Last stage of stolen vehicle pursuit by NSW Police had officer paddling a commandeered surfboard along the Tweed River at Tyalgah to arrest the driver on Saturday night, 6 April 2024

 

NSW Police News, 7 April 2024:

Woman to face Court after pursuit - Tweed/Byron

Sunday, 07 April 2024 04:47:43 PM

A woman will appear in Court after being charged with numerous offences following a police pursuit in the Tweed area last night.

On Wednesday 03 April 2024, a break, enter and steal offence occurred at Chinderah, where a Volkswagen Amarok was allegedly stolen. A short time later, police received a report the same vehicle was used to allegedly steal fuel from a petrol station at Mullumbimby.

On Thursday 4 April 2024, police attempted to stop the driver of the stolen Amarok at Brunswick Heads. When the driver failed to stop, police initiated a pursuit, which was later terminated due to safety concerns.

On Saturday 6 April 2024, two further police pursuits were initiated in the Tweed Heads sector.

In the second pursuit, around 10pm, police pursued the Amarok from Tweed Heads to Murwillumbah, where on Tumbulgum Road, the driver of the Amarok collided with a Hyundai Imax being driven in the opposite direction.

The driver of the Hyundai Imax, a 45-year-old woman, was trapped by confinement and treated at the scene by Ambulance Paramedics, before being taken to the Gold Coast University hospital for treatment for a fractured elbow and abrasions.

The driver of the Amarok allegedly fled the scene, entering the Tweed River at Tyalgah. Police established a perimeter, and a Sergeant commandeered a surfboard and paddled some 500 metres along the river and arrested a 24-year-old woman.

The woman was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station and charged with two outstanding warrant and seven offences;

• Aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence – people there at Chinderah on 3 April 2024

• Steal motor vehicle at Chinderah on 3 April 2024

• Dishonestly obtain property by deception at Mullumbimby on 4 April 2024

• Police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously at Brunswick Heads on 4 April 2024

• Police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously at Chinderah on 6 April 2024

• Hinder or resist police officer in execution of duty at Murwillumbah on 6 April 2024

• Drive whilst cancelled at Murwillumbah on 4 April 2024

She was refused bail to appear at Lismore Local Court today (Sunday 7 April 2024), where bail was formally refused, to appear at Tweed Heads Local Court on Monday 8 April 2024.

State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is calling for a blanket ban on mineral mining in the Northern Rivers region to protect water catchments which feed into the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed river systems

 

From the Office of NSW Labor MLA for Lismore Janelle Saffin, media release, 8 October 2021:

‘Gold, silver, copper & cobalt diggers’ be gone

STATE Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is calling for a blanket ban on mineral mining in the Northern Rivers region to protect water catchments which feed into the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed river systems.

Ms Saffin wants the NSW Government to agree to a moratorium on mineral mining, revoking all licences for exploration or active mining, and financially compensating affected companies like it did with Shenua’s open-cut coal mine near Gunnedah.

Ms Saffin says she stands with thousands of local residents campaigning against a wave of ‘gold, silver copper and cobalt diggers’ who have our pristine back country firmly in their sights.

As Federal Member for Page from 2007 to 2013, Ms Saffin worked with local communities to repel the Coal Seam Gas industry from the region because of the threat to our water resources, and continues to support the activism of the Knitting Nannas.

And before this, as Labor’s candidate for Page, she helped torpedo Federal Coalition plans to dam and divert the mighty Clarence River inland.

“I’m proud of my track record of protecting our most precious resource – water – and our traditional industries like farming, fishing and tourism which help to sustain the economic prosperity of our local communities,” Ms Saffin said.

“’The Nationals in Government’ appear to be prepared to ignore the groundswell of anti-mining sentiment in their electorates to appease mining companies who will come and plunder for quick profits then potentially leave an environmental mess behind for future generations.”

With Parliament resuming next week, and despite COVID-19 issues expecting to dominate, Ms Saffin will speak on the fundamental need to protect our water during a debate scheduled in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, 14 October.

This debate was triggered after Ms Saffin on 9 June submitted a community petition with the Lower House, calling for a moratorium on future mineral mining, both exploratory or active, in the Clarence Catchment and surrounding Local Government Areas.

The petition was collected by the Clarence Catchment Alliance and has been signed by almost 11,000 mainly local residents of the Clarence Valley and Northern Rivers.

“I have met with Alliance representatives and agree that the risks of tailings dam failure from mineral mining, which is quite different from normal quarry operations, are too high, particularly in our high rainfall and floodprone region,” Ms Saffin said.

“I see where five councils – Kyogle, Coffs Harbour City, Bellingen Shire, Glen Innes-Severn Shire and Byron Shire -- have shown solidarity with Clarence Valley Council’s resolution seeking a mining moratorium in the Clarence Valley and which former Deputy Premier John Barilaro effectively ignored.”

For more information on the Clarence Catchment Alliance and the community petition go to https://linktr.ee/Nominesclarencevalley

Locals to have their say regarding a key plan for the future management of the Tweed River

Echo NetDaily, 22 October 2019:

Tweed Shire Council is encouraging locals to have their say regarding a key plan for the future management of the Tweed River.

The Tweed River. Image suppled by Tweed Council

The Tweed River Estuary Management Plan provides recommendations for the future management of the waterway from 2020 to 2030.

More than 35 submissions have been received to date.

‘There are 90 separate actions within the plan that address identi ed threats to the Tweed River estuary,’ the council’s Waterways Program Leader Tom Alletson said.

‘Council is hoping people will take the time to read the plan or the summary, get a good understanding for what is proposed and share their thoughts with us.’

Some of the actions include plans to work with landholders to increase awareness of the impacts of both soil and river bank erosion, to work with the sugar industry and floodplain landholders to reduce acid sulfate soil runoff, and to assess the vulnerability of Council assets to increasing tidal inundation due to sea level rise.

The community is invited to make a submission on the Tweed Estuary Management Plan until 31 October.

For more information, to view the plan or to provide your feedback, visit the project page.