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Letters
LETTERS, FEEDBACK AND OPINION
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letters@nrtimes.com.au
Please keep under 250 words & include address and phone number This material from the originating organization/ author(s) may be of a pointin-time nature, edited for clarity, style and length. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s).
FAILURE TO PROTECT
Our government has one overarching duty: to protect our population. The last years have shown Scott Morrison, Barnaby Joyce, Dominic Perrottet and Kevin Hogan failing again and again to adequately protect us in our hours of need, instead leaving the dangerous and essential work of keeping us alive and protected to unpaid volunteers and independent community services.
They have been ignoring warnings of scientists, high-ranking emergency services leaders, doctors, nurses and even defencepersonnel to better prepare our exposed, sun-burnt country for the increasing toll of ever-worsening natural disasters, be that bush climate, health, and safe housing projects have been dismantled, defunded and their recommendations buried to avoid discussing the hot topics, including climate change, hospital funding and housing affordability, instead focusing on supporting ongoing privately owned billion-dollar fossil fuel mining projects to worsen our already to climate change as the world’s largest coalexporter.
It’s time.
Dr Ulf Steinvorth
Dunoon
COALITION ATTACKS ABC
It really makes one’s day to know that when one aims at a certain target, one hits that target dead centre. Oh, the desperate squeals of the extreme right are becoming more shrill and deafening by the day. These infantile ramblings of the ridiculous right do not even warrant a berated by these poor misguided soles is like being lectured on quantum physics by Fred Flintstone.
And there’s more bad news for the rightist anti their constant bleating taxpayer funding. Upon coming to Govt., the Labor Party has pledged to restore punitive and to protect both the any future ideological cuts and any political interference by granting the public broadcasters cycles. Australia Institute found that a majority of two to one want the $84 million cut in the last three years restored. A massive 61% of respondents also agreed that a strong critical to a healthy democracy with only 19% disagreeing.
There have been $526m in cuts to the 2014, with an ongoing reduction to base funding of $106m per year by told Senate estimates. In a world of right-wing misinformation and outright lies Australians are relying now more than ever on honest and quality news reporting, emergency broadcasting and great documentaries that tell Australian stories.
In the unlikely event elected, they will double down on what Tony Abbott set in motion when he blatantly and infamously lied about no or SBS. that immediately occurred under his Govt. in the 2014 budget.
Keith Duncan
Pimlico
FLOODS, FIRE, RESCUE
After such catastrophic that maybe government could supply the SES with army ducks that could get around in such drastic situations rather than Joe public in tinnies who done a fabulous job regardless. Just a thought Alan Mosley Yamba
LETTER OF THE WEEK
PUTIN
There are two honorable things he can now do. I leave it to the Pimlico and Yamba scribes to full your pages with their rhetoric in response, BUT, please leave space for others with their own opinions.
Peter WALTERS
Ballina
LESSONS FROM HISTORY
No one who lived in England in the 1930’s, or who has since then considered the sequence of events that led to in 1939, would fail to recognise a similar pattern evolving in Europe today.
Both dramas began with an autocratic leader of a country smarting from the loss of a former empire, launching an unprovoked attack on its neighbor while the rest of the world considered that their interests would best be served by maintaining trading links instead of getting involved in the problems of other countries. In place of Germany you can today substitute Hitler, and the Ukraine in In both cases we have a once imperial power recapturing lost territory and, to do so, developing high-tech weapons to also have our Neville
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think it best to sit back hoping it will sort it itself out. It was referred to then as “appeasement”.
More frightening still the position occupied by Japan in 1939 has more powerful nation, for territorial expansion throughout its sphere our trade links with this nation are too important for us to risk losing them!
I was a child during and a British soldier after it (stationed at one time alongside the concentration camp at Belsen). I was too old for Vietnam, but I remember a song from then which will echo down the ages: “They’ve gone to graveyards everyone learn?“
Rev’d Dr. John Tyman
Murwillumbah
MONEY FOR VOTES
The liberal national party are as desperate as throwing round money like confetti to get themselves re-elected especially in Queensland where they won last time. The only thing Queenslanders must understand it was the Labor state government that protected them from covid 19 had they had a liberal state government they would have been even more overwhelmed with covid. It was also us through the global the liberal national party were nowhere to be scene till after the rain and emergency was over let’s hope Queenslanders can see the forest for the trees this time and realise their far better to off under a labour federal government and and manufacturing and infrastructure in projects in line with the state labour government time for change and a united Australia again division
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LETTERS AND OPINION
between states must stop and it starts by getting rid of the liberal national party at the next election. Alan Mosley Yamba
RENT TO BUY AND KIBBUTZ’S
It’s about time with the housing crises Australia wide that rent to buy should be put on the table especially for those in housing commission places that would then enable money from that to go to more housing stock being built.
Furthermore, the idea of kibbutz’s might be a great idea to create at least in the short term a way of getting people both food and housing while creating wealth through sales of food through farmers markets.
In addition. People should only be allowed houses or units then anymore houses they own should be put out to low-income earners where the owner landlord could get a tax break of two or three thousand dollars but not negatively geared thus balancing out whether or not owner may want units thus selling their excess stock putting more houses and units back on the market. Alan Mosley Yamba
STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE
This article (https://www. theguardian.com/.../ states, “State Emergency Service units in some areas in northern New South Wales had warned the closure of regional reduce their ability to respond to natural disasters…a restructure which was blamed on NSW government budget cuts”.
In November 2020, SES units in the Northern Rivers warned that the restructure threatened the future of the service. Now we see the results.
It’s hard to understand why a government would cut funding to essential, emergency services. For the Liberal/National government to do this Lismore is shocking.
This government is spending billions on expensive roads and tunnels in Sydney while in the Northern Rivers many people have nowhere to live. Some communities are still cut off after 3 weeks because of landslips and road damage.
For decades now political thinking in the major parties has moved away from providing great public services community. Instead, they support big companies to general public.
We need to vote for people who will look after everyone. The last few weeks in Lismore have shown just how much our community cares about that.
Thank you, Beth Shelley Booerie Creek
SWAMP HOUSING NORTHERN RIVERS
It’s sad to hear that west Byron da has been approved by the land and environment court basically a liberal national party lacky and not independent when you hear all the objections about it the same as Yamba and Carr’s drive and park avenue which has been deferred because same as Chinderah the state government must make it law you can’t or built it up with soil. All of Byron including the same way Yamba the water can’t escape so gets pushed into other areas that are low lying like the industrial estate and sunrise in Byron Bay and Yamba Road and surrounding streets which is basically all of Yamba that not in town on the Hill. And towards Kingscliff it’s insanity and its greed and not to mention wildlife loss we must eradicate the redneck liberal national party at the next election and have all these da thrown out. So, we can deal with climate change and reforest these dams. Alan Mosley Yamba
POLITICAL FRINGES
NRT readers would be all too familiar with the usual suspects who submit passionate even venomous letters in support of their extreme political views.
So ‘Scotty from the loony left and ‘each way Albo’ is equally denigrated by the ratbag right.
The good news for NRT readers is that idealogues from the political fringe have very little to do with election outcomes and such will be the case this time around.
As ever this election will be decided by the almost apolitical good folk from the centre of the political spectrum.
Both Scomo and Albo know they are in with a chance should they sway the uncommitted to their cause.
This is one of the treasured aspects of democracy - some votes do count more than others! Ted Strong Seelands
A LETTER “TOO FAR”
Dear Editor,
I appreciate reading your “letters” and have noticed that G Macdonald is a regular correspondent who adds dissension amongst the readers.
I believe he went too far in his rant of the 17th March when he called the devasted residents of Lismore as a “lefty green rent a crowd”.
Presumeably this was because they demonstrated to get the PM’s attention to their plight.
If G. Macdonald can recall the federal governments reaction to Cyclone Tracy’s devastation in 1974, the governments reaction to Lismore being destroyed was a lot less. There was no evacuation of the homeless, no creation of a federally resposible agency to start rebuilding etc. As the mayor of Lismore said, it was not a catastrophe.
I will no longer bother to read G Macdonald of Pimlico’s letters as I realize they are a waste of space in your newspaper. M. Nichols Ulmarra
WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTY
Just a thought be why don’t women start their own political party they’re always saying there’s not enough women in parliament so if they had their own party, they would have plenty.
Furthermore, they would garner nearly 100 percent of the vote from women across the country. And be a force against the liberal labour and green domination of politics basically replacing the democrats. Alan Mosley Yamba
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CONSIDERATION – THE STAR OF THOUGHT by Nigel Dawe
In life, over the long haul, you see many different things undertaken for many different reasons - but it’s the actions prompted by consideration, that rise to the top in terms of things you’ll ever see.
Relatedly, the word ‘consideration’ stems from an old Latin term that broadly meant ‘to observe and contemplate’; mysteriously hidden within this concept’s explanation linage is also the ancient root term for ‘star’, denoting the act of staring up at the night sky in awe.
Little wonder, the headstone of one of the thinkers, Immanuel Kant reads: “Two ever new and increasing admiration and awe… the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.”
English is a funny language, or perhaps I’m just a funny user of the world’s most broadly applied means to make ourselves known. As such, I remember thinking as a child how strange adding one simple ‘in’ to the front of a word turns that word into its opposite, i.e. ‘inconsiderate’, ‘inability’, ‘insensitive’; a shame when we say: “I am in debt”, that the same rule doesn’t apply!
The Ancient Greek philosopher Plato, once noted: “The love of learning is more than just a mere pretence”, in a similar vein: a deep regard for consideration, and incorporating this quality into your behavioural repertoire, is more than just a mere The American civil rights activist, Marian Wright Edelman once reinforced: “Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree.”
Consideration is one thing, but being considerate at the right time, perhaps when the odds are stacked – is quite another. I remember reading Oscar Wilde’s ‘De Profundis’ and he explained whilst being led amidst jeers from the courtroom (that condemned him to two of his friends doffed his hat in respect to him as he walked past, and how it was the most touching gesture he’d ever received.
On any given day, you so often see the ‘cheap shot’ unleashed between people, which is just the feeble-rant offshoot of consideration. They are observations made and then expressed that have an abject lack of decency and social grace, and scream inadequacy or threat of some kind in the mind of the person who makes these ‘worthless’ comments that simply aim to demean or offend.
The considerate person makes their way through the world like a gentle interactional of decency and regard, thoughtful harbingers that help to raise life to a level of being supremely worthwhile. There is a natural air or default certainty to consideration that can’t be feigned, as Robert Brault once suggested: “Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true.”
Relatedly, as if he were re-drafting the 10 commandments in a modern guise, Earl Nightingale once formulated the notion: “Our rewards in life will always be in exact proportion to the amount of consideration we show toward others.”
Primex: “We’re here for farmers and our community after flood disaster”
One of the country’s most comprehensive agricultural trade field days is offering much-needed flood relief and support for farmers and the community.
Norco Primex director Bruce Wright was heartbroken to see the devastation caused by floods across the Northern Rivers and parts of Queensland, and said Primex was ready to help with the rebuild.
Primex has provided an ‘open gate’ policy at its venue in Casino, in Northern NSW, with Local Land Services offering an emergency fodder distribution centre, a helicopter drop service and base, support for animals and livestock, and a veterinary hospital. Recovery agencies are also using the grounds.
“This flood disaster has had an extensive effect on our region but has further strengthened our resolve and determination to stage the best possible event,” Mr Wright said.
“By making sure that Primex goes ahead this year, we can create access to products and services that are critically needed at this time.
“There are hundreds of businesses, family operations and organisations in our region which rely on Primex as a means of building their own business, especially as they now look to kick-start their recovery. We are determined to make the event a success for them and our community.”
Norco Primex 2022 has already filled 70 per cent of exhibitor spots and is on track to be the largest Primex in several years. Primex aims to achieve close to 400 exhibitors and an anticipated 30,000 visitors over the three days. It will be held from May 19-21.
Vital partnerships build pathway to success
Mr Wright said Primex’s strong relationships with its partners and exhibitors had been a key factor to its success since 1985.
“We are now very pleased to confirm we have signed a new and exciting partnership arrangement with long-term Primex partner, Norco,” he said.
“This reaffirms one of the longest partnership any field days event in Australia has had, meaning Norco Primex will continue through to the event’s 40th anniversary celebrations in 2024.”
The event’s iconic presence in the region has also led to a new partnership with North Coast Local Land Services.
Another important partnership is with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, with Primex now incorporating the former Lismore Outdoor Leisure Show, highlighting the latest equipment in caravan camping, outdoor recreation, and lifestyle.
Temporary closures at Scenic Drive for geotechnical testing
Geotechnical assessments of 2 sections of Scenic Drive damaged by major landslips will determine short and long term remedial solutions for the roadway.
Council’s Manager Roads and Stormwater Danny Rose said the geotechnical investigations were an essential first step in designing permanent repairs for the road and enabling it to be reopened safely.
“Geotechnical assessment has started at the closed section of Scenic Drive, north of Simpson Drive. Drilling for soil testing started yesterday and will continue on to today,” Mr Rose said.
“Significant damage like this requires a detailed engineering solution based on the geotechnical investigations. When all assessments have been completed, the preferred design option will need to be assigned to specialist contractors to carry out. It may take 6–12 months to fix the road.
“Geotechnical assessment at the slip site, between Mount Bilinga Circuit and Warringa Drive, will start today (Thursday 24 March). There will be minor changes to the existing traffic conditions.
“The current one-way traffic will remain, however this section of Scenic Drive will be closed from 10 am to 1 pm on Thursday 31 March and Friday 1 April as geotechnical specialists will be drilling the roadway embankment for soil testing.
“Unfortunately, the 3-hour closures over the 2 days will isolate residents in Mount Bilinga Circuit and the section of Scenic Drive between the 2 slips. Arrangements will be in place to ensure emergency vehicles have access.
“We apologise for any inconvenience and ask for your patience as we work towards a more permanent repair.”
Once the drilling activities are completed, large concrete barriers will be installed at the road closure.
“I cannot stress enough the dangers of driving through closed roads,” Mr Rose said.
“Roads are closed to keep motorists safe. Tampering with road closed signs or barriers is a serious offence and could result in someone being hurt or killed. Please don’t remove or tamper with them.”
Council estimates damage to the Tweed’s road network by the recent flood could cost around $40 million and take up to 2 years to repair, with more than 1,700 repair jobs already logged.
For more information and to keep up to date with what’s happening on the roads, visit MyRoadInfo or the Tweed Emergency Dashboard.
The Goonellabah Sports & Aquatic Centre (GSAC) is back in full swing following has a range of new programs and activities to suit the needs of just about everyone in our community.
In the immediate GSAC was turned into affected members of our community had access to safe accommodation and food.
However, as people slowly found alternative accommodation, the Evacuation Centre was closed and GSAC is once and health activities, and even a revamped café with lots of healthy treats and a creche for free childcare while you work.
Lismore City Council’s Manager of Liveable & Active Communities Tony Duffy said he and his team are excited to have the centre offering a full range of classes and services again.
“Navigating the disaster hasn’t been easy for our patrons and staff, but it’s great to have all options available again for our community to said.
“Our staff have worked extremely hard through the constant changes and now we have a centre that offers something for everyone in our community.”
GSAC Acting Assistant Manager Bryce Keniry said the programs are run by expert staff and professionals.
“There is something for everyone and we have a jam-packed program that suit both adults and kids, and all segments of our community, so now is a great time to join,” he said.
“Our Swimsations Learn to Swim program is a great way to start your child’s swimming journey and caters to all swimming levels in a heated pool.
“Our Switch Fitness gym is packed with stateof-the-art equipment and experienced gym patrons, plus our group from boxing, RPM, body pump and Pilates to Zumba, yoga and much more.”
Mr Keniry also said the café can cater for the wider community.
“The new café setup has a drive-thru window for coffee orders where patrons can grab a coffee on their way to work.”
The former tourism information centre at the southern entrance to Grafton, has been the subject of a bizarre vote at Clarence Valley Council’s last meeting.
Bizarre vote mirrors feelings over tourism centre sale
TIM HOWARD
A councillor who moved a motion which he immediately said he would vote against has captured the mood of the council and the community says Clarence Valley mayor Ian Tiley.
At last Tuesday’s council meeting during debate on dealing with the controversial sale of the South Grafton Tourism Information Centre, Cr Peter Johnstone moved against the staff recommendation.
The back story has been the TIC had been controversially closed in 2017 and slated for sale since 2019.
Because of its zoning, attempts to sell the building for a sum above $1million had been unsuccessful and council had resolved to leave responsibility for disposing of the asset in the hands of the general manager.
In late November then general manager Ashley Lindsay accepted an offer for the building just before he left to go on leave as part of his departure from the council.
It also happened in the lead up to the local government election, where the future of the TIC, was a key plank of then candidate Bill Day’s campaign.
Other candidates, such as Ian Tiley and Greg Clancy, also indicated they would support reactivating the TIC in the right conditions.
Given the level of political and public interest in the future of the building it was surprising news that an offer had been accepted was not made public.
Acting general manager Laura Black said it appeared this had occurred as the potential buyer asked for details of the sale to be confidential.
The election went ahead with candidates and voters making decisions and promises based on an incorrect assumption about a hotly debated issue.
Cr Tiley has been critical of this attitude.
He said after his election, when he first learned the sale was in progress, that councillors should have been notified and that it was right for outside bodies to direct council’s actions.
Ms Black said she has sought legal advice about what can be revealed, but said there had been nothing forthcoming.
She also said if the council were to renege on the sale at this point it could cost the council more than $100,000.
It was against this background that Cr Johnstone moved that the council overturn the officers’ recommendation to go ahead with the sale, including support for a rezoning of the site.
Cr Greg Clancy was also concerned about the what had happened to the eels and turtle which had been removed from the pond on the site.
“The turtles are a protected species,” he said.
Cr Tiley ruled this question out of order as it did not relate to the planning issues.
During debate Cr Johnstone explained why he had brought a motion to council which he had no intention of voting for.
“I don’t want to take any action which will put the council in trouble,” he said.
“This motion comes at the end of a very long process, but I don’t want agree with it.”
He said the tourist information centre with its pond and fountain was a beautiful part of town that gave tourist a positive impression of the region.
Cr Clancy said he was sorry the TIC had been sold without the councillors knowing about the sale and other activities.
He said it likely the new owners would concrete over the pond, removing habitat for the turtles, eels and the white faced herons which nested in the tree next to the TIC building.
“All these things happened to the site without it coming to council,” he said.
Cr Karen Toms said she had misgiving about the sale, but the council could not turn back now.
“Let’s be honest,” she said. “We gave the general manager delegate authority and we can’t change it now because we’ve changed our minds.
In his right of reply, Cr Johnstone said he had deliberately raised a motion, which he would not support, because it mirrored the situation he believed the majority of councillors and many in the community found themselves.
“I’m voting against my own motion because I do not want to put council to financial or legal costs,” he said.
“But I believe there is a widespread feeling in the community that they wanted to retain the building as a tourist information centre.
“It will no longer be a beautiful site at the entrance to town and there is disappointment in past decisions to close it down. But I am not sure we had any choice to do otherwise.”
The council voted down Cr Johstone’s motion 7-1 with Cr Clancy against.
The foreshadowed motion to accept the officer recommendation to push ahead with the sale and rezoning was accepted 6-2, with Crs Clancy and Johnstone against.
Ballina Council thanks community for support
LARA LEAHY
Mayor Sharon Cadwallader acknowledged and thanked “the people of the Ballina Shire community, the Emergency Services Personnel, the local Clubs and community based organisations, as well as our Ballina Shire Council employees, for the support they have provided to date through this natural disaster and we look forward to everyone working together to ensure that all local government areas in our region recover as quickly as possible.”
In new business, Cr Cadwallader called for Council to write to the Federal Government seeking the inclusion of the Northern Rivers region of NSW in the reinsurance pool established for Northern Australia. The Reinsurance Pool is a federally funded insurance scheme to were not able to get or claim insurance for the damage done in natural disasters in the northern areas of Australia affected by cyclones.
Council have also decided to write to the State Government seeking the removal of the 12.5% funding contribution from councils to emergency services. This is a large portion of the councils income, and council do not have any Council recognises the need for a local emergency base but are unable to manifest this need. This also on occasion provides ambiguity in councils responsibility in regards to the services provided.
Cr Cadwallader called to write to the State Government seeking support to work closely with Federal, State and Local Govt to identify and acquire land to be used for permanent social housing to address the long standing issue of a housing shortage, exacerbated by the recent involve social housing that can be subsidised to accommodate all needs.
Council voted to waive any interest on overdue rates for property owners impacted by June, 2022
Council authorises the General Manager to provide refunds to ferry pass holders, on a pro-rata basis, for the period in which the ferry is not operating, due to damage homes the ability to apply for a rebate on their water bill. The rebate will be calculated based on historical usage patterns.
Council have begun to affected areas with $500 Woollies and Coles vouchers time.
Ballina Heights Commercial Centre for the base of Cumbalum has been approved - Council is keen to see the build begin with no further amendments.
The damage done to the North Creek Rock Wall requires urgent attention. Cr Cadwallader will appeal to the State and Federal parliament seeking support to undertake essential repair works to restore the embankment in the proximity of RSL Lifecare Limited, Missingham Bridge, Owen Street and Norton Street precinct to avoid the loss of parkland via the sink hole.
All community organisations that applied for the ward committees were unanimously endorsed. If you are a organisation and would like to be involved, contact council.
There was discussion surrounding the new approach to rezoning, but that will be discussed in depth in an article next week.
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“Leemo’s View”
OOOH…Mum Jane’s BIRTHDAY.
Hugs from Leemo and Mum Jane
‘Gidday again from ‘Leemo Cat’. There has been a strange atmosphere in our house for some time. ‘Mum Jane’s’ birthday came and went. This year she became even older (OMG!). Anyhow, she had dropped hints about this momentous (not!) event with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. I didn’t Mum for weeks with words saying “I wonder, Leemo is getting me for my birthday” in the slightest bit encouraging in terms of me buying how blatant can she be? I contemplated much. I decided that getting her a giftie might truly guarantee me great esteem, which would ensure many treats & brushes & stuff. Being the caring feline I am, I relented and did some research. I naturally had to stay within my paltry $ allowance parameters. located the most perfect pressie. CAT I ordered them. Oooh, how nifty!! When they arrived I snuk them out of the box and wrapped them in nice paper. They see photo below quite beguiling! What more could she want? birthday came, so I made her a cup of tea (in bed) with a ginger-nut biscuit and told her to close her eyes. I jumped up on her bed with my gift and lay back on her pillows and said ‘bad’ words which I cannot repeat. calmed a bit and told me she wished to address me. (OMG!) ‘Leems, whilst I appreciate your ignoble gesture, why would I truly wish to wear a pair of slippers that look just like, and will probably act like on the hurtie part of both of my ankles from your maulings over you want me to walk fangs in close proximity to my feet every day? had not been in my delicious & anticipatory when friends came to visit for my birthday, up so cringingly to one of them? Let her pat and kiss you whilst you purred away staring what’s the story you Traitorous unfaithful cat? Oh dear oh dear..I believe ‘Mum Jane’ had a touch of green eyed monster in her. I told her ‘it’s cos birthday pressie from me think she believes me purrsies, Leemo.
Vandals have two bites at cricket HQ
TIM HOWARD
A group of vengeful vandals have Grafton cricket pitch curator Tony Blanch worried about a possible campaign of damage to Grafton’s premier cricket ground, Ellem Oval.
Blanch said after the conclusion of the premier league semi Westlawn and South Services on March 21, he and some players had stopped a group of young people from damaging the wicket surface.
“There was a few of us still there after the game when we saw this group of kids on bikes doing donuts on the wicket,” he said.
“So me and a couple of players went out there and hunted them off.”
He said there was a verbal altercation between the cricketers and the young people, but they left after delivering a volley of vile abuse.
But they returned as Blanch discovered on Wednesday to discover the pitch covered in skid marks from up to six pushbikes.
“The sprinklers were all broken and the hoses had all been cut up,” he said.
“They had broken into the storage shed where the roller was stored. Luckily it didn’t seem like they had done much damage there.”
It is not just the ground surface the vandals have targeted.
The $80,000 picket fence around the ground has also been targeted, with four panels near the skate park almost totally destroyed.
“Fence pickets had been broken off and were scattered between the boundary and wicket centre,” he said.
“But it’s more than the pickets, they’ve actually broken off the cross rails as well.”
Blanch said in the past two seasons there have been confrontations between young people at the park and cricketers
“I don’t know who they are, but I recognised a few faces from other times when there’s been trouble,” he said.
“Last season we had one game where one of them rode a bike onto the ground and stopped play.
“I saw a few of them at the ground on Sunday.”
Blanch has contacted police and the council, but they have been limited in how they can respond.
“The police said unless there’s not much they can do unless they have real proof of them doing anything,” he said.
“The council has been talking about getting a security camera there, but so far nothing has happened.”
He said the toilet block near the skatepark has vandalised so often it’s kept closed except for daylight hours.
He said the police had promised to make extra patrols near the ground, which he hoped might keep the vandals at bay.
The trail of destruction nor the rain which turned up did not stop Mr Blanch from preparing a between minor premiers Tucabia Copmanhurst and South Services.
Unfortunately the rain came again over the weekend with only Sunday, denying Souths the opportunity of chasing down Tucabia’s total of 168.
Flood clean-up progressing faster than expected
2 weeks. 30 March. said. 26 March. 2400.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
IR ACCESS WHEELCHA
Doors open on new Lismore Primary Health Precinct
Healthy North Coast has today opened doors on the new Lismore Primary Health Precinct at Southern Cross primary care providers a Lismore residents access to vital primary health
Healthy North Coast Chief Executive Office precinct established and operational just three weeks after the flood the spirit of collaboration across the Northern Rivers that we have been able to rapidly coordinate alternative clinic spaces for primary health providers that would otherwise be
Funded by the Australian Government Northern NSW flood precinct has the capacity to house more than 20
“There is an community demand new Lismore Primary Health Precinct ensures our local providers can North Coast is also directory of primary care services onsite so that community members can find out more and lismore-primary-health my thanks to Southern Cross University for Healthy North Coast to stand up this new Primary Health Precinct that this is not a pop-up certainly here to meet the immediate need for primary health service continuity and are also provider and community appropriately based on
“The resilience and determination shown by our primary care providers to rapidly relocate is matched only determination and
this natural disaster
Ballina Holiday Park will provide temporary accommodation to people who have lost
Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson said the Crown land site would be used to respond to one of the accommodation for Holiday Park at Ballina is just 40 minutes from Lismore and will be used exclusively for shortterm accommodation to help people who have lost homes or were otherwise displaced by the Northern Rivers
“The park has nine cabins and 50 powered be used by people in shower and toilet block as well as an accessible bathroom and a family
Minister for Families and Communities Natasha Maclaren-Jones said the Department of Communities and Justice at the Ballina Holiday cabins and sites to people who are most in need and provide access to associated social support
“This will be funded by the NSW Government to support people in their time of need by Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke relief is one of the most people who have somewhere to live as
“Temporary accommodation like communities a base Parks CEO Nick Baker said his team was happy to make Ballina Holiday Park available in order to support the Parks will continue residents have powered sites and safe at Ballina will provide cabins and amenities sheets and towels on coordinate security services and waste
For further information
Honouring our emergency services personnel
Nominations has opened for the annual Rotary NSW Emergency Services frontline emergency services personnel for service above and beyond the call of duty. Services and Resilience Recovery Steph Cooke said opportunity for recognition of emergency services personnel involved in the recent flood emergency.
“The unprecedented storms and floods have resulted in one of the most challenging times our emergency
“Having spent weeks on the ground in the Northern firsthand the selfless work they continue to do.
“Emergency services personnel are not only first responders during times of crisis but they also carry out including community engagement and fundraising.
“I encourage communities across our State to recognise their local heroes by nominating them for an Emergency Services Community
The awards recognise the dedication and service of emergency service personnel and volunteers from Surf Life Saving NSW and
Nominations will close finalists will be announced awards ceremony will be at Bankstown Sports Club.
Nominations can be submitted online at: https:// nsw.rescawards.org.au.
Call out to community members and carers to join panel
Healthy North Coast is putting the call out to residents with lived experience of mental illhealth and carers giving mental health support to share their insights.
Healthy North Coast access to meaningful and relevant mental health tools and resources is vital to help people act early and seek support.
“We know that health information can be and sometimes it’s hard to access the right mental Sturgess said. established the North Literacy Project to design locally relevant mental health resources and to better guide health professionals to communicate in a way that meets each person’s needs. can help people improve their mental health or stop their health getting worse. we held a series of codesign workshops with with lived experience and the community to identify action areas to improve mental health literacy. Health Literacy Lived Experience Panel was one of these and now we are inviting residents experience of accessing which can include being a carer to someone needing mental health and participate. good mental health support will be a vital part of the region’s recovery over the coming Sturgess said.
“Panel members will receive payment for their participation and will work with Healthy North Coast to ensure mental health support tools and easy-to-understand and meet a range of community needs. mental health literacy refers to: • being able to recognise mental health conditions • knowing about risk information • knowing what professional help is available • mental health services that are easy to access and known in the community hnc.org.au 2 • attitudes that promote recognising mental health and encouraging appropriate help seeking members are able to choose how they wish options to: • attend co-design workshops and meetings
• help design information and tools • contribute to discussions about health literacy for people experiencing mental illhealth • share their thoughts on what it is like to what the system currently does well and where it could improve.
“I’ve witnessed examples of incredible community support and collaboration over the past two weeks as we deal with the aftermath Sturgess.
“Healthy North Coast is now putting out the call for support to establish the best possible set of mental health resources and tools to see our community through the Health Literacy Lived Experience Panel
To submit your expression of interest apply online at www. hnc.org.au/mhl-panel
Please submit your
For more information • Contact the Healthy Health Team on • Visit https://hnc. org.au/mental-healthliteracy/ to learn more about mental health literacy.
Reserve Creek Road expected to remain closed for months
Diversions will remain on Reserve Creek Road for at least 6 months after a geotechnical assessment found the roadway to be significantly undermined and too dangerous for temporary repairs.
Council is excavating the remaining road to prevent motorists from by-passing barricades blocking the roadway, which was severely damaged by a major landslide during the recent flood.
It is expected Reserve Creek Road will be closed for 6–12 months, in the area of the landslip.
Council’s Manager Roads and Stormwater Danny Rose said the geotechnical assessment provided an understanding of the full extent of the flood damage to Reserve Creek Road.
“To ensure the safety of road users, Reserve Creek Road will remain closed until permanent repairs can be made,” Mr Rose said.
“Unfortunately there are no reasonable shortterm repair options for this road, with the road significantly undermined by a 15-metre nearvertical landslip.
“Additional cracking has also been observed in the road surface, telling us the pavement is unstable and could give way at any time, particularly with the next rainfall.”
Crews are on site this week to remove the unstable section of the road and install additional barricades. Further geotechnical investigations will follow to determine the permanent repair to the road.
“To those who use Reserve Creek Road, especially residents of the area, we apologise for any inconvenience and ask for your patience as we work towards a more permanent repair,” Mr Rose said.
“Roads are closed to keep motorists safe. Tampering with road closed signs or barriers is a serious offence and could result in someone being hurt or killed. Please don’t remove or tamper with them.”
Further geotechnical assessments are underway at several other sites in the Tweed, including at Scenic Drive at Bilambil Heights and Tyalgum Road, near Tyalgum, where major landslips occurred.
A slope used by motorists to drive through the major slip on Tyalgum Road has been removed by Council crews and motorists are reminded again not to attempt to cross this dangerous slip.
Council estimates damage to the Tweed’s road network by the recent flood could cost around $40 million and take up to 2 years to repair, with more than 1,700 repair jobs already logged – and rising.
For more information and to keep up to date with what’s happening on the roads, visit MyRoadInfo or the Tweed Emergency Dashboard.
North Coast success at top tourism awards
Recently on the Sunshine Coast, the best of the best tourism operators from each Australian State and Territory gathered for the National Tourism Awards.
“We would like to congratulation all of the North Coast operators who represented the region with finalists across several categories,” Destination North Coast NSW said.
“A special call out to the operators below who secured Gold and Bronze awards.
“GOLD went to Ingenia Holidays South West Rocks in the Caravan and Holiday Parks category. Huge congratulations to Alison and her team for this amazing result and shining at such a high level. You do the North Coast proud.
“BRONZE Riverside Holiday Resort Urunga in the Self-contained Accommodation category. Well done to Ken who manages the Federation of Community Sporting & Workers Clubs and Rebecca who manages the Urunga Resort on this great result.
“So fabulous to see two of the North Coasts smaller tourism centres doing so well and winning on the national stage.
“A big shout out to all of the North Coast finalists (all winners in our eyes!).”
The Church
according to the book of Steve Kilbey
LESLEY APPS
Yamba is in for a rare, live music experience on April 8.
The Church frontman Steve Kilbey is heading to the rising star of coastal destinations for an an intimate acoustic performance of the band’s two seminal albums — The Blurred Crusade and Of Skins and Heart — delivered in track order and accompanied by personal commentary that delves into the life and times of that music, in a revealing and entertaining two-hour show.
This article could probably still be an effective catalyst for getting bums on seats but why waste 20 mins of conversation with one of Australian music’s true internationalists.
English-born Australian Kilbey, has come out the other side of being in an 80’s band in good shape. Not only physically for a product of that era of the rock and roll landscape, but also with his soul intact.
The latter is down to the carbon-level determination it took to make the music they wanted to, and one of the reasons The Church are still able to play that music today.
“We avoided a lot of that 80s palaver. We reacted against New Romantics and synth pop. We were kind of trying to be classic band. A band that was around in the 60s and 70s was what we were aiming for. Not the 80s.”
The singer described The Church as the “diametric opposite” to local bands of the time ”like Chisel and Aussie Crawl” and one of the few still have, an overseas presence.
“We still tour America. We’re off to play a huge festival in the US in May (Cruel World Festival alongside Blondie, Morrissey, Devo, Psychedelic Furs, Echo and the Bunnymen and the likes). We’re the only Australian band on that bill.”
While Kilbey and The Church looked to their heroes The Beatles, Bob Dylan and David Bowie for their inspiration, it didn’t bode well with record producers at the time.
“At the time it was very hard because we were being assaulted everywhere we went. When Spandau Ballet came out a guy from EMI said ‘come in to my song To Cut A long Story Short and said ‘Mate, if you don’t get like that, you won’t have a career in six months’. So I had to say well that’s your opinion but we like what we do.”
Kilbey said for a period, every record company and manager they worked with were trying to turn The Church into something else.
“They thought I was deliberately not writing commercial songs to be silly, stick it up them. It’s easy to look back now and feel we were battling the zeitgeist so I’m glad we stuck to our guns. You put on the Blue Crusade now and you don’t f***ing cringe.”
Despite the passage of time, Kilbey was aware of the reputation “The Church guys” had back in the 80s “the moody, strange dark, paisley shirt, eye-liner wearing troublemakers.”
“People have this image of me from 42 years ago when I was frosty but now I’m a real joker. The show is amusing. It’s not an unenjoyable experience. It’s a riot. Looking back on that period, it’s all really funny this pop stardom thing.
“These days whole families (generations) turn up to our shows. They talk about their favourite era, favourite band members, favourite memories. That happens very much at every gig.”
Steve Kilbey will be appearing at the Yamba Bowling Club on Friday, April 8. Tickets available through the venue’s website.
After a few false starts due to Steve Kilbey from The Church will perform his acoustic show at the Club on April 8.
