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By Nasik Swami: SA Pathology has confirmed it is in the process of hiring additional staff to support the expansion of services at its Naracoorte collection centre. The move aims to extend operations to six days a week. This confirmation came in response to enquiries made by The News to the Department of Health regarding the current limited schedule, which sees the facility open only two days per week. We asked the department the following questions: What is the reason the SA Pathology clinic in Naracoorte is only open to the public two days a week (Monday and Tuesday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, excluding the lunch break)? With the local population on the rise and significant travel required to reach alternative clinics in Penola and Mount Gambier, do you believe the current two-day schedule adequately serves community needs? Are there any plans underway to expand the clinic’s operating hours […]

By Nasik Swami: Many local councils in the MacKillop electorate are facing serious financial strain, struggling to meet community demands while navigating complex partnerships with state and federal governments under the Local Government Act 1999. With a shrinking ratepayer base to draw income from, MacKillop MP Nick McBride is asking how regional councils—like Naracoorte Lucindale—can realistically keep up with growing demands and operational expectations. He raised concerns about whether the structure of the Local Government Act was unfairly favouring urban councils while putting smaller, rural councils in the South East at a disadvantage. According to Mr McBride, current local government regulations were placing excessive demands on small councils—expecting levels of service delivery that far exceeded their financial capacity. What’s really coming to light, McBride explained, was how local councils—regardless of size or budget—are lumped into the same category. He said they were expected to handle everything from planning and infrastructure […]

By Nasik Swami: Are the elected officials of the Naracoorte Lucindale Council fulfilling the commitments they made to you, the voters, when they campaigned for office in 2022? Are they effectively addressing community needs and ensuring your voices are heard? This week, The News starts a new series called “Attention councillors.”  This Q&A initiative offers each council member a platform to candidly express their views, share their concerns, discuss their vision for the community, and assess their performance as district representatives. As part of this ongoing initiative, all elected representatives were invited to engage by responding to a set of questions. Some have already declined not to participate, citing various reasons. Our first Q&A is with Cr Andrew Downward:  Positive feedback! The News: How has your experience this term been so far as an elected member of the Naracoorte Lucindale Council? Cr Downward: Enjoyable, although as with most things, it […]