Mayoral Column - 8 June 2022
Published on 08 June 2022
It was an honour to attend Cessnock City Council’s National Reconciliation Week Elders Morning Tea last Thursday, as reconciliation is something that I as Mayor, along with the entire Council is committed to. Reconciliation Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. I am proud Council has developed two reconciliation action plans and is currently working on an Aboriginal Community Plan. These plans focus on developing and strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, engaging staff and stakeholders in reconciliation, and developing and piloting strategies to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Council has also recently reformed an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee, and we look forward to working closely with the committee in the development of our next action plan. We anticipate that consultation for the next plan will begin later this year, and we aim to engage widely with community and stakeholders, and to develop a shared vision of reconciliation, change and progress in our community. This new Aboriginal Community Plan will outline the practical steps Council will take over the next four years to progress this shared vision and improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities in the Cessnock local government area.
As a former student of Mount View High, I was delighted to be given the opportunity to speak to students at their careers event last week. It was wonderful to chat to the students and share my own experiences, including what has motivated me to pursue the career path I have chosen. It was also great to share with students the opportunities that are available for young people at Cessnock City Council. Council offers a fantastic apprenticeship, trainee and school-based traineeship program which offers openings in a range of departments. There is something for every interest, whether it be Aquatics and Community Facilities, Business Administration, Carpentry, Construction, Finance, IT, Media and Communications, Library, Mechanics, Painting, and Parks and Gardens. The apprenticeships and traineeships are offered to people who have completed year 10 and the school-based traineeships are offered to students commencing year 11. This program will open in August and you can find more details about this on Cessnock City Council’s website.
I also attended Kurri Kurri High School’s annual Business Breakfast last week. This was a wonderful opportunity to join the students and local business community to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this fantastic event.