Purple tsunami to help domestic victims

By Samantha Elley

A purple wave is coming!

This is the beginning of a tsunami of awareness and hopefully, providing the right support for victims and offenders of domestic violence, according to Rotary Governor for Northern NSW and South East Queensland, Dave Harmon.

Ballina-on-Richmond Rotary Club is leading an Australia-wide campaign against Domestic and Family Violence, which started on November 25 and will continue to December 10.

The National Day of Action to say ‘No’ to Domestic and Family Violence, will take place on December 1, is not only happening in Ballina, but right across Australia.

“The five rotary districts of NSW have partnered with NSW police to highlight the increasing issue,” said Mr Harmon.

“The aim (is) to advocate against domestic and family violence and educate our community about respectful relationships.”

Mr Harmon has seen his proposal of fighting domestic violence, put to the Rotary districts, accepted and prioritised.

“This means that 16 countries, 30,000 rotarians and 1300 Rotary clubs will put fighting domestic violence as a priority,” he said.

“I am over the moon, as on December 1 the CBDs of Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin will be closed for their walks against domestic violence.

“This is the start.”

Partnering with NSW

Police has strengthened the campaign considerably, according to Mr Harmon, as often police are on the front line of experiencing the after-effects of domestic violence.

Superintendent Scott Tanner of Ballina Police confirmed it is a major issue.

“Sixty to 40 per cent of our callouts are in response to domestic violence,” he said.

“We see it from the verbal arguments to the darker cases of homicide.

“We are members of the community and we are husbands, wives,

Diary of a Flood Survivor

Some of the items we were able to save from our submerged house were the photos hanging on the walls.

Those that were upstairs were above the metre of water that came up to the second level.

We had put them in storage as we aired the house and renovated it back to a liveable standard.

The photos on the walls downstairs were part of my family history display, those with sepia tones of ancestors long gone.

They were the ones we had rescued the day before and carted upstairs, not realising how high the water would come.

I often tell the story of how I had placed a tub of these photos on the bedroom floor.

Just before I left the house, I looked at them and at the last minute placed them on the bed. That action was probably the one thing that saved some very precious, irreplaceable photos from being lost forever. parents and children and it affects us.”

There were other photos not so lucky, but that is what we have to live with.

One particular print that made the cut was given to me after my grandmother died and we had hung it in the toilet room.

I think it was best there because it was a painting you could contemplate.

It’s entitled The Angelus by Jean Francois Millet which shows two peasants bowing in a field over a basket of potatoes and praying.

My hubby said it has always made him aware of being thankful for everything in our lives.

On the weekend I put the print back up on the wall, with a renewed feeling of thankfulness.

Firstly, that it survived the flood and secondly, how much we have to be grateful for as our lives come back to normal since February 2022.

Little steps.

Supt Tanner even advised on the way to talk to The Northern Rivers Times, he had a call of a domestic dispute called in by a neighbour.

“We hope to raise awareness, so the people involved can get the help they need,” he said.

“We want to end the silence and stop the violence.”

Supt Tanner said many victims of domestic violence find it difficult to escape their situations.

“There could be some form of coercive control, financial or emotional dependence, cultural or language barriers and even shame,” he said.

“Campaigns like this one is to let them know there is help.”

With the death of 58 women last year from domestic violence, both Mr Harmon and Supt Tanner are adamant that all people need to take action against domestic violence.

“When statistically, a woman is at more risk of serious injury by someone known to her in her own homme than by a stranger on the street, we have to admit we have a serious societal problem,” said Mr Harmon.

Supt Tanner encourages anyone suffering from domestic violence to reach out to their local police station for help.

“We can provide access to support services to provide financial, emotional and residential support,” he said.

“For men (or women) who are worried they will offend, they can also contact us and we can put them in touch with men’s help lines or they can ring 1800 RESPECT.

“For anyone who witnesses what they believe is domestic violence, they can also contact us or ring Crime Stoppers on 1300 333 000. All calls are anonymous.”

Come and join Ballinaon-Richmond Rotary Club and NSW Police on December 1 and have your say on raising awareness to eradicate domestic and family violence.

Assemble at Las Balsas Plaza carpark for a 12.30pm start.

Dr Hannah Tonkin, Women’s Safety Commissioner, will be one of the guest speakers of the day.

Tenterfield Shire Council wins statewide Crown Land Award

Member for Lismore

Janelle Saffin has congratulated Tenterfield Shire Council for winning the Council Crown Land Management Excellence Award at the 2023 Community Achievements Awards held in Sydney over the weekend.

Tenterfield Shire Council won the award for the transformation of its two-hectare Power House Reserve into a dynamic Youth Precinct.

Ms Saffin commended Tenterfield Shire Council for its visionary decision to build an outdoor recreational, social and cultural space that everyone can enjoy, especially the young people.

“Tenterfield Shire Council has listened to its youth and created a precinct with exciting activities to encourage people to go outside and build social connections that can last a lifetime.

“The new outdoor space which opened earlier this year has a vast array of exciting activities, including a skatepark, mountain bike skills track, a yarning circle and accessible pathways.

“The precinct is nestled in the heart of Tenterfield, and it has not only enlivened the town’s spirit but also fostered a greater sense of identity and community

“I congratulate the Council for taking out this prestigious statewide award and for its hard work in bringing this outdoor space to life.

“I know Mayor Bronwyn Petrie is thrilled with the result, because she texted me on Saturday night: We Won!

The NSW Government through Crown Lands sponsored the Council Crown Land Management Excellence Award which recognises outstanding contributions by local councils in managing Crown land reserves for their communities.

Minister for Lands and Property, Steve Kamper, said Tenterfield Shire Council has led the way in turning Crown reserve into a fun and thriving entertainment hub that has something for everyone.

“This project took a lot of hard work and extensive community collaboration, resulting in an incredible, dynamic space that will help Tenterfield’s community thrive and grow for many years to come. I congratulate Tenterfield Shire Council and the other finalists for their commitment to their communities.