Strike Force Hyperion comprises detectives from the Drug Squad’s Cannabis Team, with assistance from the NSW Police Air Wing, Police Dog Unit, Radio Electronics Unit and officers from Richmond Local Area Command.

During the past week, Strike Force Hyperion officers targeted more than 60 cannabis crop sites throughout Richmond Local Area Command, including Kippenduff, Rappville, Clearfield, Busby Flat, Mummulgum, Bulldog, Drake, Nimbin, Blue Knob, Kyogle and Tabulam.

A total of 3734 plants were located and seized by police during the operation.

The total estimated potential street value of the plants seized during the past five days is $7.5 million. All plants seized by police have been now been destroyed.

The Cannabis Eradication Program has been running since the mid 1980s, with the NSW Police Force preventing almost $240 million worth of cannabis reaching NSW streets.

As in previous years, the 2011-2012 operation will see police conduct a number of similar raids over the next few months in an ongoing effort to target cannabis cultivation.

Acting Commander of the State Crime Command’s Drug Squad, Detective Acting Superintendent Steve Patton, said the Cannabis Eradication Program aims to disrupt the cannabis supply chain in NSW by targeting the source.

“Illegal cannabis growers choose their growing locations based on the mistaken belief that police won’t find them,” Det Acting Supt Patton said.

“However, as we prove with this program every year, we have the resources to find these crops and put a dent in the cannabis market.”

Finray Pty Ltd provided extraction and transportation services for logs from dump sites to a local sawmill for processing.

On 5 August 2008, a 60-year-old worker had been using the loader to load logs onto a semitrailer for transportation to the nearby sawmill.

Sometime after loading a number of logs, the employee was working at ground level when the loader rolled forward, striking the worker.

The employee sustained severe crush injuries and died at the scene.

A WorkCover investigation found that the 30-year-old loader was in poor condition and was unsafe.

The Court was told that the loader was in poor condition and had not had an operating park brake or any other braking mechanism for some time before the incident.

Finray Pty Ltd was charged with breaches of the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000.

In handing down the decision of the Industrial Court, Justice Marks determined the safety breaches were serious.

The Court found that the loader was inherently unsafe because of its size and the lack of a park brake. It was a serious breach to require a worker to use such equipment.

Finray was found guilty, and was convicted and fined $225,000.

WorkCover NSW’s General Manager of Workplace Health and Safety Division John Watson said the risks to the employee’s safety were entirely foreseeable and the incident was preventable and should never have happened.

“The fine goes some way to highlighting the seriousness of the offences,” Mr Watson said.

“What makes this case even more tragic is that there were simple things the company could have done to prevent this.

“If a park brake or other braking mechanism had been installed in the loader and had been activated, the employee would not have been fatally injured.

“This is a sad reminder of the need to make sure all workplace equipment is safe. This company did not do this and a man has died.”

“The White Paper is a document for the last century, unable to see that the world is investing strongly in renewables and that we will be left behind,” said Tony Gleeson, Ballina Climate Action Network (BCAN) and the 100% Renewable community campaign spokesperson.”

“What Mr Ferguson has released is a gas plan for Australia. Gas is no solution to our long-term energy needs.

“In Australia, gas means coal seam gas. Coal seam gas is a danger to our precious farmland and is no better than coal in terms of emissions.

“Tying ourselves to gas also exposes Australian consumers to high international gas prices at the power point, just the way we are now at the petrol pump.

“A massive investment in renewable energy is essential for Australia.

“If Australia wants low-cost, zero-carbon energy, we need to invest strongly in renewables like solar and wind now to achieve the benefits of technologies that get cheaper the more you build.

“100% Renewable is calling for 2000MW of big solar plants to be built through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation by 2015.

“Big Solar is proven and commercially available in US and ready to build now in Australia, the sunniest continent on earth, but the White Paper is too stuck in the energy sources of the past to see this.

“It’s no surprise that this committee, stacked as it is with fossil fuel interests, would come up with such a narrow document. It’s time we had people deciding our energy future who aren’t there to protect their own interests in coal and gas.

“We call on Australians to tell Mr Ferguson that we expect much better than this.”

About 10.20pm on Friday 28 October 2011, a 19-year-old man was walking along Uralba Street, Lismore, when he began to be followed by a group of five youths.

The man began to run from the group, however, they chased him, catching him at the intersection of Hunter Street.

The group allegedly threatened the man before assaulting him.

It is alleged the 13-year-old boy picked up a large rock and threw it at the man’s head, causing a large wound above his left eye.

The man ran towards Lismore Base Hospital and collapsed out the front.

He was assisted by a security guard at the hospital, who chased the group away.

The man was admitted to hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery to treat a compressed skull fracture.

About 8.50am yesterday (Wednesday 9 November 2011), police attended an address in Boronia Street, Casino, and arrested the 13-year-old boy.

It is alleged that the boy began to assault and resist police as they took him outside.

The 13-year-old boy was taken to Casino Police Station where he was charged with wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault police officer in execution of duty, resist officer in execution of duty.

He appeared before Casino Children’s Court, where he was bail refused and will reappear in Lismore Children’s Court tomorrow (Friday 11 November 2011).

Police have identified another youth allegedly involved in the incident, and are still looking for three boys who may be able to assist with their investigation.

They are only described as being Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Mr Page said that residential parks provide an affordable housing choice for many people, who develop strong, valuable networks of support within their park.

“It is vital that effective laws are in place setting out clear and balanced rights and obligations for residents and park operators,” said Mr Page.

“The discussion paper honours our election commitment to residential park residents to carry out a full review of the Residential Parks Act 1998 and improve the governance of the residential parks industry”.

The paper looks at several ways to help strengthen and grow the residential parks sector, including options for licensing park operators, education for new operators and better ways to resolve disputes about rent increases.

“The NSW Government has listened to concerns at the grassroots level and will make sure the real issues affecting park residents and operators are addressed by this review,” Mr Page said.

The discussion paper is available online at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au or by calling 13 32 20. Comments can be lodged directly online, by returning the submission form at the back of the paper, or by sending a submission to NSW Fair Trading.

The deadline for providing comments on the discussion paper is Wednesday, 29 February 2012.

In welcoming the announcement, Member for Page Janelle Saffin said it was wonderful that the Post Office had been recognised for its significant heritage values.
 
“This heritage listing will mean increased protection for the Casino Post Office,” she said.
 
“From when it was built in 1879, the post office has played a central role in the development of communication services in Casino and the broader Upper Richmond River district.
 
“Casino Post Office was designed as a modest regional post office, with combined post and telegraph office and residence. The complex was enlarged in 1915 and again in 1975 to accommodate an increased volume of work and a larger residence.
 
“It is an uncommon and distinctive building and architecturally it is a fine example of hybrid Victorian Italianate and Colonial Regency Revival styles.
 
“The announcement of Casino Post Office being added to the Commonwealth Heritage List means national recognition for this significant community icon.
 
“Casino’s Central Business District already boasts one of the best collections of art deco buildings in Australia and the addition of the Post Office building to the Commonwealth Heritage Listing adds to Casino’s reputation as a town of significant heritage value.
 
“There is great potential for these local heritage sites to become more of a tourism drawcard.
 
“When I spoke to people in the streets of Casino today about the new listing, they were very pleased with the news, and rightly proud of their town’s historic streetscape.”
 
Minister for Sustainability Tony Burke has announced the inclusion of 43 post offices from around Australia on the Commonwealth Heritage List.

PICTURE: Member for Page Janelle Saffin (right) talking to Postal Service officer Sherrie McGrath about the addition  of Casino Post Office to the Commonwealth  Heritage List.

Shortly after 10.30pm on Sunday 16 October, emergency services were called to a home in Diary Street following reports that a man was suffering a cardiac arrest.

Ambulance Paramedics treated the 30-year-old man at the scene and rushed him to Lismore Base Hospital, however, he could not be revived.

Police from Casino established a crime scene and arrested a 23-year-old man a short time later. The man was taken to Casino Police Station and later released pending further inquiries.

A 45-year-old woman, also a resident at the home, went to Lismore Police Station where she assisted police with their inquiries and was later allowed to leave.

Investigators have appealed for any witnesses to the incident to come forward and contact police.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Lismore Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1 800 333 000.

About 8:10pm, Tuesday 11 October 2011, police from Richmond Local Area Command were called to a house in Boronia Crescent, Casino, following reports of a male attempting to break into the premises.

Police have been told a man attempted to smash the window of the premises before fleeing in a Mitsubishi Magna.

About 9:15pm police were patrolling the Casino area when they stopped a blue Mitsubishi Magna, however, the driver then allegedly accelerated and drove off and a pursuit was initiated.

A minute later the Mitsubishi was travelling along the Bruxner Highway when the driver lost control, hit a gutter and crashed into a telegraph pole at the intersection with Johnson Street.

A 32-year-old man was trapped inside the vehicle before being released by emergency services.

He was taken to Lismore Base Hospital suffering head, chest and abdominal injuries and remains in a critical condition.

A crime scene was established at the scene and was examined by specialist forensic officers and the crash investigation unit.

An independent Critical Incident Investigation Team comprising of officers from Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command has been established to investigate the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

About 4.30am today (Sunday 9 October 2011), emergency services were called to Coraki Road, Greenridge, after a red hatchback left the road and collided with a roadside concrete drain.

Paramedics determined that the driver, a 27-year-old man, died instantly from his injuries.

A dog that was in the vehicle was also killed.

Police from Richmond Local Area Command are conducting inquiries into the cause of the crash.

Between the evening of Saturday 1 October and the morning of Sunday 2 October 2011, eight houses in Casino were broken into and an amount of property was stolen.

Police will allege that during one of the incidents at Acacia Avenue, an 82-year-old man was confronted in his home by three males and seriously assaulted.

The man was allegedly punched in the face and hit with a chair. He sustained bleeding and lacerations and was treated for his injuries in hospital.

In another incident, a 52-year-old woman was allegedly confronted by two males who had broken into her home in Rosewood Avenue.

The woman was threatened with a Samurai sword before the two males allegedly stole an amount of property before fleeing the scene.

Police will also allege a house in Cascade Drive was broken into where a shotgun and .22 rifle were stolen from a firearm safe.

On Monday, 3 October, police from Richmond Local Area Command attended a house in Tallwood Street, Casino, where they recovered a number of items allegedly stolen during the break-ins.

Three males, aged 13, 14 and 16, were later arrested following a short foot pursuit.

The 13-year-old was charged with two counts of aggravated break, enter and steal.

The 14-year-old was charged with three counts of aggravated break, enter and steal and one count each of assault with intent to rob, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and breach of bail.

The 16-year-old was charged with three counts of aggravated break, enter and steal and one count each of assault with intent to rob and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

All three youths were refused bail to appear in Lismore Children’s Court today.

About 9.30pm last night (Monday 3 October 2011) officers attached to Richmond TAG arrested a 17-year-old male for his alleged involvement in the break-ins.

He was charged with two counts of aggravated break, enter and steal and assault with intent to rob and will also appear in Lismore Children’s Court today.