October, 5pm at Invercauld House, Goonellabah

DISASTER ASSISTANCE EXTENDED FOLLOWING FLOODING IN NEW SOUTH WALES EXHIBITION HALL UPGRADE BEGINS

More assistance will be provided to New South Wales communities, with 25 local government areas (LGAs) across the State’s south and Central West now able to access disaster assistance, following the fooding which began on 4 August 2022.

The 25 LGAs are Albury, Bland, Cabonne, Carrathool, CootamundraGundagai, Gilgandra, Goulburn Mulwaree, Griffth, Gunnedah, Hilltop, Junee, Leeton, Moree Plains, Murrumbidgee, Narrandera, Narromine, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Temora, Wagga Wagga, Warren, Warrumbungle, Weddin and Yass Valley.

Assistance is being provided by the Australian and New South Wales governments through the jointly funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, said damages to areas within the LGAs had been signifcant.

“The intense foods occurring from early August have left councils with major repair works,” Minister Watt said.

“It is our priority to provide the support needed to help impacted communities recover by enabling councils to get repair works underway as quickly as possible.”

New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for

Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said it may take some time to understand and calculate the impacts of this latest food event.

“Multiple food warnings still remain in place and while we focus our efforts on the immediate response phase it’s important we also make recovery support available,” Ms Cooke said.

“In the coming days and weeks we will continue to assess the impacts of this fooding and ensure that appropriate support is available.”

Assistance available under the DRFA may include: • Help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged • (eligibility criteria apply); • Support for local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring • damaged essential public assets; • Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and • non-proft organisations; and • Freight subsidies for primary producers. For information on personal hardship and distress assistance, contact Service NSWon 13 77 88. To apply for a concessional loan, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au.

Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www. disasterassist.gov.au. Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said work is well under way on upgrades to Coffs Harbour Showground’s Exhibition Hall, thanks to $3.2m in NSW Government funding.

Mr Singh said the funding, under the COVID-19 Showground Stimulus Program, is helping to breathe new life into the Exhibition Hall.

“This important project now taking shape includes a one-bay extension to the Exhibition Hall, construction of a new entry, meeting rooms, state-of-the-art amenities and new dedicated parking for people with disabilities,” Mr Singh said.

“This State Government investment will ensure the iconic Coffs Harbour Showground continues to serve our community for many years to come.

“Upgrades like this are improving the quality of community infrastructure while helping to stimulate our local economy, with work for local tradies and materials suppliers.”

Deb Farquhar, Chairman of Coffs Harbour Showground Crown Land Management Board, said she’s excited about the commencement of the refurbishment, which has been several years in the planning.

“We look forward to working with local builder Joel Paine from Level Projects Pty Ltd,” Mrs Farquhar said.

“I’d like to thank our local MP Gurmesh Singh and the NSW Government for this funding allocation.”

MEALS ON WHEELS NSW IS CALLING ON ALL SEWING AND CROCHETING ENTHUSIASTS TO GET INVOLVED

Meals on Wheels NSW is calling on those who have an interest in sewing or crocheting to get involved and support their local Meals on Wheels organisation.

By lending your sewing and crocheting skills, you can support your local Meals on Wheels organisation by making and donating reusable bags that will be passed on to clients or volunteers to reiterate the single-use plastic bag ban that came into effect in June this year.

Les MacDonald, CEO of Meals on Wheels NSW said, “Meals on Wheels NSW has partnered with the NSW Environmental Protection Authority to promote the state government’s recent ban of single use plastic bags”.

“Our bag making initiative is a practical way people can get involved with Meals on Wheels, utilising their creative skills. Not only are they supporting their local Meals on Wheels, but they are also supporting the conversation starter about life before plastic bags and the single-use plastics ban in NSW”. Mr MacDonald said.

Meals on Wheels NSW is on the lookout for the most creative bag made, so get your thinking caps on and follow the entry guidelines available on the Meals on Wheels NSW website for your chance to be win!

To find out more about the initiative and to view a step by step sewing and crocheting tutorial, visit our website: https:// nswmealsonwheels. org.au/bags

LABOR’S NURSES PLAN DOESN’T GO FAR ENOUGH, FAST ENOUGH: GREENS

NSW Labor’s announcement for more nurses today does not go far enough, fast enough with no timeline for when nurses will be in place in critical areas like ICU and some wards left out of the plan altogether, says Cate Faehrmann, Greens MP and health spokesperson. “Labor has promised to ‘roll out’ more nurses to meet safe staffing levels across different wards but has not laid out a timeline for when that will happen. How long will nurses have to wait to see safe staffing levels under Labor?” said Cate Faehrmann.

“This is a big deal when Victoria and Queensland both have legislated ratios across all wards in public health facilities because we know that nurses are leaving NSW to work in those states in droves. “It’s also disappointing to see Labor back away from their promise over two elections now that they’ll introduce mandated minimum nurse and midwife to patient ratios. The last thing our struggling public healthcare system needs is half-measures when it comes to reform. “Each day that NSW doesn’t implement ratios is a day where patients’ lives are needlessly put at risk and nurses leave the job because of horrific conditions. “Disappointingly too, Labor has left out vital parts of our health system like paediatric and mental health critical care units as well as community mental health and drug and alcohol, outpatient clinics. “The Greens have been working on a ratios package, in consultation with the NSW Nurses and Midwives for months, for safe staffing levels every ward, every shift, every time. The Greens will stay committed to that,” said Ms Faehrmann.

ALP REVEALS ITS CANDIDATE FOR CLARENCE

By Tim Howard

The head of an agency that has been working on the front lines of disaster recovery in the Northern Rivers has nominated as the ALP candidate for Clarence in next year’s State election.

The CEO of Anglicare North Coast, Leon Ankersmit, has just been endorsed as the ALP as its candidate for the March election.

Mr Ankersmit, who has a PhD in social work concentrating on developing partnerships and collaboration with people working in child protection, believes a Labor government was the best way for the Clarence speed up its recovery from recent setbacks.

He has found his studies have been benefcial to his work with Anglicare helping people recover from the fre, food and pandemic disasters which have hit the region in the past three years.

He has been dismayed at the slow response from government agencies and their approach and this dismay was his tipping point to get into politics.

Mr Ankersmit said he was not your “typical Labor” candidate.

“I don’t have a union background,” he said “I’ve never been in a union and I don’t go into the socialist stuff.

“Coming into politics I will listen to the voices of the community,” he said.

“Those voices could be individuals, groups, chambers of commerce, councils or large employers.

“Each category will have a voice which will I will listen to. I don’t come with all the answers, but I will represent the voices of the community if I am elected to represent this electorate in Sydney.”

He said one of the most pressing needs in the Clarence electorate was to rebuild the food ravaged road network.

“Roads are in an atrocious state after the foods and councils are too cash strapped to deal with them,” he said.

“More money has to go to councils to allow them to fx the roads. This is a clear role for an incoming Labor Government.”

He said roads were not the only infrastructure in a bad way in the region.

His work with Anglicare daily brought home the lack of affordable housing in the region.

He said politics “as normal” cannot improve the situation for people struggling with the cost of housing.

“In Australia there used to be a permanent rental population of around 25%,” he said.

“In the past few decades that’s grown to 40%. The problem has been we relied on the private rental market which is subject to the forces of supply and demand.

“As the demand rose and supply didn’t match it the results were high rentals.”

He said there needed to be long and short term changes to turn this trend around.

Long term he would like to see governments support initiatives like Build to Rent, where superannuation funds and corporates were encouraged to invest in community housing.

“In the short term there needs to be change in tenancy laws to give tenants more say,” he said.

“I understand landlords need protection from problem tenants, but tenants need protection from having rents raised so much it forces them onto the street.”

He said fxing the housing crisis would have a massive fow on into other problem areas.

“Families with roofs over their heads are stable and have fewer domestic issues,” he said.

“Kids from stable homes go to school, they’re not as exposed to domestic disputes, they live healthier lifestyles.

“Todays kids are tomorrow’s adults. They will be the ones shaping the future.”

Mr Ankersmit has also been dismayed by the LNP ambivalence toward climate change.

“There are not too many farmers or people working on the land who would say climate change is not happening,” he said.

“The Nationals have got caught up in climate change scepticism and can’t bring themselves to do what’s needed.

“We’ve had major bushfres followed by major foods. We need to plan for events that are going to happen, but The Nationals don’t want to cause too much agitation.”

He said the government response has been far too slow.

“I’ve Just been to Hobart where I was talking with people who had got through the fres in Cobargo,” he said.

“People are still living in tents and temporary accommodation three years later.

“Here the people living in pod cities after the foods are facing living there for years unless things change.”

He said there were some tough decisions facing people in food prone areas.

“With fres you build to resist fres, but foods you have to decide whether you re-build or move away,” he said.

“We’re not having that conversation. We don’t need to panic, but we need have a conversation and ask those hard questions.”

Mr Ankersmit, whose family lives in Maclean, has been in the Clarence for the past 15 years, with 10 of those working for Anglicare.

“I’ve only joined the Labor Party a few years ago and people ask me why,” he said.

“They say Labor’s wedded to the unions and with union memberships low it has undue infuence.

“I would say the other side is wedded to business interests and ask is it reasonable that one side can have collective representation while the other is criticised for it.”

He said his decision comes from a different place.

“When I look at what’s needed to energise the vulnerable and those left behind, Labor has the most to offer them,” he said.

“I have worked for faith-based organisation and people ask me how I justify joining Labor. I see Christianity

The ALP has endorsed the CEO of Anglicare North Coast, Leon Ankersmit, as its candidate for the seat of Clarence in the upcoming NSW election next March. as fghting for the underdog.

“I’m not a rusted on

ideologue, I’ve never been one for unions or

socialism.

“Philosophically with my faith I’ve worked with helping people struggling and when I look at politics and ask whose policies best refect that, it’s Labor.”

Mr Ankersmit’s main

opposition is likely to be former Clarence

Valley Mayor and radio personality Richie Williamson.

Mr Williamson and

current Clarence Valley Councillor Allison

Whaites were in a

battle for pre-selection for The Nationals, after incumbent Chris

Gulaptis announced he would retire at the end of

this term in parliament. Mr Ankersmit said

Clarence Valley residents should take heed of

polling which showed the LNP Government

was on the nose.

A recent poll showed support for ALP at more than 43% and support for the government plummeting 12% to 30%.

“It would be better

for Clarence to have

a member in a new

Minns, ALP government than an inexperienced member in a beaten

party transitioning into opposition,” Mr Ankersmit said.

World first for Bentley Preschool

A little preschool in the middle of Bundjalung Country is not the usual venue for a world premiere. But Bentley Community Preschool last week had that honour.

Northern Rivers storyteller, Leanne Logan, presented her newest show Just Brown to educators and a nearly full house of pre-schoolers, and event goers loved it!

Bentley Educational Leader, Lee-Anne Gibson, described the show as “visually spectacular”.

“I loved the music and the beautiful singing,” Lee-Anne said. “The props were fascinating and stunning, really lending themselves to investigation and imagination. And the story provoked thought about people and different ways of life.”

For the pre-schoolers, it was all about the animal characters and props.

“Why did the elephant have to have red on its ears?” Jack, 4, asked.

Ellie, 5, responded with great insight: “Some people grow up in a different way, and so do animals.”

Just Brown tells the story of a caterpillar who laments the fact that he is just brown. His yearning for more leads him on an adventure of discovery of the world around him and, ultimately, himself. Like all good caterpillar stories, the ending is not hard to guess, but the miracle of metamorphosis still enthralled the audience, both young and old.

Leanne has been Storyteller in Residence at Bentley Preschool this year, and is founder of Storytelling at Your Service, a Northern Rivers-based theatrical storytelling business.

“The residency is a joy,” Leanne said. “Each month we immerse ourselves deeply in the world of story, surrounding ourselves with props, characters, ideas, problems, and solutions. There is no right or wrong in storytelling, and this freedom generates enormous enthusiasm and engagement.”

Leanne said while her newest offering was a retelling of an age-old story, its presentation was a spectacular celebration of diversity. “I set Just Brown in Africa as I’ve always wanted to take my storytelling audiences to that amazing continent. I’ve visited Africa many times, as a traveller, a volunteer, and a writer for Lonely Planet. Africa gets into your blood, and I somehow wanted to share that with others. Storytelling seemed the perfect modality to do it.”

Leanne said Just Brown also gently explored self-image and the human desire for more.

“Many people today are not content in their own skin. There’s often the want for more, for what others have,” Leanne said. “Using a caterpillar as a metaphor for this human condition gave me the freedom to tenderly explore this issue in a nonjudgemental manner.”

Leanne said that like all good stories, the central message behind Just Brown speaks to children and adults alike.

“C S Lewis once said: ‘A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest’. I’d have to agree!”

Just Brown will be on offer to early childhood centres and other local community organisations next year.

Leanne presents Just Brown at Bentley Community Preschool last week.

MENANGLE BRIGADE BOOSTED BY NEW TRUCK

Residents in the Southern Highlands will be better protected thanks to a $385,000 investment delivering a state-of-the-art new fire truck to the Menangle Rural Fire Brigade.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke joined Member for Wollondilly Nathaniel Smith and NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) Inspector David Stimson today to hand over the keys to a Category 1 appliance.

“Communities in the Southern Highlands have faced some of the worst fires, storms and other emergencies this State has ever seen,” Ms Cooke said.

“The Menangle Brigade was heavily involved in the Green Wattle Creek and Morton fires during the 2019-20 Black Summer and I am very thankful for their ongoing service.

“We rely on our wonderful volunteers to protect us and that’s why the NSW Government is dedicated to providing our emergency services organisations with safe, reliable and modern resources.”

Mr Smith said the Menangle Brigade regularly attends bush and grass fires, motor vehicle accidents, community assistance calls and community engagement activities.

“This Category 1 appliance will enable our volunteers to strengthen their firefighting efforts,” Mr Smith said.

“It’s important to have modern firefighting technology when responding to fires and other incidents in our local area. I know this $385,000 truck is a very welcome addition and will be well-used for emergency responses as well as vital hazard reduction works.”

Since the 2019-20 Black Summer bush fires the NSW Government has funded more than 400 fire trucks for RFS Brigades across the State.

LISMORE JAZZ CLUB REOPENING

The Lismore Jazz Club’s popular monthly gigs were just one of many casualties of the COVID shut-downs in the local music scene, and the 2022 foods severely impacted the club’s favourite venue, the Lismore City Bowling and Recreation Club, affectionately known as the City Bowlo.

But now—drum roll—the Lismore Jazz Club monthly gigs are back.

The frst gig of the new program is Lismore songstress Laura Nobel, withGreg Lyon (bass), Brendan St Ledger (piano) and Scott Hills (drums), at the City Bowlo on Sunday 9 October from 2 to 5 pm. Brendan is a special guest making his frst appearance at the Lismore Jazz Club and travelling down from Brisbane for the gig.

Laura will be launching her new album, A Time for Love, which was recorded live here in the Northern Rivers at Byron Bay and produced by Greg Lyon.

Laura and the quartet say they are thrilled to be performing for the Lismore Jazz Club as it celebrates the re-opening of the City Bowlo.

The Jazz Club has delighted members and friends with its recent announcement that its regular gigs are resuming on 9 October. “Fantastic news. Looking forward to more great music,” was one enthusiastic response.

“It is fabulous to have jazz back on a Sunday arvo at the City Bowlo,” says

President Jennifer McLennan. “Our gigs were missed when they were suspended through COVID restrictions, and then the devastating and ongoing food trauma, so it’s fantastic that we’re able to return to live music again.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing Lismore Jazz Club committee members. Their tireless work and enthusiasm for live music and the jazz community will certainly be missed. Thank you.

“We’re keeping our prices at pre-COVID levels for now—we want to keep live music as accessible as we can for people in this region.

“We’re also very grateful for the continued support of the Lismore Bowlo in providing such a great venue for our gigs.

“Our frst event is the second Sunday of October—it was a bit hard to compete against the football grand fnals and a long weekend— but from then on it will be the frst Sunday of each month.

“Just a heads-up that access to the bowling club has changed for the time being. The club car park is closed. Parking is available on Molesworth Street with pedestrian access to the front of the club.”

Entry to the Sunday afternoon gigs is still only $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers, with a yearly membership fee of $20. For people who join the Lismore Jazz Club or renew their membership now, this year’s membership fee will cover them to the end of 2023.

The next Lismore Jazz Club gigs, featuring more great artists from this region and beyond, will be held from 2 to 5 pm on 6 November and 4 December, and then on 5 February next year, so put them in your diary now and come along for an afternoon of great music.