Ballina Shire Council Introduces Reusable Products Rebate for Residents

Ballina Shire. “Every day, people of all ages use these essential hygiene products. By switching to reusable alternatives, residents can make a real allocated for the initiative. Importantly, this funding is independent of rates income, reinforcing the Council’s commitment to sustainability without

• Disposable nappies can take up to 500 years to break down.

• The average child uses around 1,825 disposable nappies annually, costing products, families can signifcantly reduce waste. If 100 families participate in the rebate program, over 180,000 nappies could be diverted from landfll difference not only for the environment but also for their own health,” said Ms. Rowe. The Reusable Products Rebate is funded by the Council’s 2024/25 Resource Recovery budget, with $10,000 increasing fnancial burdens on residents. Why Make the Switch? Disposable hygiene products are not only resource-intensive to produce but also take centuries to decompose in landflls. For example: families about $3,500 per year, compared to $500-$1,500 for reusable alternatives.

• Reusable period and continence products offer even greater long-term savings.

By opting for reusable annually. Similar waste reductions can be achieved with reusable period and continence products, which are often used over longer periods than nappies.

“I switched to reusable period products two years ago and wish I’d done it sooner,” Ms. Rowe shared. “On average, Australians who menstruate spend $10,000 over their lifetime on period products. By making the switch, I’m saving money and using natural fbres instead of plastics, which feels much better.”

Rebate Details: Ballina Shire residents can apply for rebates of 50% of the purchase price on the following products:

• Reusable nappies: Up to $150 per household

• Reusable period products: Up to $100 per household

• Reusable continence management products: Up to $100 per household

To apply, residents must provide proof of purchase and proof of residency within Ballina Shire by completing an online form available on the Council’s website. For more information and to apply, visit Ballina Shire Council’s Reusable Products Rebate page.

Byron Bay Film Festival Celebrates Aussie Surfng History

ROBERT HEYWARD

Surfng, which captivated Australia’s youth in the 1960s, became a cultural movement for teenagers seeking freedom from the restrictive norms of post-war life. This exhilarating lifestyle, centred on the surf culture of the east coast, is captured in

You Should Have Been Here Yesterday, a documentary that will be featured at the Byron Bay Film Festival this October.

Directed by Jolyon Hoff, a flmmaker known for his acclaimed work Searching for Michael Peterson, this documentary is a nostalgic journey through the rise of surfng in Australia, drawing from hours of archival footage. Hoff’s creation taps into his Surf Film Archive, featuring 8mm and 16mm reels from the 1960s, including content from legends such as Ma and Pa Bendall, Bob Evans, and Midget Farrelly, among others. The flm showcases early surfng legends and pioneers, bringing to life the era when surfng was more a way of life than a sport, and the cultural revolution it inspired. You Should Have Been Here Yesterday goes beyond celebrating surfng’s thrill. It explores the challenges of female surfers, notably Marjorie ‘Ma’ Bendall, who broke barriers in her 50s. The documentary also dives into the dark side of the surfng era, discussing the infuence of drugs and commercialization on the sport, while highlighting the creative passion that emerged in board-shaping and surf flmmaking.

The flm promises a visual feast of historic surfng cinematography, backed by a powerful soundtrack from Headland, an Australian music collective led by Murray Paterson. It is a must-watch for surf enthusiasts and those who appreciate the cultural impact of surfng on Australian society.

Also featured at the festival is Aquarius, directed by Byron Bay flmmaker Wendy Champagne. The documentary explores the 1973 Aquarius Festival, which helped transform Nimbin into a vibrant community known for its activism and counterculture, mirroring the surf culture’s spirit of rebellion and free thinking.

Both flms highlight the Northern Rivers region’s historical role in shaping alternative lifestyles and thinking, making the 18th Byron Bay Film Festival a celebration of surf culture, activism, and the region’s unique place in Australian history. The festival runs from October 18-27 at Byron Palace Cinemas and other venues. For more details, visit www. bbff.com.au.

“Leemo has views on just about anything” AT TIMES JUST USE IMAGINATION

It’s ‘Leemo Cat’ back. My buddies are here at my house working on our Strategic Plan (SP) for ‘Mum Jane’ so she’ll help us become Feline In uencers & make lots of $ for Christmas. I’m concerned, however, regarding the undercurrent of grumbles emanating from the group. Hmmm?

A paw vote was called for. An enthusiastic & unanimous rising of 2 PAWS EACH from all con rmed this SP stu is absolute bunkum; it’s too di cult & we’re not doing it; Eeek! What about our Christmas money? I had to address this urgently. ‘OK buddies, we’ll chuck out the idea of being In uencers but we’ll consider other ideas for money raising. ‘Scarlet’, who is new to our buddie group, tentatively raised a paw; I gave permission for her to speak by banging my gavel. ‘Well, you ALL know there’s a show called ‘Hard Quiz’ for adults & one for Kids. Why don’t we hold a Hard Quiz to test how much humans REALLY know about Felines?

We’ll call it ‘ e Feline Super Quiz’ Challenge and o er a cash prize of our combined savings. We have $147.87 in our kitty..we’ll round it o to $150.’ Paw claps. ere was then much debate. ‘Brutus’ spoke up. ‘But how will we actually MAKE money from this idea might I ask?’ ‘Scarlet’ responded patiently (in that kinda condescending tone that only girls use!) ‘Brutus, we will charge $6.50 per entry. I estimate we’ll ‘probly get hundreds of applicants vying for the prize pot! So, say we get 300 entries. We’ll earn $1950, minus our kitty $, leaving us with $1802.13 pro t. Gottit?’ (‘Brutus’ looked sheepishly peeved!) But, how clever was ‘Scarlet’? Loud paw applause rang out. I took control. ‘OK, let’s test this out. We need 10 questions to ask. Each of you may submit some. Let’s start. A er some fang bearing, arguing, tail swishing, growls & hissy stu , we had a nal list. Here it is: Name the Cat in a movie with Audrey Hepburn? How many toes IN TOTAL do cats have? Did Tarzan have a house cat in his jungle home? What other animals walk like cats do? How wide are a cat’s whiskers? How old WAS the oldest recorded cat? Who invented the Cat Door? Do cats know their owners? Name of the cat le $26 million by his owner? Can Cats drink seawater? Whoohoo! I banged the gavel loudly. ‘YIPPEE, we’ve reached 10 questions! We are on a roll for our Christmas spending.’ ere was much jubilation & purring. UNTIL, ‘Flu y Bum’ spoke in a very sombre tone. Errrrrm, I have a couple of questions to ask.’ I jubilantly gave an OK to proceed. ‘Leemo, where will we hold this ‘Feline Super Quiz’ thingie? How do we advertise? Who’ll collect the entry fees? Will we be on TV? Who will arrange this? Do we need a Licence & where do we get it? OMG, an air of sombreness wa ed over us at the same time Mum walked in calling cheerily ‘Howdy you lot? How’s your ‘SP’ going? Is it ready?’ OOOOH! We had to ‘fess up to the harsh truth of our dreams of making $ being zero! Mum listened intently. She pondered at bit then said: “Well, I reckon that in life, ‘Imagination is our last Sanctuary’ from the mundane, and I think you all have it in spades! I’m giving you all $2 each toward your Christmas loot, making you treats NOW and putting ‘Bluey’ on for you. Whaddya reckon? Well, nitey now with very contented purrsies from Leemo & Buddies.