Fifteen injured in crash near Lismore
March 30, 2009
Fifteen people were taken to hospital following a head-on collision between two four-wheel-drives near Lismore on Saturday afternoon.
The Mitsubishi Pajero and Toyota Landcruiser collided in heavy rain on Whyralla Road, Buckendoon, shortly after midday.
Fifteen people were treated at Lismore Base Hospital for various injuries – three of them in serious condition.
One of them, a nine-year-old girl, was later airlifted from Lismore to Royal Brisbane Hospital suffering a suspected fractured spine.
Police from Richmond Local Area Command and the Ballina Crash Investigation Unit are continuing their inquiries into the cause of the collision.
Tony Zann’s weekend fishing report
March 27, 2009
Bruce at Dave’s Bait Shop in Ballina says there are still a few whiting hanging in North Creek and the lower reaches of the Richmond.
Flatties have been quite OK in the same haunts, up to about Wardell.
Blackfish have turned up early at the Porpoise Wall and around Prospect Bridge.
Small school jew in the river but most are undersized.
Opposition promises introduction of hospital boards
March 27, 2009
A new State Opposition policy to introduce regional hospital boards has won the enthusiastic support of Tweed Nationals MP Geoff Provest, who said it was just what was needed to solve the Tweed Hospital crisis.
The plan was announced by Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell at a function in Sydney on Thursday night marking the two-year countdown to the 2011 NSW election.
“Tweed medical staff rightly view the North Coast Area Health Service as out of touch, out of town, and out of control,” Mr Provest said.
“CEO Chris Crawford is cutting 400 jobs from North Coast Hospitals at a time when the Tweed Hospital is full and already doesn’t have enough staff to support the 30 new beds opened last year.
Saffin places regional transport plan on political agenda
March 27, 2009
Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin today placed the development and implementation of an integrated regional transport plan for northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland on the political agenda.
“A united regional approach is the only way to convince Federal and State governments to support major projects that redress an historic under-funding and neglect in our region of rail, road, air and public transport generally,” Ms Saffin said.
Ms Saffin has told the new Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils (NOROC) that she is quietly confident of securing Federal support for the development of a two-region integrated transport plan so that Northern Rivers also can access funds identified for nation-building projects.
“I am seeking the support of the New South Wales and Queensland governments, NOROC’s member councils and the South-East Queensland Council of Mayors to contribute financially to a plan that identifies transport needs on both sides of the border for now and the next half a century,” Ms Saffin said.
Police to visit Ballina, Lismore airports in security review
March 27, 2009
NSW police training teams will be visiting a number of regional airports within the Northern Region as Phase 2 of the Securing our Regional Skies (SORS) program continues next week.
The aim of the SORS II Training Program is to provide an increased awareness of the current security environment, and to deliver enhanced skills related to security at regional airports. There will also be reviews and re-enforcement of local transport security.
The teams will be supporting local organisations through discussion exercises and providing guidance through on-site security reviews at Lismore, Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and Taree.
The joint training team will consist of members from the NSW Police Force Counter Terrorism Co-ordinated Response Group, the Office of Transport Security and Local Government, aand re attending regional airports in NSW as part of the Securing Our Regional Skies Education and Awareness Programme.
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Sexton Hill plan is the wrong option: MP
March 26, 2009
While cash to fix the Pacific Highway at Sexton Hill, Banora Point, was welcome, the upgrade would not help Tweed locals unless the Government switched to Community Option C, Tweed Nationals MP Geoff Provest said.
“Both options are fully costed, so choosing the right route will not cause any construction delays,” Mr Provest said.
“The route Labor has chosen is great for B-Doubles travelling between Brisbane and Sydney but a nightmare for locals.
“The poor design and lack of an interchange at Kirkwood Road mean major bottlenecks in Tweed Heads.
‘Big Bertha’ sets a record for cane toads found in Byron Shire
March 26, 2009
Byron Shire Council had a record find this week with the discovery of a cane toad weighing over half a kilo.
Council’s capital works environmental officer, Michael Bingham, found the cane toad on the banks of the Brunswick River near Mullumbimby this week. The female cane toad was over 16cm in length, 11.5cm across, weighed 515grams and according to Council’s cane toad project officer, Wendy Gibney, is the largest to be found in Byron Shire.
Cancer Council Call-in attracts 120 responses
March 26, 2009
Almost 120 people have already called to give their stories in The Cancer Council NSW’s month-long Radiotherapy Call-in.
The Cancer Council issued the call earlier this month asking to give people across the State an opportunity to share their radiotherapy experiences and voice any concerns.
The council said many callers are citing problems which have made their access to radiotherapy treatment difficult. These problems include long waiting periods for treatment to begin, substantial out-of-pocket expenses and the necessity to travel hundreds of kilometres each day when local treatment isn’t an option.
“The strong response we’ve had to the call-in shows that cancer patients appreciate being able to tell someone about their experience, including describing any problems they were forced to overcome in order to receive their treatment,” said Corinne Martin from the Far North Coast office of The Cancer Council.
Grafton Work for the Dole team praised
March 26, 2009
The Member for Page, Janelle Saffin, has praised a local Work for the Dole team for their role in raising funds to assist disadvantaged people in the Grafton community.
The six-month Australian Government-funded project gave participants the opportunity to be trained in the operation of the Riverside Care Bargain Centre in South Grafton, a second-hand store run by the Riverside Church.
Participants were involved in a range of tasks including administration, reception, retail, stores, maintenance, gardening and handyperson duties.
They restored, sold and distributed second-hand goods including clothing, furniture, electrical goods and computers to raise funds to assist the needy in the community.
Parliament to debate reopening of Murwillumbah-Casino rail line
March 26, 2009
Both Houses of the NSW Parliament will debate reopening the Murwillumbah to Casino rail line following notices of motion filed by NSW Nationals MPs.
Clarence Nationals MP Steve Cansdell, whose electorate includes Casino, welcomed the move, saying neither he nor locals had ever accepted Labor’s decision to cut the line back in 2004.
“Ahead of the fifth anniversary of Labor’s axe on 17 May, I am asking local residents to contact me with their ideas so they can have their say in this important debate,” he said.
Mr Cansdell said residents could write to him at 11 Prince Street, Grafton, or email clarence@parliament.nsw.gov.au
