Lismore and Ballina prepare for NSW Women’s Masters Hockey Championships

Get ready for an action-packed weekend of hockey as Lismore teams up with Ballina to host the NSW Northern Division Women’s Masters Hockey Championships.

The event kicks off on Friday, 26 July and runs through to Sunday, 28 July, at the Goonellabah Hockey Centre in Hepburn Park and the Ballina Hockey Centre.

Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said the collaboration between Lismore and Ballina showcases the strength and unity of our communities.

“A lot of effort has gone into developing our Hockey Centre and hosting an event of this magnitude in Lismore is a significant achievement,” he said.

“This event not only brings top-tier hockey to our area but also offers an opportunity for local businesses and the community to benefit from the influx of visitors. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved and I encourage our community to come out and support the event.”

This year’s championships will feature 50 teams with over 850 competitors competing for top honours across the two venues. The NSW Women’s Masters Hockey Championships, which began in 1985 in Newcastle with only 16 teams, has grown significantly in size and stature over the years.

President of Far North Coast Hockey Inc., Nathan Kesteven, said we are thrilled to be hosting the NSW Women’s Masters Hockey State Championships.

“This event not only celebrates the athleticism and sportsmanship of our players but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and community spirit among all participants,” he said.

“We’ve had a huge amount of interest from our local players and this year will be entering 5 highly competitive teams in the event, from the Over 34 Div 1 team up to the Over 55’s Div 1.”

“We are looking forward to welcoming teams, supporters and hockey enthusiasts to what promises to be an unforgettable weekend of competition.”

For the first time, the Championships will be held on the Far North Coast, marking a significant milestone for the region. The championships promises to be an exciting and competitive event, showcasing the talent and dedication of athletes from across the northern part of the state.

Local residents and visitors are invited to attend the event, support the teams and enjoy the exciting matches and vibrant atmosphere of the championships. The first game commences at 11am on Friday, 26 July at the Goonellabah Hockey Centre, 214 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah and the Ballina Hockey Centre at 2C Bentinck Street, Ballina.

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Council Considers Policy Changes to Allow for Local Investments

Lismore City Council is working on amending its Investment Policy to allow more funds held by the Council to be invested locally.

The first draft of the new policy was presented at the Councillor Briefing session last night.

Under the proposed changes, the Council can also invest in Socially Responsible Investments, provided the rate of return and risk profile align with other investment options.
Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg highlighted that the draft changes aim to ensure good returns on investments while supporting the local economy.

“Currently, our Investment Policy restricts how much we can place with local financial institutions,” Mayor Krieg said. “The draft change will mean the substantial grants that the Council has received or will receive can be invested locally.”

He noted the importance of supporting local banks and credit unions, which provide financial services to the community and contribute to the local economy by employing local people.

Additionally, the Councillor Briefing discussed draft changes to the Concealed Water Leaks Policy. This policy allows residents to seek reimbursement for charges from undetected water leaks. The existing policy, last updated in 2014, is considered inconvenient for residents.

Mayor Krieg mentioned that the proposed update to the Concealed Water Leaks Policy is fairer and easier to navigate for water customers. Both the draft Investment Policy and the revised Concealed Water Leaks Policy will be presented for adoption to the new Council following the September Local Government Elections.

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Council wants to work with business

By Samantha Elley

In their July industry update, through their Flood Restoration Portfolio, Lismore City Council has put a call out to the business community.

The council wants to collaborate with local business by leveraging with their expertise and experience to deliver a very extensive program of works.

Mayor Steve Krieg summed up the extent of works that continues to need fixing, in council’s recent video.

“Across the region this damaged more than 400 of our roads and our bridges,” he said.

“And 2000 individual sites.”

Since the flood council, along with local contractors have spent more than $160 million to repair the emergency damages.

However, there is so much more to do and council know it can’t be done alone.

While partnering with state and federal authorities, Josh Hartcher, Executive Director of Flood Restoration Portfolio, said the challenge has been finding alternative approaches to delivering restoration works.

“(We’ve looked at) collaborative contracting models,” he said.

“One of which delivered the outcome…at the Lismore Memorial Baths.”

Working with Bennetts Constructions, most of council’s assets have been restored.

“In our roads program, with the support of Transport for NSW and the Reconstruction Authority, we are working on another collaborative contract,” Mr Hartcher said.

“To remediate approximately 70 landslips that have damaged the local road network.”

Council’s CEO, Brendan Logan said the restoration works are the largest undertaken by a local council in Australia.

“We will be actively seeking collaboration with the business community and we will need to draw upon their expertise and experience to execute this project successfully,” he said.

“The strategy will involve engaging both small and large providers.”

Mr Logan said there will be a combination of procurement methods, to ensure all local businesses with the right expertise can participate.

If you have a business interested in collaborating with Lismore City Council, register via Vendorpanel on its website.

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