The latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows that, overall, the most common reasons for hospitalisation were similar between ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and the total Australian population. However, there does appear to be a particular need for hospital services related to suicidality and self harm among ex-serving ADF members. The report, Characteristics of ex-serving Australian Defence Force members hospitalised for suicidality and intentional self-harm, includes information on the use of hospital services (both admitted patient care and emergency department presentations) for conditions associated with suicidal behaviour among ex-serving ADF members. The report examines admitted care data for patients with conditions associated with suicidal behaviour including mental health, alcohol and other drug use and intentional self-harm as a proportion of all admitted patients.Between 2013 and 2020, almost 4,400 ex-serving ADF members presented to an emergency department for intentional self-harm or suicidal ideation, equivalent to 3.7% of all ex-serving ADF presentations to emergency departments, above the equivalent proportion for all Australians (2.8%).A higher proportion of ex-serving females presented to an emergency department for intentional self-harm or suicidal ideation (4.1%) than ex-serving males (3.7%). Of persons admitted to public hospital, a higher proportion of ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) males were admitted for mental health-related care compared to all Australian males in 2019–20 (8.1% and 6.6%, respectively).‘The information included in this report places an emphasis on data, and as such, can appear to depersonalise the human pain and suffering behind the statistics. The AIHW respectfully acknowledges the individuals, families and communities affected by suicide or intentional self-harm.’ ‘Commissioned by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, today’s report aims to inform improvements in mental health, suicide awareness and suicide prevention for serving and ex-serving ADF members and their families,’ said AIHW spokesperson Paul Pham. Consistent with the AIHW’s annual reporting on deaths by suicide among permanent, reserve and ex-serving members of the ADF, this report found specific ADF service characteristics were associated with a higher rate of hospital admission for mental health-related care. In 2019–20 the proportion of ex-serving ADF members admitted for mental health-related care was higher for males who:served in the Army (8.4%) or Navy (8.7%) compared to Royal Australian Air Force (5.9%)served for less than one year (10.8%), or less than 5 years (10.7%), compared to those who served for at least 5 years but less than 10 years (8.5%), or 10 years or more (5.6%)were other ranks (9.2%) compared to officers (6.1%) or other senior ranks (4.7%)separated involuntarily (medical – 19.6% and other – 11.8%) compared to voluntarily (8.1%).‘By understanding the military factors associated with increased use of mental health-related care, more targeted and improved suicide prevention services can be made available for ex-serving ADF members and their families,’ said Mr. Pham. For all AIHW reporting on Veterans’ health and wellbeing, visit our website: Veterans Overview - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (aihw.gov.au)If you need help or support, please contact: Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling provides mental health and wellbeing support to anyone who has served at least one day of continuous fulltime service in the ADF and their immediate families. It is free, confidential, and available 24/7.Open Arms - Veterans and Families Counselling 1800 011 046Open Arms Suicide Intervention page Defence All-hours Support Line (ASL) 1800 628 036Defence Member and Family Helpline 1800 624 608Defence Chaplaincy Support   ADF Mental Health Services Lifeline 13 11 14Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467Beyond Blue Support Service 1300 22 4636For information on support provided by DVA, see:Mental health support services- external site opens in new windowFree mental health care for veterans- external site opens in new window

In 2022, the NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSWRA) leased sports grounds off Ballina Council to create a temporary pod village that could house displaced families after the devastating floods of the same year. The Wollongbar pod community is nearing the full term of its tenancy. It was scheduled to close in November 2024. Earlier this month, tennant's received a letter advising they had to move out by that date.Both Ballina Council and Member for Ballina, Tamara Smith MP, have acknowledged this date and have sought to extend it, with the NSWRA looking to extend the lease for as long as possible.Ballina Shire Council decided to extend the lease of the pod village by six months at a council meeting this week. Wollongbar pod residents now need to leave by April 2025.On Tuesday, Member for Ballina Tamara Smith and Greens Councillor Kiri Dicker visited residents to discuss what this means for the vulnerable people living there. Many expressed frustration and fear about finding suitable, long-term accommodation during a housing crisis, within such a tight timeframe."It beggars’ belief that there are sitting councillors on Ballina Council who have denied a 12-month extension of these vulnerable residents for no good reason”, Ms Smith said. “There is an acute housing crisis. The Wollongbar community, including our sporting clubs, have been so generous and welcoming towards our flood-affected neighbours, and the residents of the pod village have been exemplar. “Who exactly would be hurt by extending the lease on humanitarian grounds?” “The Reconstruction Authority asked for as much of an extension as possible in discussions leading up to a formal request but were informed that only two months was on offer. Thankfully our Greens Councillors pushed hard for longer and we got a six-month extension. “I reassured the residents that I am here to support them and to back in the work of the Reconstruction Authority who are doing everything they can to transition residents into secure housing. I am deeply disappointed with the councillors who voted to turn them out”, Ms Smith concluded.In contrast, Mayor of Ballina, Sharon Cadwallader said they were asked to extend the pod community for two months. However, the Ballina council voted to extend it to 6 months. “We should be thinking of the people, and that's what we've done by saying, if you need a bit of extra time, that's okay.”“Denise from Casino has been the spokesperson for the population. The pods are half empty now, so they're transitioning out of them already. They're finding homes, but some of them won't go either.” Mayor Cadwallader believes the remaining occupants are not from this area.“We were the first council to jump on board and offer up the sports fields as a place to put some temporary housing. Temporary being the operative word. “We took on the biggest village as well. We had to put these people in a paddock without public transport, it’s not walking distance to shops. There’s got to be a timeframe on it or it would go on indefinitely for these poor folk.”Mayor Cadwallader is also concerned about the ongoing cost to the LGA, and the cost-shifting involved.“I will not support ratepayers paying for another cost shift. We can't afford that. The ratepayers can't afford that. We've got the lowest rates in the region, and I want to keep it that way because I think we're punching well above our weight with infrastructure, with the small amount of rate base we have.“If they want to transition into Ballina, we need to build some more social housing and if not, well, we can't take them on.”Mayor Cadwallader has been pushing for more housing in the region and social housing that can alleviate the dire need, but it has not come to anything substantial at this point. Among other potential housing locations being looked at, Mayor Cadwallader said, “I called for an audit of West Ballina, on the social housing precinct there, just down near Fishery Creek. There are lots of homes that have been there for over 20 years that are beyond their use-by date; they're in a terrible state of disrepair. It's like a shanty town.“I took the emergency services Minister Jihad Dib when he was up here recently. I said three of these house blocks together would enable a three-story, multi-story social housing complex to be built.  “That would go some way to helping the homeless and these people in the villages. Still nothing, but I must say, I have a meeting on Wednesday with Homes New South Wales that are coming up from Sydney in Ballina. Again I’ll talk to them til I'm blue in the face!”So Mayor Cadwallader said, “Leave these folks there for Christmas, if that's what they want.”Perhaps the timing of a 6-month extension will provide a better outcome overall. This will encourage the pod community to vacate to better homes before next year's cold season, and they won't be subject to moving just before Christmas in 2025.

NSW Farmers has renewed calls for fairer local government funding for regional and rural communities as it fronted a state parliamentary inquiry yesterday. NSW Farmers Business, Economics and Trade Committee Chair John Lowe said local councils were on the brink due to increased financial pressure, calling for a critical review of funding structures to ensure rural and regional communities had the support they need. “Local councils have more responsibilities than ever before, and the cost of maintaining and building services and infrastructure has also spiked – leaving many local councils right on the brink with resourcing,” Mr Lowe said. “With these councils struggling to generate revenue, farmers and local residents are being left to shoulder huge rates while they cope with sub-standard services and infrastructure that won’t be fixed anytime in the near future.“From roads needing urgent repair to key community facilities, there is a lot left lacking in the bush, and better funding for our local councils will be the key to building better communities.”Special variation rates, cost-shifting, infrastructure funding and accountability were just some of the challenges Mr Lowe said must be addressed to improve local government funding, with six recommendations put forward by NSW Farmers as part of the hearing. “Removing local council rate exemptions on Crown Lands and pausing special variation rate applications are just two solutions we’re putting on the table to support fairer funding,” Mr Lowe said. “Boosting federal support for Financial Assistance Grants, prioritising more indexed block grants for roads and providing better training for local governments to handle finances and administration would also go a long way to supporting local councils and the services they provide.“At the end of the day, it’s all about proper resourcing, so we can do the work that needs to be done to keep our local communities strong and sustainable well into the future.”

People in NSW are encouraged to consider organ donation and have conversations with their family about their decision this DonateLife Week.  There are approximately 1,800 people currently on the organ transplant waitlist in Australia, with 14,000 more on dialysis for kidney failure who need help.  In 2023, more than 47,000 people in NSW registered as an organ and tissue donor. There were 142 people in NSW who died and became organ donors, giving the gift of life to 392 transplant recipients, including 12-year-old Osman Akel. Osman was diagnosed with congenital heart disease while in utero and needed three heart operations before he was five. Last year, Osman went into heart failure, and his family were told he needed a heart transplant to save his life. Osman became the first patient to undergo a paediatric heart transplant at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead since the Paediatric Heart Transplant (PHT) service was officially established and funded by the Minns Labor Government in 2023. Osman is now back at school and doing well. Five-year-old Ari Ladd’s life was also saved by organ donation after receiving a lifesaving liver transplant at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in 2020. Ari was born with biliary atresia, a condition that impacts the body’s ability to drain the bile from the liver. The energetic toddler is now happy and healthy, enjoying his new lease on life. As the biggest paediatric liver transplant centre in Australia, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead performs around 25 lifesaving liver transplants for patients like Ari every year.  Sadly, more than 50 Australians died last year while on the organ transplant waitlist. Families are always asked to support someone’s decision to be a donor before donation goes ahead. Families are much more likely to agree if their loved one is registered on the Australian Organ Donor Register, and their family knew they wanted to be a donor.  Anyone aged 16 and over can register online to become an organ donor in just one minute at donatelife.gov.au, or with three taps in the Medicare app. For those who think they’re already registered, it only takes one minute to double-check. NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said, “Organ donation saves lives and increasing awareness and consent is critical to lifting our donation rate. We encourage NSW residents to go online and pledge to give the gift of life to those in need. “Opportunities for transplants are missed because families are uncertain of their loved one’s wish to be a donor. It is important for people in NSW to not only register, but to tell their families they want to be a donor. “We know 4 in 5 Australians say they support donation, but only 36 per cent are registered. It only takes one minute to register and give more people like Osman and Ari the gift of life.” Elena Cavazzoni, DonateLife NSW Co-State Medical Director said, “Our dedicated organ donation teams across NSW work tirelessly to maximise every opportunity to save a life through transplant. But there simply aren’t enough donors in NSW to match the waitlist.  “This DonateLife Week, I’m urging everyone in NSW to please register as an organ and tissue donor.”  

An Alstonville man is ready to dust off his passport and pack his bags for a holiday or two after pocketing almost a million dollars in the weekend’s Saturday Lotto draw.The Northern Rivers resident held one of the 21 division one winning entries in Saturday Lotto draw 4489 on Saturday, 27 July 2024. Each division one winning entry scored $952,380.96.“Woohoo!” the winning man cried when his win was confirmed by an official from The Lott.“This is life-changing – just life-changing.“I’m so excited. I can’t tell you how excited I am.“It’s unbelievable!“Thank you, thank you! This is such good news for a Sunday morning.“You’ve made my year!“I’m going to pay off the mortgage, and there will definitely be a holiday or two. Fiji is sounding good right now!”The man’s 50-game QuickPick entry was purchased at Alstonville Newsagency, Shop 2, 79-83 Main Street, Alstonville.Alstonville Newsagency owners Ray and Maree Smith were delighted to discover that their outlet had sold another division one winning ticket.“It feels fantastic to know that one of our customers is going to experience such exhilaration,” Ray said.“We last sold a division one winning entry in August 2022. In fact, 2022 was a great year for us as we also sold a 1st Prize in both Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot and Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot.“Congratulations to our winner and enjoy the win. I am sure it is well deserved, and it is a life-changing experience.”The winning numbers in Saturday Lotto draw 4489 on 27 July 2024 were 4, 37, 45, 27, 11 and 20, while the supplementary numbers were 15 and 10.

Lismore Theatre Company’s latest production “Life Without Me” by Daniel Keene is an Australian absurdist comedy that will make audiences both laugh out loud and tear up.If you don’t know who you are and you don’t know where you’re headed, you might find yourself spiralling in ever-tightening circles until you come to rest in a nondescript part of town; in a crummy two-star hotel, where the service is churlish, the lift doesn’t work, the toast is burnt and the pot plants set off your allergies. But! Keep your expectations low, really low, and who knows? You might be pleasantly surprised by how everything works out.‘Life Without Me’ is a funny, honest and heart-warming story, written by the much-awarded Australian playwright, Daniel Keene. The play is set in the lobby of a two-star hotel. The audience follows the journey of the characters, from the less than competent hotel manager, to the strange guests who drift in and out in search of happiness and meaning.Life Without Me is about living in purgatory, suspended in a state of limbo excluded from where the real action is. We wish for the characters to discover that the point of life is to live, to participate and to commit. We fear for their aimlessness and their indecisiveness, and we observe their passivity through the passage of time as if waiting for nothing but the arrival of certain death. At the hotel, people are always going somewhere, but they forget that they are already here.This thought-provoking play invites you to consider the absurdity of life.“My life just seems to go on, but ... without me in it”.Lismore Theatre Company brings you ‘Life Without Me’, with a fabulous local cast of both familiar and new faces:NIGEL - Tameika Watts : The show is fabulously funny and showcases a variety of interesting and slightly absurd characters and how they interact with the world. JOHN - Isaac Smith : The play has so many wonderful lines that wrap the warmth and humour of our lives around the more difficult conversations we have with ourselves.ROY - John McPherson : While it presents as a witty comedy, this production is aptly referred to as an existential exposition of life's questions. The characters face questions about whether to own their lives and address their respective realities, or remain within the bounds of their self-imposed limitations, as many people do.ALICE - Anna Ludvik : Only come if you like really amazing, thought provoking and funny writing, with concepts that will have you thinking and reflecting, long after the play is over.. If dull and unimaginative is your thing, this play won’t suit.  MRS SPENCE - Junia Wulf : It really is beautifully written. I believe everyone can relate to what is happening to the characters in this play. Watching it might just help you find out where you belong. TOM - Kylie Fuad : It is such a clever, witty script. When I first read it, it gave me very Australian Pinter vibes! It’s funny and absurd but also really delves into the human experience. Who are we really and how do we search for meaning in a world that sometimes doesn’t make much sense. ELLEN  - Elyse Dallinger : We have been blessed with an exquisitely written play that will let you laugh, cry, and ponder your own existence. Come spend some time with these beautiful, complex characters and share in their existential crises from the safety of your own seat!It will be a fun night out for sure!The performances start on Friday 9th of August and will run for 3 weekends until the 24th of August. It is a 2 hour performance with a 15 min intermission. Tickets are $25 each and $20 for concession and members.The play is set in hotel and explores the meaning of life so we thought The Winsome, a local Homeless Shelter and Soup Kitchen for would be a perfect charity for this show, the 17th of August will be a charity show. $10 from every ticket purchased will go to support the local homeless charity.Tickets can be purchased at https://www.trybooking.com/CSJAW or via the Lismore Theatre Company website - www.lismoretheatrecompany.org.au.

Lismore City Council last week welcomed five students from Yamato Takada. They will spend the next two weeks discovering all that Lismore has to offer as part of the Yamato Takada sister city exchange program.This program, which resumed last year after a COVID-19 hiatus, celebrates a cultural friendship that dates back to 1963, making it Australia's longest-running sister city relationship.Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said this program not only strengthens the bonds between our two cities but also provides invaluable experiences for our young people.“It’s exciting to see our local students and their international peers building friendships and learning from one another. It’s a unique opportunity for our young people, one that is not typically available in most regional cities,” he said.“I hope the students enjoy everything that Lismore has to offer.”The Yamato Takada students’ first stop was the Council Chambers, where they enjoyed a morning tea with the General Manager, the Mayor and members of the Sister City Advisory Group. Over the next 14 days, the five students and their chaperone will be treated to the complete Lismore experience, visiting many of the city's iconic attractions such as the Koala Care Centre, Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens, Rocky Creek Dam, Heritage Park, Nimbin and local farms. The group will also visit Kadina High School, where they will meet local students and experience school life in Australia.Since the sister city relationship began, both cities have developed mutual student exchange visits, cultural and educational activities, tourism opportunities and visits between Mayors, Councillors and community members. The annual sister city student exchange program, which started in 1985, offers high school students from both cities an unforgettable immersion into the cultures, cuisines and histories of both countries. The visiting students will stay with local host families, fully experiencing Lismore's way of life. In September, five students from Lismore will visit Yamato Takada and stay with Japanese host families as part of the exchange.If you see the students around Lismore, make sure to say hello and give them a warm Lismore welcome.

From Thursday, August 12, Lismore rural residents will experience a change in the way their garbage is collected, and some are not happy about it.David White has been a Boat Harbour resident for almost twenty years. His rural block is just under 5 acres or around 2 hectares.Like David and other rural residents, the waste collection routine has been a weekly red lid bin pickup and a fortnightly yellow lid bin pickup. There is no green lid bin pickup for some rural properties because of the size of the blocks of land people live on. The theory is that those owners can recycle their green waste somewhere on their property.For David, this is the only service he receives. He has a septic tank, so no sewerage line. Water tanks, so no access to council water. "We also have a road that goes under with a drop of rain," David said."We look after it ourselves, burn rubbish off ourselves, and do whatever we have to with it. We get jack, basically, except for a garbage pickup.""I would rather have weekly garbage pickup and monthly recycle pickup. That way, we won't having stinking waste in your bin. We already freeze scraps in the freezer. If you want to look at it environmentally speaking, we'll be freezing things for two weeks now, not for one week. So we don't have a stinking bin sitting outside our house for two weeks. If we bury all our scraps, including meat, we'll have all the animals in the world coming around digging it all up." Lismore City Council told the Lismore App that waste charges depend on a number of factors, which depend on your classification Rural, Half Rural, Rural Non-Domestic, Rural Village, Rural Village Half. There are a few different classifications because a garbage truck may be driving to a village anyway, so it can pickup that type of bin as it passes.If a resident is not receiving a pickup service near Nimbin, they will contribute to the cost of the Nimbin Transfer Station Facility.Properties outside of the various villages that don’t have a Sewer or Water main passing the property won't get charged a levy unless the property is either connected to the main or the main passes within a certain distance to the property boundary. Then, they pay an unconnected charge. The Lismore App had not received an answer to our question as to how far from the property boundary the main needs to pass to pay the unconnected charge.Assuming the above, there are several potential Rates and Charges options depending on whether you are classified as Rural Residential, Farmland or Business and the value of your land.There is an On-site Sewer Charge for registered onsite systems such as a septic tank.The reason for the upcoming change on August 12 is a move to a 'user pays' system.We all know Lismore City Council is working its way out of an ongoing financial hole. Its aim is to operate a financially sustainable business. So, a recent and comprehensive Waste Service Review determined that Council has been subsidising the cost of disposing waste generated by the community.   The review also highlighted that Council’s collection and disposal fees for waste were significantly lower than industry benchmarks, including neighbouring councils and not in line with Council Policy. While Council has been undercharging for most services, the distribution of fees across the various service offerings also did not reflect the cost to provide the service, and the review identified a more appropriate alignment of fees against each service option.   A point that is not lost on David; however, he feels that receiving less service should mean less rates and charges."So, all the rural customers will get less service. The only difference for us, is that that's all we get, basically. It seems completely unfair for them to give us less services when we're already getting less services," David summarised.Every ratepayer will also be charged an extra $75 during the 2024/25 financial year. This is due to the increased cost of transporting our waste to Queensland following extensive damage to the Lismore Waste Facility in the February 2022 flood.Lismore City Council said that residents are encouraged to compare the various waste collection service options that are available. You can make changes to your service by contacting Council directly on 02 6625 0500.(This image can be enlarged on your mobile phone using your fingers)

Ed and Seb, with the help of a mate Dave and a support crew, are walking from Brisbane to Melbourne to raise money and awareness for Camp Quality, to help kids face cancer.They left Brisbane on the 23rd July, and on Day 6 of their 70 day quest (yesterday) the Lismore App caught up with Seb and Ed at Lennox Head.“It is a long walk, but it's really enjoyable. There’s beautiful weather and the coastline is just stunning up here. It's amazing,” said Seb.The gents are averaging 40 to 50kms a day, and staying in a range of accommodation from army barracks to friends and volunteers houses on the way, and even some camping.Seb, a Firefighter, and Ed, in the Armed Forces, are very thankful for their support crew that is made up of friends and volunteers who lug the luggage and set up camp while the men are treading the pavement.Seb explains how the initial idea came about, “I came up for a planning night at Camp Quality and at dinner and I leaned over to Dave (in the Navy) said, Hey, mate do you want to do a big walk with me. And he said, yep. And I said, you don’t know where we are going yet!“He basically got on board,and within a couple of minutes, we had gone from walking Sydney to Canberra, to Brisbane to Melbourne to raise money.”Dave knew Ed through the armed forces and other Camp Quality initiatives. When Dave and Seb rang Ed, the reply came back, “ It was a no-brainer for me to do something like this - it's the kind of crazy adventure I'm into.”Training was necessary, so they fit it into their busy schedules and did what they could to prepare, “At the start of the year, one of the army physical training instructors, who specialises in ultra-marathons and Ironman events, did up a training program.“The training has helped a little bit. But to be honest, you can’t train for everything. Like getting your feet used to the constant impact every day, they were really, really sore at the end of the first couple of days. “That could also be due to our old shoes copping a pounding during training so they weren't as cushiony as our new shoes certainly are.“We estimate that we will go through about six pairs of shoes.”Ed says, “We've already got some pretty decent blisters,” and Seb adds, “I'm in the process of losing a couple of toenails by the end of today (Sunday).”The hard parts are painful, but Seb says, “It pales in significance when we've seen what kids with cancer and families go through. So, to be honest, it's a really small price to pay.”“We've also had some amazing highlights along the way - people that we’ve met and they ask, what are you doing? We say we're walking to Melbourne for kids and Camp Quality. “They learn more about Camp Quality, tell us a little about their stories - just some beautiful people we have met along the way complete strangers, some who have donated large amounts of money, which is awesome.”Ed tells me a little about Seb, “Well, Seb is a firefighter, and he turned 52 the other day. He has a heart of gold. He's been volunteering with camp quality for over 25 years now. He’d give you the shirt off his back if he could. “We are lucky enough that for his birthday, we were walking through some of his favourite parts of Australia, Northern New South Wales, Byron, the Surf Coast because he's a surfer and loves it up here whenever he can get away from Canberra.”Then it was Seb's turn to talk about Ed, “I like to call Ed the George Clooney of our team. And he has a massive heart of gold and just being one of the most kind and respectful blokes I've ever met. “His ability with the logistical planning before this walk and during this walk has made it so much easier for everyone involved.“He's always the first when we're walking past a group to say hi and gets people chatting to us.”Anyone is welcome to join them on part of their trip, if it's for 5 minutes or 5 kilometres. And if you happen to see them when you are driving past, give them a honk and a wave!Today, they will be travelling from East Wardell south. You can find them on their tracker.You can check out more information on the men and their mission on their website, or donate to their cause here.We wish them well on their adventure.

Police are re-appealing for information as the search continues to locate a Northern Rivers woman who was last seen in the state’s north four years ago.In October 2020, Elizabeth Forman, aged 75, was last seen going for a walk at a property on Friday Hut Road in Brooklet, just west of Newrybar.She was last seen walking on the property about 11.40am Thursday 1 October 2020.Police held serious concerns for Elizabeth’s welfare, given her dementia, and officers from Richmond Police District – along with the SES, RFS, and local volunteers – searched the area for three days, unfortunately finding no sign of Elizabeth.At the time, witnesses reported seeing a woman matching Elizabeth’s description on Ocean Drive, Alstonville - about 20km southwest of where she was last seen - around 6.30pm on Friday 2 October 2020.Police searched this area as well but found no signs of Elizabeth.Elizabeth is described as being of Caucasian appearance, with a thin build and dyed short blue hair. She was wearing a navy-blue top and black pants at the time of her disappearance.Elizabeth has not been seen or heard from since and, as inquiries continue into her whereabouts, her family and police are urging anyone that may have been in the area at the time and may have seen a woman matching this description, to contact police.Detective Inspector Ritchie Sim, Manager of the Missing Person Registry, said finding Elizabeth remains a priority for the NSW Police.“Elizabeth is one of the many vulnerable missing people our detectives are still looking for across the state.“Every day, police receive reports that a person living with dementia, or some other form of memory loss, has gone missing, and every single one of those missing people becomes a priority for us to find.” Det Insp Sim said.“Detectives are still searching for Elizabeth with the hope this reappeal will shake loose memories of those in the area at the time she disappeared.“I also want to urge the public to keep an eye on your loved ones who are vulnerable. Check in on them regularly and know the areas they are known to frequent in case they ever do go missing.” Det Insp Sim.Missing Persons Week is an annual national campaign to showcase missing persons and unidentified bodies and human remains cases and raise awareness of the issues and impacts surrounding these incidents. Missing Persons Week runs between Sunday 28 July and Saturday 3 August 2024.This year’s ‘Always Searching’ campaign focuses on the dedication and continuing efforts of police to solve missing persons investigations.If you have been reported as missing it means that someone is concerned about your safety and welfare. You should attend the nearest police station with identification so that Police can ascertain that you are safe and well. It is not a crime to go missing and Police will respect your privacy if you don’t wish to disclose your location to your family.For more information on the campaign visit www.missingpersons.gov.auAs inquiries continue, police are appealing for anyone with information that may assist investigators to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its election commitment to improve rental laws and help make renting fairer, announcing new laws to end no-grounds evictions. This change will be one of the biggest reforms to the rental market in a decade and will help to ensure we get the balance right between renters and homeowners. We have a housing crisis in Lismore, the Northern Rivers and across NSW. In fact, housing is the largest single cost of living issue facing the people of NSW. More people are renting than ever before, with around 33 per cent of the NSW population renting, an increase of 17.6 per cent since 2016. However, the current rental market in NSW is the toughest that renters have seen for decades with historically low vacancy rates, median rent prices increasing by around 7 per cent over the last 12 months, and a system that leaves them vulnerable to eviction at any time. These changes bring NSW into line with other states, including the ACT, South Australia and Victoria, who have legislated their own model to end no-grounds evictions. Under the existing law, the owner of a rental property can choose to end a residential periodic lease at any time for any reason or no reason at all. This creates insecurity and financial pressure for renters whose lives can be upended at any time. Under our proposed reforms, homeowners will now need a reason to end a tenancy for both periodic and fixed term leases. These will include commonsense and reasonable reasons such as: The existing rules where the renter is at fault, because of a breach of lease, damage to the property, or non-payment of rent. Where the property is being sold or offered for sale with vacant possession.  Where significant repairs or renovations make inhabiting the property too difficult or it will be demolished. If a homeowner seeks to renovate or repair a home, it cannot be relisted for a period of at least 4 weeks. If the property will no longer be used as a rental home, i.e a change of use. Where the owner or their family intend to move into the property.  If the renter is no longer eligible for an affordable housing program or if the property is purpose-built student accommodation and the renter is no longer a student. If the homeowner wishes to end a lease, evidence must be provided with a termination notice, with penalties payable by homeowners providing non-genuine reasons. For those on fixed term agreements of less than 6 months, the termination notice period to tenants will be increased from 30 days to 60 days. For fixed term agreements of more than 6 months, the termination notice period will be increased from 60 days to 90 days. There will be no change to notice periods for those on periodic agreements. The package follows a comprehensive consultation process with more than 16,000 submissions and survey responses received from the general public and multiple sector based roundtables. The Minns Labor Government will now begin stakeholder engagement on these reforms and will aim to introduce new legislation in the September sittings of Parliament to end no grounds and provide more security and stability for renters.  The new reforms are set to begin early next year, subject to this consultation. Premier Chris Minns said, “Bad tenants will still be able to be evicted. We don’t want homeowners to have to put up with bad behaviour.” “But anyone who rents in NSW knows just how anxious and challenging renting can be at the moment. We’ve all seen the lines on a Saturday morning with hundreds of people waiting to inspect new properties.  “We believe this reform gets the balance right, but importantly, this will give both homeowners and renters more certainty, more peace of mind, so they can build a home and a life on surer ground.” Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said, “Around a third of the people in NSW rent and they deserve secure and fair housing.  "Getting this model right has been a long journey but the overwhelming message from the community has been that people rent a home, not just a house. “There’s no national consistency on these rules, so we’ve been careful to design a package that works for the NSW market.” Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Minister for Youth Rose Jackson said, “Creating a fairer rental system in NSW is crucial to rebuilding our housing system.” “For too long renters have faced an unprecedented amount of uncertainty - making it harder to secure jobs, start families and develop community links. “Renters who do the right thing - pay their rent, look after the house - should not have to be in a constant limbo with the possibility of an eviction for no reason just around the corner. “They deserve more security and ending no grounds evictions is an important first step.” 

The countdown clock has started for the 2024 Local Council Elections. In seven weeks, residents in the Lismore LGA will head to the polls to select a new mayor and ten councillors.The Lismore election is hotting up with a surprise mayoral nomination, a former councillor nominating for council again and a new horse in the race for mayor and councillor as an independent.On May 28, The Lismore Greens announced their ticket of potential Lismore City Councillors, Binnie O'Dwyer, Virginia Waters, Luke Robinson, Lindall Watson, Adam Guise and Shae Salmon. At that time, 20-year councillor Vanessa Ekins's name was not on the ticket.In a shock announcement at Cr Ekins's 20-Year celebration dinner on Saturday night, she was announced as The Greens mayoral candidate."Tonight, I announced that I am here for Lismore, running for Mayor, ready to listen to businesses, families and community. I stand for community-focused leadership. Our community has faced unprecedented challenges. Now is the time to rebuild, renew and revive Lismore," Cr Ekins wrote on her Facebook page.Cr Ekins told the Lismore App, "We have an exceptional team of dedicated people running for council. I am running for mayor after overwhelming requests from people wanting community-focused leadership."It is an interesting strategy from The Lismore Greens as they try to maintain two council seats following the September 14 election.The declaration of Councillor (Cr) Elly Bird not to stand for re-election may well have influenced the decision for Cr Ekins to run for mayor, where Steve Krieg is an overwhelming favourite to be re-elected for a second term.Former councillor Gianpiero Battista's name has appeared on the Register of Candidates. His political party affiliation is blank, which means he is running as an independent. He has not nominated himself for mayor. When the Lismore App approached Mr Battista, his reply was, "I can't say anything yet, but more than happy to chat next week."Watch this space.John Jenkins is another name to have appeared on the Register of Candidates.Mr Jenkins does not have the profile of Steve Krieg, Vanessa Ekins or Big Rob, but he put his hand up for both Mayor of Lismore and to be a councillor.Mr Jenkins's LinkedIn page says he is a 'Higher Education Consultant with extensive experience in senior academic management, corporate governance and academic governance.' He has also been the coach of the Wollongbar Alstonville Rugby Club and the Under 18 Marist Brothers Rams.With seven weeks to go until Lismore heads to the polling booths, how many more surprises will we get?We know the Steve Krieg ticket is yet to be announced. Mayor Krieg told the Lismore App in his latest Talking Lismore Podcast that he will be running for mayor again. Crs Andrew Gordon, Andrew Bing, Electra Jensen and Jerri Hall have all publicly declared they will run for a second term under the Steve Krieg ticket.Formal nominations need to be lodged by 12 midday Wednesday, August 14.For those contemplating becoming a Lismore City Councillor, and adding another surprise to the list of candidates, there is a Candidate Information Session this Wednesday, July 31 at 5:30pm at Council Chambers in Goonellabah.The session will cover:Standing for ElectionThe Role of Councils and CouncillorsLeadership and Professional DevelopmentNext Steps for CandidatesThere will also be some information specific to Lismore around time commitments and dates.The session will also be streamed online. Bookings are essential. To book, call Council on (02) 6625 0500.

Lismore has lost its local printed newspaper once again, with the Lismore City News printing its final edition on Saturday.This will be the second time that Lismore will be without a printed newspaper following the closure of the 144-year-old Northern Star on Saturday, June 27 2020.Outside of the capital and major regional cities, where the population can sustain a printed newspaper, regional areas throughout Australia are being forced to transition onto digital platforms. There were not enough customers who paid $2.20 a week for a physical printed newspaper, so the costs of printing outweighed the revenue derived.This is how and why the Lismore App was started in November 2017. The future of the printed newspaper was in question, with sales declining not only in Australian but around the world.Once the Northern Star closed and we moved through the global pandemic, the Federal Government announced a $50 million Public Interest News Gathering Fund. This fund was aimed at helping regional communities restart or start community newspapers that had stopped printing during the Covid-19 years.This fund was misguided. It was totally aimed at the printed newspaper only and did not support digital startups, which were the future of public interest journalism in regional Australia. It also favoured larger media companies like Australian Community Media (ACM) or Nine Entertainment.Then, in August 2022, the Albanese Government announced a $15 million Regional and Local Newspaper Publishers Program to support printed newspapers because of an increase in printing costs. Again, there was no investment in to the development of digital newspapers, the future of local journalism in regional Australia.Lismore City News published its first edition in November 2021 and if it weren't for the government grants, it would have likely stopped printing earlier.There is the current Meta funding debate that larger media companies say is having an effect on local journalism and jobs.Meta, the owners of Facebook, and Google agreed deals with the Federal Government through the News Bargaining Code that helped fund larger media companies and some regional operators to operate their media rooms. This included radio and TV as well as printed newspapers. The number bandied about was $200 million. It was hard to get an exact figure due to confidentiality clauses.Once again, the large media companies received the bulk of the money, the small regional operators received a smaller slice of the pie, and independent operators received nothing.The federal government needs to wake up and encourage regional operators to start their own digital newspapers. Put it back in the hands of the people who live in the community. The people who have relationships in town, people whose children go to school in town. The days of the large media companies owning and running hyper-local regional newspapers are over. The Northern Star was a great Lismore newspaper because it was owned by local owners before Murdoch got hold of it.The Lismore City News's decision not to publish its newspaper is not a tragedy; it was expected. The people suffering are the journalists who have just lost their jobs. Editor Cathy Adams and journalist Mitch Craig are nice and decent people caught up in a fast-changing media landscape.If local news outlets, like the Lismore App, are to survive, they need the support of the community first and foremost. This means local businesses buying advertising space. Local supporting locals where the profits stay in town. That also allows enough money to be spent on hiring another journalist, which means better coverage of local news.The federal and state governments can play their part here too. They spend tens of millions of dollars on advertising each year through advertising agencies based in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Those agencies don't know how regional news is changing so they buy the traditional and easy platforms, which is print (although not enough), radio and TV. The independent media operators receive very little advertising dollars. In fact, the Lismore App has received zero advertising dollars from the federal government.The Lismore App reaches an average of 33,000 readers each month; how is that not worthy of an anti-vaping campaign ad or a Tax Cut ad?The Lismore App survived its first three years and is now an established digital daily newspaper in the Lismore and Northern Rivers communities. After seven years of bringing you breaking news, celebrating local heroes, highlighting community news, covering sports and covering every aspect of the 2022 flood and the recovery so far, we are here for the future.Our hope is that the federal and state governments see the digital future through local ownership and give potential owners the incentives and support they deserve.

Workers in the food delivery and ride-share sectors, delivery drivers and truck drivers will be happy when they read that the NSW Government will legislate long-overdue protections for the 'gig' industries.The economy has changed rapidly over recent years while industrial relations laws have not kept pace. Currently gig workers have no minimum rates of pay or conditions. They have no unfair dismissal protections, and no recourse to an independent industrial umpire. These are safeguards most employees and employers simply take for granted in other similar industries, such as taxi drivers. Using long-standing and widely supported powers under the NSW Industrial Relations Act, the reforms to cover the gig workers in food delivery and rideshare will: Empower the NSW Industrial Relations Commission to set minimum pay and conditions for gig workers in the transport sector.Mediate and, if necessary, arbitrate disputes between platforms and gig workers. This will provide a way for workers to appeal deactivation from apps or platforms.Prevent companies trying to redefine gig workers to get around these reforms. The NSW Government says the above changes will extend to gig workers the same legal protections already offered to couriers, taxi drivers and owner-driver truck drivers under Chapter 6 of the Industrial Relations Act. Platform companies, their drivers, and the organisations that represent them would all have the opportunity to be heard before the Industrial Relations Commission when it makes a decision. Consultation with industry and stakeholders will inform the development of the reforms, which were a pre-election commitment. This will help ensure the changes are fit-for-purpose for the gig economy.  The NSW Government will also modernise the law for other parts of the transport sector, including by: Correcting the historical exemption that prevented milk, cream and bread delivery drivers from having the same protections as other drivers in the freight and delivery industry, also under chapter six of the NSW Industrial Relations Act.Exploring new offences of accessorial liability for those who break the law, or skirt orders of the Industrial Relations Commission. This recognises that breaches can be because of actions of others in the contract chain – and not just the company that pays the driver.Ensuring there are enforceable standards across road transport supply chains to make sure everyone, no matter how big or small, can recover their costs. These changes will improve road safety for riders and drivers in the gig economy – and therefore all road users. Low rates of pay create a perverse incentive for these workers to take risks our roads, just so they can accept more jobs. Consistent with the approach of the Commonwealth Government, the existing exemptions for transport of livestock and produce will remain in place. Consultation will occur before the bill is introduced into Parliament, which is expected later this year. Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said, “We live and work in an economy that is rapidly changing to address the needs of our current society. “We must ensure our Industrial Relations laws keep up with those changes. “The public relies on food delivery and ride share workers every day, and workers can rely on us for the same legal protection offered to other couriers and taxi drivers in the transport industry under Chapter 6 of the Industrial Relations Act.  “This is the first step to supporting the thousands of gig workers to feel more safe and secure at work – something every worker in NSW deserves.”

Councillor Elly Bird had not formally declared her intentions for the 2024 Local Council Elections on September 14. However, that changed over the weekend.Councillor (Cr) Bird posted a video on social media stating that she will not be standing for re-election this year.The Lismore App contacted Cr Bird about her decision and to discuss the future of the Our Sustainable Future (OSF) party."Our Sustainable Future was registered almost 25 years ago, as a small political party based in the Northern Rivers, that was solely focused on Local Government in the region," Cr Bird said."For the last eight years, I have been the OSF Councillor in Lismore, and for the eight years before that Simon Clough was in the seat. The Party also had strong representation in Byron for thirteen years with Councillor Basil Cameron. "When he was a Councillor, Simon was at the forefront of the Coal Seam Gas campaign and was a champion for renewable energy and climate action. When Simon stepped down, my work on the CSG campaign paved the way for me to join Council, and in my term, I have continued that focus on climate resilience."Obviously, we have had numerous disasters since I was elected, and so that has had to become a more specific focus on disaster risk reduction and community recovery and resilience. "For eight years, I have been a member of the Floodplain Management Committee and also the Chair of Arts Northern Rivers, I have also valued my time on both the Nimbin Advisory Group and the Aboriginal Advisory Group. "I’ve always been focused on making decisions that move Council towards financial sustainability, and as a long-standing member of the General Manager Performance Review Committee, I have been involved in the recruitment, contract and performance management of five different General Managers. "In all, my decisions have always prioritised listening carefully to the community and the perspectives that are put to us and then balancing those perspectives within the constraints and challenges of local government. "My recovery work with Resilient Lismore is the main reason that I have decided not to stand this time round. I can’t manage the significant workload of being a Councillor at the same time as managing the significant workload of managing Resilient Lismore. "Being a Councillor could be a full time job if you were to do the job properly, and you really do need a minimum of 2-3 days a week to do the role justice. Unfortunately I just don’t have the time. I may come back to Council in the future because I am very passionate about it and I have learnt a great deal about how it all works! "Our Sustainable Future has always been a small political party, but it still takes effort to maintain the required membership and registration requirements. Simon has well and truly retired, and I don’t have the capacity to maintain it, so sadly, alongside my decision not to run, we have also made the decision to wind up Our Sustainable Future after it’s 25-year legacy in the Northern Rivers.”With Cr Bird not contesting this election, she does leave the door open for a return to local council in 2028. Cr Bird won't be running on the Our Sustainable Future ticket, so will a new party be formed or will she register as a Greens or a Labor Party candidate? We have four years to wait for the answer.

Police are seeking community assistance locating three people. 30 year old Brian Black, who is wanted by virtue of outstanding arrest warrants. Mr Black is known to frequent the Lismore area.28 year old Jamie Gunnis, who is wanted for outstanding arrest warrant. Mr Gunnis is known to frequent the Casino area.45 year old Liam Hubbard, who is wanted because of outstanding arrest warrants. Mr Hubbard is known to frequent Woodburn and Ballina.If you can help locate Mr Black, Mr Gunnis or Mr Hubbard, please contact Lismore Police 02 6626 0599 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Former broadcaster, Lismore City Councillor and Deputy Mayor Neil Marks rode around the Lismore Speedway track before riding his fully laden Triumph north up the M1 to Brisbane yesterday morning as stage 1 of his Chasing The Dog 2024 tour.Neil is riding around Australia’s big island on his motorcycle for six weeks to raise awareness of mental health issues, especially depression.(Neil rides out of the showgrounds to a guard of honour)Neil said, “ I was diagnosed with depression in January 2022 after visiting the doctor because things just didn’t seem right”.He has spent the last two and a half years learning how to live with and cope with depression and has come a long way since those early days with the help of doctors, a very good psychologist and, of course, the support of his family and friends.When he first became aware of something not being quite right, he hit the computer and went to all the relevant sites for information and support. Even though he found lots of information, he didn’t recognise himself in any of the stories.Recognition that you are not the only one is extremely important to moving forward.Being the person he is, he started asking questions of people around him and found out that many he knew had at one time or another suffered in similar ways as he was, some still suffering. It was this comparing of notes that lead to a greater understanding of his own situation.“In some ways, I learnt more from them than I did the professionals I was seeing”, Neil declared.With this in mind and with the encouragement of his psychologist he started to share his story on social media through his Facebook page Neil Marks, Chasing the Dog. Finding not only relief in sharing his story but also in the support and the private sharing of people’s own stories.“It is extremely humbling that people feel safe with you for them to tell their own stories of struggle for themselves or those around them”.Armed with the confidence that he had hit upon an idea that had hit home with many he decided to take it further and the idea of Chasing the Dog 2024 came about. A six-week solo trip around the big island to hopefully change perceptions of those who suffer with depression and other related mental health issues.“I never thought it would be me going through this, but if I can show that a 63-year-old who suffers depression can still get out there and take on an extreme challenge whilst sharing my story, anyone can”.That confidence was being questioned yesterday just before departure when he was asked how he was feeling."Somewhere between excited and terrified and it goes backwards and forwards quite a bit. I have been a bit nervous. I woke up early this morning and paced the house very early. The support has been fantastic. So, I've just got to get out there and do it now."Neil joked that his main concern was just getting past the first roundabout, according to people there to see him off. "I just want to get going," Neil said.There will be stretches on his six-week journey where the roads are long, straight and flat."I've got music, I've got an audio book and I'll probably end up going through many of those, I'm sure. And people can ring me because I can answer the phone while I'm riding. I want to have some fun along the way, catch up with old friends and old relatives.Neil's first stop will be just north of Brisbane, where one of his sons lives. Originating from Adelaide and living near Perth early in his radio days means Neil has a lot of places to stay during his journey to cleanup after the long days and nights on his own, camping by his Triumph."I'm taking very little (clothing), so I'm going have to turn it over fairly regularly and do a bit of washing. If I end up in a motel somewhere, I will shower with the clothes on," he laughs.As for the serious side of his 15,000 km journey Chasing The Dog, Neil will be sharing his experiences on various radio stations and talking to people on the way."I'll be talking to people, but it's about, I guess, being honest about my own (mental health challenges) and getting people to feel comfortable that, hey, it's almost normal nowadays. As somebody said to me, it's about as normal as people wearing glasses and should be treated the same way. So let's see if we can make that the game.You can follow Neil's journey through Neil Marks, Chasing the Dog on Facebook and Instagram and eventually on YouTube.

A light industrial shed on Terania Street burned down in the early hours of this morning just down from the Northern Rivers Hotel.The Winkler Chrome Plating business was destroyed. Lismore Fire and Rescue were unable to save the building, which was too advanced, when they arrived on the scene around midnight.A Fire and Rescue spokesperson said the fire crews immediately went into property protection of buildings on either side of the main fire. The neighbouring buildings suffered minor damage but it was acknowledged the fire crews saved those buildings from also burning down.One was a private house to the left of Winklers.The Winkler Chrome Plating Facebook page said there was a small fire in the plating section on February 5 this year. They had to close temporarily until a new tank was manufactured.Richmond Police District said the cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.It took crews approximately four hours to get the fire under control.

People travelling north on the Pacific Highway to Ocean Shores or above can expect traffic delays from tomorrow evening (Sunday) when Transport for NSW carries out essential maintenance at Tyagarah Swamp Bridge to replace bridge joints. To minimise the impact to motorists, work will be carried out at night from 6pm to 6am Sunday to Wednesday and is expected to be complete in four nights, weather permitting. Northbound lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 40km/h will be in place during work hours for the safety of workers and motorists. Motorists should allow up to five minutes extra travel time.  Oversize and overmass vehicles greater than 4.2 metres wide intending to travel through the site should call the project team on 0419 346 942 at least one and a half hours before reaching the site.  OSOM vehicles greater than 4.2 metres wide should expect short delays during this work. Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions and follow the directions of signs and traffic control. For the latest traffic updates, download the Live Traffic NSW app, visit livetraffic.com or call 132 701.