The NSW Government is warning consumers about the potential dangers of buying poor-quality lithium-ion battery-powered products as gifts this holiday season, which may pose a fire risk.The warning comes amid fears that substandard lithium-ion battery-powered devices may flood the market during Black Friday, Cyber Monday and other pre-Christmas sales ahead of new regulations coming into effect next year.New data reveals there have already been a record 275 battery-related incidents so far this year, surpassing last year’s record number (272). Small portable devices have accounted for the most incidents in 2024 (94), while there have been 86 fires involving e-micromobility devices.If a lithium-ion battery overheats uncontrollably, it can release flammable and toxic gases in a process called ‘thermal runaway’, which can create fire and explosion hazards. The risk of thermal runaway is higher in batteries that are damaged, overcharged or exposed to high temperatures.In a campaign launched today, the NSW Government is calling on people to shop, charge and recycle lithium-ion batteries safely, unveiling a new consumer warning video and a central website for people to visit when seeking information on lithium-ion products.Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has developed a video to demonstrate how ‘thermal runaway’ can occur, featuring power tool batteries catching fire in a living room.The NSW Government is urging shoppers to be vigilant and undertake safe charging and disposal practices with lithium-ion battery products.Today’s warning follows the Minns Labor Government’s mandatory safety standards for lithium-ion battery-powered e-micromobility products announced in August, which will require e-bikes, e-scooters, hoverboards and e-skateboards to meet new testing, certification, and marking requirements.These NSW Fair Trading product safety standards are intended to curb the fire risks associated with lithium-ion e-micromobility devices by ensuring low-quality and dangerous versions of these products cannot enter the market and be sold to unsuspecting consumers. Retailers, manufacturers and suppliers will face fines of up to $825,000 for not complying with the new safety standards, which will be introduced in a staged process from 1 February 2025.A nation-first Information Standard will also be introduced to provide consumer advice and warnings on fire and electrical safety, product storage, road rules and disposal of e-micromobility products. Communities are being reminded that batteries do not belong in household garbage bins, where they can spark fires in garbage trucks and waste facilities.Lithium-ion batteries can be disposed of at a range of dedicated recycling drop-off points, including many retail outlets and supermarkets. Products with embedded batteries, like an electric toothbrush or portable speaker, can be safely disposed of at 21 Community Recycling Centres across NSW.Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:“The increase in battery-related incidents is serious and concerning, so we’re working across government to address the risks posed at all stages – from purchase to use and disposal.“Don’t throw batteries out with your household rubbish. If not disposed of properly, they can cause intense, dangerous fires which put others in harm’s way, including our garbage truck drivers.”Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:“Lithium-ion batteries are an important part of the transition to alternative energy and technologies. But we must be aware of the safety risks and how to use these batteries safely so consumers can enjoy the festive season without an emergency visit from Fire and Rescue NSW.“It’s not just micromobility products like e-bikes and e-scooters that cause lithium-ion fires, it can be devices you don’t expect like electric toothbrushes, shavers, vacuum cleaners, portable chargers and power tools that are contributing to these fires in NSW.”Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said, “Our primary focus is making sure consumers are protected so please be careful when purchasing lithium-ion battery products and keep an eye out for Christmas sales that appear too good to be true. “With the Christmas shopping period upon us, we want to ensure that everyone is buying safe lithium-ion battery products.“Don’t skimp on quality and safety. Check the ACCC Product Safety website to see if there’s an active recall. Make sure the batteries don’t show signs of damage and check for standards labelling. If you’re uncertain about a lithium-ion battery product’s quality, don’t take the risk.”FRNSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said, “If these batteries are allowed to overheat, or become damaged or compromised, they can cause an explosive chain reaction.“These devices are powered by an array of batteries. If they enter that ‘thermal runaway’ process, they can spew a cloud of toxic gas inside your home and violently explode, resulting in an intense fire.“There’s an additional risk when an unrelated fire breaks out in a home and then consumes lithium-ion battery devices, which can intensify the blaze and make it extremely difficult to extinguish.”

The NSW Government’s unclaimed money system has been updated and streamlined, making it easier for people to claim their share of $638 million currently in the fund.The unclaimed money register holds overpayments, refunds, dividends, uncashed cheques, NSW Public Sector superannuation and other money owed to individuals who can’t be tracked down.Revenue NSW has launched a new system to help reduce the barriers required to make a claim.By allowing for streamlined ID checks through a Service NSW account, a new system to easily upload any required documentation, and a new feature that tracks application status, it’s hoped that even more money can be returned.In 2023-24, more than $22.3 million was returned to individuals, a 59% increase on 2022-23, and the highest on record. Since 1 July 2014, more than $161 million has been returned.Revenue NSW also undertakes extensive work to proactively identify individuals who may have unclaimed money. In 2023-24, it sent 12,407 letters alerting them to possible claims and assisting them with the process.Updates to the unclaimed money system also include a new portal to enable enterprises to provide better quality data to Revenue NSW. This will streamline the process for claimants to find any money owed to them.So far this financial year,$63.1 million has been sent to Revenue NSW, bringing the unclaimed money fund to a total of $638 million. This includes $268 million claimable by residents of NSW. The average amount available to claim is $370.In metropolitan Sydney, residents of the City and the Inner South have the most to claim, with $46.6 million (an average amount of $541), followed by North Sydney and Hornsby $29.5 million (an average amount of $389).In regional NSW, residents of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have $8.2 million to claim (an average amount of $329), while residents of the Illawarra can claim $6.5 million (an average amount of $276).It’s free to search the unclaimed money register, and Revenue NSW does not charge any commission on successful claims. Once the necessary documentation has been provided and confirmed by Revenue NSW, funds are sent to the individual within 28 days.For more information on unclaimed money and to search the new register, people can visit the Revenue NSW website https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/unclaimed-money.Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos, “Last year we set a new record, giving more than $22 million back to families and households across NSW.“We want to get this money back to families and households as quickly and easily as we can. The changes we’ve made to the unclaimed money system will help make that process easier.“By making sure that businesses that send information to the unclaimed money fund include basic information, we can get started matching people with their unclaimed money even sooner.“I thank NSW-based enterprises for transferring money into the unclaimed money fund that they’ve been unable to return to their rightful owners, so that the NSW Government can try to do so.“We encourage you to jump on the updated website and see if any of the unclaimed money belongs to you.”Chief Commissioner of State RevenueScott Johnston said, “The new enterprise portal will require businesses and corporations to provide the information Revenue NSW needs to re-unite residents in NSW, Australia and overseas with their unclaimed money.“With Revenue NSW consistently seeing more money lodged than it’s able to return, the portal will help the agency continue to give more and more unclaimed money back to those it’s owed to.”Unclaimed money given back in the last ten years:Financial YearAmount paid:2014-15$18,664,9772015-16$14,441,5382016-17$15,437,9282017-18$12,477,6852018-19$13,456,7112019-20$17,442,8412020-21$16,313,8202021-22$10,686,7862022-23$13,288,4222023-24$22,324,9302024-25 to 19 Nov$6,877,993Total since 1 July 2014$161,413,631

Lismore’s Cinema sits on the corner of Keen and Zadoc Streets, looking sad and unloved. The owners, Event Cinemas, have shown little interest in restoring so Lismore movie lovers can once again have a short commute to see a movie. There hasn't been much movement in or out of the theatre since the cleanup after the 2022 floods.The cinema's official line at the beginning of this year has been that an update is coming in the next couple of months.  In September, their response to questions was, “We are continuing to explore our options for Event Cinemas Lismore, and we hope to provide the local community with an update in the coming months.”Those months go on and on.Interest by the community in seeing it re-established has been expressed on socials, and State MP Janelle Saffin put it to them in a discussion recently, “I spoke with them and was again assured that they would inform us of their intentions. I asked that it be before Christmas. I also detailed how people miss it very much.”With the summer season upon us, the loss of the big cinema is an opportunity to explore other entertainment options.The Nimbin Bush Theatre is located in the old Norco Buttery, built-in 1929 on the banks of Nimbin Creek; it is set in a beautiful garden.  David Hyett is the owner and runs it as a place for a variety of functions. “It's fairly sizable. It's licensed for 300 people for functions and dance parties and 135 seated to watch a screen or stage performance.“People can use utilise both inside and out. We have a cafe that can cater for private functions, a kitchen for people to use if they prefer that. The cafe opens in conjunction with an event.Recent viewings include documentary-style films, but David is excited to announce that they are putting together a Movie Club. “We're looking at forming a film or movie club. So that people can contribute to the ideas of what they want to see.”David is still working out the details, but information will be on their website in the next week or so.The art deco-styled Star Court Theatre was built over 100 years ago in 1921. They feature a range of films and on-stage shows you can see. Sarah-Jane Loxton, proprietor, shows current films from around the world. Sarah-Jane has been at the Star Court Theatre for over seven years and loves her role. “I get to travel all over the world through the screen. It's quite awesome, really.” The pick up since Event Cinema closed was not immediate, ”I think it's taken a little while for people to catch on that there is still an option here for movies, and because we don't do the great big mainstream films.“I think people are starting to realise that there still is a good range of films to see, so it's definitely growing.”Star Court is available for hire, and a group called Cult Classic Lismore show some older popular films that you can get tickets for. “We're having a great turnout for that because they're picking really good favourites”. In December, they have arranged Clockwork Orange, and in January, Goonies is showing.  “With some of the films, like the cult classics, we might run with a bit of a theme - maybe a couple of decorations. With Dirty Dancing (last month), I put a bunch of baby dolls in the corners.”The other difference to bear in mind is that there are three movie trailers before the movie starts - no ads. “For some people who are used to the other cinemas, they often would turn up late, thinking that they're not going to miss anything, but we start everything pretty close to on time.”(The magic show is coming in January)Over the summer period, there will be a range of shows, not just cinema. “We've got the Life of Brian with a small, 20-minute Monty Python style comedy performance before it on 6th December. The skit is being done by a Byron theatre group, Three Lords.“We've got a small open mic comedy night, in the bar on the 19th of December for Christmas, high school kids from Theatre doing a show next weekend, and an illusionist coming in January.”Kyogle Cinema is owned by Richard and Cheryl Harris. It runs most of the mainstream films offered by other large-name cinema brands and is the newest theatre, starting in 1999. Ironically, it has some of the oldest projectors in it… With good reason.A film buff started the theatre and left the place with a huge collection of cinema paraphernalia that provides an incredible snapshot into the history of filmmaking.“The original owner, Stuart Everett, was a collector, and he collected for many, many years.”When he passed away, his children kept it all stored away, and when they sold it to the Harris’, the collection was sold with it.Richard and Cheryl have done a lot of work to upgrade the cinemas and include Mr Everett's treasures, “We completely renovated cinema three, which was just a storage area, that now is a museum that houses the film collection.“It is a nice little 40-seat cinema that is part of the museum, in which we run a documentary on old films - like how 35-millimeter projectors came about. People view that and can then see the actual projectors and hand-painted slides and things.”Kyogle Cinema has started offering Devonshire tea as part of the Cinema 3 experience, with a documentary on the Queen's visit in the '50’s.  “The Queen's visit is proving to be very popular, and quite often we get someone attend that was actually there.”After the big renovation, the cinema ran into a hiccup. Or rather a cough?“We opened on the 29th of February, and COVID hit about two weeks later.”That was a tough business battle, but recently, things have improved.“The fact that Lismore closed was beneficial to us. And likewise, when Murwillimbah closed recently, that's increased our turnover again. So we've gone from strength to strength.”As well as the two theatres that show the mainstream films, you can book Cinema 3 and hold a private event or film showing.  Keep an eye out on these options with the links below;Kyogle Cinema has all their films and information on how to book Cinema 3 on their websiteThe Nimbin Bush Theatre keep people informed via their websiteAt the Star Court Theatre, show times and bookings are on their website.If you are interested in knowing what the next Cult Classic Lismore flick is, check out their Facebook page.

Rod’s Excavations has been operating for 5 years out of Coffs Harbour, and now he is offering his services to the 2480 postcode as Lismore gets another new business.With a base and friends here, Rod didn’t find it hard to make the decision to help out after seeing so many houses boarded up and still in recovery.“We don’t really hear how you things are going up here from Coffs, so when I saw that Lismore was still struggling, I thought about how I could help out.”Rod has a rig that can fit into tight spaces, and with over 25 years experience driving plant, large and small, I assured him that his services here in Lismore will be very welcome!“I have a couple of small excavators, and I do small tight access work. They are great where big machines can't get in. I've got all the attachments for the excavators to work in those tight access places, so drilling holes, trenches and so on.“I can get into people's backyards and tidy them up. I can clear shrubs, gardens and make garden beds as well. A little bit of landscaping, retaining walls, drainage stuff like that. Backyard jobs are my cup of tea. “I can do bigger stuff a little bit of road works and driveways. If someone, especially people on split-level blocks, needs a bit of work done with gardens, retaining walls and driveways, I can come in and coordinate the whole package.”Rod’s background is in a large piling company doing work all around Australia. But he loves this area of Australia, and wanted to spend more time here, so he started his business.Rod likes the flexibility in working on smaller projects, also. He is able to split his time between existing customers in Coffs and new work up here, relocating north or south when the work calls for it.You can see more of Rod’s handiwork on his Facebook page, or if you have heard enough, give him a call on 0407 647 847.

The Summerland Sunrise Rotary Club have installed a Peace Pole on the top of the flood levee in Riverside Park Victoria Street Lismore (near the Norco Butter Churn).This is Rotary Peace Pole No. 360.A Peace Pole is an international symbol of Peace. They display the message’ May Peace Prevail on Earth’ and usually include the message in a number of languages relevant to the city it is placed in.The Summerland Sunrise Rotary Club has chosen the languages of Japanese ( in respect of Lismore’s sister cities in Japan ), Italian, in recognition of the early Italian settlers in this area and Cambodian, which recognises the club’s link to the Sustainable Cambodia Project through student sponsorship and village water and health upgrades.The original Peace Pole Project was created in 1955 and by 2023, over 250,000 peace poles had been placed around the world in nearly 200 countries.

Police have commenced an investigation into the stabbing of a Casino woman yesterday.About 2.50am yesterday (Saturday, 24 November 2024), police were called to a home on Boronia Crescent, Casino, following reports of a stabbing.Officers attached to Richmond Police District arrived and were told a group of unknown teenage boys had been making threats to residents in a home.During the incident, two women have exited the home to confront the boys; however, after leaving the home, one of the women, aged 33, was stabbed in the hand by one of the teens.The teens then left the scene before police arrived.The woman was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to Lismore Base Hospital in a stable condition.Police have established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the incident.As investigations continue, police are urging anyone with CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone vision or information into the incident to contact Casino Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Today, Sunday, 24 November 2024, marks 1000 days since the 28 February 2022 flood that decimated Lismore and the Northern Rivers.The Lismore App wanted to look at what has been achieved during those 1000 days since the most costly disaster in Australia's history tore through homes and businesses, ripping into the heart of communities and testing their resolve.There would be many in the community who would be quick to say "nothing" has been achieved. However, that would not be true. Could elements of our flood recovery have been delivered faster? Sure. Is there a long way to go in the recovery? Absolutely.The Northern Rivers flood recovery has been far from perfect. Anyone who has been part of the project, all levels of government included, would agree that from the outset, flood rescue, recovery, and the soon-to-be rebuild could have been more effective for the residents of Lismore and the Northern Rivers.The Lismore App asked Lismore City Council, the NSW Reconstruction Authority, Member for Lismore and Parliamentary Secretary of Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin and Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan for their thoughts on what has been achieved in 1000 days.LISMORE CITY COUNCIL - Brendan Logan Chief Operating OfficerWhen you talk about achievements in our asset rebuild, the achievements are many and varied.If you focus on outcomes rather than statistics, I think the biggest achievements are those that everyone told us we wouldn't get done.I was told internally and externally that I'll never get to recruit and lead a restoration team, let alone get the State to fund it, but guess what? We have, and the calibre of people we have recruited is exceptional.I was told in no uncertain terms that we would never get a Managing Contractor model up and running to do our landslip repairs (Nimbin Road as an example), but guess what? We have done that too.(Nimbin Road just before you enter the township)Those achievements give great satisfaction - we had genuine belief that we knew what was best for our city, and we took no prisoners at times to make sure it happened.The statistics also back up the view that we are achieving.Despite the majority of funding only being locked in earlier this year, we have around 80 out of 350 projects in the close-out phase, as in all but finished and ready to hand back to the BAU asset teams in Council.To do that, we have spent upwards of $200 million of what is likely to be a 10-figure overall cost. As for 2025, we are out to market for the landslips Managing Contractor, and we are on track to award that in the first half of 2025. The team are working overtime to get that to happen. We will also see commencement of the rebuild of the east Lismore sewerage treatment plant, which is essential to support the Crawford Road housing development that the State has announced. There will also be a range of flood resilience projects under the leadership of Garon Clough that will get plenty of momentum in the first half of 2025.NSW RECONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY - SpokespersonThe floods in 2022 in the Northern Rivers was Australia’s worst ever flood disaster and one of the costliest we’ve seen. In response, we are now undertaking Australia’s largest disaster adaptation program across the Northern Rivers region and rolling out one of the state’s biggest recovery programs in response to a flood. This is not a simple rebuilding exercise – we’re making significant long-term changes to where people live, how we plan for climate change and how we mitigate future disasters. This kind of work takes time. We know from other disasters here and overseas that communities can still be rebuilding 10 years on.Our two key programs in the Northern Rivers are the State and Commonwealth funded $790 million Resilient Homes Program (RHP), and the State funded $100 million Resilient Lands Program (RLP).The Resilient Homes Program involves the buyback of about 1,100 homes and funding to support the raise or retrofit of about 370 homes.As at 22 November, 834 buyback offers had been approved, 725 buyback offers accepted, and 23 resilience grants for raise and retrofit works offers approved.We’ve also delivered key policy measures under the RHP, including a relocation and gifting policy for homes that have been bought back, a recycling and reuse pilot and a Living Memory project.We’ve significantly progressed the Resilient Lands Program with various stages of work on seven sites to provide people with more options for flood safe housing. Sites have been identified in East Lismore, North Lismore, Goonellabah, Brunswick Heads, Ballina-Lennox Head, Casino and the Clarence Valley.The Resilient Lands Program will deliver up to 4,300 new parcels of land across the Northern Rivers, with buyback participants given priority.This week, we moved the first of four buyback homes to the Mount Pleasant Resilient Lands Program site in Goonellabah.(The first relocated house at the Mt Pleasant Estate)RA is also overseeing a multi-billion pipeline of infrastructure projects with other NSW Government agencies.This work includes disaster recovery and reconstruction projects, as well as business-as-usual (BAU) work, such as pre-planned or existing works.There are over 1,300 disaster recovery and reconstruction projects underway by a range of agencies and councils across the region worth around $2.8 billion. Also underway is a pipeline of business-as-usual projects worth billions more.There are 36 projects funded under the Commonwealth-funded $150 million Northern Rivers Reconstruction and Resilience Program (NRRRP) to reduce flood risks and build flood awareness in the community. Four new bridges, upgraded pumps, enhanced evacuation routes and riparian revegetation projects are just a few of the 36 NRRRP projects.In addition, more than $8.8 million has been delivered across a variety of grant programs and projects to support community recovery and reconstruction. This includes things like the $1 million Community Resilience Grants program in partnership with the Northern Rivers Community Foundation and $5 million for Resilient Lismore’s “Two Rooms” Repair to Return project.We’ve fast-tracked millions of dollars in funding to make sure councils in the region could repair roads and transport infrastructure damaged during natural disasters. This was the result of a new funding agreement between the 7 Northern Rivers councils, the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Transport for NSW. These Tripartite Agreements mean less financial pressure on councils, faster repairs for communities after natural disasters and better collaboration between state and local government agencies.We’re also supporting people impacted by the 2022 floods with 11 temporary housing villages and supporting thousands of families through our Recovery Support Services. We will continue to work with Homes NSW and other key partners to support residents currently living in temporary housing villages to find permanent long-term housing.And, through our Disaster Relief Grants, we've paid over $11 million to almost 1500 people so they can replace essential household goods and $17.5 million to 264 people for home repairs or rebuilds. We also started work on a Northern Rivers Disaster Adaptation Plan to reduce the risk and impact of future floods in the region.CSIROSenior Principal Research Scientist Jai Vaze and his team have delivered their scheduled reports on time to date. There have been no delays to this $11.4 million Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative project.Phase 1 included the release of the first Interim Report, which was initially called the Rapid Prioritisation for Flood Resilience in the Northern Rivers. It was released on 23 February 2023 and involved council-identified projects. Lismore was allocated the majority of the $50 million for eleven (11) projects.LISMOREFlood risk management infrastructure - upgrades and maintenance of existing flood management infrastructure - 14 proposalsExtra pump at Lower Hollingsworth pump station.Increase capacity in Browns Creek pump station.Power supply backups for all pump stations.Raise pump control rooms/towers in all pump stations.Refurbish Browns Creek flood gate.Refurbish Upper Hollingsworth Creek flood gate.New electric submersible pump station (x2) at levee near Snow Street and Thre Chain Road.Install an electric pump station to replace the tractor driven pump at the rowing club to remove CBD stormwater. Will improve evacuation from the CBD and providing better access to critical infrastructure and emergency services.Improved communications to critical infrastructure with capacity to install CCTV and advanced it solutions.Trash racks will reduce the risk of rubbish and debris being washed/sucked into pump intakes and causing damage to pumps.Phase 2 was the very important collection of high-quality data sets using LiDar and Bathymetry, which were used to build a three-dimensional digital surface map of the Northern Rivers region, covering more than 30,000 km². It was released to the public on June 28 2024.Jai is now preparing the Model Calibration Report. This critical component will be able to reproduce the 2022 flood accurately through detailed modelling. This is due for release on 28 June 2025.Once complete, flood mitigation scenarios can be run through the model. This will tell the community what, if any, scenario can lower the impact of another flood like 2022 and by how much.Jai is looking to test only 2-3 scenarios; however, each scenario will have 3-5 components.This will be delivered by 30 June 2026.Member for Lismore and Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery JANELLE SAFFINAt the time of writing, the Lismore App had not received Ms Saffin's response.Federal Member for Page KEVIN HOGAN Our region still does not have a clear future. There is great confusion, disappointment, and sadness within the community. Three years on, we are no safer and no more protected should another disaster hit.Flood mitigation is the only strategy that will give the region a sustainable future and safety. The CSIRO report is crucial to this. If the community knows a metre or more will be taken off future flood events, they will invest and live in confidence in the Northern Rivers. We also need a vision document focussing on economic recovery, economic development, regional workforce, housing, water security, and residential and industrial land development.The Government on all levels must act. Mistakes have been made, and significant amounts of public funds have been spent with marginal returns. This can be rectified with a commitment to flood mitigation and a vision strategy for the region.Businesses, families and individuals have reinvested to reopen and get themselves back. They deserve certainty for their future.SUMMARYThe pace of the 2022 flood recovery has been much slower than people would like. The blame lies squarely with government bureaucracy. For whatever reason, the wheels just turn slowly, and no amount of yelling, screaming or media coverage increases that pace.Before February 28 2022, there was no disaster recovery body.In Queensland, it took severe flooding in January 2011, with 75% of the state impacted and a death toll of 33, and severe tropical cyclone Yatsi in February that same year, near Townsville, to establish the Queensland Reconstruction Authority.It took the 14.4 metre Northern Rivers flood to first establish the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation, which led to the establishment of the NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSWRA) in December 2022. At the same time, severe flooding destroyed businesses and homes in the central West.Establishing the NSWRA will help any future disaster rescue and recovery a lot quicker than we experienced in 2022. This is a big achievement in itself.As the NSWRA stated above, moving 725 high-risk homes off the floodplain is another achievement. That means less impact when the next major flood hits Lismore and the Northern Rivers. The downside is some people are still receiving buyback offers 1000 days after the big flood. They have experienced so much uncertainty during that time.The Resilient Lands Program (RLP) will deliver 4,300 new parcels of land, as stated by the NSWRA above. The hardest-hit town was Lismore in 2022; yet only 524 new housing sites have been announced through the RLP. This has been adjusted since the Mt Pleasant Estate in Goonellabah was reduced from 50 to 39 housing sites. This can only be described as disappointing, with Lismore having about 500 buyback offers accepted, the most of any LGA by 360. Hopefully, more will be announced in 2025.Housing has been another disappointment in 1000 days. No construction has begun on any RLP site, although two homes from East Lismore have been relocated to Mt Pleasant, with another two to be moved in early December.Lismore City Council appears to have made inroads into its restoration projects with 80 assets completed, including the Memorial baths and the Regional Gallery and some major landslip works finished around Nimbin. 2025 will be significant as the sewage treatment plant rebuild gets underway and plans for the future of the waste and recycling facility are finalised.It has to be said the Northern Rivers Reconstruction and Resilience Program (NRRRP) has been a massive disappointment. The eleven (11) projects should have been ordered and completed by now. They were announced by Senator Murray Watt in February 2023.Flood Mitigation is a key element to Lismore's confidence internally and externally. Externally in terms of investment into our city. The next 1000 days will see the results of flood modelling scenarios, which will determine what the best mitigation options will be. Of course, they then need to be costed and funded by the federal and state government.2025 is shaping to be the year of construction, or at least that is the plan. My fingers are crossed that we start to see the future of Lismore start to take shape on a more substantial scale next year.By the end of the next 1000 days, there should be plenty of reasons to feel confident about Lismore as a city that will once again be the centre of the Northern Rivers.

Lifeline is in its 61st year of helping people in Australia. 'Always Listening' is a documentary made about Lifeline and is a tribute to the work they perform. In the 2022 floods, Lismore became a vital hub, and the film speaks to two women who provided that support to the area.Made by Genevieve Bailey in conjunction with Lifeline, the film made its debut at the end of October and is available on SBS on Demand. It's an uplifting watch.Genevieve has made many documentaries, and her passion is to produce works that resonate with people.“My goal with the film was to shine a light on the history of Lifeline. It was started by Reverend Sir Alan Walker as a service because he wanted to help the lonely people of Sydney.“What we've done with the film is give you some history about Lifeline, but also introduce you to some of the incredible crisis supporters who are doing this amazing work now.  “We focus on that art of listening, why they do it, and why we need it so desperately in these times.”Part of the film was shot here in Lismore with local Volunteer Crisis Supports Pam and Sharon.Genevieve recalls, “So much was devastated after the floods, but Lifeline remained open, running out of portable caravans. The support girls had such good spirits, they called their temporary loo, their "festival toilet".“It was just really nice to get into Lismore and be able to include those stories in the film.”Pam Mathieson has almost 10 years of experience with Lifeline and assists crisis support in other ways. At 73, Pam was a popular choice with her colleagues to represent Lifeline in the film. Pam was humble about her involvement, though she freely admits, “I'm passionate about dealing with people who are lonely, and loneliness is such a huge issue in our society.”Pam works doing “voice service” for Lifeline, but found it interesting to learn about others' involvement, “There were other people who do the tech service (SMS). And there's also online support, so I was interested to listen to what they had to say, because it's different.“I prefer to do the voice service; that's just me because I like to display compassion through my voice tone. I found that really interesting in the film.”Genevieve was impressed at the way Lifeline keep up to date with communications and cultural changes that have made things like an SMS service so vital.“Text support is actually really critical for people who, for example, might be in a situation that's unsafe, in a family situation where they can't really call up and share their struggles, but they can do that over text or Work Chat.”One other aspect of culture in the film is “Learning about 13Yarn for First Nations people who want to receive that support from other First Nations people. That was also a really interesting part of the filmmaking process, and learning about that cultural understanding that they feel will be there.”The Lifeline community is spoken about very highly by Pam, whether it be the training, her "amazing and compassionate" co workers, or the experience of helping people. “Lifeline is fulfilling such a wonderful service for those people who need help to deal with any current problems that are overwhelming for them. “I've always said to people who are in a crisis, what a privilege it is to help them.”Both Pam and Genevieve spoke about the concept of deep listening - it is an elusive skill in our society.   Genevieve said, “I actually think there's a real art to just sitting with people and their discomfort and acknowledging it, but not coming up with things they should be doing differently or things they shouldn't have done. Non-judgmental, listening, it's really powerful.(Genevieve Bailey. Image supplied)“If someone wants to be more present, at a work meeting, or when you're picking up kids from school, anytime you can use listening skills. It can benefit everyone in the community.”Pam speaks of the importance of focused listening in her role, “At Lifeline, to be able to build up connection through deep listening and show our compassion through deep listening - I think it's, it's really a skill that you develop.“If I have the headphones on, I put my hands on those headphones, close my eyes and just listen to what they say,” Pam finds blocking out distractions can be beneficial.Always Listening was made after an opportunity came up after making another film. “When I was screening Happy, Sad Man around Australia, Lifeline had asked if they could screen it for some of their volunteers.“It was then that I started having conversations with Lifeline,” Lifeline asked Genevieve if she would be interested in making a film about them.“I straight away said yes, because I've always known about Lifeline's work. What made me really interested in this project was the fact that I've never really seen a film about the people who answer the calls for help.”The film was nearly called The Listeners, but was changed at the last minute when a BBC series came out with the same name! “We didn't legally have to change it, but I think it's better to have a different title.”Find Always Listening on SBS on Demand here.You can find more information about Genevieve Baileys work at: https://www.proudmotherpictures.com/. Learn more about being a Lifeline Crisis Support worker here.

Local charity Our Kids' oldest fundraising event is the launch of its annual calendar. On Thursday evening, the 2025 Our Kids calendar was launched at La Baracca.It is the 23rd edition of celebrating children who have spent time in the Children's Ward and Special Care Nursery at Lismore Base Hospital; it has become one of Our Kids signature projects.The cover of this year's calendar is Jack Felton.Jack's mum, Janaya Felton, explained that Jack was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in March 2023.Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition that can develop at any age. There is nothing anyone can do to prevent T1D, and right now, there is no known cure."It's been a really long and hard couple of years, but he's such a strong little little dude that he just gets through it."I would say that it doesn't actually affect Jack's life. He still lives his best life and does all the things that he loves to do like he rides his horse, his bulls, and his motorbike. So, I wouldn't say that it affects his quality of life as such, but I guess, you know, it's a new normal.(Jack and Janaya at the launch of the Our Kids 2025 calendar with Jack as the cover photo)"We've had to make some changes and adaptions to how he would normally live. So, we carb count Jack's meals. He's insulin-dependent, so he relies on insulin. He has a pump, which monitors all of his levels, and keeps him within range, and keeps him living his best life. Jack relies on insulin, basically, to survive.As is the case with children, Janaya said Jack takes it all in his stride."It was a struggle to start with getting used to all of that medical intervention and all the injections and things like that, but he's definitely taken it in his stride and made the best out of the situation."For Mum and Dad, the diagnosis and the daily changes have been more challenging."We're okay. It's been a really tough couple of years getting our heads around it. And, you know, watching your baby become very unwell and close to dying and losing your son is a pretty traumatic thing to go through, but we get through it."Each of the twelve children has their own story to tell, and each was photographed by well-known local photographer Jacklyn Wagner, keeping a heart in mind.Jacklyn has been photographing children and donating her time for 23 years to the Our Kids Calendar Project. She has photographed over 300 local families since 2003.Excitingly, Jacklyn will be publishing a coffee table book in 2026/27, celebrating 25 years of the Our Kids calendar. All money raised will go to Our Kids. "The calendar project is an extraordinary body of work; it is such a privilege to photograph the children each year and to be part of this project and team for so long," Jacklyn said. Along with Jacklyn is local graphic designer Soren Hjorth from Lismore's Graphiti Design, who brings the design. Shaun McGuiness from Lismore City Printery sorts the paper to ensure the calendar is printed with the best result. Sheila Turner from Picture Framing frames one version of the calendar. The result is a beautifully framed version that hangs in the foyer of Lismore Base Hospital for twelve months, which is then gifted to the featured child's family at the following year's launch along with a handmade quilt from 'Quilt for Kids'. The quilts were presented to the children who were part of this year's 2024 calendar on Thursday night. The time, effort and detail put into creating the quilts make an incredible result that the children and families appreciate.Unfortunately, not all children have a happy ending. One lost their battle a month ago, highlighting the crucial work that Our Kids, other charities and research companies do each year.During 2024, Our Kids has been raising money for a Retcam (retinal camera). Dr Chris Ingall, the man behind Our Kids, said it is for looking at the back of the retina of very premature babies."This piece of equipment only costs $165,000, and it allows our tiny babies who have been born very premature, to have their eyes examined in their nursery. They don't have to go to Brisbane or the Gold Coast or somewhere else to have that necessary surveillance at the backs of their eyes. And if they don't have it, I have seen the tiny ones go blind. It can be that quick in the way it rolls."So, to have this for our tiny babies, who weigh a kilo, a kilo and half, to go to Brisbane and back is a big deal.Dr Ingall said he hopes to raise enough funds so the Retcam can be here in early 2025. It will also service Tweed and Grafton.The calendar is on sale now at a retail price of $25.00. They are available online at https://www.ourkids.org.au/calendars-purchase.php or from outlets across the Northern Rivers from this Tuesday (November 26):LISMORE: Book Warehouse, McDonald’s, Angus and Coote, Westpac Bank, Lismore Base Hospital, Kidsnest.CASINO: McDonald PharmacyKYOGLE: Kyogle Pharmacy, Kym Malwakin Dentist.LENNOX HEAD: Harmony Child CareBALLINA: Be Seen Eyewear, East Ballina Foodworks, Book Warehouse, Creative Artisan Gallery, Crafty Litte Angels, Crossfit Ballina If you are looking for a bulk order for your clients, workplace or family, please contact the Our Kids office on (02) 66202705 or email info@ourkids.org.au.This team, under the guidance of Dr Chris Ingall and Rebekka Battista from Our Kids, year after year, produces a wonderful product that, due to local sponsors, allows all monies raised through the sale to go directly to Our Kids. This year's sponsors are; Be Seen Eyewear, Goonellabah Medical Centre, McDonalds, North Coast Radiology, Richmond Waste, Southern Cross University, WCA Accountants, Westpac Bank, Richmond Sand and Gravel, Hurford Hardwood, Graphiti Design and North Coast Petroleum.Thank you for helping Our Kids build better health services for our children in the Northern Rivers.

The countdown is on for the inaugural CASPA Lismore Christmas Carnival, a free, family-friendly event set to light up the community with festive cheer next Saturday, 30th November 2024, at the Lismore Turf Club.The event is more than just a day of fun. It’s a celebration of the strength, resilience, and generosity of the Lismore community.Hosted by CASPA, a leading child welfare organisation, the Christmas Carnival promises to deliver an unforgettable day for families and friends of all ages. Sponsors whose generosity has brought this event to life include Summerland Bank, Lean Finance, Newton Denny Chapelle and Commonwealth Bank.From 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm, the Lismore Turf Club will transform into a hub of excitement, featuring:Festive markets showcasing local makers and businesses, perfect for ticking off Christmas shopping while supporting the local economy.Live entertainment with music, dance, and performances by talented local artists.Rides and activities for children and families to enjoy.Delicious food trucks serving a variety of tasty treats.Carnival games, festive contests, and an enticing raffle with fantastic prizes up for grabs.A special visit from Santa, arriving on a Lismore RFS fire truck to spread joy to young and old alike.At the heart of the event will be the CASPA Giving Tree, where attendees can donate gifts to bring joy and hope to young people in CASPA’s care. Gifts left under the Giving Tree will go directly to children and young people who may be spending the festive season separated from their biological families.Event DetailsWhen: Saturday, 30th November 2024, 12:00 pm – 7:00 pmWhere: The Lismore Turf Club, 9A Woodlawn Road, North Lismore, NSW, 2480The event is free to attend, with ride passes and raffle tickets available for purchase on the day. Pre-purchase options are also available via the CASPA website.For more information about the Carnival or to donate, visit www.caspa.org.au.

The police force is an important part of our community, and recently, there have been some changes to support new officers in the area.Susie Johnston, acting Superintendent of the Richmond Police District, gave an update on the latest information and how, if you feel the inclination, you can join the Police Force.To be a police officer is often a dream from childhood. The cars, the uniforms, the guns - it all seems like a great way to spend time. As you get older, that changes.  Supt Johnston has seen the motivation of many new recruits in her time as an officer, “Most people who join the police do it because they want to help people. There can be highs and lows, and occasionally, it's quite sad to do.”The hard moments are the toughest, but as Supt Johnston puts it, “My view is, as a police officer, if we can make somebody's life in the community, on the very worst day of their life, slightly more bearable, then we've done a good job.”Over the years, Supt Johnston has worked in a few different regions and has been with the Richmond Police District (RPD) for 10 years.  “The good thing about RPD is having worked in a number of commands myself, this command exposes you to a range of experiences. You really do not know from one day to the next what you're going to encounter. It is very diverse, so you're never going to be bored in RPD.”Current Regional Recruitment Campaigns, including the RPD means that if you want to become a police officer, you can do that knowing that after training, you will be posted in your hometown.  “We're lucky enough that Richmond is one of the target areas, and that's because we know that becoming a police officer and moving away from the home can be a big ask for family. If you've got kids in school or have partners that have established local businesses and those types of things, it is hard to get moved away. “This new incentive gives people who want to apply a high level of confidence that they know where they're going to be stationed to work when they complete their training.”The Richmond Police Department has main bases in Lismore, Ballina and Casino but covers the region from Tabulam to Evans Head.The police station in Lismore has begun to offer work experience to students. “In 2024, we've just started kicking off work experience students for Year 10, 11, or 12 students. We've had children from schools like Woodlawn and St Mary's. “A number of different schools whose students want to do their work experience will attend the station. We've got four students coming in December.”This option is obvious for school leavers, but there are no age restrictions for people wanting to join the Force. You just need to pass the two training sessions - if you pass the first, you progress to the second.The first consists of your application and identity check, a physical test, psychometric testing, medical assessment and an interview. You need to pass your University Certificate in Workforce Essentials (was $1800, now $700).The physical test was the Bronze Medallion, but now it is called the Aquatic Rescue Sequence Instruction and Certificate.There is a suitability assessment, which is done online, and a field placement, which is like work experience - you go into the field to assess whether it’s for you or not.If you pass session one, you get an invitation to the NSW Police Academy in Goulburn for Session 2. The training takes 16 weeks, and as of this year, you will be paid to do the Session 2 training. On an initial check, this is $1360 per week plus superannuation and allowances.At graduation, “All the commanders go to the attestation parade, where you march at the parade ground.”Supt Johnston explains, “You're a probationary constable for a year. You still do some study and some assessments when you're in that year.“After a year, you get what we call your first hook or your first stripe, and you become a constable. Once you're a constable, you can start looking at where you would like your career to progress.  “Some people might come into the police with skills. If you’ve done a law degree beforehand, a prosecutor might be interesting. I came in with an existing university degree, Information Science, or research and so I naturally went into crime and into a crime analyst role.”RPD has many specialist roles. They can be applied for if and when an officer is willing.  “You start general duties to get your grounding. Some police stay in general duties, where they respond to calls for service for their whole career. Other police go into, say, prosecutions, where you represent the New South Wales Police in court. “Other police go into forensics, where you're looking at crime scenes and taking fingerprints and all of those types of things. “Some police go into intelligence, that's a field that I went into, which is analysing crime. “Other police are detectives and specialise in more serious investigations. We focus on fatal car crashes because obviously, there's obviously scientific and mathematical stuff about that type of thing. “You can go into youth liaison if you want to help youth. You can go into crime prevention if you want to look at how you're going to prevent crime. You can go into domestic violence.“Highway Patrol - lots of people join that. They specifically target traffic and road safety.”The options don’t stop in the RPD. “Some of those specialist roles may require that you go to Sydney. If you wanted to be part of the Raptor Squad - they target outlaw motorcycle gangs.  “That particular unit come up here to assist the RPD but mainly they're based out of Sydney. “The mounted police are a dedicated Sydney option.”In recent years, concern for police wellbeing has been highlighted.  “Some units require regular physical and psychometric tests, say if you're in the Police Rescue squad. The same with other high-risk units, those dealing with child abuse, negotiators and the Tactical Operations Response unit.“One of the good things that they've implemented in the last couple of years is now we've got trained health clinicians that actually work in the police stations that you can go and talk to if you've been to something that upsets you.”The mental health workers can be deployed to areas as necessary in response to difficult situations.Supt Johnston has found being a part of the police to be a rewarding experience and would recommend anyone who is curious to look into it further.More information on applying to become a police officer an be found here.The details of the UCWE training can be found here.

The Northern Rivers Autism Association has received a $20,000 grant from the Commonwealth Bank to run a series of health and wellbeing workshops in 2025.Micheal Lynch, the Founder and Chair of the Northern Rivers Autism Association (NRAA) thanked Commonwealth Bank employee Georgia for nominating the NRAA for the grant and said, "We are very grateful and you won't be disappointed. The $20,000 will be used for the betterment of our community."Stephanie Darragh Lismore Branch Manager explained that the Com Bank is putting in a lot of work into making their workplace inclusive."I can see the Commonwealth Bank has come such a long way. We've got some really great employees that possible have autism and other disabilities who are doing extremely well.""What a great program and what a great thing you are doing."Dr Jessica Bayes is the Deputy Chair and Research Officer of the NRAA explained what the Health and Wellbeing workshops will entail."Different categories of health and wellbeing, whether that be diet, sleep, hygiene, stress management, exercise, life planning, financial wellbeing. All of the things that make up health and wellness across the board.""We know that autistic people have very specific needs and challenges around lots of different things. For example, there might be sensitivities to making certain dietary choices, not liking to go to the gym because of the bright lights, stress management, meltdowns, and that sort of stuff."It's going to be aimed and facilitated by people who are experts in autism. It's really tailored specifically for our community."Dr Bayes said that the whole program has not been delivered anywhere else before, so Lismore will be leading the way with next year's workshops."We're developing the program. My background is in nutrition. I have a PhD in Public Health, and we'll have psychologists, occupational therapists and other experts in their field to deliver their workshops."Those interested in registering their interest for the workshops can do so via email at info@nraa.org.au.

Simone Strobel was a 25-year-old German kindergarten teacher backpacking in Lismore in 2005 when she was murdered.Her murder investigation captured the attention of not only people in Lismore and the Northern Rivers but also people all around Australia.The Lismore App has been told that a fresh Inquest into the death of Simone Strobel was ordered after the discovery of new evidence.In 2005, Simone had been with her boyfriend, Tobias Suckfuell, now known as Tobias Moran, Tobias’s sister and her friend. Tobias was a suspect; however, there was no evidence to tie him to the murder.Tobias and Simone had argued after a night out at the Gollan Hotel.Her body was found 6 days later concealed under palm fronds, 100m from the caravan park where she had stayed. In the initial inquest, it was believed she was suffocated to death.Insufficient evidence was found at the time to tie the murder to anyone.This event caused much distress and grief in the community since the time of the event, and the nature of the unsolved crime has caused Simone's family much sorrow.The Department of Community and Justice said, “A fresh Inquest into the death of Simone Strobel was ordered after the discovery of new evidence. “A five-day hearing was held before State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan at the NSW Coroner’s Court Lidcombe from November 11 to November 15, 2024.”What that evidence is, we will have to wait and see as the department said there are no further details available at this time for release. Four years ago, a $1,000,000 reward was offered to help bring closure to the case, but the case has remained cold until this new evidence has come to light.  For the full story of the tragedy surrounding Simone’s fate that was discussed in 2020, find the story here.

It's Saturday, and the weather is looking pretty good, so the sound of lawnmowers, whipper snippers and hedgers will be echoing around the neighbourhood throughout the day. One local couple, Timmay and Jessica Middleton, will be fighting over who gets to mow the lawn. In fact, Timmay, or Tim, loves it so much that he and Jessica decided to start their own business.....The Lawn Daddy Mowing Co. A name suggested by their children.Tim and Jess both work in the community services sector and would like to start a business to complement their workload and give them a better work-life balance.“I like being outdoors. I love mowing lawns. So I thought, why not make it into a thing?” says Tim, “There's something really enjoyable about when you mow a lawn, you get to the end of it, you turn around, you have a look at it. Yeah, I did a really good job of that.”Jess verifies that she doesn't have to hassle him about the lawns at home, “No, he actually really enjoys doing it.” Therein lies the challenge, “I like doing it as well. So I usually try and get in and do it before he gets home so I can have my go.”Tim and Jess offer the full yard service complement, mowing, edging, hedging and brush cutting for suburban residential properties around Lismore. They work between Goonellabah and Casino, but are happy to provide a free quote further afield if they are asked.Their point of difference comes in the attention to detail. Tim wants to leave the yard with an obvious personal touch, “ I treat everyone's lawn like it's my own. I'll happily spend extra time so I can get to the end of it and go, “I did a good job ofthat.”“Tim is the perfectionist when it comes to mowing,” says Jess.The name, “It's a bit of a tongue in cheek, but it does actually stem from being a dad. The kids would say, “Daddy's out mowing the lawn.” I'm a father, a husband, a daddy.”If you are in need of some yard services, give Tim a call on 0421 759 110, or you can find him on Facebook.

The lack of sunshine will continue into the weekend, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting a shower or two for Saturday and a partly cloudy Sunday.Temperatures will be in the mid-20s.The sun will return on Monday for three days before the rain returns on Thursday.You can stay up to date with the weather forecast easily through the Lismore App's Weather & Travel button (Weather & Travel) with direct links to the the Bureau of Meteorology.It is another fairly quiet weekend before the Christmas rush of events starts in December.The Lismore Base Hospital Auxillary Christmas Craft Market is on this weekend at the Lismore Showgrounds in the William Smith Pavillion at the top end.There will be a Lions Club BBQ, a coffee cart, a raffle, homemade pickles and jams, baked goods, crocheted items, handmade children's clothing and many local artisan stalls.The times are:Saturday: 8.30am to 3pmSunday: 9am to 1pmAlso at the showgrounds is the Lismore Farmers Markets tomorrow from 7:30.Cherries, a sign of Christmas, will be on sale, as will other fresh fruit & veg and Christmas gift ideas. Brommers (Phil Bromley) will provide the live music.Coming up:CASPA's Christmas Carnival is on next Saturday at the Turf Club between 12pm and 7pm.Carols in the Heart is two weeks away on Sunday, so mark December 8 on your calendar from 4pm.The Italian Tenors will be performing at the Lismore Workers Club tonight from 8pm. You can still book tickets for that spontaneous concert by clicking here.Chris Fisher is at the Northern Rivers Hotel tonight from 7pm. Outback Road take to the stage on Saturday night from 7 and the Sunday Session is Sam Handford from 2pm.There was not much movement in fuel prices over the last seven days. Ballina is easily the cheapest town to fill up apart from diesel, where Lismore is the cheapest.Here are the cheapest fuel prices in each town:E10 is 178.9 across those that serve E10 in Lismore, 166.5 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 175.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road, Lismore, 168.5 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, 184.9 at the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street in Casino and 174.9 at The Metro and the Mobil in Ballina.U98 is 195.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road, Lismore, 188.9 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 172.9 at the Ampol Foodary at 237 Union Street, South Lismore, 178.9 at the Ampol Casino on Dyraaba Street and 182.5 at The Metro and the Mobil in Ballina.Have a great weekend!

The NSW Government last night passed legislation to deliver on a key election commitment to expand support for families who have lost loved ones in road crimes.The Victims Rights and Support Amendment (Victims Support Counselling) Bill 2024 will make counselling available through the Victims Support Scheme to family members of a person killed in a motor vehicle crash where someone is charged in relation to the crash.Under the changes, family members will also be eligible for counselling support if charges cannot be laid because the offender has died or cannot be located if there is sufficient evidence to establish that an offence has apparently occurred.An eligible family member will be able to access 22 hours of approved counselling, with further hours available if approved by the Commissioner of Victims Rights.Currently, most incidents involving motor vehicles are excluded from being ‘acts of violence’ under the Victims Rights and Support Act.Family victims of road crime experience the same trauma as any other family who has lost a loved one because of a criminal act. This legislation will ensure they receive counselling as they navigate their loss.Attorney General Michael Daley said:“This legislation delivers on our election commitment to offer grieving families the counselling support that they deserve.“Family victims of road crimes will be able to access critical mental health support through the Victims Support Scheme.“We have listened to the community and delivered legislation that will make a real difference.”

At its Annual General Meeting last night, Lismore’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed a new Board of Directors. Trading as ‘Business Lismore’, the association is a network of local businesspeople volunteering to advocate, promote, and support the interests of its members. “We are excited to move forward with a new board and some returning board members,” said incoming President, Michael Ackrell. “Each board member is an important part of advocating for Businesses in the 2480 area, and we are already planning for a big year in 2025.” The 2024/2025 Board of Directors includes: President: Michael Ackrell - Cleanaway Vice President: Jamie Blair – BASEC Engineering (returning) Secretary: Felicity Hyde – Scoops and Candy (returning) Treasurer: Anthea Stefanovic – Intelligent Directions Ordinary members: Eli Fuller – Invercauld House Micheal Lynch – Northern Rivers Autism Association On behalf of the Board, Mr Ackrell said that they looked forward to working together and invites all members and their guests to join in on welcoming the new team at their next networking event, which will be held at O’Brien Electrical & Plumbing next Wednesday, November 27th at 5.30 pm. Registration is essential via their website: lismorechamber.com.au/events .Business Lismore is Lismore’s leading business association. It is a member-funded organisation dedicated to assisting and supporting businesses in the region, advocating for the business community’s interests at all levels of government and to create opportunities for members to share knowledge, expertise, resources, and to develop productive business relationships. For more information visit: https://lismorechamber.com.au/ .

Regional NSW is no longer a reprieve for Sydneysiders looking to escape skyrocketing rents in the city, with affordability in the regions hitting record lows, according to the tenth annual National Shelter-SGS Economics and Planning Rental Affordability Index released today.On a broader Regional NSW perspective, low-income earners are bearing the brunt of the rental crisis, with single JobSeekers facing Extremely Unaffordable rents, with 69 per cent of their income going towards rent. Single part-time workers on parent benefits are also struggling with Extremely Unaffordable rents, sacrificing 56 per cent of their income to rent.The average rental household in regional NSW is now paying almost 30 per cent of the gross income of $89,977 if renting at the median rate. Renting in regional NSW straddles the border between Moderately Unaffordable and Unaffordable, with a RAI (Rental Affordability Index) score of 101.The rental affordability index scores areas based on median rental prices and the average income of rental households within the capital city or rest of state area’. A score of 100 indicates households spend 30 per cent of income on rent, the critical threshold level for housing stress. A lower score is worse.The scales used in the index are a score of:50 or less indicates extremely unaffordable rents51-80 indicates severely unaffordable rents81-100 indicates unaffordable rents101-120 indicates moderately unaffordable rents121-150indicates acceptable rents150 or more indicates affordable rentsCEO of Shelter NSW John Engeler said: “The regional rental market is spiralling out of control, with people across the state struggling to afford to keep a roof over their head. What was once affordable is now out of reach.“The regions used to be seen as an affordable alternative for Sydneysiders to escape to when city rents became unaffordable. But this is not the case, especially for regional residents on local wages. This is not sustainable and will only get worse as these regional populations grow.“We are urging the NSW Government to provide more social housing, that is, public and community housing for low-income people, and restore the social housing safety net to 5 per cent of all housing stock by 2027, working towards a goal of 10 per cent of all housing by 2040.““Renters deserve stable and secure long-term housing. While we commend the NSW Government for its reform to make renting fairer, we now need it to commit to delivering substantial numbers of genuinely affordable rental housing for low to average-income households. We also need urgent action to wind back the short-term rental market. The stock of private rental properties has been gutted in many regional cities and towns, leaving local people with no option but to leave.”The greatest affordability decline in regional NSW has been seen along coastal areas such as Tweed Heads, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour, as well as inland areas such as Orange and Dubbo. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, these areas shifted from Affordable to Moderately Unaffordable and Unaffordable.In the Northern Rivers, Byron Bay has been found to be one of the least affordable suburbs across the entire country, with the entire coastline of NSW offering Moderately Unaffordable rents.(The map for the average rental household income)If you were a dual-income couple with children, Byron is classified as Moderately Unaffordable, while a minimum wage couple is Severely Unaffordable. Any other scenario is Extremely Unaffordable, with RAI scores between 29 and 58.Lismore RAI scores were better than Byron Bay, which is not difficult; however, the index shows Lismore has its own problems.The only scenario where renting is Very Affordable is dual income with children (RAI of 234).A minimum-wage couple finds renting in Lismore Acceptable (RAI 130).A single couple with children (114) is Moderately Unaffordable, as is a pensioner couple (94), someone earning the average rental household income (106) and a hospitality worker (114).(The pensioner couple renting map)The worst-case scenario is a single part-time worker parent on benefits (58). For them, Lismore is Extremely Unaffordable.You can use the map to view rental affordability for income and the number of bedrooms.Using the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data from 2021 is misleading because the average income was $1,202 per week ($62,400 p/y), and the average rent was $300 per week.A single person earning $60,000 a year would find it Moderately Unaffordable to rent a 1-bedroom unit in Lismore. Meaning they would be paying more than 30% of their income on rent. It becomes Acceptable at $70,000.2-bedroom properties become Acceptable at $90,000 income per year, while 3-bedrooms require an income of $115,000 per year, and 4-bedrooms $140,000 per year.The general rule of thumb is anywhere near the coast is mostly Unaffordable, apart from the dual income with children. Byron is still unaffordable.The further west you go, the more affordable renting gets. If people were finding it financially difficult to rent in Lismore, a move 45 minutes to Kyogle would put them in the Acceptable category. However, that could be away from family and friends.The two categories that are finding it difficult to rent anywhere are a pensioner couple and a single part-time worker parent on benefits.Ellen Witte Principal at SGS Economics & Planning said, “There are very few affordable long-term rentals on offer, pushing households to the brink of homelessness. This is a serious problem that needs to be urgently addressed by the NSW Government.“We need to rapidly expand social and affordable housing and strengthen renters’ rights. Rental affordability in the regions is a serious issue that needs urgent intervention.”You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that the answer lies in the housing supply. A variety of housing is needed as soon as possible, so social, affordable and the traditional four-bedroom house on a 600-800 sqm block out of flood.You also don't have to be a rocket scientist to know the situation will not change quickly. The Lismore and Northern Rivers communities know only too well how slow the wheels of government turn.

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin was not happy when Norco lost its Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) contract in August to the Bega Group who own Dairy Farmers, who was awarded a state-wide contract.Ms Saffin is doubly unhappy now that Hutley Bros. Butchers are added to that list. That contract has gone to Makani Meats, Indigenous Meat Co and Sydney company Dick Stone.That left Hutley Bros. Butchers out in the cold after supplying quality meat to the NNSWLHD for 31 years. As you can imagine, this would be a large slice of any small businesses income."When I became aware that Hutley Butcher's had lost their meat contract with the Northern NSWLHD, I immediately contacted Mr. Hutley to try to help," Ms Saffin said."Mr. Hutley has delivered high quality fresh meat to our hospitals for some thirty years without a written contract."I inquired and was told that NSW Healthshare bureaucrats introduced a written contract that did not exist before. "Mr. Hutley told me that he was advised of this and further that he did not receive it. "I am told that NSW Healthshare bureaucrats said they sent it via email. Mr. Hutley said he did not see an emailed contract."The result, however, is that Mr. Hutley of Hutley's Butchers lost the contract. This despite being asked to continue supplying post the worst flood in Australia's history."Hutley's, along with many other businesses, were totally smashed in the flood, and Mr Hutley started up again to do just that, supply high-quality meat to our local hospitals."I have strongly requested direct to the NSW Health Minister to see if he can help. He said he would consider it, and I met him again yesterday, and he is trying. I said we need a timely response."I have also sent this imbroglio to the Minister for Procurement to ask to consider that local smaller suppliers do not get squeezed out.  "I am not happy with any of this at all."Nor is most of Lismore.The Lismore App understands that Richmond Waste has also lost its NSW government contract. However, there are no further details.