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Councillor Connect - 12 June 2025 - Councillor David Porter

People often ask me, “Why would you do it?” The truth is, being a Councillor isn't always easy - but it's incredibly rewarding...

Councillor David Porter.

Authorised by Councillor David Porter.

12 June 2025

People often ask me, “Why would you do it?” The truth is, being a Councillor isn’t always easy—but it’s incredibly rewarding. You get to meet amazing people and help solve real issues that matter to the community. That sense of purpose and connection is what keeps me going.

While I can’t attend every event in the shire, I make an effort to show up to as many as possible. Just in the past month, we’ve had a citizenship ceremony, a circularity conference, the South East Australian Transport Strategy (SEATS) forum, Local Traffic Committee and community consultation meetings for both the upcoming budget and the long-term financial plan. Each of these events brings new ideas and perspectives that help shape our shire’s future.

Council budgeting is one of the more complex tasks we face. Unlike private businesses with steady revenue, councils deal with highly unpredictable income. Originally, local councils received 1% of federal tax revenue, but that figure over time has eroded by half to only 0.5%. Now, we rely heavily on government grants, which are often inconsistent and tied to specific projects. This makes planning difficult and means some important community priorities miss out. That’s why engaging directly with residents is so important—we need to hear what really matters.

Being approachable and responsive is also a big part of the job. Whether it’s a broken footpath, overgrown verge, or a major planning concern, people rightly expect action. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a problem fixed and hearing someone say, “Thanks, that made a difference.”

One tool I use almost daily is the Snap Send Solve app. It’s a simple way to report local issues—just open the app, take a photo, describe the problem, and it’s sent straight to Council. You can download the Snap Send Solve app from either the Apple App store or Google Play for Android.

For example, someone recently contacted us about a damaged footpath. I happened to be driving by, so I stopped, snapped a photo, and submitted it. Two days later, a crew was on-site fixing the problem. Done—no red tape, just results.

Please feel free to reach out to me at DPorter@begavalley.nsw.gov.au

© Bega Valley Shire Council 2025

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