Joanne McRae | Community
Joanne McRae
Phone: +61 437 451 947
Reviews
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25.01.2022 Why stand for council? Here are a few different perspectives- obstacles, rewards and reasons to get involved.
25.01.2022 Covid-19 Monday 1 June: Feedback, engagement and the media. Have your say on matters that are important to you, be informed, and look after yourself!
24.01.2022 Ploughmans Lane will be closed between Coronation Drive and the Escort Way from today for a major upgrade. It will be open on weekends. Please share with anyone you know who uses that road on a regular basis.
24.01.2022 Councillor Mario Previtera passed away at the weekend. My condolences to his family and friends. Mario was a diligent and hardworking councillor and will be missed.
23.01.2022 What a lovely generous act! These two lovely ladies - members of the Lucknow Quilt Whisperers - are also both former work colleagues of mine from KWS and CSU. Thanks Glenda and Denise!
22.01.2022 Upcoming Council Meeting Tues 1 Sept - Deputy Mayoral Candidates & voting
21.01.2022 Do you drive through the Anson St- Heatherbrae Parade roundabout on your way to this morning? Roadworks will lead to delays for traffic today (Monday 15 June.) ...Orange City Council is upgrading the surface of the roundabout at the intersection of Anson St and Heatherbrae Parade (near Brendon Sturgeon Oval). Council crews plan to remove the damaged surface and add new layers of hot-mix asphalt. On Monday 15 June, the access from Heatherbrae Parade to the roundabout will be closed all day from 7am to 6pm. The Anson Street access will be open but minor delays can be expected. Drivers are encouraged to avoid the roundabout if possible and use alternative routes. Detour signs are in place. (see map) On Tuesday 16 June, the roundabout will be open while work continues, but with traffic controllers in place. Drivers are encouraged to use alternative routes to avoid sort delays. See more
21.01.2022 No broken glass in recycling bins! It’s sorted by people - so have a think about what’s safe and ok to recycle. No nappies, tissues, or sanitary items either!
21.01.2022 Council meeting on Tuesday 18/8, with a range of agenda items - from crown lands, DAs, community committee membership, code of conduct reporting and Audit & Risk minutes. A mixed bag! One item that has me really thinking is a request for financial assistance for the Orange Wine Festival, from the Orange Region Vignerons Association (ORVA): - $20,000 request, but council criteria supports $10,000. - aiming for 10,000 visitors to attend between 2 Oct to 31 Oct. - program to inc...lude tastings, workshops, dinners, lunches & new events including a masterclass series plus twilight wine & food events - all COVIDSafe events. What do YOU think? I know theres some uncertainty in members of our community regarding festival & visitor promotion while COVID continues (maybe I am hyper vigilant?) and I know our tourism industry needs the visitation to make up for bushfire smoke, road closure & drought impacts, as well as COVID closures earlier this year; their livelihoods rely on visitation, and the staff they employ. Some people were very worried about the winter fire festival, while others welcome tourism for economic benefits. Whats the right decision when it comes to council funding in this case? Let me know what you think - please comment!
20.01.2022 Posted on behalf of NSW Health If you are directed to self-isolate when entering New South Wales from Victoria, you must remain at your place of residence or ac...commodation for 14 days from the time you entered NSW. Breaches of the public health order can result in a maximum penalty of imprisonment for 6 months or a fine of up to $11,000 (or both). You could also incur a further $5,500 fine each day the offence continues. Anyone in the community can report public health order breaches via Crime Stoppers: http://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ For more information, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au//what-yo/border-restrictions/guide
20.01.2022 Less than a third of serving councillors and mayors across 128 councils in NSW are women. It's prompted the New South Wales Government to launch a campaign to empower more women to run for local council elections in Sept 2021.
19.01.2022 Two members of NSW Government give their thoughts on standing for election - particularly encouraging women to be involved in decision making at a local level. It’s interesting how much my thoughts contrast with Minister Shelley Hancock, when recalling the council meetings I attended before standing for council. I heard the level of debate at Orange City Council and had absolutely no doubt I could contribute.
19.01.2022 Back in February I put forward a motion to Orange City Council about recycling effluent for future water supply. Back then, I was interviewed by the ABC about Orange’s water security issues. It’s taken a while - Covid-19 intervened - but here’s some insight into Orange’s water situation as part of a broader view of water, and Orange community work to manage demand. The story (and video) also features a couple of locals: Kate Hook and Neil Jones. (We still don’t have any progress update on the feasibility of recycled effluent for Orange’s water security).
18.01.2022 This post is not trying to steal your password hints, but is encouraging more women to become candidates at all levels of government. Women for Election Australia is a great place to go for advice, support or resources.
17.01.2022 Looking for entertainment? I think this is a fantastic line up for #FutureTunes! Hip Replacements (particularly ex-Flying Emu Jenni) are toe tapping fun! And, as a former viola player I can say from experience that Amy plays like no-one else - the viola sound cool and amazing when she performs (I often made sounds more like seagulls!) Lock it into your diary!
17.01.2022 We have a few job openings at the moment. Tag someone you know who may be interested in these positions. - assistant payroll officer - disability support work...er - casual lifeguard/cafe attendant - building surveyor - parks maintenance assistant - learn to swim instructor https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/working-at-orange-city-counc/ See more
17.01.2022 Back in 2017, Cr Glenn Taylor and I were the final two candidates in the Deputy Mayoral election - tied at 6:6 in the final round, the vote was decided by drawing names from a hat. My name was drawn from a hat to be the Deputy Mayor for 2017-2018. I wish Cr Taylor all the best in the role for the next 12 months. Thanks must also go to Cr Sam Romano who has been the Deputy Mayor for the past two years. I appreciate that the duties of the role are varied, often with short notice, and can be time consuming! Thanks Cr Romano for your efforts.
16.01.2022 Council meeting for Tuesday 7 July from 7pm - still on Zoom. While some of the novelty of council meetings from home is wearing off, I think it is still preferable to ensure social distancing requirements can be met. Its certainly saving a lot on the Council Meeting catering budget! Key items for the July meeting include: Proposed Councillor remuneration increase of $4040 each (from $20280 per year to $24320), and $15,830 for the Mayor (from $44,250 to $60,080). For Counci...llors, I calculate this is a 19.9% increase on the current level of remuneration. Overall, it impacts the budget by $64,310 in total. (I dont believe a Councillor pay rise is appropriate. It is sure to be an interesting debate.) Other items: - Development application for Caldwell House (129-133 Sale St) including demolition of a Heritage Item. - DA for Taco Bell at 52-54 Bathurst Rd (old Thomsons Nursery Site). - Cr Duffy proposing that part of Ploughmans Wetlands be rezoned for residential development. The various meeting items also include donation and funding requests, Current Works report, Traffic Committee report, Economic Development Community Committee, NAIDOC Week Committee and closed meeting items.
16.01.2022 #COVID19: As of tomorrow, Monday June 1, the following will be allowed in NSW: : You can travel anywhere in NSW for a holiday.... You can visit museums, galleries and libraries. Pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants can have a maximum of 50 customers. Beauty and nail salon operators can begin treatments under strict COVID-Safe guidelines. Up to 20 people can attend weddings, 50 people can attend funerals and 50 people can attend places of worship. Limits on visiting and gathering have not changed with 5 people allowed in your home including adults and children. 10 people may gather in a public place. More at https://bit.ly/Upcoming-Changes-01-June Receive SMS alerts for fires, floods, traffic and weather relevant to your area > www.nswincidentalerts.com
16.01.2022 Council Meeting Tuesday 11 August, where some councillors are in the Council Chamber, while zoom is still an option. Ill be using zoom - staying home, keeping my distance! It might be a test of the technology and meeting procedure, but I think it is good to see that community members, councillors, staff and livestream can see what Orange City Council is up to without having to be in the meeting room.
16.01.2022 If youre travelling these holidays, or catching up with family or friends, make sure you stay COVID safe.
15.01.2022 This link is very handy as we see Covid-19 restrictions changing across Australia. I keep it pinned at the top of my page - and refer to it regularly. It outlines clearly whats allowed, or whats restricted. What you should do is more your choice and weighing up risk to yourself and others. I believe its ok to be taking a cautious approach if you or your family are more vulnerable.... I admit, Im not going to large gatherings or hanging out at the pub! Ive chosen to stay home, with the occasional takeaway, and dinner with members of my extended family everyone now and then - without hugs/kisses/singing or dancing. (My dogs love the fact Im home more, but my dancing still seems to surprise them). I am attending council activities through virtual meetings as much as possible, but I am not attending public events with large gatherings of people. We can all help stop the spread by following the public health advice, potentially protecting all of us from Covid-19.
15.01.2022 On Friday, the long discussed Robertson Park toilet block was opened. Many people will be relieved.
14.01.2022 Last Chance - Have you say on the budget! Dont say you werent asked, or missed your chance to have input!
14.01.2022 Gail Pringle is someone I admire and aspire to be like. Happy Birthday to this lovely lady, and community leader! Ive played hockey with and against Gail (although I am now retired!) and Ive been involved with some of the many community activities she has organised - including the 8 Day Games, and Ive seen her work through Inner Wheel and Push for Palliative. Congratulations for reaching this milestone, and for setting an example for many of us to follow.
14.01.2022 Council meeting Tuesday 16 June 7pm - another by Zoom. The full agenda is available on the council website - check it out if you are keen to read more detail. - There is a rescission motion in relation to Ploughmans Wetlands Fishing, which has been put forward by Cr Nugent, Cr Mileto and me. For me, its about getting the governance right - the motion which succeeded last week says once again allow fishing, however fishing isnt included in the plan of management, so there n...eeds to be some more work done to permit fishing, and provide appropriate and safe access for those keen to fish at Ploughmans Wetlands. - The Mayor has a motion to explore a community rowing club to use Spring Creek Reservoir. *Rowing is a sport in which you face backwards to move forwards - are there any others? - Report of a meeting at the Showground about toilets & canteen facilties - Statement of Investments - Report on the employment of apprentices, trainees and cadets at Council - Report on Synthetic turf within road verges - Orange Regional Gallery extension + Closed meeting items, including a report responding to my motion on initiatives to Support CBD Businesses. ( Consider liking, or sharing, this post if you actually read it - helps me know if anyone really cares what council is doing!
13.01.2022 Looking for something to do on Saturday night 10 October? Tune in - and Break the Silence.
13.01.2022 Covid-19 Sunday 31 May 2020: A weekend spent reflecting, and getting ready for the future. Theres a council meeting on the schedule this week, and the window of opportunity to comment on the council budget is still open. Are you telling your council what you want? Are you telling us what you dont want? Or do you just trust your council to make decisions on your behalf. *Yes, I missed a full week of video messages - Im fine, but things got quite busy, and when seeing what is happening in the USA, I was unsure of what to say. Thanks for checking I am ok!
12.01.2022 On this day 8 years ago, I was in Anaheim, California at an amazing global conference about student life & student communities in university housing. I had won a scholarship to attend and I spent 2 weeks on a study tour around California, visiting a range of US colleges; UCLA, USC, UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego were a few of the highlights. It concluded with an academic conference, and international reception - at which this photo was taken. Im pictured with another Auss...ie, Cate from Melbourne - who I met on the tour and became good mates with. The tour group drew from the USA, UK, Mexico, NZ, Ireland, Qatar, as well as a handful of Australians. Its interesting to reflect on what I learned on this trip: *We often have huge inequities in our communities. The grounds of private universities struck a stark contrast to their neighbouring suburbs in LA. Privilege was blatant. *Education and educational opportunity can be life changing, whoever you are and wherever you are from. *Feeling safe and being part of a community is vital for wellbeing, regardless of where we live. *You can always make new friends, no matter how old you are, or where they live. *Being brave (this was my first solo trip overseas) can lead to fantastic personal growth experiences professionally and personally. What I learned on this trip contributes to my view of what it means to be a councillor: to lead and build inclusive, safe communities and neighbourhoods where all feel supported and encouraged to live well, grow, and contribute to the communities in which we live. **Yes, my hair is much more grey now.
11.01.2022 Orange City Council invites local community to join the war on waste this Plastic Free July Did you know we send around 42 tonnes of reyecling to Sydney every...day? Although Orange residents are great recyclers, we want to work together to use less single use plastics! Orange City Council is taking an active interest in Plastic Free July, by showcasing the efforts of local stores and waste champions to discover if they can live without plastic for a month. For more information on how you can get involved in the challenge: https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/orange-city-council-invites-/
10.01.2022 Council meeting Tuesday night. Check out the full agenda online. There’s likely to be a lot of talk about water....
10.01.2022 Everyone is welcome to attend these Future City information sessions. Find out what's planned for the CBD and ask questions. RSVPs are essential. In the meantime, check out our website https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/activate-/future-city-orange/
09.01.2022 Time is running out to have your say on where Oranges newest playgrounds should go. Click this link to make your say count. https://yoursay.orange.nsw.gov.au/
09.01.2022 Tonight I walked home from work down Anson St and certainly noticed the new lights - the new set up is pretty impressive!
08.01.2022 Here’s my Tuesday Council meeting fashion inspiration: throwback to 2017. Pink & blue to stand out from the crowd. Tune in tonight to the livestream - forget The Bachelorette, or The Block - council livestream is where it’s all happening! #fashioninspo #throwbackTuesday
08.01.2022 Council approved the budget at last nights Tues 23 June Extraordinary Council Meeting. It included setting rates and charges, a return to the bulky waste collection across Orange, and a significant infrastructure program (some of which will rely on grant funding). Council did NOT approve an increase to councillor allowances. This has arisen from the recent Local Government Remuneration Tribunal decision, in which Orange is included as a Regional Centre with a range of $13,820 - $24,320. Although one councillor moved that the full increase be applied (up to $24,320 per year), this was not supported by the majority of councillors at last nights meeting, and was deferred. This matter of councillor remuneration will come to a future meeting, and is sure to be an interesting discussion.
08.01.2022 Theres an Extraordinary Council meeting on Tues 23 June, all about the council budget. Read all about it: https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au//meetings-and-minutes-archi/
07.01.2022 If youre heading away these holidays, protect yourself and the community. If unwell, stay in and get tested for COVID-19. Find out more: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/travel-and-transport-advice
07.01.2022 What does Public Exhibition mean? Council is often required to publicly exhibit particular proposals and plans before confirming them. It gives members of the community a chance to give input (for or against) on important planning or finance matters. There are a few items on public exhibition at the moment - and its worth taking a look: Request for Financial Assistance:... - Anson Street Uniting Church - Lifeline Draft Health and Innovation Precinct Masterplan Local Housing Strategy OC Future City Where to find it, and find out how to make a submission: https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/on-exhibition-for-comment/ *Why not take the time to make a submission? Its your chance to tell Council if we are on the right track!
06.01.2022 Orange has a confirmed positive case of Covid-19. See the statement from Western NSWLHD. Dont be complacent - if you have any symptoms, isolate, get tested, and maintain isolation until you receive your negative result. Additional testing sites will be available to meet demand.... Lets all maintain our hand hygiene, physical distancing and avoid non-essential travel. Stay home when you can.
06.01.2022 There are some lovely men on Orange City Council, but it’s still tough being the only woman. Here’s a little insight. There is an accompanying TV interview - hopefully airing on ABC News on Monday night 5 October.
05.01.2022 Due to conflicting commitments and time pressures, I have resigned from a number of Orange City Council Community Committees. I had called for a review of community committees, a motion which failed. An amendment - for a review - was supposed to occur under the new council, and would have commenced in Sept 2020 had Local Gov elections proceeded as previously planned. Some councillors have filled vacancies, while for some committees the quorum requirements for councillor at...tendance have been reduced. I remain Chair of Clifton Grove Community Committee, and am also continuing as a member of the Crime Prevention and Community Safety, Orange and Cabonne Road Safety, and the Health Liaison Committees. Resigned: Spring Hill Tidy Towns Environmental Sustainability Airport Ageing and access
04.01.2022 Tuesday 2 June: Council meeting from 7pm. The Planning & Development Committee includes a rezoning along the NDR, and the Heritage Study Review. There are updates from Infrastructure, Environmental Sustainability and Finance. The current works report includes road projects, water supply and usage, Macquarie River flows, airport numbers and council energy use.... Cr Previtera has motions for fishing in Ploughmans Wetlands, and Camping at Gosling Creek. We see the Future City project come up for approval to go on public exhibition, and City Entrance signs are also back on the agenda. Requests for financial assistance will be considered for Lifeline Central West and Duntryleague Golf Club. Read the full agenda, tune in to the livestream, or watch the recording to see what happened. Sure to be great Tuesday night viewing!
04.01.2022 I admit, I forgot to post a summary of the Council meeting agenda prior to tonights meeting. Oops! Key items: Report on single use plastics.... Funding for destination marketing for Orange 360. Strategic Alliance with Cabonne & Blayney. It wasnt a particularly exciting meeting, there was little debate and there was nothing contentious. Ill do better next time.
04.01.2022 Is this a rare example of the Dummy Tree? Is it the legendary eucalyptus passifyus? In my family, childrens dummies were thrown into the pot belly stove when no longer needed. The child watched the dummy melt, and then watch it burst into flame. Is this where dummies now go to see out their days? Have you seen other examples? ... Bloomfield Park - just past the two bridges over the creek crossing.
04.01.2022 I love the Orange Regional Museum. It’s always got something interesting to see, and it’s worth a visit every now and then. It’s not your traditional museum - but a modern and engaging approach. Drop in and see what’s on.
03.01.2022 Future Tunes is an upcoming series of small outdoor music gigs, hosted by Council to support local musicians while bringing the community together in a relaxed,... casual setting. But first, Council is calling for musicians interested in a paid gig to get in touch, as well as food or drink vendors who would like to be involved. The afternoon music performances in Robertson Park are part of Council’s Future City project and will be COVID-safe, free, fun and family friendly. If you would like to be a part of Future Tunes, click on the link for an Expression of Interest application form. https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/future-tunes/
03.01.2022 Friday 31 July: Covid-19
02.01.2022 Council meeting tonight, Tues 15/9 from 7pm. There are two matters which Ive been particularly pondering, and am still a little unsure about. Item 5.9 is an amendment to the LEP, a rezoning for Forest Road Retail precinct, near the new private hospital. Should council protect the CBD, or provide convenience for future residents near south Orange and the staff & visitors of the hospital? ... Item 5.3 is the application from Orange Region Vignernons Association (ORVA) for funding for Orange Wine Month. The funds would be for marketing and promotion for the program, which runs across 5 weekends in October. Would love any input or perspectives - the meeting papers are available on council website, as is the link to the livestream. https://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/meetings/live-stream/
02.01.2022 There’s work happening on Dairy Creek Road, so avoid the area while roadworks are occurring.
01.01.2022 Heres the latest update on wearing of masks.
