The interesting part for us is why and how various empires and associations of people prospered at certain times and suffered at others. Undoubtedly, many nations and regions succeeded through manifest superiority in war and their ability to completely obliterate their opponents. The most successful and enduring societies though were far more nuanced in their manner of succeeding at trade. This nuance took many forms and includes but is not limited to: negotiating and unifying their neighbours, spreading education (and religion) as far as they travelled, bargaining and negotiating with honour, learning multiple languages, using ingenuity in the face of adversity and realising that being united is far more prudent than constantly bringing about division.

It is these lessons from history that we can learn and adopt at a local level here in the Hilltops. The amalgamation of our three former councils has led to strength and prosperity for the whole area and in particular for the smaller towns and villages. On a per capita basis a greater proportion of the Stronger Communities funding went to the two former smaller council areas. As someone associated with one of the villages, I can see the increased expenditure there and in all the villages to the extent that Jugiong is now the gateway to the Hilltops. Unified, we have a seat at the table. We have bargaining power now that was never possible before. In these difficult times of drought it is time to be ingenious and find solutions for the betterment of the whole Hilltops community.