Geoff Helisma, Clarence Valley Independent

Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Catherine Cusack, who received the Clarence Catchment Alliance’s Clarence Valley Council-backed antimining petition, is resigning from her position.

Ms Cusack said she would quit the NSW Government following Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s initial announcement on March 9 that extra disaster funding would be available immediately for people in Lismore, Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley local government areas (LGAs), all of which are within the Nationals-held seat of Page.

The Independent has confirmed with the Liberal MLC’s office that she has “informed the Premier and Liberal Party state director of her decision and understood there would be a preselection process to follow”.

Ms Cusack told the ABC, “The idea that being a flood victim in a National Party-held seat makes you more worthy than a flood victim who is in the Richmond electorate … is probably the most unethical approach I have ever seen.

“I can’t defend it and I’m outraged by it.

“The whole Northern Rivers should have been given funding according to their need, not according to their LGA, it’s unprecedented.”

Neighbouring flood-affected LGAs of Ballina, Byron and Tweed – all in the Labor-held seat of Richmond – were not included in Mr Morrison’s announcement that people in the announced LGAs would be able to claim two extra $1,000 disaster payments.

Meanwhile, a week later, Federal Minister for Government Services Linda Reynolds announced that the extra payments would be made available to residents of Ballina, Byron, Kyogle and Tweed LGAs.

However, this announcement didn’t shake Ms Cusack’s resolve.

“I am immensely relieved, and I welcome the decision,” she said in an emailed response to the Independent’s enquiry.

“It is so needed, and that money will really make a difference to affected people and their families.

“In terms of my decision to leave – nothing has changed.

“If it has helped the flood victims then I am of course delighted but I don’t have the personal resources to keep fighting these battles.

“It’s someone else’s turn now to keep up the good fight for our region.”

Mining petition

On May 7, 2021, Ms Cusack accepted Clarence Catchment Alliance’s Clarence Valley Council-backed petition, calling for a ban of mining in the Clarence River catchment.

Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis opposes a ban or moratorium on mining in the catchment.

Mr Gulaptis has previously told the ABC that CVC’s call for a moratorium on mining in the valley [is] “rash and ill-considered”.

“We just have to be sensible and adult about this and determine it on the basis of facts; and there are no facts at the moment to make such a determination,” Mr Gulaptis told the ABC.

On the other hand, Ms Cusack told the Independent that she felt like she was “participating … in the community consultation process that the Clarence Valley has been denied”.

Mr Gulaptis spoke against the petition, which was tabled in the lower house by Lismore MP Jannelle Saffin (Labor), when it was debated in the legislative assembly on October 14, 2021.

He argued that NSW’s “rigorous planning and assessment system” would protect the river and that a development application [DA] to construct a mine should “be judged on its own merit, not discarded without the right to be considered” and it would have to “satisfy local and state planning policies and legislation before it can proceed”.

Ms Cusack was elected to the upper house in 2019, her term was due to end in 2027.

This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 23 March 2022.