General News
30 July, 2025
Council focus on poos, farts
SEWERAGE isn’t meant to be a dinner table topic – and yet, somehow, conversations about poos, farts and pipes still seem to bubble up when you least expect them.
That’s the thing about the basics – when they work, no one notices.
When they don’t – it’s all anyone talks about.
There’s a growing gap between what people think councils do and what councils are actually responsible for.
That’s part of the reason I started this ABCs series in the first place.
Because understanding what we do matters.
We’re here to make sure your bin gets picked up, your drains don’t flood, your streets are safe to drive, your water’s safe to drink – and yes, that what goes down the toilet stays down.
It’s not glamorous work, but it’s some of the most important work we do.
As mayor, I believe good leadership is knowing your lane and sticking to it. Local government is the level of government closest to the ground – literally. We deal in potholes, pipes, parks and footpaths. That’s our lane.
And it’s also why this year’s budget wasn’t built on slogans – it was built on services.
That’s why this year’s budget starts the careful work of restoring balance after years of over-extension. That means saying no to things that don’t align with our core purpose and refocusing on the essentials that people rely on every single day.
But there’s more to basics than just delivering them.
You also have to listen and be willing to respond to what matters in real life, not just on paper.
Our new neighbourhood pathways program is a good example.
It’s simple, really, we’re asking residents where small footpath projects – a missing link, a pram ramp a shaded section – could make a real difference in how they live and move around their neighbourhood.
It is exactly the kind of thing local government should be doing – small decisions that quietly improve people’s everyday lives.
And when it comes to basics, we can’t ignore the big ones either – water, waste and wellbeing.
Over the next five to seven years, these will be defining challenges for the council.
The cost of waste is rising steeply due to state government levies.
Our water network is undergoing record investment. And community wellbeing – particularly around housing and safety – is under strain.
The basics are no longer “basic.” They are becoming more complex, more costly and more critical to get right.
So yes, B is for basics. But that doesn’t mean small thinking. It means focused, grounded, disciplined thinking – and leadership that knows what it’s here to do.
Because when you boil it down, most people don’t expect perfection.
They just expect the water to run, the rubbish to get collected, and their city to function.
And I think that’s a pretty reasonable place to start.
