It has been a wet week for Lismore, with 25mm falling quickly on Monday evening and a further 21mm yesterday, leaving the ground a bit damp for the weekend.This has been good for gardens and lawns but not good for sporting fields as the winter season finals continue.The weekend weather should be mostly sunny with a possible shower. The Bureau of Meteorology say there is a 40% chance and only up to 1mm falling. Temperatures should reach the early 20s as the minimums return to below double digits for the first time in a few weeks.Partly cloudy and mostly sunny is the forecast for the rest of next week.The spring event calendar is building towards a hive of activity in the coming weeks:Second Hand Saturday - September 21st2024 Nimbin Show - Saturday and Sunday, September 21 & 222024 Rodney Lees Cabinetmaking Lismore Cup - Friday, September 272024 Elders Lismore Show - Thursday to Saturday, October 17 to 19I should mention that the Lismore Workers Club will reopen on Monday, September 23, just over a week away.The big event this weekend is the 2024 Lismore City Council Elections.If you have not voted early, you need to vote at a nominated venue between 8am and 6pm. You can find the list of candidates, both mayoral and councillor, on the Lismore App Meet The Candidates button on the front page, as well as where to vote Meet Your Candidates.The Lismore App will have ongoing coverage via our Facebook page from 6pm as votes start to roll in on the NSW Electoral Commission website.One of your voting options is at Norma's Kitchen, just behind the Lismore Farmers Market, which is on tomorrow from 7:30am to 11:30am. You can kill two birds by buying some local produce and voting at the same time.You can also help Millie tomorrow (Saturday).September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and childhood cancer ambassador, Millie, will be Farmers Market raising funds for The Kid's Cancer Project. She will be selling tickets for her Kids Cancer Super Raffle, featuring over $10,000 in prizes and selling her handmade creations. Every item is made with love, and every dollar goes directly to vital childhood cancer research.Live music will be by Bruce Worrall at the Farmers Markets.Other live music over the weekend is at the Northern Rivers Hotel. Tonight, it's Helio Ray Duo from 7pm, Saturday Doc Rock from 7pm and the Sunday Session is Drummer Not Included from 2pm to 5pm.The Ballina Seagulls are the NRRRL champions after defeating the Bilambil Jets last weekend. Ballina tasted defeat in last year's Grand Final at the hands of Cudgen, so the victory would have been sweet.It is the start of finals for Football Far North Coast tomorrow when Minor Premiers Bangalow take on Alstonville at 3pm at Bangalow Recreational Reserve tomorrow (Saturday). The other Semi-Final is a Lismore derby, with South Lismore at home to Goonellabah at Nesbitt Park at 3pm.The Women's Premier League Semi-Finals will both be played on Sunday. Semi-Final 2 is Alstonville v Byron Bay from 2:30pm and Richmond Rovers have it all to do in Semi-Final 1 when they tackle Minor Premiers Lennox Head at Skennars Head, also from 2:30pm.There has been some good news at the petrol bowsers this week with most grades of fuel dropping by 2 to 5 cents a litre, even in Lismore. U98 is the only exception.It is still cheaper to fill up at Ballina where you can save $16 on a 60l tank of petrol. Lismore is the cheapest for diesel by 5 cents a litre at the new Astron on Ballina Road.Here are the latest prices in each town:E10 is 191.9 at three Lismore service stations: The EG Ampol near The Square, the 7-Eleven and the Ampol Foodary on Union Street, South Lismore, 172.9 at the United on Johnston Street in Casino, with The Metro and new Mobile in Ballina cheapest at 164.5.Unleaded 91 is 185.9 at the new Astron on Ballina Road, 174.9 at the two Liberty's on Hare Street and Centre Street, the Casino Roadhouse and The United on Johnston Street in Casino and 166.5 at the Metro and the new Mobil in Ballina.U95 is 203.9 at the Independent on Wyrallah Road, East Lismore, Northside Liberty and Bakers Corner at North Lismore and the Shell South Lismore at 21 Elliot Road, 191.9 at the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street, Casino and 177.5 at The Metro in Ballina.U98 is 208.9 at the new Astron on Ballina Road, 194.9 at the Liberty's on Hare Street and Centre Street in Casino and 188.5 at The Metro on River Street, Ballina.Diesel is 177.9 at the new Astron on Ballina Road in Lismore, 184.7 at the United on Johnston Street in Casino and 182.5 at the new Mobil in Ballina.Have a great weekend!Finally, a Donald Trump meme!

A teenage boy has been charged over an alleged break and enter at Casino last month.About 3.20am on Wednesday 28 August 2024, a break and enter allegedly occurred at an indoor sporting facility in Casino.Police attached to Richmond Police District were subsequently notified and commenced inquiries into the incident.Following extensive inquiries, police executed a search warrant at a home in Drake about 1pm yesterday (Thursday 12 September 2024).Several items were seized during the search, including a box believed to contain various allegedly stolen keys.A 17-year-old boy was arrested at the scene and taken to Casino Police Station where he was charged with aggravated enter dwelling in company intent to steal, and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen.He was granted strict conditional bail to appear before a children's court on Thursday, 10 October 2024.

The number of dementia-specific medications prescribed to Australians living with dementia, as well as hospitalisations due to the condition, continue to increase. Updates to Dementia in Australia, released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, shows that almost 688,000 dementia medication prescriptions were dispensed to around 72,400 Australians aged 30 and over in 2022–23 (42 scripts per 1,000 people). This is a 46% increase in the number of scripts dispensed, from just over 472,000 scripts (34 scripts per 1,000 people) in 2013–14, and a 24% increase in the rate of scripts dispensed.‘Dementia is a significant and growing health and aged care issue in Australia that has a substantial impact on the health and quality of life of people with the condition, as well as their families and friends,’ said AIHW spokesperson Melanie Dunford.‘There is currently no cure for dementia, but there are strategies to manage symptoms that can assist in maintaining independence and quality of life.’The increased number of dementia-specific medications over the last decade may also indicate increased awareness of options for managing dementia symptoms. The report features the latest statistics on dementia prevalence, burden of disease, mortality, expenditure, as well as the use of health and aged care services among people living with dementia and information on carers of people living with dementia.Hospitalisations due to dementia have also risen to 26,300 in 2022–23, a 24% increase from 21,000 in 2016–17. However, after adjusting for changes in the population age structure, the rate of hospitalisations due to dementia remained steady at around 42 per 10,000 population since 2016–17. More men were hospitalised (13,500) than women (12,700). ‘While the likelihood of developing dementia increases with age, dementia is not an inevitable or normal part of the ageing process,’ Ms Dunford said.‘With Australia’s ageing population, we may see more people living with dementia and therefore, a greater number of health services needed for dementia care.’Around 1 in 11 deaths in Australia are due to dementia, equivalent to 17,800 deaths in 2022. There were more women (11,300) dying due to the condition than men (6,600). The majority (9,100 deaths) occurred among people aged 85–94 years. ‘Dementia was the second leading cause of death in Australia after coronary heart disease, making up 9.3% of all deaths. It was the leading cause of death for women and for Australians aged 65 and over in 2022,’ said Ms Dunford.The rate of deaths due to dementia also increased from 39 to 69 deaths per 100,000 population between 2009 and 2022. However, this change was less pronounced after controlling for age (increase from 33 to 45 per 100,000).‘The Dementia in Australia report is important in enabling monitoring of the impact of dementia on the community and on our care and support systems,’ Ms Dunford said.With an ageing and growing population, it is predicted that the number of Australians with dementia will more than double by 2058 to 849,300.More informationFor more information about dementia, where to seek help if dementia is suspected or for available support services, refer to:Dementia Australia website- external site opens in new windowThe Dementia Guide by Dementia Australia- external site opens in new windowNational Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500- external site opens in new window (a free and confidential service to discuss dementia and memory loss concerns for yourself or others). Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service: 1800 699 799- external site opens in new window (if needing help to manage behaviour associated with dementia).My Aged Care (for information on and applying for access to government-subsidised aged care services).

After the 2022 floods, many Lismore and Northern Rivers homeowners learned new trade skills to rebuild their homes.There have been a number of workshops from various support groups that have been running for the last 2 years. Resilient Lismore, arguably the biggest support group in this space, is inviting community members to hone some carpentry skills.The ongoing interest shown by people wanting to improve their skills so they have the confidence to finish off their homes has prompted Resilient Lismore to run a series of workshops.Emma Newman, the events coordinator at Resilient Lismore, said that their outreach teams monitor what work people have completed and what still needs to be done.“Our 'Repair to Return Crew' engages people interested in doing some of their own work or interested in helping people do their work. The trimmings, the architraves have come up quite a bit," said Emma.People may be familiar with the “Two Rooms” project - it has been rebranded 'The Repair to Return Team' to keep up with the current recovery phase.“We're renaming it 'Repair to Return' because it's beyond the Two Rooms now, and it's repairing enough to return comfortably in the house.“Things like architraves and painting and plastering are the things that the owner will have to organise in their own house. So that's where our workshops could be, helping them or other people to do those finishes.”This training is being provided at no charge. For free. But you will have to register.Resilient Lismore can also help provide the tools you need, "When you are ready to do some projects at home, you can also borrow tools from the Resilient Lismore Tool Library. Just come into the Hub or call 0455 218 692 to find out more." Similar workshops have been offered before and they have been successful in helping many people gain independence and self-reliance. The Resilient Lismore team wants to know, “Have you just started learning carpentry? Want a bit more supervised practice? Maybe you are ready to build something small with some help before you embark on your own project.  “The Resilient Lismore is offering Project & Practice Sessions for participants to gain more experience to make something practical.” If you are considering whether you should or can do this work, here is some feedback that might help you overcome concerns:"These are life-changing skills I wish I had been taught decades ago. I so enjoyed the sense of community as we all learnt together. Tony and Emma created such a fantastic learning environment. I love the quote: "I wonder what the world would be like if we measured success by how safe people feel in our presence". “I felt completely safe with Tony and Emma at the helm." The appreciation for learning a new skill resounds: "So much! that I can play with the tools and problem solve safely. I don't need to be scared of tools or assume I can't use them."  "Competence & confidence to take practical skills to my family." This session will be followed by three more next term, so if you can’t make this one, make sure you put your name down for next term.Here are the details of the session:Project & Practice Session  Wednesday, 18th September  4.45-7.45pm  Resilient Lismore Hub 215 Keen St, Lismore  (cnr Keen & Conway Streets)  Register for the workshop or make enquiries using these methods:- call/text Emma on 0411 967 690 - email [email protected]  - Register directly at this site - or go to the Resilient Lismore website To receive the first announcements of upcoming workshops, please register your interest here, where you can also describe what you want to learn.  

The 2024 Rodney Lees Cabinetmaking Lismore Cup race day will hold its first-ever cup meeting on a Friday (September 27), two weeks from now.Lismore Turf Club Secretary Manager Scott Jones is very optimistic that this year's Cup race day will return to pre-COVID levels. Before COVID, 5,000 adorned the race track, making it one of the social events of the year."The feedback for the Lismore Cup to be run on a Friday has been really positive," Scott told the Lismore App, "Nearly everyone says it should have been done years ago.""But we had the half-day public holiday back then, so it was sort of null and void until we lost that. A lot of tradies and other workers finish at midday on Fridays anyway, so it fits into their schedule."If ticket sales are anything to go by, Scott should see more than last year's 1,500-strong crowd when the Cup was run on a Thursday with no gazetted half-day public holiday."The VIP tent is almost sold out, it is very, very, very close to sold out. Trackside tables are all sold out, and the member's luncheon is pretty full. We're also selling members passes, just day passes, and they're nearly sold out."So, all of the hospitality is nearly sold out, and then it'll just be the general admission tickets that come will build up over the next couple of weeks."General Admission is $20 if you book online, or if you pay at the gate, it is $25.For those who can't knock off work early, you can still be part of this year's Lismore Cup."If you can't be here at midday, then try and get here by 4 when the Cup will be run with another race to follow, and then party on with the Billy Gudgeon band. For those that aren't keen on the races, come for the crowd and Billy Gudgeon. It's only $5 to come and watch Billy after 4pm."Billy Gudegeon will play until 8pm, so there's still plenty of time to head into town and go to a restaurant or go out for the night."Scott said the course itself was in perfect condition before yesterday's rain (20mm at the Lismore airport) cancelled the last three races at the Lismore race meet."The track has been brilliant, as you can see, there's plenty of grass coverage, the grass is going really well. We're at a soft five, which probably puts us nearly perfect for racing, to be honest."Heading into the next two weeks, Scott is not worried about the rain next week, but the week after becomes more challenging."It's about the timing as we get closer. So if we get rain for the next week, that's fine. In the week leading into the cup, that's annoying for me in setup, but it just all depends on the amounts."Two years ago, we washed out after two races because we just got smashed with a storm. Now, we can handle a bit of rain because the grass is really, really, really thick, and we're fertilising it, so it's really hungry. It's certainly sucking up the water.The 2024 Rodney Lees Cabinetmaking Lismore Cup is on Friday, 27 September, from 12 midday at the Lismore Turf Club (9a Woodlawn Road, North Lismore).You can check out the Turf Club website for more information and to book general admission tickets for $20, saving $5 on the gate price.

The NSW Electoral Commission will be conducting the elections for 126 councils tomorrow (Saturday, 14 September 2024) for the election of Councillors and Mayors for those who vote for a publicly elected mayor.Voting booths open at 8am for the Lismore City Council Elections and close at 6pm for those who have not voted early.This is the list of booths from the Australian Electoral Commission:Bexhill Public School (12 Withers Street, Bexhill)Caniaba Public School (387 Caniaba Road, Caniaba)Clunes Public School (19 Walker Street, Clunes)Dunoon Public School (65 James Street, Dunoon)Eltham Public School (2 McKenzie Road, Eltham)Goolmangar Hall (863 Nimbin Road, Goolmangar)Goonellabah Community Centre (27 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah)Goonellabah Public School (595 Ballina Road, Goonellabah)Lismore Heights Public School (195 High Steet, Lismore Heights)Lismore High School (125 Dalley Street, East Lismore)Lismore PCYC (35-39 Orion Street, Lismore)Lismore Public School (10A Pound Street, Lismore)Lismore Region Returning Officer's Office (4 Zadoc Street, Lismore)Lismore Showgrounds (116 Alexandra Parade, North Lismore)Lismore South Public School (Phyllis and Wilson Street, South Lismore) Modanville Public School (877 Dunoon Road, Modanville)Nimbin Central School (23A Thorburn Street, Nimbin)Rosebank Public School (340 Rosebank Road, Rosebank)St Pauls Memorial Hall Lismore (188 Keen Street, Lismore)The Channon Hall (8 Mill Street, The Channon)Tregeagle Public School (808 Tregeagle Road, Tregeagle)Woodburn Public School (20-32 Woodburn Street, Woodburn)Wyrallah Public School (29 Agnes Street, Wyrallah)You can also view locations on the Lismore Apps 'Meet Your Candidates' button on the front page. This button will also let you know about each candidate for Mayor and for Council Meet Your Candidates.The Lismore App will have a running commentary on its Facebook page before publishing a story on the results of the 2024 Lismore City Council Elections, including who our mayor will be for the next four years and who the ten (10) new councillors will be. There may be a chance that the complete councillor makeup will not be known until counting resumes on Monday, September 16.Good luck to all the candidates.

A teenage girl has died after being hit by a car yesterday afternoon at East Lismore.About 5pm yesterday (Wednesday 11 September 2024), emergency services were called to the Bruxner Highway, East Lismore, following reports a pedestrian had been hit by a trailer.Members of the public administered first aid until NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived.The 15-year-old girl was taken to Lismore Base Hospital; however later died.A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.The male driver of the utility and trailer, aged 42, was taken to Lismore Base Hospital for mandatory testing.Officers attached to Richmond Police District established a crime scene, with investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident ongoing.Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

Pressure works! It was announced on Tuesday, 10 September, that the state government will make a welcome investment in Lismore City Council’s waste services, including the purchase of a fleet of new waste trucks, and apprenticeships for their ongoing servicing. This is exactly what Councillors Vanessa Ekins and Adam Guise have advocated for, high quality council jobs and services which ensures Council money stays in the local economy. This investment is thanks to the sustained pressure from Councillors Ekins and Guise, the campaign of local workers in the United Services Union and the public outcry about increased waste charges. The poor decision to privatise our waste collection services may be reversed, but does this resolve the distress over the 50% fee increase in waste collection charges for some 10,000 residents? Or the reduction in frequency of organics collection for parts of our LGA? Or charging of fees for recycling by rural residents? To be clear, there is much that has not been said about our waste management and remains unresolved by the Krieg majority.Our community has a right to know about and have a say in any proposed changes to the services they rely on. The changes made in confidential session without consultation are significant and mean Council’s adopted circular waste strategy has been put on hold. This strategy enables us to process our waste locally, producing compost and separating plastics, cardboard and glass into useful materials. Council led the way in reuse of crushed glass in asphalt for roads and as a base for laying pipes. Council was working with the Southern Cross University to process plastics into valuable pellets for remanufacturing. These innovative solutions to waste management deserve to be funded and implemented. This recent announcement vindicates Councillors Ekins and Guise standing up for our community, demanding transparency and accountability and opposing the privatisation of our waste services. When you vote in the coming days, consider choosing a Council that will be genuinely community focused, that values open discussion and consultation in decision making. Council jobs by Council workers. Vote 1 Greens for Council and Vote 1 Vanessa Ekins for Mayor.Organised by Luke Robinson for the Lismore Greens

There are some multiple-generation families in Lismore and the Northern Rivers, and Hoskins is one of them. Arriving into the area in the 1870s, ask anyone in Wyrallah about the Hoskins and they will tell you of their strong roots to the area.Yesterday, Wyrallah Public School honoured Fred Hoskins by naming the Fred Hoskins Library and unveiling a plaque.Surrounded by former and current students and teachers, as well as family members, Principal Lisa Fahy led proceedings by sharing some information "About my friend Fred Hoskins"."As you all know, Fred is a simple man, simply extraordinary. He first made his journey to Wyrallah Public School on horseback, I believe, 85 years ago. So, who could have imagined that 85 years later, he would still be such an important and ongoing active participant in our school and our community? What an awesome achievement just in that."Lisa described Fred as the unofficial Mayor of Wyrallah due to his popularity and lifespan at the school."He's been a man of many hats, as we know over the years. He's been a dairy farmer, a steel worker, a Lifeline counsellor, a builder, truck driver, soldier and singer. He's made a musical CD, he sings on it, been engaged with environmental projects, just so many things. But, the element that brings into our hearts and our attention here today is his unwavering love for education and our community."That love helps bring the education to all of our students here. He's inspired generations of students over the years. He has come and shared his stories with students. So, in terms of oral history, Fred, as we all know, is a walking encyclopaedia. You could fact check him on anything, you could ask him about anything, and you'll he'll be able to instantly recall and tell you a story. And if you checked it, it's correct."Incredibly, Fred's memory was put to the test on his recent 90th birthday celebrations. Lisa was shown a photo of Fred in his class of 1949. She then asked Fred if he could remember any of his classmate's names."Without pause, he said the name of every person, first name, second name, and every person in row, and he could remember stories about each one. Every single person from a photo in 1949. I didn't bother fact-checking because I know I didn't need to."Fred was honoured with the naming of the Fred Hoskins Library because of his passion for learning.(Fred, his wife of 65 years Olwyn, Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, family, friends, teachers and students from Wyrallah Public School celebrating the naming of the Fred Hoskins Library)"He lives and breathes lifelong learning. He is active every day of his life. He does it with kindness and wisdom, and he lives a purpose-driven life," Lisa told the crowd, "A lot of people don't know some of the impact. I know that through the Covid, Covid Flood, as I call it here, Fred has been supporting people in the community, and no one knows about it, except very few people, because he doesn't do it for attention. His altruism is extraordinary."I know we've worked together on a number of projects to support people that no one else knows about, except the individual recipient, a recipient who's never made to feel anything any lesser, but they know that they're part of the community by receiving it. It's been done beautifully."So, Fred has a life and a legacy, and an impact that is beyond anybody, I think, in our community has been able to show. But we all show it together because we are part of Fred, too. We contribute, we support, we acknowledge, and so every person here is such an important element."Fred, thank you for your amazing contributions. We will be forever grateful for your presence, involvement, compassion, dedication, and commitment."Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said to the gathering of family, friends and students, "You are the school, and you do believe in education, particularly in public education and the Wyrallah Public School. You've made a difference in all the children's lives, but also the families and the community members."(Janelle Saffin and Fred Hoskins after unveiling the new plaque)When it was time for Fred Hoskins to speak, he said he was very humbled by the occasion."What I've done throughout my life is only just something that I felt. I saw a need, and I followed up on that need."With regard to my education. It started with my parents before I went to school. And then, when I came to school, it was my teacher who began this learning process and filled in a lot of the gaps that I had. He was a chap called Clement Victor Hardy. Hardy by name, Hardy by nature."The children now don't know anything about corporal punishment, and I learned quite a bit about it. But, I never, ever held any grudge against my teacher because my father was a disciplinarian, and he said, If you've done something wrong, well, you cop the punishment. And that was a learning process if you had enough sense. If you did something wrong, you got the cane about it, and well, you made damn sure you didn't do that again."He used to read to us wonderful stories, like Wind In The Willows, Martin Rattler, The Dog Crusoe, so many various stories, and your imagination just went wild when that was happening. You just became part of the story. And it's not like today, where you have a machine that you look at, and it tells you or shows you how you should respond, whereas your imagination was everything. And through that imagination, you began to learn wonderful things."Then we had poems. Poems for Longfellow, 'The Slaves Dream', 'The Highwayman' by Alfred Noyes, and 'The Inchcape Rock' by Robert Southey. They were the ones that stuck in my mind. They fired up your imagination, and you got a greater understanding of, particularly with the older poems, the tragedies and the stories that they were able to portray."Fred talked about the school library when he was a student, and the book that influenced his life the most was King Of The Golden River by John Ruskin."It was a secular book with religious undertones, but it was about a little boy called Gluck. He had two brothers, and they were rather nasty and they treated him badly. But at the end of the whole story, their mean-spiritedness and their nastiness caused their demise, and his compassion and kindness triumphed in the end. It was an absolutely beautiful story.90-year-old Fred Hoskins had some words of wisdom for the current students."No matter what you do, it's, it's important that you create friendships. As I said at my birthday party, I have defied Murphy's Law. Murphy's Law says, 'Friends come and go, but enemies accumulate'. Well, I've done the opposite of that. My enemies, well, I don't know whether I've ever had any, but I know I've got lots of friends and friendships and love. Okay, love is probably the most important. St Paul said, if you haven't got love, nothing else counts. So that's what I would say; I love each and every one in a very special way, not a lovey-dovey way, but just a compassionate and deep friendship. And I thank you all for that."I am much honoured by today. Thank you so much."You can't but think that the world needs more Fred Hoskins.(Fred Hoskins answering students' questions about his time as a Wyrallah Public School student.)

Roxanne Tickle is a transgender woman who has been fighting in court for her right to legally be defined as a woman. Roxy has won the Human Rights court case.Roxy, was discriminated against by an online app, Giggle for Girls, purported to be for women only. This case has attracted global attention as it is thought to be the first of its kind around the world. It also brought a lot of negative sentiment.Looking back at the outcome, Roxy says, ”It was great that the judgment was in my favour, but one of the other things that I liked so much about it was that his honour said that Roxanne Tickle is a woman and deserves to use female pronouns.“It's now law. It's not an opinion.”Two and a half years ago, Roxy lodged a Human Rights Commission complaint. “I joined a female only social media app, and I was allowed onto the app. They used software with a selfie mechanism. You would take a selfie of yourself, and the AI sitting behind the app would look at your face and decide whether you're male or female.”The AI gave Roxy access to the app. She used it for a while, “but then after about six months, I realised that I had limited functionality, so I reached out to the app owner, who, it turns out, doesn't believe that trans women are women.“She kicked me out. I tried to contact her about it, and she refused contact and blocked me. So, I lodged a Human Rights Commission complaint.“The federal court judgment, two weeks ago, said in no uncertain terms that I am a woman and that I do not deserve to be discriminated against.”Roxy had withdrawn from normal life in the period before she decided to transition. The transition took almost three years; then she had her gender affirmation surgery.“Then Covid hit, then the floods and then my court case issue.”It’s been many years since Roxy’s life could be described as “normal”, and following the court decision, “I was very numb. I still don't think that. Two weeks later, I've really kind of caught up on it.“For nearly three years, I slept, ate, worked, played hockey and worked on the case, I've basically lost three years of my life because of this, but I felt it was a really important thing to do.”(The official court findings. The documentation associated with this case has been made available to the public because of the attention the case has generated)Roxy explains her background.“When I was born, I had a birth certificate issued in my previous name; it had an M for male on there. For me personally, transgender just means that I knew from a really early age that it didn't represent who I was. “Because of a bunch of circumstances where I was born, when I was born, it was very difficult to do anything about it. So, once I finally couldn't deal with that pressure anymore, I did something about it. “When I grew up in the 70s and 80s in country New South Wales, the only trans people were dead sex workers on TV or in movies.”There were no role models or examples, just inklings. Roxy was about 12 or 13 when she solidifies a memory of being in a body where she didn't feel matched with who she was.Roxy made headlines four years ago for helping write the national guidelines for non-cisgender people in hockey. “I helped Hockey Australia write their trans and gender diverse inclusion guidelines, and that was my introduction to people thinking that they knew who I was.“They started attacking me online, and I thought I'd be able to sit back and just live my life. There's a noisy minority of people who want trans and gender-diverse people to go back into the closet and pretend to be cisgender again, and that's not going to happen. “I get accused of being a danger to women and children. I won't go into the details of what's said, but that's basically pretty horrific.”The hate is tangible. When I met Roxy, she was with friend and ally Lisa Bristow. A local artist, who had painted Roxy’s portrait for the Archibald Prize.  The artwork is a collage of negative press and posts about Roxy, painted over with her likeness in “hockey mode”.Lisa speaks up and says, “Actually, and I've seen the diatribe. It's disturbing, and it's horrific. There is a projection upon Roxy that is not real and true to her person. “Seeing JK Rowlings nasty tweet that sat at the top of her x post about Roxy for a week.(Roxy Tickle and Lisa Bristow with the Archibald portait)“Martina Navratilova, seeing her own battle with her sexuality, you think, there's someone that's a hero to look up to. She's a tennis star. She's a lesbian. She's fighting for her own rights. “She is a hero for so many people who do not identify with traditional roles, and to see her attacking Roxy and posting about Roxy is shocking. “They're using their fame and platforms to spread these values, which are so harmful.”Going over the negative aspects of what Roxy has been through, she remarks, “I really wish that I could just be invisible.”Tickle vs Giggle is such a lighthearted name for an emotionally sensitive case. Roxy defends her name.“Tickle was my birth name. It's a really old English surname, over a thousand years old.”Lisa elaborates, “One of the huge things that you see in those online theories, is just around Roxy's name being a porn name.”Roxy confirms, “Once or twice a week, there'll be someone that attacks me about how I have a porn star name.“It's actually very common. There's a Roxanne Tickle that lives in Macksville. And I'm not even the only North Coast Roxanne Tickle.”Dealing with all these negative sentiments, Roxy says, “I need to disassociate to a certain extent. Some people put themselves in the public sphere or spotlight because they become a movie star or a politician. “All I did was choose to stand up for myself, and for that, I get attacked by people all around the world, some really, quite well-known people who should know better.(The collage of negative press that made up the canvas for Roxy's portrait)“I got included in a mocking cartoon by Pauline Hanson. The number of people who have hammered me online over the last three years is more ridiculous. They need to grow up.”Roxy has won, but the time cost has been significant. “I've been so flat out for the last six years I don't know who I am. I'm only two weeks past judgment, and I am going to take some time to try and work out who I am and what I do from now on. It's like I'm beginning life again.Roxy believes there is going to be an appeal from the respondent, “So it's not quite over for me, yet, legally wise, but hopefully, by the end of the year, I'll be able to work out how I'm going to live the rest of my life. It's been really tough emotionally.”This experience has had an unexpected upside: “It's made me realise how much braver I am than I thought I was. I don't think if someone had told me four years ago that I was going to do this and change so many people's lives for the better, I would have laughed at them. “I was someone who sat in the corner at everything. Was so scared of everything, but it turns out I'm not. Turns out that I can push back against people if they try and bully me.”Throughout this process Roxy has had a lot of support from friends and family and people like Lisa. To them, Roxy says, “Thank you. Thank you. It's been a hell of a ride, and I'm glad it's nearly over. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”To those who have made this journey more difficult, Roxy says, “I hope that one day they understand that not all human beings are like they thought. We're all different. We don't just have different personalities, we have completely different makeups in our brain, and trans and gender-diverse people are trying to live their lives. Meet us. Don't hate us.”

The NSW Government has welcomed the release of the Productivity and Equality Commission’s latest housing report, Review of Housing Supply Challenges and Policy Options for New South Wales.This report was commissioned by Premier Chris Minns, who tasked Productivity Commissioner Peter Achterstraat with investigating and providing evidence-based recommendations about the barriers impacting housing supply, including in the construction industry.The Commissioner was also asked to investigate barriers holding up the delivery of different housing and development types that are sought by renters and owner-occupiers.The Review made 32 recommendations grouped into four key themes:Free up construction capacity to build more homes quicky: Prioritise capital spending; rapidly remove barriers to density in the most feasible locations; and be sparing with subsidies for developers.  Streamline the development process: legislate a mechanism to resolve bottlenecks, including after DAs have been approved; retain and improve infrastructure contributions; and create a pro-housing regulatory environment. Help the construction sector to deliver: shift the migration intake and recognise worker skills; grow the construction workforce and build capacity; and support innovation and productivity.  Ensure a diverse and equitable supply of homes.  The NSW Government is now considering the report and will develop an action plan that will identify which recommendations the Government can take up immediately with a priority placed on recommendations that will help unblock bottlenecks and support increased housing supply.The review builds on critical analysis by the Productivity and Equality Commission in previous housing reports looking into how density can be done well and ideas on better land use.  Today’s report provides new insight into why doing nothing is not an option. This follows the Commissioner stating in his last housing review, “If we don't act, we could become a city with no grandchildren.”The paper found that between 2016 and 2021, Sydney lost twice as many people aged 30 to 40 as it gained. 35,000 came to Sydney, but 70,000 left.It also found that while Sydney has among the highest average wages in Australia, over recent years, it has consistently lost population to other states and regional NSW.While there is more to do, the NSW Government claims it has made bold strides to reform the planning system in NSW. This includes:Creating fairer housing targets. We’re rebalancing growth with a focus on well-located homes close to existing infrastructure.$253.7 million to continue the overhaul of the planning system and planning reforms.The largest rezoning in NSW history and the largest ever investment in the state’s history with $5.1 billion dedicated to delivering social and affordable housing.An international pattern book design competition to support our low-rise and mid-rise reforms and fast track pre-approved designs.A land audit of vacant government owned land that will unlock 30,000 homes including 8,400 public homes built by the government.Established a $2.2 billion infrastructure fund to make sure key infrastructure is in place to support development.Premier Chris Minns said, "We won’t back away from the challenge ahead of us – building thousands of new homes near existing infrastructure for a generation of young people locked out of housing.“The Commissioner warned in his last report that we’re at risk of being a city with no young people. Doing nothing is not an option.“This means honestly assessing the conditions we are working in, and thinking innovatively about what we can do better like this report does.“I want to thank Commissioner Peter Achterstraat for the work on this report.”NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said, “As it cites in its foreword, this report is ‘about looking our housing challenge in the face – it is also about practical solutions.“We welcome the latest insights from the Productivity and Equality Commissioner and look forward to working through his recommendations.”NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said, “The NSW Government is confronting the housing crisis head on – and that means making sure we create changes to help increase housing supply.“We’ve already introduced some of the biggest planning reforms in NSW history and are keen to consider and act on recommendations from important reviews like this from the Commission.”

The Lismore App regularly reports on the below-average performance of the Lismore Base Hospital when the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) releases its quarterly reports.Lismore Base is usually well below the Northern NSW Local Health District average and below the state average when it comes to Emergency Department statistics, such as leaving the ED within 4 hours.The NSW Government thinks it has part of a solution, announcing it will roll out 86 dedicated patient-flow concierge officers across the state, including six in the Northern NSW Local Health District.These roles will support clinical staff to facilitate patient flow and better co-ordinate the discharge processes.This will enhance patient communication and experience, including for patients awaiting discharge who are National Disability Insurance Scheme recipients or residential aged care residents.This is just one of a range of measures included in the Minns Labor Government’s $480.7 million emergency department relief package announced in the state budget in June.Other measures in the ED relief package include:$171.4 million to introduce three additional virtual care services helping 180,000 avoid a trip to the ED;$100 million to back in our urgent care services to become a mainstay and key instrument of the health system in providing a pathway to care outside of our hospitals for an estimated 114,000 patients;$70 million to expand emergency department short stay units to improve patient flow to reduce ED wait times by nearly 80,000 hours; and$31.4 million to increase Hospital in the Home across the state allowing over 3,500 additional patients each year to be cared for in their home rather than a hospital bed.Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin welcomed the new positions for the Northern NSW Local Health District.“Having patients waiting around in our hospitals for lengthy periods is not good for them, their loved one, staff and other patients.“Discharging patients from hospital is often an admin-heavy task, taking clinicians away from seeing patients.“We’ve created this new role to help get patients home as soon as possible once they’re ready to be discharged – freeing up our doctors, nurses and other staff to get on with seeing patients.”For Lismore Base Hospital, is it staffing levels that affect the BHI quarterly results, or will the concierge officer do the trick?As they say, the proof is in the pudding.

There has been a great deal of speculation about Lismore's population since the February 2022 big flood.Approximately 4,000 people were evacuated on that fateful day. We all know people or families who were moved into emergency accommodation outside of the LGA and decided to stay, sold their flood-affected house and moved outside of the area or received a Resilient Homes House Buyback (575 at last count) through the NSWRA (Reconstruction Authority) and relocated to another town.The popular guess was the Lismore Population had reduced to around 40,000, down from the census data of 45,938 from August 2021.There have been two statistic estimates that offer more believable population data in the last two weeks.The Australian Bureau of Statistics released a population estimate from June 2023. It showed Lismore's population at 43,907, which is 2,031 less than the census data.Lismore often likes to compare its population to Ballina's because it was the most populous town/city in the Northern Rivers before being overtaken by Ballina five years ago. Ballina's estimated population is 47,279.As the Lismore City Council Elections are on this Saturday, the NSW Electoral Commission released the number of registered voters. The numbers are only for registered voters 18+, but we can compare that to the December 2021 elections.As of the end of August, there were 31,717 registered voters. In 2021, there were 31,531 electors. The increase is only small, but it is an increase nonetheless.The unknown factor in this instance is how many registered voters have not changed their details with the NSW Electoral Commission. This will be discovered after the election as you can only vote in your LGA in person or by postal vote.It does appear that the Lismore population has decreased following the events of February 2022. However, the losses were not as pronounced as some people thought. We can be optimistic about Lismore's future population as the flood rebuild continues. More plans are revealed, such as the new St Vincent's Hospital, the nearly 500 homes announced under the Resilient Homes program, with more to come, and the potential for medium-density housing on the fringe of the floodplain.What was it that Kevin Costner said in Fields of Dreams? Build it, and they will come.

It was a good news day yesterday for Lismore City Council. Thirty-five (35) new jobs will become available for young adults at Lismore City Council (LCC), and $5 million dollars for a new fleet of waste trucks has been allocated to LCC by the State Government and the United Services Union (USU).At a press conference, Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg, State MP Janelle Saffin and two members of the USU, Graham Kelly, the general secretary and Stephen Hughes, the Northern Manager, made the announcements following funding that has been allocated for both projects.Waste ServiceThere has been contention and division over the waste service in Lismore, leaving our city limits. Mayor Krieg was happy to deliver the news: “I'm really pleased to be able to stand here 12 months after a decision was made to potentially outsource waste to now, bringing it back in house with a brand new state-of-the-art fleet, the most modern, up-to-date fleet of Waste Services trucks across New South Wales.“That saves the 20 jobs here in town. It gives opportunity to those who see a job with council in the future.”Ms Saffin added, “It's a good day when we can stand here and hear Graham say that there'll be a new fleet of waste trucks, and it's a good day when we can say they will stay in public hands through the Council, and the jobs will be public jobs.”“It just shows the strength and the power of the Union because they're about localism, they're about jobs. They're about keeping them in public hands, and that's how Graham and Steve and the team work, to make sure that we get the outcome to do that.”New JobsMayor Krieg said, “We want to keep local jobs and young people in town. Everyone says there's no employment prospects. Well, here are 35 trade qualified opportunities for our young people to be able to stay in town and build a career in the city that we all love.”A wide range of jobs in engineering, outdoors, mechanics, accounting, business and technology will be offered. The positions will be apprenticeships, cadetships and traineeships to allow people to earn while they learn.The USU lobbied the state government and was awarded $253 million to assist local councils state-wide to employ young adults.“That's an additional 15% to every Council's workforce across the state of New South Wales, with a total program of 7,500 apprentices, trainees and cadets,” said Mr Kelly“40 years ago, county councils were the biggest providers of apprenticeships and traineeships in communities. We've seen corporatisation, rationalisation and privatisation whittle away at that, and most don't do it today,” added Mr Hughes.“Our Union's been successful in working with councils like Lismore and your local member, Janelle Saffin, and this government to turn things around, to get them back to where they were and see local government be responsible employers to give young people the opportunity to have good careers in their local community.”Mayor Krieg speaks about the need for a succession plan at the council, as many of the people there are getting closer to retirement. Pointing out the opportunity to work at council, “People can make a really solid career in local government. “You don't have to stay as a diesel mechanic for 45 years. There are opportunities to progress. Council trains our people along the journey - it's a great starting point.”Mr Hughes also talks about the benefits of a traineeship through the USU, “We negotiate a state award every three years. You know what your pay increases are going to be three years in advance. “Generally, we have long service leave after five years, the long service leave is well in excess of the long service leave act, and you can cash in excess long service leave, say, for example, if you needed the money for a deposit to get your first home loan. We've got salary ranges and career paths.”Janelle Saffin is pleased with this outcome: “This is about our future, and it's the future of not only Lismore but regional and rural towns and cities because it's about having the workforce that's fit for purpose and ready for the needs of the future.“I'll be backing what Graham Kelly said, trying to make sure that it's enshrined in the Local Government Act and that it increases because the demand is there, the needs there, and we all want jobs in our local areas.”Keep an eye out on the Lismore City Councils career pages for work opportunities.

Public sector nurses and midwives in Lismore and across Northern NSW stopped work at 7 o'clock this morning, in a bid to send the NSW government a loud message.Fed up with being ignored by the government, thousands of NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) members statewide will walk off the job to fight for a 15% one-year pay increase. Many areas around the state are only stopping work for 12 hours, but the situation in the Northern Rivers is more pressing with the proximity to Queensland and the higher wages that working over the border provides.The local NSWNMA branches at Lismore Base and Lismore Mental Health have voted to strike for 24 hours from 7am Tuesday to 7am Wednesday. Other Northern Rivers hospitals also taking longer action include: Tweed Valley Hospital, Murwillumbah District Hospital and Grafton Base Hospital.The strike took to the streets, past Janelle Saffin's office and around the CBD.Minimal, life-preserving staffing will be maintained in public hospitals and health services during the strike.Lismore Branch President Penelope Anderson said, “New South Wales Labor has treated us with utter contempt throughout this whole process.  “They've just sat there and stonewalled us the whole time. Nobody of any consequence, who can make decisions, comes to these meetings. Yet they say they are ”sitting at the table” with the nurses.“It's absolutely disgusting.”Just prior to the strike, Janelle Saffin said, "The nurses and midwives, through their association, tell me that they haven't had a substantial pay rise since 2008 by the state government."The Minn's Labor Government has removed the cap - that's a good thing. Now they're saying they want to catch up with the 15%. Of course, as a local member, I back them in their calls."NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish said members were sick and tired of being undervalued, overworked, and not listened to."The state government is not bargaining in good faith. Not once in our ten negotiation meetings has the government sat at the table and discussed nurses' and midwives' pay. That's despite us finding significant cost savings through our Rapid Business Case," said Ms Candish."Nurses and midwives shouldn't have to foot the bill for safe staffing ratios in our public hospitals and forgo a decent pay rise – there's no other workforce that's been required to pay for their own resources."NSW Labor was elected on a platform of gender equity and supporting women in work. They're now refusing to fix the gender pay gap and not deliver the state's largest female-dominated workforce fair and reasonable pay."It's clear the state government is choosing to pay nurses and midwives the lowest wages in the country, and it will continue to see our public health system fall apart if it doesn't pay nurses and midwives enough to stay in NSW."Read here for more about the Rapid Business Case on the decline of nurses in NSW and the NSWNMA ideology to stop and reverse this from happening.

The Minns Labor Government welcomed the release of the Natural Resources Commission’s (NRC) final preliminary report into the ongoing biosecurity risks of introduced species.The preliminary report, ‘Reducing Risk, Securing the Future – NSW Invasive Species Management Review’ delivers on an election commitment and provides a comprehensive overview of the priority risks and impacts of invasive species in NSW, including the effectiveness of management strategies set up by the former Government.Invasive species are a serious threat to landscapes, with more than 340 weed and 40 pest animal species causing extensive impacts to the NSW economy, environment, and communities.Concerningly, the report highlights the cost of invasive species to NSW ballooning from $661.2 million in the 2000s to $1.9 billion in 2022-23.This year’s state government budget included a record $946 million allocation for biosecurity, with an additional $60 million announced recently to rebuild essential infrastructure across the State’s network of research stations where work is ongoing to address biosecurity and other threats.The report further projects that without concerted action by 2030, new incursions could cost the state $29.7 billion annually.This preliminary review will now open for consultation with industry, experts and stakeholders, with a final report to be published before the end of the year, including a framework and recommendations to address the impacts of invasive species moving forward. The New South Wales Government has made it clear that strengthening the state’s resilience, response and protection against biosecurity threats is a priority, with the NSW’s first Independent Biosecurity Commissioner Dr. Marion Healy appointed this year. In line with the preliminary report recommendations of the NRC the NSW Government is also:Investing $26 million between 2023 and 2025 to deliver the Feral Pig Program and expanded Feral Pig and Pest ProgramUpdating regional pest animal management plans and developing annual operations plans to outline how priority pest animal will be targeted though local control programsDeveloping an updated Local Land Services compliance policy to guide the agency’s strategic approach to pest animal and weed complianceRolling out the $10 million Good Neighbour Program to tackle pest and weed infestations on private property neighbouring public landReviewing the regulatory and policy settings for priority pest and weed speciesMinister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty said, “The Government commissioned this report so we could understand the problems we inherited from the former Nationals/Liberal Government’s management of this critically important area.“While the NRC was developing this report we haven’t sat still - we’ve got on with the job and started addressing the feral pig problem, fixing the system’s governance by creating the Independent Biosecurity Commissioner role and appointing Dr Marion Healy, plus providing record funding for biosecurity and NSW local land services.“We are committed to responding to the NRC report comprehensively and we are already reviewing the current compliance settings to make sure they are fit for purpose.“In addition, we will be making sure that public land managers are not only compliant but are leading the way in how they manage the public estate for future generations. “As a government we will continue to provide education and guidance about what is required to assist all land managers comply with their biosecurity responsibilities.”

Lismore City Council announced that hundreds of cycling enthusiasts will converge on Lismore next month for the first-ever Lismore Cycling Festival.The bumper two-day event, held in partnership with the Byron Bay Cycle Club on the weekend of 5 and 6 October, promises a mix of competitive racing, participation rides and ‘Come-and-try’ sessions for children and adults.This mix of options makes the event perfect for seasoned cyclists and newcomers.Lismore City Council’s Manager of Active and Liveable Communities, Tony Duffy, said the event will showcase the Council's ability to host cycling events that require short and long-distance cycling.“On Saturday, we will have criterium racing around the Oakes Oval complex, which is a fast-paced, bunch-style racing on a closed-street circuit,” he said.“Then, on Sunday, the focus shifts to the Fondo events, which are rides designed to accommodate different skill levels and fitness around our stunning Lismore countryside, from the ridgelines of the Nimbin valley to the lush Woodlawn and Numulgi valleys.”“Officials in vehicles with orange flashing lights will patrol the rider group's front, middle and rear. Some CBD roads will be closed for short-distance racing, but most roads are still open to traffic for long-distance. Existing speed limits apply, and maps will be available soon on the official website.”Saturday starts with registration at 10am, followed by thrilling Cyclocross and Junior’s Crit-Cross events in the Lismore Regional Sports Hub. This is an excellent opportunity for people of all ages to try cycling in a fun, off-road environment. Cyclocross, popular in Europe, offers a safe and exciting way to develop cycling skills.From 2pm, things speed up with criterium racing around the Oakes Oval complex, featuring fast-paced, bunch-style racing on a closed street circuit. Spectators are encouraged to enjoy the action from Lismore’s Sporting Hub, where stalls will provide coffee, food and plenty of atmosphere.Free parking is available in the Harold Federicks car park between the Lismore Regional Sports Hub and the Lismore Library/Art Gallery buildings.On Sunday, the focus shifts to the Fondo events – participation rides designed to accommodate different skill levels and fitness. Riders can choose between the Gran Fondo (110km), Medio Fondo (70km), or Piccolo Fondo (28km).A Byron Bay Cycle Club spokesperson said riders will be safe no matter what event they choose to participate in.“Cycling isn’t just about racing, these Fondo events are a chance for people to enjoy the beauty of our region at their own pace,” the spokesperson said.“The festival is for everyone, whether you're a seasoned rider or just looking for a fun way to get active.“Safety is paramount, with marshals patrolling the courses in vehicles. Participants are reminded that all bikes must be road-legal (including pedal-assist bikes) and that helmets are mandatory.”The event is expected to generate an economic boost of $79,250 for local businesses, with proceeds from the festival supporting the Lismore Rescue Helicopter Service.Lismore City Council estimate:Day 1 Criterium – Estimated total visitor spend of $27,000Day 2 Fondo/Midlands/Flatlands – Estimated total visitor spend of $52,250 For more information and to register, visit the official Lismore Cycling Festival website at www.byronbaycycleclub.org.au/lismore-cycling-festival-2024 The festival once again demonstrates that Lismore is a regional sporting hub after successfully hosting a number of major events this year, including the Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase and Masters Hockey.

You may not know this, but Lismore is a hotbed of futsal talent. Four VIFPs on the Australian team are close to arriving in Colombia right about now for the VIII FIFUSA World Cup.Clay Skinner from Just Futsal NSW and Gold Coast United, and Hunter Hotko from Just Futsal NSW, GC United and Galaxy FC, will be playing under the guidance of Vinnie Leite (coach) and Alex Argolo (physiologist).Vinnie Leite, began three futsal leagues in the Northern Rivers. He is dedicated to developing the next generation of players.  “I started futsal in 2010. We had about 40 to 60 people playing futsal. This year, we're going to have over 1000 people playing in our region. “I saw the quality in these two players. To see these two take this journey and go to this tournament, which is a one off opportunity, might change the course of their lives. “FIFUSA is very big in South America. In Colombia, we will have 5000 to 6000 people watching our games. And for a kid that comes from Lismore, playing in front of that many spectators, for the world to see them, that's incredible. “You can always make more money, but you can never make more time. So the time is now for them to shine.”(Clay, Vinnie and Hunter leaving for Columbia. Image credit: Vinnie Leite)Both of the boys are thrilled to be representing Australia on the world stage. Playing together for Gold Coast United, gives them a familiarity with each other's skill set that many national players thrown together never have the opportunity to develop.Vinnie has revelled in seeing Hunter develop as a player. “Hunter has been with me since he was seven years old. So I've been coaching Hunter for 9 to 10 years, and I’m very, very proud of the time spent with him, not just as a player, but watching him turn into a man. “As a young man, Hunter was very insecure, didn't have confidence at all, didn't want to take penalties. He was always shy.“Then to see him come out of his shell and become a very, very good player, very nice and charismatic. Everybody loves being around him. He communicates a lot on and off the court. “He's liked everywhere he goes. He has become a leader, even though he's young. He steps up to take leadership in everything that he's part of. He's very, very skilful. (Hunter Hotko with the ball. Photo: Snapshots by Dawn Photography)“His decision-making is incredibly good. He is so creative in tight spaces. He can get out of tough situations and even score. “He could be the next generation of Futsalroos if he doesn't make it to the Socceroos. He can easily play for the Australian National Team if he's given the opportunity. Opportunities like this World Cup.”Hunter says, “I'm very grateful for such a big opportunity. It has always been a dream to represent my nation but I never thought it would come true. I hope I can go over there and play my best and make all my supporters proud.'Vinnie describes Clay as a shy player, “He still doesn't talk much, but he talks through his legs - he shows his skills. He's a very strong player. “He had a terrible injury, a broken back. He was almost out for one season, didn't play football, and thought that he could never play again at a high level.“He did physio for about six or seven months. He really focused. He knows what he wants, and to see him now going back to play for Gold Coast United, one of the best football clubs in the NPL League, and now trying for the Australian National team is a testament to his efforts.”(Clay Skinner, photo provided by Mrs Skinner)Clay says, “I am excited to be travelling to Colombia to play futsal. I started playing futsal when I was 13 at Just Futsal with Vinnie, and I fell in love with the game. Vinnie and futsal helped me develop my skills and made me a better football player.“I hope futsal is in the 2032 Olympics when it comes to Australia. It will be my ambition to be in that team.”Our support and luck go with these men.Twenty (20) teams will be battling it out, starting in 4 groups of 5 starting on September 13th.Australia has a hard draw, up against Brazil, Ecuador, Pakistan and Mexico.The matches for the first round are:15th September - Australia Vs Brazil16th September - Australia Vs Ecuador17th September - Australia Vs Mexico18th September - Australia Vs PakistanFutsal World Cups explainedThere are two internationally renowned Futsal organisations. FIFA and FIFUSA. Vinnie explains, “FIFA has a bigger reputation - all the big football players play for FIFA. “FIFUSA is older and specialised on development of the sport. It gives opportunities to under 13’s, 15’s and 17s, and men's and women's, so there are opportunities for them.”FIFUSA doesn’t have the big player draw cards and funding, so players have to pay their way to get there, but Vinnie says the experience, especially playing high level in front of big crowds, is well worth it.In Australia Futsal has not been promoted as much as in other countries. But in the leading teams around the world, showing prowess on the Futsal court is a necessary part of honing skills.“In South America, Futsal is played more than football. Good players are considered superstars. People migrate to football later because of the money, chasing that dream career. “In places like Brazil and Spain, all the juniors start playing classical futsal. Most of them play futsal two nights a week and one night of football. "So the kids train three nights a week until the age of 13 or 14, then they fully move to football once they acquire all their skills. That's why they produce the best players in the world.“Australia is crawling compared to those nations that are running in front of them, but in the last four or five years, the landscape has changed a lot with a lot of futsal tournaments.”Follow the World Cup at the Futbol de Salon Australia - FSAOr with the local club, Just Futsal NSWAnd if you are keen to give futsal a go, teams are forming now for next season!If you have the futsal bug, here is another article written about the physiologist for Australia’s team, Alex Argolo.

The Lismore Workers Club is arguably the most anticipated reopening of any building, council-owned or privately owned since the February 2022 big flood closed it down due to unprecedented damage.The countdown is well and truly on, as Monday, September 23, is the day when the doors will officially open to the public, which is less than two weeks away.General Manager Stephen Bortolin gave the Lismore App a sneak peek at the work done and what needs to be completed before the 23rd.As you would expect, the decor on the ground floor entrance is stylish but simple, given the constant threat of major flooding. The layout upstairs is the same as it was pre-flood, with a refurbished look and feel.The carpet on the first floor is themed around the river system in the Northern Rivers."We thought we would theme it around the Northern Rivers because we got flooded. All the carpet is designed for us, so this is actually custom-made for us. No, no one else has got it," Stephen explained.He points to a decal on a short window and says, "The decal on the windows is all river system. Again, that's designed just for us."The river system carpet moves into the bistro area, with what Stephen describes as rain cloud lighting continuing the theme.(The NRs river system carpet and rain cloud lighting in the Bistro area. The new pizza and pasta bar will be to the left)The kitchen at the back of the room has not changed, but there is now booth seating, tables and chairs, and a new dining option. This is one of Stephen's favourite parts of the rebuild."We introduced another eatery, a pizza and pasta bar," Stephen added. "This is all brand new. It's not quite finished yet; there's still a bit more to do. It's going to look like a shopfront with all the windows. So, woodfired pizza and a pasta and noodle bar."Our cooked-to-order meals, like a roast of the days and specials, will be the same as we had last time."The main bar that services the Bistro has a fresh, modern look, as does the large auditorium bar. That room can hold 800 people and is the venue for the Lismore Workers Club live entertainment, such as the Boney M Experience and Marina Prior & Michael Cormick."We've got a little cafe here (near the main bar) with a little kitchenette at the back. So this will be meals right through from the time that we open until an hour before we close. It's an all-day breakfast offering, too."The open hours have not been locked in yet, but Stephen hinted at starting with Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - 9am to 9:30pm and getting progressively later as the weekend draws near.For sports fans, the sports arena will be something to behold, with the largest screens in the Northern Rivers."This is all brand new as well," Stephen said, "This is probably one of the biggest in the Northern Rivers. I think Byron Bay's got one about five metres, but this is seven metres."We can change the configuration. We can change each screen to whatever sport people want to watch. If a patron wants to see the football, we can do it. Or the NRL or AFL. We can have one big screen or split it into two or three different screens quickly and easily."The gaming area is pretty much unchanged apart from new carpet and new machines, but the automatic louvre system that allows for natural light and ventilation is impressive. The louvres are open until it rains when they close automatically the exhaust system kicks in.Sometimes, it is the small things in life that impress you; think of the upgraded bathrooms at Lismore Square. The upgraded bathrooms and the parent's room at the Workers Club also have a clean, modern feel.(The parent changeroom in the rebuilt Lismore Workers Club)The investment for the Lismore Workers Club is going to be close to $15 million, but there was never a real moment when the club was not going to reopen."It's about the community, we're back for the community, not for us. I think, if we didn't do it, it would have been a shame because it's an icon of Lismore."Look, there was a lot of problems with council and builders and architects, and we've still got problems, but we're going to get it over the line. It's been hard. It's two and a half years of planning, and now it's come to the point that we're reopening. In some ways, it's scary, and in some ways it's exciting."There will be no grand opening on Monday, September 23. Come 9am the doors will open, and the first patrons will walk through the door, swipe their card and make their way to the first floor.Lismore will have its largest indoor venue back in operation. Year 12 Formals are coming up in November, and Trinity and Woodlawn have already booked the auditorium. Last year Trinity went to the Ballina RSL, this year the money stays in our LGA.Until then, two truckloads of furniture will arrive this week to complete the flood rebuild. Staff will have a week of training next week to iron out the bugs and fully understand what they need to do. Keep in mind most of the staff will be new, never having worked in the Workers Club before."Virtually everything is ready to go. We have to wait to the last week to order our stock. That's the last week, and then we're ready to go."