The Northern Rivers Times
4
February 1, 2024!!!
NEWS Richmond Valley Australia Day 2024 Celebrates Community Excellence
MP backs “Stop the Fill” petition By Tim Howard
L to R: Member for Clarence Richie Williamson, Mayor Robert Mustow, with Winners of RVC Australia Day awards 2024
Richmond Valley Council proudly honoured seven outstanding individuals during its Australia Day festivities at the Casino Drill Hall Precinct today. Each year, as part of the Australian of the Year Awards, our nation celebrates the remarkable achievements and contributions of Australians. These inspiring individuals not only motivate us through their accomplishments but also encourage us to play our part in shaping a better Australia, and indeed, a better Richmond Valley. The commendable efforts of these awardees in excelling in sports, volunteering, leadership, education, and community inspiration deserve recognition. All nominations underwent thorough evaluation by an Australia Day selection panel comprised of five esteemed members of the Richmond Valley community. Today, Mayor Robert Mustow and Member for Clarence Richie Williamson had the
honour of presenting the awards. Citizen Of The Year: Lillian Colless Lillian embodies an unwavering community spirit and boundless energy, inspiring all those around her. With decades of dedicated volunteerism, Lillian is a cornerstone of the Richmond Valley. Whether she’s embarking on a daily 20-kilometer bike ride or devoting herself to the Evans Head Living Museum, which she helped establish, her commitment to strengthening community ties is evident. Shaped by a life spent predominantly at sea, Lillian’s ethos of mutual care and support resonates in all her endeavours. Her leadership and ingenuity have enriched countless lives in our community, notably through her meticulous curation of museum exhibits and her coordination of significant events like the 70th Anniversary WW2 RAAF celebrations in 2009, which brought together thousands of people from near and far.
The other deserving recipients include: • Young Citizen Of The Year: Abbie Yourell • Volunteer Of The Year: Maree Donaldson • Young Volunteer of the Year: Elaina Underhill • Sportsperson of the Year: Anthony McAteer • Young Sportsperson of the Year: Elle Hannigan • Local Hero Award: Isabelle Miller To learn more about each winner, click on their photo in the album. Richmond Valley Council takes immense pride in acknowledging the invaluable contributions of these awardees and all our nominees. Additionally, we welcomed nine new Australian citizens to the Richmond Valley as part of the ceremony. The Drill Hall Precinct buzzed with activity, offering live entertainment, markets, and delicious food. Despite the heat, a vibrant crowd gathered to celebrate the day’s festivities.
Yamba residents urging regulators to change laws that allow developers to pile fill into housing sites on local flood plains, have received backing from a NSW Parliamentarian. Greens MP Sue Higginson has gone into bat for residents who have petitioned the government to have planning laws altered to better control developments at 52-54 Miles Street and 120 Carrs Drive Yamba The Yamba Community Action Group’s petition said both developments create problems for nearby residents. Yamba CAN secretary Lynne Cairns said the NSW planning system needs to urgently change to prohibit ongoing filling of all floodplains up and down the East Coast of NSW. “The current approved developments on the Yamba floodplain resulted in water diversion into existing residents’ properties and homes in February/ March 2022,” she said. “Yamba’s stormwater drainage system requires thorough investigation and upgrading as it was unable to cope, causing flooding.” Yamba CAN said the Clarence Valley Council’s Flood Model 2022 and Proposed Interim Flood Planning Levels required scrutiny. Ms Cairns said there were concerns about its the adequacy of measures it proposed to achieve the safe occupation and, when required, an effective emergency plan for the efficient evacuation of
Greens MP Sue Higginson said planning laws need to change to halt development on flood plains.
all residents to ensure there is no risk to life. Ms Higginson said the petition raised legitimate concerns. “This is gutsy and urgent community organising,” Ms Higginson said. “Tearing down bushland and filling and burying complex wetland ecosystems is criminal in the face of the catastrophic impacts of climate change. “The community is rightly concerned that developers are taking advantage of our broken planning laws so that they can make a profit.” Ms HIgginson said the continued approval of these developments flies in the face of recent history in the area. “To make matters worse this is development for housing, it is incomprehensible that after the floods we have been through in the Northern Rivers we could even contemplate putting more people in homes on these extremely low lying floodplains,” she said. “It is dangerous and will have harmful impacts on people, property and the natural environment.”
Ms Cairns said possibility of dredging Oyster Channel, on outskirts of Yamba to obtain the fill was also concerning. “This is of great concern, potentially adversely impacting aquatic species and aquatic vegetation and can disrupt riverbed habitats, food and shelter for marine life,” Ms Cairns said. “Yamba CAN Inc requests that if the applicants intend making application to dredge Oyster Channel to fill each of these developments that these documents are provided to council to be assessed and also be provided on exhibition to the community prior to approval of these developments.” Ms Higginson, said the planning system needed to change to ensure community and environmental requirements were recognised. “Our planning system is currently not fit for purpose and it is putting developers’ profits above local communities, their safety and our fragile coastal environments,” she said. “We need to have a scientific, long term and strategic approach to land use on floodplains and at the moment in Yamba it is the community leading this charge calling to rezone this land for community recreation and biodiversity conservation. “We now need the Minns Government to take the reins and stop these dangerous developments.”
Seniors Festival Local Achievement Awards Nominations close Feb 23
ct conta fice f o y m ion t a n i m for no ms for
Janelle Saffin MP MEMBER FOR LISMORE
02 6621 3624 lismore@parliament.nsw.gov.au Authorised by Janelle Saffin MP. Funded using Parliamentary entitlements
