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Clarence Valley News

Second death in custody at new jail

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Clarence Correctional Centre

Second death in custody at new jail

By Tim Howard

A 29-year-old inmate has died at Clarence Correctional Centre on June, the second man to die in custody at the jail in the past six weeks.
The man, identified as Dictor Mayen Dongrin, was due to front Coffs Harbour Local Court the following day on two charges of common assault, one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two of stalking and intimidation. 
A spokesperson for the jail operator Serco said Mr Dongrin was found unresponsive in a medical holding room by staff around 1.30pm and was pronounced dead by paramedics shortly after.
Serco, Corrective Services NSW and NSW Police were investigating the incident.
All deaths in custody are subject to a coronial inquest.
Mr Dongrin was also involved in a apprehended domestic violence hearing with another family member
The court has ceased all proceedings involving Mr Dongrin because of his death.
The spokesperson said Serco extends its condolences to the family and friends of the man.

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Clarence Valley News

Council backs Eight Mile Lane upgrade

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Cr Steve Pickering Eight Mile Lane Upgrade

Council backs Eight Mile Lane upgrade

 

By Tim Howard

Another attempt to correct a failure to provide efficient heavy vehicle access to Grafton is heading to the NSW Government.

At its February 27 meeting Clarence Valley Council voted 8-1 to support a Mayoral Minute calling for the upgrade of Eight Mile Lane at Glenugie to allow heavy vehicle access to the M1.

Cr Steve Pickering moved to accept the motion, which called on the council to:

  1. write to the Hon. Jenny Aitchison MP Minister for Regional Transport and Roads requesting the status of the Eight Mile Lane upgrade (from the M1 motorway/interchange) to facilitate B-Double Standard access from the M1 motorway to Big River Way (State Classified Roads) including associated intersections.
  2. request that this section of Eight Mile Lane (approx. 2km) be prioritised for reclassification from a Regional to a State Road.
  3. write to the Local Member for Clarence Richie Williamson MP seeking to reaffirm his support for points 1 and 2.

Cr Pickering said this had been on his radar since the M1 upgrade began construction.

constructed.

“When I actually was looking at the plans and I noticed that there was a piece of road not highlighted, being Eight Mile Lane,” he said.

“It wasn’t highlighted, which meant there was no work occurring on it. And I started asking questions about what was happening with this road. And nothing was happening with this road.”

Cr Steve Pickering Eight Mile Lane Upgrade

Cr Steve Pickering

He said this had been oversight at the time which was pointed out at the time by local trucking companies and councillors.

“I actually had a meeting with three trucking companies and three trucking companies in my office in Ulmarra to talk about this many years ago when the road was being constructed,” he said.

“And I’ve got letters from Pearson’s trucks saying we support the upgrade of Eight Mile Lane and I’ve got I’ve I’ve got letters still going back all these years and and then I kept asking questions.”

He said his was at odds with advice from the council and State Government at the time, which said trucking companies had advised planners they didn’t want Eight Mile Lane upgrade.

Cr Pickering said the access Eight Mile Lane gave trucking coming to and from Grafton was important because it gave access to the city during flood time and took heavy vehicle traffic off the Big River Way, which went through the villages of Tyndale and Ulmarra.

“We’ve got trucks still traveling through our small towns and villages, through our school zones,” he said.

“Motor vehicle accidents are still happening on Big River Way between cars and trucks.

“So when you’ve got that interaction, there’s always the possibility of something going wrong and they do go wrong.

“This is a no-brainer for the state government to just finish the project they started, finish this missing link between Eight Mile Lane and Big River Way, allow our heavy vehicles access to this route, save them money, save them time, save the interaction with vehicles and pedestrians on our streets.”

Cr Debrah Novak said it was important the upgrade of Eight Mile Lane happened soon for economic reasons as well as safety.

Cr Deb Novak Eight Mile Lane upgrade

Cr Deb Novak

“We are a trucking town,” she said. “One company  in South Grafton injects $10 million into our local economy and employs 100 people.

“So for that operation to be completely held up all the time because of that road not being fixed up properly it’s just not good economic sense.

“We need to support our business people.”

She said the current arrangements actually meant Grafton was missing out on some benefits of truck access to the city.

“And the other thing that’s really important to remember too, is that the trucks that are coming down Armidale Road, if they’re B-doubles, they are not allowed to use Big River Way so they needed to get onto the M1,” she said.

“They need to turn left on the Summerland Way, so we’re missing out on trucks like that utilising our central CBD area or additional area for any business works only things like that.

“So we’re missing out on economic activity there.”

Cr Greg Clancy was against the proposal on environmental grounds.

“My concern is the environmental impacts of upgrading Eight Mile Lane,” Cr Clancy said.

“I have done work there for council years ago, I declare an interest, but there’s a lot of high conservation value areas.

“There’s also First Nations cultural areas in there. And I do think that these could be restrictions on upgrading Eight Mile Lane and for us to support this now without knowing the full impacts is premature.”

He said the planners could have made a “doughnut” at Glenugie rather than upgrade Eight Mile Lane.

 

For more local Clarence Valley news, click here.

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Clarence Valley News

Defamation denial ‘rewrites history’: Cr Day

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Cr Bill Day Clarence Valley Council Defamation

Defamation denial ‘rewrites history’: Cr Day

 

By Tim Howard

Clarence Valley Council is trying to “rewrite history” with its denial it took legal action against a community group says a veteran councillor.

Cr Bill Day, said the council was in denial after Mayor Peter Johnstone ruled an attempt at acknowledging legal action by council against YambaCAN out of order during the recent council meeting.

During debate on a Notice of Motion from Cr Karen Toms, asking for a report on the costs of YambaCAN’s interactions with the council, Cr Ian Tiley foreshadowed a motion “That:

  1. Council formally resolve to withdraw threatened legal action against YambaCAN and
  2. the council ascertain legal costs incurred by YambaCAN and then consider contributing to those costs.”

The mayor, after consulting with general manager Laura Black, ruled the attempted motion out of order.

“Cr Tiley, there is no legal action involving council and so I’m going to rule that motion out of order I’m afraid,” the mayor said.

But Cr Day said he that had seen enough evidence to convince him the council had begun legal action against YambaCAN and also nothing that convinced him the council had done anything to halt it or that the general manager had taken carriage of the matter.

Last week Cr Johnstone revealed the letter he had written to Julien Castaldi, the Sparke Helmore Lawyers solicitor with the carriage of this matter.

He sent a copy of that letter, along with copies of a letter he had sent to YambaCAN telling them there was no legal action from the council and the matter it referred to was a personal matter involving them and Ms Black.

He also revealed the contents of a letter from the deputy secretary of the Office of Local Government, Brett Whitworth, which insisted the matter was private between Ms Black and YambaCAN officers, Lynne Cairns and Col Shephard.

The mayor’s letter to Mr Castaldi of last week read:

“I refer to your letter dated 18 July 2023 addressed to Col Shephard and Lynne Cairns.

“A copy of the first page of this letter has been posted on social media and it states that the client in this matter is Clarence Valley Council. The first line reads that ‘We act for Clarence Valley Council (council).’

Cr Bill Day Clarence Valley Council Defamation

Cr Bill Day

“This is at odds with council’s public statements that this is a private matter between Laura Black and Lynne Cairns. It has also prompted a councillor to move a motion in the February council meeting that proposed:

“That council:

  1. “formally resolve to withdraw threatened legal action against Yamba CAN
  2. “ascertain legal costs incurred by Yamba CAN and then consider contributing to those costs
  3. “Please will you confirm by public statement that:
    • “a) The client in this matter is Laura Black
    • “b) That Sparke Helmore will not accept instructions in this matter from Clarence Valley Council.”

But Cr Day said all of this was window dressing, because YambaCAN was in possession of legal letters with the Clarence Valley Council as the client and YambaCAN as the respondent in a concerns notice, which was the necessary precursor to a defamation action.

“This is evidence,” Cr Day said. “Peter (Mayor Johnstone) is trying to rewrite history with this. You can’t do that.”

In the letter which he asked Cr Johnstone to send to Mr Castaldi, he said.

“I do have a copy of the email Mr Castaldi sent to our general manager (GM) Laura Black on 29 August 2023, as do all councillors, and I believe Mr Castaldi’s email confirms the following:

  • that the Concerns Notice was issued to YambaCAN Inc
  • that Clarence Valley Council was the client
  • that Sparke Helmore prepared and sent this Concerns Notice to YambaCAN as a result of instructions from GM Black using her delegated authority to do so
  • that CVC councillors are entitled to receive all information and advice from SHL (Quote: ‘….the privilege in advice by Sparke Helmore belongs to you as well as council’).”

Ms Cairns said YambaCAN had received no notification that Ms Black had taken carriage of the matter or taken any action personally against YambaCAN or her and Mr Shephard.

“We have two letters, a concerns notice and a letter requesting further particulars from Sparke Helmore to YambaCAN with Clarence Valley Council mentioned as the client,” she said.

Ms Cairns provided a letter from the group’s legal advisor, who replied to the November letter from Mr Whitworth.

In it he said:

“I am instructed by Yamba CAN Inc to respond to your letter of 21 November 2023.

“In that letter you offered the opinion that the concerns notice served on the community group was done so on the General Manager’s behalf and the matter is a private one.

“Please be advised that the concerns notice was issued by Sparke Helmore Lawyers acting on behalf of Clarence Valley Council. In part the letter states:

“‘We act for Clarence Valley Council (Council), and further

“‘We are instructed by Council to provide representation to Ms Black in relation to the Matter

Complained Of’.

Mayor Peter Johnstone Clarence Valley Council Defamation

Mayor Peter Johnstone

“On behalf of Yamba CAN I sought further particulars from Council. In reply Sparke Helmore Lawyers again state clearly that their client is Clarence Valley Council.”

The mayor was asked about this matter during a radio interview on Loving Life 103.1FM after the council meeting.

He insisted the council had not taken legal action and the appearance of Clarence Valley Council on the letters to YambaCAN might be “a typo”.

He said YambaCAN should attempt to clear this matter up with Sparke Helmore, drawing an analogy with a problem on a bill or a rates notice that could be cleared up with by contacting the sender.

“Lynne and Yamba CAN have had a letter that has come from a lawyer and they are unsure about the wording of that letter,” he said.

“They should contact the lawyers and say, hang on, you’ve got this wrong. That’s what should be happening. And that’s what should have been happening from the very beginning.

“And this has just been going on and on and I can’t do any more. I’ve had legal advice.

“We’ve sent letters saying that we are not taking, council are not taking legal action. What more can we do?”

Cr Day said this explanation ignored clear evidence that the council had been involved in taking legal action against a community group, an action he described as “disgraceful”.

He said the mayor’s letter to Mr Castaldi did nothing to clear this issue up and was an attempt to further his narrative that the council had not been involved in legal action.

His letter asked key questions of the solicitors, which have acted for council over a period of time.

  • did council request and endorse the transfer of the client position in this matter from council to GM Black…..or was it done via Delegated Authority?
  • can SHL provide all details on how this transfer was negotiated and endorsed?
  • could this action be seen as a conflict-of-interest for GM Black?
  • can GM Black ‘take over’ a legal matter commenced by council or will completely new actions be necessary?
  • has Sparke Helmore advised YambaCAN that council is no longer the client in the Concerns Notice they have received?

“I want to know if Peter has sent my letter in full to Mr Castaldi and if not, why not?” Cr Day said.

The mayor said he has not complied with this request and had doubts he would get an answer from Sparke Helmore.

“I’ve explained to Bill that I am hopeful that I will get a reply to my letter, but that as CVC are neither the client nor the respondent there is no guarantee of this,” the mayor said.

“It would require Laura to both give her permission for Sparke Helmore to reply and presumably agree to pay for the letter.”

He doubted he would get a reply to Cr Day’s questions.

“I would be surprised if they replied to the questions Bill is asking and I don’t want to jeopardise my chances of a reply by including Bill’s questions,” he said.

“I will only consider Bill’s request once I either have a reply or the passage of time would make it clear that I will not get a reply.”

Cr Johnstone said these matters began during a time before he was mayor and suggested asking former Mayor Cr Tiley about them.

Cr Tiley said when he became aware of the letters to YambaCAN he sent an email to Ms Black telling her to stop legal action.

In the email of August 2, 2023, he said:

“Would you please provide an update to councillors hereon and in the interim take no further action on the matter until council considers,” Cr Tiley said.

He said nothing ever came to the council for consideration and the mayoral election that installed Cr Johnstone in the role occurred about six weeks later.

Cr Day said he only wanted a response to the matter involving the council.

“Please note that my questions relate to Clarence Valley Council’s involvement in this matter,” he said.

“Any actions Laura Black may take via Sparke Helmore Lawyers, independent from council, are of no interest to me.”

 

For more local Clarence Valley news, click here.

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Lower Clarence Scottish Association Announces Canadian Glenn Brown as International Piping Recitalist for 119th Maclean Highland Gathering

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119th Maclean Highland Gathering

Lower Clarence Scottish Association Announces Canadian Glenn Brown as International Piping Recitalist for 119th Maclean Highland Gathering

 

GUEST PIPER – GLENN BROWN (ONTARIO, CANADA & GLASGOW, SCOTLAND)

The Lower Clarence Scottish Association is proud to announce that Glenn Brown, one of the world’s premier pipers, will be visiting Maclean for the 2024 Maclean Highland Gathering. Glenn Brown is a native of Milton, Ontario, Canada. He began playing at the age of nine, and piping is in his blood as he was originally taught by his mother, Gail Brown, whom he still lists as one of his favourite pipers.

One of Glenn’s biggest role models is Willie McCallum, from whom he has been taking lessons since 2001. He has also received instruction from Michael Grey and Bill Livingstone. Glenn is a prolific prize winner on the solo circuit. Some of his many prizes in Pìobaireachd are the Canadian Gold Medal, The Dunvegan Medal and The Northern Meeting Gold Medal. In Light Music, Glenn has won the A Grade Marches at the Argyllshire Gathering and the A Grade MSR at Oban.

Glenn has also been heavily involved in the pipe band world as the Pipe Sergeant of Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia. Over a very successful career with Shotts he has won three World Pipe Band Championships.

119th Maclean Highland Gathering

The Lower Clarence Scottish Association is proud to announce that Glenn Brown, one of the world’s premier pipers, will be visiting Maclean for the 2024 Maclean Highland Gathering.

In 2017 Glenn placed 4th in the Clasp at the Northern Meeting, 2nd in the Masters Pìobaireachd and 1st in the Senior Pìobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering in Oban. Glenn won the Bratach Gorm in London in 2018 and 2021and in 2019, Glenn took first place in the Piobaireachd at the prestigous Glenfiddich Championship and, in the same year, was the winner of the Donald MacDonald Cuach.

We would like to thank Glenn for donating his time and coming to visit us in Maclean. We would like to acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Mr Barry Ryan and Riverview Funerals for allowing us to use the venue at the Former Maclean Services Club, together with the assistance provided by Andrew & Amy Roach.

The recital will be held at the Former Maclean Services Club 36-38 River Street, Maclean from 7.30 pm on Saturday 30th March 2024. The event is free and no bookings are required. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear one of the world’s best in person.

The 119th Maclean Highland Gathering will be held on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th March 2024. For more information check our website – www.macleanhighlandgathering.com.au or check the Lower Clarence Scottish Association Facebook and Instagram pages.

 

For more entertainment news, click here.

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