Mayoral Minutes

When a Council delegation visited Wujiang, our sister city in China, in May this year, I was keen to work out ways to further enhance the business relationship between the two cities. My belief is that both cities gain cultural benefits from the relationship but I believe we can improve the business relationships. There was a discussion in relation to an Expo that Wujiang would arrange for a free space at an upcoming Expo. The discussions and negotiations have gone on for longer than I would have hoped but I am pleased to confirm that if any Dubbo business wishes to attend the Shanghai Ag Expo in December then we can arrange for that. There will be 30,000 to 50,000 visitors through the Expo and 70 to 80 agricultural businesses will display a variety of products including poultry; rice; grain; wine; silk products and more. We have access to 5m x 5m booths for Dubbo businesses. Please contact me by the end of this week if you wish to be involved or if you want more information. Read More...

The most rewarding feedback – and often the most nerve-wracking – is that received from your peers. Dubbo City Council has been planning the hosting of the Local Government Association (LGA) Conference for the past 12 months and we are now right in the middle of it. Delegates began arriving in Dubbo last Friday so they could experience the City before the official opening on Sunday evening and as feedback trickles in from delegates, the scorecard so far is very positive. As much as this conference is organised by Council, it really is an opportunity to put our best foot forward and really make a lasting impression on all delegates.  Read More...

Conference. For some people the word itself conjures up images of cocktails, late nights and golf. The reality is that employers expect to see a reasonable return on investment from any expenditure and conferences are no different. People attend conferences to increase their knowledge of a particular topic to benefit their employer. Sometimes that increase in knowledge will come from listening to a presentation and sometimes it will come from networking with people in a similar field. Apart from gaining knowledge from colleagues in the same industry, these networks can be beneficial if you need to draw on a person's expertise at a later date. While the direct financial benefits to an organisation may not be seen the day after an employee returns from a conference, if they attend with eyes and ears open, the benefits will undoubtedly be there.
One case where you will see direct economic benefits in relation to a conferenc Read More...

The Dubbo Festival has finished for 2012 and what a wonderful array of events and activities we witnessed. From an amazing film premiere through to concerts, light installations and exhibitions, it has offered something for almost everyone and I am certain it will be even bigger next year. Congratulations to the Dubbo Festival and DREAM organisers for a job well done. Read More...

The Mayoral column this week comes to you from the land of Stars and Stripes. I am in the US at the moment where I'm spending some quality time with my family. My four children attend a dance school in Dubbo which is performing at Universal Studios - a wonderful experience for a group of young dancers from Dubbo, Orange and Forbes. Read More...

When I was elected Mayor just over a year ago, I'd said my number one focus was to improve communications - with Councillors, the media, and the public. I worked hard to achieve this and the numbers tell a story. Over the Mayoral term I officially met with 456 people on an individual basis – and unofficially met and spoke with hundreds more. That included 148 meetings with Councillors and other civic leaders; 104 meetings with media outlets and 204 meetings with members of the public. Read More...