The NSW Governor, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, has interrupted her holiday in Kiama to conduct an historic granting of Royal Assent at the Council Chambers. The documents were brought to town in the Governor’s traditional red box.

While the new regulations brought in by the NSW Government from tonight to prevent the spread of COVID-19 do not apply to the Kiama LGA, the signing of the Royal Assent was necessary to make them official in the area where they do apply. To come into being, all NSW legislation and regulations have to be given Royal Assent by the Executive Council, made up of the NSW Governor and two Ministers.

It is the first time Royal Assent has been given outside of Sydney, although the mechanism to allow it to happen other than in a physical meeting was introduced in April as a COVID-19 precaution to ensure effective government.

As Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services, the Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward, is also a member of the Executive Council. He and the Governor met in person in the Council Meeting Room, and were joined online by the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres.

Mayor Mark Honey was more than happy to make Council's facilities available to the Government.

While masks aren't mandatory here, he encourages residents to use common sense in crowded situations.