodiversity Crisis and the Climate Crisis. Native forest logging practices in our south coast State Forests, which make up 31% of the Eurobodalla shire’s land area directly contribute to both crises.  With species like the koala, glossy black cockatoo, and the greater glider this year having their conversation status downgraded as they become more vulnerable to extinction we need to address the role native forest logging plays in that demise – whether FCNSW operate according to their licence conditions or not.

Our  native forests are simply worth more left standing so that they can be sustainably managed for values other than timber production. These values include the forest’s critical role in sequestering carbon, both within trees and in the soil, and in providing threatened species habitats and biodiversity protection, clean water catchments to support our oyster industry, and nature-based tourism and recreation opportunities. This can be achieved when a plan is made for the just transition of Forestry Corporation NSW native forest sector to ecologically sustainable plantations and farm forestry”.

There was many if not more words at the bottom in “notes” than in the motion past by the Councillors

I believe Councillors need to approve any “notes” that are attached to motions.

I believe this addition misrepresents the Councillors motion and I will ask again  WHO authorised these words. If rumours are correct this motion whilst it appeared on the LG’s Agenda was not presented

The 2^nd Motion Cat Containment it is stated on the LGNSW web site – Catogory 2 – motion not to be debated as they align with existing LGNSW Policy.

Staff’s time and rate payers money has been spent on the Cat Containment motion when it would appear that this had already been previously raised with LGNSW– someone has obviously not done their homework – this is very embarrassing especially for those Councillors attending the conference.

I believe there needs to be a more common sense approach to items that will better serve rate payers of Eurobodalla and not motions that are motivated by a political agendas as it is the Rate Payers of this shire who are paying for the large membership fee of LGNSW and for Councillors to attend this Conference. I was disappointed to see that there was not a motion on the LG Agenda by the ESC to address housing affordability, lack of housing and homeliness.

Patricia Hellier