Hogan and Williamson push for more flood funding
The push for more funding for the flood ravaged Northern Rivers region has been taken up by Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, who questioned the Minns NSW Government on the massive reduction in buybacks offered and Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, who launched a petition to fully fund the Resilient Homes Program as promised ... On Saturday Woodburn locals lined the bridge armed with signs, a town which felt the full brunt of the catastrophic flood, that still feels unheard as they struggle to rebuild.
James Creek subdivision refused
Cheers of celebration and relief from James Creek residents erupted when the Northern Regional Planning Panel refused approval for a controversial $33 million 336 lot subdivision on James Creek Road ... When the DA was put on public exhibition three times in 2022 and 2023, council received 100 submissions and a petition with 171 signatures against the subdivision.
Trades claim they are owed $1 million on Uniting Yamba project
Trades contracted to work on the 50 apartment Uniting Yamba Road development say they are collectively owed about $1 million by embattled builder GCB Constructions. East Coast Access owner Nikole Hambly said last week they began pulling down scaffolding on the job site as they hadn’t been paid anything by GCB Constructions this year since January.
No logging on public land motion deferred
Clarence Valley Council has deferred a motion calling for native forest logging on public land to be phased out until its October meeting to allow a report to be prepared and feedback to be sought from industry groups ... The motion was brought to council after it had been discussed several times by the Biodiversity Advisory Committee and Eurobodalla Shire Council, Bellingen Shire Council and Mid Coast Council have recently adopted resolutions calling for the phasing out of logging on public land.
Flood risk mapping sees buybacks halved
New flood risk mapping released by the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Commission (NRRC) which has seen the number of homes eligible for buyback halved has been slammed by the Nationals as calls come for the second tranche of funding to be released. NRRC Chief Executive David Witherdin said the new mapping will inform the Commonwealth and  State Government’s co-funded $700 million program and be used to prioritise home buybacks,  raisings and retrofits.
Two-year control order could kill Clarence prawn industry
A two-year control order preventing the harvesting of prawns from the Clarence River announced as part of a $21.4 million biosecurity response package to White Spot virus could be the death knell for an industry already on its knees, if not managed properly, says the Clarence River Fishermen’s Co-operative ... But Ms Adams said if the control order on the Clarence Estuary is not managed well, there won’t be a prawn industry on the Northern Rivers in two years’ time.
Coutts business finalist in six Australian Rural Business Awards
Prominent Australian beekeeping business, Coutts Crossing based HoneyBee Hives has been announced as a finalist in an impressive six categories of the Australian Rural Business Awards, and they are calling for help to win the highly regarded ‘People’s Choice’ award ... Mrs McQueen- Richardson said they were exhilarated when they received the news that they were a finalist in all six nominated categories.
Rabbitohs stars spread ‘Close the Gap’ message
Communities across the region including about 1000 school children came together at Yamba’s Ngayundi Sports Complex last Thursday where they got to meet four South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL players as part of the 2023 Clarence Valley Close the Gap Day. Mudyala Aboriginal Corporation CEO Aneika Kapeen said the 2023 Clarence Valley Close the Gap Day was about bringing all the schools together to really recognise what Close the Gap means.
Grafton and Maclean hospitals 40 nurses short
Between Grafton and Maclean Hospitals another 40 nurses are needed to provide adequate staffing levels say the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association as the Local Health District tries to fill 180 nursing vacancies across the region. NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Clarence Valley branch secretary Thea Koval said without agency nursing staff being called in, who are paid significantly more than NSW Health nurses, Maclean and Grafton hospitals would struggle to operate.
Proud Iluka parents celebrate World Food Champion
When John McFadden gave up a promising career as an NRL player aged 14, his parents Bob and Bernice never imagined he would be crowned World Food Champion, but they were determined to support him to pursue his dreams ... John said. John decided to become a chef and started as a kitchen hand at a restaurant at Long Jetty on the Central Coast called Dominic’s Manor...
