Young Australians are barely earning more than their predecessors but are racking up much larger student debts and taking longer to pay them off, according to new research by the e61 Institute.The analysis of tax return data found that, in 2022 dollars:Real average incomes for 30-year-olds increased just 6% over a decade, from $59,496 in 2012 to $62,987 in 2022Meanwhile, the average HELP debt jumped by 45%, from $19,485 to $28,260The average age of final HELP repayment also rose from 33 in 2012 to 35 in 2022The percentage of 30-year-olds with a HELP debt increased from 15% to 23%YearMean real incomes of 30-year-oldsAvg. HELP Debt of 30-Year-Old with Debt% of 30-Year-Olds with HELP Debt2012$59,496$19,48515%2015$58,405$21,56917%2022$62,987$28,26023% (The population for all of these figures are people who filed a tax return in each year. All are real 2022 dollars)“Since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, the wages of workers under 40 have grown at less than half the rate of older Australians,” said e61 Institute Research Economist Matthew Maltman.“Some explanations include rising underemployment, a shift toward insecure and lower-paying service jobs, award decisions, and an oversupply of workers relative to available high-quality jobs – driven in part by older Australians working longer – which weakened bargaining power and suppressed wage growth. “Rising employer concentration and a decline in job mobility may also have weakened young workers’ ability to climb the job ladder and move into higher-paying positions.”Meanwhile, young people are taking on more student debt, which is taking longer to pay off.“Young people are seeing up to 10 per cent of their income diverted to HELP debt repayments well into their mid-30s, just when many are trying to buy their first home and start a family,” said e61 Institute Senior Research Economist Jack Buckley.The analysis formed part of a report by the e61 Institute titled Will young Australians be better off than past generations?. The report authors suggested that one potential solution to easing the burden on Australians with HELP debts would be to spread their repayments over a longer timeframe. “Given that university graduates tend to earn more over their lifetimes, the real issue may not be the size of HELP debts but rather the timing of repayment,” said Mr Buckley. The report also explored young people’s economic security, work opportunities, living arrangements, path to independence, and overall well-being.

Nearly 10 million Australians will get an automatic boost to their super from Tuesday, 1 July - a change that will mean thousands of dollars more in retirement savings.The Superannuation Guarantee rate will rise from 11.5 per cent to 12 per cent, meaning an extra $317 in super contributions will be paid to the average Australian worker next financial year.Young Australians and low-income workers will be the biggest winners from the increase.The 0.5 percentage point increase alone could see a typical 30-year-old retire with $22,000 more in super. Taken together with the full increase from 9 per cent to 12 per cent over the past decade, it could add up to $132,000 in extra superannuation savings by retirement.Ahead of the July 1 super rise date, new analysis from the Super Members Council of tax data reveals:Around 10 million people will get a super boost this year – split almost evenly between men and women.More than half of the people getting the increase are under 40 years old – and more people in their 30s will get a boost to their retirement savings than any other age bracket (Table 1)Almost a third of the people getting the increase earn less than $50,000 per year and around 70% of those getting the increase earn less than $100,000 a year (Table 2)The Super Guarantee is key to funding the retirement of Australia’s ageing population.Before compulsory super was introduced in 1992, only 10 per cent of retirees listed super as a source of income. Now, about 90 per cent of people aged between 30 and 50 have super.As more people start to retire with super, it significantly reduces pressure on the taxpayer-funded age pension. Already, the proportions of people on the full- and part-pension are declining steadily and super now pays out more than twice as much each year in benefits than the Age Pension. The Intergenerational Report shows that, despite a doubling of over 65s by 2063 and a trebling of those aged over 85, Australia’s Age Pension spending will fall from 2.3 per cent of GDP to 2 per cent by 2062/‑63, even as other costs associated with an ageing population continue to rise.Super Members Council CEO Misha Schubert said the super rate increases were key to delivering a life in retirement that Australians deserved after a lifetime of hard work.“This boost to retirement savings will help fund the things that matter most – more help with paying the bills, spending time and making memories with the family, trips away and financial security,” she said.“More super means more freedom, more choices and more opportunities to do the things you love.”“Our super system is the envy of the world because it lifts the retirement savings of everyday Australians, takes pressure off the taxpayer-funded pension, invests capital to grow Australian jobs and companies and - most importantly of all - gives millions of Australians a better life at retirement.”“When you know that a 30-year-old today will be more than $130,000 better off in retirement, it underlines why the safeguards that protect super for retirement are so important for all Australians.”

An international team of scientists has developed a biodegradable material that could slash global energy consumption without using any electricity, according to a new study published today.The bioplastic metafilm – that can be applied to buildings, equipment and other surfaces – passively cools temperatures by as much as 9.2°C during peak sunlight and reflects almost 99% of the sun’s rays. Developed by researchers from Zhengzhou University in China and the University of South Australia (UniSA), the new film is a sustainable and long-lasting material that could reduce building energy consumption by up to 20% a year in some of the world’s hottest cities. The material is described in the latest issue of Cell Reports Physical Science. UniSA PhD candidate Yangzhe Hou says the cooling metafilm represents a breakthrough in sustainable materials engineering that could help combat rising global temperatures and hotter cities. “Our metafilm offers an environmentally friendly alternative to air-conditioning, which contributes significantly to carbon emissions,” says Hou, who is also from Zhengzhou University. “The material reflects nearly all solar radiation but also allows internal building heat to escape directly into outer space. This enables the building to stay cooler than the surrounding air, even under direct sunlight.” Notably, the film continues to perform even after prolonged exposure to acidic conditions and ultraviolet light, two major barriers that have historically hindered similar biodegradable materials. Constructed from polylactic acid (PLA) – a common plant-derived bioplastic – the metafilm is fabricated using a low-temperature separation technique that reflects 98.7% of sunlight and minimises heat gain. “Unlike conventional cooling technologies, this metafilm requires no electricity or mechanical systems,” says co-author Dr Xianhu Liu from Zhengzhou University. “Most existing passive radiative cooling systems rely on petrochemical-based polymers or ceramics that raise environmental concerns. By using biodegradable PLA, we are presenting a green alternative that offers high solar reflectance, strong thermal emission, sustainability, and durability.” In real-world applications, the metafilm showed an average temperature drop of 4.9°C during the day and 5.1°C at night. Field tests conducted in both China and Australia confirmed its stability and efficiency under harsh environmental conditions. Even after 120 hours in strong acid and the equivalent of eight months’ outdoor UV exposure, the metafilm retained cooling power of up to 6.5°C. Perhaps most significantly, the simulations revealed that the metafilm could cut annual energy consumption by up to 20.3% in cities such as Lhasa, China, by reducing dependence on air conditioning. “This isn’t just a lab-scale success”, says co-author Professor Jun Ma from the University of South Australia. “Our film is scalable, durable and completely degradable,” he says. “This research aims to contribute to sustainable development by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and exploring feasible pathways to improve human comfort while minimising environmental impact.” The discovery addresses a major challenge in the field: how to reconcile high-performance cooling with eco-friendly degradation. The researchers are now exploring large-scale manufacturing opportunities and potential applications in buildings, transport, agriculture, electronics, and the biomedical field, including cooling wound dressings.

The Goonellabah Tennis Club believes in the proverb, 'If you can't beat them, join them'. As one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, pickleball is forcing traditional sporting organisations to change their thinking as they look to the future.Last weekend, the Goonellabah Tennis Club opened six (6) brand new pickleball courts at its Reserve Street home. Two synthetic grass tennis courts made way for the new pickleball courts, leaving three for members to play the traditional game, which has been the case since the club opened in the 1960s.Graham Lancaster, President of the Goonellabah Tennis Club and Pickleball Club (as it is now known), said the traditional game of tennis is a declining sport in Australia and around the world."Pickleball is a very productive sport that is very new and potentially in the Olympics, so it's one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. It's quite similar to tennis in a lot of ways, but uses a lot less training, energy, technique and ability, that sort of thing. Any age can play it from 3 to 99, I would think, so yeah, there's no limit." (Graham Lancaster with the pickleball bats and ball)Popular belief is that pickleball is an older person's sport; however, Graham says there is a lot of interest from young people."A lot of young ones are picking up. We probably had at least a third of the people who turned up to the opening, and there were about 50, who were in their teens or the 20 to 30 age group, so the younger cohort. Down in Ballina, they've got about 350 members in Pickleball now and mainly the older ones, because they just don't have any more capacity for the younger ones. We're hoping to have a facility that's open for everyone to use."For the Goonellabah Tennis Club and Pickleball Club, this is not about financial survival, but it will help their financial viability in the future."We've been quite a cashed-up club through tennis for many years, so we use our own funds to build these courts, $120,000, and we're not under any threat of closing anything, but we want to be viable and we want to offer a service. Our courts and our facility are fantastic, second to none, in a beautiful location next to the Goonellabah Soccer Club.(The traditional synthetic grass tennis court and the new pickleball courts on Reserve Street, Goonellabah)"It's just a really nice facility we've got, and we want to see it utilised. We're only charging $5 a hit, basically, for two hours for a social comp, and membership is $60, so it's very affordable, and we have paddles there, people don't have to buy anything. They can just turn up. If you want to book a court for family or friends, court hire is $10 for 30 minutes, and can be completed online. Click here to book a court. Or think about a different Christmas party in 2025.There is LED lighting, so night pickleball is available using an electronic entry system. You retrieve bats and balls in the same way.Graham and the team have started a social comp on Monday and Tuesday evenings, which they are looking to expand as demand warrants. They are looking for more volunteers to help run pickleball. You can get in touch by calling 0419 984 088.The Goonellabah Tennis and Pickleball Club is on Reserve Street, Goonellabah, off Rous Road.

We are back to what feels like the usual weekend weather forecast, with a shower or two on the cards.The BoM says 0-5mm for Saturday and 0-4mm for Sunday. Most of the forecast rain will occur on Monday with 4-35mm on the radar and 90% chance of rain.There is no major event this weekend; however, there are a few things to do around the Lismore LGA.The next major event is LisAmore! on Sunday, July 6 at the Lismore Turf Club.The Lismore Farmers Market gets underway at 7:30 tomorrow morning at the Lismore Showground. Fresh fruit and veg, hot breakfast, tea & coffee and specialty items for sale, as well as live music from Georgia Cortes Rayner.The Nimbin Markets are on this weekend again because it is the fifth Sunday of the month. Head up to the hills to have a look for some unique artisan products unique to the Nimbin community from 9am to 3pm.Well-known photographer Jacklyn Wagner's 'Through the Heart' photographic exhibition opens tonight at 6pm at the Lismore Regional Gallery at The Quad.Through the Heart captures the human stories behind the February and March 2022 floods. It was first shown at NSW Parliament House in November 2022.Lismore Regional Gallery is open 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. The exhibition runs until Sunday, August 10.The Lismore Rainforest Botanic Guided Walk this month will be through the Sensory and Useful Plant Gardens.It is an easy hour-long walk on unpaved paths. Cost is $5 for adults, with children free, cash only. Meet at the visitors centre at 9:45am for a 10am start.If live music is your scene, there is plenty over the weekend.The Northern Rivers Hotel has Al Cole's Drummer Not Included tonight from 6pm and Rokustix for the Sunday Session from 2pm.The Lismore Workers Club has Chev Wilson in the main lounge tonight.Concerts coming to the Workers Club include:Dorothy the Dinosaur Spectacular on Sunday, July 27Herman's Hermits on Friday, August 8Fleetwood Max on Thursday, August 14Oh What a Night - a tribute to Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons on Saturday, September 20, andThe Flying Forties on Saturday, October 4.For more details or to book, click here.The Iran/Israel bombings have caused fuel prices to increase between 7 and 10 cents a litre over the last seven days. Here is the list of the cheapest service stations, saving you the most money in each town:E10 is 174.9 at the 7-Eleven in South Lismore, the Ampol Foodary on Woodlark Street in Lismore and the EG Ampol on Simeoni Drive, Goonellabah, 176.9 at the NightOwl Puma on Johnston Street in Casino, and 165.5 at the Mobil and The Metro on River Street, Ballina.Unleaded 91 is 176.9 across Lismore, 179.3 at The United on Johnston Street in Casino, and 167.5 at the Metro and the Mobil on River Street, Ballina.U95 is 184.9 at the two Independents (Brad & Sharon) on Terania Street, North Lismore and the Liberty on Ballina Road and the Independent at East Lismore, 198.9 at the Independent on Canterbury Street, and 178.5 at The Metro on River Street, Ballina.U98 is 192.9 at the Liberty on Ballina Road in Lismore, and the Liberty on Union Street, South Lismore, 199.9 at the two Independents on Hare and Centre Street in Casino, and 187.5 at The Metro on River Street in Ballina.Diesel is 179.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road in Lismore, 182.9 at The United and the Casino Roadhouse on Johnston Street in Casino, and 188.7 at the Ampol on Links Avenue, East Ballina.Have a great weekend!Now, have a laugh with the Friday Funnies.....

There is a lot of heavy machinery on Conway Street, as road resurfacing continues across the LGA. That appears to be the only rebuild progress being made along the street that has TAFE Lismore on one side of the street.In November 2023, TAFE Lismore was a hive of activity as contractors prepared three buildings for demolition work. Buildings C1, D and K below look to have been removed.Buildings B, C, and E are a lot more complicated as they are heritage-listed, playing a significant part in the history of Lismore:Building C – Former Ambulance Station (1933)Building E – Former Trades School (1929)Building B – Former Drill Hall (1906)(An overhead image of the TAFE buildings. Photo: supplied)The Lismore App contacted TAFE NSW for an update on the site. In a written response, a spokesperson said, “TAFE NSW Lismore reopened in early 2025, with theory-based training returning to the campus. Some training continues to be delivered from leased premises at Southern Cross University."In the coming weeks, a Development Application will be submitted to Lismore City Council for the demolition of buildings that were extensively damaged by flooding and can’t be repaired. The DA will also propose to restore the on-site car parking for community use. "At the same time, TAFE NSW is finalising an insurance claim with iCare. Subject to the outcome, TAFE NSW is proposing to repair, upgrade, and construct new facilities in the Northern Rivers region."Currently, Community Pharmacy, Retail, Career Pathways and Digital Literacy, Auslan, and English Language programs are being delivered at TAFE NSW Lismore."TAFE NSW will continue to update the community as planning progresses.”That left more questions than answers.Are there more buildings to be demolished? Does repair, upgrade and construct new facilities in the Northern Rivers mean the Lismore campus? If yes, in what form and when?The insurance claim with iCare is interesting because it is owned by the NSW Government. You would hope for a favourable outcome.

The $150 million Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program (NRRRP) was first announced by Senator Murray Watt in February 2023. It is funded through NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) and delivered through the NSWRA (NSW Reconstruction Authority)Thirty-six (36) projects across seven Northern Rivers LGA's, some 'shovel ready' were to transform Lismore and the Northern Rivers into one of the most disaster-resilient regions in NSW.Nothing happened for the next fourteen months, with Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin saying, "We’re going in circles. Can someone please step in and take charge of this recovery so we don’t go round in circles. These projects were shovel-ready and don't need an implementation plan" in May 2023.Two years later, some projects have been completed, and some still have a long way to go before being completed. Those are the more complex projects that require a detailed assessment, such as the Ballina bridge duplication on River Street.Alex Wilson, Program Director with the NSWRA, told the Lismore App that there is increasing public awareness around flood risk, which is different, obviously, from physical flood risk management measures like infrastructure."And then we've got projects that are nature-based solutions, which also differ, then, from increasing community resilience. One of the examples of those was that we partnered with the Australian Red Cross, where they have been establishing community-led resilience teams under this program, which were put to the test and received really well during the effects of extra-tropical cyclone Alfred, including Minion and Federal, so down to the local, smaller communities," Alex said."It performed really well, and some of the feedback was really, really positive there."The Red Cross approached small communities that tend to become isolated or cut off, either through power, phone reception, trees down blocking roads or water blocking roads. They work with the local community-led resilience team to develop a plan and a local contact network.So, if there's an event like Alfred, they can meet at certain times of day at a designated building to pick up supplies, dried food for example, and use Wi-Fi, which is turned on twice a day using a Starlink (if they have one) that is run on batteries to send messages to family and friends.Tropical Cyclone Alfred was the first time that these community-led resilience team programs were put to the test."I don't want to say it was a good test, but it was an opportune time for them, having gone through their training and planning, to actually put the processes into practice. It came out successfully," Alex said.The Australian Red Cross Community-led Resilience Project (CRT) had a target of building community resilience in 70 communities across the 7 Northern NSW LGAs (note that building community resilience includes measures other than establishing a CRT). That target has been exceeded, with 88 communities reached to date.The CRT program commenced in Tweed LGA after flooding from TC Debbie in 2017. There are 5 CRTs established (or being established) within the Lismore LGA.If you would like to get in touch with your local CRT, email the Australian Red Cross at: NSWRESILIENCE@redcross.org.au. The largest NRRRP project in dollar terms is the duplication of Fishery Creek Bridge on River Street and Canal Bridge on Tamarind Drive in Ballina. The cost is around $40 million, or roughly 27% of the $150 million budget. The project work has been split into a couple of different portions.(An artists impression of the River Street bridge at Ballina)"We've got an early works portion, which is known as pre-loading the ground. This is due to commence late July, early August, on site," Alex explained."The main bridge contract is currently out to market. That closes at the end of June, and so that will then be assessed and awarded as quickly as possible after that."When we've got an actual contractor, we'll have a better idea of timing for physically constructing the bridges. I can tell you that we've, aside from the preload that's due to start next month, Ballina Council has already been moving water mains, Telstra cables, clearing the sites, essentially for the bridges to be constructed, because we've got overhead power lines, services in the ground under the river at both locations and street lights and things. So, so they've been doing all the preparation work."There is a loose delivery time frame for the bridge projects, but Alex didn't want to divulge the ETA until they have a builder on board and they have confidence in their deliverables."Their construction methodology is obviously part of the assessment, and will be reviewing the program taken. One builder might come in six months quicker than another builder, but it might be out of the budget, for example. So, there's a lot of different factors to get them to work on and assess those tenders. Once we've got firm dates, I'll happily let you know what they are."The next most expensive projects are the Lismore pump station upgrades and the raising of two bridges at Tatham (between Casino and Coraki), which are currently underway.Alex revealed that the nature-based solution projects will be the last to be completed as part of the $150 million NRRRP. They are slated for completion in late 2027."We're reforesting riparian zones along river banks. There are two projects there. One of them is caring for catchments, and our delivery partner there is the North Coast Regional Landcare Network. And then the other one is Heal the Rivers, which is through Jagun Alliance, through First Nations organisation, Jagun Alliance.Alex said there are a number of projects within each program, so North Coast Regional Landcare Network has 35 project sites, with Jagun slightly fewer. All are spread out over the Richmond River Catchment. Their purpose is to slow the flow of water through the catchment and into the Wilsons River or Leycester Creek system.Some of the more expensive projects on the list of the 15 completed NRRRP projects include:Filling in data gaps for floor-level surveys for homes and buildings. These were done by driving around in a ute with a LiDAR scanner after it was noticed that multiple councils had gaps in different locations, which they needed to complete their Flood Risk Management Plans.Revitalise South and East Lismore Town DrainsPublic Proposal - Lismore Flood Mitigation, Northern Rivers Resilience InitiativeDairy Flat road improvementsThearles Canal culvert upgradeNew pump systems behind Dorothy Street, MurwillumbahThe Lismore LGA is benefiting from just over $29.4 million, or around 20% of the overall $150 million in funding.Two of the projects within the Lismore LGA have been completed with Rouse County Council, having completed the revitalisation of the South and East Lismore town drains, which allows a clearer path for the stormwater to reach the Wilsons River.This was tested with good effect during Tropical Cyclone Alfred."There were some anecdotal references there from local residents and people who haven't seen those drains working as well as they did for a very long time. Thistles Soccer Club showed up to mop their clubhouse out, and they didn't have to. Normally, in the past, that sort of size flood would have caused the club rooms to flood.The second project to be completed was community drain clearing through Lismore City Council.Garon Clough, Projects Director - Flood Resilience Program for Lismore City Council said, "There were locations identified from the community that had stormwater constraints, and they wanted them to be addressed. We went and targeted high-profile areas throughout the urban area to get stormwater functioning again. So it was a maintenance activity, allocation of funds to reset the function of residential drains."There is a lot of detail to cover when looking at the rest of Lismore's five more projects, including a major rebuild of the Browns Creek Pump Station. This will be covered in a special edition on Monday morning.

Two men will face court today, charged following an investigation into alleged aggravated break and enter incidents at a shopping centre in Lismore.About 5.30am yesterday (Wednesday, 25 June 2025), two people allegedly forced their way into a shopping centre through a smashed window.Several businesses were targeted with cash, jewellery and watches stolen.No injuries have been reported to police.Police attached to Richmond Police District attended and established several crime scenes.Following extensive inquiries, police arrested two men – aged 22 and 28 – at a caravan park in Byron Bay yesterday afternoon (Wednesday, 25 June 2025).A search warrant was executed at a cabin a short time later, where police allegedly located and seized items believed to have been stolen during property offences alleged to have occurred at Lismore, Ballina, and Byron Bay in recent weeks.Both men were taken to Byron Bay Police Station.The younger man was charged with three counts of aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company steal.The older man was charged with nine offences:Three counts of aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company stealTwo counts of break and enter house etc stealTwo counts of break and enter dwelling-house etc with intentAttempted break and enter dwelling-house etc with intent, andLarceny.An outstanding warrant was also executed for alleged traffic and bail offences.Both men were refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court today (Thursday, 26 June 2025).

The NSW Government welcomes the National Health and Medical Research Council’s publication today of the updated Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, which confirm new, lower values for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Australian drinking water supplies.The NSW Government can confirm that all NSW public drinking water supplies – across metropolitan and regional areas - currently meet the updated Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.All Sydney Water and Hunter Water drinking water supplies meet the updated Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and agencies have a regular testing regimen in place to ensure water is safe to drink.All 83 local water utilities in regional NSW that supply areas not serviced by Sydney and Hunter Water tested their water supplies in 2024. This testing initially showed that 80 of 83 water utilities had water supplies that met the draft guidelines released in October 2024.The NSW Government has been working with the remaining three local water utilities that had water supplies that exceeded the draft guidelines to manage PFAS levels and conduct ongoing monitoring. These three water supplies also now meet the updated guidelines.NSW Health has recommended that all 83 local water utilities test each of their drinking water supplies again in 2025, to assess the risk and also undertake source water testing in order to determine the ongoing frequency of PFAS testing in drinking water.While these local water utilities meet the new drinking water guidelines currently, ongoing work and longer term investment is required to maintain current levels. The NSW Government will work with councils to ensure appropriate long-term measures are put in place.Importantly, any PFAS detections above the guideline values, like the detection of many other water quality characteristics, should not be viewed as a pass/fail measure, but should trigger investigation and guide monitoring and response actions.The NSW Government is working to ensure all NSW water supplies – in metropolitan and regional areas – are equipped with long-term solutions to ensure effective management of PFAS risks. including treatment if needed.This includes in the Blue Mountains, where the NSW Government understands residents have concerns about their supply after 2024 testing showed the presence of PFAS in drinking water at the Cascade Water Filtration Plant. A number of measures have been put in place and according to the most recent monitoring results, NSW Health and Sydney Water have advised drinking water in the Blue Mountains meets the updated Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and is safe to drink.More information about the NSW Government’s action in relation to PFAS and drinking water is available at www.nsw.gov.au/pfas.Minister for Water Rose Jackson said, “We welcome the updated Australian Drinking Water Guidelines published today. Since the draft proposal in October last year, our agencies have been working hard to bring our state’s water utilities into line with the new, lower PFAS values.“As a result of this work, testing in 2024 or 2025 from all drinking water supplies across NSW meets the updated Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and I want to assure people that NSW drinking water remains safe to drink.“This isn’t about meeting the updated guidelines as a one-off testing result – Sydney Water, Hunter Water and WaterNSW have a rigorous system of regular monitoring to detect and manage PFAS and help address levels before they become an exceedance.“I recognise there is community concern about PFAS levels in water, and we are committed to continuously improving our approach in line with national guidelines and the latest evidence.”Minister for Health Ryan Park said, “The NSW Government understands the community’s concerns about PFAS; our management of PFAS is informed by the best science and evidence.“That is why we have supported the NSW Chief Health Officer convening the NSW Health Expert Advisory Panel on PFAS to review the latest evidence and provide independent advice.”Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said, “Our work dealing with this legacy contaminant is ongoing in NSW with more than 1,100 legacy sites assessed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, and the NSW PFAS Expert Panel and the PFAS Technical Advisory Group established to provide cross-government assessment and advice.”

Health insurers are delivering hundreds of millions of dollars in additional payments to private hospitals to help them through a challenging period of rising costs and a shift towards more technology-driven out-of-hospital care.Following a request from Health Minister Mark Butler for health insurers to lift payments to private hospitals, the most recent Australian Prudential Regulation Authority data shows health insurance payments to private hospitals jumped 7.7% in the year to March 2025. During the same period, health insurers paid private hospitals 4.2% more per episode of treatment. This jump in hospital payments comes after health insurers paid more than $5 billion back to health fund members due to lower claims during the pandemic. CEO of Private Healthcare Australia, Dr Rachel David, said health insurers were acting on Minister Butler’s concerns about the private hospital sector by cutting their own costs and lifting payments to hospitals for the care they deliver. “Health insurers need private hospitals to survive. We want our 12 million members investing in hospital cover to receive rapid access to high-quality hospital treatment where and when they need it. With this in mind, we are paying hospitals more to help them meet rising costs for care, including higher staff wages,” Dr David said. “The health insurance sector is listening and acting. We will continue to work with hospitals, doctors and the government on ways to improve our private health system and help modernise it so it can meet the needs of our population demanding more affordable, convenient and connected care.” Dr David said health insurers were examining their own costs to maximise their own efficiency and striking more innovative contracts with hospital groups to deliver members more options for care. “We have seen some great collaboration between private hospitals and health insurers recently to contract for more out-of-hospital services such as chemotherapy, rehabilitation, wound care and mental health treatment. This reduces costs for hospitals, insurers and patients while delivering better health outcomes. This is the way of the future.”   She said health insurers were also continuing to offer potential solutions to overcome specific challenges facing private maternity care. This includes a proposal for insurers to pay more towards private obstetrics if women were given more choice about who provided their care in the private system before a private hospital birth. “We have a good supply of private hospital services across most parts of the country, so we are confident people with hospital cover will retain access to high-quality services near their homes. We are continuing to work on ways to improve maternity care and mental health care so we can create a stronger sector. “We also know that the high cost to see some specialist doctors in the community is causing many Australians to forego care and not use private hospitals. This will continue to dampen demand for private hospitals and must be addressed as part of the bigger picture. We will continue to work with the government and doctors on this.” Health insurers continue to be among the most highly scrutinised businesses in the Australian economy, Dr David said. “Health insurers’ financial data is published quarterly by the prudential regulator. Both the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and the Department of Health review this thoroughly during the annual premium setting process, and the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission report on the sector’s performance under consumer law yearly.  “There is no need for additional regulation in a sector where pricing and performance is controlled this tightly by the government. Instead, we are advocating for private sector reform to bring data collection and transparency for hospitals and other providers up to the same standard.”

The expectations from the release of the next phase of the $11.2 million Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative (NRRI), the first of its kind in the Northern Rivers, appear to be extremely high within the community.Phase 1 was to map every square metre across the 7,000 square kilometre Richmond River catchment using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and river bathymetry technology to create a hydrodynamic model.This model was delivered on time, as promised, by CSIRO lead scientist, Jai Vaze and his team on June 30 2024.Phase 2 was to accurately replicate what happened in previous floods, including the 14.4-metre flood on February 28 2022, along with other major floods, like the second March 2022 flood, and the 2017 flood.Phase 3 is what residents and the seven local council areas are really waiting for, the release of three to four mitigation scenarios, which include the combination of a number of interventions within each scenario. That will be released on June 30 2026.History has proven that it is difficult to trust the state or federal government to deliver timely flood recovery and rebuild help following a disaster. There are always delays. However, Jai Vaze has delivered on every promise he has made, and he told the Lismore App that he will deliver the implementation model next Monday, June 30 2025.How is the model implemented?Jai has divided the 7,000 square metres Richmond River catchment area into 10.2 million triangular grids with no gaps, called a mesh. To get a visual representation, he said it is best to think of it as a spider web.When Jai inputs the rainfall data from previous flood events, each event has to be replicated exactly as it happened at the time. His soon-to-be-released implementation model has been peer-reviewed by three independent experts: one from Japan, France and Australia.The model can measure the velocity of water flow and depth from Nimbin to the Ballina outlet. The mesh is denser in areas that receive a lot of rainfall and coarser where it has never flooded.What are the next steps?Jai and his team will be in Lismore and the Northern Rivers in early July to hold meetings with the four councils inside the catchment, their technical staff and the community to get an understanding of what mitigation ideas should be included in the scenario model options.The CSIRO team will return in early August for a second round of engagement.More than likely, Jai will run three to four different modelling options, each with a number of different mitigation interventions, to determine the most effective flood mitigation results for the entire Richmond River Catchment.It will take three months to get the mesh ready to run a scenario, and another two months to make adjustments to a mesh. And this is with a supercomputer that has 1 terabyte of RAM (random-access memory). To give this some perspective, the average computer will run 4 to 8 gigabytes, while some might run 16 for gaming. 1 terabyte is equal to 1,000 gigabytes.June 30 2025, is an important date as it signifies that the CSIRO Richmond River Catchment Flood Model works like it should, giving certainty to the outcomes of the mitigation results to be delivered on June 30 2026. This is the critical date for residents and business owners who were affected by the 2022 big flood.This is also the date that will cause anxiety for the Federal and NSW Governments. The release of the CSIRO's third report will need to be assessed, costed, and then a decision made as to how much will be invested in the Northern Rivers to help reduce the impact of future floods and potentially identify its long-term water supply.Early hypothetical estimates from a range of people, including local politicians, is that $2 billion will be the minimum cost.

UPDATE: 2.20pmAn investigation is underway following aggravated break and enter incidents at a shopping centre in Lismore earlier today.About 5.30am (Wednesday, 25 June 2025), two people forced their way into a shopping centre through a smashed window.Several businesses were targeted with cash, jewellery and watches stolen.No injuries have been reported to police.Police attached to Richmond Police District attended and established several crime scenes.As inquiries into the incident continue, anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.ORIGINAL STORYOfficers from the Richmond Police District are investigating a break and enter this morning at Lismore Square.Commander Dave Roptell told the Lismore App that two individuals broke into Prouds The Jewellers, near Big W and the food court.The area around Prouds has been taped off as police continue their investigations.More to come.

Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) is encouraging graduate nurses and midwives to consider starting their careers in the Northern Rivers, with applications now open as part of NSW Health’s 2026 GradStart program.GradStart is an annual, state-wide recruitment process for graduate nurses and midwives, which provides a vast range of employment opportunities across more than 150 health facilities in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote NSW.Applications for NSW Health’s 2026 GradStart intake opened last week (17 June) and close on 30 June 2025.Students are eligible to apply if they: are completing a nursing or midwifery degree between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026.will meet all the requirements to be registered as a Registered Nurse or Midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.are an Australian Citizen or hold a visa that allows ongoing full-time employment in Australia.NNSWLHD Director of Nursing and Midwifery Katharine Duffy encouraged potential candidates to consider joining the team in Northern NSW.“Northern NSW Local Health District offers an exciting opportunity for new graduates to start their careers, with four Multi-Purpose Services and eight hospitals, including two major sites – Lismore Base Hospital and Tweed Valley Hospital – offering excellent support and learning opportunities,” Ms Duffy said.“Our new graduates will gain invaluable experience across a broad range of clinical settings, as well as in community healthcare.“Coupled with unrivalled quality of life opportunities at some of Australia’s premier coastal and hinterland destinations, we think there is no better place to live and work than Northern NSW.”The new recruits will follow in the footsteps of the 225 graduate registered nurses who joined NNSWLHD in 2025, in addition to seven new graduate midwives and 27 newly qualified enrolled nurses.Ms Duffy said new graduates will be well supported at what is hoped to be the start of a long and rewarding career with NNSWLHD.“It is an exciting time for us following the opening of the new Tweed Valley Hospital last year and with plans to redevelop Grafton Base Hospital well underway,” Ms Duffy said.“New graduates are integral to our vision to continue to grow and train a sustainable local health workforce. Our nursing and midwifery service has some incredible mentors and educators who will nurture these new graduates to develop in their chosen specialties.“Depending on their interests, they’ll have the opportunity to take part in leading research projects and develop their leadership skills to take their careers to the next level.”For more information and to apply now, visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/gradstart.

On the 11th of September 2023, Lismore City Council signed a licensing agreement with community organisation Lismore Lake Incorporated. The goal for members is to revitalise Lismore Lake, bringing it back to its former glory days of the 1970s and '80s.The Lismore Lake is a passion for Councillor Big Rob and President of Lismore Lake Inc., Brad Lancaster. 2023 was about completing the administration of the organisation, items like a constitution upgrade, ABN registration, bank account, and the tax-deductible gift recipient application.The two have said that the Lismore Lake project will not cost ratepayers any money. Money will be raised through grant applications and generous donations from businesses and individuals.Two years later, the Lismore Lake precinct is not showing signs of much progress, although work has been done."In recent times, Lismore Lake Incorporated has seen some work done along the riverbank and lakeside riparian zones through Rous County Council," President Brad Lancaster told the Lismore App."Some grant funding was secured last year, and work was done along the peninsula where several plants were planted. The southern island has also been prepared for future plantings, with minor preparation work also done on the north island, and further grant funding is expected shortly to see further plantings. "Things are moving slowly at the moment due to volunteer work and personal life commitments. However, things are expected to pick up in the very near future."The vision for the Lismore Lake is to enhance the two bird sanctuaries on the north and south islands. When the lake is full, it will be surrounded by water, making it inaccessible to people on foot. There will be passive recreation vehicles like canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards.Included in the vision is a 1.5km cycle path, which forms a loop with exercise stations around it.An Aboriginal healing or yarning circle is another idea to add to the vision, as well as a dog park.As the Lismore Lake Inc organisation makes progress and has ideas or is given community ideas that involve something not in the Master Plan, such as constructing new BBQ areas, a complete design and costing plan will need to be submitted to Lismore City Council."As long as it is not against the Master Plan, we can get a yes," Brad said in 2023. "Who knows, maybe we can hold events out here like a Dash for Cash run or a Food Van event."The Lismore Lake Pool is another potential rebuild to bring it back to the glory days of the '70s and '80s.Just like rebuilding from the 2022 big flood, this is a project that needs patience. The end result will be worth it, but it may well be 2030.

The 2025/2026 NSW Budget was handed down by Treasurer Daniel Mookhey yesterday. While the rest of the country was focused on the big ticket items for NSW, we will have a look at what the Northern Rivers will receive in the next 12 months.It would be fair to say that Lismore has not been the recipient of any new large-scale funding in this budget. Rather, they are a continuation of funding commitments from previous years.Below is the breakdown:HEALTHAn additional $3.5 million First Nations community-led culturally responsive suicide prevention initiatives.Continuing to deliver the:• $265.0 million Port Macquarie Hospital Upgrade• $263.8 million Grafton Base Hospital Redevelopment• $13.0 million betterment of Lismore Ambulance Station• $3.4 million betterment of Mullumbimby Ambulance StationEDUCATION• Upgrades at Casino High School as part of the High Potential and Gifted Education School Partner Program.• Ongoing delivery of the Government’s 100 public preschools commitment, including at Bowraville Central School, and Lennox Head, Tacking Point and Wollongbar Public Schools.• Continuing the Lennox Head Public School relocation.• As at the start of the 2025 school year, teacher vacancies had reduced by an average of 72.9 per cent across the North Coast Local Government Areas, compared to the peak of the teacher shortage crisis in 2022.TRANSPORT AND ROADS• $548.5 million over four years to continue construction of the Coffs Harbour Bypass (NSW and Australian Government funded).• $36.5 million over four years to continue work on the Pacific Highway Harrington Road Intersection Upgrade (NSW and Australian Government funded).• $23.3 million over four years to continue improving safety, reliability and travel times on Waterfall Way.• $3.9 million additional funding to upgrade the Bruxner Highway and Alphadale Road intersection, bringing the total commitment to $11.4 million.COMMUNITIES AND JUSTICE• $7.0 million for the new Goonellabah Fire Station, and to continue works to deliver an $8.2 million new Byron Bay Fire Station on an alternative site.• $1.8 million in 2025-26 for the Lismore Courthouse Resilience Improvement Project.DISASTER RECOVERY• $359.2 million over four years to complete the Resilient Homes Program – Northern Rivers to enable flood tolerance for existing houses.• $63.2 million over four years to complete the Resilient Lands Program to help relocate Northern Rivers residents impacted by the 2022 floods.(Mt Pleasant sign when the site was announced by the NSWRA on March 25 as part of the Resilient Lands Program)CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER• $12.5 million in additional funding from the Australian Government for a water treatment plant, and storage, pumping and distribution infrastructure at Steuart McIntyre Dam for Kempsey.• $2.5 million to investigate options to improve water security for towns in the Far North Coast region.PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTMeasures to prevent the spread of fire ants from South East QueenslandPLANNING, HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTUREContinuing to deliver the $30.0 million investment into 50 build-to-rent apartments in East Lismore delivered by Landcom.From a natural disaster perspective, the NSW Government has allocated $4.2 billion for disaster response and recovery. This figure is expected to increase in response to previous and potential new natural disasters, like the flooding on the Mid-North Coast in May this year.In the six years since the unprecedented 2019-20 bushfires, the NSW and Australian Governments have spent $9.5 billion on disaster relief and recovery across the State. That averages $1.6 billion per year – more than a 1,000 per cent increase compared to $154.0 million per year on average in the prior six years.INVESTING IN DISASTER RESPONSE AND RECOVERY This Budget outlines a further $4.2 billion of disaster relief over the forward estimates, a figure that is likely to increase in response to both previous and potentially new natural disasters. Including Australian Government co-contributions, this includes:• $2.3 billion for restoration works to repair local and state roads damaged in major flood events, including in the Hunter and Northern Rivers• $1.6 billion for other disaster relief and recovery programs funded through the Disaster Relief Account administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority• $63.2 million for the Resilient Lands Program to unlock new home and land options in safe locations in the Northern Rivers and to support relocations• $27.0 million over three years for repair and restoration of water and sewer infrastructure in the Central West, damaged by severe weather and flooding in 2022.The $4.2 billion investment includes the following assistance measures in response to recent major disasters:• $358.3 million over four years, including Australian Government co-contributions, for disaster recovery and relief measures in response to the May 2025 East Coast floods. This includes $56.6 million in immediate assistance in 2024-25• $154.5 million over three years, including Australian Government co-contributions, for disaster recovery and relief measures in response to Tropical Cyclone Alfred. This includes $125.5 million in immediate assistance in 2024-25.As mentioned, there are no new big-ticket items for Lismore; however, there are a number of items, such as the Resilient Homes Program, Resilient Lands Program and the 50 build-to-rent apartments in East Lismore that residents would like to see real progress made in the next 12 months.

After another hugely successful Lismore Lantern Parade on Saturday night, CEO and Artistic Director Jyllie Jackson has revealed the winners of the Enchanted Windows competition.Enchanted Windows is where Lismore businesses create a lantern/lighting display in their shop front, so families and fans can walk around the CBD and admire the window displays before the Lantern Parade."There were quite a few entrants for the Enchanted Windows this year; they varied in their effort quite a bit, but there were some really outstanding and creative windows, and the choice was not easy," Jyllie said."Really, everyone was a winner for stepping up and participating. Thank you."The overall winner was The Lismore Professionals (corner of Magellan and Keen Street), it met the brief beautifully and was high energy."Runner up was Flourish on Union Street, South Lismore, with a quirky and vibrant, go Southies.(Flourish's window display)"Highly Commended: we would like to acknowledge Leo’s Food Bar (Magellan St), who once again stood out with their delightful narrative window, and inside decoration too."We were really impressed by Shoppe 1’s (Keen Street) carefully crafted lanterns - hot air balloons at sunrise. Graham is welcome to come and join us at the Lantern Workshop any time!"We loved Little Polli’s (Magellan Street) with their Little Polli lantern, who must be 15 years old now, so carefully looked after since commissioned when Little Polli first opened!(Little Polli's window display)"Honourable mention must be made for Audio Room’s graphic rendition, and the storytelling in Higgins’ Real Estate was a delight, as was the Chempro Fairyland window."Artisan’s Table meticulous beaded sun was amazing, but Victoria did not enter the competition as she helped coordinate the project, but still created a gorgeous window."Thank you to everyone who entered, and I hope that there will be even more fabulous Enchanted Windows next year."Oakes Oval looks to be the preferred venue for the Firey Finale.The Lismore App ran a poll in Sunday's Lismore Lantern Parade wrap-up story. Just under 300 votes have been recorded, with 75% of people preferring Oakes Oval over Riverside Park (25%).More food for thought for Jyllie Jackson and her team as they embark on planning the 2026 Lismore Lantern Parade.You can still make a donation to help cover the costs of putting on the Lismore Lantern Parade. Jyllie said there is no change from $130,000, and as a charity, they do need financial help putting on Lismore's biggest night of entertainment. Click here to donate.

At a special NSW SES North Eastern Zone Award Ceremony on Saturday in Ballina, two Lismore stalwarts were awarded their fourth clasp and a certificate for 60 years of service.It is difficult to imagine that a person can volunteer for such a long period of time. Such a commitment to helping the community certainly deserves public recognition.Stand up Ed Bennett and Jon Habib. Each 15 years, volunteers receive a clasp to put on their ribbon. Ed and John now have four each.Ed Bennett also received the National Emergency Medal for the 2017 Cyclone Debbie event.Ed started his service in February 1964, at the age of 23, when he moved back to the Northern Rivers after six years away teaching."I joined what was then called the Civil Defence, which morphed into the SES a few years later," Ed explained."I got transferred to Richmond River High School, but just before my transfer went through, I received a letter from my immediate boss at Richmond River and amongst other things, he said, as a fit young male, you'll be expected to do four things. One was playing in the cricket team that was made up mostly of Richmond River staff because that year the Southern District Cricket Club formed, and one of our staff members said we've got enough people here to provide you with a team. So, I was expected to join the cricket group and play golf because a lot of young males were playing golf."And I'd be expected to join the flood group with the Civil Defence because it was run by one of the staff at Richmond River. And the fourth thing I was expected to do was give the lizard a run at the Metropole on a Friday afternoon. I didn't quite know what that meant, but I found out it was going and having a beer with the boys at the end of the week." "So, as soon as I got here, the very next week after school started in early February 1964, I was out on the river in a boat learning the ropes". Ed explained that he stayed in the flood group from 1964 to 1975, when he was moved to the flood intelligence group, which was attached to the Richmond Tweed Region, now called the North Eastern Zone at Lancaster Drive, Goonellabah. Then, in 2016, he moved to the Lismore City Group.As you can imagine, Ed has seen and experienced many floods in his 85 years. What has been a significant improvement in that time?"Just to give you an idea of how things have changed, in the '60s we had little tinnies, as you describe them, with 10 and 15 hp motors. In one of the floods, either '65 or '67, a good mate and I were put up in a house near Riverview Park and we had to putter around South Lismore doing various things but if we wanted to get back to the to the rowing club building which is near the Transit Centre, our motors weren't strong enough to go straight up the river against the current. We had to creep up the western bank and then go a little bit upstream and then come across at an angle to the rowing club."Of course, now, the boats are bigger and they've got 60 hp and even 90 hp motors. Those sorts of things change in every aspect of life. If you go back a little bit further in the 1954 flood, which was the same height as the '74 flood, the local group wasn't called Civil Defence, it was called the Lismore Water Brigade and Rowing Club, and they had rowboats. They didn't have motors then."Ed's 60-Year Long Service recipient is his good mate John Habib. John's father was on Lismore City Council and had a lot to do with the development of the Lismore Airport, and also volunteered with the NSW SES. Everyone knows of Habib Drive in South Lismore."John is the flood warden for South Lismore," Ed explained, "He goes around talking to businesses and residents, especially as a flood is developing and approaching. He'll go and give people some early warning. John is well-liked and well-respected, and he's been doing that for a long time, while his father had the same position before John.(John Habib receiving his certificate and clasp for 60 years of service to the NSW SES)The NSW SES is always looking for volunteers, and Ed took the opportunity to list an array of jobs that people can do within the SES."We have specific boat crews. We have other people who specialise in getting up on the roof and putting tarpolins on and doing temporary repairs. Other people are qualified chainsaw operators who go out and cut up trees that fall over a driveway so people can have access. And then there are people who have indoor jobs."There are people who operate our phones and computers and deal with calls for help, and pass them on to the people who can actually go out and do the outdoor tasks. Also, the SES volunteers are called upon to help the police from time to time with searching for people and helping out at road accidents, all sorts of things. It's quite a range of things that people do. Everybody's welcome," Ed said.At the age of 85, Ed is starting to think about allowing the younger members to come through."How long is a bit of string? I've just had my 85th birthday, so I thought that might be a good time to think about retiring. There's a couple of things in the pipeline later this year, so I'll probably give it away at the end of this year." As you can imagine, Ed has a wealth of experience when dealing with all aspects of a flood. Ed wanted to impart what happens at the NSW SES North Eastern Zone headquarters in Goonellabah."When a rain event comes that might lead to flooding, we keep an eye on the rainfall over the catchment, and we've got automatic flood gauges on all the major streams, and we monitor those. We have contact with the Bureau of Meteorology, and over the years we've had a lot of conversations with them where, on occasion, we've disagreed with their prediction and had a discussion, and sometimes they've sort of modified their prediction."It's a good relationship we have with them. One interesting thing, a good mate of mine, Trevor Reynolds, who was a teacher at Lismore High and a mathematician and computer whiz, developed a flood forecasting model, which the bureau has taken aspects of it and incorporated into their forecasting.""I think the BoM gets a fair bit of unfair criticism, because I mean they're not perfect and they'll admit that, and a lot of people don't fully understand that a forecast is what they think is likely to happen and when they forecast rain or whatever and it doesn't eventuate exactly as their forecast people will say they got it wrong again. And of course, they're going to get it wrong again because forecasting things is not an exact science. It's not like an experiment that you conduct in a laboratory. "I read a comment that somebody made from Melbourne. They said we will never be able to forecast that. I'll put it in a local context. A thunderstorm is going to hit Lismore airport at 3 pm tomorrow afternoon and bring 35mm of rain, that sort of accuracy just is not possible."

In early March 2023, two weeks before the state election, Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin made an election commitment of $7.5 million to construct a roundabout at the notorious Bruxner Highway/Alphadale/Cowlong Road blackspot.Ahead of today's 2025/26 Budget, the NSW Government has announced a further $3.9 million to fulfil its election promise and deliver the much-needed safety improvements along the Bruxner Highway. This brings the total commitment to $11.4 million.The new funding will progress the upgrade of the Bruxner Highway and Cowlong and Alphadale roads intersection to construction, improving this key connection between Lismore and Ballina.After seeking feedback from the community, the preferred option has been identified as the installation of traffic lights. The new traffic lights will lead to the best safety outcome, particularly for heavy vehicles, and improve traffic flow and circulation.Transport for NSW found that due to the existing topography of the site, any roundabout would likely have a slight gradient, potentially increasing risks for truck rollovers. A similar risk does not exist with traffic lights, which are safer. A roundabout would’ve also increased the project’s footprint and required property acquisition from surrounding landholders.The 2025-26 Budget invests $12.1 billion over the next four years for roads and public transport across Regional NSW.This Budget also invests $2.8 billion in partnership with the Australian Government in road safety over four years, delivering on commitments in the 2026 Road Safety Action Plan to allow the North Coast to focus on reducing deaths and serious injuries.Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said, “I’ve fought for this safety upgrade for a long time and secured a $7.5-million election commitment in 2023. I’m glad to see the project receive all the funding it needs to get delivered.“I’ve been advised by Transport for NSW that the project has only undergone early strategic concept assessment, and more detailed investigations and design concept work is yet to begin.“While Transport will endeavour to work through this phase as quickly as possible, a number of investigations are needed to ensure this proposal can be delivered and operate safely.“It is currently too early to determine a likely construction start, but an indicative timeline for development activities will be developed over the coming months.”Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said, “The upgrade to the Alphadale Road and Bruxner Highway intersection will make a real difference to the safety and daily lives of locals.“It’s about making sure families get home safely, freight moves efficiently, and growing regions have the infrastructure they need for the future.”

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has congratulated winners and finalists in the 2025 North & Mid North Coast Regional Training Awards held in Byron Bay on Friday night.Ms Saffin, who is also Minister for the North Coast, said three of the seven category winners come from the Electorate of Lismore and have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to their workplaces and industries.This year’s Regional Training Award winners are:Apprentice of the Year, Jake Barlow, of Geneva, Certificate III in ESI - Distribution Overhead Essential Energy, Essential Energy.Vocational Student of the Year, Numoil Smith, of Goonellabah, Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, TAFE NSW, Goodstart Early Learning.VET Trainer/Teacher of the Year, Neil O’Donnell, of Murwillumbah, music teacher, NSW Department of Education.Trainee of the Year, Nicole Shedden, of Kingscliff, Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance, TAFE NSW, Sensational Minds Therapy.VET in Schools Student of the Year, Bodhi Perandis, of Tweed Heads, Certificate III in Sport Coaching, NSW Department of Education.            Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year, Joshua Maguire, of Glenreagh, Diploma of Leadership and Management, VERTO Carers NSW.School-based Apprentice/Trainee of the Year, Hailee Frost, of Port Macquarie, Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Axial Training and International College, Oxley Refrigeration & Air Conditioning.  Ms Saffin said these high achievers in the vocational education and training (VET) sector will go on to represent the North and Mid North Coast regions in the 2025 NSW Training Awards in September.“As Minister for Recovery, I was impressed by mature aged learner Jake Barlow’s transition from being a mechanic to powerline worker by completing his Certificate III in ESI - Distribution Overhead with Essential Energy,” Ms Saffin said.Mr Barlow was nominated for his passion, dedication to learning and unparalleled work ethic, particularly in a crisis.He is also recognised for his contribution to the community when working to restore power to regions affected by the devastating Northern Rivers floods and the bushfires in Tenterfield and Jennings.Mr Barlow said: “The apprenticeship has shaped me both personally and professionally, equipping me with valuable skills and a sense of purpose. It’s been an incredible journey, allowing me to contribute to my community and grow as a tradesman.“One of the most rewarding aspects of my apprenticeship has been working in disaster-affected areas to restore power to communities. In 2022, the Northern Rivers experienced the worst flooding on record, leaving more than 3,000 homes without power,” Mr Barlow said.“I was placed on the on-call roster at the beginning of my third year, a highly sought-after position within the company. This allowed me to work with crews from around the state to isolate and restore power to homes and businesses.“It was a challenging experience, involving hazardous electrical scenarios and difficult hygiene conditions, but it was incredibly fulfilling to help the community in such a meaningful way.”For more information on the NSW Training Awards, now in their 70th year, visit: https://education.nsw.gov.au/skills-nsw/nsw-training-awards.