USUALLY ratepayers or taxpayers are upset when their money is spent by councillors or politicians headed overseas on trips designed to enhance relationships between governments.
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Two Corowa councillors have defied the traditional arrangement by paying their own way on a trip designed to re-ignite a sister city agreement between the shire and Miki City in Japan.
Paul Miegel and Gail Law served as chaperones to 10 students from Corowa High School at no cost to ratepayers.
The agreement had been suspended in 2009 and even plans to revive the relationship were initially thwarted when the global financial crisis put travel plans on hold.
Now the successful trip in September and October has seen Corowa extend an invitation to a Miki City delegation to visit the shire next year.
It wasn’t only the councillors who had to fund their trip; students also had to pay their way for travel and expenses while host families in Japan provided their accommodation.
Those students involved will speak at the council’s November meeting to share their experiences of a journey that must enhance the region’s relationship with our Asian neighbours.
