Councillor Connect

Each week, we bring you closer to the dedicated Councillors who work tirelessly to improve our community. In this column, we will feature one of our eight Councillors, offering an inside look at their roles, interests, and the initiatives they are championing.

Additionally, every fortnight, Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick shares his insights on community conversations, ongoing project progress, events, and activities.

Stay tuned as we introduce you to the faces behind the decisions that shape our community.

Councillor Connect – 19 March 2026 - Councillor Clair Mudaliar

A few weeks ago, ahead of our February Council meeting, I joined my fellow Councillors, the Mayor and senior staff at a welcome morning tea for Council’s newest cadets, apprentices and trainees. These eight new team members are stepping into a wide range of roles, from communications trainee to apprentice diesel mechanic and it was wonderful to meet them as they begin their journey with Council.

Mayoral Connect - Russell Fitzpatrick - 12 March 2026

At the end of last year, Council adopted a new set of values which are Teamwork, Accountability and People. These values underpin a new vision for how Council can support our community...

Councillor Connect - 5 March 2026 - Councillor Peter Haggar

Congratulations to all the wonderful Bega citizens who received acknowledgement in this year’s Bega Valley awards.

Councillor Connect - 26 February 2026 - Councillor Simon Daly

Each year, every council across NSW undertakes a process known as the Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) cycle.

Councillor Connect - 19 February 2026 - Councillor Tony Allen

As the summer season draws to a close, we are seeing a change of pace with visitors to our region...

Councillor Connect - 12 February 2026 - Councillor David Porter

Local government is the closest and most practical level of democracy in Australia...

Councillor Connect - 6 February 2026 - Councillor Helen O'Neil

Merimbula is a town that needs a plan...

Councillor Connect - 29 January 2026 - Councillor Peggy Noble

Australia Day has come and gone for another year, and I hope everyone managed to mark it in a way that felt right for them...

Councillor Connect - 15 January 2026 - Councillor Clair Mudaliar

What a summer season we are having! It feels like the busiest we’ve had in a long time, with things flat out everywhere...

Councillor Connect - 18 December 2025 - Councillor Peter Haggar

At the November Council meeting a design for a replacement bridge at Cuttagee was chosen from three options...

Councillor Connect - 11 December 2025 - Councillor Simon Daly

Across nine Councillors there is almost always a range of views being put forward on important issues facing our community..

Councillor Connect - 5 December 2025 - Councillor Tony Allen

As the weather starts to warm up you will see plenty of action at our six pools across the shire...

Councillor Connect - 27 November 2025 - Councillor David Porter

Decision-making as a councillor is one of the most important and demanding parts of the role...

Councillor Connect - 20 November 2025 - Councillor Helen O'Neil

When I stood for Council, I promised "Leadership that Listens". So, I listened to community views about renewal of the Cuttagee Bridge on our tourist road between Tathra and Bermagui...

Councillor Connect - 13 November 2025 - Councillor Peggy Noble

The new skatepark at Ford Park is getting plenty of use, with kids of all ages (and many adults) enjoying the latest addition to Merimbula's recreation facilities...

Councillor Connect - 30 October 2025 - Councillor Clair Mudaliar

I've always loved collaboration - people, groups, organisations or businesses working together for the good of themselves or their organisation ultimately leads to something good for our community...

Councillor Connect - 23 October 2025 - Councillor Peter Haggar

Recent discussions between your elected councillors and council staff have focussed on how your council examines risk and attempts to assess the organisations appetite for risk...

Councillor Connect - 14 August 2025 - Councillor Tony Allen

Sport plays a central role in the social glue that holds communities together...

Councillor Connect - 16 October 2025 - Councillor Simon Daly

A couple of weeks ago it was my absolute pleasure to join thousands of locals and visitors at Wanderer Festival..

Councillor Connect - 9 October 2025 - Councillor Tony Allen

One of the great privileges of being a councillor is seeing important infrastructure projects come to life...

Councillor Connect - 3 October 2025 - Councillor David Porter

I often get asked, "How do councillors actually get stuff done?"...

Mayor's Message - 27 February 2025 - Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick

Welcome to our new fortnightly Mayor's Message update. Each fortnight, Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick shares his insights on his community conversations, ongoing project progress, events and activities. Stay connected and collaborate to share the future of our community.

Councillor Connect - 31 July 2025 - Councillor Helen O'Neil

I came indoors to write this piece after pulling out yet more fireweed and blackberry around our place, reminded again of the challenge of caring for our bushlands and seashores...

Councillor Connect - 25 September 2025 - Councillor Helen O’Neil

With maybe a third of local renters facing pressure on rental costs, this month Council took a small but significant step towards addressing the housing crisis...

Councillor Connect - 18 September 2025 - Councillor Peggy Noble

Local councils like ours spend a significant amount of time and money applying for grant funding...

Councillor Connect - 4 September 2025 - Councillor Clair Mudaliar

One of the most rewarding parts of being a Councillor is the opportunity to serve on committees and boards that help shape our region...

Councillor Connect - 28 August 2025 - Councillor Peter Haggar

At the August Council meeting, Councillors voted 7:1 to extend the Merimbula Airport runway...

Councillor Connect - 21 August 2025 - Councillor Simon Daly

Council is responsible for a lot of infrastructure across the shire, more than I realised when I started as a Councillor...

Councillor Connect - 7 August 2025 - Councillor David Porter

Most people think of Council as the organisation that collects bins, fixes roads and keeps the local area running...

Councillor Connect - 24 July 2025 - Councillor Peggy Noble

There's been a lot of talk about council rates lately, so let me be clear: No, we are not putting your rates up by 50%, that's simply not true.

Councillor Connect - 10 July 2025 - Councillor Clair Mudaliar

n recent weeks I attended the National General Assembly (NGA) in Canberra, hosted by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA)...

Councillor Connect - 10 July 2025 - Councillor Peter Haggar

As your Councillor, as a Greens representative and as a resident and business owner in the Bega Valley Shire I am committed to helping our shire become better at reducing waste and learning to live ecologically...

Councillor Connect - 26 June 2025 - Councillor Simon Daly

After seeking community feedback, this week Council approved important planning and budget reports known as the 'Integrated Planning and Reporting' or IP&R documents...

Councillor Connect - 19 June 2025 - Councillor Tony Allen

One of the things that often goes unnoticed is how complicated our water supply across the Bega Valley is and how much work our Council has done over a number of decades to secure and protect our water supply...

Mayor's Message - 19 June 2025 - Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick

Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick shares his insights on his community conversations, ongoing project progress, events and activities. Stay connected and collaborate to share the future of our community.

Councillor Connect - 12 June 2025 - Councillor David Porter

People often ask me, "Why would you do it?" The truth is, being a Councillor isn't always easy - but it's incredibly rewarding...

Mayor's Message - 5 June 2025 - Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick

Each fortnight, Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick shares his insights on his community conversations, ongoing project progress, events and activities. Stay connected and collaborate to share the future of our community.