The $450,000 jetty and associated riverbank and footpath works took seven weeks to complete and is now open for business – but mostly for pleasure!

The Wardell Rural Fire Service is holding a free sausage sizzle from 4pm to 6pm, with entertainment by Wardell Public School.

The new jetty improves access for recreational boaters, provides a tourist facility, and better access to the river for visitors and locals.

The jetty forms part of the Wardell Village Streetscape Masterplan.

• Where: Next to the jetty in the park behind the Wardell on the River Hotel at the end of Richmond Street.
• When: From 4pm to 6pm on Sunday 6 December. 

Councillors David Wright and Keith Johnson and Mayor Phillip Silver gave an update on local issues.

Cr Wright presented to the meeting an update on the new wharf which is about to go through the tendering process and also other details of this development.

Cr Johnsonthen explained likely outcomes of the flood study and its impact on the town.

Other issued raised by those in attendance included the continuing problem with the speed limit on the highway and no action from the RTA despite further accidents, including a fatality.

The need for bus shelters in the town was discussed and supported.

Councillors were urged to see if the town could have better ongoing maintenance in drainage and also a more consistant and reliable mowing program.

The meeting also supported a motion requesting the councillors to see if the local grounds could be marked for the primary schools carnival as this request had previously been rejected.

A report by the local policeman was presented indicating that the town was at present experiencing very few problems and certainly compared very favourably with other towns in the Shire.

The next meeting will be on March 27 at 7pm in the Wardell Hall and all interested are invited to attend.

The bream numbers are thinning out a little but there are still a few decent fish here and there.

Blackfish are holding on very nicely in their usual haunts from the ferry downstream.

A few whiting moving into North Creek and the lower reaches.

Mud crabs are beginning to move around in the lower river – remember, no traps are allowed downstream of Burns Point, only witches’ hats and dillies.

Beaches have been OK with a lot of salmon around and the odd tailor but whiting and flathead are also starting to turn up.

Offshore has been OK on the wider reefs for snapper and pearlies when the weather allows.

The beaches around Evans Head have been fishing reasonably well for mostly smallish bream along with some better whiting. Salmon have been making pests of themselves and whiting up to 25cm have been found in the guts of those which have been kept.

There are plenty of good beach formations, mainly long gutters with a good smattering of interesting potholes.

I haven’t heard of much from around the rocks at Evans apart from the occasional bream and more salmon.

Offshore catches have mainly been squire, the odd fair red to 8kg and the occasional patch of small trag.

The river has a few bream and blackfish around the walls with small flathead and bream further up.

Tony Zann t.zann@fishingmonthly.com.au

Mr Page said the financial support would allow the planned swimming pool project, which is being advanced by the Bangalow Pool Trust in consultation with Byron Shire Council, to become a reality.

He said he hoped construction of the pool would commence during 2007, subject to council approval and the NSW Coalition winning the State Election on March 24 2007.

“The Bangalow community has worked extremely hard to secure a significant amount of financial and in-kind support for this pool project,” Mr Page said.

“A pool would be well utilised in Bangalow by the entire community and is a project that has been on the agenda for some time.

“The injection of $100,000 would allow the project to start as soon as possible once council approval has been granted.

“The Bangalow pool is a fine example of a community based initiative that the NSW Coalition is proud to support.”

Mr Page said the last time the Coalition was in government he pledged and delivered $100,00 for the Mullumbimby Pool which has been a great community facility for that community

Speaking at a symposium of landowners affected by the Pacific Highway upgrade, Mr Page said two amendments were necessary ‘to deliver justice for landowners because they’re not getting it now’.

The two amendments are:

* For landowners whose land is being acquired by the Government (RTA in this case), the Government should not have the right to keep landowners in a state for years where they can’t sell their land because of the proposed dual carriageway and the RTA is under no obligation to buy them out.

Mr Page said this occurs because the obligation to buy directly affected landowners does not apply until very late in the process when the Minister for Planning gives final planning approval.

It takes several years between the announcement of the ‘preferred route’ and final Ministerial approval, he said.

“This is because an EIS has to be done, comment is received on the EIS from the public and Government agencies, a review of all those submissions is done, a Representations Report is produced and finally a request for consent goes to the Minister for Planning with suggested conditions attached. Finally the Planning Minister signs off,” Mr Page said

“I believe once the preferred route is determined, the blight exists and those affected should be able to trigger the acquisition clauses which require the Government to purchase if that is their desire. People should not be left in limbo for years unable to sell and with no obligation on the RTA to buy.” Mr Page said.

* Landowners whose land is not required for acquisition but live beside or near the road suffer the impact of noise, pollution and loss of property value both during construction phase and afterwards. These people currently are not entitled to any compensation whatsoever.

“This is unjust and unfair,” Mr Page said.

“I believe the legislation should be amended to allow for compensation when a landowner can demonstrate ‘injurious affectation’.

“Such a clause would enable those who genuinely suffer as a result of the upgraded highway to be treated fairly. Currently they are not.”

Organisations are being invited to become a supporter of this special event that will celebrate being a woman of the Northern Rivers.

A day of activities has been planned, including:

• A health and well-being walk along the picturesque Richmond River in Ballina at 7am, with a breakfast pack upon return and prizes to be won, (funds raised will go towards the Ballina Shire Healthy Community Futures Fund)
• The What Women Want Expo, showcasing products and services from across the region will be open from 10am to 4pm at Ballina RSL Club
• The highlight to the day, the key event, the IWD Celebration Luncheon, with fabulous speakers and prizes, at noon, also at the Ballina RSL Club.

“International Women’s Day is an event that is being celebrated around the globe. It is an opportunity to think about those women who played a role in shaping the world we live in today and reflect on where we have come from and where we are going,” a spokeswoman for the event said.

“Your support will assist to ensure the day’s activities are accessible for all women from across the region to attend. We particularly want to ensure that younger women from our high schools and young women’s programs can attend by offering sponsored seats.

“In 2006, an amazing 210 women attended the luncheon celebration and the positive feedback during and after the event was overwhelming.

“Given the 2006 event was primarily Ballina Shire Women and that this year we have extended the reach to the entire Northern Rivers and have included an expo, the number of attendees is expected to be even greater.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for your organization to show its support for the role of Women in the Northern Rivers and to be part of a really special day.”

In addition to the satisfaction that comes from contributing to such a day, other supporter benefits include:
* Your logo on the event invitation to be distributed across the Northern Rivers
* Your logo on the Official Program for the day
* Acknowledgment of your support at the luncheon in the Official Welcome
* Opportunity to display your banner at the event for the full day
* Display space at the What Women Want Expo — for you to display promotional material about your organisation
* Framed certificate acknowledging your support for the event to be presented at the close of the luncheon
* Acknowledgment of your support on the council’s website promoting the event
* All media releases for the event to acknowledge your support.

The spokeswoman said that three supporter levels are on offer– community partner, business partner and media partner.

“It is particularly important to showcase business support for community projects and Jane Laverty, Economic Development Officer for Ballina Shire Council, looks forward to hearing from businesses looking for an opportunity to promote their brand/products/services to the women of the Northern Rivers,” she said

“Time is of the essence with regard to event co-ordination, which means your earliest response by way of email to janel@ballina.nsw.gov.au or by phone on 0408 652 048 would be greatly appreciated.”

It’s being organised by well-known local comic Mandy Nolan, who says: “We have a comic panel with Greg Fleet, Jonathon Atherton and JJJ’s Dave Callan and stand-up performances by some of the country’s best: Fiona O’Loughlin and Scared Weird Little Guys.

“In putting this program together we tried to appeal to a variety of comic tastes as well as involving local emerging comics in the Village Idiot Cup, and Funny Kids!

“In my years of promoting comedy I have had incredible feedback from national and international comics, remarking on what an enthusiastic, informed and intelligent audience we have on the North Coast. We are a community that loves to communicate.

“Stand- up comedy is about having opinions. It’s about laughing at yourself, at your vulnerabilities and failures. Comedy asks us to question our values, our behaviour, our government and our world.

“In a world that is beginning to favour electric and impersonal communication, stand-upcomedy is an immediate and human conversation, where the shortest distance between two people is always a laugh.”

A novel event will be the Big Joke Breakfast at Frescas at the Bangalow Hotel, featuring Sandi Gandhi, pictured, and David Eastgate. Sandi is well-known around the traps not only through her performances, but her En-lighten Up column each Thursday in The Northern Star.

For information on ticket sales, the schedule and performers, visit the Big Joke website.

An estimated 42,000 people will vote in the Ballina electorate when the New South Wales State election is held on March 24.

The voters will live in the region from Yelgun in the north, south to Bagotville, and east from Wollongbar.

The median age of the electorate will be 40 years (the State’s top are Port Macquarie and Tweed, at 44 years).

The median income of voters is $305 per week. The State’s top is Sydney’s North Shore at $817 per week.

The unemployment rate for Ballina electorate is 11.8 per cent. The State’s top is Oxley at 15.8 per cent.

The median household size in the Ballina electorate is 3.1. The State’s top is 4.1 at Cabramatta and Smithfield.

In the Ballina electorate, 12.1 per cent of the total population were born overseas. The State’s top is Cabramatta at 59.9 per cent.

The electorate’s workforce is headed by retail at 17.9 per cent, followed by health and community services (11.7 per cent), education 9.5 per cent, property and business services (9.2 per cent) and accommodation, cafes and restaurants (8.7 per cent).

At the last poll (in 2003), 41,007 voted in the Ballina electorate.

Don Page, the sitting National Party Member since 1988, topped the primary vote with 21,127.

Country Labor’s Sue Dakin polled 10,668 votes. Next came The Greens’ Jan Barham on 8053.

On a two-party preferred basis, the Nationals/Liberal Coalition received 59.4 per cent of the vote. Labor received 40.6 per cent.

A swing of 9.5 per cent would be needed to unseat Mr Page.

Ballina Council says the awards are a fantastic way of recognising the people in our community who make our shire a special place to live.

“Many people work tirelessly to assist others, represent us at sporting events, put on magnificent events and play active roles in our many community organisations and businesses,” the council’s events co-ordinator, Kerry Greedy, said.

Council is seeking nominations from persons or organisations who may wish to nominate in the following areas for recognition of service to the community.

Awards will be made in the following classifications:

1. Citizen of the Year (over 21 years of age)

2. Young Citizen of the Year (under 21 years of age)

3. Sports Person of the Year

4. Community Event of the Year

5. Volunteer of the Year

All nominees must be Australian citizens and reside within the Ballina Shire Council area.

Selection will be made in each category on the basis of the level of personal achievement or community service or any other field considered appropriate by the Selection Committee.

Nomination forms are available at the council’s office, the Visitor Information Centre or may be downloaded from the Council’s website. All nominations must be forwarded to the council and received by 4pm, Wednesday, 10 January 2007.

The presentation of these awards will be made at the Ballina Australia Day celebrations at Missingham Park on Friday, 26 January 2007.

Mr Page said the programs would be held during NSW Seniors Week from 11-18 March 2007.

• Alstonville Adult Learning: $500 for the ‘Drawing from the Right’ program
• Crowley Village: $1000 for ‘Crowley fun walk n wheel’
• Tintenbar Community Aid Network: $500 for a ‘Meet, greet and join in’ seniors morning tea and information day.

Mr Page said these projects gave seniors an opportunity to have some fun, explore new activities and record their reflections during the busy Seniors Week.

“Senior members of our community make a valuable contribution to the area,” Mr Page said.

“Seniors Week can only be a success with the support and participation of local organisations.

“I congratulate each of the grant recipients for their participation through vibrant and innovative projects.”