Mayor's Message
(From the 2022-2023 Regional Plan)
A Message From the Mayor of Barkly Regional Council
It is my absolute delight to share the Barkly Regional Council Annual Operating (Regional) Plan 2022 - 2023 with you.
The release of this Plan marks around two years since I was appointed as Mayor and almost one year since I was popularly elected as Mayor of the Barkly Regional Council. I can say with absolute certainty that I have the Best Job in the World. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to represent all people within the Barkly’s LGA every day, and lend my voice to their needs.
This Plan reflects a new and very positive change in our Council’s operational leadership that comes with the appointment of our new CEO Emma Bradbury. Emma brings with her a wealth of experience, a can-do attitude and an ambitious, but achievable plan to support Council’s vision for our organisation to become the Best Council in Australia, if not the World. I would also like to thank the outgoing CEO Steve Moore for his time and dedication to the Barkly.
Our team has endured one of the most challenging times in our region’s history with a pandemic that came to our doorstep and floods in remote communities. Our workers have often had to operate in difficult and challenging conditions. On behalf of our elected members I would like to thank every one of them all across the whole Barkly as we look forward to a more exciting, or should that be a ‘less exciting’ year ahead.
As a Council dedicated to making this region shine, we have to roll our sleeves up and get into it in the coming year. It is encouraging to see many of our great initiatives becoming a reality – this includes our new Youth Centres, Youth Advisory Councils, Local Authorities etc, and set to deliver great things for our community in the coming years.
Our Council is productively engaging with all tiers of Government and NGOs in our everyday operations, and through the Barkly Regional Deal. This is no easy task and I recognise that we all have a full time job steering this ship in the right direction and setting course to achieve our vision.
I am especially passionate about our regional communities and strongly feel that we need to put a lot of work into our remote areas through our Local Authorities over the next year and into the future. We should all go together hand-in hand celebrate our successes and clear our hurdles so that all communities are served equally.
I would like to thank all those members of the public who have contributed to this Plan, as I believe we have received more constructive feedback than any Regional Plan in our Council’s history. I would also like to say big thanks to our esteemed Elected Members of the Council. I am proud and grateful to have their guidance and leadership at our Table.
We take our pride in being Australia’s second largest Local Government Area, which is both an honour and a challenge to serve. This Regional Plan gives us a working document for our elected members, our staff, our partners and most importantly, our community to have a positive shared abundant vision of our immediate future.
Big things are on the way and this plan with guide us to be one step ahead – and fully prepared for the coming Barkly Boom.
Jeffrey McLaughlin | Mayor
Barkly Regional Council