Bangalow renewable energy forum praised by MP
August 9, 2010
Ballina MP Don Page says he was pleased with the response to the renewable energy forum held recently in Bangalow.
Hosted by Mr Page and the Green Coast Catalyst group, keynote speakers included Dr Adam Lucas from the University of Wollongong, who highlighted the fact that Australia is way behind many other countries in our use of renewable energy.
“Dr Lucas pointed out that in terms of electricity generation, Australia currently produces only 8.4% from renewables compared to China at 20%, Denmark 32%, Sweden 60%, California 20%, and Brazil at 85% (mainly hydropower),” Mr Page said.
“Australia’s target for 2020 is a mere 20% whereas China’s target is 40%, Denmark 50%, Sweden 90% and California is 40%.
Something to laugh about after the election
July 21, 2010
Post Election 10, celebrate Selection 10, a smorgasbord of stand-up comedy with musical undertones.
Join Sandy Gandhi, Alesha-Nicole (she makes Priscilla look like a desert), Cathy Martin and the fabulous Jackie Loeb who does Julia better than the PM herself!
Jackie brought the roof down several times at this year’s Big Joke Festival, and for those of you who missed it, here’s your chance to catch her (check her out - www.jackieloeb.com)
If you’re having a Birthday, come and party with the girls – discounts available for groups of 10 or more.
Bangalow group hosts forum on renewable energy
July 12, 2010
Bangalow Climate Change activist group, Green Coast Catalysts, in conjunction with Don Page, Member for Ballina, will present a public forum focusing on renewable energy options on the morning of Sunday 1 August in the Bangalow A&I Hall.
“Governments the world over continue to procrastinate,” said Chris Sanderson, from Green Coast Catalysts.
“They allow the interests of the fossil fuel industries to take precedence over our energy security. For the same reason, they continue to avoid taking the necessary action that science demands to avoid climate catastrophe.
“As countries now perceive their traditional energy supplies are at risk and prone to serious interruption, so do individuals.
Tourist drive concept a great idea, says Page
July 5, 2010
The Member for Ballina, Don Page, has welcomed the concept of a new tourist drive between Ross Lane near Lennox Head and Ewingsdale near Byron Bay.
The proposed name of the tourist drive is The Hinterland Way and early plans show it will take the route of what will be the old Pacific Highway when the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale upgrade of the Pacific Motorway is completed.
“I think this is an exciting tourism concept that will make the most of existing infrastructure when the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale upgrade of the highway is completed,” Mr Page said.
“Much of that stretch of what will be the old highway has spectacular views of the coast and hinterland and this lends itself to being promoted as a tourist drive.
Bitumen bandits may be active in Bangalow, Lennox Head
June 12, 2010
Fair Trading Deputy Commissioner Steve Griffin is warning consumers on the NSW Far North Coast to beware of bitumen bandits offering to lay asphalt on driveways at cheap rates.
Mr Griffin said Fair Trading was investigating reports of itinerant traders attempting to scam locals at Bangalow and possibly Lennox Head with cheap bitumen laying offers.
“Fair Trading has operational people in the field tracking the movements of these shonks,” he said.
“Bitumen bandits generally target older, vulnerable people in rural and regional areas and have been subject to ongoing Fair Trading investigations.”
‘No surprises’ in State Budget for Ballina Electorate
June 9, 2010
Ballina MP Don Page says there are no real surprises in the NSW State Budget, with $115m being allocated by both State and Federal governments for continued work on the Ballina Bypass and $85m for planning and pre-construction of the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale section of the Pacific Highway.
“The Ballina Bypass is budgeted to cost $640m altogether and to be completed by 2012. $471m has already been spent and a further $115m will be spent this year. It’s a joint State/Federal project,” he said.
“Pre-construction for the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale upgrade will continue with an allocation of $85m in this budget. The Alstonville Bypass gets a further $24m from the Federal budget to complete construction by the end of this year.
“It was disappointing once again not to see any funds for an upgrade of Ballina Hospitals surgery unit or the proposed new Byron Shire Central Hospital (land for this hospital at Ewingsdale has already been purchased).”
Ballina TAFE receives a further $597,000 to complete the upgrade by 2011.
Two dead in road crashes at Drake and near Bangalow
May 22, 2010
A man and a woman have died in separate crashes at Drake and near Bangalow today.
At 8:25am, a Toyota Tarago van was travelling east on the Bruxner Highway at Drake when the van rounded a bend, veered off the road and rolled several times.
As a result of the crash, a man died at the scene, while five other people were injured and taken to Lismore Base Hospital suffering varying injuries including a severed finger, neck and chest injuries and one suffering spinal injuries.
Emergency services remained on scene on Saturday afternoon, with one lane west-bound open to allow traffic through a contra-flow system.
About 11:10am, three vehicles collided on the Pacific Highway near Bangalow, resulting in the death of a woman.
Member for Ballina supports public ownership of Roundhouse site
May 21, 2010
Member for Ballina Don Page has written to Byron Shire Council in support of the retention of the Roundhouse site at Ocean Shores in public ownership.
“For many years I have been concerned about the lack of public infrastructure at Ocean Shores. I believe it would be extremely shortsighted of council to allow the Roundhouse site to be sold off and not kept for community use,” Mr Page said.
Despite Ocean Shores having a population of around 5500, it has very few community facilities compared to other towns of similar size.
Mr Page said that Ocean Shores needs public infrastructure much more than it needs a few additional blocks of land.
Bangalow half-interchange petition presented to Parliament
May 19, 2010
Member for Ballina Don Page delivered a petition containing 1015 signatures to the NSW Parliament today regarding the proposed new half-interchange at Bangalow.
The petition is calling on the Minister for Roads to reconsider the Bangalow interchange that is planned as part of the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale Pacific Highway upgrade.
New staff, new offices for Northern Rivers Tourism
May 2, 2010
As part of its program to build the profile of the Northern Rivers among domestic and international travellers, Northern Rivers Tourism (NRT) has appointed a Destination Marketing Officer.
Jessica McClean (pictured with Russell Mills) joins NRT in the newly created role and is a graduate of Southern Cross University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. Jessica has worked in Norway in the travel industry and with Tourism Australia in their trade events team.
“Jessica demonstrated a fantastic combination of people skills, marketing acumen and insight into the tourism industry to secure the position, ahead of a very competitive field selected through Southern Cross University’s careers hub,” says the CEO of NRT, Russell Mills.
