I am incredibly proud to be a woman in a leadership role in this shire. I'm equally proud of the long history Kempsey boasts of women in representative roles on council, dating back to the 1970s, including two former female mayors. This is a credit to our community.

For me the date itself doesn't matter, rather it's the reminder to celebrate your favourite women, be they leaders or achievers and to thank the amazing women in your life for all they do. Personally, I will be joining some female council staff to listen to a talk by Turia Pitt.

Her story and her life are so incredibly inspirational.

Keep in mind that International Women's Day is a time for everyone, not just women, to celebrate the progress that women have made and also to remember how much further there is to go.

So happy International Women's Day!

A shire of dog lovers

One of the qualities I most like about people is our ability to love animals.

Pet owners often talk about the pure love they receive from their furry companions, but I don't think we spend enough time praising the animal lovers themselves.

The sacrifice these people make is not just the costs and time of caring for a dependant creature, it is restructuring your days to give priority to the needs of another creature. It is sharing your life with an animal. All for the reward of being able to do so.

In short, animal lovers are wonderful people.

They have proved it again recently in their response to our call for feedback on the dog walking rules and infrastructure in our shire. We asked if the beaches were adequate and if they had the right signage. We asked about dog parks. We did it online and at face to face events.

The dog owners of the shire have spoken up and we love it.

And there is still time! If you have any thoughts on the way council can support dog walking in the shire that you haven't submitted, please do! Head to https://yoursay.macleay.nsw.gov.au/pets