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.

Unearthed is an exhibition showcasing the final works of ceramics diploma students, and they are very pleased to be holding the exhibition at the Lismore Regional Gallery.After studying for two years, honing skills and developing distinct styles, their works have developed into stunning artistry through the guiding hand of Phaedra Davy, their teacher.Phaedra speaks highly of the class's abilities, “This class, they're amazing. Everyone's so committed. Ceramics is a really broad area, which is why we have some sculpture, some wheel thrown, some slip cast. People really lean into their own passion and find ways to express that for different processes.“We're so excited and honoured to be having our graduate exhibition back at the Regional (Gallery). We were there before the flood - everything's changed in these last years, and to be going back and exhibiting there again just gives us this sense that we're all settling, we're all coming back to normal, and it's just really joyous.”Ineke Dane, the curator for Lismore Regional Gallery, is looking forward to the exhibition, “We're happy to host their graduate show,” she said.The works of each of the artists are very distinct, with a wide range of experience influencing their work.Theresa Mason is influenced by Skangaroovian Funk, which Theresa describes as ceramics that came out of the funk movement, “I'm all about giving a voice to koalas, which are an endangered species and are set to be extinct in the wild by 2050.“My work is protest koalas. There'll be some that are obvious, holding little signs and flags and some more cerebral like Liberty Leading the People and the Koala Lady series.”Theresa incorporates Koala facts into her works, and when they were fired, she used their scat to help bake them.“It's been really good to incorporate that factual information into my art and use my art as a voice. There's a sad irony in that my work, once it's fired and vitrified, it's going to probably outlast the species. Ceramics is archival in nature.” Follow Theresa at claymakerceramics on socials. Here’s Insta.Paola Zlatar was born in Australia, and at two, raised in Chile, “My work is based on the contrast and feelings inside of me between two lands. What was the meaning of leaving everything you know and love behind to start a new life? “To start the life that you always dreamed of… Even though you left a place that was rough and hard and loud and chaotic, you still miss all the beauty and the passion and some of the chaos, in a way.”Paola finds her in a “beautiful, rich country where everything is easier and more comfortable, but it's lacking that extreme world where I originally come from. There's always a tension, internal tension in immigrants. I believe that it's never complete, but at the same time, you feel complete because you got the best of both, right? (Paola with her art that explores the dichotomy using different textures and finishes, with windows that we use to peer in at something we aren't a part of.)Victoria Keesing uses her sculptures to explore connection. “I’m making a series of forms that talks to a story called Pathways to Peace, which is a story about how communities connect with each other to get beyond the damage they've done to one another to find joint solutions.The pieces will be arranged in groups of eight, “which is the minimum number of people you need to get the maximum range of views in a community - providing you choose the right slice of a community.  “Like human beings, they're all different. They all wear their colours, but they only show the little bits of themselves they want others to see.”Despina Angeli did her interview by video chat. Despina has found herself delving into sacred geometry, “I see the patterns in my own life and how it has unfolded, and I see the patterns that are in nature. And I'm fascinated by the micro, gothic level of patterns in nature. “I feel like there's something quite divine and intelligent that is there that we don't fully comprehend. I try to put that into my artwork.”Despina spent some time in India and has put something of mantra and meditation into some of her pieces. Her works were not available to see, so we have to wait for the exhibition for a peep.Meital Lawrence has let her experiences shape and misshape her works. Living in Australia for 14 years has not diminished her connection to her family and culture and the trauma happening there.“I'm exploring the notions of truth. Where I’m from, Israel, it is an intense time, and my family got affected. And so I'm living my truth, being here in Australia. It's quite twisted. “When you're throwing on the wheel, you want it perfect, and then take that perfection out and change it. It's like, how we modify the truth to fit our vision, our story, and whatever lies or truths we tell.”Follow Meital at Mudlove on Insta, here.Melissa Lovegrove decided she wanted to pursue a creative passion and is focussing on Australiana, “I travelled overseas to Greece and America during the course, and I noticed gum trees growing over there. It was just an automatic portal back to homeland.”Melissa was surprised to see them growing so prolifically, and it made her feel patriotic, “I have tried to capture the beauty of the eucalypt. I love it. I've got three bodies of work, and they're all a bit different.”Melissa has used a technique on some where she draws and paints the plant, and then rubs away at the edges giving a beautiful subtle effect to those works. “I've also got some blossom flowers, which really cut back to the colours of Australian flora and the beautiful pinks and oranges. And I just love it.”Follow Melissa at Meli_pottery on Insta, here.Phaedra describes Eden Blennerhassett’s body of work as “Sculptures of imaginary creatures.“Eden has an eye for fine details, making her work stand out.”  The mystery behind her creatures is as elusive as Eden, who is determined to let her works stand for themselves…The quality of works and range of styles is a testament to the work of Phaedra, “I love to teach, but also I see my job here is to kind of foster people to find their own way. I'll teach process and technique, and I will also encourage people to walk the path of exploring their own creative force and see where that takes them.”Phaedra encourages, “Bring your credit cards and support these emerging artists. They will be the artists to be watching over the next five or six years in different galleries as they go out into the world. “TAFE is very much a springboard. Here we set them up, like I said, with their own passion and their ability. And from here, they springboard out. There's a lot of very successful ceramic artists that all started at TAFE.”Follow Phaedra at 1000_revolutions_studio on insta here.See Unearthed at Lismore Regional Gallery from this Friday, the 15th of November (Opening night) until Sunday, the of 24th November. The opening night event goes from 5.30 to 7.30pm. See you there!

There was a Code of Conduct matter on the agenda during yesterday's Lismore City Council meeting. As is usually the case, the matter is dealt with in confidential.This means the media and the public do not know why the Code of Conduct was lodged. We do, however, discover the results of the Code of Conduct when the mayor reads out the findings before ending the meeting.Not that the person involved was hidden during yesterday's meeting, as Councillor (Cr) Big Rob mentioned he was the person with the Code of Conduct.Mayor Steve Krieg read that: Councillor Rob be formally censured for the breaches under section 440G of the Local Government Act 1993.The matter be referred to the Office of Local Government for further action under the misconduct provisions of the Local Government Act 1993.The voting was unanimous from those councillors present (Battista, Bing Gordon, Guise, Jensen, Knight-Smith, Krieg and Waters), with Crs Dalton-Earls, Hall, and Rob not present.On his Facebook page Official Big Rob, he posted "Another censure to add to the collection, and a considerable cost to ratepayers as attempts to control me using a very broken process continue." The results were then printed under the comment.Cr Rob was also censured in June 2023. What does 'formally censured' mean for a councillor?In its current form, not much. It is usually a written formal reprimand by council, so a rap over the knuckles asking the councillor to refrain from further actions.Any further disciplinary action, such as undergoing training or other education, counselling or making an apology, is open to be challenged following a Supreme Court ruling in September 2019 in Cornish versus Secretary.The Supreme Court commented that, notwithstanding the penalties available to councils for code of conduct breaches by councillors under the Procedures for the Administration of the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW (the Procedures), the only disciplinary power available to councils under the Local Government Act 1993 for code of conduct breaches by councillors, is the power to formally censure conferred under section 440G (a council may by resolution at a meeting formally censure a councillor for misconduct. (3) A council may pass a formal censure resolution only if it is satisfied that the councillor has engaged in misconduct on one or more occasions.)The Supreme Court’s decision makes it clear that it remains open to general managers and conduct reviewers/investigators to informally resolve code of conduct complaints against councillors by alternative means such as explanation, counselling, training, mediation, informal discussion, negotiation, a voluntary apology or an undertaking not to repeat offending behaviour.Continued breaches of the Code of Conduct would be reported to the Office of Local Government, which could result in more severe penalties such as suspension from office for a period of time or suspension of pay.How many more breaches of the councillor's Code of Conduct will Cr Rob need to be lodged and agreed upon before a pattern is formed and a severe penalty is administered?On September 5, a Councillor Conduct Framework Discussion Paper was announced by Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig as the government overhauls the outdated and toothless system.Some potential changes include complaints about conflicts of interest would be made directly to the Office of Local Government (OLG), and complaints about misbehaviour would be made directly to a Local Government Privileges Committee.The proposed framework would also give mayors greater powers to sanction councillors for acts of disorder during meetings, but significant sanctions (such as suspension, financial penalties or disqualification) will only be made by an appropriate tribunal (such as NCAT).A copy of the Councillor Conduct Framework Discussion Paper and more details on the consultation process can be found on the Office of Local Government Website. There is only two more days to give feedback on the discussion paper, as the deadline is 15 November.

The Lismore City Council monthly meeting was held for the second time at 10am at Lismore City Council chambers in Goonellabah yesterday.Despite the previous claims of some councillors that changing the meeting times would lead to less community access, there were approximately ten people in the gallery. Even Councillor (Cr) Rob, who mentioned he would have to appear via video link, has been present in person at both meetings (extraordinary and monthly).It should be noted the meeting went on until after 4pm, once two confidential items were dealt with, so close to six hours. If the meeting were held at 6pm, the meeting would stop at 10:30pm or be extended if it were possible to complete the meeting, which would not have been the case. This would have meant councillors would need to come back for a second night to complete the business paper.Historically, the Nimbin community and Lismore City Council and its Councillors haven't always agreed on a unified way forward. However, the Nimbin Place Plan was not only well received by three public gallery speakers, Diana Roberts, Jane Mari and James Wickham; each praised council staff for the process of engaging the Nimbin community.Diana Roberts said, "This has been an excellent process, in my opinion. It does reflect community opinion."The identified improvements to Nimbin through the plan include toilet upgrades, more shade and spaces for passive recreation, activities for young people (15-24 years old), activities for kids (under 15), more public gardens, green space and better pedestrian and active transport connections and a public library/museum.One aspect that was raised but not included in the Nimbin Place Plan was a Traffic Management Plan. This would include parking, travel through the village and how it affects public safety. This has been noted as part of the Nimbin Place Plan going forward as was water hoses for street planters to keep the beautification greenery alive.There was some debate around 9 Sibley Street, commonly known as Peace Park, not having a Plan of Management, which is a requirement for community land.This was included in the motion to accept the Nimbin Place Plan, along with allocating annual funding for capital works so the 37 actions in the plan can be executed one by one over the next four years as the budget allows.While on Nimbin, the council accepted the Nimbin Chamber of Commerce's acquittal report for the expenditure of its annual $17,900 Business Rate and released this year's funds. Councillors also allowed the Nimbin Chamber of Commerce to roll over funds if they were not spent during the year.During the Audit Report for the 2023/24 financial year, Kevin Franey, a partner at HLB Mann Judd, said that Lismore City Council was tracking in the right direction for long-term financial sustainability.During the Quarterly Budget Review Statement, it was noted that inflationary pressure could force council to revise its spending to ensure it meets its budget targets. If inflation continues to stabilise, then council can deliver its services at forecast costs or close to forecast so they can be absorbed by council.Cr Adam Guise asked a question about council's fleet of vehicles after noting they were included in the QBRS.Chief Operating Officer Brendan Logan said council has started a fleet renewal process. "We've made general fund allocations through the budget process somewhere between three and five million for the last two years. You just draw a simple table, purchase, lease or hire these fleets. It's a no-brainer over a seven-year period to purchase. So we're just on this progressive renewal thing at the moment."This financial year, Lismore City Council was always going to have an increase in flood restoration works. Council’s original budget for 2024-2025 included a significant level of natural disaster restoration works of $107.29 million. This includes:$21.31 million to complete the restoration of Council’s building assets$62.678 million for the ongoing restoration of the road network$10.55 million for the waste facility$11.252 million for water and sewer restoration (managed by Public Works) and$1.5 million for flood resilience.Creating a vision for the Northern Rivers and for Lismore has been a topic of discussion for the last two and a half years. Yesterday, Mayor Steve Krieg was asked about the NRJO (Northern Rivers Joint Organisation) Regional Vision and Master Plan now that the mayors have had their first meeting since the September elections."As we've seen in the past when councils go into caretaker mode," Mayor Krieg replied, "The state government keeps chipping away at things, and sometimes decisions are made that aren't necessarily in the best interests of affected councils. So, as a joint organisation, with all seven councils affected, it was decided to ask the Reconstruction Authority just to put a pause on where the vision and master plan work is going until after the election. "Then, as we all know, I think we've got three new mayors on NRJO now, and so it was briefly mentioned on Friday's NRJO meeting in Murwillumbah we will be going into a workshop about where that is headed into the future, but basically it was just so that the state government didn't think that they and the Reconstruction Authority could continue on and do work without consulting with the seven-member councils."The focus then shifted to Lismore City Council's Community Strategic Plan (CSP), a key document that has not been updated since 2014. This is in place of the Reimagine Lismore Long-term Vision and Plan that has stalled in the last six months.Council resolved in February this year to establish a Reimagine Lismore Advisory Panel and endorsed terms of reference for the panel at the April meeting. There was much debate about the name of the advisory panel, the Citizens Jury and Citizens Assembly were other names discussed. The updated CSP needs to be completed by 30 June 2025, and with the Advisory Panel yet to be endorsed and then engaged in the manner set out in the terms of reference, a choice had to be made. The CSP won. Not every councillor was happy. Cr Guise called the decision a disservice to our community. "That doesn't give our community any certainty or structure going forward about how we live life post-flood and with other disasters going forward. So, I don't support abandoning such a process."Cr Knight-Smith said, "I was really disappointed initially with the make-up of the Reimagine Lismore Advisory Panel. It should have been a proper community consultation, but to abandon what we've already created and to waste over $100,000 that's already been spent just seems absurd."Mayor Krieg offered a different point of view, saying that we've gone around in circles and got absolutely nowhere. "Now, we have a brand new council, a brand new opportunity to actually refocus, revision, not only update our CSP, which is well over a decade old and is in desperate need of a total overhaul, which I'm excited about doing, but also working in with the NRJO, the CSIRO to develop, not only a region best practice for Lismore, but for the region and for the broader community."This was supported by Cr Dalton-Earls, who agreed with the mayor that we shouldn't revisit the past, while Cr Gordon said, "I think this is a great opportunity, with a room full of brand new people to come and sit down in consultation, as written, with the community to come up with a brand new CSP." The intent of the motion is to allow staff to develop a revised engagement program plan and to deliver engagement activities to inform the new CSP within the available timeframe.The motion was passed 8/2 with Crs Bing, Jensen, Gordon, Rob, Waters, Dalton-Earls and Krieg, with Crs Guise and Knight-Smith voting against. Cr Hall had left the chamber.The final Lismore City Council meeting for 2024 will be held on December 10 at 10am.

A man has died in hospital following a two-vehicle crash at Tuckombil, northeast of Wollongbar, last week.Just after 3.30pm on Monday, 4 November 2024, emergency services were called to Teven Road, Tuckombil, near Ballina, following reports of a two-vehicle crash.Officers attached to Richmond Police District attended and found a Hyundai Venue and a Nissan Juke had collided.An 87-year-old man, who was a passenger in the Hyundai, suffered a medical episode as a result of the crash.He was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital.The driver of the Hyundai – a 62-year-old woman – and her second passenger – an 87-year-old woman – were treated at the scene for minor injuries before being taken to Lismore Base Hospital.The 62-year-old driver of the Nissan also suffered minor injuries.The 87-year-old man was later transferred to Lismore Base Hospital, where he died yesterday (Monday 11 November 2024).Officers attached to the Crash Investigation Unit commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash.As inquiries are ongoing, police would like anyone who witnessed the crash or has dashcam to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.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.

The thunderstorm activity seen in the west and northwest of the Northern Rivers continues, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for LARGE HAILSTONES, HEAVY RAINFALL and DAMAGING WINDS.Thunderstorms are developing in moist, unstable conditions north of a surface trough over far northeastern NSW.Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce large hailstones, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and damaging winds in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations that may be affected include Murwillumbah, Mullumbimby, Kyogle, Urbenville, Wiangaree and Nimbin.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 5:05 pm.

The Labor Federal Government introduced a new Bill to Parliament last week titled 'Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024.Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan says this will give the government and its bureaucrats extraordinary powers to regulate speech and decide what is classed as misinformation. He gave a passionate speech, strongly opposing the legislation, describing it as an attack on free speech.“This is the most dangerous Bill that has been introduced to Parliament in decades. It has no place in Australia,” Mr Hogan said.“There is a famous quote that says, ‘I disagree with everything you say, but every day will defend your right to say it.’ That is not what Labor in Australia think.”“What is one person’s misinformation is another person’s opinion. Imagine if this was in place during the Voice debate, when Labor labelled any view it didn’t like or agree with as ‘misinformation’.”“If the Government decides that digital platforms have not censored enough ‘misinformation’, they can face large fines.” “Digital platforms don’t care about the free speech of Australians – but they do care about their profits. So they will censor large amounts of material to avoid the risk of fines.”“The provisions of the Bill are extremely broad and would capture many things said by Australians every day.”“Left-wing academics, scientists and artists are all exempt from the proposed rules. But if an everyday Australian said the same thing, or if they disagreed with the academic, it could be deemed misinformation.”“It’s hard to believe that a government in any democracy would put this forward. This bill betrays our democracy. It incentivises censorship. It makes the government the ultimate arbiter of truth. It has no place in our nation.”