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Clarence Valley News

Valley’s mayoral candidates keep heads down

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Clarence Valley Council mayoral candidates keep heads down

Valley’s mayoral candidates keep heads down

TIM HOWARD

The resignations of five councillors and a general manager plus the election of six new councillors at the December 4 local government elections has created a rare opportunity for Clarence Valley Council.
Electors sprung a minor surprise at the ballot box, electing six new councillors, although two of them, Ian Tiley and Bill Day, are hugely experienced at local government level.
But the departure of what some ratepayers bizarrely termed the “Grafton mafia”: Mayor Jim Simmons, his deputy Jason Kingsley and Crs Richie Williamson, Andrew Baker and Arthur Lysaught (only two are from Grafton) and the resignation of general manager Ashley Lindsay has opened up opportunities in both the elected and executive branches of the council.
With six newbies on the council the accepted wisdom is former Clarence Valley mayor Ian Tiley would be a shoe-in for the top job.
In fact, Greens councillor Greg Clancy, who finished fourth on the popular vote tally, made no secret he and Mr Tiley would run on a Tiley/Clancy ticket for mayor and deputy.
But other councillors have harboured mayoral ambitions.
Karen Toms has stood for the role of mayor or deputy several times without success.
The departure of five councillors who often stood against her could give her the confidence to try again.
Acting against her is the knowledge she was the last councillor elected, meaning in the public eye, she is the least popular member of the council.
Debrah Novak been one of the most vocal and visible councillors since she was elected in 2016.
She has made involvement in the community her watchword and she is an effective communicator in traditional and social media.
Following an election where voters showed they valued a high level of community mindedness, Ms Novak has every right to put herself forward as a candidate for mayor.
The most popular vote winner, Grafton businessman Jeff Smith, has ruled out a run for mayor, but given the strength of his vote, the electorate has clear expectations of him taking a leading role.
Maybe a term as deputy mayor in this shortened term (two years and nine months), would give Mr Smith enough of a taste of life at the top to take tilt at the top job next time.
The position of general manager is even more interesting than the hunt for a new mayor.
A new council has free rein to choose its general manager should it want to and with the departure of Mr Lindsay there has been moves for a change.
Late last year the council voted to appoint the council’s governance director Laura Black as acting general manager while Mr Lindsay completes his leave period and the council decides who it wants in the top job.
But the 5-4 vote for Ms Black was even shakier than it looked. The five councillors who backed her as acting GM were the same five who were not standing for re-election.
During debate on the matter councillors argued it could overturn her appointment in the new year and bring in outside expertise.
In addition there were some queries about Ms Black’s performance as acting general manager while Mr Lindsay was on sick leave in the middle of the year.
She made decisions to refuse some ratepayers access to information which attracted censure from the Information Privacy Commissioner and on a related matter banned council contact with the same ratepayers, which the NSW Ombudsman said did not follow council procedure.
On his return from sick leave Mr Lindsay said he could offer no explanation for Ms Black’s actions in refusing GIPA access and apologised to them for the council’s actions.
But he did support Ms Black’s decision to ban staff contact with the ratepayers because of their unreasonable contact, despite the statement from the Ombudsman’s office.
He also believed the council should continue with Ms Black in the acting GM role because she was across a number of vital projects the council was on a tight deadline to finish.
Ms Black’s performance was also questioned over the late presentation of the 2020-21 annual report, which turned up as a late item of business at the extraordinary council meeting on December 3, the day before the election.
It was revealed there had been errors in the initial report and their had been administrative mistakes made while correcting these errors.
While Ms Black’s handling of these matter was not faulted, her position as a the director of governance generates an expectation she has intimate knowledge in these areas.
These should be the type of issues the new council considers when it hires the GM it wants.

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Advisory committee cuts “insulting” say conservationists

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Clarence Advisory committee member Leonie Blain

Advisory committee cuts “insulting” say conservationists

 

By Tim Howard

Clarence Valley conservationists say they feel “insulted” after a Clarence Valley decision to cut the number of community advisory committees.

Many of them met to consider their response to a Clarence Valley Council decision in December that condensed three committees providing advice to council on the environment into one.

At the meeting convener Leonie Blain was unhappy with the way the restructure had come about.

“The members of the previous advisory committees feel insulted by the way the change has been handled by the new council,” Ms Blain said.

The decision was part of an overhaul of the council’s advisory committee structure, reducing the number of committees from 10 to four.

Previously the council received advice from community members in the Climate Change Committee, the Biodiversity Committee and the Coast and Estuary Committee on environmental matters

In December councillors voted to create one new body, the Environment and Sustainability Community Advisory Committee.

The decision was not unanimous at first with deputy Mayor Cr Greg Clancy concerned the new structure would discourage people with expertise in specific fields from taking part.

Cr Clancy moved to instead have two committees covering climate change and biodiversity, but this was defeated 6-3

Presented with a fait accompli he voted for the motion, which passed unanimously, but warned the council could lose input from some experts.

“I don’t know how we will get people with an interest in the environment, in those special areas, working together, because they’ve come from a whole range of different backgrounds, and it’s very sad that we’ve just got one broad Environment Committee,” he said.

“So how that’s going to work? Time will tell.”

The meeting last week at the Clarence Environment Centre in South Grafton could provide some answers.

Ms Blaine, who had been a member of the former Climate Change Committee, said the council had benefited from the expertise of members who had given their time to be on theses bodies.

“The previous advisory committees had operated in good faith, providing expert and well-considered advice on a broad range of matters,” she said.

“While only some were formally adopted by council, we felt that council’s operations benefited through the committees’ positive interactions with council staff.”

A key concern raised at the meeting was the scope of matters that would need to be covered by the new committee.

It’s scope would encompass council’s management and policies on biodiversity, sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change, particularly in the extensive estuary and floodplains of the Clarence River.

“The previous advisory committees had operated in good faith, providing expert and well-considered advice on a broad range of matters,” Ms Blain said.

“While only some were formally adopted by council, we felt that Council’s operations benefited through the committees’ positive interactions with council staff.”

Ms Blain, who had addressed council’s December meeting in a delegation to council advocating for the retention of both the biodiversity and climate change committees, said it was obvious the general manager was not listening to her address and was in conversation with another person.

“It was an obvious slight which was noticed by many of the people attending or watching the meeting,” Ms Blain said.

A member of the former Biodiversity Advisory Committee, Phil Redpath, who brought significant environmental regulatory and ecological experience to that committee, had written to all councillors.

His submission pointed out that the cost of holding advisory committee meetings was insignificant compared to the significant uncosted economic benefit made by experts volunteering their time to attend Advisory Committee meetings.

A member of the former Coast and Estuary Management Committee, Peter Maslen, said his queries to council about whether the future Clarence advisory committees would be asked to provide input to council during the development of the coastal management program (CMP) for the Clarence River’s estuary had gone unanswered.

“The Coast and Estuary Management Committee had provided valuable input on the CMP for the Clarence’s Open Coast,” he said.

“The Estuary CMP is still to be prepared. That CMP should have community input during its preparation – not just wait for the public exhibition period.”

Ms Blain said the meeting concluded with a decision to review the Terms of Reference for the new and fewer advisory committees, to understand whether those committees could operate as an effective voice for community input to council policies and operations.

 

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Charity golfers chip in for kids health

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Westlawn Charity Golf Day

Charity golfers chip in for kids health

 

By Tim Howard

Clarence Valley golfers who chipped in for the Westlawn Charity Golf Day last August can now see the benefits of their generosity.

The popular annual event, held in August year has provided two pieces of kit that will help Grafton bubs.

The Grafton-based financial firm recently presented Grafton Base Hospital’s Children’s Ward and Women’s Care Unit with a portable Nitrous Oxygen Unit for the Children’s Ward,

This helps to sedate children and babies when undergoing procedures.

And the second piece of equipment was a Radical-7 Pulse CO-Oximeter, which is a high-tech monitoring system that assists medical teams in monitoring the respiration and oxygen levels of pre-term babies admitted to the hospital’s Special Care Nursery.

The donation to Our Kids, allowing the children’s health fund to purchase the new equipment for the hospital.

Westlawn Finance executive director Geoff Scofield said the company’s donation to Our Kids was only possible through funds raised during the charity golf day, which he described as an event that brought community and business partners together.

“The amazing work Our Kids does to raise funds for much-needed equipment in the maternity and children’s wards at Grafton Hospital is truly inspiring,” he said.

Westlawn Charity Golf Day

Midwifery unit manager at Grafton Base Hospital Alison Fels, is grateful to receive new equipment for the Special Care Nursery from funds donated to Our Kids by Westlawn Finance, represented here by Geoff Scofield and Damien Rouse.

“Our commitment to supporting local initiatives aligns perfectly with Our Kids’ mission to keep kids and families in our region, reducing the need for them to travel too far away from home.”

Our Kids fundraising coordinator Rebekka Battista thanked Westlawn Finance for its continuing support for community care in the region.

“A massive thanks to the Westlawn Finance team, their customers and supporters of the Westlawn Charity Golf Day – it is always a great day and the results impact so many families in the Clarence region. Thank you to all involved,” she said.

Our Kids has been a huge support to the health system in other regions on the NSW North Coast.

It has hosted events like the up-and-coming Lismore Samson Fitness Challenge, and Our Kids Day Out, along with contributions from donors and local businesses to help raise funds to purchase paediatric equipment for our local hospitals.

Ms Battista said Our Kids has purchased more than $2.7 million in paediatric equipment for the Grafton, Lismore and Tweed hospitals.

Our Kids invites members of the public to become involved by become a financial or in-kind partner.

For more information please contact the Our Kids team on 0438 417 085 or email info@ourkids.org.au.

 

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The Long Way Home Writing Competition Launches for 2025

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Claire Aman - The Long Way Home Writing Competition

The Long Way Home Writing Competition Launches for 2025

 

Local writers will be delving for gold this year with the launch of the Clarence Valley’s annual writing competition. The 2025 competition theme, ‘Heart of Gold’, invites writers to interpret it in their own unique ways.

“We’re hoping to get a trove of original stories that explore all the richness in this theme,” said Claire Aman, Director of The Long Way Home. “In these times, we’re all searching for a heart of gold: a shiny nugget freely given, or even a speck of kindness. It’s a potent symbol. We’re very excited to see what writers come up with.”

The competition is open to everyone, from primary and high school students to adults.

“You don’t need any qualifications or experience,” Claire added. “You just need to make up a story with heart. We’re looking for imaginative stories that surprise us, stories that make us curious about what happens next, stories that make us laugh or make us cry.”

As in previous years, the best entries will be published in an anthology titled ‘Stories from the Clarence Valley 2025 — Heart of Gold,’ set for release at the end of the year.

The Long Way Home, a writing collective, has been nurturing voices across Clarence Valley since 2018, publishing seven books featuring 372 stories to date.

“The competition grows more popular each year,” Claire noted. “We discovered some fabulous writing last year, especially from winners Gra Murdoch, Jia Atwal, and Lilly Mulqueen. We’re expecting to find new talent this year as writers unearth the beating, gleaming heart of gold.”

Key Dates and Submission Details:

  • Deadline: 1 June 2025
  • Word Limits: Adults: 2,500 words | High School Students: 500 words | Primary Students: 200 words

For more information and to enter the competition, visit here.

 

For more local news, click here.

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Gavin named Valley’s top citizen

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Clarence Valley Council's Australia Day ambassador Cr Cristie Yager, left, with the 2025 Citizen of the Year Gavin Rayward, centre and Clarence MP Richie Williamson.

Gavin named Valley’s top citizen

 

By Tim Howard

The Clarence Valley has rewarded an athlete who has promoted healthy outdoor activity as an antidote to mental health problems, naming Gavin Rayward as its leading citizen for 2025.

Mr Rayward was named the Clarence Valley’s 2025 Citizen of the Year at a ceremony held at Grafton District Golf Club on Thursday.

For more than a decade he has been at the forefront of local outdoor sports including running, canoeing and orienteering, encouraging young people to enjoy the wonderful environment the Clarence Valley possesses.

Gavin was nominated for his dedication to promoting outdoor activities and mental health in the Clarence Valley, where he has organised numerous events to engage people of all ages and abilities, such as Street-O orienteering event in Grafton and traditional orienteering events in Bom Bom State Forest since 2013.

Mr Rayward’s motivation was to help deal with the effects of mental illness, like depression, by getting outdoors.

A good example was his role in the Mad Paddlers event in 2023.

The acronym MAD – Men Against Depression – summed up the event perfectly.

The Clarence Valley 2025 Local Hero winner was Jenny Vickery pictured here with Clarence MP Richie Williamson and 2025 Citizen of the Year Awards ambassador Cr Cristie Yager.

The Clarence Valley 2025 Local Hero winner was Jenny Vickery pictured here with Clarence MP Richie Williamson and 2025 Citizen of the Year Awards ambassador Cr Cristie Yager.

“MAD Paddlers is a program created to help you experience the physical and mental benefits of becoming more active and socially connected,” the promotions for the event promised.

It reflected the emerging recognition in mental health sectors that exercise and social connection has a big impact on improving mental health.

Mr Rayward finished ahead of a big field for the 2025 award with 11 nominations received in the Citizen of the Year category.

In the other sections there were four nominations in the Young Citizen of the Year, four nominations for the Community Achievement Award and six Local Hero nominations, highlighting the incredible contribution and impacts made by our community.

Clarence Valley Councillor Cristie Yager, who was the 2025 Citizen of the Year Awards ambassador and hosted the event, praised the nominees for all their hard work in our community.

“Our community are everything,” she said. “These awards are the perfect way to highlight and celebrate our local legends and community groups and I’m so honoured to be able to host the awards in my first year of being a councillor.

“These incredible accomplishments reflect the immense impact our nominees have made and the high regard in which they are held by our community.

“Thank you for making a difference.”

Warm Touch received the Community Achievement Group award for their quick action support to individuals in need of all ages and circumstances.

Warm Touch received the Community Achievement Group award for their quick action support to individuals in need of all ages and circumstances.

Other nominees in the Citizen of the Year category include Brian Ferrie, Damien Fisher, Helen Tyas Tunggal, Jesse Dead Langford, Kaitlyn-Maree Robertson, Kathleen Giggins, Kathryn Langford, Sally Rogers, Suzanne Day and Toby Power.

Nash Crofton was named Young Citizen of the Year for his remarkable impact on the Clarence Valley community through his entrepreneurial spirit, leadership, and passion for the arts.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nash founded Clarence Tunes, a home-grown music festival providing a vital platform for local artists to showcase their talents.

Mr Crofton was an apology for the awards ceremony.

The festival quickly became a regional highlight with proceeds directly supporting performers.

Also nominated in the Young Citizen of the Year categories are Kaitlyn-Maree Robertson, Reny Dooley and Shannon Moran.

Warm Touch 2460 were awarded the Community Achievement Group award for their quick action support to individuals in need of all ages and circumstances.

This remarkable group is backed by local businesses, generous community members and dedicated volunteers.

Also nominated in the Community Achievement Group category were Happy Paws Haven Inc, Paua Yoga Studio and Rivertree Film Inc.

 

For more local news, click here.

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Golden Guitar winner heading to muster

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Golden Guitar winner

Golden Guitar winner heading to muster

 

By Samantha Elley

Musician and instrumentalist Lindsay Waddington will need to make some room on his shelf in the ‘pool room’ having just won a Golden Guitar, along with fellow musician Brendan Radford, for their work, The Red Centre.

“I grew up on Aboriginal missions, so my work often has a desert vibe to it,” said Lindsay.

“I did my first recording session at 10 years old after I’d learnt the drums in North Queensland.

“I was the only person who could play the drums with brushes, so when someone needed a drummer, I got the job.”

In fact, Lindsay was a teenager when he travelled as a roadie with Brian Young, then the late Jimmy Little, who took him under his wing.

From there, Lindsay met the who’s who of country music, eventually working with the likes of John Williamson, Brian Cadd, James Blundell and many more.

Running his own recording studio and record label, LWM House, on the Gold Coast, Lindsay was thrilled with his win.

“We had the song pretty much finished,” he said.

“But it was missing something, so I asked ‘Breno’ to look at it.”

Once the music was complete, the pair were on track for their Golden Guitar win.

Northern Rivers country music lovers will get the chance to hear Lindsay and Brendan perform at the 10th anniversary of the Clarence Valley Country Muster, to be held on October 16th-19th.

“I am usually plugged in to the Gold Coast but I love getting back to the bush,” said Lindsay.

“People come from everywhere in the vans and Wendy (Gordon, the muster’s host) gives a great vibe.

“People are there for a good time and good music.”

Find out more about the Clarence Valley Country Muster here.

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