The Northern Rivers Times
November 23, 2023
18 NEWS
“Leemo has views on just about anything”
‘MUM JANE’S ABSURD APOLOGY’
‘Just envisage what a most ‘Self-Satisfied Smug Look’ on the face of a Feline resembles? WELL, I’ve got one on MY FACE right now! Bliss! (‘Leemo Cat here!) ‘MUM JANE’ has had to apologise to ME. Oooh, it was just SO splendiferously gratifying. Her wrinkled countenance was kinda contorted & confused, like she was going to do a huge smelly fluff. (GROSS!!) I’ll explain how this whole shebang came to pass. Well, some days ago Mum couldn’t find her ‘favourite’ spectacles; the ones she uses for driving our car and seeing far distances & stuff. Naturally, the first assumption made by the silly old woman is that ‘I, Leemo’ had hidden them. So, the ‘Voice’ started up with an undertone of evil old lady menace. ‘Leemo, find my glasses immediately; I know your bad habits. When I’m out, you knock things off side tables & push them around our house until you find a hidey spot and then push them out of sight completely never to been seen again until Robovac runs into them, stops working and tells me loudly to move and reset him if he is to finish his chores. So, Leems, get moving, ‘cos I don’t want Robovac damaging my glasses. GOTTIT? Hmmm, I’m assuredly going to defend this atrocious accusation. ‘Mum, you just wait up a bit here!! Sure, I MAY at times, by accidental but ‘good intent’ push pencils & pens & TV remotes & pencil
sharpeners & combs & watches & paper & other stuff out of sight, BUT IT’S YOUR FAULT for not placing them in their correct spot in the first place; I’m simply helping in making things tidy like YOU’RE always doing. (Which is enough to drive a cat to drink!) I DID NOT move your poxy glasses and I swear, on the soul of Egypt’s greatest feline goddess “Bastet” that I am telling the truth. So there, “YOUR CRABBINESS” suck it up and extend me a gracious apology with treats & a double brush of my glossy fur.’ Well, Goodness Gracious Me, a ‘stunned mullet’ took over her face & she stomped off toward our kitchen whilst muttering what I think were bad words. (BUT WAIT, the best is to come!) She sat on the floor, and rummaged around in our saucepan cupboard making a dreadful racket; BUT THEN, everything went deathly quiet. Nothing stirred, not even a mouse. (Drat..it’s been a long time between mousies!!) I ventured into ‘peering view’ and noted she was holding her silly glasses in her hand with a dumbfounded expression on her face. Whoohoo!! NOW, she has to apologise to me big time. I went closer and stared at her with a beguiling & expectant look and waited, waited, waited. I noted she looked quite uncomfortable and avoided my eyes, struggled up from the floor and addressed me with a red face. ‘Ummmm, errrr, well, hmmm Leems, (and then said…can you believe this?!) “I apologise for not doing a better job at pretending to listen to you. You need to appreciate that I am carrying ‘childhood’ memories. As the middle child of 8, I was always blamed by my siblings for misbehaviours whether I did it or not. I still hear the words ‘JANE DID IT’ when there was strife.’ OMG. If she thinks I’m falling for her absurd apology & that other nonsense she’s WRONG! Whoohoo, I won THIS round! Nitey with happy frisks, Leemo.
Enhanced Support Amplifies Impact of Rural Landholder Initiative
A demonstration of environmental weed control techniques during an RLI Field Day in Jiggi.
Lismore City Council is expanding its Rural Landholder Initiative (RLI), a successful program supporting 218 restoration projects aimed at protecting the region’s biodiversity. The RLI, established in 2015, has been instrumental in funding various projects to enhance rural land quality and sustainability in the region. In the latest iteration, successful applicants will receive more substantial grants over an extended period, recognizing the time and effort invested in each project. Over the past eight years, the initiative has achieved notable milestones, including the planting of 56,000 trees, restoring 360 hectares of bushland, and installing 17 kilometres of habitat and riparian fencing. The program collaborates with environmental
champions, Landcare, and other community groups to engage and educate the public. The revamped RLI offers individual landholders grants of up to $15,000 over three years, an increase from $7,500 over two years. Additionally, starting next year, community Landcare groups, industry entities, and other incorporated groups dedicated to improving natural habitat can apply for a $50,000 grant over three years. David Dreher, Council’s Environmental Strategies Officer, highlighted that these changes leverage lessons learned over the years. The adjustment includes shifting the annual grant cycle to every two years, enabling the focus on other opportunities in alternate years. This modification also allows
industry, community, and other groups to apply for funding during these alternate years. Dreher emphasized that the changes provide successful applicants with more options and enhance the quality of environmental projects. The increased funding and extended project timelines allow for better stabilization of sites before moving on to the next implementation stage. Expressions of Interest for the RLI are currently open, with a closing date of December 18, 2023. Applicants are encouraged to review the RLI Policies and Guidelines before submitting their applications online. The program aims to continue its success in promoting environmental conservation and community engagement.
For additional information, applicants can visit the official website (https:// www.lismore.nsw. gov.au/Community/ Environmentalstrategies/RuralLandholders-Initiative) and participate in planning field day events. A community workshop, ‘Realising the Dream: Project Planning for Bush Restoration,’ is scheduled for Saturday, November 18, offering practical advice on bush regeneration, site planning, and exploring restored forests. For further inquiries and updates, interested parties can contact the Council’s Rural Landholder Initiative projects officer at environmental. strategies@lismore.nsw. gov.au or phone 02 6625 0500.
TENTERFIELD SHIRE COUNCIL PLACES A SPECIAL RATE VARIATION FOR 2024/25 ON HOLD On Wednesday 15th November at a Special Council Meeting Tenterfield Shire Council considered a report to seek a second Special Rate Variation as per its original direction made in 2022/23. Tenterfield Shire received approval from IPART in 2023 to increase its rates by 43% to allow it to carry out road improvements, building maintenance and upgrades to parks
and recreational areas. Councils’ original application was for two 43% increases, in each 2023/24 and 2024/25. IPART only allowed one year. This required Council to seek a further increase. The Tenterfield Mayor Councillor Bronwyn Petrie said, “Council considered the advice of staff who prepared the 2024/25 application to IPART, and this advice allowed the Council to
review the current cost of living pressures, the long term seasonal outlook, commodity pricing and the impacts from recent disaster events across the Tenterfield Shire area”. The Councillors also discussed a need to allow its Interim General Manager time to review the long-term financial position, staffing levels, Councils future expenditure and the service levels that may be delivered. Council
also considered a very recent report by IPART to review rates across NSW. “Tenterfield Shire Council will need to review the need for a Special Rate Variation in the 2025/26 financial year as we recognise that Council must increase its own source funding to help it deliver services and to undertake road improvements”, Mayor Petrie advised.
