COVID tests Australian character

The past two years of COVID-19 challenges has been testament of the strength of the Australian character, according to Baw Baw Shire Cr Darren Wallace.

Addressing the Trafalgar Australia Day annual breakfast, Cr Wallace said Australia Day was a day to reflect and celebrate being Australian.

“COVID-19 has seen the best in what it takes to be a family, a community and a country.

“When the country is in trouble the Australian character comes to the fore, it’s our line of duty…people were lining up to get their jab, it’s the Australian way,” he said.

But Cr Wallace said his true heroes this Australia Day were the mums who had carried the load of COVID pressures on families.

While acknowledging there also were many special dads in the community, he said mums had juggled work and home schooling pressures over the past two years.

“Mums are the glue that hold us together, especially in tough times,” he said.

Cr Wallace said COVID also had prevented communities coming together.

Guest speaker at the Trafalgar breakfast was Trafalgar News president John Freyne who spoke about the importance of community and regional newspapers.

He said COVID had not been kind to many regional newspapers but the Traf News had survived largely because of its community support.

Mr Freyne said newspapers were important for connecting communities, telling the stories of local heroes and celebrating the successes of people in the community.

He said in a time of “misinformation” the local papers was a reliable and trustworthy source of news.

“Right now there is nothing more important than telling the stories that keep us connected,” he said.