South Coast locals have until 6pm tonight to get their early vote in for the NSW Local Government Elections.
Otherwise election day (Saturday September 14) voting stations will be open from 8am to 6pm along the Far South Coast tomorrow.
Voting is compulsory in NSW, with those who don’t vote to cop a $55 fine.
For locations on where to vote in the South East, visit the NSW Electoral Commision website or scan the QR Code for Bega Valley sites below
Or the QR Code for Eurobodalla sites below:
Early voting locations and election day polling locations are not always the same, for instance, you can pre-poll at Merimbula Primary School but you can’t vote there on election day, you’ll need to go to Twyford Hall on Market Street.
Outgoing Bega Valley Deputy Mayor and Greens Councillor for the past eight years, Cathy Griff, told ARN Bega Bay, whoever gets voted into Bega Valley and Eurobodalla Councils, will need to work together if they hope to achieve anything substantial.
“One the biggest lessons I’ve taken away from my time on council is that it’s important to collaborate,” Ms Griff said.
“Without collaboration and getting the support of staff and other councillors, you’re really not going to make a a lot of progress on the things that really matter,” she continued.
Ms Griff said one of the biggest issues facing incoming councillors is managing a budget for an under funded council.
“In the Bega Valley we have very low numbers of ratepayers and a very high amount of infrastructure,” Ms Griff said.
“Everything from boat ramps to toilets, sports fields to libraries and swimming pools, it all takes a significant amount of money to maintain,” she said.
“Certainly managing money and the budget is going to be a huge issue, and the rate rise in the Bega Valley which has hurt people considerably is still not really providing the amount of money that is needed.”
