Greater Shepparton City Council started the new year with a new chief executive and now a neighbouring council will also have to replace the head of its administrative arm.
Strathbogie Shire Council, which is currently under administration after its councillors were sacked by Victorian Local Government Minister Melissa Horne in December last year, will begin the search for a replacement for its chief executive, Julie Salomon.
Administrator Peter Stephenson said Ms Salomon had been a stable force during her four years.
“During her tenure, Julie navigated the organisation through turbulent times, beginning with her arrival in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
“She also managed challenges such as floods, severe storms and addressing unacceptable councillor behaviour, which led to the Minister for Local Government, Melissa Horne, suspending the remaining councillors.”
Mr Stephenson praised Ms Salomon for saving the council $2 million after getting the Violet Town Landfill reclassified as low risk and overseeing major infrastructure projects and upgrades, such as the Rockies Footbridge, the Nagambie Foreshore Walk, streetscape enhancements in local towns and the establishment of toilet facilities in others.
He said Ms Salomon also fostered cost-saving partnerships with Mansfield, Benalla and Murrindindi councils, as well as a tourism collaboration with Mitchell Shire Council and Greater Shepparton City Council.
Greater Shepparton started 2024 with a new chief executive, Fiona Le Gassick, replacing Peter Harriott, while Moira Shire Council, which is also under administration, appointed Matthew Morgan as its chief executive in January.
Big lunch being prepared
Shepparton’s Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch has issued a save-the-date notice.
This year’s event, which raises awareness of men’s health issues and money to fund prostate cancer specialist and bowel cancer specialist nurses, will be held on Friday, October 11.
The success of last year’s event also helped fund a transperineal biopsy machine, which means men from the region no longer have to travel to Melbourne to receive the best prostate diagnoses.
The event will again be held at the Museum of Vehicle Evolution, with tables of 10 being sold.
Des Dowling will emcee with special guests stand-up comedian, radio broadcaster and television host Lawrence Mooney and Australia’s “number one stand-up ventriloquist” Darren Carr.
Rate cut predictions
Interest rates are never far from the minds of homeowners, potential home buyers or business people, and predicting their rise or fall can be a mug’s game, as even former Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe would likely testify to.
The Bendigo Bank has offered its thoughts in a March report, though, and homebuyers shouldn’t expect any good news before September, it said.
“Ultimately, RBA rate cuts will depend on core inflation returning to or below three per cent, and while the latest monthly indicator showed CPI down to 3.4 per cent, the core measure was still up at 3.8 per cent in January, which is exactly where we have forecast it will land in the next quarterly numbers out in late April,” Bendigo Bank chief economist David Robertson said.
Therefore, Mr Robertson predicted rate cuts would not be seen until September at the earliest and more likely not until 2025.