It is not often you get the Liberal National Party and the Labor Party agreeing on a policy or a direction, this is less likely when it involves Federal and State Politics.

Well, Federal member for Page Kevin Hogan and State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin have agreed that newly elected Mayor Vanessa Ekins should be looking at helping business and industry in Lismore in the seven months before the next council elections.

As the dust settles following Tuesday's council meeting where Cnr Ekins was elected Mayor and councillors terminated General Manager Shelley Oldham, there is a call for a unified council that makes ratepayers and business their priority.

“Locals have told me it’s been a few torrid years at Council and what we need is some calm leadership for the good of ratepayers and residents. Looking after them must again be the Council’s main priority, as it is mine,” Janelle Saffin said.

“I’d like to see more attention given to our CBD businesses and industry. The September election is likely to ring in changes in the make-up of a new Council who will have the job of recruiting a new GM with a view to the future.

“I wish only positive things for that future.”

Federal MP for Page Kevin Hogan said, "I do congratulate Cnr Ekins being the new Mayor."

"I would ask the new Greens Mayor for Lismore to look at three things, along with local roads which are always a priority.

1. To provide hundreds of new homes for families in Lismore, the North Lismore Plateau housing project needs the Mayor's personal support.

2. To provide more jobs and to stop leakage of shopping to the Gold Coast, the Lismore Shopping Square expansion needs Council support. This will help keep Lismore as a Regional shopping hub.

3. Come up with a flood mitigation plan for Lismore. Floods are heartbreaking. Grafton agreed to build a 100 year flood levee in the 60’s and hasn’t flooded since. Simply planting trees upstream is not enough."

"We all love where we live that's why we are here. Let's get Lismore moving."

It looks like the challenge for Lismore's new Mayor will be to marry green ideology with the city's financial responsibilities which includes future growth.