It's always good to start your weekend on a lighter note, and this story will appeal to young boys across Lismore and the Northern Rivers.CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, is calling on the community to track their farts to help scientists better understand the frequency and characteristics of one of the leading gut health symptoms experienced by Australians. While passing wind is a normal bodily function, a 2021 CSIRO gut health study found over 60 per cent of Australians reported experiencing what they identified as excessive flatulence, with up to 43 per cent reporting experiencing it most days.  A public-led research campaign is recruiting citizen scientists to help researchers paint a better picture of gut health nationwide.People aged 14 or older are being asked to track their flatulence for at least three days in total, using the free ‘Chart Your Fart’ phone app. Participants will track the quantity and quality of their outputs, including attributes such as stench, loudness, duration, linger and detectability. By sharing their fluffs, people will help to create a chart of what ‘normal’ wind may look like in different groups of Australians.  CSIRO Research Dietitian, Megan Rebuli, said that while some can find farts embarrassing and uncomfortable, healthy bodies are meant to let them go.  “Passing wind is a natural occurrence and a sign that our digestive system is working as it should, to expel excess gas that is produced from breaking down and processing the food we eat,” Ms Rebuli said.  “Talking about diet often leads into discussion about the other end of eating.  “Different foods, medical conditions, or even the way we chew, or swallow can have an impact on how our body processes the excess gas, leading to different smells, frequency or even volume.” The Chart Your Fart campaign is part of newly launched public-led research initiative being driven by CSIRO health and wellbeing researchers in the citizen science space.  Project Lead and CSIRO Behavioural Scientist, Dr Emily Brindal, said when it comes to health and wellbeing, the community bring personal experience and observations that can better inform research.  “Research is only as good as the data we have, and we want to work with as much of our diverse Australian community as we can to drive innovation in health and wellbeing research and deliver meaningful outcomes,” Dr Brindal said. “We want to showcase the potential of public-led research and ask the community to come on board with shaping our future health and wellbeing science.  “We rely on the public to share their experience with us for so much of our health and wellbeing research, but we also want to hear what research the community wants us to do – it is about keeping it real and relevant, but why not have some fun too?”  To take part in the Chart Your Fart campaign please register.Find out more about CSIRO’s Health and Wellbeing community science projects.

Members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) marched through the Lismore CBD on Wednesday after failing to reach a deal with the NSW Government over the 4 weeks of negotiations at the Industrial Relations Commission.Minister for Health, The Hon Ryan Park MP has related a list of items he has proposed to alleviate the nurses and midwives situation in Lismore and around the state.  As the negotiations are still underway, Minister Park has not issued a media release, as written information can muddy negotiations underway; however, he has made some information known after speaking with the press on Wednesday, and further details were obtained from a spokesperson at his office on Thursday.Minister Park revealed the NSWNMA had rejected numerous offers during the negotiations, including a 10.5% pay increase.The spokesperson explained that the 10.5% increase is the standard rate offered to public servants across the board. There was outrage due to the increased offer of a 40% wage rise highlighted for NSW Police. However, that level of increase was only made to certain members of the police force. The 10.5% was not spread evenly, and the police had implemented certain cost-saving initiatives, which assisted with the amount of recompense.Last year, the NSWNMA produced a report outlining ways to reduce costs in their industry; however, on Wednesday, the Minister said that the report was not based on sound modelling.(According to statistics released in September, 105,611 nurses are employed in NSW)Another offer was made to increase the pay of first and second-year nurses by 16%, and spread the 15% pay rise over three years.“What we tried to do was look at ways in which we could expand the amount available but slow down some of the other reforms that we were implementing,” MP Park said."We said very clearly that this reform is often around choices and priorities."This meant that another factor, namely the proposed safe staffing rollout, would need to be delayed.(Rallying in Lismore on Wednesday. Image Credit: Penelope Anderson)The nurses rejected this offer, stating the 15% rise was needed stat, as were safe staffing levels.The spokesperson for the minister pointed out that safe staffing levels have taken eight years to implement in other jurisdictions. They are attempting to change them in the current term of Parliament - less than 4 years, which they describe as ambitious.An immediate 15% pay rise of that magnitude would cost over $6 billion.Minister Park said he was disappointed the NSWNMA had decided to strike again. The government intends to proceed with formal arbitration when both parties appear before the commission once more in 12 days.“I want this issue resolved for nurses and midwives, and I want the service to go back to functioning as the best health service in the world,” he said.The office of the minister was unable to confirm why the NSWNMA went back to strike when they had made a promise not to.Asked about the 3% pay increase that they had not yet received, the spokesperson said that they should have received it on Thursday unless their pay cycle is due next week.(Excerpt from the original story earlier this week.)Other aspects discussed were doubling rural health incentives for our hardest and most critical roles to fill. On 25th Sept, a $20,000 relocation bonus was offered to health workers relocating to rural and regional areas.Nine regional NSW scholarships have also been put on offer to attract workers to the health industry, and give them opportunities to upskill.In regards to accommodation, “The Government will secure approximately 120 dwellings, a proportion of which will be situated in Lismore, which may include the building of new accommodation, refurbishment of existing living quarters, and possible purchase of suitable properties such as motels.”July 17th saw a media release announcing that “Lismore Base Hospital is currently undertaking recruitment as part of the Safe Staffing Levels roll out.” Comments as to whether they were able to fill or keep these posts filled were not mentioned.Minister Park has visited Lismore and has only just returned. The spokesperson said he is acutely aware of the particular impact that floods had on healthcare here. On discussing the particular needs of the Northern Rivers with the temptation of QLD nursing wages only hours away, the minister's hands are tied. The explanation - under the liberals, there were 12 years of wage suppression - the wage cap.The issue is that it cannot be undone, and fixing the problem in a short period of time is impossible. It was described as sad and unfortunate, but it is the fiscal reality that's facing the government. You can read the full article on Wednesday's NSWNMA strike here.

Regional Cities New South Wales (RCNSW) has elected a new Chair and Deputy Chair for a two-year term. Lismore City Council Mayor, Cr Steve Krieg was elected as Chair and Cr Russell Webb, Mayor of Tamworth Regional Council, was re-elected Deputy Chair at a board meeting in Sydney on Thursday.The new leadership will lead the organisation post-NSW local government elections, which took place in September.Cr Krieg said he was proud to lead Regional Cities New South Wales as it advocated for a fair share of investment and population growth to ensure regional cities continued to thrive."Regional Cities New South Wales is an important advocate for its members and has a proven track record as a valuable partner for the State Government," Cr Krieg said. "I am passionate about the work of Regional Cities NSW. Our members are a similar size and are facing similar issues. Together, we are stronger."We have much work to do as we are on the frontline of change in New South Wales. This includes growing populations, energy transition and climate impacts."Our cities are also highly liveable and we know regional living is on the minds of many Sydneysiders. We want our cities to retain their liveability as new residents continue to make the move."As chair, I will be a strong voice for our member cities as we meet these opportunities."Cr Webb retained his position as Deputy Chair."I’m very happy to be reappointed as Deputy Chair,” Cr Webb said. “It has been fantastic working with Mayors, General Managers and CEOs of Regional Cities New South Wales." "Cr Krieg will lead us in the right direction and I am looking forward to working in partnership as we continue to build our strong network of relationships in Macquarie Street," Cr Webb said.Cr Krieg also noted the work of Cr Mathew Dickerson, who stepped down as Chair after the New South Wales local government elections.  "Cr Dickerson has left a great legacy as I take the reins of Regional Cities NSW," Cr Krieg said."Cr Dickerson has led us through the many challenges we have encountered over the past few years, particularly as our members faced natural disasters, housing availability and growing skills shortages."Regional cities have received key support in these areas due to his leadership and advocacy. There is still much to do, but the impacts in these areas have been meaningful for our communities," Cr Krieg concluded.Regional Cities NSW members include Lismore, Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Broken Hill City Council, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Goulburn Mulwaree, Griffith, Maitland, Orange, Queanbeyan Pelarang, Tamworth, Tweed Heads and Wagga Wagga.

Police believe the Ballina tobacconist ram raid on Wednesday, October 23, is linked to organised crime selling illicit tobacco following investigations by the Financial Crime Squad.Detective Superintendent Gordon Abinja, the Commander of the Financial Crime Squad, said the Ballina ram raid was linked to another at Tweed Heads, which suffered two separate attacks, one in September and the other the day before the Ballina attack in October.Supt Abinja said the tobacconist was extensively destroyed, the Ballina units above the tobacconist were completely destroyed, as were the associated commercial properties next to the tobacconist.Police believe these three incidents are part of an organised crime network in Queensland.Supt Abinja said fourteen (14) arson attacks have occurred in NSW this year, 30 in Queensland, 130 in Victoria, 8 in Western Australia and 12 in South Australia. "We believe it's linked to the sale of illicit tobacco or standover tactics from organised crime networks that sell illicit tobacco," Supt Abinja said.The sale of illegal tobacco products is lucrative because it bypasses government excise. One cigarette stick has an excise cost of over $1.30, making Australia one of the highest tobacco excises in the world. The average price of cigarettes is above $50 a pack. Illegally imported — and untaxed — cigarettes are now widely available and sell for about half that price.Financial Crime Squad detectives have released CCTV as they appeal for information following the ram raid and arson from the two tobacconists in Ballina and Tweed.Detectives are also hoping to speak to the driver and passengers of a black BMW seen leaving the scene of the Ballina ram raid (pictured below).Supt Abinja said a young man was taking pictures of the getaway vehicle in Ballina."When that person tried to take a photo, he was targeted. We allege that the driver of that black BMW tried to run over that person, and when he made evasive action, the vehicle still ran over his foot." Supt Abinja's message to people who have information about the crime was to come forward."Look, they're quite safe ringing Crime Stoppers or contacting the Financial Crime Squad directly."Anyone with information about any of the incidents is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

It has been a week of wild, unpredictable weather for Lismore and the Northern Rivers, and that ride is expected to continue early next week, with more thunderstorms on the radar.Before we worry about what may occur next week, the weekend is looking good, with only a 40% chance of rain tomorrow and 20% for Sunday.Temperatures will be in the mid-20s after some warm minimums around 16/17 degrees.It is a fairly quiet weekend event-wise.Aquarius: the film about Dreamers, Tree Huggers and Radical Ratbags is showing at the Nimbin Bush Theatre this Sunday at 2pm.The movie takes a look at the iconic festival that made Nimbin what it is today. There will be a Q&A after the screening.The Lismore Farmers Markets fire up tomorrow morning from 7:30 at the Lismore Showgrounds.Christmas gifts are making an appearance, as are cakes, condiments and meat, on top of the usual fresh fruit and vegetables. Tapestry Road will be performing live until 11am.The other market on over the weekend is the Lismore Free Market on Sunday between 9am and 11am at the Lismore Community Garden, 50 Brewster Street.The Free Market is a gathering of people who want to give away goods and services for free. There is no money, bartering or trading.The live music scene over the weekend includes the Northern Rivers Hotel in North Lismore. They have Hello Ray Duo tonight from 7pm, Katie Brooke tomorrow from 6:30pm and the Sunday session is Ghostown between 2pm and 5pm.It is a big night of music at the Lismore Workers Club with Marina Prior and Michael Cormick 'Centrestage' from 7:30pm. You can still book tickets here.Next Friday, The Italian Tenors hit the main auditorium stage with The Classics, and then in February, the lineup includes Forever Olivia - A Tribute to Olivia Newton-John and Reputation - The Ultimate Taylor Swift Tribute Show. Check out the 2025 lineup here.Fuel prices remained steady this week. However, if you are looking for the cheapest fuel, Ballina is the place to fill the tank with prices 13 cents to 17 cents a litre cheaper than Lismore.Here are the cheapest fuel prices in each town:E10 is 178.9 across those that serve E10 in Lismore, 165.5 at The United on Johnston Street in Casino, with The Metro and the Mobil on River Street in Ballina cheapest at 161.9.Unleaded 91 is 179.9 at the new Astron on Ballina Road in the CBD and the Shell on Ballina Road in Goonellabah, 167.5 at The United on Johnston Street in Casino and 163.9 at the Metro and the new Mobil in Ballina.U95 is 188.9 at the Independent on Wyrallah Road, East Lismore, Northside Liberty and Bakers Corner at North Lismore and the Liberty on Ballina Road, 185.9 at the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street in Casino and 174.9 at The Metro and the Mobil in Ballina.U98 is 196.9 at the Liberty on Ballina Road and at 113 Union Street, South Lismore, 187.9 at the two Liberty's on Hare Street and Centre Street in Casino and 183.9 at The Metro and the Mobil on River Street, Ballina.Diesel is 173.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road, 176.9 at the two Liberty's (as above) and The United on Johnston Street and the Liberty's on Hare and Centre Street in Casino and 182.5 at The Metro and the Mobil in Ballina.Have a great weekend!

Falls, transport, assault and accidental poisoning are among the leading external causes of injury, hospitalisations and deaths in Australia, according to new data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).An update to the report, Injury in Australia 2022–23, presents the latest injury-related hospitalisations (2022–23) and deaths (2021–22), including trends over the preceding decade and local area information about four (4) major external causes of injury.Data examined for mortality varies by year due to being updated and released one year later than hospitalisations.‘This ongoing work monitors trends in injuries as a major cause of morbidity, permanent disability and mortality with the aim of informing discussion around injury risk, prevention and management,’ said AIHW spokesperson Dr Sarah Ahmed. Falls‘Falls have remained the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation and fatality in Australia over the past decade and across most regions,’ said Dr Ahmed.Falls resulted in 238,055 hospitalisations in 2022–23, accounting for more than 2 in 5 (43.4%) of all injury hospitalisations. They also accounted for more than 2 in 5 (6,378) injury deaths in 2021–22, with rates increasing due to age. Slips, trips and stumbles were the most frequent cause, with 74,399 cases in 2022–23, however, hospitalisation patterns varied by season and the type of falls.TransportTransport was another leading cause of injury hospitalisation in 2022–23, resulting in around 61,200 hospitalisations.Cars were the type of vehicle most frequently involved in both transport injury related hospitalisations (over 20,000 cases) and deaths (over 720 fatalities). Transport-related injuries resulted in 1,500 deaths in 2021–22 and were most common among males (1,148 deaths). ‘Across types of transport, age groups and sexes, injury rates generally decreased over the past decade,’ said Dr Ahmed.AssaultAssault resulted in 20,490 hospitalisations in 2022–23 and 218 homicides in 2021–22, with people aged 25–44 most likely to be affected. While males were the most common perpetrators across all assault types, the patterns of assault injury hospitalisations differed based on who was assaulted and the nature of the assault.Accidental poisoningAccidental poisoning resulted in 8,921 injury hospitalisations in 2022–23 and 1,567 injury deaths in 2021–22.Children aged 0–4 were most likely to be affected, with around 80 hospitalisations and 11 deaths per 100,000 population. Among accidental poisoning related hospitalisations, the proportion of cases severe enough to require ventilatory support has doubled over the past decade from around 4% in 2012–13 to 8% in 2022–23.Common substances associated with both accidental poisoning hospitalisations and deaths include antiepileptics, sedatives and psychotropics and narcotics, opioids and hallucinogens. Among non-pharmaceutical substances, alcohol was responsible for the highest number of accidental poisoning deaths (155 in 2021–22).

The Aquarius Festival, the event that shaped Nimbin into what it is today as a local, national and international destination, has been turned into a film by local director Wendy Champagne.Recently shown at the Byron Bay Film Festival, where it was a sellout, it is being shown in Nimbin over the next two Sundays, with a Q&A session after each movie.David Hyett from the Nimbin Bush Theatre (where the screening will be held) talks of the relevance of Aquarius to the area today, “It was the Aquarius Festival that brought people here. “10,000 or so people. And from that draw card, the people came and celebrated their union together, and a lot of them stayed. They decided that they didn't want to have a bar of how life was, and they wanted to make a new future.”It started as a vision by uni students, “There were students from various universities who were looking to hold a festival, which was combination of demonstration, and also to change of the way of being. It had music and arts and young people having a good time. “The theme of the festival was, “You are the Festival”.“It was done on a very tight budget, but it had funding from the Labor Government, Gough Whitlam was one of the key people to ensure that the funding came through.“This movie is the story about how it came about. It’s pretty incredible.”The relevance to the popularity of Nimbin and how this single event shaped the future of a small town losing its industry could have happened anywhere.“It was very interesting that when they approached Nimbin to hold the festival, they were looking all around the country. They came across this little village, which was suffering from the financial vagaries that were created through the loss of the dairy farming industry.”Life was brought back to this small town at risk of dying out and fading away by the young energy. The film also addresses ”What it took for people to be accepting of the fact that it would be a good thing for the village.”Local film director Wendy Champagne wants locals to get something to enrich their identity of being from this area, “I want people to get pride from the film and to know what is possible when you get together with a bunch of other ratbags and try new things and work for the good of the environment and each other.”Wendy came home from being overseas and was disappointed by the lack of good films about the region, “The reason why I made it actually came out of a response to as a filmmaker. Returning here and realising that there were not a lot of good stories being made out of here kind of forced the decision. Aquarius is a key story that makes this place what it is.”Wendy will be at the Q&A sessions along with other Aquarians and people of the Aquarian ethos to discuss the topics of Community and Protest.The Q&A this weekend will be about Communities and Community living. David has arranged a panel of people to support the discussion, including Tom Zubrycki, a well-known and respected documentary film-maker who is moderating the Q&A this weekend.The panel includes:Terry McGee, once a Lismore counsellor, created and formed the Tuntable community, Billen Cliffs community and Blue Springs communities. Jen Ireland from Dharmananda, a successful community that has been around for over 50 years.Megan James from the Tuntable Falls community, is a long-term activist and member of the community.The panel for the protest Q&A is under final consideration.Aquarius will be shown at the Nimbin Bush Theatre at 2pm on:Sunday, November 17th - Q&A on Communities and Community LivingSunday, November 24th - Q&A on Protests

With Christmas about five weeks away, Lismore's shops are adorned with decorations and gifts as shopping ramps up to the big day.The annual Anglican Parish pop-up Christmas shop has opened in the old Cruise and Travel building at 55 Woodlark Street.The Anglican motto is 'Hand Made, Hand Grown or Hand Baked', so you can be sure there are not only good quality gift ideas but a lot of love has gone into creating each item.The gifts that you buy are not made in a matter of weeks. Dawn Back, Treasurer and a Warden at the Anglican Church in Lismore, said they have already started collecting materials and items for Christmas 2025. So, the creation of some of the gifts for sale began in 2023."We've got lots of craft ideas, Christmas decorations, we've got plants, and a lot of the plants are refreshed every day and are reasonably priced. We have loads of cakes, Christmas cakes and Christmas puddings, we have a group of eight or nine people who normally start cooking those by the end of August."Then, every day, we get fresh cooking in from a lot of our parishioners. It just depends on what they cook and what they bring in on the day. So, it could be a surprise, but it's usually very, very nice and very tasty. Our lady that does the scones, the pumpkin scones, comes in fresh every second day. And date loaves, too."We have lemon butter, passion fruit butter, pickles, honey. We get a shipment from the Little Brothers at Tabulam. They have chillies, honey and jams. They send them to us. We pay for them, then we sell them at the same cost and that helps them out."We have coat hangers, we have kitchen towels, we have nativity scenes on blankets. Everything's got to be handmade, hand grown or hand baked."All the money raised from the pop-up shop goes to the Anglican Church, who distribute it to their missions."Our missions are generally Australian missions. We have things like the Anglicare Affordable Building Fund, CMF and BCA (Bush Church Australia), which is an Anglican organisation. They have ministers in outlying places in Australia, whether it's Western Australia, Queensland, outwest New South Wales, in the remote areas."We usually pick one local charity and give a portion of the money to them as well. And it's not only our pop-up shop, its also our Op-Shop at Goonellabah (Rous Road). Last year, we distributed $50,000 in donations. Last year, it was Our Kids that got a sixth of all our mission money.This year's charity will be decided after this Tuesday's parish council.The Anglican Church is also putting on Bethlehem Revisited, a recreation of Christmas, on Saturday, December 21 from 5:30pm."We dress up. We've got all uniforms, angels, Roman soldiers, all different things. And that goes part of it as well. We just try to be a shining light of Christ in Lismore."We've got a lot of a lot of parishioners that are helpful and dedicated, and we're all out there for the same reason, which is giving back to our community."(Deidre, Dawn, Lyn and Narelle, just a few of the many people giving their time in the Christmas pop-up shop) The Anglican Christmas pop-up shop is at 55 Woodlark Street, in the old Cruise & Travel building. Be quick, as it is open until Friday, November 29.You will find them open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 3:30pm and Saturdays from 9:30am to 12:30pm.

NSW Farmers is calling for urgent action to eradicate fire ants after yet another detection of the insidious pests on the North Coast. According to the NSW Government, Red Imported Fire Ants were discovered in pallets of turf being installed this week on a private property at Byron Bay, 53 kilometres from the Queensland border. In an official statement, the government said the NSW Fire Ant Program team located and removed six queens as well as worker ants from turf on the property, after landscape contractors detected and reported the ants at the site.NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said it was yet another critical breach of the state’s biosecurity controls, further endangering lives and livelihoods. “Red Imported Fire Ants are an incredibly dangerous invasive pest – they are a threat to people, animals and the environment, and they must be eradicated as quickly as possible,” Mr Martin said. “These insidious pests can damage agricultural equipment, sting livestock, ruin the natural environment, and pose a serious risk to the health and wellbeing of all people in NSW, so we simply cannot keep letting them slip through our borders.“This is the third detection we’ve seen in less than a year, and enough is enough – they cannot come back again.”Mr Martin called on federal and state governments to ensure every resource was available to support eradication efforts. “NSW Farmers has been calling for increased efforts and competent resources to secure prompt eradication of these ants, and our calls cannot continue to fall on deaf ears,” Mr Martin said.“DPIRD, with the full support of other critical agencies, must act quickly to eradicate these pests as they did at Port Botany in 2014, or else it’s the whole community that will face the consequences.“Enforcing our biosecurity rules must be a top priority for governments, and anyone found to be doing the wrong thing and spreading these pests must be prosecuted.”People across Australia are strongly encouraged to remain vigilant for Red Imported Fire Ants and are reminded of their legal responsibility to comply with biosecurity orders. Suspected fire ant sites in NSW should be reported to the NSW Government on 1800 680 244.

The storms this week have kept the SES and Essential Energy decidedly busy. Last night's storm centred over Federal with pockets of blackouts, damage all over and reports of 4cm hail in Goonellabah and 4-5cm in Bangalow.The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting further thunderstorms tonight, possibly severe, with some recommendations from the SES if you have time to prepare. The worst of tonight's thunderstorm activity will be in South East Queensland and the border ranges of Northern NSW, so Murwullimbah way.Scott McLennan, the Incident Controller from the SES told the Lismore App, “The storms have been hectic, ferocious and quite intense in some locations. During the week, the whole zone has had approximately 140 jobs, and 70 of those came through last night.”Main Arm Public School was damaged in last night's storm, and there were a few areas around Lismore with trees down. The winds that accompanied these storms were strong - at Lismore Airport around 4pm, the wind was blowing at over 50km/h and gusting up to 85 km/h. Strong winds are expected to be with us for the days to come.Scott warns that more severe storms, including damaging winds, are expected between 1pm and 9pm this afternoon. “Power outages are one of those things expected once more, so consider what they will do should the power go out.”The worst is expected at the border, around Tumbulgum.(Hail falling in Goonellabah yesterday where 4cm size hail was recorded)In these storms, “There could be some hail, but the issue is going to be damaging winds because everything is so wet at the moment, and there's been a lot of wind from yesterday. “A lot of people's gutters and drains are all now blocked with leaves and debris. So it's an opportunity, while the sun is shining, to quickly clear your gutters, clear your drains, and expect another storm today.”The weather pattern will continue over the weekend.“Tomorrow, there should be just some isolated showers, but we're looking at more storms coming in on Sunday. Ahead of that, there's going to be some significant winds on Saturday and Sunday.”Dangers include unsecured items being blown around and battered trees and branches getting “tired” and coming down.Scott reminds people, “If it’s flooded, forget it.“There was one incident where someone did drive into a puddle of water and stalled, so they called in as a flood rescue, but they could actually walk out.“It happened in one of those storm drains. People love driving through a big puddle of water to create a big splash. It’s fun; however, in small cars, what generally happens is they stall and get stuck, and then they panic. “Don't try and plough through those puddles or flooded storm drains or causeways or culverts. You don't know what's underneath. There could be a big tree branch, or it could be something underneath that could flick up and damage your car, or it could be deeper than what you think it is.”The SES will be at the Resilient Lismore meeting tonight at South Lismore Bowling Club at 6pm.The Lismore App will notify its readers of any thunderstorm warning as soon as it is published by the Bureau of Meteorology.

The students of Blakebrook Public School have put up their hands to learn about their local environment from those who know and care for it best. The small school had a day out in Lindendale last week to learn about conservation with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust and Petaurus Education Group where learning was the name of the day. The entire school made the journey to Brockley, a private property boasting an impressive area of threatened big scrub vegetation near Alstonville. The property is protected by an in-perpetuity conservation covenant with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, which means the site is protected forever. The students were welcomed by property owners Charlie and Jenny Handley. Charlie grew up on the property and began actively revegetating the big scrub rainforest in 1997: “We had these remnant patches of rainforest that were never cleared, so we started to plant around them and connect them up. Now we've got a covenant on the rainforest and know it’s protected forever, we’re really pleased to be able to use this place to educate the younger generations,” Charlie said. “I can see we’ve made an impact on some of these kids today, and I think they’ll take what they’ve learnt away knowing they can have a big impact in caring for nature too.” The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust’s Team Leader Education, Alice McGrath, said the time in nature was an opportunity for children to witness what conservation looks like first-hand: (Students learnt about blue-banded bee conservation, making bee hotels to take home. Credit: Mindy Greenwood/NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust. Photo: supplied)“Connecting with, understanding and respecting nature is one of the big reasons we run these days for schools,” Ms McGrath said. “This generation have been through huge floods and fires in recent years and have seen for themselves how powerful nature can be,” she said. “We’re so grateful to our incredible landholders who are giving kids the opportunity to connect with and see what conservation looks like for them.” After a walk-and-talk around the property, the students learnt how to use water bugs to find out how healthy a water body is, and how to build a hotel for native blue-banded bees. These activities correlated with lessons completed at Petaurus incursions in previous weeks, which all link back to the NSW school curriculum. To learn more about private land conservation with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, or to see if the Conservation Champions program can come to your school, visit bct.nsw.gov.au or phone 1300 992 688.

Women who experience severe or complex menopause symptoms will benefit from enhanced support, with a new menopause hub, including NSW’s first publicly funded dedicated hormone and mood clinic, opening at the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick.The Hub will offer a comprehensive approach to women whose menopause symptoms have not responded to previous treatments, or who face additional complications from other medical conditions through a multi-disciplinary team of medical, nursing and allied health specialists.Through the hormone and mood clinic, psychiatrists, gynaecologists and endocrinologists will also collaborate to provide specialist care to women experiencing significant impact to their mental health due to hormonal changes or fluctuations.General practitioners, specialists and nurse practitioners can refer eligible women for advanced care, with in-person consultations available, along with telehealth support for those located in the Illawarra Shoalhaven and Southern NSW Local Health Districts.The new hub is part of NSW Health’s extensive menopause network, which includes four central hubs and multiple referral sites throughout the state.For more information about South Eastern Sydney Local Health District’s menopause hub and referral criteria, contact 02 9382 6248.For more information visit Menopause services.Minister for Health, Ryan Park said, “Up to one in four women will experience severe menopause symptoms at some stage in their life. Symptoms can be debilitating and affect all aspects of their life, so access to specialist support is so important.“The establishment of a menopause hub at the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick is a significant milestone for women in the South Eastern Sydney, Sydney, Illawarra Shoalhaven and Southern NSW local health districts who need advanced support.”Minister for Women, Jodie Harrison said, “Women have identified menopause as a top health issue and managing it can be complex.“Women’s health and wellbeing are a key priority for the NSW Government. The opening of this Menopause Hub, as part of a wider network of supports available for women experiencing severe menopause symptoms, is another way we are ensuring women get the important holistic healthcare they need.”General Manager, Royal Hospital for Women, Donna Garland said, “Our hub is particularly crucial for those experiencing perimenopause or early menopause with additional medical challenges, such as those undergoing cancer treatment.”

The NSW Government’s Red Imported Fire Ant Biosecurity team has intercepted a delivery of turf at a Byron Shire private property and undertaken eradication actions following the detection of the fire ants contained in the turf transported from Queensland.The NSW Government has been diligently implementing its red imported fire ant plan that focuses on education and awareness raising, detection, eradication, tracing, and surveillance in the Northern Rivers and Tweed. The initial possible red imported fire ant report was made by a vigilant landscaping contractor installing pallets of turf delivered from southeast Queensland. The NSW Fire Ant Program team and detection dogs were onsite within two hours of the report being received by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) biosecurity division.  Samples were collected from the site and transported directly to the NSW Government’s Wollongbar Primary Industries Institute, where diagnostic entomologists confirmed the positive identification of the invasive species on Thursday, 13 November. Individual Biosecurity Directions have been served on the turf supplier and landscape contractor to ensure there is no further movement of the lawn materials.DPIRD biosecurity team members used sniffer dogs and systematically searched around 140m2 of turf to locate the ants and the site will be treated to ensure that the area is free form ants.In collaboration with the NSW team, the National Fire Ant Eradication Program is undertaking investigations with the Queensland-based lawn turf supplier to ascertain why there were fire ants in the turf despite appropriate documentation being supplied that certified the turf was treated before transport.There are strict restrictions for moving material from control areas. Breaching the emergency biosecurity order carries penalties of up to $1.1 million for an individual and up to $2.2 million for a corporation.Residents and businesses can report any suspicious ant activity to 1800 680 244 or by visiting www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/forms/report-exotic-ants.  Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are prohibited matter under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015, and a long-standing Biosecurity Emergency Order is in place to regulate the movement of high-risk materials from fire ant-infested areas into or around NSW. Fire ants are dark reddish-brown with a darker black-brown abdomen and range in size from two to six millimetres long. 

Transport for NSW will host a free online workshop to help parents and supervisors of learner drivers better understand and fulfil their roles.Teaching a young person to drive safely on our roads is a great responsibility and one that falls largely to the learner’s parents or guardians – whether they’re ready for it or not.“It’s one thing to be an experienced, skilled driver ourselves but it can be a different thing all together to suddenly find ourselves in the role of teacher for a new driver,” a Transport for NSW spokesperson said.“We may have been driving for 20 or 30 years by the time we’re asked to teach a new driver the rules and standards of the road, but it’s not always easy to pass on what we know.“For most experienced drivers it could be decades since they last read up on the rules of the road and while we might know in practice how far to park from a corner and how much distance to leave to the vehicle in front when driving, it can be challenging quantify such things for a new learner.“But teaching someone to drive can also be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences for any parent or guardian, and this online workshop is designed to help make it so.”The online workshop from 6pm-7.30pm tonight (Thursday, 14 November) will cover a range of topics including current driving rules for L-platers and P-platers, along with the benefits that supervised on-driving can deliver for learners.“There will also be practical advice on how to use the learner driver’s log book, how to plan a practice session, dealing with difficult situations during a lesson and tips on giving constructive feedback to the learner,” the spokesperson said.“A key goal of the workshop is simply helping to make learning to drive a safe and positive experience for both the learner and supervisor.”Interested parents and supervisors can book their place at the free online workshop at https://www.trybooking.com/CSYUS.More information for young and learner drivers is available on the Transport for NSW website.

Jess Robinson is the Lismore Kmart Wishing Tree Champion. Yesterday, Jess, along with Philip and Donna Sutcliffe from the Northern Rivers Salvation Army launched the 37th Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal.Jess mentioned that since 1987, the Kmart and Salvation Army appeal has brought over 14 million gifts to people "doing it tough"."And as we face even more cost of living pressures this festive season, many people are in need of the Salvos help greater than before. Last year, our store collected over 1200 gifts. That's 1200 people we helped feel a little bit of joy during Christmas in our community. "There are more ways than gifts to help contribute. You can purchase a $2 donation card, a Kenzie Bear, the Kenzie pyjama range, or even a coat will help the Salvos spread some Christmas spirit."Captain Philip Sutcliffe said it is exciting to launch the Kmart wish tree appeal. "Our community has done incredibly well in supporting the Salvos over the last couple of years, and in particular, post floods and with all the cost of living, our region has been so generous with what they support. It helps make our job so much easier to help bring joy to kids' faces on Christmas day through the gifts that are given under the Wishing Tree. "We want to thank Kmart for 37 years of support in helping us bring joy to our community."(The Wishing Tree Appeal cake was cut and handed out to shoppers entering the store)Captain Donna Sutcliffe said any gift is appreciated; however, teenage Christmas gifts are the area they are missing out on."Teenager gifts are a huge gap for us. Stuff like sports equipment, so basketballs, footballs and cricket gear would be wonderful. Wallets, belts, hats and beach equipment like beach towels."Then for teenage girls, stuff like toiletries, nice toiletry bags, and then some moisturisers and bath bombs or makeup and nail polish. Even water bottles. Kmart has a lot of really nice water bottles, the ones that are kind of on-trend at the moment. They're even good for teenage boys. "If anybody has the capacity to do gift cards to particular stores, or multi-store gift cards when it comes to shops, even Kmart sell them. For a teenage boy or a teenage girl, gift cards are a great option. "Any value is honestly appreciated because even if it's a smaller denomination, we can back it up with another gift as well. The Christmas Wishing Tree is at the front of the Kmart store at Lismore Square. Simply buy a gift and drop it off at the tree, or you can also drop off gifts at the Salvos Church at 30 Cambridge Drive, Goonellabah on Tuesday and Thursday mornings between 9am and 12 midday.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for DAMAGING WINDS, LARGE HAILSTONES and HEAVY RAINFALL for Lismore, Ballina and the Northern Rivers.An upper trough and surface trough are generating severe thunderstorms across the eastern half of the state this afternoon.Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations that may be affected include Lismore, Casino, Kyogle, Grafton, Tenterfield, Mudgee, Moree and Maclean.24.4 mm was recorded at Jerangle in the 30 minutes to 12:16 pm.The State Emergency Service advises that people should:* Move your car under cover or away from trees.* Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.* Keep at least 8 metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.* Report fallen power lines to either Ausgrid (131 388), Endeavour Energy (131 003), Essential Energy (132 080) or Evoenergy (131 093) as shown on your power bill.* Trees that have been damaged by fire are likely to be more unstable and more likely to fall.* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.* Don't walk, ride your bike or drive through flood water.* If you are trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place and ring 000 if you need rescue.* Be aware that run-off from rainfall in fire affected areas may behave differently and be more rapid. It may also contain debris such as ash, soil, trees and rocks.* After bushfires, heavy rain and the loss of foliage can make the ground soft and heavy, leading to a greater chance of landslides.* Unplug computers and appliances.* Avoid using the phone during the storm.* Stay indoors away from windows, and keep children and pets indoors as well.* Stay vigilant and monitor conditions. Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires.* For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES (NSW and ACT) on 132 500.The next warning is due to be issued by 5:40 pm.

The Bureau of Meteorology says that severe thunderstorms are likely this afternoon and this evening for Lismore and the Northern Rivers, they may also be some supercell thunderstorms.Today's thunderstorms are being generated by an upper trough and a surface trough as it moves east across NSW.Jonathon How, a Meteorologist with The Bureau, said the severe thunderstorm possible area is widespread. "It extends all the way from the coast inland to the Darling Downs and Maranoa, south of Northern Tablelands, and across to the northeast coast of New South Wales."The interest for Lismore and the Northern Rivers is the development of supercell thunderstorms. "But it's this red area where we could see severe thunderstorms become more likely, and this area includes Brisbane, the Sunshine and Gold Coast across to Toowoomba, Lismore and areas inland from Ballina.""In addition, through this red area, through here, we could see isolated, very dangerous thunderstorms. And it's these supercell thunderstorms which could deliver destructive winds, giant hail with a diameter greater than five centimetres, as well as intense rainfall leading to flash flooding."The Lismore App will push any warnings from the Bureau once they are released, and you can stay up to date with the Bureau of Meteorology through the Lismore App's Weather & Travel button, which includes Weather and Weather Radar.(The radar at 1:45pm)

Water security is high on the agenda of Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg and other councillors on Rous Country Council for the next four years in the Northern Rivers.Residents of Mullumbimby have had their water supply greatly enhanced today after the announcement of the $6 million Mullumbimby Water Main Upgrade project.The project will be delivered in partnership with the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA), NSW Public Works and Byron Shire Council.Mullumbimby’s water supply, sourced from Laverty’s Gap weir on Wilsons Creek, was severely impacted during the 2019/20 drought and the 2022 floods, with an emergency connection to the regional water network activated to provide water to part of the town.These events highlighted the need for an expanded emergency water supply to provide water to the entire town, which is why the Mullumbimby Water Main Upgrade project was funded from the $145 million Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Repair and Recovery Program.The project will provide water security for the Mullumbimby community in times when the regular water supply is disrupted.Work includes the installation of a new, dedicated water main within the road reserve of Tandy’s Lane between Pacific Highway and Gulgan Road, and from Mullumbimby Road/Manns Road to the town’s Azalea Street Reservoirs.A new water booster pump station and bypass will also be installed at the Azalea Street reservoir site and minor water main upgrades will be made at the Left Bank Road/Tristran Road intersection.These upgrades will make sure there is an ongoing reliable and safe water supply for Mullumbimby, improving the town’s resilience during future adverse weather events. This project is expected to be completed mid-2025.Keane Civil & Construction have been engaged to complete the Mullumbimby Water Main Upgrade, for Byron Shire Council.For more information, go to Mullumbimby Water Main Extension - Byron Shire Council. Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said, “The 2022 floods exposed vulnerabilities in water infrastructure across the Northern Rivers.“Providing a secure water system is the foundation of any modern city and this project is critical in building back resilience and reliability in Mullumbimby’s water supply.”Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said, “Access to water is a basic human right and doing this work now will ensure the Mullumbimby community withstands the next flood in much better shape.“I look forward to more announcements benefitting other local communities under the NSW Government’s Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Repair and Recovery Program.”

NSW Nurses are going on strike once more as negotiations to increase pay and conditions with the NSW Government via the Industrial Relations Commission have broken down.The 24-hour strike started at 7 o'clock this morning (Wednesday), running until 7am Thursday. Three shifts of nurses will be absent from public hospitals across the state, including Lismore Base Hospital, with minimal, life-preserving staffing to care for those in hospitals. The president of the local NSWNMA (NSW Nurses and Midwives Association) branch, Penelope Anderson, is “furious, frustrated, angry and beyond insulted” about the situation that has developed.Penelope said, “After the last strike action, the Industrial Relations Commission said that they wanted us to pause all strike action for four weeks of intensive negotiations.“So nurses and midwives agreed, and the government's responsibility was to give us the 3% pay rise with back pay as an interim pay rise as a sign of good faith, and then come to the table for intensive negotiations.”Penelope reports that the 3% was never paid, and the government has not come close to the pay increase that NSWNMA need to retain and replenish lost staff, “At these intensive negotiations, they refused to budge on pay, which is what our biggest claim is. They sat at the table for negotiations with absolutely nothing."NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish confirmed that members were irate over the government's unwillingness to negotiate a fair and equitable wage deal. "Once again, the NSW government has snubbed nurses and midwives, leaving behind the state's largest female-dominated workforce," said Ms Candish. "Teachers, paramedics, and now police have all received historic, once-in-a-generation pay rises. The decision to give police more than double the offer for nurses speaks volumes. The message to NSW women, who make up 86% of our nursing and midwifery workforce, is clear: their hard work is worth less in the eyes of this government.”(A placard ready for the morning strike rally)"The government cannot continue to ignore the reality that NSW's healthcare system is crumbling due to severe understaffing and unfair wages. They cannot avoid the responsibility of fixing this crisis any longer.”Penelope says, “Literally, the pressure and the exhaustion of working three or four overtime shifts a week is just too much.”Agency nurses have been filling shifts when needed. However, it has been revealed that the government has commenced a new tender to fill agency roles from 16th September 2024. The revised remuneration and package have been reduced, making agencies balk at working in the NSW system.Affinity has reported that “the rates in the contract are below the national market offering in other states.”The award pay and conditions are not sufficient and Affinity will not subject their staff to these new conditions. They stated, “We will not be offering NSW Health contracts as a standard offering with Affinity.”The pay and conditions are greater north of the Northern Rivers - in QLD, which tempts many nurses to move there for work.“Just last week, I went to a farewell dinner for three more staff that are crossing the border to go to Queensland,” Penelope says, “Those of us that are staying, we're stuck here because we've got kids in school, or we've got mortgages, or we've got elderly parents, or we've got community responsibilities that are keeping us here.“We are left shouldering the burden of all this excessive overtime.“We're in an absolute crisis. We are running so short-staffed on the wards. Here at Lismore, we are relying on agency staff, and over time, every single shift throughout the hospital, it's unbelievable.”Ms Candish says, "Our nurses and midwives are at breaking point and are crying out for help; they can't work in these conditions any longer. By neglecting nurses, they are neglecting the health and safety of every single person in this state. This government must step up, face the reality, and meet their responsibility to our healthcare workers and our community. "Nurses and midwives deserve respect, they deserve fair pay, and they deserve a government that values their work. We will not be silenced, and we will not stop fighting until our voices are heard and our demands are met." Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) is committed to providing safe care for its patients. In a recent statement in regards to midwifery, they said, “Attracting and retaining the required healthcare staff, particularly to rural and remote areas, remains a long-standing challenge for NSW and every other state and territory across Australia.”NNSWLHD has announced a sign-on bonus of $20,000 for midwives moving to regional centres from a metro or interstate hospital. Midwives attracted to Lismore Base Hospital will be eligible for this bonus. Lismore Base has approximately 1250 births a year. Over half of all babies are born vaginally with no intervention. No figures were able to be obtained on how many midwives are currently supporting this workload.  Lismore’s state MP, Janelle Saffin, has discussed the situation with the Nurses and listened to their appeals. Ms Saffin has spoken with the Minister for Health, The Hon Ryan Park MP, and written to him to support the local health network.The reply to Ms Saffin by MP Park, was sent prior to the IRC negotiations and expressed appreciation for the “unwavering commitment and hard work nurses and midwives put in day in and day out.” MP Park acknowledges, “We know gratitude doesn’t pay the bills and understand the challenges posed by the increasing cost of living.”MP Park then goes on to confirm works that have been done - abolishing the wage cap, which allows pay negotiations, and;Delivering the largest pay rise for nurses and midwives in over a decade (10.5% was offered)Doubling rural health incentives for our hardest and most critical roles to fillDelivering modern, sustainable staff accommodation across NSWBeginning to implement safe staffing levels (only two metropolitan hospitals have this targeted, currently)Further information regarding these points are being sought and will be reported when possible.NSWNMA know that at least a 15% pay rise is necessary to at least slow the movement of nurses out of the state.  Penelope clarifies the situation, “At these intensive negotiations, they refused to budge on pay, which is what our biggest claim is. We need a substantial pay rise so that we stop losing nurses to every other state in Australia or to other industries that pay so much more. “15% won't get us to parity with Queensland, but it'll get us hopefully where there'll be a few people tempted to stay.“For the job that we do, the pressure that we're under, the responsibility that we have, the pay is frankly pathetic. It is outrageous.”The NSWNMA will gather at Spinks Park at 10am for a rally, followed by a street march around the CBD, including a stop at MP Janelle Saffin's office to drop in some letters of support for change.The NSWNMA are determined to continue strike action until their needs are met.