Bird enthusiasts and garden lovers are invited to join the 'Bird Friendly Backyards' workshop at the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens next Saturday, 10th August, from 10 am to 1 pm. This event is hosted by Richmond Landcare Inc. and Friends of Lismore Botanic Gardens, with special guest Rodney Falconer from Birdlife Northern Rivers, who will provide invaluable insights into attracting native birds to your garden and creating thriving habitats.The workshop will feature an in-depth presentation by Rodney, who will share his extensive knowledge about local native bird species and effective strategies for drawing them to your garden. Participants will also learn the fundamental principles of habitat creation, including the types of plants and structures that provide food, shelter, and nesting opportunities for birds.To bring these concepts to life, attendees will embark on a guided tour of the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens, with a special focus on identifying bird habitats and observing best practices in action. This hands-on experience will cement the learnings and inspire participants to implement similar strategies in their own backyards.The workshop will also include morning tea, providing an opportunity for participants to connect with fellow bird lovers and share their experiences.Event Details:Date: Saturday, 10th AugustTime: 10 am to 1 pmLocation: Lismore Rainforest Botanic GardensCost: $10 per ticketIncludes: In-depth presentations, guided tour, and morning teaSpaces are limited, so early booking is essential. To secure your spot, please visit https://events.humanitix.com/bird-friendly-backyards-workshop."Join us for this exciting workshop and learn how to transform your garden into a bird-friendly haven," Project Officer Ivy Young said."This is the second ‘Garden Habitat Hero’s workshop, funded through the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewals' Strengthening Rural Communities Program."For more information, please contact Ivy Young, Project Officer on 0497831463 or [email protected] Richmond Landcare Inc.: Richmond Landcare Inc. is committed to the conservation and sustainable management of the natural environment in the Lismore and Ballina region through community engagement and education.About Friends of Lismore Botanic Gardens: Friends of Lismore Botanic Gardens is a volunteer group dedicated to the development, maintenance, and promotion of the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens, fostering appreciation and understanding of local flora and fauna.About Birdlife Northern Rivers: Birdlife Northern Rivers is dedicated to the conservation and study of native bird species in the Northern Rivers region. Through education, advocacy, and community engagement, Birdlife Northern Rivers strives to protect bird habitats and promote biodiversity.

There is growing community concern about the exposure of children to violence and extreme pornography. In 2023, an eSafety Commissioner report found that 75% of 16-18-year-olds surveyed in Australia had seen online pornography before, and nearly one-third of those had seen it before the age of 13.  Further, the report highlighted that studies point to a common and readily accessible ‘mainstream’ form of pornography, which often contains depictions of sexual violence and degrading sexual scripts about women. The Minns Labor Government will become the first state to hold an inquiry to address the impacts of harmful online content on young people, and its role in normalising unacceptable behaviour. The Attorney General has written to Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Issues, the Hon Dr Sarah Kaine, to request the Committee inquire into and report on the impacts of harmful pornography, including pornography that is violent and misogynistic, on mental, emotional and physical health. The inquiry will also report on the production and dissemination of deepfake or AI-generated pornography, impacts on minority groups including but not limited to First Nations, CALD and LGBTIQA+ people and people living with a disability; and the effectiveness of current restrictions on access to pornography and consideration of any need to improve these.Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said, "I welcome this as the social media giants take no responsibility to help parents protect our children, the pornography is generally demeaning and degrading to women, and increasingly violent. "The Safety Commissioner alerted us to these shocking statistics that can skew in very negative ways the concepts about intimate and sexual relationships.   "I know that domestic violence is based on attitudes that find their genesis in large part to certain types of pornography, which have sadly become the norm. The spectrum on which domestic violence sits is circumlocution to extermination. This sounds harsh, but is real." As the NSW Government continues to work to address the scourge of domestic, family and sexual violence on communities across the state, the normalisation of misogynistic and violent acts online being easily accessible by young people in their formative years must be under the microscope. The findings of the Committee report will be carefully considered in this context. Attorney General Michael Daley said, “A generation of young men are growing up with unprecedented access to the online world, and this includes early and easy access to pornography, with harmful depictions of the treatment of women. “This inquiry will, for the first time in our state, provide insight into the full impacts of harmful pornography online and young people’s access to it.” Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said, “We must address the scourge of domestic violence and sexual assault from every angle, and importantly that includes the normalisation of misogyny and violence online. “The ease at which children and young people are able to access this content is extremely concerning and it is vital we undertake this inquiry and continue this important conversation.” New South Wales Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr. Hannah Tonkin said, “Children are being exposed, often inadvertently, to extreme forms of pornography. The increasingly young age of exposure is concerning because pornography often contains harmful messages and representations that normalise violence against women. This exposure comes at a crucial time in children’s lives when they are developing attitudes about gender roles, sex and relationships. There is an urgent need to improve our understanding of the impacts this is having on attitudes and behaviour, particularly those of boys and young men. I welcome this timely inquiry and look forward to its findings.”Terms of Reference:The Standing Committee on Social Issues will inquire into the impacts of harmful pornography on mental, emotional and physical health, with particular reference to:Age of first exposure to pornography and impacts of early exposure to pornography; Media by which pornography is accessed and circulated; Impacts on body impact; The relationship between pornography use and respect and consent education; The production and dissemination of deepfake or AI-generated pornography; The impact of exposure to violence and/or misogynistic pornography on children, teenagers and young adults; Impacts on minority groups including but not limited to First Nations, CALD or LGBTIQA+ people and people living with disability;  Effectiveness of any current education programs about use and misuse of pornography, and how these may be improved; The effectiveness of current restrictions on access to pornography and consideration of any need to improve these;  The resources and support currently available to parents and carers to educate children about pornography, and how these might be improved Any other related matters.  

Tomorrow (August 4), the Richmond River Philatelic Society (RRPS) will hold its annual stamp fair at the South Lismore Bowling Club.Dealers, an auction and some treats for junior stamp collectors will make up the event, plus Michael Drury, a world-class stamp enthusiast, will be in attendance.Geoff Wotherspoon, president of the RRPS is delighted to be showcasing this year's line-up, including four dealers, one local, one from Brisbane and two from Coffs Harbour.(Articles up for Auction. Image Credit: Geoff Wotherspoon)“There will be a small auction from 1pm, with a special collection that can only go to a junior buyer (under 18)."Geoff explains that the biggest question people ask themselves when they are left a stamp collection is, “What do I do with it?” There will be experts there to look at collections and give suitable advice.Avid stamp collectors are always on the lookout for something elusive. Geoff spoke of an item he saw come up on eBay this week. “I've never seen it before in all my years in collecting. It was a post or stationery item that came up with about 30 seconds to go on the auction that was sitting at $3.35.”Geoff put on a sizeable bid, but came third in the bidding war for it. Now he knows it exists, he will be keeping an eye out for it.Michael Drury told the story of a lady who held onto her father's collection for a few years in the back of a cupboard before getting it appraised. It was valued at $2.4million, a pleasant surprise - the house she was living in was valued at $125,000 at the time.Micheal Drury is well respected in the field of stamps, and amongst his philatelic highlights, last year he was invited as a guest of honour at the British Society of Australian Philately. Only one other Australian has been invited to the event - the head of Australia Post, 30 years ago.Mr Drury has also been fortunate enough to view the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace.  Some of that collection was brought to Australia for a closer inspection by Mr Drury. In the late 1990s, he got in contact with Charles Goodwin, Keeper of the Royal Collection.  (Michael Drury. Image: Geoff Wotherspoon)After discussion, “Charles sought and obtained permission to bring part of the Royal Collection out of England for the first time ever for private research. It was brought to Melbourne for me to examine and validate and issue certificates on in 1999. I was very proud of that achievement.”At this year's event, Mr Drury has made a special offer - to pay for any new Junior RRPS members that sign up on Sunday. Seek Mr Drury out and let him know you are interested, and he will help you on your way to a new hobby.Mr Drury speaks about when he started his hobby that became his passion, “I was eight years of age when I started collecting stamps. And while they taught me an understanding of the different heads of state, the royal family, different prime ministers, different states of Australia, different countries overseas, different animals, to me it was a wonderful education.”If you can’t make it to this weekend's event, you can still make contact with the club to discuss your collection and other stamp matters. Held every fourth Sunday of the month at 10am, the Richmond River Philatelic Society gather at the Wotherspoon’s retail store at 45 Wyrallah Road, Girards Hill.

FRRR (Foundational for Rural and Regional Renewal) and VFFF (Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation) are now inviting applications for grants of $50,000 from individuals and groups of individuals working to enhance the lives of people aged 12-30 who live in remote, rural and regional NSW. The funding is through the Backing the Future program.The grants are a rare opportunity for individuals to test out a new “big idea” to support young people in their community, without having to first prove the concept. The money can be used to assist in researching, piloting or accelerating early-stage ideas and can be used for a range of purposes such as paying a salary, purchasing technology or covering rent for office space, as long as it supports the approved initiative.VFFF CEO, Jenny Wheatley, said this is the third round of this program in NSW, but the first where VFFF is partnering with FRRR.“It is fantastic to have FRRR onboard. Not only will more people know about the program, recipients will have access to FRRR’s capacity building support throughout the duration of the grant term for example, training on impact measurement, developing sustainable projects, or good governance. “In the first four rounds of Backing the Future, we’ve seen passionate people make wonderful progress on youth-related issues that matter to them and their community and have enhanced the lives of young people.”For example, Jae Brieffies had a vision to inspire young people in central NSW to think more broadly about their career opportunities, boost their aspirations and provide support to create practical plans for their future careers and lives. She and her team delivered the Bright Generation program to students in years 9-12 at five central NSW high schools, with 86% reporting increased confidence in making decisions about their future. They also hosted a three-day trip to Canberra, connecting them with mentors but also running workshops on financial literacy and job applications, alongside exploring the Australian National University and Parliament House. “Not only was this a great outcome for young people, but Jae, as a young person, was empowered to carry out her vision. This is the kind of initiative that we are keen to support and I look forward to seeing this year’s applications,” Mrs Wheatley said.FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton, said that FRRR is excited to have the opportunity to support the next generation of leaders in remote, rural and regional NSW to bring their ideas to life.“From our work over the last nearly 25 years, we know that young people living in the regions have some wonderful ideas. But often they can’t access the funding to get started. That’s what is really special about this program - we’re backing young people and, together, we’ll provide more than just money to help them step into these leadership roles and be a catalyst to real change.“The exciting thing about this program is that while the project must benefit younger people, anyone who has an idea that supports young people can apply for the funding,” Ms Egleton explained.Applications from people in NSW open today (26 July). FRRR and VFFF encourage anyone who is interested in the program to join a free webinar on 7 August, where more information about the program will be shared, including some case studies on the impact of past grants. Register at: https://events.humanitix.com/backing-the-future-webinar.In the meantime, to learn more, head to www.frrr.org.au/backing-the-future or call 1800 170 020 and speak to FRRR’s Youth Futures Manager, Lauren Ryan.

Today from 1 to 4pm, there will be festivities surrounding the opening of the Tinnie Army Mural, the latest artwork in the Back Alley Gallery.The art has been designed to honour those who acted selflessly and bravely to come to the assistance of those in need during the February 2022 flood - and it is interactive!“We hope that the mural will be a meeting place, a place where we can go to reflect, and a symbol of how our community comes together in times of need, for many years to come,” said Dr. Bridie Cullinaire, one of the facilitators of the painting.There is 50 meters of artwork to explore including flood and rescue scenes, interspersed with a bit of whimsy… Such as this surfing cow! You have to find the chicken that is in a bit of hot water...Everyone who attends today is invited to colour code their outfit (not required)... Wear;Yellow, if you are a member of the Tinnie Army,Blue, if you were helped by the Tinnie Army,Green, if you want to say thank you!The plans for the day will be festive, beginning with a smoking ceremony and speeches by Lismore’s political A-Listers at 1.45pm.Plans include family-friendly games and events, arranged by the Summerland Bank as well as support services provided by Lismore City Council's Recovery Team. You can meet the artists who painted the image, and even add to the image yourself with your story.There is an after party at the Metropole next door from 4pm onwards.The artwork was predominantly completed by Holly Ahern and Erica Gully.  Holly shares some of the journey that has made mural what it is."This project has taken an incredible and somewhat unexpected journey over the past twelve months. When Dr Bridie Cullinane first contacted us in August 2023, we were on our way to Ōtautahi, Christchurch, to undertake four weeks of research and development in Public Art and Post-disaster recovery. "The experience we had in Ōtautahi was remarkable, having learnt from a number of organisations who navigated the devastating earthquakes with such grace and curiosity. We were met with welcome arms, and we left full of hope, determination, and a new sense of direction for our own public spaces within the region.  "In the immediate aftermath of the flood, there was this finite timeline where anything was possible. This, we saw with the brave civilians mobilising their own boats to rescue residents in the early hours of the morning.  "This artwork, we believe, has been able to test some of the best practices that we learnt from Ōtautahi, and lean into strong partnerships within our community. We were generously supported by Summerland Bank to facilitate this mural and received a significant paint donation from Dulux Lismore.  "We lamented over what the mural would “look like” as the content is still raw, and traumatising. A lot of the feedback we received in our community engagement suggested a celebration of the diversity in our community, and this is what we leaned into. "One of the most important components of this project was to allow the community to have agency over the design which was captured through our community engagement. "It was integral for us to find a way that allows people to feel a sense of ownership of their own narrative by inviting individuals to share their own messages of thanks and appreciation directly onto the wall."What are some highs and lows of this experience?"The wall is privately owned by Nick at the Hotel Metropole, and everything was approved on his end. However, because we needed to set up on the Council-owned road in Larkin Lane, there were a lot of complex protocols to adhere to."Historically, the Back Alley Gallery has never acquired approvals, and operated as grassroots and somewhat guerrilla collective. It was a big learning curve trying to do this the “right way” by Council's standards. "It’s been overwhelming to hear of how much support we have every time we were on site. Working in such a public location for an extended time has allowed us to have hundreds of conversations with people going about their days, enjoying the process of the painting and responding positively to the artwork. "It was nice to share the process, stories and meet new people in our community."How does it feel to be close to finished? "We’re excited to have our weekends back! :) But a little emotional to be finalising such a large-scale project. "Since May, we have facilitated twelve community painting days, we loved having the laneway full of artists, kids and families all having a go at the painting. I lost count at 38 community volunteers, who were eager to support the completion of this artwork. "The close of this project is also the opening of the next stage. We are handing this artwork over to the community now, inviting anyone to contribute messages of thanks and appreciation to the Tinnie Army in their own way. "We’ve incorporated more than 50 blank paper boats throughout the river, and encourage anyone to add their own message directly onto the wall. We’ll casually monitor the contributions over the next few months, but we’re excited to see how it evolves naturally when people have the agency to contribute in their own way."What was your favourite part of the mural to work on?"A large portion of the artwork was designed by primary school students, I believe these are the best parts of the mural. "When we distributed an education package to flood-affected schools throughout the region late last year, we didn’t know what to expect when they were returned. We were pretty teary when we saw all their messages and designs relating to the flooding events, and we really wanted to put their visions at the forefront of this artwork. "For example, the text at the Keen Street entrance was the exact handwriting from a student, and it has been so special to enlarge their creations and integrate them into the final artwork. "A really important lesson we took away from our time in Ōtautahi was “Mō tatou ā mō ka uri ā muri ake nei” which translates to “for us and our children after us”, and this is exactly what we have tried to embody with this artwork. "We hope that this commemorative mural not only acknowledges the bravery of the Tinnie Brigade, but also sends a message to future generations about the values of courage, selflessness and community spirit within our region."Erica is in total agreement with Holly's view. She acknowledges the wonderful and incredible feedback that came from the community and hopes, "While we have done our utmost to include as many of the ideas as possible in the design we have not been able to embed all of them."It has been a mammoth effort, and we trust that the Northern Rivers community will feel a sense of connection to this mural and the space it has created to encourage a continued opportunity to heal."Come along and see the mural complete and in brilliant full colour - Larkin Lane, Lismore, right beside the Metropole Hotel.

It has been seven years in the making, but finally, the Lismore Regional Sports Hub was officially opened yesterday, thus declaring it is ready to host some serious sporting events in 2025.Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan, Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin and Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg performed the cutting of the red ribbon ceremony surrounded by the heads of a host of sporting codes, including football (or soccer to some), rugby league, rugby union, AFL, hockey, cricket, to name a few.Mr Hogan said the funding was granted "seven or eight years ago". That is $6 million from the Federal Government, $4.9 million from the NSW Government and $1.5 million from Lismore City Council.COVID-19 and the 2022 floods slowed the building process down considerably and also forced design changes to make the building more flood-resilient."It had started construction (before the 2022 floods), but it was basically a skeleton," Mayor Steve Krieg explained."Structurally, it wasn't damaged at all, but it allowed our design teams to incorporate much more flood-resilient programs into the design and into the build.""Where we're standing, you know, it's the epoxy over the concrete. It's all made out of Besser block building materials. Everything is waterproof and weather-resistant, so like I said, it is easy to clean and easy to fix-up after a flood."What it does highlight, and I'm sure Kevin will back me up on this, is the need for flood mitigation as well, to be able to protect these multimillion-dollar investments that state and federal government and local government are putting into these facilities. We also need that protection and that certainty from flood mitigation."If this goes under again, it's actually not a lot of time and effort to get it back operational again. But we'd prefer that it didn't go underwater. So, if we can get the flood mitigation, everything will be put into place for us."Making the building flood-resilient was important for future floods, but creating media facilities and installing broadcast-quality lighting was critical for Lismore to attract major sporting events, like it did in the 1980s and 1990s when teams like the dominant West Indies would play at Oakes Oval.(One of the new media rooms overlooking Crozier Field)(The tunnel connecting Oakes Oval and Crozier Field)(Part of the new change room facilities to support AFL, rugby and cricket teams)"This really is the whole package, and I am looking forward to going down and lobbying for something other than flood money, lobbying for some sporting codes to get up here and participate in Lismore."When asked if some of those discussions were likely to bear fruit, Mayor Krieg was optimistic."Nothing that I can officially announce. There have definitely been talks underway, and there are a few things in the pipeline early next year. Getting a men's BBL game here is a bit of a challenge. They do get to Coffs Harbour at the moment. But we've definitely spoken with Cricket Australia about getting a women's BBL game here, which is a very viable option for us, and we'd love for that to happen."We've also been in conversations with rugby league and AFL. You know the AFL are keen to bring another preseason (match). We had a preseason match here not too long ago, 2021 I think it was, the Gold Coast and the Sydney Swans, and I would just love to get something like that again to really test the facility."We do have something in the works for February. I can't say any more than that at the moment. If it comes off. It'll be great. And we'll get we'll get upwards of 10,000 here."To attract these premium games and matches, the Lismore Regional Sports Hub has had to build six changerooms of a standard that can manage an AFL team, both men's and women's.As all of Lismore understands, our city maybe capable of hosting an AFL or rugby league pre-season game, but we are not ready to host the thousands that would travel to see a high-quality game."We need more accommodation to be able to house people that come to our region. Obviously, that area and that sector hasn't fully recovered post-flood yet. But there are exciting things in the works for that as well. I keep mentioning patience, and I think in the next three to five years, we will have the accommodation facilities and the sporting facilities to rival any region in Australia.Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin expressed the importance of the Lismore Regional Sports Hub."This is a fantastic sporting facility. Lismore deserves it and as a regional hub for sport, it means that everybody will feed into it. It helped us post-flood, sport helped us sort of get over the brink and sport is a key part of our recovery. Sport pulls community together. Sport is community."Member for Page Kevin Hogan explained the financial benefits the hub will provide Lismore."What this facility will do, we hope, will bring a lot of sports tourism to the town, and we need all the tourism we can get. When we've seen the Under 12 Cricket Carnival, for example, the families come here not for overnight stays, they're here for a whole week. They often bring families and their stay is longer than a normal tourist stay. So, it's a really important part of our economy."'If you build it, they will come' is the popular misquote from Kevin Costner's Field of Dreams. Now the Lismore Regional Sports Hub is complete, we wait in anticipation for the first major sporting match to be announced, and then for a huge crowd to fill every available seat and piece of grass to watch it as it is broadcast to the rest of the country.

A partly cloudy weekend is on the way, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. After 5- degree cool starts to the day, we should hit the early 20s as the maximum temperatures.Make the most of the sunshine as the potential for rain ramps up from Tuesday.The biggest event on this weekend is not in Lismore, but in Casino.The Casino Truck Show will have 600 trucks on display from 10am to 4pm with a rodeo starting at 4:30pm at the showground. Checkout the list of events:Lismore will have the Farmers Markets in action from 7:30am tomorrow at the Lismore Showgrounds. Buy your fresh fruit and vegetables, browse gardening products, listen to live music and have a hot breakfast until 11:30am.The Richmond Philatelic Society annual Stamp Fair is on Sunday at the South Lismore Bowling Club between 9:30am and 3:30pm. If you have stamps to be appraised, sell or purchase, there will be stamp experts, including Michael Drury, and four dealers in attendance.The Lismore Jazz Club has world-class duo, De-Ziah and Date performing at the Lismore City Bowling Club from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday. Cost is $15 for members and $20 non-members. It is cash at the door.There are three live music gigs at the Northern Rivers Hotel (North Lismore) this weekend.Dan Grace kicks off the entertainment tonight at 6pm, followed by Sabotage on Saturday night (7-10pm) and ending with Dan Hannaford for the Sunday Session 1pm to 4pm.Coming up in August:Northern Rivers Vintage & Veteran Car Club Rally (starts August 16)Darrel Chapman Fun Run - you have three weeks of training to walk or run in the 4k, 10k or half marathon courses.In sports this weekend, the Marist Brothers Rams and Northern United Dirrawongs have an easier round this weekend. The Rams are on the road to take on Lower Clarence on Sunday, while the Dirrawongs travel to Casino, also on Sunday with a 2:45pm kick-off.The top of the ladder is very tight in the Men's Premier League for Football Far North Coast. There are two games tomorrow: South Lismore tackle Byron Bay at home, and Goonellabah is at home to Richmond Rovers in an enticing 2v1 battle. Both kick-offs are at 3pm.Sunday has just the one match, with Bangalow at home to Alstonville at 2:30pm.The Women's Premier League has one match tonight with Alstonville at home to Richmond Rovers at 8pm. Then, on Sunday, Bangalow are at home to runaway leaders Byron Bay, and Lennox Head are at home to Ballina from 2:30pm.Fuel prices dropped in Casino this week. Lismore is still the most expensive place to buy fuel, but the gap has decreased slightly with Casino and Ballina up to 14 cents a litre cheaper. Diesel is the only exception, with Lismore still the cheapest place to fill up.Here are the latest prices in each town:E10 is 193.9 across the board in Lismore, 179.9 at the United on Johnston Street and the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street in Casino, with the EG Ampol at 44 Pacific Highway (Cr Kerr & Bangalow Streets) in Ballina cheapest at 177.9.Unleaded 91 is 193.9 at the new Astron on Ballina Road, 181.9 at The United on Johnston Street in Casino and 179.9 at EG Ampol and the BP North Ballina (1 Southern Cross Drive).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 192.5 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 197.5 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 192.5 at the new Mobil and The Metro in Ballina.Have a great weekend!

Allegations have been directed at a decision made by Ballina Shire Council (BSC) regarding a project awarded to a business affiliated with one of its councillors. On investigation, the alleged actions were found to be legally permissible, and due process was followed.This disturbance has caused undue angst and friction at council and to the business under question.A councillor made claims that a job had been given to another councillor's business under preferential conditions. The claim states, “Council General Manager Paul Hickey has confirmed to council that no official tender process was used when Premium Solar Ballina was awarded a contract worth $70,812 to install 227 solar panels on the town swimming pool.”In reply to these allegations, the General Manager Paul Hickey states that “Council’s procurement procedures require three documented quotations for contracts up to $250,000. Three documented quotations were obtained for this contract.“Ballina Shire Council has been fully compliant with the NSW Local Government Act, Regulation and Council’s procurement procedures.”Mayor Sharon Cadwallader confirmed that “I did get a legal opinion from local government New South Wales, and due process was followed according to that legal advice.”Mr Hickey confirms, “Councillors are permitted to be involved in businesses that conduct transactions with council, provided there is no political involvement, conflicts of interest, or lack of separation between the Councillors and the business.“This was not political, as it involved the procurement of a specified solar panel installation, through three major solar panel providers in the Ballina Shire providing fixed quotations for a set specification.“The quotations were reviewed by three staff, with the technical expertise to make a decision on the preferred supplier.”The claim also states, "In response to questions I put to BSC, the General Manager claimed the deal had been signed off at “Section Manager level, without any review by Directors or the General Manager". The July monthly meeting of council heard the GM was in Japan on holiday at the time the contract was awarded.“Furthermore, there are set rules preventing junior members of staff talking to or conducting business with elected councillors, because there is a clear power imbalance.”The General Manager (GM) was on annual leave during the two-week period the three quotations were received, and a decision made on the preferred contractor.In the absence of the GM, a designated senior staff member assumes responsibility for decision-making and delegations. The Director – Civil Services, was the acting General Manager during this period.Mr Hickey said, “The purchasing decision was made at a Section Manager level with a procurement authorisation. This decision did not require the involvement of the General Manager, acting or otherwise.“The critical point is that three set price quotations were received. The chosen supplier was significantly cheaper.“Three experienced staff, with the necessary technical expertise, reviewed the quotations and selected the quotation that provided the best value to the community.“There was no power imbalance, the decision was based on pricing and a specification.”The claimant was given the opportunity to stand down and atone for what had transpired at a council meeting. However, he said, “He would not be acceding to an unusual decision made by the council for him to issue an apology for going public with his concerns over the way the matter was handled and therefore “bringing the council into disrepute."The council minutes reflect that the claimant was called on to apologise to the parties put into question. It was universally adopted by all at council with the exception of the councillor blamed, who abstained from the vote, and the claimant, who was against the decision.The notoriety surrounding this decision has caused angst at BSC. The proceedings were verified and legal; however, as Mayor Cadwallader states, “Did it pass the perception test, the pub test? No, it didn't.” “Those that have applied for jobs at Council may feel like that's too soft an approach, but these are the rules.”Mayor Cadwallader and Mr Hickey confirmed that “Council will be writing to the Office of Local Government to seek feedback on suggestions that any council could potentially implement, to assist in managing situations where a councillor, with a declared interest in a business, obtains work from a council, through a fair and transparent process.”

There was a steady stream of East Lismore residents at the Bowling Club last night to view Landcom's plans to construct 50 Build To Rent apartments on the corner of Military Road and Crawford Road.Landcom is the NSW Government-owned development organisation. East Lismore is the second time the organisation is doing a Build To Rent project, the first is Bomaderry, three months ahead.Medium-density housing represents only a fraction of how people live in Lismore. Historically, this has been a city of three-plus bedroom homes that now has a lot of one or two persons living in those homes.The apartments will be a mix of sizes from studios to three bedrooms, with 20% allocated for affordable housing. Landcom staff explained to a mother and son that low-income earners will be given priority to rent 20% of the new apartments. The East Lismore plan appears to be social housing on Caldwell Avenue and Walker Street, 20% affordable housing and the rest rented on the open market at the Crawford and Military Road project.The overwhelming feeling of residents leaving the information and feedback session was positive. Most said that this is a start, but could we have more?Everyone was aware of the housing crisis, and the clear solution was building more apartment blocks and townhouses.One couple was looking for alternative accommodation for their son, who has a disability. They were particularly interested in the 20% affordable housing because his rent is going to rise by $40 a week soon.(An artists impression of the East Lismore Build To Rent apartments)Another man was hoping there would be a higher percentage of affordable housing. "We should look after those people who were renting in South Lismore when the flood hit," he said.Two ladies found the session informative. They knew little about the proposal and were happy that Lismore was building more housing options.A Walker Street couple were interested in the drainage that would be done in the area as it floods very easily during storm season. "The concept is good; we need housing as long as we don't have riff-raff coming in."While, Landcom staff were receiving feedback on their project, there has been action on the Caldwell Avenue/Dibbs Street social housing project, which was announced in August 2023.(The empty block looking from Walker Street, East Lismore)Two houses have now been demolished as the site is being prepared for the construction of sixteen (16) units in East Lismore. This is in addition to the construction of six (6) more units, 100 metres further along Dibbs Street, that will be redeveloped for social housing.At this stage of the flood rebuild, East Lismore is the growth suburb of the Lismore LGA.

At Wednesday night's Lismore City Council 'Candidates Information Session', there were no surprises in the turnout. All were candidates from Labor and The Greens plus Independent John Jenkins.When you mention John Jenkins's name around town, the reaction is generally, "Who is he"?With six weeks to go until the 2024 Local Council Elections, the Lismore App caught up with John to answer the question.John grew up in Sydney before his love of horticulture took him to regional NSW."I've moved around a bit through my academic career and also my previous career," John began, "I started out leaving school and working in landscaping and nurseries for about 15 years. During that time, I also studied horticulture, economics and geography.""In the late '80s, I moved from Sydney up to Armidale and started a little business, the Armidale Gardening Service. I did minors and PhD up there and got a PhD scholarship in geography. I've always loved geography and economics."John worked in landscaping until his early 30s when osteoarthritis in his knees meant a change in direction."One of the reasons I had to get out of it was because of my footy. I played rugby in Sydney. I played with clubs like Parramatta and Eastwood, no big-time deals or anything, but I injured my knees pretty badly. So, I was finding by the time I was in my early 30s I was in a fair bit of trouble. I could not continue that kind of job.""I love mental stimulation. I was studying almost the whole time anyway, part-time. I did my thesis in Armidale. And so, early 30s, I decided I'd chase a job in academia. I joined a university in central Queensland for about 18 months in '92, I think. Then took a job in Canberra for about four or five years, and then moved to Newcastle for about ten years and then to here."I've been here since mid-2007. I took on a professorial job at the uni, in a head of school position and then I transitioned from senior management into governance. I chaired the academic board and was a member of the University Council.""Since that time, which was about 2011, I also did the company directors course, AICD (Australian Institute of Company Directors), and I finished up as Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic. I left in 2018 and joined the private sector. So, I sit on boards of private independent higher education providers in Australia. There's about 140 of those. I sit on four currently and I chair academic boards within those providers."John continued his interest in rugby, taking on coaching jobs from the early 1990s. Locally, he has coached Southern Cross University, both men and women, Far North Coast Rugby Union, Lismore Rugby Club, Wollongbar and the Marist Brothers Rams.Why did you nominate to be the Mayor of Lismore and to be a Lismore City Councillor?"I thought about it at the 2021 elections, but I didn't think I was adequately prepared. And I also coached footy for many years, so I'd been coaching rugby teams since about 1990 with a couple of years off here and there. I still thought I'd do that, and there's no way in the world you can do everything you want to do. Coaching a footy side, if you're the head coach, that's 20 hours a week. People don't realise just how much time goes into it.""I'm done with footy. And, I always I like to make a contribution to my community in some way. I used to work at the Soup Kitchen for about three or four years. I want to make a contribution to the community where I feel that I can appropriately utilise my skills.""I have no agenda. I'm not making any promises about anything in regard to actual decisions, but I have certain, I guess, personal attributes.""I can listen, I can work hard, I can represent the council, I can provide leadership. I've got a good knowledge of working systems of governance. I understand the importance of the relationship between a mayor, the councillors, the general manager, the council staff and also the community. And, I recognise the importance of diversity. Everything I do, you know, involves diverse individuals in diverse circumstances.""I'd like to see the council become a place where people feel welcome, that there's open discussion and debate. And, decisions are made on the basis of the evidence that's presented."When the question of council's history was put to John, he replied that he doesn't want to reflect on the past."I don't see much benefit or usefulness in doing that. I just feel that I can provide leadership in improved ways."Like Councillor Big Rob, John Jenkins is standing as a sole Independent, even if that means it lowers his chances of getting elected on September 14."I have to confess the notion of these groups that have been built in order to get elected is problematic. I understand the difficulties of even being elected as a councillor if you just stand as an individual. I am not putting money into a campaign. I'm not investing in advertising resources. If people want to know about me, they can find out a lot about me online.""I believe, over my career, I've demonstrated integrity and an ability to make good decisions, to communicate effectively, and to work hard.Now you know a little about John Jenkins. John is standing for Mayor and Councillor as an Independent at the September 14 Local Council Elections.The latest people to register as candidates for the upcoming elections are Steve Krieg (Mayor and Councillor), Andrew Bing, Andrew Gordon, Jeri Hall and Electra Jensen.In 2021, Steve Krieg had 14 people on his ticket, so one can only assume there will be more nominations when the Krieg Team launch their campaign.

The Albanese Government has today announced more than 15,000 Aussie families have been connected with free internet as part of the School Student Broadband Initiative - delivering real cost of living support for families doing it tough. There is still an opportunity to help another 15,000 families. The SSBI – launched in February last year – fulfils an election commitment to help to narrow the digital divide for families who otherwise have no access to broadband at home. Since its launch the SSBI has:    Connected 15,000 eligible families to a free NBN service across all states and territories, with more than a third living in rural and regional areas.  Saved 15,000 families thousands of dollars each, by connecting them to a free NBN service until the end of 2025, and;Benefitted students and families across a range of situations, including single parents and domestic and family violence victim-survivors.The initiative – which is being implemented by NBN Co with $8.8 million from the Albanese Government – will end up supporting up to 30,000 families across the country.To apply, families are encouraged to contact the National Referral Centre – run by Anglicare Victoria – on 1800 954 610 (Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm AEDT), or visit: www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internetTo be eligible, a family must:Have a child living at home that is enrolled in an Australian school.Have no active broadband service over the NBN network.Live in a premise where they can access a standard NBN service.Not have had an active NBN service during the previous 14 days.The Government is also considering options to continue to support participating families at the end of 2025, including asking the NBN Low-Income and Digital Inclusion Forum to examine discounted products.For more information on the SSBI visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/SSBI Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese said, “We want to ensure no Australian child is left behind in their learning due to cost of living pressures.“This program is helping to connect Aussie kids with vital educational materials and removing pressure from parents that are unable to afford the internet.” Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland said, “Reliable, quality, high speed internet is not a luxury or a nice-to-have – it’s essential, including for our young people and school students, and it’s great to see so many people reached and milestones hit in recent months. “The School Student Broadband Initiative is delivering on our commitment to narrowing the digital divide and promoting equitable access by reducing the affordability barriers families may face to access an increasingly online world.”

Sydneysiders will get a look at the devastation of Lismore's February 28 2022 flood during August when a brand new exhibition, Inundated, will be displayed at the Australian National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour.Inundated explores the harrowing impacts of the 2022 floods in Lismore and the Northern Rivers region, told through the lens of Northern Rivers photographer Natalie Grono. Recently acquired by the Australian National Maritime Museum for the National Maritime Collection, Grono’s images document the aftermath of the historic eastern Australian floods in February-March 2022 and depict the challenges left behind once the waters receded. The exhibition features a series of 16 images (including the award-winning Peter takes a moment which secured Grono the Nikon-Walkley Photo of the Year Award in 2022), which highlight the destruction caused by the 14.4-metre flood event while also acknowledging the resilience of local people overcoming adversity together. The exhibition is especially significant as the Australian climate continues to change and floods are becoming more prevalent worldwide, with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology warning in 2018 that heavy rainfall is expected to become more intense with each degree of global warming.  Inundated provides a rarely seen perspective, not only of the aftermath, but of the extreme flood levels reached in this tragic event and allow visitors to better understand the severity of this natural disaster.  Australian National Maritime Museum curator Roland Leikauf has said, ‘These photographs depict the reality faced by residents in the receding floodwaters and capture both the desperation of the situation and the weary resilience of community members during one of Australia’s most destructive and displacing floods. The photographs are a fitting inclusion in the National Maritime Collection documenting our relationship with the waters around us.’ Natalie Grono has said, ‘It is crucial to make these images publicly accessible to showcase one of Australia’s most devastating floods. They clearly illustrate the magnitude and impact of the event, making the issues more tangible and accessible for everyone. Additionally, they highlight the wider environmental challenges which affect us all.’(Natalie Grono. Photo: supplied) This free exhibition will open on August 1 in the Tasman Light Gallery at the Australian National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour in Sydney. For more information on the exhibition, please visit: Inundated - Australian National Maritime Museum (sea.museum).As locals, we hope people outside of the region will understand the rebuild is ongoing, and life is nowhere near normal.

It's not often you hear praise for Lismore City Council. The majority of its residents will tell you what council is doing wrong, think fixing potholes, or how they cannot manage a budget, think over a decade of being in debt.This is a good news Lismore City Council story. One that begins with a local shed builder who puts them well ahead of Ballina, Byron, and Richmond Valley Shire Councils when it comes to development application (DA) approvals.Our local shed builder, who doesn't want to be named for fear of retribution, told the Lismore App that building approvals haven't changed a great deal."Even though I keep seeing Sharon Cadwallader on the news every night announcing fantastic things for Ballina, they still remain the worst council to try and get building approvals through.""This is for a residential block or a shed, nothing special. It should be just stamped. We used to do building applications, but it became such a monster that we don't do it anymore. We actually say to the customer, here's the plan: you go to council and ask them how to do it and act as dumb as possible. They do it for them, and it's amazing how fast it goes through. That's the game we play at the moment.""A lot of the shed companies I'm hearing are telling their customers that they don't do building approvals anymore because of the New South Wales planning portal being so terrible. Plus, you've got new staff all the time."I'm dealing with one at Mullumbimby at the moment. He's obviously a new guy who doesn't understand the processes. I'm talking about a house this time because we do frames and trusses as well, separate from the shed business. He's asking for all sorts of stupid stuff before the house is built. You don't get glazing certificates and you don't get truss certificates until they're built and installed. They're asking for them before they actually do the approval, and that just doesn't happen.One example given was a Ballina Shire resident who wanted to put a shed on their vacant block at Wollongbar before building their house so they could move their belongings out of expensive storage."They denied the poor people because they said they were going to set up a humpy on the block, which was just ridiculous. They just wanted to save themselves some money. In the end, we built two 20 square metre sheds for him and bypassed council.You do not have to get local council approval to build two 20-square-metre sheds. This goes through the State Planning Portal.Our shed builder says that Ballina, Byron, and Richmond Valley Council's are the worst and Lismore is the best.Lismore City Council hired Graham Snow as the new Head of Statutory Planning in June 2023. A new 'Fast Track' process was introduced, and twelve months on, council DA approvals have moved from 90-plus days to 31.5 days. The NSW Government sets a target for local councils to approve DA's in 40 days or less.The key element has been hiring an experienced planner whose role is to do DAs only, something this person is passionate about.As DAs come in, senior planning staff triages them, like in an emergency department at a hospital. Ninety to ninety percent are then peer-reviewed and issued, with a few complicated DAs needing further information, so they take a little longer.With Lismore moving into a growth phase over the next five years for residential housing and looking to attract investors to build apartment blocks and more commercial businesses, it would appear as if Lismore City Council is leading the way in the Northern Rivers.That can only benefit the residents of Lismore.We don't say it often, but well done Lismore City Council.

During the last Lismore City Council Flood Risk Management Committee meeting last week, a NSW Reconstruction Authority update said that flood-affected uninhabitable homes were starting to be demolished.The Lismore App asked the NSWRA for a schedule and location of the soon-to-be-demolished houses so the community would be aware when demolition is visible.A spokesperson for the NSW Reconstruction Authority said, "The $700 million Resilient Homes Program (RHP) and the $100 million Resilient Lands Program are the largest projects of their kind in Australia. The program offers prioritised homeowners buybacks, house raising or retrofits. One of the RHP’s primary aims is to purchase and remove homes that are at the greatest risk from floods and get people out of harm’s way. As of July 26, 2024, 797 buyback offers had been approved by the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) and 664 buyback offers had been accepted across the Northern Rivers. In Lismore, 563 buyback offers have been approved, and 486 buyback offers accepted. In addition, about 370 homeowners may be eligible for a house raise or retrofit. In Lismore, 57 homeowners have been engaged about a house raise or retrofit, and 27 have been contacted about having a home assessment carried out. After buyback homes are purchased, they will be progressively removed from high flood risk areas with the removal approach for each home informed by a structural risk assessment.  Where a home is assessed as having structural issues, and it is not economically viable for relocation, the home will be identified for removal. RA has started work on removing 16 of these structurally unsound homes for safety reasons. Several of the homes have been knocked off their stumps, exposed to the elements, contain hazardous materials or are beyond repair. The homes are located across the Northern Rivers region, with a particular concentration in Lismore and Tweed. Work removing these homes has been underway since early July. Where possible, valuable building materials will be recycled and re-used to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Once homes are removed the site will be levelled and maintained by RA until future plans for the area are finalised. While we asked for a schedule and locations, at least we now know that 16 structurally unsound homes are being demolished. If you see an RA-fenced house in the CBD, North or South Lismore being demolished, you understand why it is being demolished. During the Flood Risk Management Committee meeting, it was also mentioned that 50 buyback homeowners will be gifting their homes to people or the RA. "As well as home buybacks, raise and retrofit, RA also recently confirmed its gifting and relocation policy. It allows buyback homeowners to gift their homes to a third party if they do not want to relocate the home themselves if it meets the policy requirements. If homeowners do not wish to relocate their home or transfer it in accordance with the Gifting Policy, RA will seek to re-use the homes where practical."The Lismore App understands the RA is also investigating a proposal to facilitate the sale and relocation of flood-impacted homes bought back through the RHP through expressions of interest. No doubt, more information will become available when this has been finalised.

The NSW Government is looking for almost 60 new apprentices and trainees to kick off their careers by working on major transport projects in regional areas across the state in 2025.One position being advertised is a Civil Construction Apprenticeship based in Ballina with a February 2025 start. Coby Burkill, currently in her second year of the program, exemplifies the transformative impact of the Regional and Outer Metropolitan Apprentice and Trainee Programs. She has been able to transition from hospitality to construction despite having no prior professional experience in the industry. The Regional and Outer Metropolitan Apprentice and Trainee Programs give successful applicants paid training on the job while gaining valuable skills, and finishing with a nationally recognised qualification. Having grown up in regional NSW, Coby has always been hands-on, helping build sheds and more. Participating in the Regional and Outer Metropolitan Apprentice and Trainee Program has allowed her to hone these skills, learn new ones, and expand her career prospects—all while staying close to home and earning a living.(Coby on the job. Photo: supplied)“When I saw that Transport for NSW were advertising for a Bridge Construction and Maintenance apprentice in my region I was immediately interested because I love working with my hands, Coby said.“I enjoy my job because every day is different. I’m learning a broad range of skills from my workmates and I’m always proud to see a project that I’ve worked on benefiting so many people in my community. “The application process was easy, and I’d recommend anyone looking for a rewarding career to check out what positions are available and give it a go, it’s changed my life.” The programs offer training in twelve different areas, such as Civil Construction, Business, Finance, Fitter, Plant Mechanic, Project Management, Bridge Construction and Maintenance, Heavy Diesel Mechanical, Metal Fabrication, Painting and Decorating, Electrical, and Operational Management Systems. Earlier this year, Transport for NSW worked with local high schools in regional NSW during six industry days, giving students in years 10, 11, and 12 hands-on experience and information about these career options. Diversity is important to the program, with 35 per cent of positions in the 2024 intake filled by women and around 24 per cent by Indigenous Australians. Applications for the 2025 Regional and Outer Metropolitan Apprentice and Trainee Programs are open now and close at midnight on Wednesday, 28 August 2024. For more information about the 2025 Regional and Outer Metropolitan Apprentice and Trainee Program offerings, visithttps://jobs.transport.nsw.gov.au/go/Transport-for-NSW-Apprenticeships/5261010/Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said, “The state finds itself crying out for more apprentices and trainees, after more than a decade of neglect from the former government. The Minns Labor Government is committed to investing in hiring new apprentices and trainees, which will help build better communities across NSW. “The work these new apprentices and trainees will undertake will make a real difference across NSW by delivering vital infrastructure projects that communities rely on.  “Alongside our commitment to deliver 1,000 additional Apprentices and Trainees across New South Wales Government agencies, this work demonstrates our commitment to strategically utilising government as a genuine contributor to training the skilled workforce of the state’s future.” Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, said, “The NSW Government is committed to providing opportunities to the next generation of skilled workers wherever they live, and of the new openings for 2025, 86 per cent are based in regional NSW. “Building a strong and agile team of skilled workers in the regions, to construct and maintain vital infrastructure, is crucial in keeping the state moving. “This is an investment in people. These positions are designed to kick-start careers in the regions, boost the current workforce and create a pipeline of meaningful work into the future. “These entry level programs not only strengthen our workforce, but they also encourage diversity and inclusion, and we are extremely proud to increase Aboriginal and female representation at Transport for NSW.” 

About 7.40am yesterday (30 July 2024), Police attended a Quilty Place, Goonellabah address, following a report of an alleged domestic incident.On attendance of Police, a female occupant at the address was spoken with, however, she denied any offence.Due to the nature of the initial report and concerns held by Police, further enquiries were undertaken, and a search warrant was applied for by Police.About 4.30pm Tuesday, Police attached to Lismore General Duties with the assistance of Lismore Detectives Office, returned to the Quilty Place Goonellabah location and executed the Search Warrant.At this time, Police will allege that a 39-year-old Goonellabah man who is prohibited by a Domestic Violence order from being at the premises was located and placed under arrest.In accordance with the search warrant, Police conducted a search of the residence during which several items of interest were located and seized. Enquiries are ongoing in relation to the items.As a result of this incident, the 39-year-old man arrested was subsequently charged with alleged offence Contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (Domestic Violence related) and bail refused by Police to appear before the Lismore Local Court earlier today (31 July 2024).On the same day, shortly after 3pm yesterday, Police received calls relating to an alleged violent domestic incident occurring at an address in William Blair Avenue, Goonellabah.On arrival of Police, they were approached on the Street by an 18-year-old female. This person was quickly identified as the alleged victim in this matter. Following conversations with this female Police attended a nearby residence where they arrested the 24-year-old male, who Police allege is the domestic partner of the victim.The male was conveyed to Lismore Police Station where he was subsequently charged with alleged offences, 2 x Stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm (Domestic violence related), Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (Domestic violence related) and take/detain person with intent to obtain advantage (Domestic Violence related).As a result of this incident, it is alleged that the female victim sustained minor physical injuries that amount to Actual Bodily Harm.The male was subsequently refused bail by Police and is due to appear before the Local Court at Lismore earlier today (31 July 2024).

A woman has died following a crash at Tabulam (45 minutes west of Casino) earlier today.About 9.40am (Wednesday 32 July 2024), emergency services were called to Paddys Flat Road, Tabulam, following reports of a single-vehicle crash.Officers attached to Richmond Police District arrived to find a vehicle left the roadway and rolled.The driver - a woman believed to be aged in her 70s - was unable to be revived. She is yet to be formally identified.A crime scene was established, and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is ongoing.A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.As inquiries continue, anyone with information or dashcam footage of the incident 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.

Yesterday lunchtime, at least 120 nurses, midwives, and supporters stood out in front of the Lismore Base Hospital, making their presence known with placards and calling slogans. Honks of support from passers-by encouraged their bid for a 15% raise and better conditions.NSW nurses and midwives are the lowest paid in Australia, and being close to the Queensland border makes working further north more attractive. This contributes to staff shortages, which are filled with temporary or agency nurses and new graduates. This leads to a lack of experienced nurses and more pressure on all staff.Penelope Anderson, the Lismore representative from NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA), opened the rally with a Welcome to Country.The rally began with Penelope's news of the announcement that Lismore Base Hospital has been allocated 29 more nurses. This received cheers, but when she asked the question, “But where are they going to get them from?” agreement resounded.“We welcome all these nurses and midwives (agency and new graduates) but we don't have the experience in the building to support them safely. And once they realise they could cross the border to Queensland for much better pay and far better conditions, they’re off.”Agency nurses are appreciated but can cause angst as they are paid far more and have housing subsidised and transport covered. The nurses and midwives made it clear how they feel.(Out the front of Lismore Base Hospital)“We're so grateful for their presence but we're also a little ticked off that the New South Wales Labor Government justifies this tremendous expense, yet they can't afford a real pay rise for us who have stuck it out through thick and thin.“I don't know about you but I'm sick of it, working in a system that gives us praise, but will not give us a real raise.“We are sick of being undervalued and underpaid.“NSW Labor, you are on notice!”The cheers and honks kept coming throughout the speeches.(These nurses came straight from the theatre)Penelope then welcomed other people in the association that had travelled from Casino and Tweed to help highlight the situation in Lismore.The chants then resounded:“What do we want?”“15%”“When do we want it?”“Now”(Penelope and Keir - Penelope was celebrating her birthday)Keir Loughlin (Mental Health Secretary) got up and said a few more heated words, “We have a government that wants to lock us into a 3-year sh*t deal.”“10.5%, which is 9.5% with super, and they want us to piss off for the rest of their term.“We need 15%, we need parity with Queensland, we need conditions like Victoria. We have put up with this shit for too long, and we are going to draw the line in the sand.“We will do what it takes. We will shut the place down. We will close your beds. We will not fill in your funding reports. And we will make you bleed like you have made us bleed. NSW Labor, you are on notice!“We are coming for you, and we will get our 15%!”The Mental Health Steward, Peter Byrnes, then got up,“Absolutely sick of the way we are treated. I can believe they treat, mainly women like you, as an unending resource. It’s time for you girls and us guys to say ‘No Bloody More.’”One last speaker, Gil, joined the ranks to lead some chants, “We're going to let them know in there (LBH) that we're serious.”The chant was “We deserve more in 2024,” and it rang out loud and clear several times.“The only reason the health system runs, is on our backs. It’s about time they supported us and gave us a decent pay rise!”The retinue spread out and walked down to the roundabout and back, chanting all the way.A bystander approached to vent his feelings. Ben said, “I just can't believe how insane it is that the New South Wales Government is allowed to pay nurses less here than in the rest of the country. In any other industry, that would be wage theft and illegal, and they would be brought before some sort of commission then people would be repaid. “It's not that they're affecting only nurses and midwives. They're selling the people of New South Wales short, leaving them with the worst health system in the country. “By not paying people fairly, you're not valuing them. People who don't feel valued in the workplace don't deliver in the workplace.  “If you're going to get sick in Australia, you better hope it's not in New South Wales. Chris Minns better not get sick and need a hospital.”The rally came to a close, and the nurses and midwives started to break up. One nurse walking back towards the hospital said to her companion, “Oh well, gotta go save some lives, I suppose…”

As Councillor Vanessa Ekins celebrates 20 years of service to Lismore City Council, she has decided to run for the position of Lismore Mayor at the September Local Council Elections.“Let's revive Lismore,” is Cr Ekins vision with community engagement, awareness and discussion, “I'm just so full of hope for this place. I love it so much.”But first, let's rewind to what Vanessa has been a part of developing in her time as a councillor and her 1-year stint as mayor.Vanessa’s first encounter with council was as a concerned citizen.“My political awakening was when I lived in South Lismore in one of those beautiful old timber rainforest houses. My whole street was impacted by petrochemical fumes from industry on the other side of the railway tracks.” It had closed classrooms at the local primary school, “so I started lobbying council about it, started a campaign and went to see the Mayor. I'd never done anything like that before. I was invited into the office, and Ros Irwin sat and listened to me and asked me some questions.”From there, the council took action to find out what was happening: “I went to the council chambers to see the report. I hadn't been to a council meeting before. And I sat there in the public gallery—it's all very formal and official.“The first item on the agenda was horse manure. I realised I sat in between the horse people, and the neighbours who didn't like the flies. The whole thing just went off, and they started yelling at each other.“I thought, oh, my God, every Tuesday night, I am coming here! I just got hooked. I started coming to all the meetings and getting to know all the issues and all the personalities in the room. “I realised that council has a big impact on our daily life and it really contributes to the liveability of a place.”(Tree planting on the banks of the river in Lismore)Vanessa has always been involved in tree planting at the river, and at that time, there was no support from council, other than an occasional thank you. So Vanessa “set up an environment committee and identified environmental issues that needed a budget.” There were a couple of other aspects of the way councillors acted at that time, that spurred action from Vanessa.“When I was first observing the Council, there were only a couple of women; the others were all mostly men in their 70s and 80s. Some of them would sleep at the table, one fellow used to read the paper, while the council meeting was on. It was shocking. “They'd be presented with petitions, thousands of people asking them to keep the lake for the birds. They put motorboats back on it. And they just ignored the representation from the community.”These instances compelled Vanessa to run for council, and Cr Ekins was voted in.“I'm really interested in infrastructure. I've got a genuine interest in how things work.” Waste, water, roads and place. Cr Ekins has seen good and not-so-good in waste.“Our waste management is incredible. Over 20 years ago, our staff went and pulled the wheelie bins apart to analyse what went into them. They worked out that 70% of the waste in a wheelie bin was organic matter. “Concerned about the longevity of the tip, we decided to introduce a three-bin system. That was revolutionary. No one else had done it. It's mandatory now across the state. But we did that over 20 years ago. It was ground breaking at the time.(With Janelle Saffin lobbying for and getting $20 million)“However, more recently, our council has decided to privatise our waste collection services. Essentially we've ripped a million dollars out of our economy to pay a private company to come and collect our waste bins.“Council is the major investor in our economy. With $150 million a year investment that we make, we're one of the biggest employers. And the way that works in waste is that we buy our waste trucks from a local business. We'd buy our tyres, $300,000 a year for those trucks, locally. We'd buy our petrol for those trucks from North Coast Petroleum. We would employ the truck drivers. ‘Now, we've just given all that business to a private company out of town. Now, they don't buy fuel here or trucks here or tyres here. And those people that are employed locally work for less and don't have job security. So we've effectively ripped all that money out of our local economy.”“And our waste charges have gone up.’“Our roads are some of the oldest roads in Australia. Our oldest road is the one that goes up past the square, past the hospital and up the hill. It was built for the bullock carts to get from the river to the cedar up there. “We've got really old roads, steep slopes, and pug soil that expands and contracts. So it's really expensive for us to maintain our road network. I'm fascinated by all that. “One interesting stat came up when we did our traffic study a while ago. Our population is about 45,000 people, and half of those people live in Goonellabah. But every day 35,000 motor vehicles drive into Lismore for work, that almost doubles our population.“So these commuters come into town every day, and then leave again. It's phenomenal. That impacts our road network. “That's one of the reasons why we've got a quarry, because our main business as a Council is to build and maintain roads. I'm very concerned about some of the moves recently to sell the quarry. Why would we sell the quarry which is the main resource that we need for the main work that we do?“There are some that are saying that private enterprise can do it better than we can. There's no evidence of that happening anywhere in local government. I think it's really important that we own the resources that we use, and we manage those efficiently and effectively with our own staff. So yeah, I just find all those issues really interesting.”(Site inspection at Rocky Creek Dam with Rous County Council)In Cr Ekins experience with water, she has seen the Rocky Creek Dam taken out by a lightning strike, “It took three days to get a technician or from the Gold Coast to fix it. I think it's absolutely essential that each home has rainwater tanks on it.”Cr Ekins speaks highly about the people working at Council, “I really like that we've got local people who work here, care about the city, and want to do good for this place - want this place to thrive, “And we're taking on a whole lot of trainees as well, like, I think about 19 Indigenous trainees. We brought that in, in the previous term of council, to bring people on as trainees and hope that they stay with us as they move on through."On the topic of who we get to fill the myriad of positions vacant in the city, Cr Ekins says, “We need to attract people if we don't have the information base here, and that comes back to the question of housing.  “I have a really strong interest in town planning matters.”Cr Ekins appreciates the entertainment and cultural options that she describes are "thriving in Lismore", from punk to poetry, jazz to cello at the con, books written by locals, movies, theatre and galleries to grunge.“We just went to the launch of the Koori Art Prize. I opened that when I was mayor. It was amazing - Indigenous artists from all around Australia who filled the gallery with artworks. “It was really incredible. We're funding that now. I was really proud of that.”“We are really lucky to have a healthy and large Indigenous population here who are really generous with their stories. And they want to share - they're open with the culture, so we know the names of some of the places around and we know where there are massacre sites and some sacred sites are.”“The indigenous history here is amazing. This is a major gathering place. The last time they had a big ceremony here in the 1880s, people walked through the town for three days. Tribes from all around gathered at the showground.“This is a famous gathering space because of all the swamps with delicacies like eels and turtles. This area fed a whole lot of people, which was why it was really popular for ceremonies and gatherings.”(Cr Ekins at her home)Another aspect that Cr Ekins has seen develop is Agriculture, “We’ve got such a deep history of agriculture. Agriculture is part of our recent past, and I really think it's part of our future. We’ve got five food markets a week that you can go to and buy fresh produce.”Turning to where council is at now and Cr Ekins' decision to stand for Mayor, she says, “It's time for some fresh faces in there. I've just been overwhelmed by people saying, We need someone who's community-focused to run for mayor.“Otherwise, it's just the current mayor and his team, and that's not healthy. We need alternatives there and I thought, well, I've done it before.”Cr Ekins speaks of Cr Bird’s decision to leave: “Elly Bird’s put a lot of energy in, and she's now very focused on the recovery and preparedness for our community, which is a really important role. Good on her; they're doing good work down there.”On the current Mayor, Steve Krieg, Cr Ekins says, “He's an affable man, people like him. His team doesn't say much in the chamber, so people don't really know why they're making the decisions they do. I think it's really important in the chamber to express your views.“They came in at a time when I think the community wanted to change. I'm not sure that's the change the community wanted,” says Cr Ekins.Steve Krieg easily won the 2021 Local Council Election, receiving 54% of the primary vote. His nearest rival was Vanessa Ekins with nearly 15% of the vote. There is a large gap to overcome. Cr Ekins sees that there is a large part of the population who did not vote for him. "Just 54% of the people voted him in. That's close."“I know how to do it. I've got the experience, I'm responsible. I'll give our community some choice. I have a lot of hope for this place. It has such a history, and it's got this can-do attitude that I really like.“I'd really like to see the community more engaged in local government. We love this place, we want it to thrive and how do we know what it needs unless we're out there talking to people.”(Lismore's three women mayors, Jenny Dowell (2008-2016), Vanessa Ekins (2021), Ros Irwin (1997-1999)Cr Ekins stresses the importance of diversity at council and the time that councillors give to the matters at hand. With an allowance of $24,000 a year, “It doesn't represent the hours that go in. We'll sit in every Tuesday night for briefings and workshops, reading a business paper, 800-page documents can take days to read, and you've got to do the follow-up calls. “I'm on six committees, so you've got committee meetings that you prep for. And then there's all the interactions with the public.”Asking Cr Ekins about the short to medium needs for Lismore, and she said, “Medium density master-planned housing up on the plateau. So that we've got affordable housing for people, for key workers - that is absolutely number one."Vanessa Ekins is a High School Teacher, and is studying filmmaking at TAFE.“And I still love getting my hands dirty on the riverbank planting trees and watching the water go by.“Vanessa is not running for a councillor position at this year's Local Council Election.