Like many locals, I know there is so much to love on the South Coast – the beaches, the bush, the mountains. We have it all right here in the most beautiful place on Earth.

But the one thing that sets us apart is our amazing community. There is no doubt that this year has been one of our toughest. During the bushfires, local businesses looked after our community. They were there when we needed them most.                                     

We have been through so much – but we made it through because we are strongest when we stand together.

Since the impact of COVID-19, local businesses have shown true innovation, changing their operations to meet the new demand – hand sanitiser, face masks and more. Sometimes overnight, shops changed their processes to make sure customers could be socially distant and safe in their premises. Adjusting life to our new normal

Now with restrictions starting to ease, I have spent a lot of time visiting local businesses to see how they are going and show my support. It has been truly remarkable to hear about local people popping in to buy something just because they can. I’ve heard stories about people visiting from near and far just to say hi and spend what little money they can to support our local businesses. Just beautiful.

Many business owners have told me how grateful they are for their staff – those amazing people on the frontlines. Now they are just excited to be welcoming customers back.

All our local workers have been absolutely invaluable over the last few months, with bushfires and COVID-19 making things so tough. Thank you to all our workers for everything you have done.

Supporting local businesses means supporting local jobs and making sure the Far South Coast remains the most beautiful place to live, work and visit.

This article was first published in the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner on Wednesday 29 July 2020.