We are faced with difficult times ahead that will require challenging – and brave – decisions to ensure we recover and become stronger, better and more resilient.

Along with many of you, I am passionate about our place and our people and 100 per cent of my focus right now is on leading the development of a recovery plan to bring us out of this awful situation.

As a council, we agreed to a strategy that aligns with the Government's approach to fight the virus, cushion the impact and position for recovery.

Yesterday elected members held the fourth of a series of forums or workshops, the first since lockdown started, to help provide direction for the development of our 2020/21 annual plan. We have had to have a complete re-think in the light of Covid-19 and its devastating impact on our community and yesterday's forum really clarified for us that we are heading in the right direction with our Build Back Better economic recovery strategy for Rotorua.

We heard from a panel of speakers, including two economists, to help inform our thinking and they highlighted for us the role that council – and the government – need to play. We've made the recording of the speakers available on the council's website and I would encourage you all to take the time to view these to hear their very interesting and informed perspectives.

Rotorua's recovery will be the key focus of the annual plan and we will be consulting with the community in the coming months.

The lockdown has been an extremely busy time for council and for council staff, ensuring the continuation of essential services, supporting the national civil defence emergency machine by providing welfare support for our community, submitting projects for potential funding from the Government after it called for 'shovel-ready” projects and of course, working on Rotorua's recovery.

Our Council Controlled Organisation - Rotorua Economic Development - is standing alongside us in the recovery work, providing support and advice to businesses directly and leading the establishment of business groups to direct the development of strategies for an effective recovery for our district.

Meanwhile, we've also been lobbying hard for the retention of Airways' air traffic control services at Rotorua Airport. Losing these would be a concern from a safety perspective but would also severely hamper our airport operations and our recovery through the loss of air connectivity. I've written to the Prime Minister, spoken to and written to government ministers and asked our local MPs to support our efforts to ensure we don't lose these crucial services.

Our economy is on life support right now. Many businesses face uncertain futures and Rotorua's recovery response will be a huge challenge for us all. This is a unique situation but there will be learnings from the past, such as the Global Financial Crisis of 2007/8.
Many things remain uncertain but one thing that isn't, is the council's vital leadership role in Rotorua's recovery and we are committed to that.

It will be crucial for our business sectors to be involved in setting the recovery plans and we'll need to partner where we can with Government and others to ensure we can keep investing to provide direct financial stimulation into the Rotorua economy that will keep businesses going and people in jobs.

So there is a lot underway and still a lot to do - there will be some tough decisions to be made – by individuals, by businesses and by the council.

I'm confident our very diverse community is up for the challenge. That's what I've been hearing a lot from many different people who are determined to do whatever they can to contribute to a positive future for our place. Some will need help, some of us will need to help and kindness and collaboration will be key.

I've certainly received and seen a lot of kindness in this time already and we are doing so much right nationally and here in Rotorua to fight the virus so we can move on to recovery.

Lockdown isolation has given us all opportunities for reflection and I think it will see us emerge a more connected community, working together for the greater good – just like those we commemorate today, Anzac Day, did and continue to do.

We do remember them and while we might be physically separated, we are together – tatau tatau.