While the City of Ballarat is aware overseas trips are cause for "public scrutiny", they have nonetheless forged ahead with their international plans in the interest of cultural development.
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The motion to send a maximum of three representatives to Ainaro in Timor Leste as part of the city's "friendship and cooperation agreement", and a maximum of five delegates to Inagawa in Japan to celebrate their sister council relationship, was carried unanimously at Wednesday's meeting.
Mayor Cr Des Hudson, who moved the motion, said the council had been approached about the trips from each municipality since international borders had opened.
He said while the visits may seem trivial, each would be completed for different purposes.
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Cr Hudson said the Ainaro travels would serve as a way of providing "support to a country that was decimated and was has having to rebuild from the ground up".
"They don't have significant budgets; they have nothing like the size of our budgets to be able to do many of the things we take for granted," he said.
Moreover, Inagawa would be a catalyst for greater "partnership opportunities" including "potential officer exchanges" and "visitor economy experiences", Cr Hudson said.
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He said there would be "lots of benefit" associated with the east Asia trip and would aid in bolstering Japanese tourists to Ballarat.
Similarly, Cr Mark Harris, who seconded, said the visits were essential to the council's cross cultural relationships.
"We've got to maintain that brotherhood," Cr Harris said.
The anticipated costs for the exchange visit to Ainaro is about $12,440. This comprises flight and accommodation fees for one councillor and one council officer.
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The rough costs for Japan will be three times more than the estimated expense to Timor-Leste, with travel approximated to be $38,000.
This will make provisions for the mayor, one councillor, the city's chief executive or delegate as well as two council officers.
This year's trip to Ainaro will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the council's friendship and cooperation agreement with the southeast Asian nation.
While Japan travels will mark the City of Ballarat's 35th anniversary with the Inagawa Hyogo Prefecture as sister councils.
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Malvika Hemanth
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
