The Northern Rivers Watershed Initiative (NRWI) is well underway with projects coming online across the region in riparian restoration and catchment revegetation, landscape rehydration, redesigned floodplain drainage and soil health improvements. A community planting took place last Friday (May 2) to help plant 400 rainforest trees near the confluence of the Wilsons River and Coopers Creek, in close proximity to the Boatharbour Nature Reserve. The event was attended by Boatharbour Landcare, Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy, Rous staff, including Phillip Rudd, General Manager, and members of Rous’ governing body, Cr Steve Krieg and Cr Eva Ramsey. Anthony Acret, Catchment and Cultural Awareness Manager at Rous, noted the importance of riparian restoration as part of the NRWI. Riparian restoration and catchment revegetation works will provide benefits to water quality and natural flood mitigation through reducing erosion, increasing resilience of riverbanks and acting as a natural barrier to slow the flow of floodwater across the landscape,” said Anthony Acret. “We are pleased to see the community turn out to help plant trees as part of the initiative and here in support of the program.” The NRWI highlights the valuable collaboration between councils and organisations across the Northern Rivers, all working together toward shared goals, according to Phillip Rudd, General Manager, Rous. “The Boatharbour planting day emphasises our community’s support for the NRWI and the long-term benefits that natural restoration projects can bring to our region’s ecosystems and river systems,” said Phillip Rudd. “Speaking on behalf of the NRWI partners, we are grateful for the $5M grant from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, championed by Janelle Saffin MP, to launch the NRWI over two years.” Originally designed as a $150 million project across the region, the NRWI is a catchment and estuary restoration program endorsed by the Northern Rivers Joint Organisation (NRJO) to address ecosystem health, water security and flood risk issues across the Tweed, Brunswick, Richmond and Evans River systems. The NRWI was originally created through partnerships between Whian Whian Landcare, Lismore City Council's Floodplain Risk Management Committee and Rous. The Northern Rivers Joint Organisation and Lismore MP Janelle Saffin were integral in advocating for the NRWI, which is being led by Rous in partnership with six local councils (Ballina Shire Council, Byron Shire Council, Kyogle Council, Lismore City Council, Richmond Valley Council and Tweed Shire Council), North Coast Local Land Services and the Casino Food Coop. About Rous County CouncilRous is an organisation of experts and advisors supplying the Northern Rivers with water, weed biosecurity, and rural flood mitigation. Water: Rous sources, stores, treats and supplies water to the Ballina, Byron, Lismore and Richmond Valley councils. These councils then on-sell this water to their communities. Rous is proud to provide high-quality drinking water to approximately 110,000 people in the region.Weed biosecurity: Rous protects the region’s biodiversity by managing and eradicating high-risk weed species. We work closely with communities and councils in Ballina, Byron, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Kyogle and Tweed Shire regions.Rural flood mitigation: Rous manages the rural flood mitigation for the Richmond River floodplain. This includes monitoring and managing an 80km network of levees, 750 floodgates, and 180km of drains to reduce inundation and divert flood waters.

Running a business, small, medium or large, can be very challenging, especially here in Lismore and the Northern Rivers when you consider the natural disaster factor.A new course called Business Beyond Disasters launches today and runs for 10 weeks. It is designed for the extremely busy lives of owners and managers alike, and will be open until the end of the year.CEO of Resilient Ready, Renae Hanvin, told the Lismore App that the microlearning program is free for all businesses and nonprofits operating across the Northern Rivers."Each week, we issue out a new module which has a different topic. It's all focused on learning how to build resilience in your business or nonprofit in five-minute intervals. I know that, as a small business person myself, it's hard to find the time in the headspace to think about preparing for disruptions, so we've broken it down into little things that can be done in five-minute intervals."Each of the modules has some questions just to prompt your thinking; really simple questions. We've got really simple worksheets so you can print them out or fill them out online, catch up with the business person next door to again get you thinking about how to better prepare, and they also have a local case study video. So these are sort of about five-minute videos, which are with local Northern Rivers business people, and they share their experiences relating to each of the module topics." As an example, Renae spoke about filming Brad and Steve from the Goat Collective last week. The Lismore-based operation talks about competitor collaborations."They actually met as two competitors working in the rebuild after the flood recovery," Renae explained, "And they worked sort of side-by-side for 12 months, and then thought we should just go into business together, so now they're a great example of working together." The Business Beyond Disasters is not just focused on natural disasters; it deals with various disruptions to businesses, such as an economic downturn or a COVID-type scenario."The sort of impacts to your business is pretty much 80% going to be the same. So, the topics that we look at are things like the 80/20 rule, how you can plan for all types of disruptions at once? We look at your essential operation, so what are the baseline parts of your business that you need to make sure you can safely keep trading?"We look at operating through disasters, like what things can you set up so if you need to operate from a different premises or again connecting to see some competitors and get those plans sorted; essential information, so the likes of your insurance premiums or other customer or client data. How do you get them when it's all being a bit disrupted?"Insurance, I know lots of people hate talking about insurance. It's complex. It's boring, it's expensive. Some people can't get it. We've got a great case study from a local insurance advisor who's been in the business for 56 years in the Northern Rivers and Mike's got some awesome knowledge to share with people about the choices you can make."We look at financial viability. Again, don't put your head in the bucket; go and get help, there's help out there, because if your cash flow is not working and you're going back financially, that has major consequences both personally and professionally."We look at evacuation triggers, so if you know what the warning signs are for all types of disruptions, and disasters can bring opportunities. Whilst a lot of businesses we have spoken to have, I hate the word, but pivoted and are now doing some great things as an outcome of disruptions."The Business Beyond Disaster program was designed by Renae back in 2021 with different communities in NSW, including Lismore. They have been run in Kangaroo Island, south of Adelaide, and the Great Ocean Road in Victoria with a large take-up and positive results."Disaster preparedness and thinking about your business operations is not necessarily what you wake up to do every morning, but the results have been really great. Some people have actually changed their whole business structures because looking at things like financial liability, they've realised that they've got one revenue stream and that's a major risk, so they've diversified revenue streams. "We have a whole plethora of modules with about 50 module topics. In Yeppoon in Queensland, they had a module on Can't Keep Going and the data told us that 25% of those businesses wanted to close their doors, which is pretty alarming for a regional town. So, we then got to look at why and realised they just needed help with a bit of marketing, and again, things like diversifying revenue streams."Each module has two questions that we ask, and we share that back with the funders, which is Reconstruction New South Wales, so they can see what the trends are and look to do things to enhance it. So, like the Yeppoon example, where they were telling us that they were thinking about closing down. We did some workshops and got them some support in some key areas, and as a result, not many of them shut down, which is a great outcome." There are five specific versions of the Business Beyond Disaster program depending on the type of your business:Retail, professional services and educationAgribusiness and aqua businessTourismHealth and social servicesConstruction, trade and manufacturing.  More information can be found at the Reconstruction Authority (RA) website.You can sign up for the 10-week program by clicking here. Business Beyond Disasters is jointly funded by the Australian Government and the NSW Government. 

The Salvation Army's Red Shield Appeal is celebrating sixty-one years of national fundraising that helps people in local communities who are having a tough time, including some students at Lismore and Goonellabah Public Schools.The Red Shield Appeal has changed quite a bit since COVID ran rampant through the country in 2020. What once had been an annual doorknock, traditionally in the last week in May, has turned into a digital doorknock fundraising event that includes June as well.Captain Philip Sutcliffe from the Northern Rivers Salvos said people can create their own fundraising page on the Salvos website, plus they will still be out and about in the community."We're just kicking off the appeal, and our biggest focus around here will be the last two weeks of May. We'll be out at different events and shopping centre locations. We'll be collecting out at Primex, and then we'll cover Ballina Fair, Alstonville Plaza, and Lismore Square throughout the last couple of weeks of May. And then we've got a number of other events that we'll be fundraising at. We've got some schools on board who are doing fundraisers, barbecues, and things like that as well."For those worried that the money raised in Lismore and the Northern Rivers will be sent out of the area, Capt Sutcliffe wants to make it clear that all money raised here will stay here."The money that's fundraised locally stays local, and that's been a huge change for us, and the way that we can actually deliver programs and services here."So, we have a number of key projects that our Red Shield Appeal money goes to across the region. We cover Richmond Valley, Lismore, Ballina and Byron LGA's (local government areas)."Down in Ballina, we do a free community barbecue every Wednesday, and we're seeing about 100 people come through every week now. We provide a barbecue lunch, coffee and other things like that.""There's a really wide mix of people who are coming down there, and obviously, other people smell the barbecue and come across. We're in a good location down in Ballina, opposite the bus interchange there, so we get a lot of people coming through who just want to stop by and have a feed and have someone to chat to on Wednesday."On top of the weekly Wednesday barbecue, Capt Sutcliffe and the team deliver hot meals on Sunday nights."We go out and deliver them to those sleeping rough around the Ballina community. We've been delivering between 40 and 50 hot meals every Sunday night to the community. So, that's where our Red Shield money is at work, down in the Ballina community.(Auxiliary-Lieutenant Soseh Cowham (front left) with volunteers Carolyn (back left), Vicki (back right) and Dianna, cooking meals to deliver to people experiencing homelessness. Photo: supplied)"Here in Lismore and Goonellabah, we've been supporting a couple of local public schools with long-life food packs to help students. We found both of those schools have a lot of students going without lunch, and obviously, when you've got an empty stomach, it's hard to concentrate and hard to learn."So, in partnership with those two public schools, we've been able to provide about 100 lunch packs every term, which the teachers can distribute to students, and give them something healthy to eat.(Caption - Salvos Stores Area Managers help Northern Rivers Salvos pack 200 Food Packs for local Public Primary Schools. Photo: supplied) "We've also heard stories back from the schools that sometimes they're actually sending those packs home with them as well, so the students have got something to eat at nighttime as well. It's really heartbreaking in the world that we live in, with so much availability of food and so much food wastage, that there's people in our community who are going without. So, wherever we can help there, it's fantastic."The money also helps subsidise our low-cost Food Pantry, so we can keep the prices very low. And when people are struggling to even be able to afford to buy groceries out of the pantry, we provide vouchers that people can then go and shop in the food pantry, and all of that comes out of our Red Shield money."The biggest project we do is obviously our Christmas Cheer Appeal. So, what we fundraise in May goes to help buy all our toys, food hampers, and vouchers that we distribute at Christmas time. Last year, we had 285 families and nearly 500 kids who got assistance during our Christmas Cheer Appeal, so that on Christmas day, they had a hamper of food and toys under the Christmas tree, so that they could have a fantastic Christmas Day."(Northern Rivers Salvos - Christmas Toy Warehouse, helping provide Toys and hampers for 450 Local kids at Christmas. Photo: supplied)If you would like to donate money to help local children, families and those in need, click here to go through the website or look for The Salvos at the upcoming local events and at shopping centres.For those who fundraise over $500 on The Salvation Army's Door Knock page, you will be sent a pair of Salvation Army socks.

Last Wednesday (April 30) was International Guide Dog Day. A day when Guide Dogs NSW/ACT shone a light on the local hospitality venues and businesses, helping to build a more accessible and inclusive world for people with low vision and blindness.The new Guide Dog campaign is called ‘Is Inclusion on Your Menu?’ Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is not only raising awareness of the legal rights of Guide Dog handlers, but also celebrating the cafes, restaurants, and community spaces that are already doing it right.While research reveals that 80% of Australians living with low vision or blindness experience barriers to public access, and that cafés and restaurants are among the most common places where refusals still occur, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is supporting business action access strategies to decrease refusals and create an accessible world.Regional communities are leading the charge, where local businesses are actively creating inclusive environments that welcome Guide Dog handlers and value accessibility.Jessica Hough is a client connections specialist with Guide Dogs and is based in the Alstonville office. Jess told the Lismore App that the campaign was about highlighting some of the problems that people who use guide dogs experience when they access hospitality venues."Anecdotally, of course, this is much more of an issue in more built-up areas. It seems that in the Northern Rivers, everybody's a little bit more relaxed and happy to take the time to learn how to be good at including people. "I would say that by and large, in the Northern Rivers, even though there's always room for improvement, we are very, very lucky to have a really good, inclusive, open-minded hospitality Industry.For any readers who are in the hospitality game, below are Jess' Top 4 tips on how to look after somebody who is vision impaired:If a person who is blind or has low vision comes to your venue, introduce yourself and don’t be afraid to ask how you can help them.Announce the items you bring to the table such as menus, drinks or meals.Offer to explain what is on the table using the clock-face method, eg “your drink is at two o’clock.If a person has a guide dog, provide all your attention to the person and ignore the guide dog.Jess acknowledges that point four can be very difficult to uphold. After all, who doesn't love to pet a dog?"It is honestly so hard. It's so hard. They're so cute and gorgeous, and well-behaved, and you just really want to pat them, but when they're working. It's really important to the person who is the dog handler that this dog is paying attention. It's about their safety. It's a safety issue."So, it's just really important that, as hard as it is, ignore that dog. Do not pat it."So, in Lismore and the Northern Rivers, which businesses are best at looking after a vision-impaired person?"We chose to celebrate International Guide Dog at Swish in Ballina because they just do such a good job. Their staff are really on the ball and they go the extra mile, like bringing the points of sale to the table rather than having people go to the counter, things like that."It was really, really close though between Swish and The Bank in Lismore, because they are also just so good at it."It doesn't matter what time you go in or what staff member you get; they immediately understand that you have got a vision impairment and go right into adjusting their serving style to meet your needs. And it's just really nice to be able to go to a venue and feel welcome. It's an easy process because getting around with blindness and low vision can be very challenging, so it's nice to be able to just be part of the community and for it to be a seamless, nice experience."If any business owner or manager would like help to improve their vision-impaired customer experience, feel free to contact Jess."They can definitely reach out to us in the Alstonville office, to reach out to me specifically. We have a brochure that's really simple, but staff can read and digest it very quickly."The hospitality industry is not a slow-paced one, so it's designed to make it easy for the staff to get a handle on it. So, they are absolutely welcome to contact me and I'll email them a brochure or I'll pop in and see them and give them one."To get in touch, email connections@guidedogs.com.au or call 02 9412 9489. You can leave a message.

The constant rain in the past two months has made it difficult to get into the garden. One aspect of gardening that is not difficult in any weather is composting.Today is the start of International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) (May 4 to 10). This week, the focus of ICAW will be on selling the benefits of composting as nature’s master tool in fighting climate change.They say that as the world and global governments tackle the effects of climate change through increased frequency of extreme weather events, such as flooding or bushfires, we have a powerful tool at our fingertips that can combat climate change — compost. Compost benefits the climate by reducing greenhouse gas emissions at landfills, enhancing carbon dioxide uptake by vegetation, which helps to increase our resilience to the effects of climate change.“As a community, we can all contribute to a healthy planet by keeping food scraps out of landfill, and one of the ways is through composting either at home or through a council-provided collection service,” says Chris Rochfort, CEO of the Centre for Organic Research & Education (CORE).Compost is nature’s master tool to combat climate change in many ways:Reduces the amount of organic waste that goes to landfill, which when disposed to landfill breaks down anaerobically and releases methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential around 28 times that of carbon dioxide over a 100-year period.Improves drainage and aeration in the soil.Produces a nutrient-rich soil amendment.Retains soil moisture and reduces plant diseases/pests.Reduces heat island effects in urban areas.Increases resilience to the effects of climate change, such as drought and extreme weather.“By returning compost back to the soil, it improves plant health and promotes biodiversity. If we reduce and recycle organic materials such as garden organics and food organics (FOGO), we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions at landfills, promote uptake of carbon dioxide by vegetation, and make our environment more resilient to the effects of a changing climate,” Mr Rochfort said.He added: “Compost is one of nature’s essential building blocks that can solve so many of humanity’s current challenges, from climate change, such as soil moisture loss and contaminated run-off and sediment from entering our waterways. This is on top of compost being a fantastic amendment to add to soils to assist plant growth, nutrient retention and storing carbon. There’s no other product that can fulfil as many functions as compost can, and it can also save you money on using fertilisers and additional water.“Compost may not be the most conventional solution to combating climate change, but it’s something that every household can do to utilise its full potential and stop our landfill pollution, save our soil and reduce our emissions.”ICAW is a week during which Australians are encouraged to promote the importance and benefits of composting in their local communities. CORE, a public charity, has been championing this international awareness campaign exclusively in Australia for the past 20 years. ICAW has contributed to reducing organic waste going to landfill and at the same time improving biodiversity in soils, and building up resilience to extreme weather events. 

The National Party's Kevin Hogan has won the seat of Page in the 2025 Federal Election.On a bleak night for the Coalition, Mr Hogan was comfortably returned for a fifth election win. He was first elected in 2013 when he defeated then Federal Member Janelle Saffin.With 77.5% of the vote counted, Mr Hogan was ahead of Labor's Wendy Backhous in the two-party preferred count 58.9% to 41.1%.There is a swing against Mr Hogan of 1.8% at 9:36pm, with his primary vote down only 0.2%. However, the people of Page have voted him in to represent the electorate under a dominant Anthony Albanese Labor government."It is very humbling to be re-elected as our community representative in Canberra. I thank the people for their support," Mr Hogan told the Lismore App"I acknowledge the other candidates, who were a great and interesting group of people, all reflecting our wonderfully diverse community."I thank all my helpers and supporters, I literally couldn't have done this without you. To my staff, who go above and beyond in helping people in our community, they are a great team. Thank you."To my family, Karen, Bridget, Sean and Ruby, and Rosie, your love and support sustains me in this role. I love you, and thank you."We have a wonderful leading democracy, I wish the government well. There are many challenges we face, but I am always optimistic about our future due to the character of the Australian people."At Labor headquarters, Wendy Backhous was celebrating the Labor Party victory."I am very excited, everyone is excited," Ms Backhous said, "Absolutely so happy that Labor has won and Mr Dutton has lost his seat.""I am very pleased we have closed the margin in Page. The volunteers work so hard. They have done an amazing job and we were up against it. But I think people are starting to understand there's been a bit of a shift, so watch this space."When asked if she will be the Labor candidate again in four years, Ms Backhous said, "A lot of people are talking to me about it, and I'm keen."Another person keen to stand again in three years' time is The Greens Dr Luke Robinson."It's been really encouraging the whole campaign, and good energy. It looks like we got some good swings, possibly double our vote (primary vote) from last time, so it think that's going to be good for a future campaign."The Greens primary vote increased from 8.5% to 14.7%."We brought back some of the vote that was initially lost to Hannabeth Luke, but we've come back with even more than we lost. People that used to vote for Labor are now voting for us I think. So, I think we can continue that trend and I expect, maybein the next election round, we'll get ahead of Labor on the primary vote, and then you never know what's going to happen after that."As for another tilt in 2028?"It's all got to be okayed by our local members, but I'm keen and I think most of our local members are keen, so it will probably be a bit of a continuous campaign over the next few years I think."To the victor goes the spoils, so Kevin Hogan, his team and supporters will more than likely celebrate into the night as another election ends.

Over seventy thousand people travelled to their local voting centres today to cast their vote for the 2025 Federal Election.The weather was unpredictable, although there was definitely more sun on offer this afternoon.According to the Australian Electoral Commission, 49,291 people voted early this election, which is 38.1% of the registered electoral voters in the seat of Page. That has risen 6% from the 2022 election. In 2019, 29.9% of people voted early, so the trend to cast an early vote is growing.The number of postal applications was 7,467, which left 72,692 people to vote on election day.The reasons for voting on election day itself varied, with some people saying it was because of work, some had plenty of time on their hands, some liked the Aussie Democracy Sausage, while others thought about voters giving people jobs who worked for the AEC.The democracy sausage was not available at all voting centres, disappointing some whose expectations were high to join the Aussie election tradition.The three major candidates voted in different parts of the electorate and at different times.Dr Luke Robinson voted yesterday at the Goonellabah pre-poll centre, Wendy Backhous voted at the Mullaway Public School, just north of Woolgoolga, around lunchtime, and Kevin Hogan voted at the Wollongbar Hall with his family just after 3pm.(Kevin and Karen Hogan voting at the Wollongbar Community Hall this afternoon, along with their family Sean, Rosie and Ruby)Voting centres close at 6pm, when the counting begins.If it goes as expected, the Page result will be known very early in the night, with sitting member Kevin Hogan being returned for a fifth term.Results will be published on the Lismore App Facebook page during the evening and, once declared, on the Lismore App.

Southern Cross University Council has announced the re-appointment of Professor Tyrone Carlin as Vice-Chancellor, who will continue to serve in an ongoing role.University Chancellor Sandra McPhee AM said the Council was confident Professor Carlin would continue to strengthen the University’s strategic direction and impact.“Professor Carlin has led Southern Cross through a transformative period, shaped by our commitment to changing lives through revolutionary learning and research with real impact,” Chancellor McPhee said.“Council has been particularly impressed by his ability to harness the collective talent and dedication of our University community, and the seemingly infinite energy he brings to the role.”Since his initial appointment in 2020, Professor Carlin has guided the University through significant achievements, punctuated by the disruptions of a pandemic and natural disasters, including:the implementation and ongoing development of the bold Southern Cross Model of learning;a doubling of research funding and a steady increase in the number and quality of publications, evidenced by Southern Cross’s consistent rise in global ranking systems;improved financial position, which is allowing investment in new courses and other services;re-imagined campuses through initiatives such as the Lismore and Gold Coast Master Plans.“Professor Carlin’s focus on clarity of purpose and strategy has delivered tangible results across every part of the institution,” Chancellor McPhee said.“Together with my Council colleagues, I am delighted to have the opportunity of working with Tyrone and our talented, dedicated people as we continue the implementation of our ambitious strategy. Southern Cross is now globally recognised as one of the finest young universities, and our strengthened community connections reflect our commitment to the communities we serve.”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the newest tool in the arsenal to prevent the degradation and depletion of forests, with new research revealing how the technology can help protect the ecosystem. Charles Darwin University (CDU) researchers collaborated on an international study, led by the University of Sri Lanka, to develop an AI model that detects changes in forest cover, or the amount of land surface covered by trees. According to the United Nations, between 2000 and 2022 there was a net forest area loss of 100 million hectares. Researchers took U-Net architecture - which is used for image segmentation often in biomedical image analysis - and adapted it to compare past and present pictures of the ecosystem and detect where forest loss has occurred. This custom model was fed a dataset of images from Google Earth and was able to detect forest cover changes with an accuracy of 94.37 per cent. Researchers also tested the model on other datasets, which had an accuracy rate of 97.82 per cent and 98.44 per cent respectively.Co-author and CDU Associate Professor in Information Technology Bharanidharan Shanmugam said the model was ideal for real-world applications because it produced high accuracy rates despite needing fewer training samples. “Traditional methods for forest cover monitoring often struggle with accuracy and efficiency. Many rely on manual interpretation, which is time-consuming and prone to errors,” Associate Professor Shanmugam said. “Our research provides a powerful tool for governments, environmental agencies and conservationists to detect and monitor deforestation more effectively.“By leveraging deep-learning techniques, our model enables rapid analysis of satellite images, allowing authorities to identify high-risk areas and respond to deforestation before irreversible damage occurs. “Unlike traditional approaches that require extensive manual effort, our method automates the process, making large-scale monitoring more feasible and cost-effective.”The study was a collaboration between the University of Sri Lanka, CDU, Friedrich-Alexander University in Germany, University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka, and the University of Otago in New Zealand. Co-author and CDU Lecturer in Information Technology Dr Thuseethan Selvarajah said another advantage was the model can function with limited labelled data. “This makes it highly adaptable for use in regions where high-quality training datasets may not be available,” Dr Selvarajah said.“Whether deployed in tropical rainforests, boreal forests, or temperate woodlands, the model can provide valuable insights for conservation efforts. "By integrating this technology into existing environmental monitoring frameworks, governments and conservation organisations can enhance their ability to protect forests, enforce regulations, and mitigate the long-term impacts of deforestation. “In the broader context, this research contributes to global efforts in combating climate change and preserving biodiversity.”

It is Election Day throughout Australia, as those who haven't voted in pre-poll head to the multitudes of voting centres in Page and Richmond to cast their vote to see which candidate will represent each federal seat for the next three years.Wherever you vote, make sure you have an umbrella or raincoat as there is a very high chance of rain today with strong, cold southeasterly winds.In the seat of Page, it would take a minor miracle for any of the ten other candidates to topple sitting member Kevin Hogan. After his win in 2022, Page is now considered a safe National Party seat with over 60% of the two-party preferred vote.For Labor's Wendy Backhous and The Greens Dr Luke Robinson, the hope is to reclaim lost ground following the last federal election when Hanabeth Luke, the Teal candidate, took 13% of the primary vote.We will discover how Page voted later tonight. In the meantime, if you are unsure of where to vote, click on the 2025 Federal Election button (orange) on the front page of the Lismore App. Click on 'Voting on Election Day' and enter your suburb, location or postcode. A list of voting centres close to you will display.Voting hours are 8am to 6pm. If you choose not to vote, the fine is $20.With the finish line in sight, the Lismore caught up with the three leading candidates to get their final thoughts and reasons why you should cast your vote their way.KEVIN HOGAN - NATIONALS(Kevin Hogan handing out 'How to Vote' cards at the Goonellabah pre-poll yesterday)"I'm looking forward to the finish line. It's a big ask for a lot of volunteers that we have, and the people who support us for the 10 days of pre-poll. They're all volunteers handing out, so it's a big, big effort."But look, I'm feeling optimistic. A lot of positive feedback from the community. I've been on pre-poll every day, so you get to speak to a lot of people over the two weeks, which is always fun as well. Very positive feedback here. So I'm optimistic.""There are national polls which might say otherwise, but the feeling here locally, in our community, is very positive; they want a change of government. They're happy. They're saying, look, keep going with what you're doing. But I'm getting a lot of despondency with the government. And I think, and I might be wrong, but I'd be very surprised, that the result here will show that people are despondent with the current government for all the reasons that they're telling me, cost of living amongst the most important."WENDY BACKHOUS - LABOR(Wendy Backhous (left) with volunteers at pre-poll in Grafton)"A vote for Mr Hogan is a vote for Mr Dutton and his nuclear black hole, which will mean higher taxes and huge cuts to health, education, and the public services we all rely on. Labor will build a cheaper renewable future and a better, more productive Australian economy that unites rather than divides us and provides stability in these uncertain times."DR LUKE ROBINSON - THE GREENS(Dr Luke Robinson hamming it up outside the Goonellabah pre-poll centre yesterday)"Well, this election, we have a choice between having clear, ambitious and costed policies from us in The Greens, or the current approach from the current member, Kevin Hogan, which seems to be for pork barrelling, little bribes around different people in the electorate, but nothing really serious to take long term approaches to the cost of living crisis we face and and the housing crisis and the climate crisis we face."Is there a chance for The Greens to have the balance of power in a minority government?"I think so. It's really difficult to tell with the polls, particularly when we have such diverse electorates over the country. The two-party preferred vote, I think, is an outdated way of looking at politics in Australia because everything's local now. You can have Teal's, you can have Greens, you can have other independents competing for the major parties in seats now. So, I think it's a seat-by-seat count, and it'll be very interesting to see how it goes."But I'm still expecting a likely minority Labor government that will need The Greens and other cross benches to get their support in the lower house and also in the Senate, which has always been the case."In the nearby seat of Richmond, Labor's Justine Elliot has been in power since 2004. The margin is 8.2%, which says the seat is safe. However, when you look a little closer, it won't take much of a swing to The Greens Mandy Nolan to win the seat. This will depend on the National Party's Kimberly Hone.In 2022, the gap between the three parties was only 4.5% when The Greens were excluded. Preferences flowed strongly to Justine Elliot, who was comfortably re-elected.The interesting point is that if The Greens can beat Labor into the last two parties, then The Greens will win Richmond. As the margin was so close in 2022, that remains a real possibility.The Lismore App will have live coverage of the 2025 Federal Election after polling centres close at 6pm on our Facebook page.

The Easter/ANZAC holidays are over, school is back, and life is returning to its usual work/life balance pattern.One aspect that has not changed this week and into the weekend is the wet weather.The Bureau of Meteorology predicts 2mm to 15mm on Saturday and 2mm to 10mm on Sunday, with a very high (90%) chance of showers.That does not make for good reading for anyone involved in outdoor sports over the weekend. Check in with your club to see if the games/matches are still going ahead.The most important event over the weekend is tomorrow's (Saturday's) 2025 Federal Election. We should clarify this by saying that it is important to most and unimportant to some.Incidentally, the fine for not voting is $20, unless you provide a good reason why you didn't vote.If you are looking for where you can vote tomorrow, click on the 2025 Federal Election button on the front page of the Lismore App, scroll down to 'Voting on Election Day' and enter your postcode or area. A list of options near you will be displayed.Voting booths are open across the country from 8am to 6pm. The Lismore App will cover the election results for the seat of Page and Richmond from 6pm via our Facebook page.(Zadoc Street pre-poll centre)MardiGrass 2025 is underway in the popular township of Nimbin.There are a host of activities, events and live music throughout the three days, including Sunday's Cannabis Law Reform Rally & Parade at 2pm.You can check out the schedule by clicking here.One weekly event that runs rain, hail or shine is the Lismore Farmers Market tomorrow morning from 7:30 at the Lismore Showground.Fresh fruit and veg, coffee/tea and juices, hot breakfast, crocheted gifts, orchids, and loads more items for you to peruse and buy. Tapestry Road will be providing the live music.The popular annual Our Kids Day Out in Ballina is on Sunday, May 4, at the Missingham Bridge Amphitheatre from 9am.Organiser, Rebekka Battista, is confident the weather will clear for the event, with showers likely in the late afternoon.From Paw Patrol to Big Dog, magic, music, wildlife and much more: get ready for an action-packed, free day out for the whole family. The on-stage schedule is:9.00am       Ballina Pipe Band9.15am       Musical Munchkins with Sheyzo9.50am       Miss Beka and Little Cherry9.55am       NBN Big Dog10.05am     The Blaze Magic Show10.30am     Main Act: Paw Patrol11.00am     Suzie Levot Memorial Our Kids Bravery Award11.15am     Ronald McDonald11.30am     Paw Petrol meet and greet11.45am     Wild life Twins12.15pm     Main Show: Paw Patrol12.45pm     DJ Gooy Games ‘n Dance Party1.15pm       MC's fun and games1.45pm       FinishJazz lovers should head to the Lismore City Bowling Club on Sunday afternoon to see and listen to Kyle Watson's Jazz Warriors between 2pm and 5pm.The cost is $15 for members and $20 nonmembers, cash at the door.May and June are busy months for events, so put these in your calendar:Gemfest 17 and 18 MayPrimex 15, 16 and 17 MayBeef Week 24 May to 1 JuneLismore Lantern Parade 21 JuneLive music fans can listen to Hot Dog at the Northern Rivers Hotel for the Sunday Session between 2pm and 5pm.The Lismore Workers Club has a host of acts to see in May and June; they include:Tommy Memphis with a 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 remained steady over the last three weeks. Here is the list of service stations saving you the most money in each town:E10 is 175.9 across Lismore, 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 175.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road near the Workers Club in Lismore, 175.9 at The United and the NightOwl Puma on Johnston Street and the two Liberty's on Hare and Centre 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, 193.9 at the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street, and 179.5 at The Metro (323 River Street) in Ballina.U98 is 193.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road in 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, 188.9 across most servo's 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.....

MardiGrass organisers are urging visitors to vote at pre-polls if they can, so the Nimbin booth is not overrun on tomorrow (Saturday). President Michael Balderstone said they expected quite a big crowd in the village over the weekend. “With approaching a million people now on legally prescribed cannabis in Australia, there is renewed interest in the plant, which was known as “God's gift” back in Jesus' day. “The hippies weren’t so deluded after all”, he said. “In fact, this is a plant that can help save the planet and people from themselves. There is a reason, of course, why all the entheogenic plants are illegal. These “truth drugs”, which were traditionally used by our ancestors, are just what humanity needs now. Something that can help people alter their mindset!”“It’s now 100 years since our Government signed us up in 1926 to the international agreement to outlaw the cannabis plant. And has the drug war been mentioned even once by either of the major party’s in this election? Not that I have heard. "Illegal drugs are the biggest business on the planet these days, and perhaps it’s time to review this never-ending war, time to see if we are winning or ever can win. Time to assess the damage like privatised overflowing prisons, exploding mental health problems, and respect for police at an all-time low.”“Drug use is really a health issue, and instead of locking up the most traumatised amongst us, it's time to start helping them sort out their issues,” he said. “Time to start admitting we made a big mistake outlawing the most useful and safe medicine in the creation.”“The Plantem Park stages are ready with Indica Arena and Sativa Stadium looking like the MCG and prepared for a big crowd. "We just ask that wherever possible, people vote before they come, and of course, vote for Legalise Cannabis, at least in the senate.”

Parents and grandparents with young children or grandchildren, pack the car and head to Ballina on Sunday (May 4) for the 2025 Our Kids Day Out. From Paw Patrol to Big Dog, magic, music, wildlife and much more: get ready for an action-packed, free day out for the whole family at Ballina at the Missingham Bridge Amphitheatre in Ballina between 9am and 2pm.The day is shaping up to be heaps of fun for the entire family, with an exciting line-up of live entertainment, games, music and much more. The main show, Paw Patrol and Friends, will take place at 10am and 12pm.Clarence Property is presenting Musical Munchkins with Sheyzo and The Blaze Magic Show, while Cherry Street Sports is presenting Miss Beka and Little Cherry, DJ Chad, and the Wildlife Twins.Representatives from local emergency services will also be on hand, with children able to check-out the trucks, cars and boats on display. Children will be able to learn about the vital services that keep our community safe and come to the rescue of those in need. They’ll also have a chance to meet some of the dedicated staff who work in the Children’s Ward at Lismore Base Hospital.The Ballina Lions Breakfast BBQ will kick off at 9am, and everyone is invited to enjoy it while watching the performances on the main stage.A key feature of the annual event is the presentation of the Suzie Levot Memorial Our Kids Bravery Award – an award given out each year to a child who has shown outstanding bravery in their battle to overcome illness. This will take place at 11am.Our Kids Fundraising Coordinator, Rebekka Battista, invited families from across the region to join in the fun.“The Clarence Property Our Kids Day Out is a fantastic opportunity for families to enjoy free entertainment and connect with emergency services – all while raising funds for sick children,” Ms Battista said.“So, bring your family, pack a picnic blanket, and enjoy a day full of fun."Our Kids raises funds to purchase paediatric equipment for children’s wards and special care nurseries in the region. This equipment helps children living in the Northern Rivers to receive the medical care they need close to home.To date, Our Kids has purchased more than $2.7 million in paediatric equipment for the Lismore, Grafton and Tweed hospitals. Clarence Property Our Kids Day Out Program:Sunday 4 May, Missingham Bridge Amphitheatre, Ballina9.00am       Ballina Pipe Band9.15am       Musical Munchkins with Sheyzo9.50am       Miss Beka and Little Cherry9.55am       NBN Big Dog10.05am     The Blaze Magic Show10.30am     Main Act: Paw Patrol11.00am     Suzie Levot Memorial Our Kids Bravery Award11.15am     Ronald McDonald11.30am     Paw Petrol meet and greet11.45am     Wild life Twins12.15pm     Main Show: Paw Patrol12.45pm     DJ Gooy Games ‘n Dance Party1.15pm       MC's fun and games1.45pm       Finish

Scott Tanner arrived in Lismore as the Superintendent of Richmond Police District in 2020. The Lismore App's Liina Flynn sat down and recorded a Sunday Profile in August, just before he started in the role (SUNDAY PROFILE: New Police Superintendent Scott Tanner), and in October, Supt Tanner invited the Lismore App on a road trip to Nimbin.His goal was to make police more visible on the streets, getting back to some old-fashioned police work and to tackle domestic violence.Both tasks were made difficult by COVID-19 in 2020 and the 18 months that followed. Add to that Australia's most costly natural disaster with the big flood in February 2022, the follow-up major flood in March, and the subsequent rescue, recovery and rebuild of Lismore and the Northern Rivers, and you begin to understand his time as Superintendent of the Richmond police District has been anything but easy."I remember distinctly the first week I was here, there were two murders, unfortunately, across the PD (police district) in the very first week. And, I guess what I've discovered over the last four and a half years is that crime and tragedy and natural disasters doesn't discriminate. It can go right across the whole spectrum."There's been some really big jobs here, and some fantastic police work done. But I'm very proud of the work done in that EM (emergency management) space in particular."If ever I was going to be a victim in an emergency management situation, I hope it's up here in the Northern Rivers because I know now that the standard that they've set and the people that are involved in that environment are probably the best in their field."And I don't say that lightly, because we've learned a hell of a lot, and we had to, but that reassurance going forward is that disasters will occur again, and I'm so supremely confident in the people that you have got up here, and the agencies are well versed and are ready to go."Supt Tanner has spent 20 years of his policing career in the west of NSW. How does that compare to Lismore and the Northern Rivers?"It's varied. It's unique. The western area of the state has completely different social issues and crime issues. However, the biggest thing that we've all seen over the last couple of years is that explosion in youth crime, and I still do deliberately blame or apportion that to the COVID experience when we had this cohort of young people who were just isolated from their network."Their whole world was being online, where they were influenced to do all this other rubbish that goes on. And it's taken a while to sort of get a bit of a handle on that. That's probably the biggest change I've seen crime-wise over the last few years, that youth crime."Does Supt Tanner leave the Richmond Police District and the number of youth crime cases in a better position?"I don't want to jinx us, but certainly the results of Strike Force Imperium that we ran here, prior to now, the new one that's coming statewide, which is Strike Force Soteria, they've had outstanding results."The level of offending has reduced dramatically. The stolen vehicles and break-and-enters have really gone down. So we're hoping that we're seeing the other side of that hill and we're on the downward trajectory, but it's something you just can't take your eye off. You just can't."A significant skill that Supt Tanner has learned during his four and a half years in the Northern Rivers is emergency management following a disaster. In 2022, Supt Tanner was appointed to work in the Emergency Operations Centre with now NSWRA CEO Mal Lanyon, coordinating the flood rescue and recovery. He was recently appointed the Recovery Coordinator for Tropical Cyclone Alfred, his final job in the Northern Rivers.(Supt Scott Tanner speaking to the media in his role as TC Alfred Recovery Coordinator)"We're at a point now where a lot of the cleanup has been completed, as we know, and we've really got a good handle now on what the effects are on industry and on the community, and especially around the business and the primary industries."So, what we have done is developed some advice to government about how we can best support those industries and businesses, and we're just waiting for that advice to come back from government about where to from here."I think in general terms, it's been a really great effort from people from the EPA and the Councils with the cleanup, especially with the beach and the river systems. It allowed the tourism sector to benefit from the Easter/Anzac holiday, which I've been told has been quite successful."Road networks are all now completely open, but there is still some substantial damage around that. The road network itself, we're probably estimating about $250-$300 million worth of damage. When you look at landslips and potholes galore, it does add up, and there hasn't been a let-up in the weather, so they haven't been able to get in and do full assessments or full repairs for it.Through this experience, Supt Tanner said he has a newfound gratitude for the Reconstruction Authority."I think they've got some bad press over the years, as we know, and I was probably one of the ones who gave them some of that bad press. But they work hard, and they're good people, they're smart people, and quite often, they get lumbered with stuff that other departments in government haven't been doing, which is not in their bandwidth. I just want to reassure people that they have got the community's interest at heart. They work so damn hard."Supt Tanner also strengthens our community's response to natural disasters, both in preparation and in addressing the aftereffects."I think we saw during the preparation for Alfred that we were fortunate we had time to get resources in place. We're talking about two and a half thousand SES volunteers on the ground, over 500 ADF personnel here ready to go. We had quite substantial resources from right around the state and interstate. So, I think that is the model that government will accept going forward, and I think it's the model that the community will expect going forward. And I think that we showed that we can deliver."Where I'd like to see some learnings out of this latest event is that the support for business and primary industry probably needs to come in a lot quicker. And some of the recommendations I'm giving back to RA are that you basically have a 'How To Guide'."So, if an event is going to happen and it's flood, fire, famine, or whatever you want to call it. Have that program there ready to go. So it's a switch-on, switch-off type of program. That'll save a lot of grief, especially for primary industries and businesses having to repeat their story every time. That's some of the feedback that I got.One area of the Alfred recovery payments that came in for criticism was the disconnect between one weather event and the next. The funding is focused without any consideration that business and industry have been through two substantial disasters in quick succession, on a historic level, and the financial pain is only exacerbated by the new weather event. Will this change?"Absolutely. The discussions I had with the head of the Reconstruction Authority were exactly that. The DRFA (Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements) is all about that particular incident. But when you have these ones that are back to back to back to back, there's a compounding effect. And we know that the mental well-being of people has been affected immensely since, really, 2017. When you think about that, they've been living in this heightened state of anxiety and such a changing environment for the last, what, seven, eight years that we are seeing a lot of businesses now putting their hand up saying, we want out, we need help to actually get out."And a lot of primary industry is also going down the same path. There's one story in particular that resonates with me during this time. There was one gentleman that I spoke with in the primary industry, and for the last four years, he's tried four different crops, you know, tea tree, soya bean, sugar cane, and there was one other, and all of them have been wiped out by some form of natural disaster. So, you look at that gentleman, and that's his livelihood; he is in his 60s, that's his sort of superannuation going forward. How do people recover from that? Sometimes they don't. They have to walk away, which is a real shame."Supt Tanner has no time for a recuperative holiday before he starts his new role in Liverpool and Green Valley on Monday."I've never worked in Sydney, never lived in Sydney. So, you know, after 32 years, I thought it was an opportune time to go and, I guess, test myself in a new environment down there."I will still maintain the house up here, and I will still maintain a presence up here. I've got a lot of family that resides up here now. So, this will be where I retire and come back to, there's no doubt in the world about that. And this will always hold a very special place in my heart."Just this morning I was out with the Bundjalung Tribal Society, and they presented me with some natural trees, and some lemon myrtle and some other gifts for the stuff that I've done for them over the years. To feel that sense of appreciation is quite overwhelming actually."So, I've committed to them and to others that I might be gone, but I'll still be an advocate along the way if they need a hand with anything."That sums up not just the man in the uniform but the man himself. Scott Tanner has gone above and beyond to serve our community and to help those in need. Most of those acts you and I don't see, but in my job as a journalist, you certainly hear about in various conversations with a variety of people.Superintendent Tanner, thank you on behalf of the Lismore and Northern Rivers community.Superintendent Dave Roptell, you have big shoes to fill.

The Our News, Your Voice campaign continues through to midnight on Sunday, May 4. The goal is to raise money for 50 independent newsrooms across the country, including the Lismore App.LINA (Local & Independent News Association) is the organisation behind the grassroots campaign. So far, $70,000 has been raised.The Our News, Your Voice campaign is a timely opportunity to reflect on the role of local and independent media in democracy, holding authorities accountable, and bringing communities together in an increasingly polarised society. Independent newsrooms, such as ours, don't have the backing of Rupert Murdoch or a company like ACM that has over 50 publications. Both of those companies stopped printing newspapers (Northern Star and Lismore City News), and one was absorbed into its Sydney newspaper. Being independent means we can reflect the real issues of Lismore, which are not being dictated to by an editor from Sydney or Brisbane. But it does need your help.Thanks to generous philanthropic support, the first $20,000 raised today will be doubled by matched funding, amplifying each contribution we receive today. Your donations are secure and delivered through PressPatron, a trusted global platform helping to support newsrooms. Click here to donate.Thank you to John, Lynette, Andre, Doug and Christopher, just a few names who have generously given to help improve the local news and sport that the Lismore App provides each and every day.LINA Executive Director Claire Stuchbery described these newsrooms as the “green shoots” of an industry in crisis. “It’s great to see communities coming out to support their local news providers this week,” said Claire.“The news industry has been struggling through a period of transition for years now, and even small contributions really help independent newsrooms fill gaps in information for local communities. We can see that role playing out in electorates across the country this week as news organisations that are embedded in communities work to address mis and disinformation and provide clear information about candidates from all sides of politics to help voters make informed choices on Saturday. “Many of these news services were started by community-minded individuals who identified ‘news deserts’ in their local areas, which were lacking timely, verified information during emergencies, accountability from local authorities, and a record of events to bring the community together. However, newsrooms need support to ensure communities are provided with high-quality, public interest journalism.” LINA’s membership has grown to include newsrooms in all states and territories across Australia, publishing public interest journalism and meeting high editorial standards for fairness, independence, accountability and other requirements of professional news outlets.Developing sustainable news business models online requires investment and innovation, which is difficult for newsrooms already pushed to the limits trying to produce quality, public interest journalism in a rapid news cycle. “Providing quality journalism is a public service—every community needs a news service, just as it needs doctors, teachers and firefighters. But it can be difficult to get people to pay for this,” Claire said. “It’s fantastic to see this movement of independent newsrooms band together for this campaign, along with support from the philanthropic community, just as they themselves bring their communities together in an increasingly polarised society.” LINA is a not-for-profit industry association supporting a movement of local and independent digital news publishers in Australia. Thank you for your continued readership and support.

When the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) quarterly reports are released for the NSW public healthcare system, one element of Northern NSW Local Health District's hospitals that always performs strongly is the performance of our nurses and midwives.Each year, the NNSWLHD Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards acknowledge the contribution and commitment of nurses and midwives working in our hospitals and health services across the District.Included as part of these awards is the Healing Heart Consumer Recognition Award, a category which gives community members a chance to nominate a nurse or midwife who consistently provides extraordinary, safe, quality and compassionate care.(Lismore Base Hospital nurse Sarah Bale was the recipient of the 2024 NNSWLHD Healing Heart award. She is pictured with NNSWLHD Chair Peter Carter at the 2024 Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards. Photo: supplied)NNSWLHD Director of Nursing and Midwifery Katharine Duffy said the Healing Heart Award was an opportunity for the public to recognise their local nurses and midwives who continue to deliver extraordinary care across the region.“It’s been a particularly challenging few years in health, and our nurses and midwives have done an incredible job in caring for our community right throughout the pandemic and recent floods, as well as during the cyclone that struck our region earlier this year,” Ms Duffy said.“These awards are an opportunity to thank our nurses and midwives for their significant contribution to patients and the broader community. “I encourage anyone who has had a great experience with a nurse or midwife, anywhere across our region, to help us celebrate the great work they do by nominating them for the Healing Heart Award.”Nominations are now open, and close at 5pm on Sunday, 18 May 2025.To nominate a nurse or midwife, fill out the form at Healing Heart Consumer Recognition Award.

The 2024 flu season was the worst in Australia since 2019, with more than 349,000 influenza notifications reported between 1 January and October 2024.Healthy North Coast is encouraging all residents to get their annual influenza vaccination as the 2025 flu season approaches.With flu cases typically peaking between June and September, North Coast residents are being urged to get their vaccinations early to maximise protection in the community.“Winter is coming, and this year there’s already been more than 55,000 flu cases reported in Australia. That’s almost double last year’s number,” said Healthy North Coast CEO Monika Wheeler.“Getting vaccinated is a simple, safe and effective way of ensuring that you, your family and your loved ones are protected.”Dr Beth Allin, GP at Grafton’s Queen Street Clinic and Medical Educator at Healthy North Coast, added, “When you get the flu, you feel really sick. You’re in bed for a week with fevers, body aches, cough, sore throat and generally feeling miserable. In the worst cases, it can lead to severe health problems like pneumonia and hospitalisation.“The best way to prevent getting the flu, or getting very sick from the flu, is to be vaccinated.“If you do have the flu, you can reduce the risk of spreading it by covering your cough, wearing a mask, washing your hands and staying home when you are sick.“It’s also a good time to make sure you’re up to date with vaccinations against other respiratory diseases like RSV and COVID-19, if you are in a group for whom these are recommended. It is safe to receive these vaccinations at the same time as your influenza vaccine.“The best time to get your flu vaccination is now.”The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone aged six months and over. Some people can get it for free under the National Immunisation Program, including:People aged 65+Pregnant peopleChildren aged 6 months to 5 yearsAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoplesPeople with long-term health conditionsTo book your flu shot, contact your GP, Aboriginal Medical Service, or participating pharmacy. You can also use Healthdirect’s Service Finder to find your nearest vaccine provider. Everyone aged over 5 years can get vaccinated at their local pharmacy. Parents with children aged under 5 should see their doctor.Healthy North Coast is continuing to work in partnership with the Public Health Unit and the region’s Local Health Districts to focus on improving rates of immunisation against many diseases.For more information and to access resources, visit hnc.org.au/flu. There is also an easy-read influenza fact sheet available on NSW Health’s website.

Sustainability is not a dirty word in agriculture argues Hunter Valley grazier and Angus cattle breeder Robert MacKenzie. “It’s not about being a greenie or a conservationist, it’s just about wanting to do better,” Robert explains. “It’s actually going to bed at night knowing that we are farming every day for the future. We’re managing and protecting current assets for continuous capital growth for our investments.”Sustainable practices on the 6500-hectare MacKenzie property, with its family heritage dating back to 1884, have improved productivity and profit in recent seasons while producing an excess of carbon credits.  And the MacKenzies are keen to share Macka’s Australian Black Angus experiences; Robert’s presentations this year include the Norco Primex field days at Casino in two weeks' time.“Part of our commitment to the beef industry is to just to tell our story and let people know that sustainability is achievable and in some ways equals profitability,” Robert says. “We want to support others, show what worked for us, how it worked, and hopefully give other producers the confidence to start on a sustainable journey.”In March 2025, Macka’s Pastoral sold 550 carbon-neutral cows; emissions created in cattle production from electricity, diesel, fertiliser and animal methane were offset by the property’s bank of carbon credits. The property outside Gloucester in New South Wales’ mid-north today has a surplus of credits from sequestering carbon, credits to be kept, sold or traded.Robert said the initial approach to more sustainable agriculture, changing visions, is not difficult. “First, you need to understand what your baseline is and focus on the small parts of your operation that are achievable to reduce your footprint. “That can start with the first purchase of the day; I’m going to be more mindful of buying a car that gives me 10 kilometres more per litre than the previous car. The tractor or the truck I’m purchasing this year, does it have Ad Blue, a Euro 6 engine? Do I disconnect that power cord from that electric fence and buy a solar panel unit?”The fourth-generation cattleman suggests that once started on the journey, it becomes easier to look more broadly, make more conscious decisions to do better. All property management and production needs to be considered.“Everything comes into it. Do we plant some trees next to the dam? Do we fence off that creek? Do we make it that the animal walks less to get a drink of water? Does it mean we preg-test our animals and make sure we only have productive animals in the operation?”Cattle genetics has played a large part in Macka’s Pastoral’s carbon-neutral planning and its 3500 commercial Angus cows and 500 stud cows. Robert believes no one has invested more heavily in genetics in the past five years _ one heifer costing $140,000, one bull costing $360,000 plus ‘hundreds of thousands of dollars’ on embryos and semen from Scotland’s Rawburn Aberdeen Angus for animals with shorter breeding cycles, better fertility and faster growth.The Mackenzie’s have learnt that multiple grass species can sequester carbon and that sequestering carbon is like free fertiliser, feeding micro and bio organisms into the soil which helps produce healthy grasses. “It goes back to you are what you eat. In our case you are what you eat, eats. Healthy soil, healthy grass, healthy pasture means healthy animals.”Macka’s Pastoral’s principals understood that if the operation was headed down the sustainable path, and made bold claims about being carbon neutral, it needed back-up data. Since 2017, more than 1400 soil samples are taken each year, and the property’s soil carbon levels are up.“So sustainable practices are cost-effective,” says Robert. “We’ve increased our soil carbon, we’re holding 160,000 litres more water per hectare. We’re seeing with these changes, and better pasture management, we’re getting a better salad bowl of choices for our cattle, so they’re now weighing heavier. That means we’re selling them earlier and quicker, and that means we’re getting a better return for our money.”Robert will head to Casino’s Norco Primex field days from May 15 to further spread his knowledge of sustainable agricultural processes.The NSW North Coast’s largest agricultural trade show incorporates a range of exhibits, presentations and demonstrations from farm machinery to specific industry functions and rural services. The 2025 event is themed ‘Our Future in Farming’ and includes a livestock panel discussion with Robert Mackenzie, former Meat and Livestock managing director Jason Strong and young agricultural advocate Zoe Taylor.For more information, head to primex.net.au or go to the Primex Field Days button on the Lismore App front page.

Richmond Police District officers have arrested a 33-year-old North Lismore man after discovering approximately $100,000 worth of stolen items on his property.New Richmond Police District Superintendent (Supt) Dave Roptell told the Lismore App that the arrest was part of a break and enter investigation."This was a joint effort between general duty officers, detectives and PCT (Proceeds of Crime Team). They have done a really good job.""Items recovered included a box trailer, a Crown forklift, toolboxes, MIG welding equipment, a plasma cutter, a drill press, heaps of property from a variety of uses."Supt Roptell said police began investigations when the Terania Street, North Lismore man tried to sell items to a scrap metal business in South Lismore. "Basically, we were acting on information provided by a community source, and arrested the offender while he was attempting to sell stolen property at a scrap metal business in South Lismore." "When we got the tip, we jumped on the information quickly and then applied for a search warrant at the North Lismore address."Supt Roptell said the offender was refused bail to appear in the Lismore Court today. "Other legal actions are being considered as we make further inquiries."As for the expensive stolen items, "The stolen goods have been recovered, and inquiries are being made to determine who the owners of the goods are."