Opinion
10 October, 2025
Council: Are you serious?
I’m almost speechless. Thankfully I’m a writer so it doesn’t matter. Wingecarribee Shire Council – already under one of the darkest clouds in NSW local government history – is basically refusing to acknowledge The Southern Wire as a legitimate media outlet.
I’m almost speechless. Thankfully I’m a writer so it doesn’t matter.
Wingecarribee Shire Council – already under one of the darkest clouds in NSW local government history – is basically refusing to acknowledge The Southern Wire as a legitimate media outlet.
They say their resources are best directed elsewhere – with media outlets based outside the region or with outlets that say they’re local but will feed you content (at a significant price) that has nothing to do with the Southern Highlands or with Wingecarribee Shire Council. I guess that’s the way council likes it.
Here’s my background. I have been a journalist for more than 30 years. I have managed communications for two NSW councils (Bega Valley Shire and Port Macquarie-Hastings) and have worked in the media department for another (Shoalhaven). I managed community engagement for Tasmania’s largest council (City of Launceston). Media is my thing. Communicating with people is my thing. I understand personally and professionally what happens when people don’t communicate with one another.
I have worked with councils heading into administration, (thankfully) in administration and coming out of administration. But in more than 30 years working across three different states I don’t think I have ever come across a council as dysfunctional as Wingecarribee. Possibly one.
That’s one other council, in 30 years, across three states.
I’ve always said – based on extensive experience – that if you have a dysfunctional council, getting rid of the elected representatives won’t necessarily solve everything. You can have great councillors but poor staff. If a council gets dismissed, councillors go, staff stay. Problems remain.
We have some great councillors who are doing their best. I don’t think anyone can question their commitment to their roles or to the region – regardless of how they carry on at council meetings or what they post on their private social media pages.
Unfortunately there’s no point dealing with spotfires – and boasting about your success – when there’s a burning inferno heading in your direction.
So who at Wingecarribee Shire Council decided The Southern Wire was a waste of resources? I’m guessing it wasn’t the poor sods working in the media section who hopefully understand the importance of building and maintaining positive working relationships.
I’m guessing we look up the ladder to people who are never held accountable for the decisions they make and who build ‘successful’ careers under a cloak of anonymity.
The basic issue here is transparency. The Southern Wire doesn’t exist to trash council, to praise council or do anything besides to report accurately and to ask questions on behalf of the community.
Council may refuse to engage with us but we have already established our credibility, we have demonstrated our commitment to the region above and beyond some of the media outlets councils says it will deal with and we will continue to ask the questions and seek the answers ratepayers expect and deserve.
Game on council. I would have thought you had more important things to deal with. Try dealing with the basics like road maintenance and DA processing times and stop wasting time producing reports and issuing statements about how well you are doing when it is blatantly obvious to everyone that you are not.
Once again this isn’t only about our elected representatives. It’s about the people who call the shots behind closed doors and in comfortable chairs and who never have to answer to the people impacted most by their decisions.
Not much point sweeping the broom if you only brush around the edges.
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