Greg Georgopoulos is CEO of South Australia’s Kangaroo Island Council, which has been hard hit by a “trifecta of crises” – crippling drought, catastrophic bushfires, and COVID-19.

I have been in local government for a long time, but I’ve never seen anything quite like this.

We need rain to ease the drought, but that’s in Mother Nature’s hands. January’s bushfire burnt half the island and 80% of primary industry was lost, while tourism was decimated. Coronavirus was the last thing our community needed.

We’d asked visitors to return, then we told them to stop coming again. Job losses are significant. Bushfire recovery work continues, but COVID makes it difficult and winter will further slow efforts.

Council is considering what support packages we can provide. Strategic partnerships will be key to recovery, as will community hubs to help small businesses and farmers, and infrastructure encouraging economic diversification.

Our front counter is closed but most services are being maintained; our library offers online storytelling and click-and-collect or home delivery borrowing; some council staff have been redirected into bushfire recovery work; and not-for-profit group Junction Australia is here providing in-home, travel and shopping assistance to the vulnerable.

We are a resilient lot on Kangaroo Island and I’m optimistic that we will get through this.

Many small businesses are in hibernation, aiming to come back better than ever, even if they need to reinvent themselves or diversify.

Kangaroo Island’s environmental advantages mean it will remain a strong primary producer and beautiful holiday destination. When this is over, people will want to get out and travel and we’ll be ready to welcome them. There may be challenges ahead, but we will find our place in this new world order.

Greg Georgopoulos
Chief Executive Officer
Kangaroo Island Council