My visit to Tambo

It is hard to believe but I have been your Councillor for one month and what a privilege it is. Communication and transparency are my cornerstone blocks that I stand for and this is why I am using my website, social media channels and this e-newsletter to keep you up to date with my work as your Councillor. 

I may put my head to rest at my home in Blackall but when I stood to be elected onto our Council, I made a commitment to bring Blackall and Tambo together and that’s why I visited Tambo for the day, on Thursday.

I came across a small but wide section of constituents and their comments, which were wide and varied, were taken on board with a pen and the notebook! Not every suggestion will past the “muster” or “pass the pub test” but I thank you for being frank and open with me. By communicating and putting forward positive solutions we are making the community a better place to live in. I believe that to be an effective Councillor, I need to hear from our residents and hear all arguments for or against proposed council plans and initiatives.

One issue canvassed to me was the travelling food vans operating in Tambo. There is concern in the community that these food vans are affecting local businesses and that they are not operating on a fair playing field since the local business are paying rates. I shall bring this matter up at the next Council Meeting to be held in Tambo on the 20th May.

I had a request from a local resident in Tambo to water down the Council yards for dust suppression this week too. Action now has been taken by the Council and I thank those people who were involved in rectifying this. Another issue raised has been drainage problems in Ivy Street which I have inspected and will follow up with Council.

On Wednesday, back in Blackall, I attended a meeting for the Woolscour Memorandum Of Understanding, in the Council Chambers; all involved are hoping for a positive outcome, for our community.

Please don’t forget that the Council is providing an opportunity for organisations to apply for In–Kind Support and Sponsorship Funding for the 20-21 financial years. If you are applying, please use the appropriate forms obtained from the Councils website. These applications close on Monday, 25th May. If you have any questions about this support, please feel free to email me.

The Blackall Cattle Saleyards held their weekly cattle sale on Thursday with 4200 hd penned. From all reports, it was a great sale. The saleyards are still operating under strict COVID-19 requirements.

As I am getting around more and meeting the Council staff members in both Blackall and Tambo offices, I would like to thank you for making me feel welcomed in your office. Another bit of interesting work that as a Councillor I enjoy, is taking an interest in Council work on the streets early in the morning and getting to know the work force a lot more. Every single Council worker is appreciated; they keep our small community ticking along.

Now for some good news… our State Government is starting to open up Queensland by reducing some restrictions that have been put in place due to COVID-19.

The restrictions of socialising are slowly being lifted so please make yourself aware of them before getting too excited. Yes, we are all looking forward to getting out and about but our state and country is not in the clear yet.

Regional towns across the state have done an exceptional job of quarantining and therefore our restrictions will be a little more lenient than the cities. Restaurants, clubs, cafes and pubs will be allowed to have 20 local patrons at a time and we are able to travel up to 500km from our place of residence. Please use the graphic below to learn more about Queensland’s plan to open up.

Thank you for your continued support. If something is really bugging you, call me on 0427 575 974 to discuss the matter and we both may be able to find a solution to make both communities a better place to live, work and raise our children.

Regards,
David

Image: Twinkles and Manju, owners of Fanny Mae’s in Tambo.