From today, people across our region and the country will celebrate National Reconciliation Week. Although COVID - 19 may change the way we get together, it doesn’t change how we can reflect and acknowledge our history, our culture, our achievements and how each of us can individually contribute towards reconciliation in Australians.

In these COVID-19 times, Council will acknowledge the week a little differently. Today at our Council Ordinary Meeting, which will be live streamed, we will have a special acknowledgement of Country, we will commemorate Sorry Day and mark the commencement of Reconciliation Week.

Aunty Lillian Burke Butchulla Elder and President of Cooloola Aboriginal Services Inc. will share her story of the Stolen Generations and what reconciliation means for her. I’m very much looking forward to hearing Aunty Lillian speak and to Council continuing to work with traditional owners and indigenous groups across the region.

We will also be streaming a Reconciliation Week musical event from 7pm this Friday, live from the Civic Centre, plus other activities such as digital storytelling for our local schools. If you’d like to know more, head to the Council website.

The last few weeks have been very busy for Councillors. We are continuing to work on the budget as our priority. There have been some great conversations and I’m really proud of the work Councillors and staff are doing as we work on one of the toughest budgets we’ve seen.  We are focused on the core services and getting these right for you, our residents. It’s not going to be an easy job and some very hard decisions made as we look at how we can best serve the community.

Mayor Glen Hartwig