ABOUT 20 local health, education, sport, church, business, media, and local government representatives met online last Thursday to further discuss a COVID-19 recovery plan through a collaborative approach.

The Light Electorate Community Recovery Committee’s (CRC) second meeting offered vigorous discussion on the formation of a draft community plan, along with positive messaging examples to use coming out of the crisis.

Hosted by Member for Light Tony Piccolo, the meeting focused on what sectors were currently doing well – including food production, transport and tourism – while looking at other opportunities to grasp on the road to recovery, including in the defence and space industries, along with creative industry growth.

Mr Piccolo suggested the four local councils should work together to attract more population to the areas.

“It might be worth the four councils working together on a regional plan, because in fairness I don’t think any of the councils have all the assets, but there are assets across the four and they should work together to promote the whole region,” he said.

“It’s something I will have a discussion with the mayors about to see if we could do something like that.”

During the meeting, Andrew Culley discussed the Deloitte document prepared for governments across Australia as a guide to preparing a foundation for a local recovery plan.

Dr Naomi Rutten raised concerns on the detrimental health impacts the pandemic is having on locals, including high stress, increased addiction and PTSD.

She planned to prepare mental health packs to share with business and community leaders.

RDA creative industries co-ordinator Leah Blankendaal highlighted the struggles ‘creatives’ were currently facing and suggested exploring new ways to access the arts.

“Arts is essential in healing, along with sport, and can help prevent health issues,” she said. “We should sit down with creatives and look at how businesses can get arts more involved or how schools could utilise the arts as a form of therapy.”

Representing the region’s youth, Ethan White also raised his peers’ fears of the unknown when school comes to an end, with many previously planning to study interstate.

He suggested Gawler and the surrounding regions should look into ways to make them unique, particularly for the younger generation.

The group’s draft community plan will be circulated to all participants for feedback by the end of the month, before the committee meets again in August.