General News
8 October, 2022
Community's new voice
A new community group pledges to get community member voices heard.
A NEW community group has pledged to better represent Horsham residents, following a public meeting at the weekend.
More than 50 people turned up at Sunnyside Bowling Club on Sunday to formally launch the Community Matters - HRC (Horsham Rural City) group.
The group's aim is to have broad representation of community members of all ages and abilities and covering all areas of the municipality.
Community Matters - HRC co-coordinator, former Horsham councillor Di Bell, said the group served to provide people in Horsham a platform to speak.
“People like myself, who speak up for the community, are constantly branded as naysayers and loud voices in a derogatory and dismissive manner, particularly by many public service organisations, not just locally, but across the country,” she said.
“What these public services and organisations don’t understand is we are genuine, passionate people who love and appreciate our lifestyle here, have chosen to live here, and we speak out because we care.
“Times change and we see possible areas for improvements for our community and infrastructure needed to take us forward into the future.
“Advocates of Community Matters - HRC have considered the Sunnyside Bowls Club meeting very successful given that it was only three weeks since the last meeting.”
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Horsham Ratepayers and Residents Association president and fellow Community Matters - HRC coordinator Terry O’Donnell led initial discussions at the meeting.
He said the group also would represent non-ratepayers who had previously felt excluded from HRRA.
The meeting also initiated registrations of interest for TEAMs (Together Everyone Achieves More) groups to cover key areas of interest, encouraging community members to join a TEAM focusing on areas such as services, business, city planning, community spaces, arts and culture, sports facilities, inclusion, health and wellbeing, events and tourism, among others.
Ms Bell said there was an “overwhelming number” who registered to the group’s TEAMs during the meeting.
“I cannot believe how many have registered already, and this proves that many want to speak up, but will do it with someone leading and not by themselves,” she said.
“I wasn’t surprised about the number of registrations for the community spaces TEAM, but I was surprised that there was a lot for city planning too.
“Community advocates are usually people out working in the community in a variety of areas of community support, such as at events and clubs, who see what’s happening on the ground and have ideas to share to plan and improve our future.
“I simply cannot understand why it is so hard to all be around the table to discuss and build on ideas from all to find the best possible outcomes for our communities. Isn’t that what the public service organisations are here for, to serve the community?”