Australia Day events in the Murrumbidgee Council area will be taken online following continuing concerns about holding large events during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council has announced.
General Manager, John Scarce said the decision was made by Council amid ongoing concerns for the safety of the community.
“The number one priority is always public safety and Council last night resolved that large events such as these present too much of a risk with the current impacts of COVID-19,” he said.
“A key part of the day is the ceremony to recognise the recipients of Australia Day awards and these special people in our community will now be recognised on our Facebook and Instagram pages and through the local media.
“Another important aspect of the day is the visit by the Australia Day Ambassador. It is planned to have this year’s ambassador, Ms Viv Kartsounis, give an online address about her fascinating life and charity work,” he said.
Mr Scarce said we Council was looking forward to holding events in the future when it is safe to do so.
“Thank you to the organising committees and to staff who have already spent a considerable amount of time preparing for the events.”
“Your commitment to bringing events such as these to our towns is much appreciated and it is unfortunate that COVID-19 continues to impact our lives to such a degree,” he said.
Also affected, are the Summer Break events at the local swimming pools at Coleambally and Jerilderie. These have been postponed and will be held at a later date.
