NSW Health is urging people to avoid touching possums following the first probable case of the rare disease tularaemia in a NSW resident.The woman was bitten and scratched by a ringtail possum in a Northern Sydney suburb in early March, and since developed symptoms including swollen lymph glands, fatigue, and a sore throat. Further testing is continuing to confirm the diagnosis. NSW Health's Acting Director of Communicable Diseases, Ms Keira Glasgow, said that while the disease is highly contagious, most people fully recover with appropriate antibiotics. Tularaemia is an extremely rare bacterial disease, which can be transmitted to humans from infected animals but not from human-to-human. “The best way to prevent tularaemia is to avoid touching or handling any wildlife,” Ms Glasgow said. Only two cases of tularaemia have been reported in people in Australia previously, both of whom had been bitten or scratched by possums in Tasmania in 2011. The type of bacteria present in Australia is less virulent than the type seen in North America, and there have been no deaths associated with the disease in Australia. “If you see sick or injured wildlife, do not pick it up or try to rescue it. Instead, contact the experts at your local licensed wildlife care group or local veterinarian,” she said. Symptoms of tularaemia include fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, headache and nausea, which appear within two weeks of exposure to the bacteria. People exposed to the bacteria through bites and scratches to their skin will also develop an ulcer at the wound. “If you have become unwell with these symptoms after recently touching a possum, especially if you were bitten or scratched, it is important to seek medical treatment early,” Ms Glasgow said. In an emergency, always call Triple Zero (000). Worldwide, tularaemia can affect a wide range of animals including rabbits, hares, rodents and wildlife. The infection has only been found in two possums in Australia, which died in separate clusters in 2002 and 2003. Contact details for local wildlife care groups can be found at: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/wildlife-rehab​ and an app called “IFAW Wildlife Rescue” can be downloaded from the app store. The Taronga Conservation Society’s Australian Registry of Wildlife Health is assisting the NSW Health investigation in this rare occurrence of the disease. For more information on tularaemia, visit: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/tularaemia.aspx

The Lismore App reported last week on the results of a recent court case which challenged the development of housing on the North Lismore Plateau. It was the third court case involving Aboriginal Elder Micky Ryan who has been trying to stop the development - and also have environmental remediation works undertaken on work already done. The recent court case was a “win” for Mr Ryan, as the court found the developer, Winten, should have had a Species Impact Statement included in their Development Application for it to be lawful. Mr Ryan’s challenge to the developer also involved Lismore City Council – which had granted the development consent to Winten to undertake the project. Read the story here: Court deems North Lismore Plateau development 'invalid'Lismore City Council has responded to the court’s decision with the following statement, which outlines why Council granted a development consent to Winten:On Thursday, 14 May 2020 her Honour Justice Pain of the Land and Environment Court gave judgment in Ryan v Northern Regional Planning Panel and Others.The proceedings were a challenge to the decision of the Panel to grant development consent to a DA lodged by the Winten group for the subdivision of the Plateau. The consent permitted the development of the relevant land for residential purposes (together with associated development).Lismore City Council was a party to the proceedings.The Court found that a Species Impact Statement (SIS) should have accompanied the DA. In circumstances where the SIS did not accompany the DA, the DA was not properly and lawfully made and the decision to grant consent was void and of no effect.Two other challenges brought by Mr Ryan were not successful. Mr Ryan was unable to persuade the Court that orders should be made with respect to the failure to obtain a permit under the Heritage Act 1977 prior to excavation associated with an alleged "grave site”. The Court declined to grant any relief – make any declaration that the Act had been breached – and noted that correct procedures on the excavation had been followed and that no relic (including human remains) had been located at the site.Mr Ryan was also unable to persuade the Court that construction certificates (CC) issued by Council to allow the development to proceed in accordance with the consent were unlawful. The Court concluded that the CCs were not inconsistent with the consent. No error had been made by Council when issuing the CCs.The Court's findings with respect to the threatened species followed extensive investigation into the land which constitutes the North Lismore Plateau. The land was rezoned to allow residential development to proceed, and that rezoning process included an investigation of the environmental and ecological attributes of the land. Additional ecological investigations were conducted to support the DA which a number of ameliorative measures regarding biodiversity and vegetation on the land, including compensatory planting of over 2000 forest red gums.The Council prepared a development assessment report in response to the DA and provided that report to the Joint Regional Planning Panel.The Joint Regional Planning Panel, taking into account the relevant matters, determined that consent should be granted. It was that decision that was successfully challenged in the proceedings.Mr Ryan’s case relied on new studies prepared by his environmental consultant, Mr Milledge, that became evidence in the proceedings. A key feature of that evidence was that the “study area” for the purposes of the SIS, being the area affected by the proposal, was quite a constrained area. That is, when considering the impacts on the threatened species arising as a result of the development – for example habitat loss – the area to be considered was essentially the development site.In this respect Mr Ryan’s evidence differed from the evidence relied on by the developer (Winten) which considered a more expansive study area in which the impacts were to be assessed.The Court accepted that the area of land to be considered for the purposes of assessing the impacts on the threatened species was essentially the land to which the DA applied. In those circumstances, the Court concluded that there was an overall substantial reduction of important habitat. Her Honour therefore concluded that there was a real chance of significant impacts on the two species, and a proper and lawful consideration of that impact required the preparation of a SIS.Lismore City Council’s Director of Partnerships, Planning and Engagement Dr Sharon Harwood responded to the decision as follows: “This is an important decision in the context of the development of the Plateau and for other development,” she said.“Council has always been concerned to protect the environmental attributes of the Plateau - and it was for that reason that so much of the land has been rezoned for the purposes of Environmental Management. “There is no suggestion that the land that has been set aside for environmental management is inadequate. “The decision provides clarity with respect to that part of the Plateau that needs to be the subject of specific consideration with respect to the ecological impacts arising from any residential development.”Dr Harwood particularly noted the Court's findings with respect to the issue of the Construction Certificates. “Council spent some time considering the development consents in the context of the application for the CCs. “Council staff concluded that the CCs could be lawfully issued as they properly implemented the development the subject of the consent. The Court agreed with Council’s conclusions,” he said.The Council understands that the developer is considering its position following the decision.Council remains committed to the proper assessment of any development application in the Lismore area, working with the developer, the public and interested parties to ensure that development is sustainable and the environmental impacts are acceptable.

There is more of that blue sky again following news from the Premier of NSW Gladys Berejiklian this morning that from June 1 we can travel anywhere in NSW for a holiday.That's right, no travel restrictions in NSW.Roll on the June long weekend from June 6 to 8. You can pack the tent, get the boat ready or hitch the caravan to the car. There are still border restrictions in place for Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania but hopefully this will ease in the coming weeks as well, especially Queensland given our proximity to the border.The warning from the Premier was to "get used to living in a COVID environment until we find a vaccine". This is nothing that we are not used to already so social distancing, good hygiene practises and keeping away from large crowds.The other warning was to book ahead because some restrictions will be in place for caravan parks and camping grounds.For those with a boat, it is not full throttle yet but at least the engine has started. Darren Vaux, the Boating Industry Association President said “The State Government today confirmed that members of a household can go out boating in all forms of recreational craft which importantly includes the most popular type of boat … the family runabout.” “This means a typical family household can go out together as there does not need to be 4 square metres of space for each person onboard. Meanwhile people who are not from the same household can also go recreational boating but should maintain a physical distance of 1.5 metres from others, as is reasonably practicable".Deputy Premier John Barilaro encouraged holidaymakers to "visit local businesses, enjoy local attractions and feast on the best food regional NSW has to offer" when holidaying over the June long weekend. In other words spend up and support regional towns. More good news for cafe, restaurant and those pubs serving food with the number of customers increasing from 10 to 20 from June 1st. This will see some venues operating at near capacity which can only be a good thing for cashflow and jobs as well as remove some frustrations for patrons who turn up to eat only to be told they need to wait until someone needs to leave before they can take a seat.Today's easing of restrictions adds to the news that all NSW Public Schools will be back for face to face teaching as of this Monday.Another welcome glimpse of a slightly different normal life.

It’s time to nominate selfless locals who have stood tall during drought, bushfires and the Covid-19 pandemic.Nominations have opened for the 2020 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards.State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said the contribution of volunteers has never been more important and National Volunteer Week is the perfect time to say thank you.“The last 12 months has been very challenging for our local communities and there is no better time to recognise the many local heroes who have gone above and beyond to help others,” Ms Saffin said.“I have witnessed the valuable work of volunteers and thanked them personally, and I encourage everyone to nominate someone they know so that we can give thanks publicly and make this year’s awards the biggest yet.”The awards, run by The Centre for Volunteering, are in their fourteenth year and have grown to become one of the largest celebrations of volunteering in Australia.You can nominate someone for one of the following seven categories:Adult Volunteer of the Year.Young Volunteer of the Year.Senior Volunteer of the Year.Volunteer Team of the Year.Corporate Volunteer of the Year (Individual).Corporate Volunteer of the Year (Team).Excellence in Volunteer Management.Regional finalists are invited to the State Ceremony at the end of the year, where winners are selected across each category and the NSW Volunteer of the Year is announced.Nominations close on Friday, July 3, 2020. For more information or to nominate a volunteer, visit http://www.volunteering.com.au/awards

The construction of a new, bigger water pipeline to carry water to coastal areas has begun – so we can expect to see some heavy vehicles and digging happening in the areas of Dorroughby and Clunes. Rous County Council has begun Stage 1 construction on the new St Helena pipeline in response to increased demand for bulk water in coastal regions. Rous County Council’s Chair, Councillor Keith Williams says construction on the $36M St Helena pipeline project began in March and will ensure continued security of water supply for customers. “The project is necessary to meet the growing need for bulk water from our coastal regions,” Cr Williams said.“As part of the project, the existing 300mm pipeline, which has reached the end of its service life, will be replaced with a new 660mm diameter watermain.”The 13,200 metre pipeline will be delivered in two Stages with Stage 1 running from Dorroughby to the Clunes Cross Connection and Stage 2 continuing from the Clunes Cross Connection to Friday Hut Road. Phillip Rudd, General Manager for Rous County Council notes that the NSW State Government guidance has been employed to manage health and safety. “This includes management of the risks associated with Covid-19,” Mr Rudd said. Rous County Council is pro- active in its response to the pandemic and ensures that all construction continues in accordance with NSW State Government advice and health orders.The construction contract was awarded to Ledonne Constructions Pty Ltd in February this year and they have now commenced works on site as part of Stage 1 of the project. Stage 1 is projected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021. The Expression of Interest (EOI) for Stage 2 of the works has closed and shortlisted companies will be notified in early May. Successful companies from the EOI process will tender for the Stage 2 construction and be assessed for quality, methodology and cost efficiency. The construction contract for Stage 2 is expected to be awarded in in the last quarter of 2020 with projected completion date for Stage 2 being October 2022. Environmental management requirements have been thoroughly assessed and control measures have been implemented to ensure the environment is protected throughout the pipeline’s construction. Rous County Council ensures that community impacts will be minimised as much as practical during the St Helena pipeline project.Rous County Council is working closely with landholders affected by the construction. Please be advised that residents can expect increased heavy vehicle traffic in the vicinity of the works for the duration of the project. Rous County Council (RCC) is a multipurpose county council delivering bulk water, weed biosecurity and flood mitigation services to the Northern Rivers of NSW. RCC’s constituent councils are Lismore, Ballina, Byron and Richmond Valley: 

Spending time with family, missing friends, a time for reflection and ‘staying home with my new unicorn’ are just some of the pros and cons of Covid isolation school students have shared with sound artist and composer Brett Canning for Lismore Quad and Lismore Regional Gallery’s Together//Alone project.In the project, Brett documents the perspectives of 15 school students based in Northern NSW, ranging from kindergarten to Year 12.He asked them to make audio recordings responding to questions about how they are feeling, how they are connecting with family and the outside world, what community looks like for them at the moment and what they are looking forward to doing once restrictions ease.   Brett combined their responses with sounds recorded in the Northern Rivers natural environment to create a delightful and insightful audio work called Sound Connections. Listen to the work here at www.lismorequad.org.au“I wanted to give a voice to school students and encourage meaningful connection in this time of social distancing. I hope the students listening to the finished work can know that they are not alone in the way that they may feel at the moment,” said Brett. Brett runs a philanthropic record label, Germinate Records, at the Lindisfarne Recording Studio on the Tweed Coast.He is an accomplished musician in his own right, working with artists such as Missy Higgins, The Audreys and Ian Moss, he was nominated for an APRA for his songwriting work with The Waifs. Brett has worked previously with Lismore Quad in 2019 as sound designer for the large-scale projection project celebrating Bundjalung culture and history, Dungarimba Wandarahn.Brett created the original soundscape from recordings of Bundjalung Elder, Aunty Irene Harrington, along with students from Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar and musician Tom Avery. Lismore Quad and Lismore Regional Gallery have supported 24 local artists with the Together//Alone project via micro grants for them to develop creative projects that include a component that can be shared online.Developed over two week periods, artists do not need to present complete works, the emphasis is on the creative process and connection.Their works are shared via The Quad and Lismore Regional Gallery’s websites and social media channels. Find out more about all the Together//Alone artists and their projects at www.lismorequad.org.au

While our Covid-19 world has brought some big changes globally, here in Lismore, there’s a semblance of life as we used to know it coming back.Once upon a time, people would go to cafes and sit down at tables and eat. In this fairytale world, people could mingle with friends, and even draw up a few extra chairs around table and sip lattes while chatting.Now, the fairytale is slowly coming back to life.As restrictions ease, some local cafes have opened up their seating arrangements again after weeks of either being closed, or doing only take away food and coffee.The Lismore App explored Lismore to find out what it’s like in this new sit-down cafe world.Read about Lismore's op shops reopening: Lucky Lismore's op shops are chosen to re-openDragonfly and the MeccaHappy sit down coffee drinkers at Dragonfly Cafe.First stop was Dragonfly café. With the café restricted to ten sitting customers only, it’s recommended that you book ahead if you want to ensure a seat at a table this week.You can still order your take away coffees and food and sit elsewhere, even if the café is already full, but if you want to sit at the café, you will definitely need to order food, not just coffee.The Mecca Café has a few tables and chairs on the street, but is also still running on its Covid-19 take away menu and also has a limit on customers allowed to sit.The Pie Cart is bringing life back to dining outside.Café CapelloCafe Capello owner Tamaya Rose, said she was excited at the idea of being able to serve people coffee and have them sit down at one of the tables outside.The Carrington Street café has ten chairs placed around its outside tables and Tamaya said when the chairs are full, she knows the café has reached capacity.“We are still trading on our take away menu,” Tamaya said. “I was so excited when we knew we would be able to have people sitting here again.”Life comes back to Cafe Capello.Tamaya said the mood has lightened and feels that people are less fearful and starting to come out again.“At the beginning, there was so much fear,” she said.“Coffee sales went down at first, but came back up until we were selling the same amount of kilos of coffee as normal.”After nine years of being in business, Tamaya is using the quieter time of Covid restrictions to revamp the café with a more contemporary look and bring “vigour” to the place.The inside café sitting area is boarded off while the upgrade work takes place.“The Covid time gave us a break and allowed us to find a work life balance again,” Tamaya said.With two children at home, she and her husband have also been able to spend more time with their two small children.Tamaya said the Government’s Jobkeeper package has been the saving grace for the business, allowing them to keep their staff and bring them all back on board.“The only person we let go was our trainee,” she said.The café is still trading on its take away pasta menu which Tamaya said was enthusiastically received by customers.“We have been so well supported by our loyal customers through this,” Tamaya said.“One of our customers who works nearby even made a decision to not bring his lunch from home, but to buy it from us each day.“A lot of people have also discovered us for the first time because of Covid. They were looking online for somewhere different to buy coffee and found us.”RegulationsTamaya said she was grateful to Council’s health officer Cameron Smith, who came by last week to help them understand what the new requirements would be for cafes to open.“It helped us decide what to do,” she said.“We decided to keep operating on our take away menu so we don’t need to put on extra staff to meet regulations,” she said.“We needed to make a few changes and have our dishie [dishwasher] come in early in the morning – and make sure everything is washed as soon as it is used.”Tamaya said she’s happy to not rush anything in this new opening world, but things feel like they are getting back to normal again.“Life goes on and we’re all good here," she said.The Bank CaféThe Bank Cafe owner Brad Rickard.The Bank Café hasn’t yet opened for sit down dining yet, but owner Brad Rickard said he was gearing up for it, but wasn’t sure when yet.“If we start with ten customers we can work out some of the issues we might get early,” he said. “I don’t want the shock of 40 people straight away, so a trial will be good.“We’ve been plodding along – there’s a lot of rules to work with and it’s going to be tough.“For dining in bookings, we need to record everyone’s details – their name and contact telephone number. We might need to hire a receptionist."The LoftBrad also owns the Loft restaurant and said it is already open for dining in – with a strict bookings only policy.“The Loft is open for two sittings,” he said. “The first sitting is 5-6pm for arrivals, then again at 7.30pm.”

The line-up of customers stretched down Magellan Street as people queued to get inside the Vinnies charity shop today. It was one in and one out as customers looking for a bargain were asked to sanitise their hands before a staff member allowed them to enter the shop.Lucky LismoreSometimes, there’s a great benefit to living in a regional city like Lismore.It’s the first week charity shops have opened their doors since Covid-19 regulations forced everyone to stay at home. Vinnies regional retail manager Kim Boyd said only a handful of the 240 Vinnies charity shops have been opened this week – with the Lismore store being chosen as one of the lucky ones.Hand sanitising is mandatory before entering Vinnies. When choosing which locations across the State should be opened, Kim said Vinnies identified sites where communities were in most need.“Cold weather is hitting and the Lismore community has a high need for low cost warm clothes – and we have a massive stack of winter clothes to sell,” Kim said. “Lismore also has been deemed a low risk Covid-19 area – there have been no spikes in case numbers and we feel it’s safe to open the shop there.”Kim said Vinnies stores will adhere to government regulations, covid-19 restrictions and Workplace Health and Safety for volunteers and staff. The Salvos opened its doors yesterday.“We are bringing back staff and volunteers deemed less at risk – younger volunteers and people without pre-existing health conditions who are comfortable with coming back,” she said. “We also need to make sure we have enough paid staff to support the volunteers and we are sticking to social distancing and have a staff member on the front door.”This week, the shop is opening from 10am to 2pm, and next week the opening hours will extend to 4pm. Kim said the plan is to open other Vinnies stores slowly and carefully, when it’s safe to do so. Salvos op shops slowly reopen.Salvation ArmyThe Salvation Army charity shop on Carrington Street has also resumed trading, with new opening hours and Covid-19 regulations in place. From the looks of the happy customers lining up to buy clothes from the shop, it’s the beginning of shopping joy, for the first time in weeks.The Salvos’ store has a larger shop floor and numbers of customers are being restricted to 25 in store at any one time. Salvos staff member Ian said when the shop opened its doors for four hours of trading yesterday, the shop made twice the revenue it had done on any normal trading day. The Salvos store in Lismore is one of only two charity stores in the chain which opened this week – the other one to open was the Casino site. The Salvos will be open Mondays to Fridays, from 10am-2pmRead more news: Local cafes ready for sitting customers and the challenges ahead

Being personally greeted by patient experience officer and having access to free wi-fi and refreshments, are some of the changes you will see if you go to the Lismore Base Hospital Emergency Department (ED) from now on.Emergency Departments at Lismore, Ballina, Tweed Heads and Grafton have all been appointed a Patient Experience Officer (PEO). Their job is to guide and support you from the moment you arrive at hospital.The PEOs are part of the NSW Government’s Patient Experience Program which will see an additional 86 staff recruited to 50 hospitals across NSW, with COVID-19 clinics a priority.NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the award winning program has proven to be a “huge help to patients and carers during what is often a very worrying time”.“The additional full-time staff will welcome patients and their families and provide them with directions and information about what to expect at each stage of their care and treatment,” he said.“The extra support will go a long way as we continue to combat Covid-19.”The Lismore Base Hospital was part of the first NSW Health pilot project to improve the patient and carer experience in the ED, established in November 2018. Lismore Base Hospital PEO Tracey Barker, has been at the forefront of the pilot program since it began. “People are often at their most vulnerable when they present to hospital for help,” Ms Barker said. “The hospital can be an unfamiliar place and it may be difficult to know where to go and who to get help from, but Patient Experience Officers are a friendly face, providing guidance and reassurance to our patients right from the moment they come in the door.” Tweed Hospital patient experience officers, Ania Ziemski and Daniel Ashton, with Tracey Barker during training in Lismore.The PEO concierge is a non-clinical role, and making everyone feel welcome and listened to is a key component of improving the experience for people coming to hospital. As part of the program patients receive: • access to free Wi-Fi, mobile phone charging stations, additional power points, water and other refreshments • information sent to their mobile device about what to expect during their stay • fact sheets on their particular condition/ treatment options • ongoing care instructions after discharge, available in multiple languages. Since the four NSW pilot sites implemented the program, there have been increases in compliments to staff, with patient and carer feedback showing a 30% improvement in overall emergency department satisfaction. At Lismore Base Hospital, the patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many patients reporting they appreciate the great service in the Emergency Department. Lismore ED Nursing Unit Manager, Ricky Brown, said that the role significantly reduces the workload of non-clinical related activity, allowing clinicians to focus on their speciality. “The ED staff see great value in the role, both to staff as well as patients and carers,” Mr Brown said. 

There will be no family day out buying show bags, queueing for rides, viewing the cattle and horses or winning a prize in sideshow alley as another iconic local event has had to cancel for 2020 due to COVID-19.The Lismore Show has been operating for 134 years with 2020 making it the 135th Lismore Show or it was to be.In 1888, the North Coast National Agricultural and Industrial Society Inc was formed to bring early settlers together to share knowledge about farming and also to show the world their achievements. It has always been a celebration of agriculture, ingenuity, creativity and resilience.The Show Society met last night and confirmed what many in the community feared, it was to be cancelled this year.President John Gibson said "We had no choice to cancel this years show because of the COVID-19 restrictions and the flow on effect to exhibitors and sponsors""As you know businesses are doing it pretty hard at the moment and we wouldn't have had a chance to confirm sponsorship dollars", John added.The cancellation of the Lismore Show may be the tip of the iceberg with the Lismore Showground itself in danger of closing its gates.Following the Show in October, it would be the start of the Speedway season then the Tropical Fruits festival around New Years, these events generate revenue for the Lismore Showground and pay for operational costs such as wages, electricity and water."At the moment we have a few caravans in and the weekly markets as our only source of income", John said.North Coast National will have another meeting in two to three weeks time to assess their financial situation for the rest of the year.Among today's bad news John did say that "if the government lifted restrictions we would look at doing something on a smaller scale but it wouldn't be the show as we know it"."We want to give the people of Lismore and surrounding districts something to be involved in".With no certainty for the future due to the coronavirus, we can only hope we keep moving in a positive direction for some entertainment in 2020.

An unsafe bridge at Bentley needing to be replaced is in the spotlight of farming families and Lismore MP Janelle Saffin. Disputed Plains Bridge on Bungabee Road, Bentley, has recently had a two tonnne weight limit imposed in it by local councils.Ms Saffin said she was contacted by families whose farming operations were severely impacted by Lismore City and Richmond Valley councils’ decision to impose the weight limit on the boundary bridge.“One couple no longer has heavy vehicle access, which is essential for transporting cattle, fodder, seed or construction materials,” Ms Saffin said. “At present, they have about 250 tonnes of silage cut, baled and stacked, ready for sale, but cannot move it. “The bridge is this couple’s only means of access other than trekking through neighbouring properties or walking across disused railway bridges. “I immediately made representations to both Mayors and thank Richmond Valley General Manager Vaughan Macdonald for providing me with a full briefing on the bridge’s deteriorating condition, which I shared with residents. “Richmond Valley Council also undertook to consult with these affected residents to gain a full understanding of their heavy transport needs.Ms Saffin last week inspected the bridge, which an engineering consultant has recommended needs urgent replacement within three months at an estimated cost of about $500,000. In a letter to Ms Saffin, Mr Macdonald advised that many farmers in this area, particularly those who are recovering from drought, bushfire and flooding, have diversified to survive the drought. Mr Macdonald wrote that some have shifted into bailing silage for their first season or are working to increase their properties’ resilience by bringing in machinery to improve dams or cut fire breaks,  Ms Saffin said it was imperative that the bridge be replaced so that Bungabee residents’ lives and livelihoods can return to normal as soon as possible. She said because neither council had budgeted for this work, they were investigating jointly applying for State or Federal funding programs, which would have her support. Ms Saffin has contacted State Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis and NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall (Northern Tablelands) so that they were aware of the affected farmers’ plight.Residents had also written to Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan.  

WANTED ON WARRANT: Luke OAKLEY-HOLLOWPolice are seeking community assistance in locating 38yo Luke Oakley-Hollow, who is wanted on warrant, and believed to be in the Lismore area.Anyone with information regarding the current whereabouts of Mr Oakley-Hollow is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

"It's a start", this was the most used three words from pubs that have opened their doors following their eleventh hour inclusion with cafés and restaurants being allowed to open their doors on Friday.The two pubs that are open for table meals are Mary G's and the Goonellabah Tavern.Closed is The Gollan, the Station Hotel, The Channon Tavern and Nimbin Hotel. Glenn Tomkinson from The Gollan did say that he would re-open "probably in the next week" after hiring a new chef and saying that debunked the rumours that the Gollan will not re-open its doors. "It just hasn't been worth it", Glenn said, "with all the restrictions, the wages will kill you".Cath Simes at Mary G's is taking bookings only (6622 2924) while they are in Step 1 which means no more than 10 seated people inside the pub at a time. There is tray service for drinks from the bar while you enjoy your meal.Mary G's is currently doing renovations to expand their dining area adding another 40-50 people upstairs that will also be used for functions. The renovations should be completed by the end of next week.Mick Drew at the Goonellabah Tavern is taking bookings only for an hours sitting with pre-ordered meals to make the most of your time with tray service for drinks (6625 1290).Mick's prediction for pubs to open for live music is 2021. "This is only a prediction but I just can't see it happening before the end of the year. Live music attracts crowds of more than 100 people and if it is restricted with social distancing it won't be worth running a band", he said.The Station Hotel has not re-opened it's doors for seated meals, it remains takeaway pizza's only at this stage.Manager Kim Barnes is hoping for New Zealand type regulations where pubs can have up to 100 diners in their venues now. In NSW, that is Step 3 with Step 2 next, increasing the number of diners to 20 following a successful Step 1.Having our local pubs fully re-opened still looks a long way off. This is one industry that is going to struggle for most of 2020. As the hospitality industry hires a lot of casual workers some are on JobKeeper and those that were not eligible have had to go on JobSeeker unless they had another main source of income.Not only do we need to support cafes and restaurants but throw pubs into the pot of dining out money that you use to support local business.

With the easing of some restrictions to Step 1 yesterday, people having been asking questions as to what they can and can't do.Here are some frequently asked questions and answers from NSW Health including how many people at your house, both indoors and outdoors and playgrounds;With restrictions easing from tomorrow, it’s important to continue to stay 1.5m away from others and wash your hands regularly. If you feel unwell, please get tested and stay home until you get your results. In order to stay on top of the virus, we can’t let down our guard.Q. Do the 5 visitors include children?A. Yes, it is 5 visitors in total including children.Q. Can I have 10 people visit my home if we are outdoors?A. No. An outdoor gathering means a gathering in a park or public place. In your home you can only have up to 5 visitors.Q. Can I train outdoors with up to 10 people?A. Yes. Remember to maintain physical distancing.Q. Can I have a picnic?A. Yes, so long as it is with up to 10 people total.Q. What are the rules for cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs?A. They can have up to 10 patrons seated at any one time and can continue to provide take away. They must also continue to apply the 4sqm rules and patrons must exercise 1.5m in social distancing.Q. What are the rules about using outdoor equipment?A. You can use outdoor exercise and playground equipment, but do so with caution. Wash your hands before and after you use this equipment. Assume the person who has used the equipment before you has the virus.Q. What are the restrictions on outdoor pools?A. Outdoor pools can operate but can have no more than 10 people at a time and no more than one person per lane. Change areas will also remain closed.Q. Will there be police enforcement/penalties for people who do not follow the rules?A. Yes. It is extremely important that we all stay vigilant and maintain the rules around physical distancing. We cannot afford to be complacent. NSW Police will continue to work with the community to help maintain the gains we have made together.Q. Is local and regional travel allowed for holidays and recreation in NSW?A. No. NSW is not yet ready to allow regional travel and holidays.Q. When will the next round of restrictions be eased?A. This decision will always be based on data and the best available health advice. NSW will monitor the impacts of the latest round of eased restrictions.

This weekend is the first in a long time that we can get out of the house and have a breakfast in a cafe or restaurant.The Lismore App has been asking you to support local businesses through our Takeaway/Delivery button since the restrictions began and we encourage you to continue to do this by either physically visiting your favourite place or through this button (Takeaway/Home Delivery).With two more confirmed cases of coronavirus yesterday in our health district, one of those in Ballina, we do need to keep practicing social distancing and hand washing. While we long for normality taking a step backwards is going to be more frustrating for everyone.The Lismore Markets is on from 8am tomorrow with the return of Live Music for the first time in seven weeks, more signs of normality. Breakfast is still a no go but you can grab a coffee or tea.As well as the fresh farm produce you can buy seedlings to grow your own vegies for winter as well as buy a lantern from Jyllie Jackson and her team for the 'Virtual Lantern Parade' in June.Blue Knob have their community markets from 8:30am tomorrow with the only difference being the cafe is doing takeaway drinks as well as meals.The last time I talked about petrol, one station had prices at 101.9 and I wrote about the possibility of buying a litre of unleaded for under $1. Alas, that was a dream wasn't it, cheapest in Lismore is now 109.9 and still at the United petrol station on Ballina Road. Most others are about the 114.9 mark. While disappointing that we never had our period below the dollar mark it is worth noting that other stations in the Northern Rivers are around the 102.9 mark in Casino and even Newrybar is now 105.9.On to some jokes to have a laugh to start the weekend. They are getting harder to find so if you see something people will get a laugh at please send them through (simon@lismoreapp.com.au).Have a great weekend.

“It’s far from over, don’t be complacent”. As social restrictions ease across the local area and more cafes and restaurants open for dining, Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones says “complacency can be as deadly as the disease”.With two new coronavirus cases confirmed in the local district yesterday, today’s message from Mr Jones and the Richmond District Police is "it's not over".“We’ve had two new coronavirus cases,” Mr Jones said. “One from overseas, and one is being investigated – we can’t rule out it’s not community acquired.”Mr Jones reiterated the need for people to maintain social distancing guidelines and good hygiene practices.“You can now go out in groups of ten,” he said. “You can exercise, but maintain social distancing.“Numbers of cases will increase - with businesses open, we are seeing people come back into town again, so we need to keep on top of this.”Mr Jones said he and his family have downloaded the Covid-safe app and he encourages everyone else to do so too.“It’s important that the Public Health Unit can use it to respond and identify contacts of people with the virus, as numbers of cases grow,” he said.Mr Jones said our local health district had the highest numbers of testing for Covid-19 in regional NSW, and that in our area, we had seen an “unprecedented” uptake of the flu shot this year.Cases not listed as recoveredMr Jones said out of the 57 cases of coronavirus in our local area, 51 had recovered, two cases were new, and the other four cases had “not met the criteria to be classified as recovered”.“They may still have some respiratory symptoms and they could be covid related or not,” he said.“We don’t deem them recovered until they are free of symptoms for 72 hours. Until then, they will still be classified as active patients, recovering at home.“Over 98% of cases in NSW do not need hospital care. They are mostly recovering at home – only a few were in critical conditions”.Personal Infringement NoticesRichmond Police District Crime Manager, Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Lindsay said yesterday in Lismore two people were handed Personal Infringement Notice (PIN) fines of $1000 each.“The PINs were for breaching social distancing and non-essential travel rules,” he said.“They were given to people who had come to Lismore from out of town.”Chief Inspector Lindsay said if any businesses were to breach social restrictions, they would be handed a $5000 fine.“But we are trying to work with the business community to help get the economy going again,” he said. “Police will be out and about enforcing and monitoring new public gathering rules, including how sporting clubs are managing social distancing while they are on the field.”

It’s not yet a win – but it feels like one according to Bundjalung Elders' Council chair Micky Ryan.The controversial North Lismore Plateau Development off Dunoon Road, he has been opposing for ten years, saw its third court case held yesterday.This time, the court determined that the housing developer’s application was invalid - however, the decision is still awaiting finalisation. Bundjalung Elder’s Council chair Micky Ryan.Mr Ryan’s legal representative Al Oshlak, from the Indigenous Justice Advocacy Network, said yesterday’s decision to declare the DA null and void was just “the tip of the iceberg”.“We’ve spent years on this court case and spent a lot of money,” Mr Oshlack said. “Now we want to see the remediation of the site from the road works and ground works already done.“The developer has filled in the flood plain and this will cause problems in future and we want them to remove the fill, among other things.”Yesterday’s court case focussed on whether the developer, Winten, needed to have a Species Impact Statement or not.Ecologist vs ecologistWinten project development manager Jim Punch said the case boiled down to an argument between Winten’s ecologist and Mr Ryan’s ecologist.“Our ecologist said we didn’t need to have a Species Impact Statement (SIS),” Mr Punch said.“The earlier court cases to resolve Aboriginal cultural heritage issues and hydrology were dismissed, but this time the judge said she believed we should have an SIS.“The judge hasn’t yet registered the judgement, so we don’t know where we stand at the moment. It could take a couple of weeks and if she makes that declaration, the Development Application will be put aside and we will need to apply for a new DA. “It’s more likely we will challenge the judge’s determination - we may have to go to appeal.”ResponsibilityMr Ryan said the protection of plants and animals in the area was a part of his responsibility as an Aboriginal Elder, whose ancestors had long been on Country.“My ancestors told me to look after country,” Mr Ryan said.“A large number of koala trees have already been destroyed on the plateau and I’m concerned for the ongoing survival of animal and plant species in the area – the plateau is home to a large population of microbats too.”Borrowed moneyMr Oshlak also pointed a finger at Lismore City Council, saying that the elephant in the room was the Council’s borrowing of money to back the housing development project.“Council borrowed $32 million for sewage and infrastructure to support the development,” he said. “No other council backs a developer like this. “Council knew we were taking this to court and that they had a legal liability.“This is one of the main reasons Council is in financial straits and they are not telling anybody.If the housing development goes ahead, it will become a new 433-lot suburb and Lismore's largest residential subdivision in decades, with views across the Lismore basin.Wait and seeMr Ryan said yesterday, the judge gave him a long report to go through and that he would need to wait to see what would happen in a couple of weeks.“The developers need to leave the whole plateau alone,” he said.“It is the most significant site in the Bundjalung nation – there has already been one burial site disturbed. “My ancestors fought for Country and I won’t lie down for anyone.”Whatever the judge’s final decision is – both the developer and Mr Ryan vow they won’t back down and will continue to fight the case.

Kids, parents and carers in Lismore will be able to apply for a $100 Creative Kids voucher from the NSW Government to help them stay connected to creative learning activities during social distancing restrictions. State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said this was possible thanks to an expansion of the Creative Kids program’s eligible activities and $1 million in funding to help program providers make the digital transition. “The Creative Kids program offers families an annual $100 voucher for every school aged child to contribute to registration, participation and tuition costs for performing arts, visual arts, coding, languages, literature, music and other creative and cultural activities,” Ms Saffin said. “The new expanded guidelines will ensure children with limited access to the internet, including in regional and remote NSW, have more opportunities by allowing Creative Kids vouchers to cover the cost of more creative materials and equipment.” Changes to the program guidelines include allowing digital adaptation grants for Creative Kids providers of up to $5,000.It also included allowances for the creation of a digital toolkit to help providers pivot to online delivery; extension of the use of Creative Kids vouchers for online programs and educational materials.Ms Saffin said Service NSW website had also been improved to make it easier for parents to find a provider.The Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands regions had such creative communities and it was important to keep kids connected to quality cultural and creative activities, despite the impact of COVID-19, Ms Saffin said. Ms Saffin said $1 million in small business grants would help providers deliver programs remotely via the web and other platforms and would provide a vital economic boost for small businesses doing it tough. To be eligible for a grant, applicants must:• Clearly demonstrate adaptation of Creative Kids activities to online delivery,• Describe how this support can maintain or increase voucher redemption during COVID-19, and• Meet the objectives of the Creative Kids program. For more details of how to apply, visit http://www.create.nsw.gov.au

Tenants forced to terminate their lease due to the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic have now been granted reduced penalties, with a two-week cap placed on break-lease fees.With 27% of the Lismore population living in rented dwellings, and a median rent of $250 a week, these changes mean good news for tenants and landlords too.The change to break fees — set at four weeks’ rent if less than 25% of a fixed-term agreement has expired — was one of several amendments put forward by Labor at an emergency sitting of NSW Parliament on Tuesday. Previously, only renters more than halfway through a fixed term would pay a penalty of two weeks or less.Tenants who are unable to negotiate a rent reduction with their landlord can seek to terminate their lease through the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), which will limit compensation to the landlord at no more than two weeks’ rent.Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said the push to create a Rental Hardship Fund came after she was approached by local Mum and Dad investors and real estate agents highlighting how the Government’s initial lack of action and then city-focused measures ignored country people.“And also tenants, through no fault of their own, found themselves without funds,” Ms Saffin said.The Lismore Electorate has 7553 rented dwellings, representing 17,657 tenants (27% of the population) and 6941 landlords. Local real estate agent Sharon Dowling from The Professionals said she hasn’t yet seen a “massive impact” of Covid-19 on local renters.“Before the government increased the benefits at the start of the pandemic, some people came in in a bit of a panic, but it’s ok now,” she said.“We’ve also had a couple of landlords offer to pay water consumption for their tenants.”NSW Labor’s Rental Hardship Package makes use of the Property Statutory Interest Account, which has approximately $250 million in funds.Funds from this account can then be directed into the Property Services Compensation Fund, which will fund the Covid-19 Rental Hardship Fund for struggling tenants and landlords.The Fund will supplement the NSW Government’s land tax relief package that covers the 16% of landlords who pay land tax in NSW.To receive assistance, the landlord must demonstrate that a tenant has suffered a loss of income of 25% or more, that the tenant has less than $5000 in savings, and that they are paying more than 30% of the tenant’s income in rent to the landlord.The landlord must also reduce the tenant’s rent. The Fund makes a maximum amount of ‘top up’ payments of $2500 available per tenancy.To read the NSW Labor Hardship Fund amendment, clickhttps://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bill/files/3745/OPP%20c2020-042C.pdf