New Low and Mid-Rise Housing Reforms Introduced in Lismore Electorate

The Minns Labor Government’s frst wave of low and mid-rise housing reforms has come into effect across all Local Government Areas (LGAs) within the Lismore Electorate, bringing expanded housing options to the region.

Janelle Saffn, Member for Lismore, highlighted the signifcance of the changes, which now permit development applications for dual occupancies and semidetached dwellings in more R2 low-density residential zones.

“This is an important reform that provides more housing options suitable to people’s needs across our region,” said Ms. Saffn. The new housing policies aim to offer families and individuals more fexibility, especially those looking for extra space or wishing to stay within their community as their housing needs evolve.

Key benefts of the reforms include:

• Multi-generational housing: Families needing more space can now explore dual occupancy options, potentially curbing the outfow of young people from the area.

• Downsizing opportunities: Well-designed dual occupancies create avenues for downsizers to remain in their local communities, contributing to a diverse housing mix.

• Increased housing capacity: Property owners with suitable blocks can double their housing potential by adding a second dwelling or replacing one home with two, easing housing pressures in the region.

Ms. Saffn emphasized the critical role these reforms play in addressing housing shortages in foodaffected towns and cities, where the need for diverse and affordable housing options is acute.

“This broader range of housing options will beneft everyone—renters, families, empty-nesters, and single people— providing more fexibility and choices,” she added.

Effective from July 1, 2024, the reforms require councils to focus on increasing housing supply and offering more choice. However, local councils will retain the responsibility of assessing individual development applications.

Performance-orientated…by

Nigel Dawe

THERE’S something about September, being finals time in our key footy codes, that rouses not just my inner sports fanatic, but also my competitive nature, albeit the will I have to get the best out of myself, with regards to whatever it is I do.

As such, I feel for the meagre-souled fobs that dismiss sport outright, as if it were entirely the testosterone-tainted bastion of social toxicity.

Ever since I was a child I’ve been fascinated by coaches and teams (regardless of the sport or their chosen pursuit) that seem to have cracked the optimal performance puzzle.

From Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers in the ‘60s, to Norm Smith’s Melbourne Demons of the same era (though they were on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean) there was something about their approach, or understanding of success that raised them not just above their contemporaries, but also above everyone else in their entire ‘chosen field’.

Like two sides of a brilliantly crafted coin, Lombardi and Smith (whether they ever met or knew of each other, I don’t know) but their beliefs, as captured in their expressed output, read as though they were made by the same person. From Smith’s notion, “Anything you do is worth doing well - anything less than that and you’re wasting your time… do the common things uncommonly well.”; to Lombardi’s, “I tend to believe in catching stars, and have been willing to take my chances on the hernia.” These two giants of sport were