Local Mayors in the Hunter are wagering on who will have their Local Government Area vaccinated first.
Hunter New England Health District Mayors including Mayor of Dungog Shire Cr John Conners, Mayor of Liverpool Plains Shire Cr Douglas Hawkins, Mayor of Mid Coast Council Cr David West and Mayor of Muswellbrook Shire Cr Rod Scholes, Mayor of Singleton Cr Sue Moore and Mayor of the Upper Hunter Shire Cr Maurice Collison have all chucked in $200 to see which region is the first to reach a 70% double dose vaccination rate for ages 15 and up.
The winning Mayor will donate the proceeds to charity.
Singleton Mayor Sue Moore said in addition to the benefits of vaccination, winning the challenge would help the community through the donation of the prize pool to a local charity and of course, deliver all-important bragging rights.
“Singleton does not shy away from a challenge and I hope as many of my fellow residents as possible will join with me to roll up their sleeve, get vaccinated and take on our neighbouring LGAs,” she said.
“It’s welcome news for our residents and businesses that we were released from lockdown last week, but we still have to be vigilant to protect ourselves, each other and our community from the spread of COVID-19.”
“The NSW Government has made it clear that getting vaccinated is the best way we can help stop the spread of the virus and get back to doing the things we love.”
“I’m happy to support my fellow mayors in encouraging our communities to get vaccinated, and while I’d love to see Singleton hit 70 per cent first, there are really no losers if we all do our part to help NSW hit its vaccination target sooner rather than later.”
“I understand there are people in our community who have experienced difficulties accessing a vaccine or making an appointment. I have raised this issue with the Member for Upper Hunter Dave Layzell MP, and am strongly advocating for more supplies to be made available in Singleton,” she said.
You can make a vaccination booking via Where and how to get your COVID-19 vaccination in NSW | NSW Government
For the latest information, visit nsw.gov.au or contact the National COVID-19 Vaccine Helpline on 1800 020 080, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.