The Lismore Greens present their candidates

from The Northern Rivers Times Newspaper Edition 216

FORECAST

The Lismore Greens presented their candidates for the upcoming local government elections to local media at the Spinks Park Rotunda in Lismore on Thursday 22 August. Current Lismore councillor and lead candidate Adam Guise introduced the team and its vision for Lismore, followed by the next council candidates Virginia Waters and Dr Luke Robinson, with mayoral candidate Cr Vanessa Grindon-Ekins wrapping up.

Mayoral candidate Cr Vanessa GrindonEkins – long term Lismore resident, councillor for 20 years and former Mayor, Science Teacher, Wilsons River Landcare founding member and volunteer, Richmond Riverkeeper founding member, presenter and lifetime member of River FM

Council candidates

1. Cr Adam Guise –North Lismore resident and current councillor of 8 years with extensive knowledge of planning and local government laws, has a Law, Arts and Teaching degree, works for NSW Health in health promotion.

2. Virginia Waters –long term Nimbin local, former employee at

Lismore City Council, now a self-employed NDIS and aged care worker, with extensive involvement in managing community events and disaster responses.

3. Dr Luke Robinson – resident of Whian Whian, specialist Emergency Physician at Lismore Base Hospital, involved in local

Happy 100th Birthday Daphne

Daphne Irene Schneider (nee Hogan)

Born 16th August 1924 in Casino, NSW.

Lived in the immediate area her whole life. Married Raymond John Schneider 27th April,1946 at St Kevin’s Catholic Church, Banglow, They enjoyed 69 wonderful years together until Ray’s passing in 2015, raising two cherished children in Casino.

Landcare activities, singer-songwriter and performance poet.

4. Shae Salmon – a long term local resident and mum of three who were all born and raised in Lismore, works as a Law Academic at our local Southern Cross University. Performs and volunteers with the Lismore Theatre Company and The Lantern Parade. Presenter and VicePresident of River FM.

5. Lindall Watson –resident of Stony Chute, an experienced educator teaching English, implementing special education initiatives and working alongside community elders in remote community schools of the Northern Territory, has a PhD in Values Education.

6. Binnie O’Dwyerresident of Lismore 25 years, criminal defence solicitor at the Aboriginal Legal Service.

Our vision for Lismore This election, the Greens have a vision for a transparent and accountable Council that has community at the heart of its decisionmaking. Planning should be for people, not for the profts of big developers, and we’ll make sure your voice is heard on development.

Together we can rebuild and revive Lismore and villages through a fair community-led recovery that supports our most vulnerable, advocates for diverse genuinely affordable homes and ensures business has confdence and opportunity in a climate prepared community.

We will prioritise safe and sustainable planning for risks like food and landslip informed by evidence-based research and respected local knowledge. We will regenerate and protect natural habitat to reduce the impact of foods, protect farmlands and clean our rivers.

Our team will keep services local to support our economy. We will ensure waste operations are managed effciently and sustainably locally, not outsourced. We will keep our Councilowned quarry publicly owned, not sold for private proft, to support Councils biggest job, road maintenance. We support localised solutions to services such as water to meet growing future need. We stand for Council jobs by Council workers.

On the 14th of September, you have a powerful opportunity to reshape our community - but if you want change you have to vote for it.

Get Involved in The Clarence 2032 Review

The Clarence Valley community is invited to participate in the review of the Community Strategic Plan, “The Clarence 2032.” Originally developed in 2022 with input from local residents, the plan outlines a ten-year vision for the region. With a newly elected Council set to take offce in September 2024, this update will ensure the plan refects the latest aspirations and priorities of the community.

“The Clarence 2032” is a crucial document within the Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) Framework, guiding all other Council plans and policies. It sets the strategic direction for the region over the next decade. For more information about the IP&R Framework, please visit the Council’s website.

To gather community input, several information sessions have been scheduled where residents can voice their ideas and priorities for the future of the Clarence Valley.

For those unable to attend in person, a brief 5-minute online survey is available, providing an alternative way to contribute to the planning process. This is a valuable opportunity for residents to shape the future of their community, ensuring that the updated plan aligns with the evolving needs and ambitions of the Clarence Valley. See https://www. clarenceconversations. com.au/communityaspirations-review or scan the QR code.