Kiama Rotary recently welcomed two new members, Alison Spice and David Stevens, to the club.

Club president Phil Whyte also expressed his pleasure at the attendance of the newest honorary member, Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald, who addressed the meeting regarding his first year in office and discussed the forthcoming challenges facing the area.

“We are honoured to have Kiama’s Mayor as an honorary member of the club,” Whyte said.

“We welcome him back to outline the Council’s challenges for the future.”

He also thanked Alison and David for seeking membership: “It is great for our club to have two new members wishing to give service to the Kiama community.

“We welcome all who are interested in our ideals and who look for a way to make a difference in our area.”

Mayor McDonald provided an overview of his initial 10 months in the role, highlighting the commitment of the Council team to addressing the needs of the community.

He emphasised the importance of safeguarding the local area while striving to strengthen the Council’s financial position and ensuring the municipality responds effectively and equitably to State Government policy directives.

The Council is complying with the State Performance Order on financial recovery.

A significant challenge is the NSW Government’s mandate to accelerate housing development, which necessitates the delivery of an additional 900 housing units within the Council area by 2029.

To address these requirements, Council has released its Housing Strategy and has released its draft Employment Lands and Rural Lands strategies, aiming to balance local aspirations and state obligations.

Cr McDonald underscored the necessity for development growth to proceed, where possible, in alignment with local priorities.

A central concern for any development remains infrastructure, which demands close collaboration and funding among Council, developers and the state government.

Key considerations include sewerage, roads, drainage and maintaining the high standard of services.

On a broader level, Cr McDonald referenced effective regional cooperation through the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation of Councils and highlighted the potential opportunities emerging from the Kiama by-election.

He concluded with an optimistic perspective regarding the future of Council, noting improvements in financial stability, updated policies, and governance enhancements.

These advancements will better position the municipality to meet state policy requirements and accommodate growing interest in local development.