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Councillor Connect - 10 April 2025 - Councillor Helen O'Neil

The best part of being a Councillor is meeting people and appreciating our community's incredible strength...

Councillor Helen O'Neil.

Authorised by Councillor Helen O’Neil

10 April 2025

The best part of being a Councillor is meeting people and appreciating our community’s incredible strength. Talking with volunteers in community groups, workers in services and emergency care, artists, musicians, shopkeepers, and other small business people up and down the shire is a joy for me and, I hope, makes me a better representative.

I often hear about what Council is doing well, and a lot about what we could be doing more, better, or faster. I hear plenty about my neighbourhood around Bermagui-Cobargo-Tathra, but my job extends all the way down through Bega and Merimbula to Bemboka and Eden. I hear concerns about roads and saleyards, forests and FOGO, climate change, childcare and cultural tourism.  Years on, there are still deep conversations about bushfire recovery.  I hear good ideas for future action, and praise for our staff.

Some issues raised are Council issues; others are really the business of state and federal governments. But I am always heartened that people care about making our great shire better. Please continue to get in touch and talk with me. It’s my job to provide answers and act as an advocate when I can - and when I can’t, I do my best to point people in the right direction.

I’ve been working closely with Kristy McBain, our fabulous local federal member for Eden-Monaro (please remember to vote on 3 May) and our equally hardworking state member for Bega, Dr Michael Holland. The reality is that we can’t provide basic services without partnerships and grants from their governments.

Uppermost in my mind right now is affordable housing. Next week Councillors will decide on a detailed review of how to speed up the Development Applications processing. Get this one right, and it means that more houses get built in the right places.

Finally, don’t forget to provide your views about the Cuttagee Bridge. The aim is to provide a safe bridge that, as a condition of funding, respects the heritage of the current iconic structure. There are three design options. Check the survey on the Council’s ‘Have your Say’ pages. Please feel free to reach out to me at HONeil@begavalley.nsw.gov.au

 

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