Diary of a Flood Survivor

In my job I have been able to speak with all levels of society who have been affected by the foods.

From those frst couple of days where people were holed up in evacuation centres, traumatised at the idea they had lost everything, especially beloved farm animals, to just recently when I spoke to the newly re-elected mayor of Lismore, Steve Krieg.

Cr Krieg had also lost his home and business in 2022 but had the extra load of dealing with the issues of helping a whole city recover from one of Australia’s worst natural disasters.

He told me that he had been criticised for the clothes he was wearing especially when dignitaries like the Governor of NSW came to visit shortly after the food.

Vision of the mayor greeting the governor while he was wearing a striped collared t-shirt on her visit in September 2022 was easily explained. “I had nothing else to wear,” he said.

The mayor, like so many others, had lost his clothes in the food and only had access to what generosity was provided.

Ironically, as I was interviewing the mayor, I was wearing a top and pair of shoes, food donations that obviously I still wear today. When the food hit, my younger son was doing Year 12 and was also school captain. He and the other captain had to fy down to Sydney to attend a function for school captains across NSW at Government House. Both of them wore their normal uniform, while others at the event wore their school blazers.

I know he felt underdressed, but he didn’t have the luxury of a full wardrobe at the time.

Little steps.

Campaign Premiere & Live Chat Show

Lennox Head Cultural Centre - Sat 16 November 7pm - 10pm The Hot Seat is no boring political launch. It’s a gathering of comedians, artists, musicians, producers, activists and MP’s for a Campaign premiere and live chat show. Greens Candidate Mandy Nolan has invited fellow activists and rabble rousers for a night of conversations and cabaret to dig deep, ask the hard questions, and celebrate the diversity, adversity and sometimes downright perversity of the federal seat of Richmond.

It’s a Festival of Changemakers with:

• Paul McDermottAustralian comedy legend and television host.

• Wendy HarmerBroadcaster, author, columnist and comedy icon.

• Rhoda Roberts AO - Actor, writer and artistic director.

• Angus McDonaldAward-winning artist, flmmaker, writer.

• Spencer Hitchenenvironmental youth activist.

• Alexandra Hudson - Comedian and disability advocate you have to take it ... .or invent it’. young person with so much passion for the environment, what hope does Spencer have for achieving better outcomes for people and the planet?

Mandy’s comedy protege and now rising star on the National and International comedy scene Alex Hudson uses comedy to share her story of what it means to live with a disability. She has just returned from a successful season at the Edinburgh Fringe, with follow up gigs in LA and Portland. Pretty impressive for a Ballina girl who did a comedy course at the Byron Community College!

Mehreen Faruqi joined the NSW State Parliament in 2013 as the frst Muslim woman to sit in an Australian parliament and in 2018 became the frst Muslim Senator. A feminist, environmental engineer and climate activist, Faruqi stands for a more compassionate and kind society.

• Mehreen FaruqiDeputy Leader of the Australian Greens and Senator for NSW. These heroes of the people each have a seat at the table as powerful advocates for social change. But what makes them tick? What drives them to challenge those who might oppress them? And why do they want to see Mandy in Canberra? Paul McDermott has been fghting tyranny, injustice, and ennui for over 40 years. Host of Australia’s most loved satirical, political game show Good News Week, Paul made a name for his razor-like wit and ability to cut through. He is currently touring his musical Blood Orange with songs from his EP, ‘I’ve Seen The Future And You’re Not In It’. Paul joins national treasure Wendy Harmer whose recent memoir ‘Lies My Mirror Told Me’ tells the story of her extraordinary career. An inspiration for Mandy’s early comedy years, when few women were brave enough to stand in the spotlight, Harmer’s ethos continues to ring true for her: ‘I’ve always believed where there’s a chance,

Two-time Archibald People’s Choice prize winner and Lennox legend, Angus McDonald takes to the Hot Seat to talk about his most recent winning portrait subjects: Marcia Langton and Behrooz Boochani. McDonald will also share some insights from his award winning documentary ‘Freedom is Beautiful’, which shines a light on what it’s like for asylum seekers attempting to fnd refuge in Australia (spoiler - it’s not pretty, it’s a national disgrace).

Bundjalung changemaker Rhoda Roberts AO has been bringing First Nations stories to our stages for decades. As an actor, creative director and producer of Indigenous content for major festivals including the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Roberts has been a consistent and provocative presence at the forefront of the arts in this country.

13 year-old acrtivist, Spencer Hitchen is the founder of Save Sunrise Glossies and is a distinctive voice for the environment, standing up for koalas, Wallum, and recently meeting with the legendary animal activist Jane Goodall through her Roots and Shoots program. As a

All these pioneers will take to The Hot Seat to talk about First Nations justice and how we decolonise, how we address biodiversity, climate collapse, gender politics, disability advocacy and the NDIS, why we are failing the world’s refugees and how we solve the housing crisis. Forget Q&A - the Hot Seat is where it’s at. The Federal seat of Richmond is a hot seat in itself. Mandy got so close in 2022, even Antony Green said, ‘That’s a remarkable result for the Greens’. This time it’s just a 1.8% swing and she wins the seat she’s lived in for over 30 years back for the people.

Accompanied by her sizzling House Band Katrina and the Greenies, with dance moves by choreographer Philip Channells, Mandy’s campaign premier and live chat show is sure to turn up the heat a notch this season (it might even blow your box off!!!)

Tickets $40

There has been a shock inclusion in the feld of candidates for Clarence Valley mayor and deputy with the last-minute decision of top vote getter Cristie Yager to run for the deputy’s position.

Ms Yager, who easily topped the frst preference count in the September 14 poll, revealed her decision on Monday in a social media post and also sent out emails to the other successful candidates ahead of the meeting on Thursday to elected the mayor and deputy for the next two years.

On Sunday Ms Yager posted about her visit to an art exhibition and at the end made this revelation.

“Also sneaky side note. Finally got the balls to state my intentions to run as Deputy Mayor,” she wrote.

Later she said the decision was a response to the responsibility she felt to the community who had supported her decision to run for council.

“I am running for deputy mayor because I feel a deep responsibility and honour to serve our community,” she said.

“I’d like to demonstrate that I am here to work hard and grow.

“Having studied the workings of local council this past year, I am keen to put my knowledge into action.

“I’d be privileged to work closely with our elected mayor, offering support and contributing a fresh perspective.”

Ms Yager said she would offer the community a fresh