I've worked for, and with, local councils and communities so I understand the competing priorities councils face. But I also know the difference they can make to residents' lives and our environment.

This Council doesn't engage with the community or bring it into planning for our future. Too many decisions are being made behind closed doors, without community input. The consequences of this are becoming clear in higher charges, lesser services, unfulfilled promises and bigger budget deficits.

In October 2023, the General Manager publicly reported in a NSW Government Survey that climate change is having “a great deal” of impact on Council and on the community, and admitted there was only “a little” leadership from our Mayor and Councillors to act on climate change and its impacts. From taking on more debt than we can afford to attempting to ban books from our local library - so much has to change. We need real leadership and real planning for our future, not just passive acceptance of the status quo.

We will open up those closed doors and give the community the chance to honestly input to Yass Valley's future. In return, we will share information and engage with the community to ensure Council's financial, environmental, economic and social sustainability.

Yass Valley Council must change and it must start to work with all residents to get better outcomes and create better opportunities for everyone. Councils are at their best when they're honest with their communities and bring people into planning for their future.

There's no change without change. Yass Valley Council needs change and real leadership. We cannot continue with the passive approach of our current Council - we need to question and improve the way things are done as the world changes around us.