Bayside has become the first Sydney metropolitan council to donate to the Big Drought Appeal and mayor Bill Saravinovski has thrown down a challenge to other councils to match their efforts.
In a mayoral minute at last night’s council meeting, Councillor Saravinovski asked his fellow councillors to support his request for the council to make a donation of $5000 to the Big Drought Appeal.
This was unanimously supported.
He then threw down the challenge to other councils to donate to the appeal, adding that Bayside would donate another $1000 for every council that does.
“We are the first Sydney metropolitan council to donate to donate to this appeal and we challenge other councils to donate,” Cr Savavinovski said.
“For every Sydney council that does donate we will donate an additional $1000, whatever they contribute.
“If we get 20 councils donating, we will donate another $20,000 making our donation $25,000.
“And hopefully the business community will get behind it.
“The reality is that our rural farmers and their families have been crippled, brought to their knees, by a merciless drought that continues to this day, killing their livestock and leaving farming families struggling financially and emotionally,” Cr Saravinovski said.
“We must do something to help them and so I ask my fellow councillors to join me in supporting The Big Drought Appeal by offering a significant donation to help our country men and women.
“The Big Dry Drought Appeal is a partnership between Fairfax Media, Macquarie Radio and the ‘Buy A Bale’ charity whose members are delivering essential relief to drought-stricken farmers across a burnt rural landscape that stretches across New South Wales.
“All money donated to The Big Dry Drought Appeal is used to purchase vital feed and water for their starving remaining livestock and for the purchase of essential amenities for their deserving families.
“This is a perilous period of drought and those of us who have the luxury of city living should willingly support our farming communities and so I propose Council support The Big Dry Drought Appeal with a donation of $5,000.
“Council’s donation will be added with others and will go a long way to ensure that our NSW rural communities are receiving some relief from this devastating drought.”
