Council Connections - Mayor's Message 15 April 2020

The Post-Election Statutory Meeting was held yesterday, Tuesday 14 April 2020 where all elected members took their Declaration of Office for the next term of Council. Once again I extend my congratulations to our Councillors for the 2020 to 2024 term.

As part of the Statutory Meeting the election of a Deputy Mayor takes place and I congratulate Cr Andrew Cripps on his election to the position of Deputy Mayor.

It was considered of great importance for this Statutory Meeting to be held as soon as possible following declaration of the poll in order for Councillors to get back down to business. A number of issues have arisen due to the Coronavirus Pandemic and Council will now have the opportunity to formally discuss and debate decisions regarding these matters.

Council will have some difficult times in front of them and I look forward to forging ahead with both current and new projects that are in the pipeline.

May I please remind you that in keeping with our commitment to transparency and openness meeting reports and all decisions made from the recent and future General Meetings are available on Council’s website for viewing with the minutes.

Council General Meetings will also be live streamed to our Facebook page for viewing by the general public.

COVID-19 Home Confinement Directive

Please continue to follow the Chief Health Officer’s Directives in relation to the current Coronavirus Pandemic. We all need to remain vigilant with respect to social distancing and personal hygiene and more so, the need to comply with the Home Confinement Directive. Stay at home unless absolutely essential.

Please be reminded that a person who resides in Queensland must not leave their principal place of residence except for, and only to the extent reasonably necessary to accomplish, the following permitted purposes:

1. to obtain food or other essential goods or services;
2. to obtain medical treatment or other health care services;
3. to engage in physical exercise;
4. to perform work or volunteering, or carry out or conduct an essential business, activity or undertaking, and the work, business activity or undertaking to be performed is of a nature that cannot reasonably be performed from the person’s principal place of residence;
5. to visit another person’s residence in accordance with paragraph 9 of the Home Confinement, Movement and Gathering Direction;
6. education and early childhood workers may travel to and from their home centre over the term 1 break;
7. to visit a terminally ill relative or to attend a funeral or wedding, subject to any applicable restrictions under other relevant Public Health Directions;
8. to provide assistance, care or support to an immediate family member;
9. to attend any court or tribunal of Australia or to comply with or give effect to orders of the court or tribunal of Australia;
10. to attend a childcare facility, school, university, or other educational institution, to the extent care or instruction cannot reasonably be obtained in the person’s principal place of residence;
11. to assist with or participate in an investigation or other action by a law enforcement authority, whether voluntarily or not;
12. for children under 18 years who do not live in the same household as their biological parents or siblings or one of their parents or siblings, continuing existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children and siblings, but not allowing access or contact with vulnerable groups or persons;

This Direction applies from 11.59pm 2 April 2020 until the end of the declared public health emergency, unless revoked or replaced.

To read the entire Direction, please visit the Queensland Health website, health.qld.gov.au.

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COUNCIL CONNECTIONS -  15 APRIL 2020