It was great to see a strong field of candidates, including several current councillors, putting their names forward for the position of mayor offering locals the opportunity to select their preferred person for the job.

An effective council can mean the difference between a community which makes the most of opportunities for progress and development, or one that lags behind. Good local government can have a significant impact.

Local government affects our community and way of life because it is so close to the people. As a vital part of our three-tiered government system, shire and city councils deal with so many of the issues which affect our daily lives along the North Coast.

The council and its leadership have an important planning and leadership role as well as wide responsibility for the delivery of essential services. The Council charts the course for the future of the Port Macquarie-Hastings Shire.

The challenge for the new mayor and the existing councillors is to maintain the strong growth of recent years and ensure that it continues into the future, while maintaining our pristine environment and ensuring that the Port Macquarie-Hastings region remains a great place to live as well as work.

As a candidate who was not previously a councillor, Peta will be calling on her years of business experience to offer a fresh perspective and bring some new insight with her to the position of mayor.

I would like to commend all the candidates who nominated for the position of mayor, for what is an important role for driving our community forward.

I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate Mrs Pinson on her victory and hope that we can work constructively together into the future, as the three tiers of government should, for the betterment of our communities. I am looking forward to having a formal meeting with Mayor-elect Pinson to hear her vision for the future.