Council
by Cat Holloway / Shoalhaven ratepayers will pay 12% more from July 1, 2025. But that might not be enough to save the Council from administration. Weeks of community consultation and workshopping didn't increase Shoalhaven’s appetite for a rate rise. Nevertheless, at the Council meeting on Tuesday, December
Community
by Lucy Robertson / Engineers and environmentalists have slammed a developer’s response to community concerns over flawed flood projections for a new subdivision proposed in West Culburra. In the development plan, 40ha of critical habitat for threatened species would be cleared to make way for a 400-home housing estate in
Community
Some know that Booderee is a Dhurga word meaning ‘bay of plenty'. But fewer know that Budjaan is the south coast Dharawal and Dhurga word for bird. Budjaan is also the title of a young woman's simple but beautiful mission to use language to entwine culture and
Fun isn't the first word that comes to mind when we think about politics. But Kate Dezarnaulds intends to change that with her announcement today of candidacy as an independent for Gilmore in the upcoming federal election. by Cat Holloway / Surrounded by friends, family and supporters in Berry,
by Cat Holloway / Shoalhaven ratepayers will pay 12% more from July 1, 2025. But that might not be enough to save the Council from administration. Weeks of community consultation and workshopping didn't increase Shoalhaven’s appetite for a rate rise. Nevertheless, at the Council meeting on Tuesday, December
Some know that Booderee is a Dhurga word meaning ‘bay of plenty'. But fewer know that Budjaan is the south coast Dharawal and Dhurga word for bird. Budjaan is also the title of a young woman's simple but beautiful mission to use language to entwine culture and
😉 Just a little fun in response to the motion (below) before Shoalhaven Council this Tuesday. The assertions were too astonishing to ignore. DATELINE: Tuesday, December 10, Nowra Monsters in the Shrubbery by Poppy Koch Forget summertime rips and sunburn, Shoalhaven Councillors have vowed to fight the root cause of community
by Cat Holloway / Just when you thought it was safe to wander through the park to your local cafe by the beach...in swoops the new Shoalhaven Council to reverse yet another community-led initiative and make life easier for property developers. Serious questions now surround the details and instigators of
by Cat Holloway / Shoalhaven Council's Finance Review Committee may be keen to light a fire under the asset management strategy. But the committee's induction, probity checks and Terms of Reference are yet to be smoked out. While we (the rate-paying public) wait, there's much
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😉 Just a little fun in response to the motion (below) before Shoalhaven Council this Tuesday. The assertions were too astonishing to ignore. DATELINE: Tuesday, December 10, Nowra Monsters in the Shrubbery by Poppy Koch Forget summertime rips and sunburn, Shoalhaven Councillors have vowed to fight the root cause of community
by Cat Holloway / Just when you thought it was safe to wander through the park to your local cafe by the beach...in swoops the new Shoalhaven Council to reverse yet another community-led initiative and make life easier for property developers. Serious questions now surround the details and instigators of
by Erica Graham / Straight Out of Berry - How a straight white woman from Berry wound up rescuing queer people halfway around the world. It all started with my vision board, a yearly collage of dreams and goals. Returning to Berry after two decades away, I felt a bit disconnected
by Cat Holloway / Shoalhaven Council's Finance Review Committee may be keen to light a fire under the asset management strategy. But the committee's induction, probity checks and Terms of Reference are yet to be smoked out. While we (the rate-paying public) wait, there's much
by Cat Holloway and Morgan Reade / Mayor Patricia White has used her executive powers to personally appoint five private citizens to a Finance Review Committee (FRC) to investigate Shoalhaven Council’s books and strategise a way for the organisation to escape its deep debt. But the move has intensified calls
Just before tonight‘s ordinary meeting, Shoalhaven City Council CEO, Robyn Stevens resigned from the position she has held for only nine months. A Council statement was released: At tonight's Council meeting, Councillors appointed Director of City Development, James Ruprai to act in the role while recruitment is
by Cat Holloway / Shoalhaven City Council CEO, Robyn Stevens, faces an imminent threat of losing the top job she has held only since February, as covert moves by Mayor Patricia White to oust Stevens become harder to contain. Mayor Patricia White, Clr Bob Proudfoot and the (now) Deputy Mayor Peter
A Letter From the Editor / Journalists know, you're probably doing your job well if you're upsetting someone. But it’s important to have contacts and collaborators - even nicer to have friends. Much SPARK traffic comes from Facebook shares and thanks to those who have linked
by Cat Holloway / I settled in yesterday evening for a bit of escapist TV but ended up watching two nights’ worth of local council debate over rate rises from back in January. Actually, it was more enlightening than you might think! Although I admit to skipping some bits. Remember January?
Triple U Radio's Col Hesse examines this week's Council meeting with Clr. Jemma Tribe who had a notably busy and confronting session last Monday. Tough topics included a hard-won motion for an Affordable Housing Taskforce, an impending rate rise and the ethics of Mayoral finance committee
Sparking curiosity. Kindling conversation. Igniting community. View this profile on Instagram Spark Shoalhaven (@sparkshoalhaven) • Instagram photos and videos
The first Shoalhaven City Council meeting was a dress rehearsal to iron out procedural wrinkles. This Monday, the curtain should open on a brand new season of the big-budget drama. But who will star in the show? And will the rate-paying audience be watching a gripping political thriller or B-grade