THE threat of bushfires erupting in the North East has prompted Indigo Shire's mayor to cancel her family beach holiday next month.
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"As a leader of my community I expect leadership from those above me and I feel it's not the right way to behave as leader, to say 'I'm off and I'll leave it for all of you to do'," Cr O'Connor said.
"I've got Christmas Day in Melbourne but we've cancelled our holidays.
"We were going to Merimbula for two weeks in January, we were going to spend our holidays there.
"As soon as I became mayor it was a given we wouldn't be away over summer."
Cr O'Connor said based on CFA and environment department briefings she expected a torrid bushfire season and that had shaped her decision.
She tweeted her concern about Mr Morrison's holiday move and told The Border Mail he "should be visible" amid bushfires.
"It's not about fighting the fires, it's about being there for your community and showing leadership," Cr O'Connor said.
"That's what leaders do, they don't have to go on fire trucks to be there to support communities."
Alpine Council mayor Peter Roper said he would not be home over Christmas-New Year, but "if anything happens I'll turn up".
He did not oppose the PM holidaying this week.
"Everyone is entitled to take a break, the parliament has dissolved and realistically he's entitled to spend time with his family," Cr Roper said.
Meanwhile, Cr Roper said he expected a new chief executive for Alpine Shire to be in place by May.
"He's chosen a very timely time to go," Cr Roper said, noting it would allow his replacement to be in place months before council elections next November.
An executive recruitment firm will be hired to undertake the process of seeking applicants with first advertising expected in late January or early February.
Cr Roper predicted there would be internal as well external candidates to replace Mr Bird, who has been chief executive at the shire since August 2017.
