Edition 139 March 9, 2023
ONE YEAR ONMAKING PEACE WITH THE RIVER Page 3
MAYOR APPLIES PERSONAL GAG ON HIMSELF Page 3
FEATURING
Never before seen photos captured by Northern Rivers resident Matt Coble Page 24 & 25
y g
across the state.
“There’s a lot that’s happened and a lot of people we’ve supported .. and a lot more work to do,” Celeste Hartmann, Red Cross Regional Manager Northern, said.
Ms Hartmann, herself from Ballina, told The Northern Rivers Times the power of humanity has been shown.
“If anything good came out of it, it was the good in people that’s been exhibited in the past 12-months,” she said.
But it’s not a case of ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to recovery, with some people back to ‘normal’ while there are “still pockets of despair .. in all communities,”
Celeste Hartmann said.
By MARGARET DEKKER12-months on from the Northern Rivers flood emergency, the Australian Red Cross paints a picture of big funding, big support but an inestimable recovery process remaining.
In its Annual Report released last week in Murwillumbah, it showed $55.6 million dollars was donated by Australians last year - $27.2 million during the ‘Australia Unites’ telethon and $28.4 through the Red Cross Floods Appeal –
enabling the Red Cross’ emergency response, cash/grants assistance, and a 3-year recovery program involving personal support, workshops, training, and education to thousands still.
Red Cross Grants summary:
- Bereavement
Grants (29 paid, total value $580,000)
- Relief Grants (67,058 paid, value $33,529,000)
- Discretionary
Financial Hardship Grants (2,306 paid, value $2,803,000)
- Flood Relief
Additional Support Grants (63,343 paid, value $5,067,440)
- Remaining funds (approx. $700,000) allocated to Recovery program
The $9.3m Australian Red Cross Recovery program runs until Mid-2025 for ongoing psychosocial support for individuals and families, plus support and training for local councils, community organisations and leaders pivotal to recovery efforts.
“Disasters have wide-ranging, complex impacts on individuals, households, and
communities. In addition to loss of life, injury and physical destruction, disasters can impact upon all aspects of wellbeing, quality of life and community connectedness,” the Red Cross 12-Month Report states.
“Impacts on the social aspects of life include disruption and changes to your day-to-day life, relationships, and community. This can be simple, everyday things through to the loss of your support and communication networks around you. The disruption to
services and people’s lives that occurs as a result of the disaster and during recovery impacts people’s roles, routines and assumptions. It also disrupts everyday activities, as well as plans and goals for the future. This adds to people’s sense of powerlessness during recovery as an ability to plan helps people gain a sense of control over their lives,” it added.
In New South Wales over the past year, Red Cross teams supported in over 35 evacuation centres and 24 recovery hubs in impacted areas
“It’s between a 2 and an 8 out of ten .. and when a local tragedy happens, there’s a ripple effect, we had one in Ballina and there was a tragedy in Chinderah recently and again, those were trigger points.”
Ms Hartmann said the governments’ Buyback Scheme has also left locals feeling raw, once more.
“Anniversaries, good or bad? They’re inevitable, and I think they can be both,” she said.
For more information about the report’s findings visit: www. redcross.org.au/ floodsreport/
Clarence Valley mayor
Ian Tiley has gagged himself from discussing council meetings on radio after admitting he disclosed confidential information on air last December
Cr Tiley said a code of conduct complaint had been made about disclosures he made about expressions of interest into passenger services for Grafton Regional Airport.
“After the December 13 Ordinary Council meeting I disclosed confidential information in a Loving Life radio interview on December 14 2022 and similar information in a 2TLC radio interview on December 16, 2022.
“Since becoming mayor I have provided unprecedented access to the local radio stations,” he said.
“Whilst I was under pressure at each of these radio interviews and believed at the
time my disclosures to be in the public interest, I acknowledge the disclosure of the confidential information was wrong.
“I regret my actions and make this voluntary public apology.
“I will henceforth leave it to other councillors to participate in future after council meetings in local radio interviews.”
It’s not the first time the mayor has been accused of breaches of confidentiality.
A year ago Crs
Karen Toms and Debrah Novak took to the media, accusing him of breaching confidentiality by revealing contents of an email between a councillor and then acting general manager Laura Black.
At the time admitted the mistake and said he apologised to Ms Black and his apology was accepted.
By MARGARET DEKKERTears welled and leaders embraced as the enormity of the past year hit at a moving riverside ceremony in Murwillumbah last Tuesday.
Janelle Saffin State Member for Lismore, Justine Elliot Federal Member for Richmond and Cr Chris Cherry Tweed Mayor, knelt at historic Skinner Lowes Wharf on the Tweed River and threw flowers into the water in a symbolic gesture of hope and healing on the Flood’s first anniversary.
Local residents joined the Australian Red Cross, SES, Tweed Byron Police District and Northern NSW Local Health District at the service, quietly reflecting themselves on the devastating events of February 28 2022; another world from the balmy 27-degrees and
sunny sky of February 28, 2023, one whole, hard year later.
“Looking at this peaceful river today it’s hard to imagine what was building up 12 months ago,” Cr Cherry said.
aren’t here today for those reasons, I have you in my thoughts and my heart. I hope that one day, you will make your own peace with this river and your experiences of 12 months ago. I understand that healing is an intensely personal thing, and we all have our own journey to take.”
The flower tribute was chosen personally by Cr Cherry with flowers recognised as a symbol of hope – and hard work - across many cultures.
you have to,” Cr Chris Cherry said.
The Council together with the Australian Red Cross invite flood-affected residents to drop into the Murwillumbah Civic Centre Auditorium to share their experiences through contributing to an artwork.
“As much as the river gives, it can also take, and it has never taken as much as it has in the past year, and we are still recovering,” she said.
The mayor listed lasting property damage, finding suitable long-term alternative accommodation, accessing insurance payments, and dealing with feelings of loss as key ongoing battles.
“To those who
“It’s just a step in healing .. and to make a conscious shift in the mind,” Cr Chris Cherry told The Northern Rivers Times.
When asked where she got her own stamina from after 3 years of bushfires, pandemic, border closures and unprecedented flood in the Tweed Shire – the mayor was for a minute lost for words.
“That’s a hard question .. you just keep going,
“The DROPS initiative is about providing a safe place for Tweed community members to reflect on the past 12 months, by expressing their feelings and thoughts on a paper ‘drop’ which is then posted on a display board within the Murwillumbah Council Auditorium,” Penny Harrison, Australian Red Cross spokesperson said.
The Chinderah Donations Hub, the Tumbulgum community, Hub 2484 in Murwillumbah, and the Pottsville Community Resilience team also hosted commemorative events this past week.
It’s not often a person gets told they only have a few months to live. That was the experience of Irene Anderson recently after having a tumour removed.
The Evans Head resident was diagnosed in August 2020 with a melanoma cancer.
It had started with a lump in the leg, which she did nothing about for three weeks until a nurse friend told her to get it looked at.
“While the cancer was in my leg, the primary source was eventually found between my toes two years later,” she said.
“It’s had two years of running about my body.”
By MARGARET DEKKERIt’s open and chugging along!
The Tweed Section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail was officially opened last Wednesday, March 1 in Murwillumbah and judging by the many people hitting the 24km track – either by foot, bike, E-bike, saddle, assisted travel or simply by foot, it’s already proving a “must-do experience in the Tweed.”
Around 100 people attended historic
Murwillumbah Station in South Murwillumbah as NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole and local leaders cut the ribbon, signalling
the start of something special.
“People can walk it, they can have a set of
wheels, and they can actually explore what is on this rail trail for the next 24-kilometres and to be able to see the bridges, able to see the tunnels, even the nature along the way, is just fantastic,” Paul O’Toole, NSW Deputy Premier said. For more information about experiencing the Northern Rivers Rail Trail for yourself, visit www. northernriversrailtrail. com.au
With the cancer metastasizing, or growing throughout her body, Irene knew there was no coming back from such a diagnosis.
“I am at peace with it,” she said.
“I am 71 in June and I have had a pretty good life.”
Understandably, her family, including her husband, two children, grand-children and sisters, were upset to be told her days were numbered.
But despite her traumatic news, Irene was more concerned for the nurses in the public health system she had been in contact with in one of her most recent hospital visits at Lismore Base.
“I had fluid on the lungs and gone into hospital in an ambulance,” she said.
“I went in on Monday and it wasn’t until Thursday that I got the drain.
“They just don’t have the staff.”
Irene said her heart went out to the nurses for the amount of work they do.
“Our health system is falling apart,” she said.
“Our local nurses aren’t getting paid anywhere near what the overseas nurses who come in are receiving.”
A media spokesperson from the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association said a few different incentive packages have been used by Local Health Districts (LHDs) to boost recruitments and
fill long-term empty vacancies over the past year or so.
“In the June 2022 budget, the NSW government announced a Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme, because of the recruitment/retention issues experienced across the state, also in response to the rural, regional and remote health inquiry that had taken place,” the spokesperson said.
“This incentive scheme is being rolled out LHD by LHD, so it’s not entirely consistent.
“That said, public sector nurses and midwives in NSW are all paid under award rates.”
For Irene, the work the nurses do for her has literally been her lifeline and she knows they are worth so much more.
Regional Cities New South Wales (RCNSW) is calling on both sides of politics to support a bespoke solution to address regional skill shortages across the state.
“The current skills crisis is biting hard in regional New South Wales (NSW), and it is having a severe impact on regional productivity and growth” Cr
Mathew Dickerson
Chair of RCNSW and Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council said.
Data from the National Skills Commission shows that 67 per cent of regional employers reported difficulties recruiting.*
“We need to act urgently and think outside the box to address the current skills shortage, particularly in regional areas where we face a greater challenge attracting and employing the right level of skills” Cr Dickerson explained.
According to the Regional Australia Institute, regional job vacancies across the country continue to experience strong growth, with just over 81,000 jobs advertised in December 2022, or nearly a 100 per cent increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
RCNSW is advocating that skilled migrants and their families are a welcome solution to addressing issues such as Australia’s ageing population, improving labour
force participation and productivity, and helping businesses source skills that are difficult to develop at short notice.
“RCNSW would like to work with the incoming NSW Government to attract a larger share of skilled migrants to regional NSW, and we believe that NSW’s nominations for allocation of skilled migrants needs to carefully consider the workforce needs of regional areas across NSW” Cr Dickerson said.
RCNSW would also like to work with the NSW Government to create a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) specifically for regional NSW to facilitate localised labour agreements.
A DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a regional, state or territory authority that aims to provide that region with access to more overseas workers than the standard skilled migration program can deliver.
“Urgent action is required to support regional businesses to address the current skills crisis and overcome the enduring economic challenges of our regions” Cr Dickerson concluded.
https://www. regionalcitiesnsw.org. au/
STATE Member for Lismore today (6 March 2023) announces a suite of small-scale election commitments aimed at strengthening local communities for future natural disasters, improving services for families and youth, and supporting sport and cultural life.
Ms Saffin says she remains firmly focussed on leading the flood recovery and is also delivering projects, small and large, which will make a real difference to people’s lives across our electorate.
“Today, I’ll be meeting with members of the Nimbin Advisory Group and Aquarius 50 Organising Committee in Nimbin, and then visiting Friends of the Koala Incorporated in Lismore, to thank them for the work they are doing in the community,” Ms Saffin says.
“And over the coming weeks I’ll be catching up with other local community leaders driving more great projects.
“These election commitments are ones I have secured support for if a Minns Labor Government comes to office at the NSW State Election on March 25.
“They are all projects that I shall work to support if I am re-elected on March 25, as no matter what, all are needed.”
Local commitments so far include:
• Lismore City Council – a one-off
funding grant towards constructing and maintaining a disabilityfriendly public amenities block in Nimbin’s Peace Park, recognising a 15-year campaign by the Nimbin Advisory Group for this facility-$400,000.
• Nimbin Chamber of Commerce’s Aquarius 50 Organising Committee – towards staging a regional festival in May to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Aquarius Festival in 1973 -$50,000.
• Friends of the Koala Incorporated – enhancing its Community Education Centre in Lismore, improving awareness of the plight of our koalas and of FOK’s vital work in saving injured native wildlife -- $50,000.
• Tenterfield Shire Council –improving Tenterfield
Aerodrome’s disaster readiness capacity, including purchasing and installing a water tank and pump, and safety works -- $50,000.
• Kyogle Family Support Services Neighbourhood Centre Incorporated – purchasing an AWD vehicle to support community participation and inclusion in its social programs, particularly West of the Range where services are limited -- $50,000.
• Hub 2484, Murwillumbah –delivering much-needed flood preparation and flood recovery projects to support local residents of this postcode who were severely impacted by the 2022 floods -- $40,000.
• North-Tracks Works, Lismore –towards running its innovative youth support program post-floods -- $40,000.
• RiverTracks, Murwillumbah – towards running trade skills youth workshops designed to educate and empower youth at risk of disengaging from education -- $30,000.
• Back-Track Works, Tenterfield – constructing an amenities block at its training hub to support youth participating in its training and skills development programs -- $30,000.
• Kyogle Football Club – draining the sub-surface perimeter of its main adult ground in Chauvel Street, which is also used by school groups for athletics carnivals, future proofing it during localised flood events -- $20,000.
• Kyogle Golf Club – towards purchasing and installing new fire-safe glass doors and plumbing work -- $15,000.
• Woodenbong Progress Association’s Resilience Group –fitting out two shipping containers, already funded under the Community Building Partnership program, as an emergency evacuation hub on a site near the Woodenbong Showground -- $15,000.
• Murwillumbah Croquet Club Incorporated – repairing, prepping and painting the exterior of its historic clubhouse -- $10,000.
Ms Saffin said she was very much looking forward to seeing these local projects completed during 2023.
Local community will take the lead in improvements to the rivers around Kyogle thanks to a Stronger Country Communities Grant from the NSW Government. The project, titled “Weaving the voice of the rivers and the night sky” has been driven by locals who identified the health of their rivers as a major priority.
To aid this cause, Project Coordinators and Youth Workers will be appointed to work with local project teams in Woodenbong, Muli Muli, Wiangaree, Kyogle, Bonalbo, Tabulam and Mallanganee – all made possible by the $208,000 grant.
NSW Nationals Member for the NSW Upper House said funding allocated to the Kyogle City Council will allow this project to proceed.
“The waterways of this whole NSW Northern Rivers region are part of the heart and soul of this area. They are part of the stories, the folklore and the everyday life of the people who live here.”
“A project like this will give the community the lead in the improvements in the river system they want to see. Having that ownership will give increased pride in the river system and the work being undertaken,” Mr Barrett said.
“This is just one of a number of projects The Nationals have
delivered right across the Lismore Electorate. Because we get regional communities, we believe in regional communities and we want these communities to continue to grow”
Suzie Coulston, General Manager of Kyogle Together who will be overseeing the project, said the project will include storytelling and record keeping, passing on important knowledge in relation to the health of the river system.”
“This project will increase the health of our community - when you have healthy rivers and rivers systems you have healthy communities,” Ms Coulston said.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said in the past five years the Stronger Country Communities Fund had delivered more than 2000 grassroots projects, benefitting every Local Government Area in regional NSW.
“We all know how important it is for communities to have great places to come together to build social connections and boost their wellbeing through sport or community events,’’ Mr Toole said.
“It’s the little things that make a big difference to the way we all work, live, play and do business, and the NSW Liberals and Nationals in Government are delivering the projects that make a difference to everyday
By SAMANTHA ELLEYIt was standing room only at the launch of the short film Tinny Heroes in Woodburn last week.
Then by the end, it was a standing ovation with rapturous applause, and everyone was on their feet.
The film, co-directed by journalist Susanna Freymark and filmmaker Jimmy Malecki, captured the essence of the work those who had small boats did when Woodburn was inundated with flood waters.
Richmond Valley mayor Robert Mustow acknowledged that due to the tinny heroes, no lives were lost in Woodburn and surrounding areas.
Woodburn residents, Scott and Naomi Robinson were at the
Woodburn Memorial Hall to see the launch of the film, having experienced the effects of the 2022 flood themselves.
“I’m here to support the community,” said Naomi.
“I don’t know what to expect but I think it will be confronting and will affect people more than they think.”
Scott said the experience of the flood had gone so quickly, he was curious to see the footage of the event.
People’s reactions were obvious by the end of the 20 minute film, when they got to their feet and applauded.
They laughed and cried and remembered, and now the story of the Tinny Heroes will carry on through history.
“I thought it was
wonderful,” said Naomi after the film.
“It depicted exactly what happened.
Scott also enjoyed it.
“It was great and this film is getting the story out there,” he said.
“Everyone could relate to it.”
Further screenings of Tinny Heroes will be at:
CASINO
March 10 at Casino Library at 10am, 10.45am, 11.30am and 12.15pm. Because of limited space there are several screening sessions. Bookings are required by close of business on Thursday, March 9. Call 6660 0354.
MCKEES HILL
March 9 at McKees Hill Hall, cnr Fig Tree Lane and Bruxner Highway at 6pm. Free sausage sizzle.
BALLINAMarch 12 at Ballina at Cherry Street Sports at 7pm.
EVANS HEAD
March 15 at Evans Head Library at 10am and 10.45am. Bookings required by close of business on Tuesday, March 14. Phone 6660 0374.
Evans River K-12 School screening to be confirmed.
KYOGLE
March 17 at Kyogle Library at 5.30pm. Bookings required by close of business on Thursday, March 16. Call 6632 1134.
BONALBO
In March, Date to be confirmed.
WARDELL
Wardell will show the film when they have their outdoor cinema set up. It has been offered to them.
Flood affected communities in NSW will be able to obtain free legal advice as a result of a $7 million Commonwealth funding investment to aid ongoing relief and recovery.
Commonwealth Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the new funding for community legal services in NSW meant people will have ongoing ready access to free, independent and confidential support to help navigate legal problems including
insurance claims, housing and tenancy rights, employment issues and social security, credit and debt, domestic violence, destroyed documents and parenting arrangements.
“These devastating floods have taken every material thing from those affected. The Commonwealth’s extra funding for Community Legal Centres means they’ll now have the legal assistance they need to help rebuild their lives,” Mr Dreyfus said.
“Every part of people’s
lives is impacted by these natural disasters and we want to ensure that legal assistance is available to them at this critical time.”
NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman said the funding will help Community Legal Centres (CLCs) continue to support people through the ongoing flood recovery.
“The floods wreaked havoc on our State,” Mr Speakman said.
“In the challenging aftermath of a natural disaster free legal
assistance is crucial, especially to people who are socially and economically disadvantaged.”
Seven CLCs will each receive $250,000 per year, over four years:
• Northern Rivers CLC
• Welfare Rights Centre
• Tenants’ Union of NSW
Further information about the services being provided by CLCs is available at https://www. clcnsw.org.au/legalhelp-flood-affectedcommunities-nsw-2022
A move to build a 25m pool and splash pool ahead of the 50m pool has dismayed members of the Grafton swimming community.
It was quite the experience turning up to the launch of the film Tinny Heroes at the local hall. I’d say more than the population of the town was there, although I know a few people who weren’t because they still feel the rawness of the flood.
The film was very cathartic. While it was a poignant reminder of what happened 12 months ago and the risk many people took to save others, there were some very light-hearted moments which gave release to the audience as they laughed at some of the circumstances that had happened.
Let me just say I will never look at a meat cleaver in the same way.
For a town to go through what my town has been through and come out laughing,
almost makes me cry with pride.
Despite the commemorations of the 12 months taking place, life still goes on and hubby and I were up on the Gold Coast for his back surgery.
For the last couple of years he has suffered from back pain due to spurs on his vertebrae. One of the biggest issues he had during the floods was dealing with the pain, while lifting and throwing out our sodden furniture and belongings.
Then, as rebuilding took place, he was always being told (by me) to leave the heavy stuff alone because I could see the pain he was in.
Finally, he has been able to get the surgery we have waited so long for. Now it’s on to rehab.
Little steps.
Plans to build a new Grafton Aquatic Centre after the shock permanent closure of the Grafton Olympic Pool last September rocked the community, hit a further setback in January.
The Department of Regional NSW, rejected a proposal from the Clarence Valley Council to transfer an $11.1 million Bushfire Local Economic Recovery grant from the Treelands Drive Community Centre to the aquatic centre.
The council had been confident the proposal would succeed and had included the transferred grant in the pool funding strategy, which totalled $24 million.
The rejection forced radical changes in the funding strategy, which included a change in the timeline for the project, which came to last Tuesday’s Clarence Valley Council meeting for approval.
Not all councillors were happy with the decision and questions were asked about the need to delay construction of the 50m pool, when it was the structure the community most wanted to see built first.
Cr Peter Johnstone, who has always advocated a staged development, beginning with construction of the 50m pool, was the most vocal in debate.
He said the Grafton
community wanted a 50m pool first and not a 25m pool or splash pool.
Cr Johnstone was also concerned borrowing for the aquatic centre would require council to pay big interest bills, bringing up a figure of $17 million in borrowings should the council be unable to find grants for the project.
But Cr Karen Toms said such figures were just “scaremongering” and the council staff had adequately explained the need for changes in the construction timeline.
The council’s director Works and Civil, Jamie Fleeting, said one of the key issues was the safety on the worksite.
He said the 50m pool was proposed for the site of the current waterslide and the instability of the ground around the current 50m pool would create safety hazards for workers.
After councillors endorsed the updated project timeline and funding strategy, council
general manager Laura Black explained what would happen.
She said it was important for the community to know there are a number of reasons why staff recommended the adopted staging of the project, including being the scenario that returns services to the community as early as possible.
“The indoor facility as part of Stage One will be located on the site of the existing pool infrastructure. It can be opened while construction of the outdoor pool is underway because construction access from Turf Street can be separated from public access to other facilities,” Ms Black said.
“If the outdoor pool was constructed first, for safety reasons it could not be opened to the public while the Stage One works including preconstruction earthworks took place adjacent to
it. In addition, there would be no access to amenities.
“The indoor facility includes two heated pools that once opened can stay open all year round.”
Mr Fleeting said the staged approach would allow a contractor to deliver Stage One and Stage Two in a seamless fashion.
“This recommendation maximises council’s opportunity to secure grant funding for Stage Two - being the 50m pool and grandstand,” Mr Fleeting said.
“The contract facilitates sufficient time to secure potential grant opportunities for a period of up to three months after the contract is awarded.
“Progress on Stage Two and Three will be subject to either forthcoming grants, Council loans or a combination of both, and this will be reported to Council for confirmation before August 2023.”
It will take more than a $263.5 million Grafton Base Hospital expansion to fix the broken health system in the Clarence Valley says NSW Greens Upper House MP Dr Amanda Cohn.
Dr Cohn was in Grafton last Monday and Tuesday campaigning with Greens Lower House candidate Dr Greg Clancy.
On Monday Dr Cohn met with members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association and the Grafton Based Hospital Committee to talk about health issues facing the region.
Dr Cohn agreed the government had clearly never intended to begin construction of the hospital this term.
But her main concern was a shortage of trained medical staff at both the Clarence Valley hospitals, which has led to the Clarence hospitals being unable to fulfil obligations to patients.
“The reliance on agency staff at GBH and Maclean is something that worries local nursing staff,” Dr Cohn said.
She was also concerned the GP shortage in the region was placing increase strain on the hospitals’ emergency
departments.
“The committee members, (Roy Bell, Des Harvey and Phil Belletty) told me there is a six-week wait to see your GP,” Dr Cohn said.
“And if your not on the books with a doctor, you can’t get in and must go to the hospital to be seen by a doctor.”
She said both issues were something the government could do something about.
“For nurses the public services wages cap is both deterring people from taking up nursing and driving current nurses away,” she said.
“We know this for sure, because in Victoria and Queensland, where nurses pay and conditions has been legislated to improve, these issues are not a problem.”
She said nurses needed a safe nurse-to-patient ratio as well as an annual pay rise above the inflation rate.
Dr Cohn said the Northern Rivers’ proximity to Queensland was exacerbating the problem.
“We know this works because we can see it happening in other state,” she said.
“Nursing are going across the border in droves, because they
know a job with better pay and conditions is there for them, sometimes just an hour or two’s drive away.
“I was a GP in Albury, on the Victorian border and we had similar issues when I was practising.”
She said the government also needed to to something to make it more attractive for medical graduates to take up general practice and head to the bush.
“Young doctors just out of medical school are not wanting to become GPs,” she said. “And why would they? Choosing to
be a GP instead of going into a specialist field means an instant pay cut.
As the Greens’ health spokesperson Dr Cohn said the government needs to underwrite the pay and conditions gap between a GP and a specialist so a rural GP was earning at a similar rate to a city specialist.
She said Greens health policy would bolster the public community health sector so you can access a GP, allied health professional, dentist or mental health professional through your local public
community health centre - for free.
She said the Greens were not happy with proposals to allow other health professionals, such as pharmacists and nurses to take on some of the work of doctors.
“We’ve seen some dangerous situations arise when professionals take on role outside their areas,” she said.
“Pharmacists are trained to see pharmacological solutions to health problems,” she said.
“But a doctor is trained to see a range
of treatments or which drugs are just one part.
“Patients deserve to have the full range of treatment options open to them.”
Dr Clancy said it had been a boost to his campaign to have the party’s health spokesperson on the campaign trail.
“She’s almost certain to get in and if we have the balance of power in the Upper House she will be able to put the pressure on the government to improve health in the state,” he said.
A huge $34.5 million will be invested by the NSW Nationals in Government to foodproof critical road networks across the Richmond and Clarence valleys, Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis.
Mr Gulaptis was joined by the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway, Richmond Valley Mayor, Robert Mustow and Nationals Candidate for Clarence, Richie Williamson on Monday at Naughtons Gap in Casino to make the multi-million-dollar announcement.
The new Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package, funded jointly by the NSW and Federal Governments, will allow roads and transport assets to be built rebuilt to a higher standard to withstand future extreme natural weather events.
“Richie and I have been in the ear of the Minister advocating for funding to upgrade critical road networks that were impacted by fooding and serve as important links to communities across the Richmond and Clarence valleys,” Mr Gulaptis said.
“We’re delighted to see that three projects put forward by Richmond and Clarence Valley councils - Naughtons Gap Road at Casino,
Woodburn-Coraki Road and Yamba Road between Harwood and Palmers Channel – will receive funding so councils can food-proof them.”
Mr Gulaptis said a major landslip occurred during last year’s food event on Naugtons Gap Road in Casino, which is a critical road network linking the beef capital to Lismore, and services a large rural residential area including school bus routes.
“Richmond Valley Council identifed the road as its number one priority to seek funding so it could be rebuilt to a higher standard, and we have awarded Council with just over $3 million dollars so it can,” Mr Gulaptis said.
“Council was also successful in securing nearly $2 million to design and construct the installation of culverts on Woodburn-Coraki Road,” Mr Gulaptis said.
Mr Gulaptis said almost $10 million will also be invested in upgrading Yamba Road between the Harwood Bridge and Palmers Island.
“This section of Yamba Road is a low spot that causes early closure of the road during fooding,” Mr Gulaptis said.
“Clarence Valley Council proposes to lift the road level at South Bank Road at Palmers
Channel and install additional drainage structures and pavement resilience on the lowlying areas of Yamba Road.”
Mr Gulaptis said the NSW Nationals in Government would also invest over $21 million to upgrade sections of the Summerland Way, Gwydir and Bruxner highways and the Yamba off-ramp on the Pacifc Highway.
Welcoming the huge injection of road funding, Nationals Candidate for Clarence, Richie Williamson said foodproofng important roads across said regional communities like the Richmond and Clarence Valleys deserved the same quality of road that Sydneysiders are used to.
“As a former Mayor, I know how critical it is to have support from government to help upgrade local roads, and it’s terrifc to see this massive investment by the NSW Nationals in Government to make roads in regional communities as safe as possible,” Mr Williamson said.
Nationals Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said Mr Gulaptis and Mr Williamson had managed to secure 11 of just 57 projects rolling out across the state.
By MARGARET DEKKERA new, short trek through some pristine country in Wollumbin National Park beyond Burringbar and Murwillumbah, is being planned by National Parks and Wildlife.
Public submissions on a draft master plan for the proposed ‘Caldera Rim Walk’ closed this week. The plan ‘provides overarching concepts’ for the proposed 8-kilometre (return) half-day bushwalk, and associated facilities in Wollumbin National Park.
The proposed walk would be a Grade 4 hiking track in accordance with the Australian Walking Track Grading system. It would offer a challenge to bushwalkers, climbing over 500 metres in elevation to the top of the inner Tweed Caldera through rainforest, wet sclerophyll and drier eucalypt forest, with spectacular views of the Wollumbin summit and
Welcome to the end of the valley!
surrounding caldera.
“A new walking track in the Tweed Byron hinterland ..”
Tweed Coast to cater for a diverse range of user groups, including locals and tourists. The awardwinning Minyon Falls precinct opened in 2022 and the multi-day Tweed Byron Hinterland Trails project is currently being constructed,” the draft Master Plan added.
“NPWS is committed to working with the Bundjalung community to ensure their cultural heritage is acknowledged, protected and respected as a part of living culture.”
The trail head for
0403
“Characterised by lush rainforests, mountain views, countless waterfalls and hidden rockpools, this region has the potential for an immersive hiking experience in pristine nature. Close to the popular tourist destination of Byron Bay, this region has high visitation and easy accessibility via Gold Coast and Ballina/Byron Airports,” The Caldera Rim Walk draft master plan promotes.
“Visitor planning in the region aims to provide a varied suite of complementary recreation opportunities accessible from Murwillumbah and the
the Caldera Rim Walk is proposed off Tyalgum Road along the existing Tweed Hinterland Rainforest Way Scenic Drive from Murwillumbah. The 8km return walk would journey south to a summit.
The draft master plan also suggests possible future options to extend the walk, which would expand the integrated visitor experiences in the area and cater for a diverse range of bushwalking experiences.
To download the whole proposal document, including maps, visit: environment.nsw.gov.au/ caldera
A Victorian computer games developer has chosen the NSW Northern Rivers to launch a new, Pokémon Go-style game this weekend.
But instead of collecting virtual mythical animals, people taking part in the inaugural ‘Damnn Hunt’ will be on the lookout for sporting team logos, players, $ symbols and coins with a potential value of more than $3 million.
The developer, Ballarat man Duncan Smith, has come up with the game after years developing a suite of linked website and apps.
He said the name of the Damnn Hunt was based on the first letters of everyone in his family: Duncan, daughter Alexa, son Mitchell, daughter
to download the Damnn Hunt app in the Apps Store or Google Play or from the Damnn Hunt website at damnnhunt. com.
Downloading the app and signing up, people will then also have an account for Mr Smith’s Sportstrade site where the logos and players go to once they have been collect in the hunt. People can then sell the teams or players in Sportstrade with the money that they make going into their own personal PayPal bank account.
Mr Smith said people who decide to sell a team or player decides the price that they wish to sell it for. People can also buy other teams or players as well if they wish.
“It is totally upto the person that collects the teams or players what price they want to sell them for,” he said.
Mr Smith said the game would begin at 9.00am on Saturday when some ‘1500 virtual pins’ would be dropped over the Northern Rivers region.
On Sunday there would be another distribution of the same amount of pins for the second day of the game which will finish at 9.00pm.
to collect the logos from around 25m or so away so you don’t need to be standing right on top of it to collect it.” he said.
“Once a logo or player is collected, it’s instantly removed from the map.”
He said there would be upto 4 types of ‘tokens’ to search for.
on the price of the player or team in Sportstrade at the time of the hunt,” he said.
Mr Smith likened the Sportstrade site to a stock market for sports fans.
“You can buy and sell teams and players in the Sportstrade just like you buy and sell on the ASX but a lot simpler,” he said.
One of the best ways to find a logo or player is to join myyaak.
myyaak, which is similar to Facebook but with added features including being able to call, text and video call (exactly the same as zoom) will have a map on it that will show where every pin is.
Firstly there will be team logos including Premier League teams and American football, basketball and baseball clubs. Then there are ‘coins’ that could be any player or team and also $ symbols that is pure cash that ranges from $5 to $100.
There will also be rarer and much more valuable players as well dropped but out of the 3000 only around 100 will be players
When playing DamnN hunt people will see on their map on the phone any pin that is within a 2km radius only.
“If people join myyaak they will have access to a map that goes beyond the 2km radius of the DamnN Hunt app and show where all the pins are,” he said.
Smith said that when a pin is collected it will disappear of the map.
team will beat another team at any given point of the season, but most people are unlikely to know if Westpac, BHP or Qantas are doing well or not”.
Smith said that when someone sells a team or player this is real money that the person then has.
“After you have sold a team or player to someone that money is real and ends up in your PayPal account and you can they of course spend it on whatever you like or move it into the on personal bank account.
Mr Smith said he chose the Northern Rivers to launch the game because he was born in Mullumbimby in 1966. But he said it would be the first of many in Australia.
around the $1 million mark.
“I am looking at going from the top of Australia in places like Cairns, Townsville and Darwin to Hobart and from Perth to Newcastle and many, many places in-between”.
“This will then lead to me doing hunts in the USA, UK, Canada and NZ as well and then other countries after that including Japan, India most of Europe and South America.”
Nikisha and wife Narelle.
Mr Smith said players on the weekend had the chance to monetise their efforts once they had collected the logos.
To play, people need
He said using a mobile phone with the app people would be able to see the location of any token within a 2km radius.
“As a person gets closer to the logo or player it will get bigger and bigger on the screen. People should be able
After collecting a logo or players people will see what they have collected on their phones. This will then be transferred automatically to the person sportstrade portfolio.
“Team logos range in value from around $50 to $150 and players from around $5,000 to over $10,000 each, depending
“After collecting the logos and players people can sell them in the Sportstrade Marketplace and put whatever price they what on them or keep them and watch the price go up and down just like a stockmarket. The better a team or player does, the more likely the price will go up and if they are not doing so well the price will most likely fall. So most people know if a
“This is the very first one in the world and will be the start of me holding around 30 or 40 all around Australia over the next 12 months with a total of over $200 million to be found,” he said.
Smith said the number of pins dropped and the value is based on the population of the area or the city. So places like Canberra would see around $5 million, Geelong around $3 million, Toowoomba $1.5 million and cities like Ballarat, Bendigo and Albury-Wodonga all
Smith said that people can video on their phone when collecting a team logo or player and upload this to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the likes. “The person that get the most comments on Facebook and the person that gets the most views on TicTok or Instagram will each get $500 cash into their bank”.
He said Sportstrade was up and running here at www.app.sportstrade. online and people could find more information at www.damnnhunt.com and on the Facebook page
letters@nrtimes.com.au
CASHLESS GAMBLING CARD
I would like to bring something to everyone’s attention, particularly in light of the recent discussion about the cashless Gambling Card in the Media. The report stated that the RSL in NSW is resisting the Premier’s proposal. This is incorrect, the RSL and Service Clubs Association (NSW) may be the culprits, but not the Returned and Services League, NSW Branch (RSLNSW).
There has long been a misconception that the RSL (or the Returned and Services League) operates chains of clubs and has poker machine licences and income from them. This is not the case, I am a member of a local RSL sub-Branch, and I can assure you, we have no poker machines, no ties to any Clubs, we conduct raffles for members, and sell badges for ANZAC Day & Remembrance Day, and we also conduct the Memorial Services at the War Memorials.
If we approach Clubs NSW for a donation, we do so cap-inhand like any other Community Charity
or Not-For-Profit (NFP) organisation and apply for grant money.
RSL sub-Branches were the forebears of the clubs, which started as the Social Club of a sub-Branch, and some subBranches do still own the land and buildings, but their only revenue from that is from the rent they charge the company that manages the Club, and there are not many of those left.
So, when you see something relating to RSL whether it be raffle tickets or ANZAC Day badge sales, ask which sub-Branch they are representing, if they can’t tell you!!
Beware!! If they name their sub-Branch you can be certain that the proceeds from the sales are used by the registered Charity (the sub-Branch), to support veterans in the local community, and are definitely NOT going into the coffers of a Club.
John Gordon Honorary Secretary Alstonville RSL subBranchThe JAMA Network Open study says covid is still more dangerous
than the flu, see NRTimes 2/3/23 page 68. I don’t totally agree with their Swiss study as for example we knew all along that hardly any children have died from covid worldwide, but they do die from the flu. Older and co-morbidity patients may have died from covid rather than the flu, but the article does not go into details of age, health etc.
The study says of the 5212 patients hospitalized with either covid-19 or the flu, 54% were more likely to die of covid than those with the flu. This could be due to 98% of Swiss people being vaccinated and because the vaccinations don’t stop people getting covid or transmitting it, there are going to be more people die of covid than the flu.
It also said that unvaccinated covid patients were twice as likely to die compared to flu patients. This could be due to unvaccinated covid patients being treated differently like lepers as I had an unvaccinated friend die in hospital, who originally entered hospital with health issues, then tested positive for covid so was put on a ventilator for 4 days where we couldn’t contact him.
So, what killed him, his health issues and/ or covid treatment?
Thus, I don’t agree with the Study as I believe the vaccinations are more dangerous than covid or the flu e.g. worldwide,
there are too many people collapsing and dying playing sport, swimming or just dying in their sleep from SADS (Sudden Adult Death Syndrome) after having covid vaccinations that give blood clots, pericarditis and myocarditis. Also, as this newsletter says, https://stevekirsch. substack.com/p/howare-they-ever-goingto-explain Australia’s excess deaths are up by 22,837 just to September 2022, so there is something strange going on that our leaders aren’t telling us.
Lynette Evans NUMULGIFirstly, this is not about politics as such or different policies. It’s about looking after the community we live in.
I’ve looked at the signs for the three main contenders for the Lismore electorate to see where they were printed believing that we should support our local industries particularly since the flood.
What I found in one case gladdened me and two cases disgusted me.
Alex Rubin’s’ posters were printed in Lismore 2480 by a LOCAL printery.
Janelle Saffins’ posters were printed in Revesby 2212 Adam Guises’ posters were printed in Smeaton Grange 2567.
This information is printed on the bottom face side of the posters that I have seen.
Why aren’t they all printed in this electorate to support our businesses and our economy? The three are all members of a major party so if one candidate can get them here why can’t they all?
Maybe it’s all about how much the candidates actually care for the electorate or care for their party.
And no, I’m not affiliated with any printery.
Col Baker ModanvilleIt is total BS that Australia Post is posting a loss as about year ago the then boss was handing out watches to executives for posting a profit.
Seems like the current CEO is incompetent to me and to cut the letter service from to two or three which it pretty much is anyway will do nothing customer is always right first rule of business and customers not shareholders need to be looked after in addition the banks should be banned from shutting branches for ten years at least their obscene profits all of them posting 5 billion plus profits whilst closing branches the banking royal commission a joke furthermore why is precent and AMX 2 putting ATM’s in where banks have closed or taken their ATM away shows people still love and want cash not Muppet credit and online banking only the lemmings want to go down this path not
real people.
Alan Mosley YambaEssential energy contractors have been trimming trees in my neighbourhood recently and it got me thinking who pays for this service.
Contacted Essential and they informed me that all consumers pay indirectly.
They directed me to their Vegetation Management Plan (available on the net) Part 4.3 states that Essential may recover reasonable costs incurred when trimming vegetation. Unfortunately, they don’t enforce this as they are worried about getting people offside. Why should I pay when I’ve done nothing wrong.
If you choose to grow a tree under or near a power line, then surely you should have to pay to have it trimmed or removed?
This is both private property and Council or Government land.
My daughter has two electricity poles on her property leading from the main line to her house. Both poles have been condemned by Essential and she must pay for their replacement as they are “her” poles. And yet if she grew 100 trees under the lines Essential would come and trim them for nothing?
If there is any sense in this, it eludes me.
What happened to “user pays” looks like it applies to poles but not trees?
Col Baker ModanvilleCommunity flood recovery organisation
Resilient Lismore has welcomed today’s announcement that the Federal Government has committed to funding community resilience initiatives as part of $150 million in flood mitigation and resilience projects for the Northern Rivers.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Murray Watt, announced the $50 million first stage while visiting Lismore this afternoon. The remaining $100 million will be fully allocated within the next six months.
The sixteen Tranche 1 projects are based on CSIRO research and comprise 41 proposals received by CSIRO. They include increasing flood risk knowledge and awareness, improving flood risk management infrastructure, and regional and local
economic adaptation projects.
Many of the projects align with recommendations from the NSW Flood Inquiry, and with local floodplain risk mitigation programs. All seven local government areas of the Northern Rivers region – Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed – will benefit.
Resilient Lismore executive director Elly Bird said the announcement made it clear that mitigation in the Northern Rivers community is complex: engineering solutions will take a lot of time, and more needs to be done to make an immediate impact on the lives of a community devastated by Australia’s worst natural disaster since Cyclone Tracy.
“We welcome the news that the Federal Government has committed to funding
community resilience initiatives as part of this announcement, because it’s very clear that communities need to be resourced in order to plan, to respond, and to recover,” she said.
“Our communities need to be supported. There is also a very important opportunity with the Federal Disaster Ready Fund; the current round has significant barriers to community organisations being able to access funding. The Federal Government needs to ensure that the next round of DRF funding is focused on ensuring that communities have the resources they need to prepare for future disasters.
“The soft infrastructure of our civil society needs to be high on the agenda of governments at all levels and one way to do that is to ensure that community organisations and initiatives across the
Northern Rivers are well resourced so we can continue to support each other in our recovery and so that we are ready for the next disaster.”
Community funding vital for immediate impact The Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC), the NSW Government initiative responsible for leading and coordinating the recovery and reconstruction of housing, essential assets and infrastructure in flood impacted areas across the NSW Northern Rivers, has indicated that it will take up to five years for its programs to be rolled out. Resilient Lismore, as a grassroots, community organisation, has been actively and practically helping Northern Rivers residents since the February 2022 flood. Greater funding would make a real, immediate impact on the lives of those people.
In the last 12 months, Resilient Lismore has delivered more than $3.5 million worth of volunteer aid, including nearly 14,000 volunteer deployments and almost 85,000 volunteer hours. The small, volunteer-powered group has undertaken more than 3,600 clean-up and rebuild jobs and conducted nearly 600 door-to-door wellbeing check-ins. It has facilitated about 2,500 tool loans and helped residents begin to rebuild their homes and lives.
Community members use Resilient Lismore as a resource to help them with housing and accommodation, food support, advice on dealing with government and more. All of this after the organisation began working in a carpark immediately after the 2022 flood, thanks to passionate, dedicated volunteers who care for their
community.
Many of these volunteers are deployed in Resilient Lismore’s Two Rooms project, which involves building walls in two rooms so locals can at least get back into their devastated homes. (See https://www. floodhelpnr.com.au/ two-rooms for more.)
The projects is an example of the practical assistance a community organisation such as Resilient Lismore can deliver to make an immediate impact on the lives of a community.
More funding, from both state and federal governments, would increase that impact and make an enormous difference in the lives of people still trying to put the pieces together a year down the track.
The saga of a contentious Yamba community centre has taken a bizarre and likely fnal twist at the latest Clarence Valley Council meeting.
In a surprise move the council found itself voting on a rescission motion from council staff to demolish and construct the controversial Treelands Drive Community Centre, just two months after voting to save it.
The saga takes some explanation.
The council tied itself in knots late last year when it over confdently predicted the NSW Government would allow it to switch a $11.1 million Bushfre Local Economy Recovery grant from the Treelands Drive project to the Grafton Aquatic Centre build.
The aquatic centre had become the council’s number one priority in September when Grafton Olympic Pool was closed permanently due to an imminent infrastructure failure.
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When Stephen, a mysterious and charming gentleman, turns up in the remote English village, all tongues are wagging. But his attention is set squarely on Julie, a widow who runs the local forist. She is swept off her feet by this charismatic man and introduces him to her family.
Julie’s twin grown-up sons are not so enamoured and are suspicious of his true intentions. It seems that decisions are taken out of their hands, however, when Julie and
Stephen travel to Australia to enjoy a travelling holiday down under.
The trip soon turns into Julie’s worst nightmare when Stephen shows his true colours and she must fght, not only to get out of the situation she fnds herself in, but also for her life.
In an interesting twist, the twins receive some information that will change their lives forever and may also provide answers to some family secrets.
To follow through with the information they receive and fnd out more, one of them must also head to Australia.
Will this change of affairs, however, be too late to save Julie from her dire circumstances?
Will there be any kind of happy ending for the family?
To order your copy today, go to www.shawline publishing.com.au
But in January the Department of Regional NSW informed the council the grant transfer would not happen and the money had to be spent on the Treelands Drive Centre.
In the meantime a competing options had emerged for the council’s Option A, which called for the demolition of the existing centre, replacing it with a larger complex including a library.
There had been signifcant community opposition to this plan.
Part of the funding strategy for Option A had included the sale of the Wooli St Hall and neighbouring library to help pay for the project.
Another proposal, Option B, emerged as vocal elements of the Yamba community vented their feelings.
They felt knocking down a 24-year-old building to erect a socalled “Taj Mahal” in its place was unnecessary. They also wanted to keep the Wooli St Hall as a community centre. Option B allowed for improvements to
the centre, including a library as well as retaining the community zone for the Wooli St Hall. In December last year the council resolved to do it.
At Tuesday’s meeting council’s general manager Laura Black presented a report in which she called for the council to reaffrm its support for Option A, which required the council to rescind part of its resolution at the December 2022 meeting.
Deputy Mayor Cr Greg Clancy immediately disputed this. He pointed out a rescission motion needed the signatures of three councillors and needed to be delivered to the council seven days before the meeting.
But Mayor Ian Tiley said he had anticipated this and requested Ms Black to seek advice from the Offce of Local Government about the legitimacy of such a motion.
Cr Tiley said the council received this reply from the OLG on the morning before the meeting.
“Our view I that Section 372 only applies to a situation where a councillor is seeking to alter, amend or rescind a previous decision of the council,” Cr Tiley read out.
“It does not apply to a situation, where because of changed circumstances a staff report is put up recommending the alteration or rescission of an earlier decision.
“I therefore rule there is no point of order.”
Cr Clancy moved a
motion of dissent at the ruling.
He said the rescission motion was invalid because it did not include any new information
“Nothing has changed regarding that motion, not a single thing,” he said.
In a foretaste of things to come, Crs Tiley, Karen Toms, Steve Pickering, Bill Day, Debrah Novak and Alison Whaites voted against the the motion of dissents. Crs Clancy, Peter Johnstone and Jeff Smith were in favour.
In debate Cr Toms was a passionate advocate of Option A.
She described the proposed centre as “aspirational” and said the existing centre had never been ft for purpose and attempts to fx it would never ft in with the long-term growth of the Yamba area.
She also said the council risked losing its $11.1 million BLER funding should council continue with Option B.
Cr Toms also answered critics who claimed council had never voted to demolish the existing building.
She said there had been two votes on the matter in 2018 where council had voted to demolish the building.
Cr Pickering also spoke for the rescission motion.
He argued no amount of retroftting of a building built to 1999 standards would be suitable in 2023.
Not all the support was as enthusiastic.
Cr Bill Day said he had to explain why he
would be comfortable wearing a new nickname of Turncoat because he had changed his mind on the matter.
He said he had looked at the advice from the OLG yesterday and it was a “game changer” for him.
He said the grant funding was tied to the a specifc project and he could not countenance the council losing an $11.1 million funding opportunity.
Cr Jeff Smith questioned if changes to a project did threaten its grant status.
He noted Maclean Community Precinct Project, which also attracted BLER funding, had changed direction several times, without its funding being questioned.
During the debate it became obvious which way the council was heading and when a vote was called it went 6-3 in favour of the rescission and the reinstatement of Option A.
A community group, Yamba Community Action Network, had supported Option B and had a contingent of members in the gallery and they responded with laughter as Cr Toms spoke.
After the meeting the groups secretary Lynne Cairns said the group which had submitted petitions with more than 500 signature supporting Option B was devastated at the decision.
She said the group would continue to oppose the decision.
ONE of the strangest and most overlooked quirks of human psychology is the way in which we refer to the topic of our (non-physical) emotional responses, as feelings. Upon face value, the word has a clear, albeit concrete association with the everpacing monarch of the five senses – touch. But in the realm of thought, not one single clump of substance makes physical contact with anything of three-dimensional actuality.
The essence of this interactional truth is somehow reiterated, if not fully conjured in the oft-heard child’s chant, “sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” But hurt us they often do, and perhaps that is where the crossover happens – we physically experience or feel stress and pain when they’re allowed to manifest inside us.
Equally so, are feelings of joy, appreciation and happiness. In a way, nothing compares to these swift chariots that transport human consciousness across all conundrums to the fabled realms of peace and harmony, that eventually coalesce into the blur of utter bliss. Lucky are those that reside in this most elevated of emotional spheres.
Albert Schweitzer, the former winner of a Nobel Peace Prize, once very admirably said, “The interior joy we feel when we have done a good deed is the nourishment the soul requires.” Which is a sentiment self-explanatory enough; but what I’ve wrestled with over the years are the actions of those seemingly motivated by feelings that slink up from the other end of the goodwill continuum.
What drives those that go out of their way to upset others; what degree of self-loathing must you have to delight in bringing about the suffering of your fellow person? Maybe the American surgeon Bernie S. Siegel came close to revealing something of an explanation by noting, “We destroy ourselves when we stop feeling. If you bury your feelings within you, you become a graveyard.”
Thus, keeping ourselves most alive or living as best we can, is the result of not letting our feelings die through them being outright dismissed. After all, as Audre Lorde once gleaned, “Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge.” Paths we ought to ensure are not obstructed, albeit haunted by the neglected ghosts of our personal regrets, failings and frustrations.
In my experience, those most in touch with their feelings have been the ones that are genuinely considerate of others. A trait of truly well-rounded people is that they put the feelings and importance of others on the same equal footing as their own. Which is a notion touched upon by the American coaching icon, John Wooden, who once said, “Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.”
To get through life as an individual that feels deeply and does the most constructive things as a result, is to have led a life worthy of the highest admiration and praise.
‘The best playgrounds ever’ have opened
in the Tweed
A bird’s eye view of the new Livvi’s Place at Goorimahbah Place of Stories, at Jack Evans Boat Harbour, Tweed Heads.
By MARGARET DEKKERattractions.
Mayor Chris Cherry said she was excited to see the community embrace Livvi’s Place at ‘Goorimahbah - Place of Stories,’ turning it into a destination.
“It has breathed new
The play space celebrates local cultural heritage with Indigenous artwork and storytelling centred around a theme of ‘play’ and an Aboriginal calendar celebrating six seasons. Inground trampoline, carousel and basket swing and new accessible seating, drinking fountains, BBQs and larger picnic facilities are just some of the new physicalA bird’s eye view of the new Livvi’s Place at Goorimahbah Place of Stories, at Jack Evans Boat Harbour, Tweed Heads.
life into Jack Evans Boat Harbour and is a signifcant step in the transformation of the Tweed into a vibrant regional centre that champions good design, the environment and cultural heritage to create attractive and diversify public spaces,” Cr Chris Cherry said.
Justine Perkins OAM, founder of the Touched by Olivia Foundation,
was proud to add the new Tweed play space to a national network of inclusive ‘Livvi’s Places,’ created in memory of her baby daughter Olivia who lost her life in 2006 to a rare Lymphatic Malformation at 8-months.
“The Livvi’s Places that have opened around Australia have shone a light on the importance of play, as not only a fundamental building block in a child’s development, but as a medium by which people of all ages can connect,” The Touched by Olivia Foundation states.
“We love that Livvi’s Place has found a home
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at Goorimahbah Place of Stories,” Justine Perkins said.
Work on Stage 2 of Goorimahbah is now underway, including a youth recreation area, landscaping, yarning circle, and Aboriginal memorial wall. New state funding will also help improve beach access for swimming at Jack Evans Boat Harbour.
Fingal Foreshore Park
The new, revamped Fingal Foreshore Park has also opened in the Tweed, refecting Fingal Head’s rich history and character ‘through art, play and interpretive signage with a natural look to blend into the surrounds.’
The play space was designed to encourage free, nature-based play and is adorned with many natural elements to tie in with the beautiful surrounds of Fingal Head.
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PLANNING is underway for a new strategy to strengthen the Richmond Valley’s economy and support existing and emerging industries and Richmond Valley Council is inviting the community to share its feedback on the discussion paper.
The economic development strategy will set out a plan for how Council will support long-term economic growth and prosperity for its community.
To help Council develop the new strategy, a discussion paper titled Directions for Richmond Valley’s Economic Development was produced by Sea & Star Advisory, which also prepared an economic impacts statement for Council following last year’s two food events.
The discussion paper is intended to prompt
conversations about how to make our economy more resilient. It proposes fve strategic directions to achieve that vision:
1. Increase economic scale through the food rebuild.
2. Foster lifestyle and tourism markets for stronger local services.
3. Secure agriculture’s supply chains and pursue growing markets.
4. Broaden the Valley’s manufacturing and industrial base.
5. Grow the population and labour force through new precincts.
According to General Manager Vaughan Macdonald, the new economic development strategy will help to inform the Community Strategic Plan and
complement Council’s Draft Richmond Valley Growth Management Strategy and the Regional Jobs Precinct initiative.
Mr Macdonald said food recovery remained the immediate priority, but the aspiration should be not just to rebuild, but to re-position the Valley for a stronger future.
He said Council was applying a three-part framework to maximise local economic potential: identify different drivers of growth; foster depth and capacity in key integrated markets; and leverage specifc local advantages.
The NSW Government is ofering a new way to assist people on low incomes with their power bills by installing free solar systems for eligible households in place of their Low Income Household Rebate. This program aims to improve energy afordability by helping households unlock long terms savings on their electricity bills. While this means you will no longer receive the $285 annual rebate on your electricity bill, you could receive up to $600 in savings per year from your new solar system!
The ofer is only available to households that live in the specifed regions and meet the eligibility criteria. When participating in this program households will receive a free, fully installed 3kW solar system in place of their Low Income Household Rebate.
SAE Group are the approved provider, designing and installing solar systems to eligible homes in your region.
To be eligible you must:
- Currently be receiving the Low Income Household Rebate
- Agree not to receive the rebate for ten years
- Own your own home - Not already have a solar PV system - Hold a valid Pensioner Concession Card or a Department of Veteran Afairs Gold Card
- If you are not the registered homeowner, but your spouse is, you may be considered eligible collectively as a household
A 3kW system is designed to generate an average of 12.6kwh per day, which will deliver electricity savings depending on each household’s energy consumption. Managing Director of SAE Group Glen Ashton comments “We know electricity bills continue to place a lot of pressure on households, and we are pleased to be working with the NSW Government to help ease the pressure on low income households.”
SAE Group are an Australian owned and operated organisation with over ten years’ experience in the solar industry. SAE Group are a Clean Energy Council Approved Retailer, and hold accreditations ISO 9001, ISO 45001 for safety and quality systems. Safety is paramount to us, and it our goal to ensure we provide quality solar systems to eligible households that will deliver ongoing savings for many years to come.
Want to fnd out more?
Visit: https://energysaver.nsw.gov.au/solar-low-income-households to check your eligibility and apply online or visit www.saegroup.com.au or call us on 02 66 389 439. The Solar for Low Income Household Ofer is supported by the NSW Government.
framework, with high-level actions for the Valley’s economic recovery and long-term prosperity.
“Business is the activity which will make things happen in the Richmond Valley, and economic growth is what we want to encourage - and that applies to all businesses, big and small,” Mr Macdonald said. “Our Growth Management Strategy sets an ambitious target to grow the Valley’s population over the next 20 years, so we need to be ready to explore these new opportunities and create a sustainable and resilient economic future.
“The economic development strategy will set out a shortto-medium term
“This approach is about strengthening our whole community and widening the benefts of our economic development initiatives.”
Mr Macdonald said the Richmond Valley was already a leader in primary industries and food manufacturing enterprises and it was Council’s intention to make it the number one choice for doing business.
He said Council had an important role to play in creating the right conditions for investment, employment and growth.
“Our number one, long-term goal is to make the Richmond Valley a viable region; a place where prosperity and growth are shared for the beneft of all,”
Mr Macdonald said.
“Combined with the Regional Jobs Precinct initiative, these strategies will ensure that the Richmond Valley is well positioned for the future - socially, environmentally and economically – to become the Northern Rivers’ regional industry hub.” Council welcomes feedback on the discussion paper which is available through the On Exhibition section of Council’s website at richmondvalley.nsw. gov.au
Discussions to be led by Sea & Star Advisory have been scheduled for businesses between 15 and 16 March at Casino, Coraki, Woodburn and Evans Head.
To register interest in attending please email Latoya Cooper at Latoya.Cooper@ richmondvalley.nsw. gov.au.
‘Leemo Cat’ here. HARK, a MOST urgent call. ‘Leems’ quick, come here, I have exciting news.’ Crikey, it’s my peculiar ‘Mum Jane’. NOW what is she on about I wonder? I slunk in like a magnifcent shiny furry snake and eyed her sceptically. ‘What news my wonderful Mum?’ (suck-up stuff.) She was almost skipping in kinda devilmay-care joyous ‘old age agitation.’ (Like she’d had been bought a heated water bottle & a tasty hot pie in winter.)
OMG! ‘Leems, guess what? (I don’t dare hypothesize!) ‘I have a WHOLE day off. I will not be making cakes, jam, slices, chutney, pickles or ANYTHING. Nor will I be cleaning or dusting, ironing or picking up leaves & stuff OR going to any Meetings, Medical, Dental, and Chiropractic, Joint Pain or Mind Counselling appts. THIS MEANS we can have a ‘Bonding Day.’ Now, tell me what we should do together son?’ Crikey, this daft suggestion of hers actually holds a clue in solving my current dilemma! After a ‘fakey’ meditative ponder, I asked if we could drive to Seaworld in our little blue car for our ‘Bonding Day.’ I told her I wished to meet ‘Flipperette’ the Dolphin, give her pats, plus a WHOLE BOX (perhaps 2?) of my FELIX Fish in Jelly sachets. ‘Mum, I know she will leap forth from the frothing water in anticipation of such a treat.’ Mum kinda stared at me in
awe, and a humongous smile broke over her face (oooh, the WRINKLES…gross!) and spoke. ‘Leems, what a staggeringly kind gesture on your part..I am so prideful of you. This is surely down to the upbringing bestowed upon you by myself, to always show kindness to others. It is patently obvious that my words have not been in vain and that you truly have evolved as a most exceptional feline.’ Whilst basking in this shower of adulation, the huge ‘tic of concern’ in my brain about my own crisis became bigger. Should I ‘fess up now, or wait until we get back from our journey? Oooh, what to do.? (aaarrgh!) After deep soul searching, I decided it wise to wait until we’re home again in familiar surroundings, where I am cognizant with MANY hidey spots. BUT, resting on the soft grass later, I was overcome with a ginormous sensation of GUILT. I was unsettled. I knew I just HAD to tell her the truth. (Pray Leems, pray very hard!)
‘Mum, I need to talk’. She fondly patted me and smiled. ‘Well, errrm, ummm Mum, I told you a fb and I need to ‘fess up’. ‘Oh dear’ (she said) I’m sure it’s nothing too awful Leems’. Well, known for my truth, honesty and aptitude for being candid, I told her. ‘Mum, in truth, I don’t want to go to poxy Seaworld and give FELIX Fish in Jelly to ‘Flipperette’. BUT, in truth, I’ve gone off FELIX cat food. I know there is a ‘mortgage’ worth in my food cupboard & hoped I could get rid of it at Seaworld. I deduced you would be very cross.’ Oooh, I waited, waited for the outburst? Shiver shiver. NUP, didn’t happen?
CRIKEY! She spoke calmly. ‘Never mind ‘Lil Buddie, I shall give the FELIX to the Op. Shop for them to give to needy cat owners & replace your FELIX with Home Brand ‘Mince & STUFF in ‘Something’. Aaargh. I must go, I am beyond speaking or writing, she is truly a most insufferable mother. Home Brand indeed. Nite with upset no purrs. Leemo.
When one in fve female students, aged 16 to 18, miss school due to severe period pain, it is critical for those affected and those around them to be aware of how to manage their symptoms, according to educator Sylvia Freedman.
As part of the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia (PPFA), Ms Freedman heads up the initiative Periods, Pain, Endometriosis Program (PPEP Talk), funded by the Federal and State governments, where they visit schools, educating students on this very common issue.
“The purpose of our program is to educate students on how to tell the difference between pain that’s normal and pain that’s not so normal,” she said.
“We go through fve different types of pelvic pain and teach the students the difference.
“We discuss the neural science of pain and how it works in the body and in our brain.”
Ms Freedman said that while mild cramping is manageable, with a hot water bottle or over the counter pain medication, heavy cramping
accompanied with nausea and vomiting over 3-4 days is not so manageable.
“This is where it is really important for them to talk to a GP who will help with pain management strategies or provide a referral to a gynaecologist,” she said.
The program is structured in a way that is fun, educational and interactive discussing all aspects of period and pelvic pain and endometriosis.
“We interact with the students, asking them how they are managing their pain currently,” said Ms Freedman.
“We get them to do pelvic stretches and practice those, and we go through selfmanagement strategies and techniques.
“We talk about the importance of an antiinfammatory diet, as what we consume has a big impact on pain.
“We encourage them to get help early as once a problem becomes chronic, it is harder to treat.”
The classes are held in a gender neutral setting for both male and female students.
“We use gender neutral language as it’s important information for all people to know,” said Ms Freedman.
“From a school’s perspective we are talking to female students and those assigned as female at birth.
“We give the talk with the boys, or those assigned male at birth, in a different context,
helping them understand what others are going through.”
The program has been running for 3-4 years and is in its second year in New South Wales. As a government funded program it is free for students and health professionals.
“If a student in the session says they might have chronic pelvic pain and endo we have a program called Next Steps which runs every eight weeks by our founder, Dr Susan Evans, associate professor and she runs them online,” said Ms Freedman.
To fnd out more about PPEP Talk contact Ms Freedman at ppeptalknsw@ pelvicpain.org.au or call on 0406 314 451 or 0401 208 070
One of the Grafton’s longest running protest groups, The Knitting Nanna Agains Gas, couldn’t let the opening of Nationals Clarence candidate Richie Williamson’s campaign offce go without comment.
On balance they have been pleased to see current Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis take a stand against coal seam gas mining in the region.
Spokesperson Leonie Blain said Mr Gulaptis was on the record calling for a CSG ban in the Clarence Valley, but not everyone in the Coalition was on board.
“We came here today to remind the Nationals candidate that the Clarence Valley expects a similar stance from Mr Gulaptis’s successor before we go to the polls,” Ms Blain said.
After the 2015 State election, where Ballina fell to the Greens and the Lismore and Tweed results caused heart tremors for the party, CSG, the Nationals read the tea leaves.
”It’s the biggest issue of concern coming out of the election,” he said. “It would be wrong to ignore it – the community want a gas-feld free Northern
Rivers,” Mr Gulaptis said at the time.
But others in the party were less supportive, notably outgoing leader Andrew Stoner, who, in his valedictory speech, supported the industry and berated its opponents.
He said they were running “the mother of all scare campaigns, driven and funded by individuals and groups
ideologically opposed to the use of any fossil fuels.”
Ms Blain said getting away from all fossil fuel was vital and CSG also remained a threat to farming and food production.
Ms Blain feared the so-called “energy crisis” in Australia and the controversy over gas prices could encourage people to rethink their opposition to CSG mining.
Last week four of the group put up signs outside the Nationals candidate Richie Williamson’s campaign offce in Prince St Grafton.
Four of the Knitting Nannas, Ms Blain, Sarah Fletcher, Diane Dadswell and Nancy Eggins stayed for a couple of hours while the Nationals faithful launched their Clarence Valley election HQ.
“Leemo has views on just about anything”Knitting Nannas, from left, Sarah Fletcher, Leonie Blain, Diane Dadswell and Nancy Eggins, protest for climate action outside the launch of the Nationals candidate for Clarence Richie Williamson’s campaign offce in Grafton.
Alert your taste buds and have the milk brigade on standby as the 4th edition of the fiery, family-fun Chinderah Chilli Festival is being held at the spectacular Seagulls Club this year.
No matter how hot (or not) you like your chilli, this event will leave your palate wanting more.
Enter for a small $2pp donation, which goes to help our flood affected mates via rural.aid.org and the Tweed District Rescue Squad.
This is the only Chilli Festival on the coast showcasing Australia’s best chilli sauce
businesses. Meet the actual makers and learn how your entertaining can be even spicier!
Stock up on Sunday picnic faves like spicy jerky, duck salami, chilli cheese while sipping on Margaritas (chilli or classic!) or frozen chilli cocktails.
Fire up your tongue with free hot samples,
then stop by the Oatley Wines tasting table on the Lot Two Deck to cool your mouth down.
Find fiery fresh food trucks and iced coffee to help you shop over 300 hot sauces. Be ready for Brazillian BBQ, Indian curries, Spanish Paella, German brats, authentic Thai and of course soft serve & gelato galore. They got
you covered with chai tea and fresh fruit iced (chilli) tea too.
Seagulls Lot Two and Lot Two American BBQ Smoker will be pumping out their fine fare all day too. We are seeing a fun, fiery feast, are you hungry yet?
Amateur eating competitors can sign (a death waiver) for the hot chip challenge, the chilli corn comp, the fresh chilli chomp or the chilli dog championship. If fitness is more your thing enter the CoolA-Bah dash for cash! A charitable donation of only $15 per comp entry, winners receive cash, fashion, a chilli trophy and social media glory! Under 15’s can brain freeze
in the 2 free icy pole comps.
VRA providing fun kids entertainment plus there may even be a visit from a far away galaxy #photooftheday.
If you’d prefer to keep your taste buds in tact, you can still help raise money by grabbing some tickets in the charity raffles for your chance to win cheeky chilli trays and a huge
gourmet food and wine hamper.
‘We love it when patrons meander enjoying free samples, shopping, sweating, drinking, eating, chatting, competing and laughing while chilling out at their charity chilli festivals, bring everyone that makes you laugh” says Jase O’Connor from Chilli Festivals Australia
country for almost ten years, celebrating the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service which nationally includes 15 helicopters and one rescue boat.
“The ecstatic look on the students faces when the aircraft came into land on their sports feld is simply priceless,” said Zeke Huish, the from the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
the chance to see and learn about the Rescue Helicopter so up close.”
Amanda Verhagen, Westpac Bank Manager for Grafton said: “Westpac is proud to support the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, as it has for the past 47 years in Northern NSW, and help educate our young people about emergency services in their local community.
about fying, emergency responses and rescues.
“Not only is this an experience the students won’t forget in a hurry, but the insights and knowledge that they gain by hearing directly from the Pilot and Aircrew Offcer, along with the Medical Team onboard the aircraft from NSW Ambulance and NSW Health is invaluable,” she said.
students took part in a fundraising day prior to the landing and helped to raise $1,058.38.
Students at Grafton Public School have been lucky enough to see the Westpac Rescue Helicopter up close after it landed on school
grounds on Monday.
The visit is part of Westpac’s Schools Program which has performed landings in schools across the
“We are very fortunate to have the support of Westpac to help make these landings possible for the students who otherwise might not get
“The interactive session is great fun as students can watch the helicopter land at their school, then ask the crew and pilot specifc questions
The visit also highlights how support from the community helps to keep the Westpac Rescue Helicopter fying and on standby 24/7. The
“I think these school landings mean just as much to the Crew and everyone at the Service as it does for the students,” said Zeke Huish. “To receive such a warm welcome and a donation to help us save lives throughout the Clarence Valley and beyond is very humbling. We can’t thank Westpac, the students and the teachers at Grafton Public School enough for their generous support.”
WE ARE
FEATURING
Never before seen photos captured by Northern Rivers resident Matt Coble
FEATURING
The heroism of the Tinnie Heroes in Lismore
Northern Rivers
PHOTOS by MATT COBLE - 2022 FLOOD SURVIVORSWE ARE
FEATURING
Never before seen photos captured by Northern Rivers resident Matt Coble
FEATURING
The heroism of the Tinnie Heroes in Lismore Northern Rivers
PHOTOS by MATT COBLE - 2022 FLOOD SURVIVORS
Public hospitals across Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) continue to improve emergency department performance, despite record attendances and more complex admissions to emergency departments.
The latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) Healthcare Quarterly report (October – December 2022) shows there was a record 56,393 attendances to NNSWLHD EDs, including 6,617 by patients with an imminently lifethreatening condition (triage category 2) – also the highest number of patients in this category since BHI began reporting.
Acting Chief Executive for Northern NSW Local Health District, Lynne Weir, said the District’s hospitals continued to perform well amid the high activity.
“After the challenging years of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re beginning to see small, but important upwards trajectories in the second half of 2022 across the majority of indicators of hospital performance,” Ms Weir said.
“This includes time to treatment, the percentage of patients leaving emergency departments
within four hours, the time to transfer of care from ambulance to hospital staff, and the number of patients on the elective surgery waiting list at the end of the quarter.”
More than seven in 10 patients (72.7 per cent) started treatment on time, which is better than the NSW state average (66.4 per cent).
More than eight in 10 patients (84.9 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, also above the state average (78 per cent). The majority of patients (72.6 per cent) left the ED within four hours, above the NSW average (58.4 per cent).
“We have recently introduced a Patient Flow Unit, with the aim of further improving the transfer of patients throughout our hospitals, to make sure we’re providing patients with the right care in the right place, and also making the best use of our available resources across the District,” Ms Weir said.
A total of 3,535 elective surgeries were performed across the region, with nearly all urgent elective surgery (97.4 per cent) performed on time.
“Additional elective surgery lists have also been scheduled
at Ballina and Casino hospitals to increase the number of procedures we’re able to provide, and we are continuing our collaborative surgical care with private hospitals in the region,” Ms Weir said.
Any patients who feel their condition has deteriorated while waiting for their procedure are encouraged to contact their treating doctor for a clinical review.
The 2022-23 budget for Northern NSW Local Health District is more than $985 million, an increase of more than $40 million, or 4.3 per cent more, on the previous year’s budget. In addition, the NSW Government is incentivising hard-to-fll, critical roles in hospitals and health facilities with an $883 million investment targeted at recruiting and retaining staff in regional, rural and remote areas.
INDIVIDUAL HOSPITAL RESULTS
BALLINA DISTRICT HOSPITAL had 4,572 ED attendances during the quarter. The majority of patients (68.6 per cent) started their treatment on time.
More than seven in 10 patients (76.2 per cent) left the ED within four
hours. Almost nine in 10 patients (88.5 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark.
BYRON CENTRAL HOSPITAL had 5,893 ED attendances and almost nine in 10 patients (89.7 per cent) started their treatment on time, which is better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (77.2 percent). Nearly all patients (95.5 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, which is also better than the average for comparable hospitals in NSW (93.3 per cent).
CASINO & DISTRICT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL had 3,680 ED attendances in the quarter. The vast majority of patients (83.9 per cent) left the ED within four hours of arriving, which is better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (79.2 per cent). More than 9 in 10 patients (93 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark.
GRAFTON BASE HOSPITAL had a record 7,210 ED attendances during this quarter. The majority of patients (65 per cent) started treatment on
time, and seven in 10 patients (70.8 per cent) left the ED within four hours, above the average for comparable hospitals in NSW (60.9 per cent). More than eight in 10 patients (87.8 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, which is also better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (85 per cent).
LISMORE BASE HOSPITAL had 10,093 ED attendances during the quarter. More than eight in 10 patients (82.3 percent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, which is above the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (76.3 per cent).
MACLEAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL had 4,134 ED attendances during the quarter, the most on record. More than eight in 10 patients (83.2 per cent) started their treatment on time, which is better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (77.2 percent). Nine in 10 patients (90.5 per cent) left the ED within four hours, which is above the average for comparable hospitals in NSW (79.2 per cent). Nearly all patients (92.1 per cent) were transferred from
ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark.
MURWILLUMBAH DISTRICT HOSPITAL had 4,627 ED attendances during the quarter. The majority of patients (77.5 per cent) started their treatment on time, which is better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (67.4 per cent). More than eight in 10 patients (81.4 per cent) left the ED within four hours, also better than the average for comparable hospitals in NSW (60.9 per cent). Almost all patients (92.5 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark.
THE TWEED HOSPITAL had 14,089 ED attendances during the quarter. More than seven in 10 patients (77.5 per cent) started their treatment on time, which is above the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (63.2 per cent). Eight in 10 patients (80.8 percent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, which is also better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (76.3 per cent).
Following last year’s devastating foods, $312.5 million was committed by the Albanese and Perrottet Toole Governments to help rebuild damaged roads and transport infrastructure for 26 disaster-declared councils in northern NSW, with successful projects announced today.
The Regional Road and Transport Recovery Package means roads can be not just rebuilt, but also improved to withstand future extreme natural weather events
A total of 57 projects that will improve
the resilience of roads, bridges and causeways have been successful under this package, which will greatly beneft local communities now and into the future.
The Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package is equally co-funded by Federal and NSW governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Further information about the Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package, including the full list of successful projects, is available here: https:// nswroads.work/rrtrp.
Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King: This program is about restoring roads in foodimpacted communities, but also making sure they’re more capable of withstanding future natural disasters. This will ensure communities are safer, and will also reduce repair costs in the future.
The Albanese Government is committed to projects that will make a difference long term,
and it’s great to see that result here.
Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt: Straight after the foods, the Commonwealth and NSW Governments activated disaster recovery funding to help councils with emergency repair work, to help regions get back on their feet. But we know that longerterm support to build back better is really important to make sure communities are better prepared for future natural disasters. Under this program,
roads and transport infrastructure will be rebuilt to a higher standard, making it more resilient to future disasters.
Quotes attributable to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Sam Farraway: The NSW Government is moving our state forward by building back better the infrastructure projects needed to withstand future extreme weather events and emergencies. It is an enormous change to the way governments respond to natural disasters and is the frst time we
have built improved resilience into our natural disaster recovery programs. It made little sense to see, for example, a road washed away in one food and for a council to repair it, only for it to wash away again in the next.
This program is just one part of the NSW Government’s comprehensive plan to ensure our transport infrastructure is resilient to withstand future disasters, reduce recovery costs, keep our communities connected and keep our supply chain operational and effcient.
e Momentum Program is Funded by the NSW Government and is a program collaboration between Real Futures, Path nders and ACE Community Colleges. Designed to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples overcome the most common obstacles to nding lasting employment.
A number of sing up events will be held this year across NSW in Taree, Foster, Port Macquarie, South Tweed Heads, Banora Point, Yamba, Maclean, Newcastle, Singleton, Maitland, Tuggerah, Kurri Kurri and Cessnock.
• Do not have a Birth Certi cate
• Do not have a Driver’s Licence
• Are currently not employed Momentum is FREE to join. Once you have been approved to join the Momentum program we will help you apply for your birth certi cate on the day, please bring any ID you have available with you. Acceptable ID: Medicare Card, Health Care Card, Certicate of Aboriginality, Student ID card, Health Care Card, or Pension Card.
Tuesday, 14 March | 9:30am - 3:00pm
• Gurehlgam Corporation, 18 – 26 Victoria Street
Momentum provides free support to assist successful applicants with birth certi cate applications, attending driving lessons to obtain a Driver’s Licence, and nding lasting employment.
• Are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• Aged between 16-55 years of age
Wednesday, 15 March | 10:00am - 2:00pm
• South Gra on Aboriginal Land Council, 50 Wharf Street Sth Gra on
There is to be major work done on Wilsons Creek Road and Mullumbimby Road after the Australian Government and NSW Government today announced $6.1 million in funding as part of their Build Back Better program.
On the eve of World Cancer Day (3 February), three Northern Rivers residents who advocate for local people affected by cancer attended Cancer Council New South Wales’ (CCNSW) campaign launch “Here for Change” for the upcoming State election, at Parramatta.
Monica Wilcox and Nerida Dean, CCNSW’s Ballina and Tweed electorates MP Liaisons respectively and Ballina Cancer Advocacy Network’s Maureen Fletcher attended the launch to add the regional perspective.
Maureen had advocated at the 2021 Regional, Rural and Remote Health Enquiry for equality of support for people during and after cancer diagnosis especially
outside the large metropolitan areas. Then the enquiry went on to verify extensive unfair differences in health outcomes across NSW, including cancer.
These inequities and the fact that one in two people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime drove CCNSW’s election priorities: 1) Increase investment in cancer prevention;
2) Improve detection and diagnosis of bowel cancer;
3) Introduce the highest standard of care for everyone with cancer and
4) Support people to live well during and after a cancer diagnosis so they can have a higher quality of life.
Monica elaborated “Northern Rivers is the second fastest growing region in NSW, adjacent the SE Qld metropolis
and our specialist health care centre and yet we struggle with classic regional issues such as limited transport options. We are asking for change that ensures no matter who they are and where they live, people have equitable access to cancer prevention and treatment.”
Professor Sarah Hoskings, CCNSW CEO said “Here in New South Wales, we have some of the best health and cancer care and support but for many, there are still barriers to accessing timely and quality care and support. We must do more to improve outcomes, for everyone.”
You can pledge your support for people affected by cancer by signing Cancer Council’s petition www.canact. com.au/hereforchange
LISMORE MP
Janelle Saffn says NSW Labor’s new $670-million Emergency Road Repair Fund is a Minns Labor Government’s frst investment in fxing the critical nature of our regional roads on the Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands.
“For more than a decade, maintenance of regional roads has tended to be patch-up jobs and we’re certainly not doing world’s best practice. We need to turn this around,” Ms Saffn says.
“The Nationals in Government made a signature commitment in 2019 to reclassify and transfer up to 15,000
kilometres of roads to State responsibility but this has been an abject failure and could take another decade. It’s a hollow promise.
“NSW Labor will defer this failed road reclassifcation program and put the existing NSW Budget funding of $193 million – along with an additional $197 million of new money –into a more immediate response because road repair is so urgently needed.”
Ms Saffn says she welcomes NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns and NSW Shadow Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison’s confrmation today
Byron Shire Mayor, Michael Lyon, said it’s terrifc news for the residents and people who use the two roads regularly.
“On behalf of Byron Shire Council, thank you to the Australian Government and NSW Government for this money which will be used to rebuild and repair Wilsons Creek Road and Mullumbimby Road so that they are better able to withstand fooding in the future,” Mayor Lyon said.
“The purpose of the Build Back Better program is to not just fx damaged infrastructure, but to effectively build resilience into our road network so that when the next food event happens, the impact is signifcantly reduced.
“Traditionally Governments only provided funding for the restoration of assets after a disaster event, and with Council’s tight budget, we could never afford to do additional improvements which meant we were back fxing the same roads again after the next food event.
“This funding is a major shift in the way Governments approach natural disaster funding, and it sets a good precedent for the future and our ability to be
resilient in the fact of expected increases in the frequency of natural disasters,” Mayor Lyon said
Council staff will now start designing the improvements.
Wilsons Creek Road ($3,413 395)
1. Rebuilding of road pavement
2. Shoulder widening
3. Drainage
4. Embankment protection
Mullumbimby Road
($2,770,608) between Manns Road and Gulgan Road
1. Rebuilding of road pavement
2. Shoulder widening
3. Stormwater drainage infrastructure between the Saddle Road and Gulgan Road intersection.
Watercraft and boating enthusiasts are enjoying the benefts of a new pontoon recently constructed at Corcoran Park following a boost of funds from the NSW Government’s Boating Now Program.
(3 March 2023) that a Minns Labor Government will continue the existing $280-million regional pothole program.
“This is a good baseline from which local councils can be confdent they are being supported, particularly after last year’s fooding severely impacted what were already badly potholed roads,” Ms Saffn says.
“We will be providing an additional investment of $390 million over the next two years, bringing the total investment in road repair under the new Emergency Road Repair Fund to $670 million.”
Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis said the project, which involved the construction of a pontoon at the northern end of Corcoran Park, would ensure all water users had safer and quicker access to the river.
“The new $238,081 project was made possible through the NSW Government’s Boating Now Program, in partnership with Clarence Valley Council,” Mr Gulaptis said.
“The project maximises the usage of the Clarence River for a broad range of different aquatic activities as well as school groups who utilise the park for fshing.
“Importantly, this project has delivered improved accessibility for people with mobility issues by building connecting
pathways to enable much safer and improved access to the water’s edge and the pontoon.
“Corcoran Park is extensively used by disability and aged care providers who take their clients to the river for fshing and relaxation, this new structure and connecting pathways has really opened up this area for all to enjoy.
“This is a great addition to the park which is a favourite for locals and tourists who use the reserve for family gatherings due to the supporting infrastructure of shade shelters, barbeques, picnic settings and seating options.”
Clarence Valley Council Mayor Ian Tiley said the facility was another valuable recreational feature for the local community.
“Many aquatic user groups are based at Corcoran Park and this waterfront public asset will encourage greater use of the mighty Clarence River for outdoor recreation activities
including swimming, fshing, boating, yachts, sail boats, kayaks, canoes and dragon boats,” Mayor Tiley said.
“This structure will be well utilised by these groups and has the potential to increase their participation numbers. The new structure will also increase effciency, allowing more people access to the river, quickly and safely.
“I would like to thank the NSW Government for its funding and assistance with this project.”
The project was constructed by Superior Jetties with the assistance of local contractors including McNamara Cooksley & Associates and Dougherty Constructions.
The Boating Now Program, now in its fourth round, has invested in about 330 projects since it began in 2014, providing funding to improve maritime infrastructure and facilities across NSW.
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Have your say on current heritage colour schemes for the Byron Shire Council is asking for community feedback on the current suite of colours and colour schemes that apply to painting (or repainting) and maintaining heritage buildings and Heritage Conservation Areas in the Byron Shire.
You can view the Current Heritage Colour Chart along with a report from Council’s Heritage Advisor on the Your Say page on Council’s website. The deadline for feedback is 30 March 2023.
“The Byron Shire Development Control Plan has guidance on heritage colours which is in line with the more traditional paint colours used pre-1950s – colours that are consistent with old photographs and
records,” Council’s Director Sustainable Environment and Economy Shannon Burt said.
“Our current heritage colours for exterior walls, for example, include a huge range of natural earth tones, mineral and stone colours that would be found in nature. They have names like ‘straw’, ‘oatmeal, ‘deep stone’ and ‘sugar cane’ and are aligned with heritage values and colour palettes from across NSW and Australia.
“The reason we have rules around heritage colours is to help us protect valuable heritage items and historic streetscapes in the Byron Shire, that are consistent and sympathetic to other heritage buildings across our region,” Ms Burt said.
“Last year Council
resolved to review the restrictions applying to houses particularly in general heritage conservation areas. This was in response to the issues raised by the community about the purple house in Mullumbimby. “Council is now proposing some changes to the wording in the DCP with a view to liberalising the range of colours available and we are seeking feedback on those changes, as well as general feedback on our Current Heritage Colour Chart,” she said. All feedback submitted will be reported back to Council for consideration. See Council’s Your Say page for more information and to provide feedback. For more information contact Council’s Media and Communications Team on 6626 7243.
Jagun Aged and Community Care has received $95,000 through the NSW Government’s Community and Place funding program, said Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh.
“I congratulate the team at Jagun on the important work they are doing in our community and I’m particularly pleased this grant will help them deliver some of their priority projects,” Mr Singh said.
“Their Jagun Yilldaan (Homeland Sacred Pathway) project includes the construction of an 80sqm shed to enable undercover events, group sessions, training sessions,
meetings and cultural services for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
“When the shed is not being used for these purposes, it will be used to provide undercover car parking during bad weather.
“The project also includes the purchase of two motor vehicles to support client service delivery.
“I’m delighted Jagun Aged and Community Care can now get on with these important improvements at their Moonee facility.”
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ben Franklin said the Community and Place funding program is delivering benefts to local Aboriginal
communities.
“This is a terrifc and unique program that will put important funding in the hands of Aboriginal groups who best know how to bring about improvements and opportunities for their community,” Mr Franklin said.
“The Liberal and Nationals Government knows that by investing in local community initiatives we will signifcantly increase the likelihood of NSW achieving our targets under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.”
For more information on the Community and Place grant program, visit the Aboriginal Affairs NSW website.
March 8th is International Women’s Day and fttingly the launch of day 1 of this year’s Lismore Women’s Festival, hosted for 2023 by Northern Rivers Women and Children’s Services Inc. (NORWACS).
The festival runs from 8th - 11th March across a number of venues throughout Lismore and surrounds.
Lismore Women’s Festival is an inclusive event celebrating International Women’s Day and specifcally women of Lismore. Over 4 days women can join in to share experiences, learn new ways to reenergise and take time to discover new ways to enrich their lives. The festival is a welcome return after last year’s cancellation due to the foods.
Since 2017 the Lismore Women’s Festival has showcased local women sharing and celebrating their stories, businesses, activities, lives, dreams, passions, wisdom and learning and this year is no exception.
Opening on day 1 event host NORWACS welcomes all to morning tea and a series of 15-minute taster sessions from 10am - 1pm at their premises at 60 Uralba Street, Lismore. The sessions include presentations from the team at Heartfelt House, a program for women survivors of childhood sexual abuse, Sleep - Are you Getting Enough? and Mindful Self Compassion.
Kelly Banister, NORWACS CEO,
comments: “We are delighted to host Lismore Women’s Festival 2023, it’s so important to recognise and celebrate women’s contributions to our community. The festival also provides the opportunity for women to pause, restore and connect with other women and themselves after what has been a highly traumatic time for our region.”
Over the 4 days of the festival there are a diverse number of events to celebrate
women and give time to nurture and restore balance. The therapeutic benefts of the arts feature strongly in both visual arts, collage and mandala sessions and performance arts, instrumental band sessions and celebration of songs and movement. Health and wellbeing are essential parts of the festival and there are a range of workshops many free or by donation, for yoga, reiki and sound healing. Included in
the program is an information presentation on breastfeeding while working, studying or volunteering, providing a safe space for breastfeeding mums to have all their questions answered.
Booking is recommended for sessions and full program details can be found on: https:// www.facebook.com/ lismorewomensfestival/
During the festival Lismore City Council will be attending both
the Thursday and Saturday Lismore farmer’s markets to provide information on Safer Cities: Her Way program to deliver demonstration projects aimed at improving the real and perceived safety for women, girls and gender diverse people in our CBD. This is an opportunity for women to have their say on the implementation of this very important initiative. The program includes an informative Q & A on family law. Local solicitor and mediator, Tess Dellagiacoma, will answer questions to help women navigate effectively through this complex area.
Kelly Banister, NORWACS CEO adds, “The International Women’s Day theme of #EmbraceEquity is key to both our organisation and the festival. An important element of our work is to empower women and connect them to available support services. We look forward to welcoming all women and their friends to this celebration.”
ABC, 7.30pm
ABC, 8.30pm
Based on H.E. Bates’s 1958 novel The Darling Buds of May, this cosy series set in a quaint Kent village is the perfect way to ease into a relaxing Saturday evening. Season two sees much-loved Ma and Pop Larkin (Joanna Scanlan and Bradley Walsh) at war with their posh new neighbours Pinkie and Cuthbert Jerebohm (Morgana Robinson and Julian Rhind Tutt, both pictured). Meanwhile, there’s a new romance on the horizon for Primrose (Lydia Page). Fans of the show will notice Larkins’ eldest daughter Mariette looks very di erent this season – newcomer Joelle Rae has replaced Sabrina Bartlett in the role after the Bridgerton star left the series.
SEVEN, 11am and 8.45pm
After last year’s infamous faceslap incident –Will Smith struck host Chris Rock,
Detective Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans, pictured) still has plenty of loose ends to tie up as this Inspector Morse prequel series comes to a rapid close. In tonight’s penultimate episode of its ninth and nal season, Endeavour suspects a connection between a woman’s disappearance and her past employer. However, a pressing missing persons case demands his attention as it involves a notable artist, whose work adorns the covers of a series of paperback mysteries. Regular viewers should brace themselves for some emotional moments as it’s also revealed how Morse came to be estranged from his crime-solving partner Fred Thursday (Roger Allam). 1003
6.00 News. 9.00 News. 10.00 Pilgrimage: The Road To Santiago. (PG, R) 11.00 Australia Remastered. (R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Queerstralia. (Malns, R) 2.00 QI. (Ml, R) 2.30 Back Roads. (PG, R) 3.00 Gardening Aust. (R)
4.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
4.55 Anh’s Brush With Fame. (PG, R)
5.25 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
5.55 NSW Election Announcements.
6.00 The Drum. Analysis of the day’s news.
6.55 NSW Election Announcements. An election broadcast by the Labor Party.
7.00 ABC News. Takes a look at today’s top stories.
7.30 Gardening Australia. Jane Edmanson visits a orist at home.
8.30 Endeavour. (Mav) Part 2 of 3. A crime wave of the kind more usually associated with London has taken hold of Oxford, and a homeless man is assaulted while a young PC has been found dead and a notable artist reported missing.
10.00 Van Der Valk. (Mav, R) Part 2 of 3.
11.30 ABC Late News.
11.50 Miniseries: Butter y. (Ma, R)
12.35 Adam Hills: The Last Leg. (R)
1.15 Traces. (Mal, R)
2.05 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Home Of The Year: Scotland. (PG) 10.05 Fantastical Factory Of Curious Craft. (PG, R) 11.00 Being Beethoven.
WorldWatch. 2.00 Mastermind Aust.
NITV News: Nula. 3.40 Australian Korean Hanbok. (R) 3.45 The Cook Up. (R)
The Architecture The Railways Built.
5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (PG)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Wrecks That Changed The World. (PG)
8.30 Walking Britain’s Lost Railways. (PG, R)
9.25 Royal Autopsy.
10.25 SBS World News Late.
10.55 Gomorrah. (MA15+sv, R)
12.40 The Ninth Tower. (Ml)
12.55 Cycling. UCI World Tour.
Paris-Nice Race. Stage 6.
2.55 Gomorrah. (MA15+v, R)
3.50 Mastermind Australia. (R)
4.55 Destination Flavour: Singapore Bitesize. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning.
5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 7News Local. 6.30 7News @ 6:30.
7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Johanna Griggs catches up with AFL commentator Luke Hodge at his Brisbane home.
8.30 MOVIE: The Proposal. (2009, PGls, R) After being threatened with deportation, an editor gets engaged to her assistant to get a green card so she can continue working in the US. He agrees to the charade on the condition they meet his quirky family. Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen.
10.50 MOVIE: How To Be Single. (2016, Mls, R) Four women navigate the landscape of love. Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson.
1.00 Home Shopping.
ceremony inadvertently serve up for viewers’ entertainment? Unsurprisingly, Rock isn’t hosting – and Smith will be absent, thanks to his 10-year ban. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel is taking the stage of Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre to emcee the extravaganza. All eyes will of course be on the actors’ lavish out ts, but Aussie Cate Blanchett (pictured) is up for Best Actress for the thriller Tár, while Everything Everywhere All at Once is set to be the lm on everyone’s lips, with 11 nominations.
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current A air.
7.30 Rugby League. NRL. Round 2. Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys.
9.55 Golden Point. A wrap-up of the Brisbane Broncos versus North Queensland Cowboys match, with NRL news and analysis.
10.40 MOVIE: Point Break. (2015, Mlv, R)
An FBI agent in ltrates a team of extreme athletes. Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey.
12.40 Tipping Point. (PG, R) Hosted by Ben Shephard.
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Take Two. (R)
4.30 Global Shop. (R)
5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
5.30 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)
6.30 The Project. A look at the day’s news and events.
7.30 The Graham Norton Show. Compilation of highlights.
8.30 Taskmaster Australia. (Ml, R) Comedy game show featuring comedians Danielle Walker, Jimmy Rees, Julia Morris, Luke McGregor and Nina Oyama performing a series of tricky tasks. Hosted by Tom Gleeson.
9.30 To Be Advised.
10.30 Just For Laughs. (Ml, R) Hosted by Nick Cody.
11.00 Just For Laughs Uncut. (MA15+ls, R) Hosted by Nikki Osborne.
11.30 The Project. (R)
12.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG)
1.30 Home Shopping. (R)
NRLX MARKET REPORT
WEEK ENDING SATURDAY 4 MARCH
Agents yarded a total of 1,261 head at the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange regular prime sale on Wednesday 1 March. The yarding consisted of a good supply of young cattle and there was a larger penning of cows. Young cattle consisted mainly of vealers and a few pens of yearlings. Quality was mixed with some well fnished and well-bred steers and heifers through the sale, however there was also some plain cattle offered. The market was cheaper with plainer type cattle the most affected. Cow prices saw a slight decrease on last week averaging 255c/kg and reaching a top price of 288c/ kg. Heifer prices were easier with lighter stock up to 250kg averaging 350c/kg and topping their category at 412c/kg. Heavier heifers over 250kg averaged
LIVESTOCK MARKETS WARWICK W/E W/E 3/3/23
Agents saw similar yarding’s , numbers wise for the weekly cattle,sheep and lamb sales. Pigs & poultry numbers were also consistent with previous weeks totals. The market was down slightly for cattle with the only category to stay relatively frm being the cow category, it remained frm for the fnished article or breeder replacement groups. The other categories other than some lines of light back to the paddock cattle were on a downward trend. The Sheep and lamb markets were in opposite fow to cattle with the market fully frm to a shade dearer across the spectrum.
Vealer steers averaged 438.2c/kg topping at 520c/kg or $1039.92 to $1510.00
Vealer heifers averaged 366.6c/kg topping at 436.2c/
MC DOUGALL & SONS SHEEP & LAMB REPORT
Agents today yarded 1598 head of sheep and lambs for the weekly sale. The market was frmer for the better type lambs that were either fresh or fnished , for both lambs and mutton. All operators were trying to tie up the various lots. The yarding was mainly lighter lambs , some with fnish and some with freshness having been weaned.
Lambs topped at $217 to average $138.77($2down), hoggets topped at $131 to average $91.37($19down), ewes topped at $99 to average $63.18($3up),wethers topped at $118 to average $87.53, rams topped at $92 to
329c/kg and reached a top of 401c/kg. Bull prices were cheaper with 24 head sold averaging 231c/kg and 711kg. Steer prices saw a drop with lighter stock up to 250kg averaging 437c/ kg and reaching a top of 550c/kg. Heavier steers over 250kg averaged 363c/kg and topped their market at 472c/kg. A good number of bullocks sold on the day averaged 306c/kg and reached a top of 326c/kg.
Vealer prices fell this week averaging 384c/kg and 247kg and reaching a top of 502c/kg. George & Fuhrmann held a store sale at the NRLX on Monday 27 February with 1,118 head going under the hammer. Steers topped their category at 564c/kg and averaged 456c/kg and 256kg whilst heifers reached a top of 434c/kg and averaged 369c/ kg and 238kg. Cows reached a top price of $1,700 whilst cows & calves topped their market at $2,420. T&W McCormack and Ramsey & Bulmer held a joint store sale at the NRLX on Friday 3 March with
kg or $931.14 to $1221.36
Feeder steers averaged 372.5c/kg topping at 450.2c/ kg or $1591.16 to $1936.27
Feeder heifers averaged 321c/kg topping at 344.2c/ kg or $1235.94 to $1399.75
Yearling steers averaged 396.1c/kg topping at 460.2c/kg or $1255.74 to $1695.48
Yearling heifers averaged 323.5c/kg topping at 400.00c/kg or $1035.83 to $1570.67
Steers averaged 329.8c/kg topping at 367.2c/kg or $1809.51 to $2348.64
Heifers averaged 305.4c/kg topping at 350.2c/kg or $1424.85 to $2035.23
Manufacturing steers averaged 300.2c/kg to return $960.64/head
Cows averaged 262.4c/kg topping at 293.2c/kg or $1504.44 to $2478.00
Bulls averaged 294.2c/kg topping at 396.2c/kg or $1563.21 to $2695.00
Lambs topped at $217 to average $138.77($2down)
average $35.30($15down), lamb rams topped at $153 to average $91.03($11down), ewe lambs topped at $186 to average $172.44($29up), the total sale yarding averaged $117.96 a jump of $4/head week on week.
Leon Willis sold Dorper x lambs 50.8kg to Leslie Lamb for $195, 43.3kg to GR Prime for $170
Greg & Clancy Mc Mahon sold Dorper x lambs 44.3kg to Jock Young Meats for $180
Don Marshall sold Xbred lambs off grain 61.66kg to Thomas Foods for $210
Stillwater Pastoral sold Dorper x lambs 48.5kg to GR Prime for $190
Phil & Gabe Byrnes sold Dorper x lambs 44.4kg to Leslie Lamb for $172, Rams to GR Prime for $90,52kg
1,624 head going under the hammer. Steers topped their category at 522c/kg and averaged 421c/kg and 274kg whilst heifers reached a top of 558c/kg and averaged 373c/kg and 250kg. Cows reached a top price of $1,000 whilst cows & calves topped their market at $2,850.
On Saturday 4 March, the 2023 Yulgilbar Genetics
Commercial Female sale was held at the NRLX with 410 quality Santa and Santa X females going under the hammer. The top priced PTIC heifer went for $3,900 with all proceeds from this heifer being donated to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. This was closely followed by a pen of 9 PTIC Santa Gertrudis heifers sold for $3,620. Congratulations to Brett Ellem and the team at Yulgilbar on another successful sale!
Ray White Rural will hold a weaner sale this Friday 10 March with 2,600 head booked. Further bookings are welcome!
Hoggets topped at $131 to average $91.37($19down)
Ewes topped at $99 to average $63.18($3up)
Wethers topped at $118 to average $87.53 ($5up)
Rams topped at $92 to average $35.30($11down)
Lamb rams topped at $153 to average $91.03($11down)
Ewe lambs topped at $186 to average $172.44($29up)
Sale total of 1598 head averaged $117.96 up $4/head week on week.
Pig numbers were dominated by the store and feed on types selling from $15 to $130/head, Baconers sold to $138/head, Boars to $146/head.
Poultry numbers were down slightly and saw Quails sell to $12.50, Guinea Fowl sell to $32.50, Ducklings sell to $17.50, Pullets sell to $27.50, Hens sell to $30, Silkys sell to $15, Roosters sell to $10
ram lambs to GR Prime for $126, 62kg ram hoggets to Eversons for $89, ewes to Eversons for $54
Scott Mc Guiness sold Xbred lambs 60kg to Eversons for $217, 60kg hoggets to Eversons for $131, 51.25kg ram lambs to GR Prime for $131, 50kg ram lambs to Eversons for $153
Russel & Jackie Hughes sold Suffolk lambs 48kg to GR
Prime for $179
Landers & Little sold Dorset sucker lambs 41.1kg to GR
Prime for $146, 38.57kg to GR Prime for $119
Ralph Snars sold rams to Eversons for $68, ewes to Thomas Foods for $99
Vermont Past Co sold shorn 2nd x lambs 52.5kg to Eversons for $184, 47.9kg to Shelley F/T for $178
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Fee-free training will be rolled out to the livestock sector thanks to the expansion of a NSW Liberal and Nationals Government program investing in upskilling and growing the agricultural workforce.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said from its inception, AgSkilled has focused on plant-based industries like cropping, cotton, viticulture and horticulture, where it has delivered approximately $9.6 million in training across the State since 2020.
“Almost 5,400 training places have been delivered through AgSkilled since mid2020 and this expansion to the livestock sector will turbocharge the take-up of skills and training for the people driving a $8 billion industry,” Mr Toole said.
“It will help producers
boost productivity, proftability and competitiveness, and create a highly skilled workforce that will drive the industry, and grow the economy for generations to come – whether you’re putting steaks on plates or producing world-class fbre.”
Under the expanded program, training is available for producers in beef cattle, dairy, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, honey-bees, other livestock, animal management services used for commercial agricultural (food and fbre) production, and pest and disease management for these animals.
Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s record $3.1 billion skills budget was delivering more fee-free training
opportunities than ever before.
“A single, streamlined training and workforce development program for the entire agricultural sector will generate more opportunities for people to get the skills they need for the jobs they want,” Mr Henskens said.
“The agriculture industry is facing a skills and labour shortage, and this program is about removing barriers for people to get skilled, so they can get a frst job, a
new job or a better job.”
Minister for Agriculture
Dugald Saunders said the program is designed to deliver industryrelevant training, drawing on new and emerging technologies, with a focus on driving effciency and productivity.
“Our State’s agriculture sector is already extremely dynamic and responsive. This program will help us take it to the next level by giving more people the opportunity to gain
industry specifc skills,” Mr Saunders said.
“It helps address industry workforce shortages, give more people the skills they need to secure meaningful employment and provides career development opportunities for those already in the industry.”
Participants in AgSkilled must be 15 or over, no longer at school and be living or working in NSW and have the support of a current or future employer.
Australian Livestock and Property Agents
CEO Peter Baldwin said it’s great the NSW Government is encouraging more people into a thriving industry.
“A career in the livestock industry can be incredibly dynamic and rewarding, and it’s great to see programs like these increasing pathways for more people to enter the workforce,” Mr Baldwin said.
Angus Australia CEO Scott Wright said the program will play a huge role in the progression of the livestock industry in NSW.
“The livestock sector has seen a remarkable recovery after some really tough times with drought and food, and continues to thrive. Encouraging new people into our workforce will help ensure longevity of the industry well into the future.”
Samuel James Claydon was born at Little Forest, near Milton, NSW on 13th December 1894 to dairy farmers Nathan and Matilda Claydon. Sam was one of 10 children. He clearly remembers helping with the family chores on the farm. This included moving the cattle up the mountain during the winter months also milking the cows before and after school. Farmers in Milton would take it in turn delivering their milk to the dairy factory at Milton.
As a youngster Sam attended the Little Forest School and later Yatte Yattah School which meant a fve mile (8km) walk to and from school. Yatte Yattah is located on the South Coast of New South Wales between Nowra and Milton.
The Claydon Family decided to move north in 1909 when Sam was 15 years old. His father found a farm at Marom Creek then returned to Milton to sell the family farm, gather up their possessions and bring the family north on the boat to Ballina.
A few years later the family moved again, this time to Federal where they worked a farm owned by W. J. Bates. Sam went to work at Bakers Butchery at Federal and managed the
By Helen Trustum
delivery of meat products by horse and cart. Twice a week he would go as far as Goonengerry,
worked for butchers at Clunes and Eltham. Sam’s brother Bert (Clocky) also moved to Federal. Clocky, as
and builder. He rode a motor bike frst, then acquired a Ford Model T. Clocky was an expert in windmill
he enlisted in the Australian Infantry Force in 1916. He was initially based at a training camp before
and father as the troop train passed through the Federal district. Sam and his colleagues were then taken across the continent to Fremantle and departed for Europe aboard the HMAT Borda A30. Just fve days out the boat sprung a leak and was forced back to port. Finally, the journey began – a very rough passage around the Cape of Good Hope, via Durban and Cape Town and on to England. Sam served in France. His recollections of that horrifc War included fnding two of his cousins killed at the front. That was something that always remained on his mind.
Happy memories though include seeing a concert presented specifcally for the soldiers by the great soprano Dame Nellie Melba and the immense pleasure it gave the men.
On his return from Europe, Sam returned to work at the butcher shops in Clunes and Eltham. The citizens of Clunes presented him with an engraved gold medal and placed his name on the Honour board in the village’s Uniting Church.
Repentance Creek, and surrounding districts. Sam also
he was known was a watchmaker, as well as a mechanic, plumber,
maintenance. It was while he was at Eltham that
going to Sydney by rail. Sam remembered waiving to his mother
Sam often recalled his days hunting and jumping horses at the local shows. He would ride for Charlie Jarvis from Disputed Plain. He
had a clear memory of the “Radium” horses which were excellent show jumpers.
In 1925 Sam joined the Tick Staff stationed at Tabulam and it was there he met his wife Irene Elizabeth who was the daughter of Frederick and Alice Clark of Bonalbo. Sam and Irene were married at Byron Bay on 27th
October 1927. They frst lived at Findon Creek near Kyogle and then at Kyogle where Sam was in charge at the Kyogle Saleyards for the Tick Staff.
He was then transferred to Urunga for two years following a tick outbreak there and was earning the princely sum of eight pounds a fortnight. Sam’s next transfer was across the State Border to
Stanthorpe where he was a stock inspector. It was while he was in Stanthorpe that he contracted arsenic poisoning and was seriously ill for quite a long time.
Sam and Irene moved to Casino with their family Elizabeth (Betty) and Ronald. A second daughter Marion died in infancy. At Casino Sam began work with Nugan’s Packing Company before buying a mail and parcel run from the Railway to the Post Offce.
Sam also spent many years on the staff of T and W
Sam
booking cattle into the saleyards, that were delivered by the carrier. This was at the saleyards in Hotham Street, Casino. Sam loved his time when he worked for Tom and Bill McCormack.
Sam’s wife, Irene, passed away on 21st May 1988 aged 83 years. Sam spent the last few years of his life at the Cedars Nursing Home where he passed away 18th August 1999 at the age of 104. Both Sam and Irene’s ashes are in the wall at the Casino Lawn Cemetery. Researched in 1992 while Sam was living in Farley Street, Casino.
Auctioneers in Casino.
Sam’s position was
New high voltage power lines in the state’s south pose an unacceptable bushfre risk to communities, NSW Farmers has warned.
Despite multiple fndings and reports of power lines causing serious bushfres and disrupting frefghting efforts, the NSW Government is continuing to allow developers to go ahead with more overhead transmission lines in fre-affected parts of the state’s south.
NSW Farmers Energy Transition Working Group chair Reg Kidd said the Government had to explain why it was allowing Transgrid to build more overhead power lines when there was compelling evidence they increased the risk of bushfres.
“Transgrid have identifed ‘a high degree of bushfre risk along parts of the route’ for their HumeLink project,” Mr Kidd said.
“Almost half of the Black Saturday fres
were caused by power lines and the inquiry into the Black Summer fres found power lines were a suspected cause of the more damaging fres.
“Communities need to be told if they’re being put at risk so Sydney can have more renewable electricity, and they deserve to know how they will be kept safe when the next fre season arrives.”
According to a Wollongong University study, there was strong evidence the
consequences of fres caused by transmission were worse than fres from other causes, and that fres caused by electrical faults were more prevalent and burned larger areas during elevated fre danger conditions. The total economic cost of bushfres was set to almost double in the next 40 years, according to a conservative estimate from Deloitte, to about $1.3 billion per year by 2060. For context, the damage from the Black
Summer fres alone was estimated at $230 billion.
While proponents said overhead powerlines were cheaper than running lines underground, Mr Kidd said, those claims did not stack up when compared to the damage caused by bushfres.
“We have lost hundreds of people to these horrifc bushfres, and the economic cost is in the hundreds of billions,” Mr Kidd said.
“We need to improve the understanding of
disaster risks – such as from overhead transmission lines – and then collaborate and coordinate to build resilience and address the long-term costs of natural disasters.
“Underground power lines might cost more now, but we would argue that if they save lives and improve frefghting efforts then that is money well spent.”
An independent expert group, chaired by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), has created a new document that sets out a common language of terminology to describe livestock for the Australian beef industry. In a frst for the industry, the National Bovine Livestock Language Guidelines bring together a set of common descriptive words for beef cattle in a way that also aligns industry terminology with consumer terminology. The development of the National Bovine Livestock Language Guidelines was initiated through recommendations provided in the Beef Language Review White Paper, published in 2017 and endorsed by the Australian cattle industry.
The White Paper was initiated by the Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC) and
the Livestock Language review was conducted by an industry-appointed independent expert group that encompassed experience across the whole supply chain. The Guidelines have now been endorsed by the Australian Meat Industry
Language and Standards Committee.
The document intends to defne terminology of a broad range of production topics including physical descriptions, fat score, muscle score, breed descriptions, coats and
hides and many others.
MLA Group Manager, Commercialisation and Adoption, Sarah Strachan, said that the guidelines were developed following extensive industry consultation along the whole supply chain and
across northern and southern production systems.
“As much as possible, the industry wants to deliver improved communication from the property of origin, through the value chain, to the international
consumer where such terms can be linked through existing AUSMEAT Language and UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) international code,” Ms Strachan said.
“This document will help achieve that and helps defne a common language for the Australian beef industry. It will be a valuable resource for cattle breeders, backgrounders and fnishers, seedstock producers, stock agents, lotfeeders, supply chain managers, transport operators and processors.
“The Guidelines will evolve as technology evolves, allowing industry to accelerate the potential for herd improvements and effciencies through improvements in livestock descriptions.”
The guidelines are administered by AUSMEAT, which will oversee amendments to the Guidelines.
Australia’s peak farming body has warned that superannuation changes announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers could cool investment in agriculture, unless the detail is worked through with farmers.
National Farmers’ Federation CEO Tony Mahar is now calling
on the Government to undertake formal consultation before the measure is budgeted and legislated later this year.
“For many farmers, their farm is their superannuation, and it’s not uncommon to hold land assets in superannuation –particularly as the next
generation enters the business.
“Yesterday’s announcement throws up signifcant uncertainty for family farms – with scant detail on things like grandfathering, treatment of revaluations, or how this might impact lending in a climate of rising costs
and interest rates.
“A change as signifcant as this can’t just be left to policy by press release. We deserve a formal consultation process to unpack the detail and provide input.”
Mr Mahar said that the uncertainty created by this proposal risked
chilling investment in an industry crying out for capital.
“Research from AgriFutures Australia shows that Australian agriculture needs an additional $3 billion in capital investment each year to reach our target of $100 billion in farm gate output by 2030.
“Now is not the time to dampen investment in one of Australia’s growth industries that creates jobs in regional Australia and plays a central role in our transition to a low carbon economy,” Mr Mahar concluded.
A new online learning program is now available to Western Australiabased small to mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in the agrifood sector, to help support their research, product development and innovation ambitions.
The Innovate to Grow: Agrifood WA program is delivered by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, with support from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).
Monika Szabo, SME Collaboration Manager for CSIRO, said Innovate to Grow is a great opportunity for businesses looking to turn an idea into a viable research and development (R&D) opportunity.
“Innovate to Grow aims to boost WA agribusinesses’ innovation performance by supporting businesses in advancing their ideas through the innovation pipeline and educating owners on how valuable R&D can be to them through this journey,” Dr Szabo said.
“With assistance from experienced researchers and innovation experts, participants can examine their technical and business challenges, explore their research, development and innovation opportunities, and develop actionable business and funding plans,” she said.
DPIRD Investment Services Manager Peter May said this program presented an excellent chance for WA agrifood businesses to innovate their business.
“In addition to the learning benefts from the program, participants will increase their professional network and become part of the program alumni,” Mr May said.
“This program complements a range of existing agrifood industry innovation programs supported by DPIRD,” he said.
Applications close Monday 13 March. The program will commence on Tuesday 4 April.
See the CSIRO agrifood WA webpage for more.
A national social and economic survey of recreational fshers has shown that one in fve Australian adults participate in recreational fshing every year, improving wellbeing and contributing 100,000 jobs and $11 billion to the Australian economy.
The National Social and Economic Survey of Recreational Fishers, jointly conducted by ABARES, the University of Canberra and the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation, is
the frst national survey of its type in over 20 years.
ABARES Executive Director, Dr Jared Greenville, said the survey provides a contemporary picture of recreational fshing in Australia, including information on participation rates, as well as the contribution to the economy and society.
“A total of 4.2 million or one in fve adult Australians were estimated to participate in recreational fshing
each year. The number of recreational fshers has increased since 2000 as the population has also increased, however the proportion of fshers has remained relatively stable overall,” Dr Greenville said.
“Australians were estimated to spend 28 million days fshing each year. While most recreational fshers fsh fewer than fve days a year, a small proportion fsh more than 52 days a year.
“Recreational fshing was estimated to
contribute over 100,000 jobs and over $11 billion per year (including direct and indirect contributions) to the Australian economy.
“Recreational fshers were found to have, on average, higher levels of wellbeing than non-fshers, and those who fsh more often have higher wellbeing. Recreational fshing appeared to support positive social connections, nature connection, relaxation and can help achieve recommended levels of
physical activity.
“The survey results also showed that most Australians have a positive outlook on recreational fshing, with 79% of Australian adults considering recreational fshing to be an acceptable activity.
“Recreational fshers also contribute to environmental stewardship by picking up rubbish when out fshing, while some participate in habitat restoration activities or donate to organisations trying to improve aquatic
health.”
Managing Director of the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), Dr Patrick Hone, said recreational fshing is an important part of Australian culture and contributes to our health and wellbeing.
“Timely research on recreational fshers is critical to informing fsheries management in a changing climate,” Dr Hone said.
Transgrid has launched a comprehensive awareness campaign to increase safety for regional communities around its 13,000km high-voltage transmission network.
The Look up and Live campaign is targeted at business owners, agricultural and construction workers, and machinery operators working around transmission lines, poles and towers as part of Transgrid’s commitment to community safety.
“Safety is our highest priority for our people, delivery partners, landowners and communities,” Transgrid Executive General Manager of Network Marie Jordan said.
“That’s why we are launching this interactive awareness
campaign reminding everybody working near our powerlines to take appropriate steps to ensure they work safely.”
The safety campaign promotes a free and easy-to-use Look up and Live app, providing access to
powerline locations and imagery via an interactive geospatial map, powerline safety guidelines, options for planning or performing work, Dial Before You Dig information, and other important safety links.
Transgrid is also sending Look up and Live stickers and posters to more than 5,000 landowners in regional areas throughout its network. The stickers are designed to be placed on windscreens and cabins of machinery to
remind operators about heights, encourage them to use the Look up and Live app, and provide information on what to do in an emergency. The campaign also includes promotion of safety messages on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
“Transgrid has partnered with the creators of Look up and Live (Energy Queensland) and other utility companies to provide access to our network data so those living and working near our network can safely plan their activities,” Ms Jordan said.
“The safety message is particularly pertinent for primary producers preparing to sow their winter crops, reminding them to Look up and Live and inform their contractors and staff
about risk management practices around powerlines.
“We are also urging farmers to be aware of transmission line locations, machine heights and safety guidelines when reviewing their risk management strategies.
“While incidents on our network are uncommon, using the Look up and Live app will help reduce the risks of injury or death from electrocution and damage to equipment and the electricity network.
“This campaign is all about sharing important safety information and encouraging safe working practices to keep the community safe.”
New Hyundai Staria Load Premium adds extra substance to its eye-catching looks.
Hyundai has added a new Premium variant to its Staria Load range with additional safety, technology and convenience features.
Just to set the scene, Staria Load is the van version of the Staria people mover which arrived here in mid-2021, to replace the previous iLoad and iMax.
There was more than a name change when the two vehicles arrived her
analysis for occupant and pedestrian protection with a score of 90 percent.
Other new features in the Premium include a 10.25-inch supervision instrument cluster and 10.25-inch navigation multimedia unit, LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, smart key with push button start, and a smart power tailgate.
Premium also gets additional exterior colour choices with
By ALISTAIR KENNEDY
MG Motor will be giving Australian EV buyers their frst look at its new MG4 hatchback/SUV cross when it’s revealed at the Fully Charged LIVE event to held at Sydney’s International Convention Centre on the weekend of 11/12 March this year.
Billed as ‘The World’s No 1 Home Energy and Electric Vehicle Show’ the Fully Charged
MG4 reveal will be details of a longerrange version of MG’s popular ZS EV which has been on sale since August 2020.
Peter Ciao, the CEO of MG Motor Australia said he’s excited to showcase the new MG4 and expand the ZS EV model offering with a longer range.
“The MG4 is the frst MG to be based on our EV-only MSP (Modular Scalable Platform). This introduction of our EV-only platform
because they brought a futuristic new style unlike anything else on the relatively bland van/ people mover felds.
Staria Load models come with either two or fve seats and with the choice of Liftback or Twin Swing rear doors. Premium is only available as a two-seat Liftback.
All variants are powered by a 2.2-litre CRDi turbo-diesel engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and frontwheel drive
All Staria van and people mover variants have a 5-star ANCAP safety rating with the Premium adding a blind spot view monitor and high beam assist.
In addition to the highest ANCAP rating Staria is the frst vehicle in its segment to be awarded Platinum status in ANCAP’s Commercial Van Safety Comparison
Abyss Black, Graphite Gray and Moonlight Blue joining the existing Creamy White and Shimmering Silver in the standard Staria Load range.
The extra features come at a price with the Premium costing $5,500 more than the standard 2-seat Liftback.
MODEL RANGE
Staria Load Liftback
2-seat van: $45,740
Staria Load Twin Swing
2-seat van: $45,740
Staria Load Crew Van
Liftback 5-seat van:
$49,640
Staria Load Crew Van
Twin Swing 5-seat van: $49,640
Staria Load Premium
Liftback 2-seat van: $51,240
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Hyundai dealer for drive-away prices.
LIVE event was frst held in the UK in 2018. Subsequent events were held in the UK and USA – the Sydney event will be frst to be held in Australia.
Fully Charged, aka The Fully Charged Show, is a YouTube channel, podcast and website founded in 2010 by English writer, broadcaster and actor Robert Llewellyn, best known as playing the mechanoid Kryton in the sci-f television comedy ‘Red Dwarf’.
Full details of MG4 Australian specifcations and prices are yet to be announced but it’s expected to become the most affordable EV sold here to date.
Coinciding with the
signals our ongoing commitment to ‘Take Charge’ and intention to move toward an EV future.”
On the new ZS EV variant: “We listened to our customer’s feedback and have fast tracked the arrival of our long range ZS EV with a larger 72kw battery pack and 440km of range to Australia. This provides more peace of mind in terms of minimising range anxiety and matches our pursuit of driving “Our customers can take great pride and comfort knowing that their MG4 features the latest technology, world class design and quality materials resulting in a 5-star Euro NCAP rating.”
The 2023 Hyundai i30 sedan – known as the Hyundai Avante in Korea – has been unveiled in its home market, giving Australian consumers a glimpse of what to expect when the updated model arrives here in the second half of the year. The biggest changes appear to be cosmetic,
graphics. Other tweaks include a new sideprofle trim insert and refreshed alloy wheel designs. Hyundai has also added ‘sage green’ interior trim and “new bio-friendly materials” to the cabin, however only one trim level has been revealed so far, with no offcial sign of the sportier N-Line or N variants.
as well as the hybrid powertrain and the N variant.
Local pricing, specifcations and launch timing are still to be confrmed, but all models are expected to arrive together. The 2023 Hyundai i30 sedan is set to make a big impression when it arrives in Australia later this year.
By JEFFREY GIBBSThe Toyota Supra is set to undergo a batteryelectric transformation in the coming years, with a 405kW GRMN version of the currentgeneration sports car
emerges, the longawaited GRMN Supra is set to be released as a high-performance send-off for the popular coupe, packing the same 405kW ‘S58’ engine as the formidable BMW M4 CSL. This GRMN
performance. The RX-7 is also expected to feature a lightweight construction, allowing it to achieve superior acceleration and handling.
The battery-electric transformation of the
with no major cabin or mechanical updates. However, carsales understands that the 104kW/265Nm 1.6-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain – as seen in the Kia Niro Hybrid – is tipped to join the local ranks as part of the midlife update, along with a facelifted i30 N sedan fagship.
The current model’s rounded front fascia has been replaced with a blockier look featuring wider intakes, sharper headlights and a new full-width lighting signature.
The Volkswagen-like front-end design is matched at the rear by a chunkier and more aggressive bumper and crisper tail-light
That said, camoufaged prototypes of the latter have been spotted testing with similar, albeit more aggressive, styling tweaks. There’s also speculation the raucous but hugely capable Hyundai i30 N sedan may also ship with a new – read quieter –exhaust system in some markets in the wake of a high-profle incident in California which saw an owner fned (and the car taken off the road) for driving it in N-mode. When the facelifted i30 sedan arrives in Australia, it will bring with it the normallyaspirated 2.0-litre (117kW/191Nm) and turbocharged 1.6-litre (150kW/265Nm) fourcylinder petrol units,
With a bolder, more dynamic exterior design, a range of effcient engines and the potential addition of a hybrid powertrain, the facelifted i30 sedan looks set to be a popular choice for Australian drivers. Inside, the cabin has been given a subtle refresh with the addition of ‘sage green’ interior trim and “new bio-friendly materials”, while the range-topping N variant is expected to feature a quieter exhaust system.
With pricing, specifcations and launch timing still to be announced, the updated i30 sedan is sure to be a hit when it arrives in Australia.
expected to be released in the next couple of years.
According to a wellplaced source within Toyota, Japanese website Best Car reports that the Supra will feature a batteryelectric powertrain with e-motor/s at the rear axle and a “design reminiscent of mid-ship sports [car]”.
This sixth-generation Supra is expected to be revealed in 2025, with peak power of 330-368kW mooted – signifcantly higher than the current GR Supra’s 285kW from its turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six. Before the EV sports car (dubbed the A100 Supra)
version of the Supra is expected to be a limited-edition model, with only a few hundred units being produced. It will be equipped with a range of performance upgrades, including a revised suspension setup, improved brakes, and a more powerful engine.
The next-generation Supra EV could also spawn an electrifed Mazda RX-7 successor, which has been linked to Toyota’s GR product development program. The new RX-7 is expected to feature a plug-in hybrid rotary powertrain, combining a petrol engine and electric motor for enhanced
Toyota Supra promises to be an exciting development for sports car enthusiasts, with the potential for a high-performance GRMN version and an electrifed Mazda RX-7 successor. The sixthgeneration Supra is expected to be revealed in 2025, with peak power of 330-368kW mooted – signifcantly higher than the current GR Supra’s 285kW from its turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six. With the potential for such impressive performance fgures, the battery-electric Supra and RX-7 are sure to be highly sought-after vehicles.
Seltos is the second smallest model in Kia’s SUV range, sitting above the compact Stonic and below the Sportage. It competes against vehicles such as the MG ZS, Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30 and Mitsubishi ASX.
Originally launched here in late 2019
Seltos received a major upgrade in November 2022 with exterior and interior changes, safety improvements, new tech features, plus extra power and a new transmission for the top-spec model.
The changes do come at a price with increases of at least $2200 across the range, although they can probably be justifed.
As before Seltos is available in four grades: S, Sport, Sport+ and GT Line. All get the previous 2.0-litre naturallyaspirated petrol engine that drives the front wheels, while Sport+ and GT-Line are also available with a tweaked version of the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine along with all-wheel drive.
STYLING
To our eyes Seltos is one of the best-looking vehicles in its class, with the chunky style that’s fashionable in current SUVs. There’s a large grille with mesh fll, an array of lights built to the side and stylish lower area that has a solid look thanks to the expansion at the corners.
At the rear there’s a central light-bar across the top of the tail gate that expands the visual appearance of the Seltos.
All models get alloy wheels, 16-inch with the Seltos S, 17-inch on the Sport and Sport+ and 18inch under the GT-Line. Also standard are bodycoloured folding side mirrors, roof rails and a rear spoiler.
Only the GT-Line gets LED head and tail lights, the others have to make do with halogens. Other features specifc to the GT-Line are a gloss black mech grille, satin silver beltline, powered tailgate and tilt and slide sunroof.
There’s a good range of colours, with nine in total, including a couple of eyecatching two-tone fnishes.
Kia always seems to strike a nice balance with the interior of its vehicles and Seltos is no exception. It’s neat and functional with plenty of space all round for what is a relatively small car.
The standout feature of the dashboard in Sport, Sport+ and Gt-Line is the wide panel housing both the infotainment and instrument display screens.
An increasingly musthave feature for us, head-up display, is only available in the GT-Line.
On the downside, while there are small physical knobs for the audio controls, air conditioning adjustments for temperature and fan speed require a series of taps on the infotainment touchscreen.
Seats in the S and Sport are cloth trim, with artifcial leather trim added to the Sport+ and full premium leather in GT-Line.
Luggage space with the rear seats in place is 433 litres, expanding to 1393 litres when they’re folded. Seltos S has a space saver spare under the boot. All other variants get a fullsize alloy.
All four Seltos variants come with a four-cylinder 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle naturally-aspirated engine that’s carried over from the previous model. It produces 110 kW and 180 Nm at 4500 rpm coupled with a continuously variable transmission. Combined fuel consumption is listed at 6.9L/100km.
So, no change there. The big improvement
comes from the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol available with Sport+ and GT-Line where power increases 16 kW to 146 kW with an unchanged 265 Nm of torque. Claimed fuel consumption is 7.4L/100km.
The previous dual-clutch automatic transmission mated to the 1.6 engine has been replaced by an eight-speed torque converter auto that supplies drive to all four wheels through an ondemand AWD system.
SAFETY
Kia Seltos comes with an impressive list of advanced safety features including rear crosstraffc alert, lane keeping assist, blind spot collision avoidance, driver inattention alert, forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, with impactsensing automatic door unlocking.
In addition, all models get downhill brake control, front and rear parking sensors and two Isofx child seat anchor points.
Another very useful feature is Safe Exit Alert which warns if a vehicle is passing within a distance that could impact your doors.
Also very useful – in its place – is Intelligent Speed Limit Assist. While we have no problem in principle with a feature that alerts a driver to the fact they are exceeding the speed limit, it’s far too sensitive in the Seltos coming on and off regularly when driving in a stream of traffc at the appropriate speed.
The system can be turned off via the touchscreen but that
requires going through fve screen taps. Then it automatically resets when the engine is turned off and on again.
Sport+ and GT-Line also come with auto-dimming
activate and adjust air conditioning, set satellite navigation destinations and display vehicle diagnostic information.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard
Seltos Sport+ with the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and new eight-speed torqueconvertor automatic.
The frst thing we noticed on take-off was how much smoother it was compared to the previous seven-speed dual-clutch system.
The upgraded 146kW engine has plenty of punch with minimal turbo lag off the line.
The steering feel is excellent and really does signal to the driver what is happening at the front of the car. Multiple changes of direction on a twisting country road are made with ease.
It’s a neat little car to ride in and is generally as smooth and quiet as cars of this size around town. However, it creates quite a racket on some motorway concrete surfaces and isn’t
rear view mirror, lead vehicle departure alert and junction turning assist.
Entry-level Seltos S comes with an 8.0inch LCD infotainment touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard and a 4.2-inch driver information screen behind the steering wheel.
The set-up in the three other models is much more attractive and functional with a pair of 10.25-inch screens embedded within a single panel that dominates the centre of the dashboard.
The instrument panel can be confgured to the driver’s taste to control or monitor numerous features.
New to MY22 Seltos Sport, Sport+ and GtLine is Kia Connect, a smartphone-based system that offers a wide range of digital features including the ability to remotely lock and unlock doors, start the engine,
although, oddly enough, they are wireless in the Seltos S but wired in the three higher-spec’d models. Our contact at Kia Australia explains the absence of satnav in S allowed wireless charging to be ftted but prevented it in the others.
The three lower-spec’d variants get a pretty good six-speaker sound system, with GT-Line stepping up to a premium eightspeaker BOSE system.
All but the S also have Sounds of Nature which provides a choice of soothing sounds as an alternative to radio or music. At the other extreme Sound Mood Lamp turns on disco lighting around the cabin to suit whatever music is being played.
There are USB-A and USB-C sockets in the front console and a pair of USB-Cs behind the centre console.
Our test vehicle was the
overly happy on country roads that are in poor condition.
As with all Kia models in Australia, the ride and handling characteristics of the car have been optimised to provide the experience Australian drivers have come to expect.
Kia has been steadily moving up the Australian sales ladder and now sits in a career-best third position. While it’s still relatively new Seltos already accounts for around 11 per cent of company sales.
The recent refresher keeps it right up there with the best in a highlycompetitive market segment.
As with all Kia vehicles Seltos is covered by the company’s seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty together with seven years of capped price servicing and roadside assistance.
The NSW Government’s Faster Payment Terms policy has paid 97.6 per cent of invoices to small businesses within fve days, a new report reveals.
NSW outperforms the private sector, where the average shortest time period for payments to small businesses is 11 days and the average standard is 33 days.
Treasurer Matt Kean said the Liberal and Nationals Government is backing small business by giving them cash fow certainty.
“Faster payments mean our small businesses can get on with the job without worrying about how they’re going to pay for supplies,” Mr Kean said.
“We want our more than 800,000 small businesses to wait fewer than fve days for payment; Daniel Mookhey when he was a union offcial made a small business wait 708 days for payment.”
Mr Kean said some
states’ payment policies only commit to payments within 10 days while some were within 30 days.
“This initiative ensures there is more money in the pockets of small businesses owners sooner, allowing them to invest in their business and staff with more certainty,” Mr Kean said.
There were more than 6,600 businesses that invoiced government agencies for payment in 2021-22, of which 97.6 per cent were paid within fve days to the value of $338 million.
The latest results are outlined in a review released today of the Faster Payment Terms policy that was implemented in late 2018.
Minister for Small Business Victor Dominello said there are more than 800,000 small businesses in NSW and the NSW Government wants more of them to have the opportunity to provide products and
services to government agencies.
“We made a commitment three years ago to pay 80 per cent of small businesses in fve days and having achieved 97.6 per cent on fve days we are now looking to do even better,” Mr Dominello said.
There are more than 34,000 small businesses registered for Faster Payment Terms.
To further improve payment times the review, conducted by NSW Treasury, in consultation with small businesses and Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), has made 24 recommendations.
The recommendations include:
• Addressing government processes for higher value purchases which means they can take longer to be paid but which have more signifcant impact on a small
business’ cash fow;
• Making it easier for small business to invoice government agencies with a move to standardised invoicing requirements and providing contact points to follow up outstanding payments;
• Raising awareness of Faster Payment Terms and how to comply;
• Expanding uptake to Supplier Hub where small businesses can register as a supplier to government;
• Training on e-invoicing for small businesses.
• Treasury will be taking these recommendations forward and will develop an implementation plan in early 2023.
For more information: https://www.treasury.nsw. gov.au/faster-paymentterms-review
Qantas has announced plans to create 8500 new jobs over the next decade in order to grow Australia’s biggest carrier now it’s back to reporting billion-dollar profts after COVID-19. The group made the commitment amid announcing plans to open an engineering academy in 2025 to train up to 300 engineers each year. Qantas said the academy would not only provide engineers for the airline but the broader aviation industry, including defence contractors, and said a particular focus would be to encourage more women to join the feld.
The new roles to be created over the next decade will include 4500 new cabin crew positions, 1600 pilot roles, 800 engineers, and a further 1600 in other operational positions.
Qantas expects to create more than 2000 new jobs over the next 18 months and committed to incentivising new hires with cash bonuses
and 25 per cent airfare discounts.
The Friday announcement prompted critics to accuse the carrier of using the hiring spree to re-correct the impact of its 2020 restructure, when it axed 9800 roles from its 30,000-strong workforce during the pandemic as part of a $1 billion restructure. Qantas is currently appealing a Federal Court verdict that the airline’s decision in 2020 to outsource 1700 ground handling positions was unlawful.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce dismissed fears the carrier will struggle to fll the roles and said 25,000 people applied for 2,500 vacancies at Qantas last year. He also doubled down on last week’s defence of the current cost of air travel and reassured customers prices will continue to fall as capacity and competition returns.
The airline said it would work with unions to fnalise how the academy would operate, including
how it may work with existing apprenticeship programs run by Qantas and Jetstar.
The federal secretary of the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, Steve Purvinas, said the academy was desperately needed as the lack of aviation engineers in Australia had become critical. He called on the federal government to work with airlines to provide assistance to applicants to make sure enough recruits apply each year.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) said Qantas’s “overzealous” redundancies in 2020 had caused irrefutable damage to the business.
The Australian Workers Union welcomed the decision, and described it as a potential turning point for Australian technical jobs. Qantas employs about 23,500 people.
The new recruits and replaced roles will bring the carrier up to a total headcount of 32,000 by 2033. Joyce recently credited a $1 billion restructure that
The Tweed Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the launch of the all-new Tweed Business Awards in 2023, taking the lead as the shire’s most prestigious business awards event.
involved and nominate in 2023.”
Victory Organisation Group dealer principal for Victory Ford Jason Mannix said the company was delighted to back the event.
it launched in the midst of the pandemic, which included outsourcing the 1700 ground handler jobs, as a driver of its return to proft. The group revealed a $1.4 billion proft for the six months to December, following $7 billion of losses accrued over the three years of COVID-19.
In conclusion, Qantas’s commitment to create 8500 new jobs over the next decade is a welcome move that will help to reinvigorate the aviation industry in Australia. The airline is taking steps to ensure that the new roles are flled with qualifed personnel and is offering incentives to attract new hires. However, the TWU has expressed concern that the hiring spree is an attempt to correct the damage done by the airline’s 2020 restructure. It remains to be seen whether the new jobs will be enough to make up for the years of experience lost due to the pandemic.
Chamber president Warren Polglase said it was time to cast away the awards of the past and introduce an allnew name and format for Tweed businesses to shine. “BEATS and other business award events of the past have done a great job, but we felt it was time to launch a fresh approach with the all new Tweed Business Awards,” he said.
As with previous years, the awards will feature 15 business awards categories, four individual categories and four people’s choice categories, and a prestigious Hall of Fame Award. Tweed Business Awards event organiser
Julie West said she wanted to encourage local businesses to nominate, sponsor and get involved.
“These awards will acknowledge and publicly celebrate our local business excellence,” she said.
“We are hosting a special gala dinner awards night at the fabulous Seagulls Club next year, with specifcs to be announced. “We are delighted to have Victory Organisation Group as our major event sponsor and we’re encouraging businesses to get
“Victory Organisation Group is a leading business in the Tweed and wanted to support other business to be the best in their chosen feld,” he said. Victory MG sales manager Ricky Occhipinti was also in attendance and said it was a great way to get exposure for your business.
“I’d like to encourage local businesses to get involved with the Tweed Business Awards and we look forward to the event in 2023,” Mr Occhipinti said. Ms West there are sponsorship opportunities available with multiple business award categories across all sectors.
“There are more than 2,000 businesses eligible to enter the awards in 2023,” she said. These awards open the door for winners to go on to win other prestigious national awards such as Telstra Small Business Awards, the Australia Post Small Business Awards, Champion of Champions and Tourism NSW Awards.
“The Tweed Chamber of Commerce invites you to consider developing a relationship with our region’s business community through sponsorship.”
A report released today outlines the challenges Australia and the world need to overcome to avoid being thrust back into a pre-antimicrobial age where simple infections are deadly and some surgeries are too risky to perform.
Australia is seeing a growing ‘silent pandemic’ of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) - when bacteria and other microbes become resistant to the drugs designed to kill them, such as antibiotics, usually from misuse or overuse.
e report, Curbing
antimicrobial resistance: A technology-powered, human-driven approach to combating the ‘silent pandemic’, calls for greater
national coordination and a focus on streamlining commercialisation processes for new antimicrobial resistance solutions and technologies. It was developed by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and initiated by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency.
Branwen Morgan, Lead of CSIRO’s Minimising Antimicrobial Resistance Mission, said AMR was recently designated one of the top 10 public health threats facing humanity by the World Health Organization (WHO).
“AMR could render some of the most critical antimi-
crobial drugs ine ective, undermining modern medicine and making us vulnerable to drug-resistant infections,” Dr Morgan said.
“It is responsible for over 1.27 million deaths globally each year and the number is rising.
“In Australia, modelling suggests AMR could potentially be responsible for over 5000 deaths annually.
“ is report calls out the key challenges and opportunities for Australia to improve how we prevent, detect, diagnose and respond to drug-resistant infections and reduce the impacts of AMR,” she said.
e report drew on the expertise of more than
100 multidisciplinary experts across government, academia and industry and looked at a range of potentially impactful technologies such as:
• Integrated surveillance and sensing solutions
• Point-of-care diagnostics
• Vaccination technologies
• Antimicrobial surfaces
• Air sterilisation technologies
Speci c examples included surface sprays that change colour when pathogens are present, and toilets that detect and disarm harmful microbes before they reach our waterways.
ATSE CEO Kylie Walker said Australia has the potential to be a global contributor in the devel-
opment of technologies to combat AMR and should aspire to be a world leader in its management.
“We have a wealth of creative AMR technology solutions emerging in Australia. We must support these innovations through the commercialisation process so they can be delivered in the settings they are needed, in a streamlined, sustainable, and coordinated way,” Ms Walker said.
e report supports work underway by the Minimising Antimicrobial Resistance Mission, developed by CSIRO with the Australian Departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Health and Aged Care.
Dr Morgan said the report highlights the importance of a collaborative, preventative approach to AMR, which is a key tenet of the Mission.
“We aim to work with end-users, academic and industry partners to identify and prioritise solutions that have the greatest impact on preventing and managing further resistance,” Dr Morgan said.
STEP 1
Combine stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and ginger in a slow cooker. Add the onion, carrot and chicken. Cover and cook for 5 hours on LOW, turning chicken halfway through cooking, if possible.
STEP 2
Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place on a chopping board. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Combine cornflour with 1 tablespoon water, stirring until smooth. Stir into the liquid in slow cooker. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
STEP 3
Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes, adding the snow peas for the last 1 minute of cooking time. Drain and run under cold water. Set aside. Use a fork to shred chicken from the bone.
STEP 4
Add the chicken, noodles, snow peas and corn to the slow cooker. Use tongs to toss to combine.
STEP 5
Sprinkle the chow mein with coriander to serve.
• 250ml (1 cup) Massel Chicken Style Liquid Stock
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp finely grated ginger
• 1 brown onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1 large carrot, peeled, halved lengthways, sliced
• 2 chicken marylands, skin removed
• 3 tsp cornflour
• 250g dried egg noodles
• 100g snow peas, halved diagonally
• 410g can baby corn spears, drained, halved
• Chopped fresh coriander leaves, to serve
You can now make this Chinese takeaway classic in your slow cooker! The ingredients are usually stir-fried but in our version you cook the chicken frst and then at the end combine with vegies and noodles.
SIDESTEP KIDS FESTIVAL is a fantastic FREE arts festival for kids of all ages and families presented by Roundabout Theatre. On Saturday 18 March and Sunday 19 March (10am – 4pm) Sidestep Kids Festival will transform Banner Park, on the banks of the river in Brunswick Heads, into a magical playground.
There is something for everyone including arts and craft workshops, live music, circus, dance, comedy, game playing, storytelling, singing, collaborative construction and much, much more. Sidestep Kids Festival is a celebratory time for families to play and make magic together – led by kids who really know this stuff!
Performances are happening all day including Bunny Racket and new band for kids ‘The Gumboots’, Joel Salom - The International Man of Circus with special guest Erik the Robot Dog, Kids Shire Choir, The Pitts Family Circus, Spaghetti Circus, Byron Circus Arts and Roundabout Theatre. There’s also Delta Kay Arakwal bush food and cultural tours, ecostorytelling with Tiff Bollhorn and activities with Mitch King, Luminous Youth, Brunswick Girl Guides, Brunswick Primary School, the North East Waste Forum and more!
Sixteen years after the Na’vi repelled the RDA invasion of Pandora, Jake Sully and Neytiri have built a family together, raising sons Neteyam and Lo’ak, daughter Tuk, and adopted children Kiri (born from Grace Augustine’s inert avatar) and Spider, the Pandora-born human son of the late Colonel Miles Quaritch.
But their peace is shattered when the RDA returns to colonize Pandora, led by their new leader Frances Ardmore. A year into the occupation, Jake leads a guerilla campaign against the RDA. During a mission, Quaritch captures Jake’s children, but they are freed by Jake and Neytiri,
who kills several of Quaritch’s soldiers. Spider remains captured, however, and Quaritch recognizes him as his son. After the RDA fails to get information from Spider, Quaritch decides to spend time with him to draw him to his side. In turn, Spider teaches Quaritch about Na’vi culture and language. Aware of the danger posed by Spider’s knowledge, Jake and his family exile themselves from the Omatikaya and retreat to Pandora’s eastern seaboard, where the Metkayina clan gives them refuge.
At the Metkayina, the family learns the ways of the reef people, Kiri develops a spiritual bond with the sea, and Lo’ak befriends
Thurs
65 M 93 MIN
Thur - Wed: 10.00am, 2.20pm, 8.00pm
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUM M 124 MIN
Thur - Wed: 10.20am, 2.50pm, 5.30pm
COCAINE BEAR MA15+ 95MIN
Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues, Wed: 11.45am
Thur - Wed: 3.45pm, 6.15pm
CREED III M 116 MIN
Thur - Wed: 12.10pm, 4.05pm, 7.45pm
FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS 2 PG 112 MIN
Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues, Wed: 10.10am
Thur - Wed: 1.40pm
LIVING PG 102 MIN
Saturday & Sunday: 10.10am
PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH PG 102 MIN
Saturday & Sunday: 11.45am
SCREAM VI MA15+ 122 MIN
Tsireya, the daughter of chief Tonowari and his wife, Ronal. After defending Kiri against Aonung, Jake’s son, Lo’ak apologizes at his insistence. Aonung and his friends then entice Lo’ak to a trip into a sea predator’s territory and leave him stranded. After being saved from a giant sea beast, Lo’ak is befriended by Payakan, a Tulkun—an intelligent and pacifstic whale-like species whom the Metkayina consider their spiritual brethren.
Upon his return, Lo’ak wins Aonung’s friendship by taking the blame for the trip but is told that Payakan is an outcast among the Tulkun. Later, Kiri links to the
Metkayina’s underwater Spirit Tree and spiritually “meets” her biological mother, Grace, whose consciousness lives within Pandora. During the link induced trance, Kiri suffers a seizure and falls unconscious, nearly drowning. Jake summons Norm Spellman and Max Patel for help using their medical equipment, where they diagnose Kiri with epilepsy and warn that she cannot connect to the Spirit Tree again, as doing so may kill her. Although Ronal saves Kiri, Quaritch tracks Norm and Max’s aircraft to the archipelago where the Metkayina live. Bringing Spider with him, Quaritch joins forces with the RDA’s marine
• Fisherman’s Friends 2: One and All (PG)
• Scream VI (MA 15+)
• Tar (M)
• Creed 3 (M)
• Cocaine Bear (CTC)
• Champions (M)
COMING SOON...
• John Wick 4 (CTC)
• Andre Rieu in Dublin (G)
• Dungeons & Dragons (CTC)
• Disney 100yrs “Sing A Long”MOANA (PG)
• Shazam 2: Fury of the Gods (CTC)
• Super Mario Bro (PG)
• Argonauts (PG)
We have an amazing line up of shows coming to the Saraton.
CIRQUE MOTHER AFRICA
Monday March 13, 2023 @ 7.30pm
DREAMS: FLEETWOOD MAC & STEVIE NICKS SHOW
Friday March 17, 2023 @ 8pm
STEVE O: THE BUCKET LIST TOUR
DOWN UNDER PT 2
Thursday April 20, 2023@ 7.00pm.
CELTICA: A NEW ERA OF IRISH
HERITAGE
Wednesday May 3, 2023 @ 7:30pm.
LUKE KIDGELL HAPPY HOUR
Sunday June 11, 2023 @ 6.30pm
QUEEN BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Friday 16 June 2023 @ 8pm
THE ROBERTSON BROTHERS 60’S VARIETY SHOW
Sunday June 18, 2023 2:00pm
LIAM COOPER’S KINGS OF KEYS
Saturday August 5, 2023 @ 7:30pm
MUSIC OF THE NIGHT TRIBUTE TO ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER
Sunday August 27, 2023 @ 2pm
operations, led by Captain Mick Scoresby, and commandeers a whaling vessel that hunts Tulkuns to extract an anti-aging serum called amrita. Quaritch’s squad raids the archipelago, interrogating the tribes about Jake’s location to no avail.
Quaritch then orders the whalers to kill Tulkuns near the villages to draw Jake out.
Lo’ak mentally links with Payakan and learns that he was cast out because he went against the pacifst ways of his species and attacked the whalers who killed his mother, causing many deaths. When the Metkayina learns of the Tulkun killings, Lo’ak warns Payakan, followed by his siblings and friends. They fnd Payakan being hunted, and Quaritch captures Lo’ak, Tsireya, and Tuk. Jake, Neytiri, and the Metkayina set out to confront the humans and rescue the kids. Quaritch forces Jake to surrender, but Payakan attacks the whalers, triggering a fght that kills several crew members, cripples the vessel, and severs Scoresby’s arm. Neteyam rescues Lo’ak, Tsireya, and Spider but is fatally shot by Quaritch. Devastated, both parents go back to save their remaining children that were recaptured; upon facing Quaritch’s team, Neytiri fies into a grieving rage and brutally murders many of them, accidentally breaking her father’s bow in the process. Jake faces Quaritch, who uses Kiri as a hostage, and when Neytiri does the same with Spider, Quaritch at frst denies their relationship but desists once Neytiri attempts to kill Spider. Jake, Quaritch, Neytiri, and Tuk are trapped inside the sinking vessel.
After a tense skirmish, Jake strangles Quaritch unconscious and is rescued by Lo’ak and Payakan, while Kiri rescues Neytiri and Tuk. Spider rescues Quaritch but refuses to go with him and rejoins Jake’s family, at which point he is welcomed as a true son. After Neteyam’s funeral, Jake informs Tonowari of his decision to leave the Metkayina.
Still, the chief respectfully identifes Jake as part of the clan and welcomes him and his family to stay. Before vowing to resume their campaign against the RDA, Jake and his family accept and live their new life at sea.
The end of this decade will be marked by a momentous occasion: the frst woman and person of colour to set foot on the moon.
This momentous event will not only signify humanity’s triumphant return to the lunar surface, but will also mark the beginning of a new era of space exploration. In the coming years, plans are in place for human exploration of Mars, with the potential establishment of a permanent base there.
Non-human missions will be sent to Venus and the moons of Jupiter, and will search for life on other planets similar to our own. All of this will require international cooperation between public and private
sector organizations.
To discuss the future of space exploration and its potential New Golden Age, Brian Greene will host an online discussion with Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s outgoing head scientist, as well as representatives from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science’s Masaki Fujimoto, the European Space Agency, and private sector space exploration enterprises. Together, they will explore the possibilities of what this new era could bring, and how it could shape the future of humanity. This new era of space exploration promises to be an exciting one, with
the potential for incredible discoveries and technological advancements.
It is an opportunity for us to push the boundaries of what we know and understand about our universe, and to make history in the process. With the right collaboration and dedication, this New Golden Age of space
Double $100 Queen $110 Family $130
Enjoy some quality country hospitality when you book accommodation at Tyalgum Hotel. Our renovated pub rooms offer new bedding and linen complemented by the vintage furniture pieces, which remain true to the heritage of the hotel, established in 1926 as the finest public house in the district!
There are thirteen rooms ranging from Doubles, Queen and Family rooms offering ample shared bathroom facilities, guest lounge, complimentary tea and Nespresso coffee and stunning views of the Border ranges. With genuine country hospitality on offer the Tyalgum Hotel is the perfect spot for your next stay in the Tweed area.
The village offers a range of activities from high tea at Flutterbies, regular markets, Jewellery making courses and of course the famous Tyalgum Music Festival.
Or just relax and enjoy the views of the stunning caldera.
exploration will be remembered for generations to come.
*A transaction fee of $7.20 applies per transaction. Selected ticket delivery methods may incur an additional charge. The minimum price listed may be available for selected performances only. Please see Pricing Guide for further details.
Discount available for Concession^ Students^ Groups^^
Any tickets purchased through unauthorised sales channels may be seized or cancelled without refund or exchange and the bearer of the ticket may be denied admission. Unauthorised sales channels include Viagogo, Ticket Merchant, eBay and Gumtree.
Scan the QT Code below to book your tickets.
Footy Tipping & $15 meals Tuesday Nights
Bistro Wednesday- Sunday Nights
Pizza All Day Monday & Tuesday
39 Coolman Street, Tyalgum
02 6679 3994
At Aura Gardens Nursery, we carry a broad range of plants suitable for all garden and indoor designs. From the native lover to the indoor enthusiast, we’re confdent we can fnd the perfect plant for you.
We have many and varied products including shrubs, hedging, tropicals, grasses and climbers, perennials, natives, fruit trees and much much more.
There are some wonderful christmas
gifts instore and Christmas Gift Vouchers available so your loved one can choose their own.
We are proudly part of the Border Clay Trail with Local artists showing their amazing contemporary ceramic designs in our nursery.
Pop in and take a look around at 36 Wollumbin Street, Murwillumbah, we’re open Monday –Saturday 8.30am - 4pm and Sunday 8.30am1pm.
If you don’t see what you want, just ask, we are sure we can fnd exactly what you’re looking for.
order. Our professional and experienced logging team will inspect your property and provide and professional, honest evaluation of your property. Our logging teams will be sure to take care in the selection process of all extracted timber to achieve the highest possible return for the landowners.
Your local sawmilling & logging contractors
Tableland Timbers is your local family owned and operated sawmill and logging specialist located just outside of Grafton. Our expertise in sawmilling and logging goes back six generations in the Northern Rivers Area.
We specialise in rough sawn structural hardwood timber F14, F17 and F22. Fencing and landscaping hardwood timber is also available to cut to
If you would like a quote or have a property you are interested in logging, please feel free to call us on (02) 6642 8600, email Caity@ tablelandtimbers.com. au or drop in and see us at 56 Clark Road Trenayr between 6:00am - 4:00pm, Monday - Thursday.
Servicing Grafton and the entire Clarence Valley since 1978 Grafton Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
supply, install, repair and maintain a wide range of air conditioning systems and commercial refrigeration equipment.
We offer a select range of technician approved brands to suit every need – like our Panasonic split systems that feature 3-way fltration: anti-allergen, anti-bacterial & antivirus protection along with Wi-Fi connectivity for convenient control via your mobile phone. Grafton Air also specialise in ducted
air conditioners for the ultimate in home climate control.
All our residential air conditioners are covered by a 5 year Manufacturer’s Warranty and Grafton Air provides the support and care for your system over its lifespan. If cool, clean fltered air is at the top of your wish list call the professionals now on 6643 1490 to book your free quote for a new or updated air conditioner!
Saturday 11th March 2023 - Grafton Saleyards - 11am - Featured Lines
A/c N & K JAGOE
35 x 35 Angus Cows & Calves, big calves at foot
30 Angus Cows PTIC Alumy Creek Angus Bull
A/c MCGRATH CATTLE CO
40 Angus & Angus Cross PTIC Cows
7 x 7 Angus Cross Cows with big Calves at foot
A/c AG & GI CHAPMAN
8 F1 Brahman/Hereford PTIC Heifers PTIC to low birth weight Wakefield Charolais Bull
A/c J & R MCCALLUM
10 Charolais Cross Heifers 20-24mths
A/c MCCRATH CATTLE CO
2 Stud Booroomooka Angus Bulls 4 & 5 yrs
A/c A MCMAHON
1 Hereford Bull 2 yrs old
5 x 5 Hereford Cows & Calves
A/c BA & MJ MORAN
3 Stud Simmental Bulls rising 2 yrs
Excellent quality, GlenAnthony Wyata & Tennysonvale Genetics
8 Simmental Cows PTIC Simmental Bull
A/c A R & B J GREEN
2 Brahman Bulls, Bizzy Bloodlines
3 years old in August, Dark Red
3 years old in July, Light Red
A/c AJ & LM LOVE
4 x 4 Brahman Cross Cows & Calves
3 x 3 Brangus Cows & Calves
3 x 3 Simmental Cross Cows & Calves, with second calf at foot
4 F1 Hereford/Brahman PTIC Cows on second calf
4 Brahman Cross PTIC Cows
A/c BW BROWN
8 Brahman Cross PTIC Cows, 3 in 1 package, with big calves at foot
A/c SONIA GLEESON
3 x 3 Brangus Cows & Calves
A/c SHANNON FAMILY
3 Brangus PTIC Heifers to a Speckle Park Bull, all by a Nettle Creek Brangus Bull out of Turtle Creek cows
A/c MC PIGG
5 Droughtmaster Heifers with Calves at foot
A/c T & S MCCALLUM
16 x 16 Angus Cows with calves at foot
10 Unjoined Purebred Brahman Heifers 18 mths
A/c DIAMOND SEVEN TRUST
26 F1 Brahman/Hereford Heifers 18-21 mths
10 Charolais/Angus Cross Heifers 20-23 mths
33 Brahman & Brahman Cross Heifers 20-24 mths
All excellent quality unjoined heifers, ready to join
A/c GR & JA PIGG
8 F1 Brahman/Angus Heifers
16 months, unjoined
A/c AJ & KA MCINTYRE
11 Angus Cross Hereford Unjoined Heifers
2 Hereford Cross Simmental Unjoined Heifers
8 Droughtmaster/Hereford/ Simmental Unjoined Heifers
A/c L & L MULDOON
3 Angus Cross Cows, PTIC to an Angus Bull
3 Charolais Cross Cows, PTIC to an Angus Bull
3 Droughtmaster Cross Cows, PTIC to an Angus Bull
A/c L & A GADDES
15 Angus Cows
15 Angus Heifers 2 yrs old
20 x 20 Angus Cows & Calves
A/c GIBSON PASTORAL
10 Brangus PTIC Cows
10 Brangus PTIC Heifers
1 Brangus Bull
A/c KD STUART
4 Stud Angus Cows, PTIC to Angus Bull
A/c SHAMIL LIVESTOCK
40 Angus Cows 3 - 5 yrs old
PTIC to an Angus Bull
A/c F & S KELLY
10 Angus Heifers by an Eagle Hawk Bull
14 months old, Unjoined
A/c T J CREASEY
10 Angus Heifers, 18 months, Unjoined
A/c D & E SHIPMAN
1 Brangus Cow & Calf
1 Brahman Cross PTIC Cow
1 Brangus PTIC Heifer
1 Brangus Heifer, Unjoined
com au
ACROSS
1 True (8)
5 Takes footage online (6)
10 Available over the bar (2,3)
11 Male name (9)
12 Football strike with the head (6)
13 Ways (7)
14 Uncivilised (8)
15 Art of dwar ng shrubs or trees (6)
18 Classic Nabokov novel (6)
20 Most distant (8)
21 Impulse (7)
24 Marks or courses left by moving bodies (6)
27 Social exclusion (9)
28 Articles (5)
29 Actors with small roles (6)
30 Brings to life (8)
DOWN
1 Upon (4)
2 Principal church of a diocese (9)
3 Very quick (5)
4 Rail around ship’s stern (8)
6 Comic book villain (7)
7 Egyptian capital (5)
8 Provisional (9)
9 Period (4)
14 Maryland city (9)
16 Most pungent (9)
17 Large Australian spider (8)
19 – Maslany, star of Orphan Black (7)
22 Small in French (5)
23 Go by ship (4)
25 Adage
No. 136 No. 136
1 How many teeth does a crocodile typically have: 66, 77 or 88?
2 An Aussiedor is a hybrid of what two dog breeds?
3 By what names are Saudi Arabia’s Makkah and al-Madinah better known in Australia?
4 In which ocean would you nd the Mariana Trench, the deepest place on Earth?
5 In 1935, cane toads (pictured) were introduced to Australia to control what insect?
6 Traditionally, on which day during Easter would pancakes be made?
7 According to the song My Favourite Things from The Sound of Music, what comes next: ‘Cream coloured ponies and crisp apple strudels, Door bells and sleigh bells and ...’?
8 Beefsteak, cherry and dwarf are all varieties of what?
9 What name is given to someone who studies reptiles and amphibians?
10 Who wrote The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism?
Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included, and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.
The
1 Cicatrice (4)
5 Innermost part (4)
6 Within (4)
7 Commanded (4) DOWN
1 Crust formed over a cut (4)
2 State of prolonged unconsciousness (4)
3 Moistureless (4)
4 Counsel (arch) (4)
Safety Corp RTO 91694 Tweed
Heads
0466 015 373 www. rstaidsc.com
Each number corresponds to a letter. Can you crack the code?
No. 112
Solve all the clues and an eight-letter word will be spelled out.
1 The Willy who owned a crazy chocolate factory
5 The Lord of the –, books and movies
before addition and subtraction. + ×
Insert each number from 1 to 9 in the shaded squares to solve all the horizontal and vertical equations. + = 16
5x5
B A E
A I
A I S
E G
× ×
× = 252
T E S
+ –
÷ = 15
× ×
=
= =
17 15
No. 111
Insert the missing letters to make 10 words –ve reading across the grid and ve reading down.
2 One of Marge Simpson’s older twin sisters
6 Young Master Malfoy, a pureblood wizard
7 A kid’s book: – Bear, – Bear, What Do You See?
3 Mr Dahl, children’s author of clue No. 1
4 This Claude is a shark in Jill Newton’s book
8 This girl sat down at the Mad Hatter’s tea party
1. Who did Hany replace in the role of Pierce Greyson when he joined Neighbours in 2020?
A. Ryan Moloney
B. Tim Robards
C. John Turner
D. Stefan Dennis
2. Which member of boy band One Direction does his East West 101 character share a name with?
A. Harry Styles
B. Liam Payne
C. Louis Tomlinson
D. Zayn Malik
3. In which ’90s Aussie drama did he make his acting debut?
A. Heartbreak High
B. Paci c Drive
C. Breakers
D. Echo Point
4. For which show did Hany win Most Outstanding Actor at the 2010 Logie Awards?
A. O spring
B. East West 101
C. Tangle
D. Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
= 17
3
42 + +
= 15 =
= 252 +
–× × ÷
× × × ×
= 16 +
2 9 7 1
8 4 5
6
CROSS MATH 5X5
15 42 B L A R E O A S I S A C I D S S E D G E T R E Y S WORDFILL
19.4.1935
Passed away peacefully at John Flynn Hospital, Tugun, with his loving family by his side, aged 87 years, late of Alstonville formerly of Casino.
Dearly Loved husband of Pat (Dec’d). Adored father and father-in-law of Margaret & Tony Fry, Grant & Rachel Cooper, and Alison & Richard Willoughby. Cherished Fafa, Grandfather and Papa to his grandchildren; Annabelle, Daniel, Dominique & Phil, Odette & Ricky, Genevieve & Cameron; Amelia, Eliza, and Gabe; Sam, Megan, Becky, Elise, Latika, Nacarlia and Koori-Lee. Great Grandfather to Bianca, Logan, Audrey, Hugo, and Matilda. Loved brother & brother in-law of Pat & Richard Holborow. Loved by the extended Cooper and Bell families.
Family and friends are invited to attend the Requiem Mass for the Repose of the Soul for John, to be held at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, Main St Alstonville, Monday 13th March 2023, commencing at 10:00am.
ose unable to join with the family may do so via livestream link: https://streaming.naoca.com.au/e/ec5eead1-eb60-4d159325-a58a167d4c8a?pin=7271
You are further invited to join with the family at Casino Lawn Cemetery, Reynolds Road, Casino at 2:00pm for the Committal Service
01.11.63 – 06.03.23
Aged 59 Years
Passed away peacefully a er a long illness
Loved son of Elizabeth, (dec) & Jack (dec)
Loved brother of Alan (dec) John (dec) and Darryl (dec) Remembering the ‘good times’ – his daughtersJade and Erin
“Good night sweet Prince
May ights of angels
Sing thee to thy rest”
Relatives and Friends are invited to attend Brett’s funeral service, to be held at St Carthage’s Cathedral Lismore, 8 Leycester Street Lismore NSW 2480 on Monday, 20th of March 2023 commencing at 11.30am. Live stream service can be watched from the below site. https://www.funerallivestreamingnorthernrivers.com/ to access enter the password – funeral
Jarrett, Margaret 22.11.1934 – 01.03.2023
Margaret Blanche Jarrett, Late of East Lismore
Passed away peacefully on Wednesday the 1st of March, aged 88 years.
Dearly loved Wife of Cecil (dec.)
Much loved Mother Peter, Terry and Desi. Step-Mum to Bruce, Julie and Stephen.
Cherished Grandmother and Great-grandmother to all her Grandchildren and Great-grandchildren.
Family and friends are warmly invited to attend Margaret’s Funeral service to be held at St Andrews Anglican Church, 10 Zadoc Street Lismore on ursday 09 March 2023, commencing at 10.00am. A er the service a cortege will leave for the Lismore Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
This page is dedicated to all those that have passed
Public Notice
The Northern Rivers Times is the largest regional newpaper in the Northern Rivers, NSW. We require a seasoned journalist to cover Casino, Lismore, Kyogle & surrounding areas
ESSENTIAL
• Proven skill in news gathering, research and analysis
• Strong news & community interest writing skills
• Examples of well balanced accurate reporting
• Ability to develop & maintain community contacts
• Can deliver under pressure to daily deadlines
• Initiative & strong work ethic
• Basic photography skills
• Valid drivers licence
Position Vacant
e Board of Mullumbimby Showground is seeking an experienced Manager to:
e contract is for 28 hours per week.
Applications close at midday on ursday 23 March, 2023.
For full position description and details of how to apply, please visit: https://www.mullumbimbyshowground.org.au/apply
Friday 17th March 2023
Breeds Sale
Hereford, Murray Grey, Angus & Angus x 2000 HEAD
Weaners
Comprising:
1200 Hereford Weaner Steers
100 Hereford Weaner Heifers
Feature Draft A/c:
A/c JW & M Smith, Woodenbong, EU Acc 300 Hereford Weaner Steers (Dehorned) 50 Hereford Weaner Heifers 100 Hereford Weaner Steers (Dehorned) A/c Townview Partnership Urbenville, EU Acc 200 Hereford Weaner Steers (Dehorned) A A/c D & S Summers, Culmaran Creek, EU Acc
Hereford Weaner Steers
A/c P & M McKey, Woodenbong
Hereford Weaner Steers
Hereford Weaner Heifers
50 Hereford Weaner Steers
40 Hereford Weaner Steers 12-16 m/o
A A/c McPherson Herefords, Old Koreelah, EU Acc
60 Hereford Weaner Steers
25 Hereford Weaner Heifers
A/c Franco Herefords Woodview EU Acc
50 Hereford Weaner Steers
30 Hereford Weaner Heifers
6 0 0 A n g u s & M u r r a y
Comprising:
300 Angus & Angus X Weaner Steers
100 Black Baldy Weaner Steers
150 Angus & Angus X Weaner Heifers
50 Black Baldy Weaner Heifers
30 Murray Grey X Weaner Steers
20 Shorthorn X Weaner Steers
10 Shorthorn X Weaner Heifers
Feature Draft A/c:
A/c G & M Quinn, Murwillumbah, EU Acc
60 Angus Weaner Steers
30 Angus Weaner Heifers
A/c S & C Kennedy, Cudgen, EU Acc
60 Angus Weaner Steers
30 Angus Weaner Heifers
A
• New & replacement metal roofs
• Painting of tile and metal roofs
• Roof repairs: tile and metal
• Guttering: whirly birds: mesh
• Emergency/insurance repairs
Phone office on 66811793 enquiries@rooftechroofing.com.au
2/32 Southern Cross Drive, Ballina Lic 303299C and 301815C www.rooftechroofing.com.au
INSURANCE - COMMERCIAL STRATA - RESIDENTIAL
www.byronsensortech.com.au
Tree Services
Low rates, friendly service
Low rates, friendly service
Low rates, friendly service
EXPERIENCED, FULLY INSURED, ALL SIZE JOBS
• Lopping
• Felling
EXPERIENCED, FULLY INSURED, ALL SIZE JOBS For a free quote & advice
Chipping
• Wood Chipping
• Cherry Picker
FULLY INSURED, ALL SIZE JOBS
For a free quote & advice
For a free quote and advice contact NOEL
P 6688 6136
For a free quote & advice
P 6688 6136
M 0427 886 136
Grinding Removal
• Stump Grinding
P 6688 6136 M 0427 886 136
M 0427 886 136
Email: northernriverstreeservice@gmail.com
Email: northernriverstreeservice@gmail.com
The Channon covering all areas of the North Coast
Email: northernriverstreeservice@gmail.com
The Channon covering all areas of the North Coast
The Channon covering all areas of the North Coast
•
•
•
Warnings
See www.bom.gov.au/australia/warnings
Northern Rivers District:
Partly cloudy. Slight (20%) chance of a shower. The chance of a storm. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light during the evening.
Thursday. Partly cloudy. Slight (20%) chance of a shower near the Queensland border. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening.
Northern Tablelands District:
Partly cloudy. Slight (20%) chance of a shower, most likely in the afternoon. The chance of a storm in the morning and afternoon. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h tending west to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the morning.
Thursday. Mostly sunny. Winds westerly 15 to 25 km/h shifting east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon.
New South Wales:
A shower or two about western slopes of the southern ranges. The chance of a shower or storm in the northeast corner. Fine and mostly sunny elsewhere. Daytime temperatures above average in the northeast, and below average elsewhere, most notably over the southern inland. Northeast to northwesterly winds in the northeast corner. Northwest to southwesterly winds elsewhere, fresh and gusty in the south and east. Thursday. Fine apart from the chance of a shower in the northeast corner. Mostly sunny. Daytime temperatures above average in the northeast, and below average elsewhere, most notably over the southern inland. South to southwesterly winds, tending southeasterly along the coast later.
Byron Coast:
Winds: Northerly 20 to 30 knots turning northwesterly 15 to 20 knots during the morning. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: East to northeasterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore south of Coffs Harbour during the morning.
Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a storm.
Coffs Coast:
Winds: Northerly 20 to 30 knots turning northwesterly 15 to 20 knots during the morning. Seas: 1.5 to 2.5 metres. Swell: East to northeasterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore south of Coffs Harbour during the morning.
Weather: Partly cloudy. The chance of a storm.
Gold Coast Waters:
Winds: Northerly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Easterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore. Weather: Partly cloudy.
