Interconnectedness
Published on 30 November 2022
We are all part of a larger picture.
British writer Douglas Adams is probably best known for The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, but just as good is Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency in which he coined the phrase ‘the fundamental interconnectedness of all things’.
I’ve been noticing this interconnectedness lately and the more you pay attention, the more you see.
Cobar is situated in the centre of New South Wales, and in 1975, it seemed as though I passed through this lovely old mining town every other week as part of my Army training. I was reminded of that connection as I spoke to Cobar Shire Council’s GM, Peter Vlatko online last week.
He told me of Cobar’s troubles as aged care providers. Financially, they cannot hang on until Christmas. Although the message is sad and related to the viability of aged care, the interconnectedness of all things is both how we know – I met Peter at the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Annual Conference in Albury this year– and why we know – because Kiama Council also runs aged care and we deeply understand the challenges right now.
As a council, we have many, many internal and external connections we can use to help our decision-making, to compare our progress, and learn useful lessons. As well as the aforementioned LGNSW network, we have the Country Mayors Association of NSW, where 60 councils share the joy of regionality. Our council is also part of the Australian Coastal Councils Group, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation and the new Greater Cities Commission.
Within our municipality, we have precincts, associations, community groups, council committees and workgroups.
Local Government NSW, a connected council group in itself, promotes council membership of other connected groups. The Australian Local Government Association is the national connected voice of local government putting us in touch with 537 councils Australia-wide.
It is wise to research, look outside our own bubble and see the world of lived, previous experience and understand if lessons learned by others can be applied to our own situation…in life as well as on council. It is also a good exercise in gaining perspective.
As well as empathising with Cobar, I look at Lismore’s flood woes, Central Darling Shire Council who gave away their aged care facility and Central Coast Council clawing its way back from the abyss. I look at Randwick Council, who years ago divested of aged care services, or any number of Victorian councils who are right now doing the same.
Our own experience with aged care has been somewhat of a beacon to others in near-identical situations. In fact there are 13 NSW councils who still own or manage aged care facilities. All of them regional, most much smaller than Kiama (average population 7,500, where ours is 23,000) and all struggling with this aspect of their business.
As I’ve discovered from talking to the Mayors, CEOs and GMs of other councils, we have more commonalities than we have differences and that’s a good thing.
There really is a fundamental interconnectedness of all things and it’s cathartic to find you’re not alone and answers do exist. Those answers often come from those who have been there and done that. All you have to do is connect.