They expressed a major goal of the new council being the restoration of a working, positive and trusting relationship between council and the community. "Council needs to be able to communicate well to the public, and I can help with that," said newly elected Councillor Peter Diskon.

He's lived in the Eurobodalla 14 years, 10 of which were spent hosting community talkback radio. He is most passionate about housing affordability. "Working on commercial radio, I had calls on a regular basis from homeless people looking for somewhere to live," he said.

Councillor Tanya Dannock is looking forward to representing the shire as it continues to thrive as a resilient and caring community. "The new council appears to possess quite a lot of diverse talent," Cr Dannock said. "I'm particularly passionate about looking at issues through the lens of young people and parents with young children." Cr Dannock's priorities are to alleviate stress caused by the current housing crisis, providing facilities ensuring young people remain connected with the community, growing community engagement with council and facilitating family-friendly services and vibrant community initiatives.

Newly-elected Councillor Tubby Harrison said his main goal was to "open up council and be more transparent with the community, and be more focused on helping our community". He brings solid knowledge of the region and the needs of the community after being a local business owner for over 20 years.

"It's an exciting time to be joining council with the refreshing brand of leadership Mat Hatcher brings as our new Mayor," said Councillor Alison Worthington. "As a relative newcomer to the shire, having lived here less than 10 years, I bring fresh eyes and a sense of discovery of all that the Eurobodalla has to offer," Cr Worthington said. Her top priority is to implement a Climate Resilience Plan - future-proofing the shire against any challenges the climate will present.

Councillor Rob Pollock OAM was first elected to represent the people of the Eurobodalla in 1987 and has been reelected for every council since. "I've been repeatedly reelected and the people who have seen fit for me to continue in that roll will expect me to conduct myself as I have done previously."

Councillor David Grace has two major focuses, transparency and homelessness. "If we don't get housing affordability right we will not be able to get the essential people we need to make our community function."

"I am honoured by the trust the community has placed in me and I am looking forward to representing their views and creating meaningful strategies for our future," said Councillor Amber Schutz.

Cr Schutz hopes her architecture training - with knowledge of building standards, Development Control Plans and State Planning Policies - will help the council make informed decisions, especially regarding two important issues for her: improving housing affordability and reducing instances of homelessness.

Councillor Anthony Mayne did not respond to questions from the Bay Post. The council meets for the first time February 8. Agenda papers for each meeting are available on the website Tuesday one week prior.