What makes a good leader?

Last week I spoke with incoming mayor Sam Coupland about his vision for Armidale and how he intends to achieve it. I also asked him why he wanted to go where many would fear to tread given the tumultuous recent history of Armidale Regional Council.

I was struck by his enthusiasm and ideas, which seem to be earthed by a good dose of pragmatism and management experience.

I'd say there is a good chance of him leading the new council and building a better (and bigger) Armidale.

That is something we all want for the region, but only time will tell.

The community has the chance to learn from and be inspired by a proven leader at next week's Australia Day events in Armidale, Ben Lomond and Guyra.

Antarctic Station Leader and 2015 NSW Australian of the Year Finalist Narelle Campbell has been confirmed as our Australia Day Ambassador for 2022.

I saw Ms Campbell speak at an Australia Day breakfast a few years ago in Walcha, and she is highly engaging.

Her life experience is also fascinating. Not many of us work in one of the most remote environments on earth in a situation where to get it wrong is life-threatening.

Ms Campbell's tales are both entertaining and a good lesson in the tenacity of the human spirit, as well as the benefit of seizing every opportunity.

She has experienced some of the world's most isolated and hostile conditions during her time as a station leader in the remote Australian Antarctic Territory.

Meanwhile, the NSW Government is perhaps giving us a lesson in how not to do things.

If there's one thing we've learned during this pandemic, it's about how quickly things can change.

For most of us, we now know one or many who have contracted COVID-19. We may even have the virus ourselves.

With a move away from PCR testing sites, the onus is increasingly on the public to obtain Rapid Antigen Tests and test ourselves.

Now we are being told not to focus on the daily case numbers. Instead, the depth of the crisis is being measured only in hospitalisations and deaths.

Subsequently, in a statement on Friday, Hunter New England Health announced they would no longer provide a local daily case update.

Due to the centralisation of rapid antigen reporting at a state level, local case numbers were no longer an accurate reflection of COVID-19 across the Hunter New England region, the health authority said.

Now they will only publish hospitalisation and ICU numbers.

So make sure you take the opportunity to listen and learn from influential leaders when the chance arises - they are few and far between.

Our editorial leader for Australian Community Media's Northern Tablelands and North West, Laurie Bullock, will be back next Monday.

Until then, have a happy and safe week.

Vanessa Arundale

Acting group editor Northern Tablelands and North West