The announcement to end the lease of approximately 84 households at the Wollongbar Pod Village, or the Wollongbar Temporary Housing Village as the NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSWRA) now refer to them, by April 2025 has caused community division.As the word suggests, temporary is just that. Eventually, it was known that residents would leave and re-enter the housing market in some form, residential or social, after living rent-free since they moved into the village.The problem for local residents is the change in market conditions since the 2022 flood.The amount of housing stock for rent in Lismore was greater, and the rents were cheaper, with properties in 2021 available for $250-400 per week (profile id). In 2024, property rentals start at $500 per week, although the odd 2-bedroom house can have a $450-a-week price tag when it comes on the market. Another problem is that rental houses do not sit on the market for very long.How does a single person on a pension afford to rent a house in Lismore anymore?The NSWRA has the unenviable task of rehousing 84 residents in eight months during a housing crisis. The double whammy is that the construction phase of the Lismore and Northern Rivers flood recovery is nearly here, so how and where do we house hundreds of workers involved in that rebuild? Putting those questions aside, it must be said the Temporary Housing Villages have given hundreds of families a roof over their heads since they were established. Wollongbar was the first in May 2022. When people had lost everything and were living in emergency accommodation or staying with family and friends, the NSW government built eleven (11) temporary pod villages.(Inside the East Lismore Pod Village)To give you an example of how the pod villages have helped flood-affected people and families, the Lismore App tells the story of Ajok Agout and Emma Stoddart.Each has been helped by the community housing provider’s case management system which provides residents with access to a range of support services such as mental health and financial counselling and assists with things like job and housing applications.Ajok Agout is a South Sudanese refugee who has been displaced twice in her life. The first by war in her home country and the second by the 2022 floods in Lismore.Ajok, her 5-year-old son and mother, lived in an East Lismore apartment near Wade Park when the big flood hit. Luckily, they got out quickly and made their way to the SCU emergency accommodation, unlike Ajok's sister who was rescued off her roof in South Lismore.In the weeks and months that followed, Ajok stayed with friends and then in a caravan in the Lismore Caravan Park in town before the second major flood hit in March. Ajok and her son were then moved to Alstonville, but the caravan was not considered appropriate for kids, and the toilet was not working, so it involved a longer walk to another facility.Ajok ended up in a motel in Ballina for two weeks, then went to Adelaide and Perth for a few weeks before it was suggested she should come home to live in the Kingscliff Pod Village. Her sister ended up getting a place in Tweed Heads.Ajok said the Kingscliff Pod Village has helped her and her son have some consistency, but now that is coming to an end in mid-2025. She has a case manager who has helped her access counselling and provide assistance with house applications.The problem for Ajok is she is not employed, and is looking for casual work. She was in childcare."My son was struggling being moved around and getting used to the place. I don't want to move him again. Moving my son back and forth is not really working for him," Ajok said.This is an example of how Lismore loses residents. Ajok's mother is now living with her sister in Tweed."I think we will stay in the Tweed area now because my family is here. We have six months until they close Kingscliff, and finding rental accommodation is so expensive. The RA is helping me, but they're not sure how it will go either. I have an application for social housing in the system, so we're waiting now.Lismore resident Emma Stoddart's story is different.Emma, her partner, and their pets were flooded out of their home, and in November 2022, she moved into the Lismore temporary housing village.While living in the village, she was able to repair her home and moved back in May this year.“We were paying rent and a mortgage and thinking about also paying for home repairs and contents was impossible. We couldn’t afford to keep renting if we wanted to repair our house and started thinking about living in a van under our leaky carport.”Emma is one of more than 2,000 people who have been supported by the RA’s Temporary Housing and At-Home Caravan programs, each with their own story to tell.Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said, “In the aftermath of the devastating floods in 2022, the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) established 11 temporary housing villages in the Northern Rivers, with the assistance of councils and other landowners under crisis accommodation planning exemptions. “State and federal disaster recovery funding has enabled the provision of rent-free accommodation in the villages, along with access to other services and opportunities, to help people get back on their feet.”Acting CEO of NSW Reconstruction Authority Mal Lanyon said, “The RA is working closely with Northern Rivers Housing, Homes NSW, and local support services to ensure that residents are engaged in transition planning to support them on a case-by-case basis into housing that is appropriate to their needs. “Since the temporary housing villages were established following the devastating floods of 2022, approximately 270 residents have left temporary villages to move to suitable accommodation including private rentals, share accommodation, social housing, or in some instances, returning to their repaired homes.”While they are positive numbers, the job ahead for the NSWRA is not an enviable one. They need to find suitable accommodation for hundreds more people in Temporary Housing Villages throughout the Northern Rivers in the coming 6-12 months.

During a chat for Talking Lismore, the Lismore Apps podcast, Mayor Steve Krieg revealed the news that will please the entire Lismore population that, "For the first time in Australia's history, the state government has committed to fund a locally led disaster recovery program."The community, and to a lesser extent Lismore City Council and Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, has criticised, first the NRRC and now the NSWRA (Reconstruction Authority), about the pace of Lismore's flood recovery effort. A prime example has been the city's Sewage Waste Treatment Plants.It has been well documented that these necessary facilities have been on 'life support' since February 28, 2022. If Lismore builds new housing, as has been announced in the Resilient Land Program (East Lismore, Goonellabah, and North Lismore), the Sewage Treatment Plant would not be able to cope with the extra use and would, more than likely, not operate within EPA guidelines.At this stage, not much detail is known, but the mayor said it is a deal worth tens of millions of dollars."We've only just got the assurance yesterday that they were going to fund that (Talking Lismore was recorded on Thursday), but that's another thing that the executive team at Council and I have been working on with the state government to get across the line.""Basically, this means that Lismore City Council can employ the staff to drive the flood recovery. We're not going to be relying on different government agencies directing us. We actually start to guide our own flood recovery, and that means up to 60 staff fully funded for the next three to five years while our flood recovery works are taken on."We've already got some of the best people in the country that have come to Lismore City Council to help in our recovery, and now we've got the ability to attract more because they're all fully funded to do the work over the next half a decade."More details will be revealed during the week, but this is a major shift for Lismore's Flood Recovery. It should mean that we see quicker results physically, which could bring projects forward by up to 12 to 18 months leading to a faster recovery economically.During Talking Lismore, we also spoke about last week's minor flood, the removal of the Terania Street rail bridge, the opening of the Lismore Regional Gallery and the 2024 Lismore Local Council Election, which gains more importance given the flood recovery news.You can listen to Talking Lismore through Podcasts on the Lismore App or on the Lismore App website https://talkinglismore.buzzsprout.com/.

At the end of June, an art installation called Converge was set up in Woodlark Street. The Lismore App wanted to touch base to see what they have been up to and how they like their new setup.11 artists won the ability to be a part of the project in which a large space was provided for each artist in a showroom/studio style setting to explore their very different aspects of creative pursuits.Four artists related their experience, showed some of their work, and even some of their work process. However, some pieces are being kept under wraps - in development and not yet ready for the public eye.Matt O’Brien, an artist who literally paints nature with nature; Michelle Gilroy, a woman exploring her unique space in life; Karenza Ebejer, a video and documentary filmmaker and Aaron McGarry, who creates collages and vibrant outfits that are essentially 3D wearable collages, all share one major commonality - they are revelling in the ability to connect, share and synergise ideas in this unique collaboration.Another similar aspect was the discussion around momentum. It has taken time to get into the space, acclimatise to new surroundings and new colleagues, and explore the possibilities in this space. Evidence, when you look around, shows progress.  The artists are engaging with the space and possibilities to push boundaries. Both Matt and Michelle are trying larger canvases than they have ever used. Aaron is looking at getting imagery of his costumes to make “fabulous video creations”. Karenza has some experimental projection ideas in the works.Each artist has a unique perspective on their time at Converge so far.“I’m loving the space,” says Michelle, which is larger than her space at home, and she finds the social atmosphere a wonderful bonus, “People are very friendly, very caring, very supportive.”“I've turned a corner with my art practice and what I was going to do with Converge. I've gone from doing everyday scenes to doing more imaginary, kind of fantasy style almost.” Michelle has started her next work, which will feature herself watering a dandelion while the dandelion seeds drift off in the wind.  The transition of her work from a still pose, to mermaid moving freely, to seeds drifting in the wind is evocative of her evolving art.Michelle describes her latest painting in such different perspectives. Laughing, she describes it as “Me watering a weed in a desolate space,” to “I really like dandelions. Even though they are considered a weed, they are very nutritious. And who doesn’t like blowing them and getting a wish?”Michelle started her time at Converge in a wheelchair, but is working towards getting on her own two feet. She is getting married later in the year, and would dearly love to walk down the aisle. She was very happy to stand at the easel to share her progress.(Michelle Gilroy with her new large artwork underway. Her first couple of artworks are to her left, and one other, a Lyrebird, is hanging in the Table of Artisans for sale.)Karenza says she has already started collaborating with others at Converge. Her space, instead of filled with the components of creating, is simplified, set out to explore the audio visual.“It's a mental change of gear to come into an art space and just put your creative mind in that space.“I think having that separation from a home studio has been brilliant. I've loved just coming here to have that collaborative space, to be around other people and just those conversations that happen in that kind of co-working environment.“I have a couple of different projects in development at the moment, but the one that I'm kind of focusing on is for a cross-cultural collaboration for the Lismore Gallery reopening. It's about endangered species or native plants in this region, the Bundjalung area.”Karenza has an existing documentary style film which she is adding to, but is also working on another piece.“I'm going to make a video sculpture for that exhibition as well, which is not narrative or non-literal, but it's more just of an art piece and a meditation on native species.”Her works will be revealed at the Lismore Art Gallery at a special event once it has reopened.(Karenza at her creative helm.)Aarons studio is awash with projects and incredibly vibrant completed pieces. “I've been raring for an opportunity to work with other people and have a collective studio space since I left art school. I'm really finding the space in here to be really wonderful.”Aaron is using the extra space well to spread out and dwell on what he has made.“You can put a lot more things out to have a look at and work around. As an artist, you put something on a table for a little while and check it out before you sort of throw it out to the world.”Aaron has been using the space during the day and sometimes at night to get the most out of it.(Aaron and his favourite artwork of the moment)Matt’s work is very involved with place. Not only does he document a landscape with his imagery, but he also uses items from the location as his medium of choice. He has been fine-tuning recipes for his paints for a while and has come up with methods to utilise mud, rock, sap and plants he finds on location.He shares a method of pulverising rock into paint, while discussing the benefits he has found at Converge.(Matt's rock collection. Matt has developed an eye for spotting what is best to use for paint and shares a little bit of what he has learned, “when sandstone is saturated, it actually behaves like clay, but then goes back to a dry stone.”)(“I make works about the site, more about environmental connection. So it's trying to approach it with some sort of ethics in mind, about a connection to place. That's a termite nest that's come out of a tree. I can grind that up and make a brown out of that.”) (Testing the rocks brittleness. "Normally when I'm installing art, it’s wide, like a timeline or a film strip. I think narratives all the time. Like a book, art has some intense moments, and then it's a little bit more subdued, and there's rest periods.")(“I use two metal plates from an old woolshed to crush rock." Talking about his plans at Converge, he says, "I'm going to try and do something that's a bit more epic, where I combine my skills and have this big narrative going on.”)(The rushed rock is put into a container where water and adhesive are added. “I'm not a scientist; I don’t measure because the mediums don't all behave the same. So if I stick to one recipe, it's probably not going to work.")("Canvas really annoys me. I much prefer paper, because it has a slippery surface and so the medium and the paint is doing the work. Rather than the canvas saying, I want to bite it here and hold it." The art on the easel is a poly-cotton - not as sustainable as Matt would like, but it is a slot smoother than canvas to work with.) ("With this work, interacting with earth pigment, it never gets old, the work that I do. The pigments come out of the ground, and we love looking at landscapes, they're always going to be harmonious, positive colours.”)Matt says, “Making is about confidence. If you're not confident walking up to it, you're gonna always question it. And that's going to start making the work look like it's laboured. If you’re not decisive at the time, that just shows up as being uneasy in the work, and then it just becomes a bit flat.”All the artists are looking forward to the upcoming open day, which is some time in late September (to be announced). They have all said they are excited for this next stage, which will include workshops and interactivity with the public. There is nervousness, also, with one artist commenting that sharing a studio is like sharing a private space.  To hear that, you know the artists have settled in well. As a community, we look forward to seeing their artwork revealed in September.Read more about other artists in the story of Conerge's launch, here.

Leone’s experience is not unique in the Lismore region. She, like many others, has shown bravery and strength of character to make it through the 2022 floods. However, none of us are invincible.Leone has suffered from PTSD since the 2022 foods - like many others. I am hoping that this story of resilience and triumph can bring strength to those who need it, but please note this story is about overcoming harrowing experiences.The interview for this story was conducted on the morning of the 13th of August - as the water levels are rising in Lismore, once more, to flood levels. The events of this week are triggers for many to relive the harrowing night of February 28 2022. Leone’s hands betray some nervous ringing, but she manages to relate her story in a calm manner.A good friend, Suzie is present, and tells how different things were the day before. Driving around in the rain, trying to get to her home and to her cat, Whiskers, before the waters rise caused Leone’s body to react physically causing her to feel like she is going to be sick. She is aware she is not alone in these moments of anxiety.Yesterday, Leone’s story looked at a positive encounter with Resilient Lismore, and obtaining help as a pensioner living on her own in South Lismore.Leone describes her experience as being “Profoundly affected by the floods.” She begins her flood story by telling me about her friend, Whiskers.“This is my trusty companion here. He kept me on the level as the water was coming into the house. It was just the most horrible feeling, watching it creep from the corner of the veranda and then just coming up and up and up to the doorway, and I tell you what, I almost patted the cat's fur off.”(Leone and her companion, Whiskers, sit where she did two and a half years before while watching the water encroach into her house).Leone had taken her car to her daughter's place on the hill and returned home.  “I wasn't anxious then when she said to me, why are you staying at home, mum? And I replied, well, because we were fine here in the 2017 flood. We still had electricity, we had the toilet and the water, we could shower as the hot water system was working.“Another reason was that there were looters walking up and down the street through the flood water in the 2017 flood. Any houses that were empty, they were going in and helping themselves to what they could.“I realised that I'd made a mistake once the water started coming in the house, because there was no way of escaping. I was basically on my own steam by that time. “That was a nasty moment.“I think I was a bit stunned for a while after that because I just remember sitting on the bed and just watching the water level because I still had electricity for a couple of hours after the water came in the house.“I could see the water coming up over the skirting boards. I was thinking, oh, it's going to stop for sure now.”Leone had retreated to her bedroom to sit it out with a torch. But the water was relentless, and she watched it rise up over the door panels one by one. “And then the mattress started to float off the bed. And I just went, it's time for a contingency plan - which I'd already made. “I've got a loft in this second bedroom, and I'd already put dinner and water and pillows and things like that up there. And so I just got the cat and climbed up the ladder and had the foresight to pull the ladder in after me, just in case it floated away.(Leone’s loft, where she spent the night, flood water swirling directly beneath her.)“I stayed there in the dark and, then at dawn, daylight came at about quarter to seven, because the rain was so hard, it was really quite dim in the room. I could see that the water was over the window sill, and I thought, “Oh, God. I'm in the middle of the river here. “That's what suddenly dawned on me. I could see the ferocity of the water flowing. There were waves breaking in the water - it was really quite frightening.”Leone’s house is bordered on three sides by waterways. Leicester Creek, Hollingsworth Creek and the Wilsons River. The water was flowing from so many directions. The flood waters were tumultuous in South Lismore.“I knew I had to get out.” That meant leaving Whiskers. Leone didn’t think taking a cat on the potentially treacherous escape would be a good idea. And she didn’t know where the cat cage had floated to. She realised that Whiskers may not make it, but she wanted to give him his best chance.  “So I put the ladder back in place to go and get food for the cat. I'd never even thought about that because you don't. I just wasn't thinking ahead. “Luckily, the water was deep enough because the ladder slipped when I was climbing down. I fell right into the water and went under. I was completely soaked. “I made my way out to the kitchen. The water was probably a bit higher than waist-deep, and my recliner chair was wedged in the doorway to the kitchen. I thought I'm going to have to swim under this bloody thing. And how am I going to get the cat food back?“Luckily, it hadn't expanded by that stage, it must have only just wedged in there not long ago. Other things that were wedged in doorways became impossible to move without dismantling them. Once we came back into the house, they'd swollen up so much.“So I dislodged the thing, floated it away, and the cat food was already bobbing around the kitchen in its Tupperware container. How convenient!“I was really struck by the things that were floating around me. I've got childhood toys of the kids on the window sill out there and they're all just bobbing around merrily in the water.“It was surreal, absolutely surreal. “I took food and fresh water up to the loft for the cat and a good hug goodbye.“I didn’t know whether I was going to see him alive again.“It was extremely traumatic for me to have to do.“I never even thought to get things like a change of clothes or anything like that. I guess you know, when you're in a traumatic situation, you're just thinking about the next step of survival.“I went to my bedroom, where I left my handbag on the dressing table, which was bizarre that I hadn't taken that up in the loft. It was all wet on the bottom, but everything was okay in there. “I got my handbag and went to the front door to try and get out, and it was wedged tight. I couldn't move it. I really had a moment of panic. Then thinking, oh shit, I'm going to bloody have to stay in the loft. And I don't know how high the water's going to get.”(Leone points to the traditional way out, but she had to clamber over the opening on this side instead.)After so many difficult moments that morning, Leone acknowledges how the challenge was" to make logical, progressive decisions for our future quickly. It took a little longer to make sense of so many things. She then recalled that there were French doors that opened easily onto the front porch.“I made sure I shut them again so nothing floated out and got lost, and then I just went and stood on the verandah. Heaps of boats went past, but the rain was so heavy that nobody could hear me calling out. “That was fairly frustrating, more than frightening. I thought I really needed a chair to stand on because, by this time, the water was up to my neck. I knew I had metal chairs out there, but I couldn't find one.“I'd had a piano out there, and it had washed over in the flow of water.” Nothing was where she remembered it being. “I remember just having a feeling of, wow, I could drown here.“It was getting illogical because I knew that I could go back inside and get up in the loft. “Finally, standing on the chair in the doorway, the water was only chest deep. I was really lucky then because a fellow came along in a boat; I believe he worked for the SES. There were two men in the boat. “The driver was amazing, all those trees that he had to negotiate. He just expertly reversed the boat in there, and I was able to use the piano as a step to get up onto the railing, and then I just leapt in the boat.(Negotiating the trees in torrential water was just another challenge to be overcome. The importance of good boatmanship, but just being able to operate a boat was critical)“It's interesting because I've got damage to my knee from where I broke it a few years ago, and so it's quite painful at times. I never had one twinge getting in that boat, I tell you what, I just leapt in there. That was pretty amazing“I was so thankful.“The only reason they heard me is because they were looking for a specific address or specific house, so they were going really slowly along to try and find this family that they were sent out to rescue. “They ended up being the people on the corner across the road, and that was really quite dramatic because they had an infant who would have only been about two days old. “The woman had a caesarean, and her stomach was exposed, and she still had a drain coming out - why they would have sent her home from hospital, God only knows. So she's there in the muddy water with this caesarean scar, trying to climb into the boat. “And so there was her, the mother, a husband, two other toddlers, and the new baby, and two enormous dogs and but luckily, a friend of theirs in a motor boat pulled up, and most of them went in that boat ‘It was the husband, I'm assuming, and me and the dogs in the SES boat.”Leone explained how much water was falling from the skies. One of the men in the SES boat was bailing water as they rode around. They had stopped for around 10 minutes to get everyone sorted, and in that time, the boat filled up with about 20 to 25cm of water, Leone surmises.“It was unbelievable."The SES boat took them to a large room at the back of the Norco Building, which is a multi storey building.  “There were two Norco workers there. They were fantastic. They were handing out dry Norco uniforms to everybody to put on because everyone was soaked.“ Leone remembers thinking, “Well, what's going to happen now?” Leone and her boatmates were the first to arrive at the refuge at Norco, but about 70 people were there by the time she left. Leone was not liking the prospect of staying there overnight, the animals were fouling and there were a lot of people coming in.  “The SES wouldn't cross the river. That's why that tinnie army was so essential, because they were doing the crossing. So many more people would have drowned had it not been for all those amazing people getting out in their boats to help.”“It was about quarter past nine by the time I got to Norco, and at about quarter past two, these two young guys on jet skis turned up and they said, Does anyone want to ride across the river?“All I could think was, God, I've got a bloody horror of jet skis, after a dreadful experience that I had. But what am I going to do? “What alternative have I got? I don't want to stay here all night, so I said, Okay, I'll go and I said to this young guy, I'm really nervous because I've had a bad experience. And he said, you'll be right with me, he said, I'm very careful.“So I got on this jet ski. He was just so great, this guy. We got to the edge of the river. I just looked at the stuff coming down the river, and it was flowing as fast as anything. And I asked him, how are you going to get across there? And he said, Hang on tight!.“He just took off really fast and drove diagonally so he could see what was coming down the river and could dodge it. It only took us about 15 seconds to get across the river. And then we were in the trees where the water wasn't flowing so fast.”Heart racing, Leone looked around and with a bit of shock and disbelief, she saw, “at least five SES boats just moored to trees over there, not doing anything. It was really quite bloody bizarre.“The jet ski driver said, I won't bother dropping you with these guys, you could be here for hours - until they get a full load, they won't go anywhere. "But they weren't even going to try and go down streets and stuff to see if people needed to be picked up. It was really, really quite weird.”They took off heading for the hill on Ballina Street. That way, Leone could get to her daughter.“Looking in the shops like Aldi, the water was almost up to the ceiling and in some parts, the water was over the electricity lines. “It was an amazing experience. Just seeing where the crossroads were, where vortexes were swirling, where all the waterways were meeting, and vortexes in the middle of the water. “It turns out a bottle cap got stuck in the exhaust, and so we had trouble keeping going. We had to sputter along so slowly, but finally, we got there. I just gave him a big hug and said, “What a man, what a man. Oh, God, it was incredible. “I walked up the hill, and that was really surreal as well, just getting off that boat and walking up the hill to meet my daughter, The batteries in her phone were running low as many people were calling to check on Leone. But she had managed to let her daughter know she was on her way.“Police wouldn't let her come down the hill to the water to meet me. She had to wait right up to the top of the hill, and so I had to walk up to meet her. “I didn't realise the impact that it was having on other people worrying about me.“She just burst into tears when she saw me walking towards her.“I was really surprised because I never thought that it would be so dramatic. I was feeling quite calm about everything.“So that was it," Leone finishes her story matter-of-factly.Asked what she would do differently, she said she would have put more things up in the loft. Her parents bibles, and other precious things.  “I put the vacuum cleaner up there! I didn't think of putting jewellery or anything up safe!”Many of her belongings stayed in the house, which was as enclosed as she could make it, but much was lost and destroyed.A friend located her father's police name badge in the mud behind her house in the clean-up. It was a bright moment in the loss of so many treasured belongings.On returning to the house days later, the debris that was left behind made the yard nearly impassable.When it came to the clean-up, it took the best part of a month. Removing the pile of debris in front of her house that had been her life, Leone gets a little choked up and says, “A big claw machine, this big thing eating your belongings and putting it into the truck. That was terrible. I couldn't watch it. I had to go down the street.”The persistence of flood mud was a surprise to everyone in the cleanup. “You had to gurney the walls three or four times because mud just kept coming out of them. It was really strange because you think you've cleaned it, and it would be clean, but you'd come back the next day, and there'd be more mud there."In Leone’s bedroom, there is a mark on the mirror where the water reached its peak. It remains as a legacy of what she went through.  Leone had rung the SES the day before the flood. “They were answering the phone at that stage, and they said, if you were there in the 2017 flood, you didn't have any problems, you should be fine.”Those words, she described as "cavalier", cost Leone so much.Before we end Leone's story, some of you might be wondering, what happened to Whiskers?“Our friends from across the road had four cats that they left, and they came back over the bridge in a kayak to get them. So, they came over here and had to break the glass on the back door to get in to check on Whiskers.“It was the one thing that really worried me for all those days. Would he still be there? Would be dead? Because I didn't know how high the water had come in the house. “It was really, really heartbreaking because I thought the poor thing is probably thinking somebody's never coming back.“They videoed as they came in. Well, you could hear Whiskers calling and just the joy in his voice of hearing somebody in the house. “They got an old tennis racket cover from up in the loft, and just zipped him up in that and with his head sticking out. And then they kayaked all the cats back over the river.”Safe and reunited at last.Here is the first part of Leone’s story about finding help after struggling through recovery, predominantly on her own.

A new Australian study has identified why a diet rich in magnesium is so important for our health, reducing the risk of DNA damage and chronic degenerative disorders.Scientists from the University of South Australia measured blood samples from 172 middle-aged adults, finding a strong link between low magnesium levels and high amounts of a genotoxic amino acid called homocysteine. This toxic combination damages the body’s genes, making people more susceptible to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, gastrointestinal diseases, a range of cancers, and diabetes. Wholegrains, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and dark chocolate are all magnesium-rich foods, which help the body produce energy, build teeth and bones, regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, and ensure that the heart, muscles and kidneys all work properly. UniSA molecular biologist Dr Permal Deo says a low intake of magnesium (less than 300mg per day) can increase the risk of many diseases, but its role in preventing DNA damage has not been fully studied in humans until now. “Our study showed a direct correlation between low magnesium levels in blood (less than 18mg/L) and increased DNA damage, even after adjusting for gender and age,” Dr Deo says. “Blood levels of magnesium, homocysteine (Hcy), folate and vitamin B12 were measured, showing an inverse correlation between magnesium and Hcy and a positive correlation between magnesium, folate and vitamin B12. This indicates that sufficiently high magnesium levels in the blood are essential to protect our genes from toxicity caused by homocysteine, which is increased when folate and vitamin B12 are deficient.” Co-author Professor Michael Fenech says chronic magnesium deficiency is likely to disrupt the body’s ability to produce energy and power cells, causing accelerated tissue ageing and making people more susceptible to early onset of many diseases. Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral present in the human body. More than 600 enzymes require it as a co-factor and almost 200 require it to activate critical processes in the body. “The next step is to determine the optimal dietary intake of magnesium, either through food or supplements and how this could impact the onset or progression of cancer and other chronic diseases,” Prof Fenech says..

Lismore is about to embark on a decade-long housing construction boom as Resilient Land sites and developer sites get approved for residential population.The Minns Labor Government has commenced a review to identify better protections for people building homes, delivering on an election commitment to review the state’s home-building compensation scheme.Hopefully, better protections will be in place when the building boom begins.The Home Building Compensation Fund (HBCF) provides protection for families building their own homes if their builder goes bust. It also allows homeowners to make a claim if the contractor has died, disappears or their builder’s licence is suspended for ignoring an order to compensate the home owner.While the HBCF is critical to the health of the entire industry, important elements have not been updated in more than a decade. The fund’s maximum coverage was set more than 10 years ago at $340,000 but building costs have grown 60 per cent over that time, making it appropriate to consider whether this should be updated.Adjusting the coverage amount will strengthen the fund’s effectiveness and support housing supply by ensuring financial protections keep pace with rising costs, facilitating continued industry stability and growth. Ensuring better protections are in place supports the Labor Government’s plans to increase housing supply by building confidence in the construction sector.Over the past five years, more than 1000 Penalty Infringement notices have been issued, and 188 builders have been prosecuted for failing to hold the correct insurance.Respected industry leader Bronwyn Weir has been appointed to undertake the review and is tasked with providing advice to the Government on issues including:Assessing high rates of insolvencies in the building industryConsumer awareness and builder compliance Appropriate help for consumers who are unlawfully insuredWhether the existing insurance cover amount is adequate, andWhether the scheme is operating effectively.Information on the scheme, what protection it offers and how it operates can be found at https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/insurance-coverage/home-building-compensation-insurance.Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said, “Bronwyn Weir is an industry leader with the right skills and experience to deliver practical recommendations to protect families building and renovating homes in NSW.“I am looking for grounded, pragmatic suggestions about how government and industry can, together, improve the operation of the Home Building Compensation scheme.”“This review complements the broader reform work undertaken by Minister Chanthivong through the Building Commission. Now that I have taken carriage of the State Insurance Regulatory Authority, I look forward to seeing the outcomes of this review progress and delivering a better scheme for people building a home or renovating.”Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong said, “This is another opportunity to lift standards in the sector and deliver more homes that are higher quality for people in NSW.”“Last year, we set up Building Commission NSW and gave it the power it needs to stop bad building work in its tracks. Now, we’re getting on with action to give mum and dad builders and renovators confidence that they are protected if the worst should happen.”“By getting these settings right we’ll also be helping lock in a more resilient building sector for the future.”Chief Executive of SIRA Mandy Young said, “This review marks a significant step forward for families investing in their homes in NSW, ensuring the fund remains a robust safeguard. We’re eager to see the findings lead to real improvements for those facing building insolvency and other issues, maintaining our commitment to keeping things fair and reliable.”

Leading child welfare charity CASPA has been nominated for a national award following an innovative initiative that has reduced interactions between children and the justice system.The initiative – Joint Protocol – is a partnership with NSW Police that seeks to create better outcomes for the children and young people CASPA supports, as well as for the wider community.Under Joint Protocol, CASPA team members trained in intensive therapeutic care and behaviour support have become the frontline of response to situations that may involve police and trauma-impacted children. The initiative is now in the running for a Collaboration Excellence Award from Third Sector Awards – the largest and most prestigious awards ceremony within the not-for-profit sector.CASPA CEO Naarah Rodwell said the nomination was testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved."Children and young people interacting with the juvenile justice system often come from backgrounds of trauma,” she said.“Evidence shows their pathway to recovery will only occur through trauma informed responses and supports – not through punitive measures.“It’s fantastic to witness the Joint Protocol reducing the incidence of young people receiving intensive therapeutic care having contact with police and bringing their rate of contact in line with their peers growing up in traditional family settings.”Research by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has found interaction with police and justice is compounded when the child or young person has experienced abuse, neglect and/or trauma, and further compounded if disability is a factor.In contrast, collaborative intervention methods and the strengthening of relationships between police and support providers reduce reoffending in at-risk youth.Ms Rodwell said: “The role of CASPA’s team is to approach and attend to the child or young person and address situations from a mental health perspective and not as a police incident.“CASPA staff are trained to de-escalate matters, focusing on the young person’s safety and well-being while managing their emotional responses and reducing police interaction with the person. “It means police and other emergency responders can be briefed by our team member on the child’s background and any triggers or manners of approach that could support the child’s emotional and behavioural needs – making interactions more successful for both the child and responders.” Joint Protocol members in the Richmond Police District meet regularly. The group has recently widened to include collaboration and insights from community legal services, the Department of Communities and Justice, and other agencies, all working together to build trust with children and young people in out of home care, delivering them better outcomes and experiences as well as better outcomes for the community. AIHW figures show just over half (53%) of young people interacting with the youth justice system have had an out of home care experience, and the earlier the age of their first interaction, the higher the rate of continued presentation with youth justice.For children whose first interaction is around the age of 10, the re-presentation rate is 81 per cent, but for those whose first interaction is around the age of 17 to 18, the rate drops significantly to between 18 to 31 per cent.Richmond Police District data showed incidents involving children and young people in out-of-home care fell significantly in the past two years, including a drop of 87.5 per cent in property crime.CASPA’s regular briefings with local police provide education and increase awareness of the impact of negative early childhood experiences, including abuse and neglect and their correlation with trauma and disability related behaviours in children and young people.   Third Sector Award winners are chosen by public vote. To pledge support for CASPA’s Joint Protocol initiative, please visit thirdsectorawards.com.au. 

The candidates for both mayor and councillor have been finalised, and the ballot draw has been made for the September 14 Lismore Local Council Election.With four weeks until Lismore goes to the polls, the Lismore App introduces the new 'Meet Your Candidates' button.On the front page, you will see an orange button. Click on the button, and you will see every Mayoral and Councillor candidate for the upcoming election.As we go live, there will be some missing elements or missing candidates. These will be finalised over the weekend when all the information is received from the respective candidates.For ease of viewing, we have displayed the candidates by Group name, so you can see which candidate belongs to which group.There are profile photos and profile biographies for most candidates. However, Big Rob and his group and ungrouped John Jenkins are not spending any money on their campaigns. The Lismore App wanted to cover its cost for back-end time to load the profiles ($50 per Councillor and $100 for Mayor), but both declined to participate in the Meet Your Candidates button.The 2024 Lismore Council Elections will be different from previous elections.Two regular parties, the Our Sustainable Future party and the Animal Justice party are not running this year, leaving two party-affiliated groups (Labor and The Greens), two Grouped Independents (Steve Krieg and Big Rob) and one Ungrouped candidate (John Jenkins).Steve Krieg will be looking to build on his 2021 primary mayoral vote of 54.51%, while Vanessa Ekins will want to increase her 14.97% by picking up Elly Birds 11.96% and try to force Steve Krieg's vote below 50% so it goes to preferences. Harper Dalton will be looking to hold Darlene Cooks 9.27%, Big Rob to grow his 5.55% and anything above 3% would be a win for John Jenkins.The council race will also be interesting. The Steve Krieg ticket will want to build on its six seats (including mayor) in 2021, while again, The Greens will be hoping to pick up the approximate 2,700 votes the Our Sustainable Future party won to get another two people elected to council for the next four years.With Harper Dalton-Earls leading the Labor ticket for the first time, Labor will be looking to record its traditional vote to get him voted onto council.Big Rob will be hoping to increase his vote from 2021 to feel confident he will become a second-term councillor. While it appears John Jenkins will be making up the numbers at this early stage. It is traditionally very difficult for an Ungrouped candidate to get enough votes to win a seat on council.If you are wondering how to vote, especially if you have moved out of the area and haven't changed your voting details with the NSW Electoral Commission or you are living outside of the area but intend to move back, postal voting packs start being delivered on Monday.To apply for a postal vote, click here or download a form here. Applications close on Monday, September 9.If you are voting in person, you can do so from Saturday, September 7 to Friday, September 13 through early voting (criteria does apply) and, of course, on the day at various polling venues from 8am to 6pm on Saturday, September 14.More voting stories to come in the coming weeks.

After a worrying week of weather and Lismore's first recorded flood in just under two years, we deserve a cracking weekend, and that is what we can expect.Blue skies for Saturday and Sunday with springlike temperatures forecast, that is 26 degrees tomorrow and 22 degrees on Sunday.We will feel some strong northwesterly and westerly winds, but this will be good for drying sporting fields throughout Lismore and the Northern Rivers.People will notice about 40 vintage and veteran cars running around the city on their way to Wardell or Nimbin in the next two days.The Northern Rivers Vintage & Veteran Car Club rally was on the road to Kyogle today and will be dining at local restaurants tonight.You can view these beautifully restored and maintained cars at the Lismore Showground tomorrow at the Farmers Market between 8:30am and 10am, when they hit the road for day two of the rally.Speaking of the Lismore Farmers Markets. The gates open at 7:30 with locally grown fresh fruit and veg, seedlings, flowers, hot tea & coffee, hot breakfasts and live music from John Trapp.Red Cross is offering an EmergencyREDI workshop, a household emergency preparedness workshop, in East Lismore tomorrow (Saturday, 17 August) from 2-4pm, at Southern Cross Presbyterian Church Hall, 10 Park Ave, East Lismore.The workshop is free and will include an afternoon tea, and the opportunity for a cuppa and a chat. "Coming together with our community is beneficial as we can brush up on tips to be prepared for an emergency, as well as connect with our community."Late registrations via email ([email protected]), OR text (0477 660 146).The Darrel Chapman Fun Run is next Sunday (August 25) from 7am in the CBD starting on Woodlark Street.Don't worry if you haven't registered. You can turn up on the day and pay for either the 4km, 10km, or, if you are extremely fit, the half marathon. Registrations open at 6am.All money raised will go to the popular Our Kids charity, which purchases lifesaving equipment for local hospitals.September means the running of the 2024 Rodney Lees Cabinetmaking Lismore Cup at the Lismore Turf Club. This will be the first time the Lismore Cup will be run on a Friday, so make a note in your calendar for Friday, September 27, from 12 midday.The weather is perfect to checkout some outdoor live music.The Northern Hotel in North Lismore has Roo & Renee tonight between 6pm and 9pm, Jason Ayala tomorrow night (6-9) and the Sunday Session is Pistol Whip between 2pm and 5pm.It is do or die for the Marist Brothers Rams and the Northern United Dirawongs this weekend in the NRRRL.The 2024 finals kick-off with both team's on the road for their elimination games after finishing 5th and sixth on the NRRRL ladder.The Rams head to an in-form Bilambil tomorrow (Saturday) with kick-off at 2:45pm. The Rams will be fresh after their bye last weekend, but Bilambil will be confident following their 64-6 win over Casino.Northern United don't have as far to travel as they take on Evans Head but they do need to put in a stronger performance against a team that beat them 38-12 at Crozier Field last weekend.There are three rounds before the finals in the Men's Premier League for Football Far North Coast's 2024 season. The battle for the Top 2 is close between five teams.Saturday's Lennox Head v Mullumbimby/Brunswick game has been washed out because of this week's rain, while Byron Bay is at home to Maclean with kick-off at 3pm. Also at 3pm tomorrow, is Bangalow v Alstonville, and South Lismore v Richmond Rovers.Sunday's game is Goonellabah v Ballina from 2:30pm.In the Women's Premier League, all games will be played on Sunday, giving pitches time to dry out.Top-of-the-table Byron Bay take on Lennox Head, it's Alstonville v Ballina and Bangalow v Richmond Rovers with 2:30pm kick-off times.Ballina saw a further reduction in fuel prices this week, making it the cheapest place to fill the tanks. Lismore keeps the 'most expensive' crown for fuel, with Ballina up to 21 cents a litre cheaper.Here are the latest prices in each town:E10 is 193.9 across the board in Lismore and Goonellabah, 179.9 at the United on Johnston Street, the Ampol Foodary on Centre Street, and the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street in Casino, with The Metro and new Mobile in Ballina cheapest at 172.5.Unleaded 91 is 193.9 at the new Astron on Ballina Road, 181.9 at The United, the two Liberty's on Hare Street, the Ampol Foodary on Centre Street and the Coles Express cnr Centre and Richmond Street in Casino and 173.9 at the BP at on Southern Cross Drive in North Ballina.U95 is 203.9 at the Independent on Wyrallah Road, East Lismore, Northside Liberty and Bakers Corner at North Lismore, 196.9 at the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street, Casino and 186.5 at The Metro and the new Mobil in Ballina.U98 is 208.9 at the new Astron on Ballina Road, 201.9 at the Liberty's on Hare Street and Centre Street in Casino and 194.5 at The Metro and the Mobil on River Street, Ballina.Diesel is 185.9 at the new Astron on Ballina Road and the Caltex Lismore on Leycester Street in Lismore, 189.9 at the United Johnston Street in Casino and 185.5 at the new Mobil and The Metro in Ballina.Have a great weekend!

A body, believed to be that of a man missing from Ballina, has been located today.The 45-year-old man was last seen near River Street, Ballina, about 7.30pm on Monday 12 August 2024.(The 45-year-old man missing from Ballina since Monday) When he was unable to be located or contacted, officers attached to Richmond Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.About 6.30am today (Friday 16 August 2024), police were called to South Ballina Beach after a body was found in the water.While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing 45-year-old man.A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Lismore City Council will carry out heavy patching on Molesworth Street, Conway Street and Keen Street tomorrow (Saturday, 17 August) between 6am until about 4pm. The roadworks is subject to weather conditions, but with the forecast of a sunny 27 degree day, the weather will not be an issue. Traffic controls will be in place during the roadwork period, which will cause minor delays and disruptions. These traffic controls include:Molesworth Street: A temporary (northbound) traffic lane closure in place as we work along Molesworth Street between Conway Street and Magellan Street. Conway Street: During works on Conway Street, the bus pick-up point at Lismore Central will be impacted for approximately 1 hour, we advise you go to the Transit Centre during this period.Keen Street: A temporary (northbound) traffic lane closure in place between Lismore Central and Magellan Street. All lane closures will be directed by traffic controllers and traffic lanes will reopen once works are completed. Road users are asked to follow onsite signage and directions given by traffic controllers. Follow the signposted detours in place, obey traffic control instructions, and drive carefully.

Lismore City Council has announced the official reopening of the Lismore Regional Gallery on Friday, 27 September, from 6pm.The Gallery looks forward to welcoming visitors to its newly transformed building when it opens to the public this spring. The reopening program across the five galleries highlights the diverse and extensive artistic talent from the region and beyond.The official reopening celebration on Friday evening will feature performances, installations, music, and catering for all to enjoy. Across the weekend, on 28 and 29 September, there will be workshops, artist talks, and musical performances.Gallery Director Ashleigh Ralph looks forward to welcoming visitors to celebrate this milestone and once again share this building that represents the heart of creativity in the region/Lismore."The opening weekend will be pivotal in our recovery after the 2022 natural disaster. We are galvanised by the excitement of our audience and colleagues in the region and across the country. We are looking forward to opening our doors as one of the longest-running cultural organisations in Northern NSW," she said."Lismore Regional Gallery will continue to host major touring exhibitions and deliver an innovative and attentive self-generated program of exhibitions and events that stimulate and engage audiences locally and nationally."Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said the long-anticipated re-opening of the Lismore Regional Gallery was another welcomed milestone in the city’s and community’s recovery."This is great news for our community," he said."The popularity of the pop-up gallery while this one was being repaired, really underlined the importance of art within our community, both in an artistic sense but also importantly our mental wellbeing."Reopening exhibition programThe ArtHitects Gary Carsley and Renjie Teoh: Hannah HalleUsing only an office copier and reams of A4 paper the ArtHitects create immersive installations at the confluence of their separate practices as artist and architect. Hannah Halle, a new commission for Lismore Regional Gallery, is confabulated from over 4,000 individual A4 prints to symbolically reimagine the prized Hannah Cabinet by Geoffrey Hannah OAM. The prints will be applied ritualistically to the gallery walls in the weeks leading up to the exhibition opening, providing a multi-perspectival mise en scène featuring works from a diverse group of invited artists and creatives in the Northern Rivers. Sponsored by Hurford HarwoodBuruugaa Garaa Buruu Garaa Budgeramgali (Saltwater people Freshwater people stories) Co-curated by Melissa Ladkin, Buruugaa Garaa Buruu Garaa Budgeramgali features Amrita Hepi, Joshua Lynch, and Djon Mundine OAM, with a live performance by Waangenga Blanco. This exhibition is a dynamic exploration of spiritual and customary living relationships with water. Through individual screen dances, spoken word and musical composition, each artist takes the audience on a journey, offering a fluid narrative that showcases the dynamic diversity of water and how it connects us.Nell Pearson and Matthew Brookes: Blue islandMeeting at art school in Melbourne, Nell and Matthew have since become life partners, sharing their home, studio, and, more recently, parenthood. They live and work in the Northern Rivers, where they continue a lifelong conversation about art and carry out their painting practices side by side and sometimes together. In the domestic space, small gestures of the everyday entangle with artmaking so that the making and the living happen on the same plane. This exhibition celebrates two distinct visual languages, which, like trees in a forest standing apart but whose roots are entangled, share a private intimacy.Sprung!! Ensemble: Sprung News Sprung News investigates how accessible/inaccessible media and emergency information can be to the disability community, using photography, video, and audio to express diverse perspectives and representations.Our news is not boring. We tell the truth and we wear what we want. If it’s breakfast news then we actually eat breakfast. It makes sense. You can understand it. We tell it in a different way. Did you know that floods have stories too? Or didn’t you bother asking them? Who else didn’t you ask?This exhibition is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW, the Northern Rivers Community Fund, and the NSW Regional Arts Fund.Chloe Smith: Unbearable Incandescence.Unbearable Incandescence presents a series of works interrogating the paradoxical search for reality in a world of simulation and appearance. Through a series of hyperreal textile works, sculptor Chloe Smith unravels the cruel optimism of certainty and the truths we must ultimately craft for ourselves. A birthday cake awaits its single sumptuous moment. An absurdly large bunch of asparagus stands proudly phallic, valorised on a broken plinth. The lines between reality and the surreal blur beyond recognition, where the serious is suddenly silly, where memories become fiction and fiction becomes a memory.

The NSW Government has revealed that local councils are issuing ticketless parking fines at record rates, with a 49% jump in use of the system in the 2023/24 financial year. Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos first raised concerns with councils about the Print & Post system in March 2024, saying it failed to meet community expectations. Under the ticketless parking fine system councils can issue fines without first giving drivers an immediate notification at the time the parking infringement is identified. This makes gathering evidence difficult, reduces the impact of a fine to act as a deterrent, and means a driver could receive multiple infringements for parking in the same spot before receiving a notification. Despite that, councils have doubled down on their use of the system, issuing 822,310 ticketless parking fines in the 2023/24 financial year, compared to 551,441 in 2022/23. Overall, all council-issued parking fines in NSW (both ticketless fines and paper fines), increased by more than 110,000 – around 9% – between 2022/23 and 2023/24. The Lismore App was asked by regular reader Steve, if Lismore City Council is required to notify someone if they are receiving a parking fine."My partner received a fine in the mail on Friday, more than a month after the alleged parking offence, which she has no idea of doing, of course, as the alleged offence was so long ago. I just wish to follow this up, but wondering if they are required to notify a fine will be issued."A Lismore City Council spokesperson said, "Lismore City Council fines are issued in accordance with NSW legislation. Ticketed notification on vehicles is not a legislated requirement. Council uses a mix of ticketless and ticketed fines depending on the circumstances."Since March 2024, Minister Houssos and Revenue NSW have been engaging with councils to understand how they use the ticketless parking fine system and share her concerns about its shortcomings. Thirty councils across NSW have indicated to Revenue NSW or stated publicly they have already, or plan to, change adjust their operations to leave an instant, on-the-spot notification to drivers. Lismore City Council is not one of them. Some councils have stated they are unwilling to make changes unless compelled through legislative change. With consultation on the issue drawing to a close, the NSW Government will explore the next steps to ensure a consistent, fair and transparent approach for drivers.Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos, “I’m grateful to the councils that have recognised the significant issues with the ticketless parking system introduced by the previous Liberal-National Government. “I have spoken to mayors and councils from across the state, and many agree there is a fundamental issue with a failure to notify drivers at the time of the fine. “The community feedback has been overwhelming in favour of councils providing drivers with on-the-spot notifications of parking fines. “Councils should come to the table and deliver a solution which embraces transparency and fairness. “If councils aren’t willing to provide a common-sense fix, the NSW Government will step in and use our policy levers to ensure the ticketless parking fine system meets community expectations.”

Nominations have closed for the September 14 Local Council Elections, so the candidates are locked in. Yesterday, the NSW Electoral Commission performed the ballot draw for where the mayoral and councillor candidates will appear on the voting form.Sandra Mahoney, the Returning Officer for Lismore, moved through the official process by stating the 5 mayoral candidates and 30 councillor candidates, then placing the names (mayor and group names) into identical tubes, putting them in a ballot box (bag), rotating the ballot box and drawing out each candidate.Mayoral RaceVanessa Ekins (The Greens) was drawn first, giving her the coveted number 1 spot.Harper Dalton-Earls was drawn next, to be number 2.Big Rob will be number 3.John Jenkins, number 4 andCurrent mayor Steve Krieg at number 5.The big question in the NSW Electoral Commission room was, "Does it matter what position you draw?"Political analyst Mark Bailey said the number one position can be worth 250 to 300 votes because of the 'donkey voters', the people who don't care who is elected mayor."Figures from previous polls show that the vast majority of people are only voting one, so it won't flow through to Labor or any of the other candidates. You'd rather be one, but if you are not one, you'd be six because you don't want to be stuck in the middle." "The council one's a little bit different because it goes out across the page, and there are lots of candidates with an increase ticket, compared to the others. I think that'll give him (Steve Krieg) an advantage. And the name recognition of all those candidates will pay dividends again. You'd rather be one than in the middle. Vanessa Ekins was very happy being drawn out in the number 1 position."I'm happy with that, number one. It depends on how engaged voters are, but it looks good. I hope that voters are really engaged and know who they're going to vote for when they go in and number the boxes. It is optional preferential voting, so it's always a strong vote. If you vote more than once, don't just do a one, do a one, two."Big Rob said your position on the ballot paper absolutely does matter. "Unfortunately for Steve Krieg he got last on the mayoral vote. So, everyone thinks about the donkey vote, the first past the post race is not very good, but he got the first spot on the group for voting squares, which means his group will get the maximum number of votes they can get from people who just do donkey votes. They'll vote one to whatever across the top. So, it's a good spot to be. "I got Group C, which I'm not fussed on. I don't spend any money or campaign hard. If people want me there, they'll put me there. I'll just let them know to Vote 1 Group C above the line if they want me there. I think it's going to be a good election."First-time mayoral candidate Labor's Harper Dalton-Earls said he would hope the positioning didn't matter."I would like to think not. I hope most people are engaged and will vote based on their values and the candidate that align with their values. However, it's always a little bit of fun, and people get concerned about the donkey votes, but I really encourage people to get informed and research their candidates."Steve Krieg said this is a job for political analysts."Political analysts look into your position on the ballot, and I guess it has a bit of weight. I'm first and fifth, I'm happy with both and I'll be easy to find.""I hope my message is clear and strong and that people vote for me on merit and not because where I'm positioned on the ballot paper."(Candidates wait with bated breath for the Lismore ballot draw yesterday)Councillor CandidatesThere are four groups that form the Councillor candidate voting form and one ungrouped candidate. The ungrouped candidates always appear on the right-hand side of the ballot paper, which means independent John Jenkins will appear as the fifth candidate on the right-hand side.The Steve Krieg ticket was drawn out first into the coveted number 1 position on the ballot form as an independent.Harper Dalton-Earls is number 2 for the Labor Party.Big Rob is number three as an independent.Adam Guise is number four for The Greens.The full group tickets are:Steve Krieg Independent: Jeri Hall, Andrew Gordon, Electra Jensen, Andrew Bing, Gianpiero Battista, Nadia Pidcock, Chris King, Tara Coles, Mitchell Dowse and Richelle Weekes.Harper Dalton-Earls Labor: Jasmine Knight-Smith, Kevin Bell, Joy Knight-Smith, Lewis Taylor, Glenys Ritchie and William Harrison.Big Rob Independent: Shane Springall, Luke Tanttari, Christopher Knight, Stella ColemanAdam Guise The Greens: Virginia Walters, Luke Robinson, Shae Salmon, Lindall Watson and Belinda O'Dwyer.The ungrouped candidate is John Jenkins.Grouping is seen as important to be successful in having as many candidates as possible on council. The more '1' votes above the line for each candidate means once a quota is received (number of required votes) the person next on the ticket will try and get enough votes to become a councillor. This process continues until all votes are exhausted and the ten councillors have been elected, plus the mayor.Of course, you can vote 1 to 30 below the line if you wish. If your candidate is near the end of the group ticket, then it is unlikely they will receive enough votes to become a councillor.With four weeks until Lismore goes to the polls to elect a new mayor and ten new councillors, it is game on as advertising begins on private property, radio, TV and the Lismore App.The Lismore App will launch a Meet The Candidates button tomorrow (Saturday), so you can read what each group stands for and who each candidate is. This is arguably the most important local council election in Lismore's history as we continue with the 2022 Flood Recovery and move into the Construction and Flood Mitigation phase in the next four years.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from Ballina.Greg Saenger, aged 45, was last seen near River Street, Ballina, about 7.30pm on Monday 12 August 2024.When he was unable to be located or contacted, officers attached to Richmond Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.Police and family hold concerns for his welfare.Greg is described as being of Caucasian appearance, medium build, about 180cm tall, with short light brown hair with stubble.He was last seen wearing a black Adidas hoodie with grey jeans, brown work boots, and a black baseball cap.Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact Richmond Police District or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The long, drawn-out process to remove the Terania Street rail bridge is nearly at an end following the announcement of a timetable today. Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said the highly anticipated demolition of Lismore’s Terania Street rail bridge will get underway next month. Ms Saffin said the bridge removal is one step closer - following publication of a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) document which is now available for viewing online. “ The Heritage Council of NSW has approved the removal of the bridge and Transport for NSW teams are busily working through the processes and documents for the removal to be carried out. “Some early works, such as setting up the site compound and installing temporary access tracks, will start in late August, weather permitting, with demolition works to start in September. “This much needed project will make a big difference to local transport through North Lismore and will be a blessed relief to North Lismore businesses. “The removal of the bridge will resolve issues relating to house relocation and high loads and will also make it easier for boat access during flood events. Community members interested in learning more about the demolition work can view the REF online at https://nswroads.work/teraniastlismore.

From today (Thursday), Lismore will start to see some beautifully restored and maintained vintage and veteran cars on our roads as visitors start to arrive for the annual Northern Rivers Vintage & Veteran Car Club rally.Forty vintage and veteran cars will be making their way to the Lismore Showgrounds with registration between 1pm and 3pm today.The three-day rally begins with a drive to Kyogle on Friday morning. Saturday morning's run includes Tregeagle and Wardell, and on Sunday, Nimbin will get a close-up view of these pristine vehicles.Allan Johnston from the NRs Vintage & Veteran Car Club said people always look forward to coming to Lismore and the Northern Rivers to be part of the rally.(Two vintage cars part of the 2023 rally at Lismore Showgrounds)"We have people from all over Queensland coming to Lismore and a few from the south, like Port Macquarie.""We've got some really beautiful countryside to show the Car Club members through lush rainforests and over creeks," Allan added."There are a few less cars than for our 60th anniversary last year, but the expectation is high. It is fantastic news that the weather will be clearing for the rally."This is a rare opportunity to see a number of very old historic vehicles in one place. The oldest car is a 1909 Renault plus a number of cars built between 1910 and 1916, while, the youngest is a 1989 Jensen Interceptor, plus there will be Torana's, Holden's and Falcon's involved in the rally.All of Lismore and other Northern Rivers destinations will benefit from the rally as the club makes its way to different venues each day, spending money in town supporting our local cafes, restaurants and shops.For those who want to get a close look at these beautifully restored and maintained cars, you can visit the Lismore Showgrounds between 8:30am and 9am on Friday or on Saturday between 8:30am and 10am while the Lismore Farmers Markets are on.The Northern Rivers Vintage and Veteran Car Club will be in Lismore from today (Thursday, August 15) until Sunday, August 18.

This week's weather system and minor flood caused no known damage to houses and businesses, but it did stir up anxiety among flood-affected people from the 2022 event.A weather event, like what occurred this week, also poses the question about flood preparedness as we head into another storm season later in the year. The Red Cross can make you feel better prepared through an EmergencyREDI workshop.The EmergencyREDI workshop is a household emergency preparedness workshop. It will be held in East Lismore this Saturday (17 August 2024) from 2pm to 4pm, at Southern Cross Presbyterian Church Hall, 10 Park Avenue, East Lismore.This workshop will give you an introduction to ‘all hazards’ household preparedness; help you to start your own 4-step emergency RediPlan; talk you through a household emergency kit; and provide you with tools to continue preparing yourself and the people (and pets!) around you for emergencies.Red Cross Emergency Services volunteers have a wealth of knowledge around preparedness, warnings and safety tips, and navigating various apps, which help in emergencies. For example, the ‘Hazards Near Me NSW’ app allows you to set up a watch zone and receive notifications on changing conditions. The ‘Lismore City Council Disaster Dashboard’ provides critical information and updates from a single point of reference, includes weather warnings, road closures, power outages, emergency news to assist residents during disaster events. ‘Emergency Plus’ app provides the 'what 3 words' feature shares your precise location with Emergency Services.The workshop is free and will include an afternoon tea, and the opportunity for a cuppa and a chat.Coming together with our community is beneficial as we can brush up on tips to be prepared for an emergency, as well as connect with our community. Strong community connectedness is good for everyone.Please register through the QR code, OR email ([email protected]), OR text (0477 660 146).

The 2024 Doorknock Appeal was important to Resilient Lismore. It was seen to be a critical initiative to understand the state of housing, hear about recovery stories, and identify ongoing support needs.It was reported that their outreach successfully reflected the area's needs, and they have discovered that more help is needed.   Leone Baxter, a pensioner from South Lismore, independently told the Lismore App she finally received some specialised help from someone other than friends and family when she responded to her survey for Resilient Lismore.  This article will weave these two stories - to be told in two parts. One reflecting Resilient Lismore’s efforts, and how they have helped Leone after two and a half years of just getting on with life after the 2022 floods. The second will be the telling of Leone’s flood story and just how she came to be where she is. To remember the important aspects of what we learned, to reflect on how we have grown and to pass on just what it was like for those who have come to Lismore, since the floods in 2022.The Logistics and Volunteer Manager at Resilient Lismore, Robyn Kelly said they extended the Doorknock appeal slightly to give those getting back to them more time.  “Over 11 days, we had 58 volunteers come and assist with door knocking. We originally had 336 houses mapped, but we got to doorknock on 927 doors, which was fantastic.(Image credit: Resilient Lismore)“From that, we got 296 surveys completed. Not all of them need support, but definitely, there's a large proportion of those people that require additional assistance and support.  “That may mean anything from repairing their homes or being referred to a recovery support service. Or being connected up with another agency that will provide them with that sort of support they need to recover from the devastating floods.”The volunteers knocked on one-third of the 3000 houses in the time allowed. They would have liked to approach more, but for this doorknock, they were restricted to the worst-hit in the CBD.“In our hearts, we would have loved to knock on every single one of those doors to capture some sort of story and look at how their recovery journey is going.“This year, we had more surveys completed than we have in previous years. And what we're seeing with those results, so far, is that there's definitely still a need out there in the community.“Additional funding from the state government is required to meet those needs for all our recovery support services.”There is a due date for those seeking help in their recovery, and the concern is those deadlines are getting close, some within a few months. Organisations like Social Future, the Nimbin Neighbourhood Centre and Momentum.Robyn says, if you need help, now is the time to reach out, “If you aren't sure who you should contact, ask at Resilient Lismore, and we will direct you to who can help.”Leone Baxter wasn’t at home at the time Resilient Lismore volunteers called in at her house, so she went to the office to hand in her survey. While there, the woman helping her told Leone that they've got an associate program where they “can loan tools and training and will help you do bathrooms and fences and things.”Leone put her name down, and before long a man went to visit her to have a look at her situation.“I wasn't hopeful because the bathroom is functional. I can have a shower, the toilet works. It just looks unsightly. “He looked at the bathroom, all the cracked tiles and the floor tiles that are all lifted off, and he said, “No, this is definitely eligible.”The flooring was deemed a hazard, and as Leone is a pensioner, they would cover the entire bill.Apart from financial payments and help from friends and family, this is the first time Leone has been offered help like this from any official department or organisation.Leone’s story is much like others facing floods, unexpectedly landing herself in a critical situation, getting out of dire conditions and finding help against incredible odds.  But Leone’s story is different in that since the flood abated, apart from an initial lump sum of money given to many in her situation, official or government assistance available to others has not been forthcoming to her.Leone had insurance. But not for flood. The 2017 flood never affected her property, so the extra expense seemed unnecessary. The storm damage the day before the flood covered some tools on the ground that got wet, but nothing from the rising flood water was covered.There was no defence force to help her clean up - that was done by Leone, her family and her friends.Leone’s request for a house raise was denied. She was told, “She did not fit the criteria.” However, many of her neighbours have. Leone was never offered a buyback.For the most part, Leone has made it to this point with the support of her immediate circle. About one-third of the finance she has received to recover her situation has been from family and friends, or because she reached out to charities that were willing to help her.Leone is very grateful for that help. However, that sum has not come close to recovering her expenses.Leone has been surprised by Resilient Lismore's offer of assistance. She has been “ absolutely amazed” by their response.  She is a little hesitant to believe whether things will happen or not, “I never let myself get over-excited about it because, as my mother used to say, there's many a slip, twixt, cup and lip.”Resilient Lismore is also able to help her with the deck at the back of the house, which was decimated by flood water and debris, including a vat of molasses wedged between broken timbers.“They're also going to do the back deck, not build the whole thing, but it's dangerous the way it is. So he's going to make that safe, and also the bathroom corner of the house that was damaged.(The deck used to cover the area of the pavers below, up to the plants to the right of the "Now" photo)“This big cube of molasses came in the yard, and it got wedged under the veranda when the water was low enough to allow it in under. Then as the water's risen, it's just knocked all of the timber off and the cross members.“They were all hanging off when we came back here. “The cube had settled near a tree, and when they came to get the cube out of the yard, they drilled holes in it to let all the molasses out. That's killed several trees. “So now I've got dead tree branches falling when you get heavy wind and stuff. I asked SES to help, and they said no, they wouldn't even consider it.”Asking Leone if Resilient Lismore would be able to help, she said they had offered so much already, and she didn’t want to ask for more.Leone’s flood story has all the twists and turns that so many have experienced, and it could have turned out very differently at so many points.  Look out for part 2 of this article tomorrow - Leone’s story.Reach out to Resilient Lismore via their website online, or call in at their office at 215 Keen Street Tuesday to Friday, 9am - 4pm.