Lismore’s role in delivering Australia's largest local government-led disaster recovery was front and centre on 27 March, as more than 30 procurement professionals gathered in Lismore for the Local Government Procurement (LGP) Networking Meeting.Hosted by Lismore City Council and sponsored by Origin Energy, the event placed the city in the spotlight for its record-breaking flood recovery program, widely regarded as one of the most complex ever managed by a regional council in Australia. With over 540 projects underway and hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure delivery, Lismore is now setting new benchmarks for how councils can lead large-scale, high-pressure recovery efforts.Held at the Lismore Heights Bowling Club, the event featured a presentation by the Council’s Flood Restoration Portfolio (FRP) team, highlighting how Lismore manages one of the most complex local government recovery programs in Australian history. Lismore City General Manager Jon Gibbons said the event was an opportunity to demonstrate the professionalism and scale of work underway across our Local Government Area.“In the 2023-24 financial year, Lismore City Council managed $239 million in procurement,” he said.“Of that, 36% was spent with local businesses in the Lismore LGA, and 12% with suppliers across the Northern Rivers region. Nearly 50% of the Council’s procurement, around $113.7 million, stayed within the region.”Mr Gibbons also said that Council’s approach makes procurement more manageable for everyone involved."Council has created processes to ensure local contractors have a better chance of getting involved,” he said.This approach has boosted local economic outcomes and made procurement more manageable and accessible for a wider range of local contractors.“Instead of handing out lots of small jobs one by one or giving one massive job to a big company from out of town, Council groups specific projects into bundles that suit the skills and availability of local businesses.“This makes it easier for local tradies, builders and suppliers to participate. So, more money stays in the region, and the work gets done faster and more efficiently. It employs local people and provides opportunities for school leavers." The increased focus on local procurement comes as the Council delivers an unprecedented infrastructure program. With 540 individual projects underway across five major program areas—including roads, bridges, landslides, drainage and community facilities—it is widely considered the most significant local government-led disaster recovery in New South Wales.Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said the sheer scale of the recovery work ahead is evident, generating interest in the event. “To be selected as host city and to present our approach to councils from across the state is a real recognition of the capability built here in Lismore,” he said.“Bringing procurement professionals to Lismore—many of them for the first time, means more people staying in local accommodation, dining in our cafés and seeing first-hand what this city has to offer.“Events like this don’t just support our businesses for a day or two. They help build confidence and position Lismore as a centre for regional leadership.”Lismore City Acting Manager of Procurement Mark Parry said the event was an opportunity to demonstrate the scale and quality of work delivered.“We have a unique situation where we need to keep Council’s business-as-usual function running smoothly in parallel with the Flood Recovery Portfolio’s (FRP) significant procurement requirements,” he said.“To that end, our respective teams have developed practical, scalable systems that are coordinated and achieving results in a high-pressure environment.”It also demonstrated that regional councils like ours lead large-scale, complex programs with clear strategies and transparent procurement practices.“Council’s FRP Director of Commercial Services Charlotte Foy has also developed a full suite of procurement templates, tools and guidance materials as part of its internal reform. These resources are now being shared with other councils and recovery partners, helping to build sector-wide capability,” Mr Parry said.Lismore’s recovery is unique in both its size and approach. Council built its Flood Restoration Portfolio team from the ground up, totalling 82 dedicated project and delivery staff. It also implemented and extended the use of existing systems, most notably Vendor Panel, a procurement platform that allows the Council to manage contracts efficiently and transparently across small local jobs and significant bundled infrastructure works.Staff across the delivery team have also undertaken specialist training in contract law, probity and public works delivery—building skills that will remain in the region long after the current program ends.Other speakers included NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner Dr James Cockayne, Sharon Morris from World Commerce & Contracting and senior representatives from across government and industry. Topics included legislative compliance, supplier engagement, sustainability and risk management.Council would like to thank Local Government Procurement for selecting Lismore as host, and the local business community for supporting the event.

New data released today has shown a concerning spike in seatbelt-related offences during busy school holiday periods for drivers and passengers wearing their seatbelt incorrectly. With double demerits coming into force from Thursday, 17 April to Monday, 21 April inclusive, and many families across New South Wales planning trips to visit loved ones over the long weekend, the NSW Government is reminding drivers to travel safely.Sadly, in 2025, there have already been 98 fatalities on New South Wales Roads. In 2024, 35 people died on New South Wales roads while not wearing an available seatbelt.This data shines a light on a concerning trend over periods that should be joyous times for people to travel safely and spend time with their loved ones.Over the peak summer holidays period, from December, 24th 2024 to January, 5th 2025, there was an alarming 7,000 seatbelt offences recorded across the state, with Christmas Day seeing one in every 559 drivers issued a penalty notice for a seatbelt offence. Further, over the Australia Day long weekend, there were over 1,300 seatbelt offences recorded.With school holidays underway for families across New South Wales, and both Easter and ANZAC Day long weekends approaching, the Government is urgently reminding drivers that seatbelts save lives, and are a legal requirement for all drivers and passengers across the state.As the state government continues work to make the roads safer, seatbelt enforcement has been significantly increased, with mobile phone cameras beginning to monitor seatbelt compliance in July 2024. Since this program began over 105 million vehicles have been checked, with 87 per cent of all penalties issued for incorrect use of a seatbelt, which attracts a $410 fine and three demerit points, or six demerit points during double demerit periods including the upcoming long weekends.Every single dollar raised by seatbelt cameras is invested directly back into road safety.This long weekend New South Wales drivers are being called to ensure they play their part in making New South Wales roads safer and remember:Seat belts save lives:Seatbelts double the chance of survival and reduce the risk of injury in a road crash. Drivers and passengers must all be wearing seatbelts correctly.Speeding kills:Speeding is the number one killer on New South Wales roads, know the road rules and follow them.Never text while driving:Using a mobile phone while driving affects your attention and response time. This increases your chance of crashing.Never drive when you are under the influence of alcohol or drugsDrink and drug driving are major contributors to death on NSW roads. Alcohol affects your driving, putting your safety and the safety of your passengers and other road users at risk. Never get behind the wheel if you're affected by illicit drugs or alcohol.Do not drive if you are fatigued:Fatigue kills. Each year, it accounts for around 20% of road deaths in New South Wales. If you are driving and feel fatigued, stop, revive, survive. Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said, “Road safety is what keeps me up at night, and I won’t rest until we reduce the trauma on our roads.“I am accountable for our state’s road toll but it is everyone’s responsibility to play their role.“I know the impact every death and serious injury on our roads has, you don’t need to meet with families of victims and survivors to begin to understand what effect that has on our communities.“Motorists in NSW have had more than 50 years to get used to the concept of wearing a seatbelt. It’s been compulsory to do so in our state since 1971.“Unlawful, lazy and life-risking behaviour by drivers, as well as passengers, is still far too common when it comes to wearing these restraints properly, if at all.“Seatbelts save lives. Sounds catchy but it can’t catch on quick enough. Last year, one person died every ten days on NSW roads when they weren’t wearing a seatbelt.“There’s nothing worse than losing a life on our roads and if you can’t buckle up this double demerit period you’ll risk being issued six demerit points, nearly half a NSW unrestricted licence, and a $410 fine.”Transport for NSW Secretary, Josh Murray said, ,“It’s concerning to see there has been some complacency during previous school holidays, especially for passengers wearing their seatbelts incorrectly. With the Easter long weekend and Anzac Day long weekend approaching we know our roads will be busy and I’m urging every driver to remain vigilant.“I know during busy holiday periods - when trying to get the kids and other passengers in the car and get on the road, it can be a juggle, but it’s really important that drivers aren’t being careless when it comes to making sure their children and other passengers know how to wear their seatbelts correctly.“It’s great to see an improvement in compliance since the start of our enforcement program, with only one in every 1,452 drivers checked issued a penalty for a seatbelt offence for themselves and/or their passengers in the last week of March. However, I continue to urge people to buckle up correctly and to make sure their passengers are also all wearing their seatbelts correctly."

An elected Coalition Government will deliver a Cost of Living Tax Offset to more than 10 million taxpayers as part of our plan to get Australia back on track.The policy will see eligible Australians earning up to $144,000 receive up to $1,200 in tax relief when they lodge their tax return for the upcoming financial year.Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said the temporary and targeted Cost of Living Tax Offset would provide vital support for families. “Australians are hurting – and Anthony Albanese isn’t listening. Families are getting smashed and need help now,” Mr Hogan said.“We also have a plan to lower petrol and diesel prices by cutting the fuel tax by 25 cents a litre. This is a saving of about $1,500 a year for a two-car family.”“These policies will put more money back into your pockets at a time when you’re being crushed by skyrocketing grocery bills, rent, mortgage repayments, and insurance costs.”“Labor’s so-called tax cut – just 70 cents a day – is a slap in the face and an insult to families trying to make ends meet.”“The Coalition’s approach is to provide temporary and targeted cost of living relief, while we get our economy back on track.”“This offset is part of our comprehensive plan to rebuild the economy, ease cost of living pressures, and reward hard work.”

Another 36mm of rain fell at the Lismore Airport on Friday and Saturday, leaving farmers at a critical juncture for planting this year's winter crops or harvesting macadamia crops.Rain is a vital element of any farmer's success, but too much can leave them on the verge of little or no harvest, poor winter planting conditions and a growing debt. January and February gave farmers a beacon of hope, with 128.6mm and 129.4mm, respectively, across the first two months of the year. Then came not only a very wet March (553mm) but Tropical Cyclone Alfred as well. The start of April hasn't seen a let-up in rainfall, with 117mm falling in the first two weeks.Record crop yields were being talked about, and in the case of macadamia farmers, a notional price increase of around $4.22 p/kg at 33% premium kernel recovery and 10% nut-in-shell moisture content was being paid. On top of that, a forecast 5% year-on-year increase was on the cards.Paul Mavis's 6,000-tree macadamia farm in Alstonville suffered tree and limb knockdowns with TC Alfred. He started his annual harvest a couple of weeks before Alfred paid the Northern Rivers a visit."We've been waiting for the ground to dry out, and then we get more rain. I got some nut up, but everyone else is in the same boat," Paul told the Lismore App."If we get back on the ground pretty soon we'll be right, but if we don't, the nut will start germinating, and we'll lose a lot like we did last year. Thanks to the 2024 rains, Paul lost about 10 to 15 tonnes of macadamia nut that started to germinate because the ground was too wet to get machinery in and harvest. As for 2025's harvest?"The limbs and everything I chipped up, there's a lot of nut on them, so it looks like we might get around the same tonnage we got last year "We thought this would be an earlier start to the season, but the trees held onto the nut a bit longer. We will lose the same tonnage as last year, but that's if we can get onto the ground in the next couple of weeks. If we can't, then we'll lose a lot more." On Andrew Heap's macadamia farm, the risk is higher because his land is steeper, so machinery needs drier conditions to operate the harvesting machinery.Like Paul, Andrew has chipped trees and removed limbs thanks to Alfred. Unfortunately, unlike Paul, Andrew has not picked up one nut yet. His block is simply too wet. On top of that, he was to have a down year in nut production because his orchard has mature 20-year-old plus trees on it. So, last year's harvest of 30 tonnes was looking like 15 tonnes in 2025. This could be lower if the ground doesn't grow.Andrew said this would be a similar situation for other orchards in Dunoon, where the blocks are steep and the ground very wet. Andrew's concern, along with germination, is internal discolouration of the kernel.It has been a hard slog for macca farmer's in the last three years. The 2023 price was only $1.70, rising to $3.20 in 2024, and now around $4.20, but the wet weather makes achieving a profit really difficult.On the other side of farming, Paul Weir says that grazing and dairy farmers are also suffering from the rains."It's affected pasture growth and animal health. They're the two biggest issues for grazing and for dairy," Paul explained."For dairy, the low-lying areas and the low parts of farms have seen pasture losses. Pasture die back and set back from rain and silt being on those low-lying parts or farms that have actually flooded in that case. "It is that time of the year we are trying to plant ryegrass, get set up for winter, and I know some early planting paddocks that people have done got washed out, so there's a lot of seed in those low-lying farms that did that. But it depends on what happens now really as to where the big issues will lie."Similar to the macadamia industry, more rain could lead to the same result as 2024. "It makes it really hard to get winter established, cattle slip backwards, lose condition. Leading into winter pasture growth slows, so a lot of pugging happens at this time of year. Normally we see wet autumns anyway, but either prolonged or just badly timed like last year. "Last year was a terrible year on the North Coast for dairy production, and we're hoping that we have a better season this year than last year. The timings of the rain last year and the dry spells was just all out of kilter, and wasn't the norm and didn't sort of fit into our normal systems of planting ryegrass in inappropriate times. So, most dairy farms on the north coast have had very big production losses in the last 12 months."Less production means less cash flow and the industries in a bit of a tight spot. Most farmers are down about 15 to 20% milk volume. I know that during Cyclone Alfred our cows dropped 4 litres per cow a day. For us that's nearly $700 a day drop in income. It all adds up.As with every farmer you meet, there is that sense of hope and a little optimism. "We're just hoping to see that the season turns around and doesn't continue being this wet. I hope that it goes and we can get onto our normal planning regimes for winter production."If it finds up now and we sort of come into a showery April, like normal, April showers is what we always say, we can get great planting conditions. The main growing season now has gone. We are expecting it to start cooling off now, and that's when we just rely on the winter planting."The forecast for the rest of April was not overly optimistic, with more showers to come; however, the BOM has forecast three days of sunshine for the start of Easter, Good Friday to Easter Sunday at the time of writing. Let's hope our farmers get the weather luck they deserve.

Lismore City Council had to reschedule its 2025 Seniors Festival events thanks to Tropical Cyclone Alfred in March.New dates have been confirmed, with the first activity to start tomorrow (Monday):Dance at Any Age at the Lismore Quad, Monday, 14 April from 10am – 11.30amExperience an immersive dance class that connects the mind and body through movement.Art with Aunty Jenny at the Lismore Quad on Tuesday, 15 April from 10am to 11.30amCome to the Quad and create something beautiful with your hands! This free art class is held by the wonderful Aunty Jenny Smith.Come and Try: Lawn Bowls at the Lismore Heights Sports Club on Thursday, 17 April from 9am to 12pmCome and try a shortened version of Lawn Bowls game, led by experienced Lady Bowlers.Come and Try: Croquet at the Lismore Croquet Club on Wednesday, 23 April from 12pm to 2pmJoin a fun-filled introduction to Croquet where you’ll learn the ins and outs of this classic game with welcoming members eager to share their passion.Come and Try: Lawn Bowls at the Lismore City Bowling and Recreation Club on Saturday, 26 April from 12pm to 4pmParticipants will be paired with a member/coach of the Club and given directions and training in lawn bowls.Make Your Own History Archive at the Goonellabah Library on Monday, 28 April from 10am – 11amJoin local historian Adele Wessell and learn how to create your own personal digital archive.Fit & Fab, Eat & Gab at the Goonellabah Sports & Aquatic Centre on Monday, 28 April from 10.30am – 12pmA fun-filled session featuring Fitgo (Bingo + activity), a low-impact circuit, and musical workout chairs!Come and Try: Pickleball at the Goonellabah Sports & Aquatic Centre on Tuesday, 29 April from 9am – 11amGive pickleball a go with Fair Dinkum Pickleball—it's fun, social, and easy to learn!Park Fit at Kadina Park on Wednesday, 30 April from 9.30am – 10.30amJoin a personal trainer for a social morning learning simple exercises and how to use park fitness equipment.All events are FREE, but bookings are essential by clicking https://lismore-events.bookable.net.au/#!/.Council has said that some events are still being confirmed, and that, unfortunately, a few activities were unable to be rescheduled.

The Northern Rivers Conservatorium is thrilled to welcome award-winning Australian vocalist Emma Pask to perform again as part of the NRC 2025 visiting artists program on Friday, 2nd May.Well known for spending the last 20 years by the side of jazz virtuoso James Morrison, Emma Pask has firmly established herself as one of this country’s favourite voices in Jazz. As James himself has said “Many singers sing jazz songs, but when you hear the real thing, it’s a totally different experience. Emma is the one who inspires others to want to sing jazz.”Emma is sure to delight as she interweaves storytelling through timeless swinging jazz standards, upbeat Latin rhythms, tender ballads and, of course, some raucous blues.Emma will be joined by the incomparable Kevin Hunt on piano. Kevin is a leading player on the Australian Jazz scene and has been since the late 70's.Having been an integral part of the Don Burrows band for many years, along with fronting his own trio, Emma finds Kevin's unique approach to the Piano fascinating, and with his incredibly supportive accompaniment, both Emma and Kevin have the chance to shine individually yet complement each other perfectly.This is your chance to catch one of Australia’s finest voices up close and personal in the beautifully intimate setting of Voice and Piano.Anita Bellman, Executive Director of the Northern Rivers Conservatorium said“Emma is such an incredible singer and joyful, playful performer and we’re so excited to see her again.We feel especially honoured as Emma and Kevin will be ‘christening’ the newly built stage our beautiful Concert Room”.For bookings please head to https://events.humanitix.com/emma-pask-duo.

Those who use the Ballina Street Bridge after 6pm are advised of changed overnight traffic conditions from tomorrow on the Bruxner Highway at Lismore and South Lismore to carry out road resurfacing work on each side of the bridge.Work will start tomorrow (Monday, 14 April) from 6pm to 6am for four nights, finishing at 6am on Friday, 18 April, weather permitting.Single lane, alternating traffic flow arrangements, and a reduced speed limit of 40km/h will be in place during work hours for the safety of workers and road users.This work will require the closure of some nearby streets during work hours, including Taylor Street, Elliott Road next to the bridge, the Victoria Lane exit off the bridge, and the southern section of Molesworth Street. Short detours will be available.Heavy vehicles may experience delays of up to 20 minutes.Motorists should allow up to five minutes extra travel time, drive to traffic conditions, and follow the directions of signs and traffic control.For the latest traffic updates, download the Live Traffic NSW App, visit the Live Traffic website, or call 132 701.

The North Coast is back open for business over the school holiday and Easter break, and local businesses are getting ready for thousands of visitors from across NSW and Australia who will be spending their holidays in our unique and beautiful region.Local beaches and waterways are also back open for business, and while the recent storms caused some erosion along the coastline, recovery work is well and truly underway.As the recovery work to remediate some parts of the local coastline continues, locals and visitors alike should be mindful of a few tips to make sure their holidays are as fun and as safe as possible:Make sure to watch your step on sand dunes and shorelines;Follow the advice from local councils about the condition of the coastline. If an area has been closed due to concerns about the coastline, then just head over to one of the many other safe areas that are open;If you’re going swimming, always follow the advice from lifesavers and only swim at patrolled beaches, between the flags.Visitors to the Northern Rivers over the Easter break might also see personnel from local councils and from the NSW Reconstruction Authority out and about doing work to remediate any parts of the coastline that were damaged in the recent ex-tropical cyclone.They are on the ground to make sure that our local beaches, waterways and green spaces are safe places for everyone, and that any damage caused by the recent cyclone gets fixed.Recovery Coordinator Superintendent Scott Tanner has been busy travelling around the region in the leadup to the holidays, inspecting beaches and waterways to make sure that remediation works on the coastline and the environment are well underway.“While the recovery from Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred is continuing, the North Coast is open for business, and we want everyone to come and enjoy this beautiful region," Mr Tanner said.“While these world-class beaches have lost some sand, we’re ready for people to experience them along with the waterways, green spaces, vibrant businesses, and all this region has to offer. We want you to keep coming back to visit.”“The North Coast is a popular holiday destination, and we want everyone to come and enjoy themselves; we’re just reminding people to be careful, as while the beaches, waterways, and greenspaces may be open, there’s still work to be done to get them back to where they were before the storms.”

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan has announced a Coalition Government would create a Regional Australia Future Fund, to deliver guaranteed annual funding for regional, rural, and remote communities."Regional communities grow the food, fibre, and services that keep this country going – and they deserve to see long-term investment that recognises that contribution.“This is about putting our communities first,” Mr Hogan said.The $20 billion fund will lock in yearly funding for the regions to support projects that boost jobs, services, and infrastructure across regional Australia.“Since coming to office, Labor has ripped billions of dollars out of regional communities. We have seen funding completely dry up since Labor came into government.”“Upgrades like Casino Saleyards, Kyogle’s wooden bridges, Oakes and Crozier Oval in Lismore, Grafton Riverside Precinct, and Woolgoolga Whale Trail – all projects I have secured through programs like this.”The initial key priorities of this fund will include:Fixing local road and transport routes Building and upgrading community infrastructure, facilities, and services.Improving regional mobile and internet services for country communitiesGrowing the regional health workforce Developing regional industries to drive economic growth Delivering flexible childcare solutions Growing tourism industry opportunitiesSupporting regional businesses to market and export their products“This is about long-term investment in our future.”“We want to give our kids every reason to live, work and raise a family in the communities they call home.”“This is a historic moment. One-third of Australians live outside the big capital cities – and this perpetual fund will future-proof against governments who leave the regions behind.”

The Salvation Army in the Northern Rivers and North Coast is calling on the community to sign up for this year’s Red Shield Appeal, raising local funds to support people who are struggling most in our region. Across this region, Northern Rivers Salvos are aiming to raise $35,000 as part of Australia’s largest and longest-running door-knock appeal, the 61st annual Red Shield Appeal. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for the hardest hit in our community, and for many that shows no sign of slowing down. We see so many people grappling with increased stress and uncertainty as everyday living has become unaffordable, as well as the continual stresses caused through natural disasters and the ongoing work of rebuilding post the floods of 2022. At the Salvos, we are privileged to support those in our area experiencing hardship, but we cannot do this without the ongoing and loyal support of the community,” said Northern Rivers Salvos’ Captain Philip Sutcliffe.   The funds raised in the Northern Rivers for the Red Shield Appeal will stay in the local community and will be used to meet the specific needs faced by the most disadvantaged and vulnerable. Throughout this region, we use this money to provide practical assistance for those struggling to put food on the table, to support schools with Lunch packs for students who do not bring lunch, Meals for the homeless, and Christmas Toys and Hampers.   Earlier this year, The Salvos released their Social Justice Stocktake; a survey that polled over 16,000 Australians and provided national, state, and electoral reports highlighting the biggest issues faced by communities. Within New South Wales, it was found that 68.8% of people identified the issue of housing affordability and homelessness as the top concern for the community, with the second being mental health (57.5%)*. “There is no better way to support your community than by donating or volunteering to the Red Shield Appeal this year, and we need you to partner with us to be the hope our community so desperately needs. We can’t do our work in the community without you,” said Captain Philip Sutcliffe. Northern Rivers Salvos will be out collecting across the region through May and June. We will have donation locations in the major Shopping centres, Primex and Salvos Stores. You can also collect or donate via our Digital Door-knock page, organise a collection in your workplace, school or sporting event. If you would like to participate or donate, you can contact the local office by phone (02) 6625 0900 or northernrivers@salvationarmy.org.au or Donate online at https://digitaldoorknock.salvationarmy.org.au/o/northern-rivers-salvos  Across Australia last year, through The Salvation Army’s network of over 400 centres and 2,000 services in areas such as homelessness, family and domestic violence, youth, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, financial hardship, and much more, the Salvos provided:**      •     Assistance to one person every 17 seconds      •     More than 1.76 million sessions of care to over 250,000 people in need      •     Over 1.1 million bed nights to those who needed accommodation      •     More than 1.5 million meals to those who accessed our homelessness services. To donate or volunteer for The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal or if you need support from the Salvos, visit salvationarmy.org.au/northernrivers or call 6625 0900. You can also donate at any Salvos Store.

As mentioned in our weather story earlier this morning, rain is returning for the weekend. How much and where will depend on luck.The Bureau of Meteorology is still forecasting 4mm to 30mm for Saturday and 2mm to 15mm for Sunday with southeasterly winds. The chance of rain is very high at 90%.Not a perfect way to start the school holidays, which kicked off at 3 o'clock today.Youth Week continues over the weekend and next week with plenty of activites for young people to try. They include:ARTEXPRESS Exhibition – On now until 20 April at Lismore Regional Gallery. Incredible artworks by local HSC students.Goonellabah Skate Jam – Saturday, 12 April | 2pm–5pm at Goonellabah Skatepark. Skateboarding demos and activities for all skill levels.Thready Set Go – Clothing Mending Session – Tuesday, 15 April | 2pm–4pm at Lismore Library. Learn to mend and upcycle your clothes in this fun sustainable fashion workshop.Building a Clay Mask with Estefania Minniti - Thursday, 17 April | 2pm-4pm at Lismore Regional Gallery. Join artist Estefania Minniti in the Lismore Regional Gallery’s Artist Studio for a free workshop on hand building with clay.Find out more and register at www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/youthweek.Rain, hail, or sunshine, the Lismore Farmers Markets will be on at the Lismore Showgrounds from 7:30 a.m. It may be best to take an umbrella and wear gumboots as you have a coof, some breakfast, and shop for homegrown fresh fruit and vegetables. Bruce Worrall will perform live music this week.The other market on this weekend is in the hills.This Sunday, The monthly Channon Craft Market at Coronation Park comes alive once again with creativity, community, and colour. From handcrafted treasures to delicious eats and live tunes, there's something for everyone from 9am to 3pm.With Easter and the school holidays in April, May and June are when the major events kick in, so make a note for:Nimbin Mardi Grass 2, 3 and 4 MayGemfest 17 and 18 MayPrimex 15, 16 and 17 MayBeef Week 24 May to 1 JuneLismore Lantern Parade 21 JuneIf you are keen to see some live music, the Hilbilly Skanks will rock the Northern Rivers Hotel tonight from 6:30pm with folk/bluegrass music. Hello Ray Duo is in stage Saturday night from 7:30pm and the Sunday Session is Chris Fisher from 3pm.The Lismore Workers Club has a host of acts to see in May and June; they include:Tommy Memphis with e FREE gig playing iconic '80s songs on Saturday, May 17.Who's Bad - the ultimate Michael Jackson tribute on Friday, May 30Kevin Bloody Wilson on Wednesday, June 25.You can book and check out the rest of the year's lineup by clicking here.Fuel prices have suffered rises and falls this week depending on where you live. Lismore was steady, Casino had price increases, while Ballina had price drops.Here are the cheapest fuel options in each town:E10 is 175.9 at the 7-Eleven in South Lismore, the Coles Express on Dawson Street, the Ampol Foodary on Woodlark Street and the EG Ampol on Diadem Street near the Square, 172.8 at NightOwl Puma on Johnston Street in Casino, and 164.5 at the Mobil and The Metro on River Street, Ballina.Unleaded 91 is 177.9 across most service stations in Lismore, 175.5 at The United on Johnston Street in Casino, and 167.5 at the Mobil and The Metro on River Street, Ballina.U95 is 186.5 at Bakers Corner, Terania Street, North Lismore, 194.9 at the Ampol on Dyraaba Street and the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street in Casino, and 179.5 at The Metro (323 River Street) in Ballina.U98 is 194.9 at the two Liberty's on Ballina Road and Union Street, South Lismore, 195.9 at Liberty's on Hare Street and Centre Street in Casino, and 186.5 at The Metro in Ballina.Diesel is 181.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road and the Caltex on Leycester Street in Lismore, 188.5 at The United on Johnston Street in Casino, and 187.5 at The Mobil and The Metro on River Street in Ballina.Have a great weekend!Now, have a laugh with the Friday Funnies.....

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a wanted man in Woodburn.Thomas Cochran-Byrnes, aged 19, is wanted on an outstanding warrant related to alleged domestic violence offences in the Woodburn area.As inquiries continue, officers attached to Richmond Police District have released an image of Thomas to locate him.Bradley is described as being of Caucasian appearance, with medium build, with brown hair and brown eyes.He is known to frequent the Lismore, Goonellabah and Woodburn areas.Anyone who sees him is urged not to approach him but to call Triple Zero (000) immediately. Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

The Living Living Lab's new exhibition, 'Circular Timber—From Salvage to Showcase,' was officially opened last night by Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin.In August 2024, the NSWRA announced a project involving the UTS School of Design where Associate Professor Berto Pandolfo and his team carefully deconstructed two buyback homes that could not be relocated. At the time, a statement said, "For homes that are not able to be relocated, where it is economically viable, materials will be salvaged and recycled as much as possible to reduce landfill."   Professor Pandolfo said this project was exciting "because of its history relating to the source of material and the potential for recovering material that was lost within the community.""Circularity is also an opportunity to develop new ways of thinking about how things are made."Mayor Steve Krieg said as a former woodwork teacher he admired the timbers that were used and the craftsmanship of its creators, "It's all about using these material in the best way possible," he said.Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin has been involved with the Living Lab since its inception, which involved the start of this project."I've seen the work that Berto and his team have done, and I saw it in practice; it's just wonderful.""I just wanted everyone to know that we will repurpose, we will also recycle where we can, but we're also in a recovery program that wasn't designed for that. So, a lot of the work that we do is catching up or trying to fit a square peg in a round hole."Elizabeth Mossop, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Academic Director of the Living Lab acknowledged the involvement and the engagement of the incredible Northern Rivers community of timber workers and makers.Part of that community was Dan and John from REDinc (a disability services provider) who created a coat rack and bench from hardwood."Dan actually saw it on Facebook," John said, "He came in one day and said, I've seen this thing on Facebook. So I spoke to Jenny London, who then contacted them, and they said, Great, send us a proposal. So we kind of talked about something simple we could make. And came up with a hatstand and the table, and then we thought a few candles to give, give it a bit of atmosphere.(Dan and John showing off their timber creation at last night's Circular Timber exhibition)Dan and John not only used a buyback home but also some old railway spikes when it was being cleared for the Rail Trail in another use or reusing materials designed for another purpose.Peter and Dave designed and built a cultural sunset dreaming seat."We came together to use it as a sculpture project for this, Sunset Dreaming. It's like when we go into our dreaming and just look at the sun going down in the afternoon," Peter explained.(Dave and Peter, behind their Sunset Dreaming creation)Dave was thinking about what could happen in the future. "We're open to the possibilities. I'm not sure what Dan and Susie, who are running the Living Lab here, what their idea is, but I think these are really designed as prototypes to potentially be used for future projects or installations."It'd be great to see a few of these around the city here. They're sort of nice objects for people to come and sit and share a space together."You can head into the Living Lab next week to read and take in the 'Circular Timber - From Salvage to Showcase' exhibition.The Living Lab is open Tuesday to Thursday between 1 and 4pm at 11 Woodlark Street, Lismore CBD (near the Molesworth Street roundabout).

Just when you were starting to enjoy some blue sky and sunshine, along comes a trough off the north coast and spoils the weekend.The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a high chance of showers from late morning today (Friday), the chance of a thunderstorm later this afternoon, and another wet weekend.Sarah Scully from the BOM said, "Onshore winds are continuing to bring showers to the East Coast, while a trough develops just off the New South Wales north coast, seeing an increase in shower and storm activity. Now they've got this coastal trough that is starting to deepen, and that's going to bring some instability with also some isolated afternoon storms for the northeast, moderate rainfall totals are possible about the coast north of Port Macquarie."Up to 7mm may fall today in our already sodden catchment, with falls of 4-30mm on Saturday and 2 to 15mm on Sunday as the winds come from the south/southeast.The showers and shower or two forecasts will continue into next week., the first week of the school holidays.We can only hope that the skies will clear for the Easter Long Weekend, although the joke is that it always rains over Easter in Lismore and the Northern Rivers.The BOM forecast is too early to get a reading on the Easter weather.However, the long-range forecasts were released by the BOM yesterday, and it is looking like a wet end to April but a drier May.The outlook for the two weeks from April 14 to 27 is for a 68% chance of above-median rainfall (that is greater than 51.3mm) and a 32% chance of unusually wet (that is greater than 124.8mm).For May, the odds are much improved, with a 54% chance of above-median rainfall (greater than 138.6mm), a 22% chance of unusually dry (less than 69.1mm), and a 20% chance of an unusually wet May (greater than 261.8mm).You can check out the latest weather from the BOM via the Lismore App Weather or the Weather Radar.

Youth Homeless Matters Day is next Wednesday, April 16. This day raises awareness about a situation that, according to the last census, affects nearly 300 youth in the Northern Rivers.Tony Davies, CEO of Social Futures, said that number had grown massively since the floods and by 4% in the last few months, according to their data."There are a whole range of things that contribute to that. Usually, when young people don't have somewhere to live, it's because there are issues going on in their family life at home. I mean, they can't live safely at home. So, it's really important that we put those resources in place to ensure that young people have the best chance to have a go."We know that if you can get people into good housing, they'll be able to continue with their education, get work, and time and time again, as the youth homelessness service here in the Northern Rivers and here in Lismore, we see the amazing outcomes and support for young people get. It just really blows me away.This year, leading into Youth Homelessness Matters Day, Social Futures, supported by Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, is asking people to donate an hour's pay to raise funds to help our youth by providing support and structure in keeping their lives together."By donating an hour's pay, what you can do is actually help young people get the things they need. It's about them getting personal items. It's about helping them with transport. It's about helping them with education, and it also shows young people that they really matter to us, and that we as a community care for them," Mr Davies said."There are some other things that can be done as well. We'd love it if the federal government would raise Youth Allowance and Job Seeker. We also really need our governments to invest in more dedicated youth housing, but if everyone in the community gets behind our young people, we can ensure that our whole community has an amazing future for the amazing young people that make up our Northern Rivers community."It's harder and harder for young people to get into the private rental market. Just because the cost of rental is so high, young people tend to have lower wages. If they're on Youth Allowance because they're studying, they get less than even a job seeker. So, they just can't afford to get into housing or even share accommodation. And so, we know that if we can invest in support, that'll make such a difference to their lives."Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin reiterated the important point of making sure that our young people have a home."A home gives young people the ability to create a life around themselves and family that they do have, and we know that for young people, that can be a real challenge, but I'm here to support social futures shine a light on the fact that we need to step up and help young people wherever we can."Social Futures are calling on the community at large to donate one hour's pay that will help with some of those extras. Obviously, that won't resolve all of the homelessness, but it's really to shine a light on the need in our community, and I understand what it's like for young people who are in that situation. I mean, it's a long time ago, but I know through my background what that's like to have someone, an organisation, step up and support you and take you through all the things that you need."I know with young people, they're going through changes in their life, big changes, developing and all of that. I also know for some of the young girls, just even getting access to sanitary products and things like that can be a real challenge, things that we take for granted, and that's why I'm here, really, to back Social Futures."Tony Davies explained how Social Futures supports 600-700 young people each year across the Northern Rivers."When a young person comes to us, one of our caseworkers will be able to engage with them one on one, understand what's going on there in their lives, understand what are some of the barriers that they have to be able to continue in education or to get into work, to get transport, and then they'll work through them."Sometimes it's as simple as helping people get the identification, helping them get some sort of income. And then, a lot of it is also that support, motivational support, so that people actually know that they've got someone in their corner. Because, as I said before, young people, often don't have a place to call home, it's through no fault of their own, and they need an adult in their corner to help them with that."It makes such a difference. We have so many stories of young people who, due to what's been going on in their lives, they haven't been able to make it to school, they haven't been able to make it to work, and they've had to deal with trauma. And remember, if you're a young person in the Northern Rivers, you've been through multiple major floods, fires, and the pandemic in the last seven years, and so there's a lot that we need to unpack and support our young people." The young people themselves are incredible. We see young people finish their education, get into work. We see young people get a driver's license and some get a car. It mightn't be the best car, but it means they can drive and get to work. We see young people actually able to engage, to re-engage with their families, to work through the issues there, to essentially lay the foundations for a really successful life in which they contribute so much more back to the community."It's always an incredible privilege to be able to see just how brilliant young people of this region are."18-year-old Jazmyn Kilburn told her story to the media today, highlighting the role that Social Futures has played in the last three years of her life."I became homeless at 16 because I left home due to a family breakdown, and I didn't think it was going to be challenging. I wasn't aware of some of the challenges that I would come across. I had to try and access my own payments through Centrelink, and then I had to find things, basic things, like my ID, and I also had to find places to sleep."I couch-surfed. I ended up in Link2Home accommodation for a decent amount of time. I actually dropped out of school and then went back after life was a bit less hectic. But it was harder than I thought it was going to be.Jazmyn first got in touch with Social Futures when she was 17."I had case workers, and they became like my family. They really did, hey, they taught me how to do basic things like setting up electricity in a transitional flat. I didn't know how to do that. I didn't know that I was meant to do simple things like that."I've got a rental now. After getting a transitional through Social Futures, I then moved on to a Rent Choice Youth Subsidy, and I've just been able to secure my first rental. So that's very exciting and different. It makes me feel like I've got stability Like, it's so good knowing I have a safe place to go to every day, that I can hold my own, and that I don't have to worry about that stuff anymore.Jazmyn is studying an Assistant's Agent Course hoping to work in real estate in the future, and, with a big smile on her face, announced she had just secured employment at her local IGA.Having been through a great deal in the last three years, what is Jazmyn's advice to other young people who need help?"It's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to not know what you're doing. But, just ask for help because it is there. I know I was scared to ask for help before I did."Luckily for Jazmyn, she knew people at school who were going through similar experiences."They were like, Hey, have you heard Social Futures can help? It was actually my peers, and my teachers, and my school counsellor that helped me to get linked with Social Futures, and I'm so grateful that happened because I don't know what my life would look like at the moment if I didn't have that support and assistance."If you would like to donate an hour of pay, or whatever you can spare, to local youth who are homeless, go to the Social Futures website.Social Futures has a range of services to support people who are experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, or in unstable housing. Call 1800 719 625 to contact our Connecting Home team. Social Futures does not provide emergency accommodation. If you are experiencing homelessness and need emergency accommodation, please call Link2Home 1800 152 152. 

Primex, the only family-owned agricultural field day in Australia, is in countdown mode, with five weeks to go until 30,000 visitors stream through the gates in its 41st-year of showcasing produce, machinery and services.For 2025, the focus is on the Future of Farming across the Northern Rivers. This area and its rich soils host a diversity of agriculture, from beef production to berry farming, from timber production to dairy produce, with a farm gate valued in excess of $1 billion per annum, according to the NSW DPI.Machinery exhibits at Norco Primex from May 15-17 will be complemented across the 32-hectare site by a range of agricultural businesses and suppliers alongside services from the likes of the NSW DPI and NSW Health with these field days generating between $45-70 million in sales each year annum and injecting an estimated $2.5-3.5 million into the region. Close to 50 per cent of visitors are primary producers from industries ranging from beef production to macadamia nut growers.The Casino field days were originally formulated as the Eastern Coast Rural Trade Expo by John Wright in 1985 and was one of his 1980s’ concepts _ including the inaugural Ballina Boat Show _ to supplement down times for the family’s Wright Hire company on the Gold Coast and at Alstonville in northern New South Wales. That first expo featured primarily farm machinery traders and attracted some 3000 visitors. Over 40 years the original horse paddock was transformed, with earthworks and infrastructure, into the Wright family’s Richmond Valley Events Centre, this year looking to host 1200 companies and more than 30,000 visitors.Norco AgriSolutions general manager Luke Couch says the company is immensely proud of its roots and commitment to serving Australian farmers. “Primex has been instrumental in supporting these values and has become the highlight of the year for us and our customers alike. It’s where we come together to celebrate innovation, share knowledge, and forge deeper connections with those we serve.”Norco Primex is now run by John’s son Bruce and his family from a Gold Coast office.  Bruce, after a stint at university, was 21 when first involved in helping organise the Casino event.“I was thrown in the deep end in a lot of ways. It’s been an interesting ride but I’m proud of how it’s developed as a showcase for agribusiness and the Northern Rivers,” Bruce said. Today he is a staunch advocate for the area’s agricultural industries and its communities. After his father John stepped away from the business Bruce took over ownership in 2017. Today Bruce’s son Tyler and daughter Makayli work from the Wright’s office in Southport alongside his wife Jan. It’s a small team until closer to the event when some 30 staff are on hand.The 2025 Norco Primex opens 9am to 4pm on Thursday, May 15, Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17. Tickets can be bought online _ for a 30 percent discount _ or at the gates. One-day pass $20; three-day pass $45. Children under 12 free; 12-17 day pass $10 + three-day pass $20. Student/pensioner: one-day pass $10; three-day pass $20. For more information, check www.primex.net.au.

Amanda Leck is the Head of Adaptation, Mitigation, and Reconstruction for the NSW Reconstruction Authority. She is in Ballina for two days with the Executive Directors across her group to do some business planning and to understand what the key priorities will be going forward."We're working together to really refine our priorities, to be able to understand what has to be delivered within given timeframes," Ms Leck told the Lismore App"We have many programs, particularly in the Northern Rivers, that are funded under the Disaster Recovery Funding arrangements, and they have allowable time limits, so some of our programs our time-bound and so we really need to be able to deliver all of those outcomes for the community within particular timeframes, so we really need to prioritise our efforts to get that work done. The biggest program the NSWRA is running is the Resilient Homes Program (RHP). Running side by side, so equally important but not as big, is the Resilient Lands Program (RLP).As we know, following the February 2022 big flood, the RHP is the largest assisted relocation program ever funded in Australia to support the Lismore and Northern Rivers communities to be able to adapt to increased and more extreme flooding."The program's design is to be able to buy back homes that are at extreme risk of flooding and either relocate and or remove those homes from the floodplain as well as to be able to support community members to either raise or retrofit their home such that in a future flooding event the home is more able to be washed out, post the flood, and people can get back to living their best life as quickly as possible. That program is due to finish in June 2027. And so we have a lot of work still to do. Ms Leck also said the RLP does not have the same time restrictions as the RHP because it is fully funded by the NSW state government. The RHP is co-funded between the federal and state governments."As your readers would be aware, even prior to the floods there was not much land supply in and around the Northern Rivers and that was due to some key issues around developers not investing in opening up land for housing in the region because of the financial risk associated with that."So, the RLP aims to accelerate land for development for housing. We've been working with each of the seven local councils to support them with funding to be able to open up land that will be suitable for residential housing." One of the concerns for our community has been around the uncertainty of how the RA determines whether a house is suitable for relocation or demolition. We hear the term 'strict risk assessment', but what is involved?"We use professionals to do a building assessment report on each of the homes. So, that is to understand, for example, the presence or absence of asbestos and other hazardous materials, the presence or absence of toxic mould for example."Some of these homes have been locked up for a period of time, post settlement, and so, given many of them had significant levels of floodwater or blackwater through them, some of them are mould impacted. Some of the homes are structurally unsound, so we're talking twisted beams, twisted posts, and the like that may not be immediately evident from the street. Some of the homes experienced quite significant water through them, and so they are assessed as being structurally unsound."Some of the homes, in terms of the risk assessment, we look at where the home is on the landscape, so it's proximity, for example, to the river and the flooding levels and velocity of water, so that we understand the risk of that home. Some of the homes that were brought back early in the program were in that highest flood risk hazard category."They experienced significant water through those properties, and that's why the RA prioritised those homes to be bought back early in the program. And the homes that you described in Bailley Street yesterday, are homes of that nature. The other part of the assessment is to understand if the home can be relocated, so some homes for example, are slab on ground and they're very construction materials mean that they're not able to be relocated." In terms of numbers, Amanda Leck said that 112 homes have been assessed for demolition and that last year 30 homes were demolished. This is all part of the ongoing assessments."As part of the program, we know that around 156 homes are able to be relocated, and we are working on the assessment for another 374 homes at the moment." Some of the homes that are deemed suitable for relocation were put up for sale earlier this year through an expression of interest. Ms Leck said that 24 are going through the contracting phase. The remaining seven (7) houses may be auctioned."We're just looking at the best way that we can offer those homes to the community. We are hoping to bring about 20 more homes to market for the community to purchase, and those homes are currently undergoing assessment, then they will be photographed and put up online as they were through the previous program." There have been a number of claims made through social media that the Lismore App wanted an RA response to. They include:CLAIM 1: The cost of demolishing a house is $110,000. Is that accurate?"No. So, the cost of a demolition is variable based on the size of the home and the nature of the materials that are in the home. Just as a member of the community would ask for some building work to be done at home, you get a quote and that's exactly what the RA has done. Some homes do not cost that much to demolish and some homes, obviously, cost a bit more demolished depending on their size." "If the home has asbestos, it's more expensive because the asbestos has to be removed and wrapped and disposed of using appropriate asbestos guidelines. So, you're not able to say that every house costs a certain amount to demolish."CLAIM 2: Our community was promised buyback homes would be relocated off the floodplain. "The RA has always said that we would do as much as practicable; that the RA would relocate, recycle and reuse buyback homes wherever possible. And that's innovative solutions like the relocation expression of interest to have aim to do just that. That's the first time a program like that has been run in Australia, and we wanted to do that initially to test the market to see whether community members were interested in purchasing those homes. And, in fact, we have found that is the case."The other thing we've allowed people to do is to gift their homes to family members or friends or neighbours and the like. Certainly, some people who have participated in the buyback program have done that, and those people who have received the home as a gift will be responsible for its relocation."We're also working with around 50 community members who participated in the buyback, we plan to relocate their own homes, and some of those relocations have already occurred to date with more planned."So there is a whole range of initiatives, if you like, that we are working through to either relocate the homes, to offer them to community members through the relocation expression of interest, the gifting policy I spoke about earlier, and then there are going to be a portion of the homes that we will need to demolish. CLAIM 3: No recycling, no reuse and no repurposing "Well, I can tell you that of the homes that we have demolished to date, more than 70% of materials have been recycled following demolition. So, we've recycled timber, meta,l concrete and organic material to date. That's 55 tonnes of metal was recycled, 883 tonnes of concrete, and 62.5 tonnes of timber have been recycled to date with that first tranche of demolitions that occurred in late 2024. So, more than a thousand tonnes of material have been recycled as part of that first tranche of demolition."With regard to the most recent demolition program that's underway at the moment, so the metal is being salvaged and reused where practicable, such as large beams and things like that, and transported to local scrap metal recyclers, so, InfraBuild for example."The timber is subject to a hygienist confirmation that there's no contamination with lead-based paint and that sort of thing, but where it can be salvaged and reused, such as large beams, for example, it is transported to local timber and or green waste recyclers. The contractor has been using the Lismore City Council Waste Transfer Station."And then concrete, the masonry, the bricks, the rubble, that sort of thing has been transported to licensed concrete recycling facilities for crushing and reuse and that's reused in things like road base and other Recycle concrete products."As part of the recycle, reuse process, there has been community concern over the old Big Scrub timbers. Why aren't homes deconstructed instead of demolished?"Deconstruction is a very expensive delivery model and can cost in the order of hundreds of thousands of dollars to deconstruct homes. There are also those safety concerns I spoke about earlier with regard to the presence or absence of hazardous materials and the like."This is government money, and so we are trying to do this in the most cost-effective way that still delivers outcomes around recycling. The fact that we've been able to recycle more than 70% of materials to date, and we anticipate even higher recycling numbers going forward, I think, demonstrates the RA is committed to recycling materials where practicable. What started as a program to move the most vulnerable people from the floodplain, has also become a political 'homelessness' issue. Do you feel stuck in the middle?"Look, I prefer not to comment on that. I'm a senior government employee and I will leave the politics to the politicians."

Seniors are skipping vital dental treatments because they can’t afford it - with declining oral health the result, new research shows.The Australian Dental Association (ADA) findings from its annual study of 25,000 people found in the last 12 months over half (55%) of all over 65s delayed seeking dental treatment.Affordability was the main reason, with two in three (64%) of over-65s delaying dental trips in the last year because they couldn’t afford it.Also, nearly half (47%) of this age group reported debilitating oral issues including recent tooth or gum pain, mouth or face swelling, or a mouth infection, compared to 36% of the rest of the community.Further, seniors make fewer trips to the dentist than the rest of the population – with 37% of seniors visiting every 2-5 years compared to 35% of other age groups, and 23% of seniors visiting every 5 years compared to 20% of other age groups.And in a cost of living crisis, it’s not surprising that the number of people of all ages who’ve delayed has risen by nearly 20% since 2011. Dentists are doing their best to keep costs down with fees increasing much less than CPI over the past 10 years, however dentistry is a costly service to provide, as practices are effectively mini operating theatres.“These findings provide a clear picture of what’s happening to the mouths of thousands of Australians over 65,” said ADA President Dr Chris Sanzaro. “They can’t get to the dentist regularly because they can’t afford it and so their mouths become a battleground of pain and infection management.“Some end up in the Emergency Departments - the ADA has found that 16,000 seniors were admitted to hospital for treatment of painful dental issues in 2022-23.“That figure is expected to rise to 22,630 by 2027-28, representing a 42% increase from an already unacceptable level. It’s a health trend that worsens by the year.”Other key findings:When asked if they’d had the issue treated, 76% of over 65s said there was a barrier to treatment and cost was the main barrier to treatment for 65% of those.Conversely the number of people visiting the dentist more often than every 2 years, has increased by 11% in the last eight years from 2017-2024, which could relate to the financial status of some respondents.One in three (30%) commonly said unexpected problems that could crop up during a checkup and which may need unaffordable treatment, was another reason for staying away.Dr Sanzaro added: “With 76% of Australians supporting the introduction of a seniors dental scheme, it clearly demonstrates the groundswell of public opinion supporting our Seniors Dental Benefits Schedule.“If that's not clear proof that most Australians are behind the seniors’ scheme and want to see it put into action, then nothing is.”

The queue of people at Lismore Square this morning was something Lismore had not seen before. The line of people started inside the Square, near Coles, and snaked down the escalators to the carpark, through the carpark, and onto Brewster Street.The reason? To receive a $100 or $200 Coles voucher thanks to thanks to Australian billionaire Adrian Portelli. In total $70,000 was given to those in the community who need help.Travis was the person at the front of the line, so the first to shake hands with Adrian and receive his voucher."I got here at 6am," Travis said, "I had heard about it and figured it's going to be pretty hectic, so I needed to get in early. I just figured I need the money, I need the groceries."(Travis was the first to receive his Coles voucher from Adrian)"It's a bit hard, renting week to week, living paycheck to paycheck, but this is going to help a lot with dinner and everything."Adrian is probably better known as the "Lambo guy" after turning up in his yellow Lamborghini and buying multiple properties on Channel 9's The Block in recent years. He is based in Melbourne and made his fortune through his company, LMCT+, which offers luxury shopping discounts and giveaways. This wasn't the first time Adrian had offered help in various communities throughout Australia. He said he doesn't like the media turning up at these events because it brings into question that the exercise is a publicity stunt instead of helping people in need."We started doing it with ToyWorld. So we were helping out children and families put presents under the tree. And then we decided to mix it up a bit. And what else do families need? They need their groceries and to put food on the table. So we started to team up with Coles because they've looked after me over the years. That's where the idea came from."Like I said, we've been doing this for years and years and years, and we didn't have the whole media storm. It's only recently, you know, I bloody got into the whole media thing. The media show up and take videos, and it's annoying because it almost discredits what we do. Because, unfortunately, people do think that we're doing it for publicity. But like I said, we did this for five years before this, and no one knew it, so just the people that are tight-knit in the community.This is not Adrian's first time in Lismore, as he came to see the devastation after the 2022 floods."Lismore has always had it tough. When we came out a couple of years ago, we saw the devastation it had on the community. I've never seen anything like that. It looked like a third-world country when we came here last, it was unbelievable. A bloody plane in a tree, and the devastation was incredible."So, to come out here today, it means a lot. And the community, as you can see, has come out in numbers, and they need assistance. So we're here to help."(Part of the queue that snaked its way to Brewster Street at Lismore Square)"Obviously, I meet thousands of people. The stories are heartbreaking. As we said, we don't film all that, and we don't really speak about the encounters we have. But, yeah, it's just, it's heartwarming to be able to give assistance."Adrian is a bit of a rock star in Lismore, and wherever he goes handing out the vouchers. The people in the queue were clapping, high-fiving, and paying him compliments as he took a walk along the line of recipients.Lismore was the third stop after Brisbane and the Gold Coast over the last few days, with $210,000 of grocery vouchers distributed to the community.The next stop for Adrian and his team is Western Australia."We haven't done Western Australia yet, so maybe we'll pop over to the west. It's the last state we haven't touched. So we might do Western Australia, and then we might do a loop around again."If you missed out today, Adrian gave the impression he will be back, we just don't know when.