A New Year's message from our CEO

Published on 12 January 2017

I see 2017 as a year of enormous opportunities for our region, with so much to look forward to.

It’s a year in which we will review our Council & Community Plan to deliver even better outcomes for the community.

It will also be a year in which we embrace the positivity in our community, while we, as Council, value the healthy questions that help us improve and move forward as a region.

As a Council, we have the capacity to listen deeply to the community, plan carefully and deliver cleverly. The basis of all we do is grow strong and vibrant communities through respectful and responsible relationships.

Through thoughtful leadership, local knowledge and constructive partnerships with the community and others, together we will plan our futures and deliver quality services and infrastructure.

The role of Local Government as a ‘place shaper’ has never been more important than it is today. Creating environments where people can grow and thrive, feel safe and connected, and be involved and inspired are critical ingredients in developing positive futures for everyone that calls this area home.

I appreciate that our resources are being challenged, our communities are at their capacity to pay, and that we are expected to spend more time in compliance at the expense of providing service.

However these constraints provide us with enormous opportunities to review what we are doing, how we are doing and why we do things.

Asking these questions can lead us to be creative, prioritise what is most important for the community, remove barriers and relinquish out-of-date systems and models.

I view Local Government as all about producing quality-of-life outcomes for residents and providing good public value facilities and services.

It is simply placing you - the community - at the centre of all we do.

It is also the sphere of government that addresses needs and creates services and facilities for improving living conditions both today and tomorrow. It is about using resources wisely and Paying Them Forward so that our vision for the region can be realised …

“Making this the most liveable, people friendly community in Australia.”

Gerard José

Chief Executive Officer

Mildura Rural City Council