Northern Rivers health staff to finally begin receiving COVID-19 vaccinations from this week

 

Northern NSW Local Health District, media release, 15 March 2021:

The Northern NSW Local Health District will start providing COVID-19 vaccinations to its staff from Wednesday 17 March, 2021.

“It’s an exciting milestone for our District, as we start to bring our local clinics on board as part of the NSW Health vaccination program to protect our staff and vulnerable residents from COVID-19,” Chief Executive, Wayne Jones, said.

Northern NSW Local Health District will commence three COVID-19 vaccination clinics at Lismore Base Hospital on 17 March, The Tweed Hospital on 19 March and Grafton Base Hospital on 22 March.

In the coming weeks, outreach clinics will also begin operating at the Multi-Purpose Sites at Bonalbo, Nimbin, Kyogle and Urbenville.

Initially, the clinics will provide vaccines for health staff, residential aged care residents, and local Ambulance personnel.

The clinics will use the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which requires people to receive two vaccinations approximately 12 weeks apart.

“It’s extremely exciting to know that almost 12 months to the day after our very first case of COVID-19 in Northern NSW, we are now able to administer a vaccine which will enable our communities to be protected from the most severe effects of the disease,” Mr Jones said.

The first COVID-19 case was recorded in the Northern NSW Local Health District on 16 March 2020, and there have been 68 cases among residents to date.

“I also need to thank our extremely hard-working health staff who have been supporting our community and our health service in every aspect of the pandemic response. Standing up the vaccine clinics so quickly is another example of the outstanding commitment of our dedicated staff,” Mr Jones said.

Members of the public can check the Australian Government’s online vaccine eligibility checker to see which group they are in, and when they will be likely to receive the vaccine.

More information on the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in NSW is available on the NSW Health website.

REX Airlines Sydney-Grafton-Lismore route to remain open until September 2021?

 

It would seem that the Clarence Valley’s only airport at Grafton may have received a temporary reprieve.

On 22 February 2021 Regional Express Airlines (REX) announced for a second time in a little over eight months that it would be abandoning its passenger service into Grafton Airport, this time commencing 23 March 2021.

Again leaving the Clarence Valley without a passenger airline service.

Now that Lismore City and Clarence Valley Councils have been successful in getting an extension of the Regional Aviation Network Support program for the next six months - alas not the twelve months they lobbied for - it is expected that REX will continue to fly the Sydney-Grafton-Lismore route.

However, REX is yet to issue a media release confirming that it has altered its plans to abandon its passenger service to Grafton on 23 March.

Given the airline's established modus operandi I would not be surprised to learn that it is approaching both local governments to see if it can squeeze more airport fee or other concessions from them before it commits to flying in for another six months.

Live on the NSW North Coast and looking forward to half-priced airfare to a holiday destination this year? Prepare to be disappointed.

 

On 11 March 2021 Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced 800,000 "half-price" airfares to get Australians travelling across 13 key tourism regions, the Gold Coast, Cairns, the Whitsundays and Mackay region (Proserpine and Hamilton Island), the Sunshine Coast, Lasseter and Alice Springs, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie, Broome, Avalon, Merimbula, and Kangaroo Island.

According to Morrison’s media release, the discounts will be off the average fare and will be available on airline websites from 1 April.

This wording suggests that the discount on airfares might not be 50 percent of the price of a ticket.

Media reports suggest that the booking period is four months long, ending on 31 July and it appears the scheme allows flights to be booked as far ahead as December 2021.

However, these discounted fares will only apply to flights out of capital cities according to this breakdown in The Guardian on 11 May 2021:

Thirteen Australian locations are eligible for subsidised half-price flights as part of the government’s push to boost regional tourism. 
Photograph: The Guardian

Sydney: flights to the Gold Coast, Cairns, Proserpine, Hamilton Island, Maroochydore, Uluru, Alice Springs, Launceston, Broome and Avalon.

Melbourne: flights to the Gold Coast, Cairns, Maroochydore, Alice Springs, Uluru, Launceston, Devonport, Burnie, Broome and Merimbula.

Adelaide: flights to the Gold Coast, Maroochydore, Alice Springs and Kangaroo Island.

Brisbane: flights to Alice Springs, Uluru and Launceston.

Darwin: flights to Cairns and Broome.

Perth: flights to Alice Springs.

Avalon: flights to the Gold Coast.

Even if people living in north-east NSW drove to Brisbane, the only destinations they would be offered under Morrison’s scheme are Alice Springs, Uluru and Launceston. If people caught a full-price flight from Ballina Airport to Sydney they would be offered Gold Coast, Cairns, Proserpine, Hamilton Island, Maroochydore, Uluru, Alice Springs, Launceston, Broome and Avalon.

For most there is no hope of using a discounted ticket to holiday with or near family.

As for tourism operators from Clarence Valley to the NSW-Qld border – this scheme offers them nothing.

Saffin shows solidarity with local March 4 Justice rallies

Office of the NSW Labor Member for Lismore, media release, 15 March 2021:

Statement by State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin in support of March 4 Justice rallies across the Northern Rivers and Australia:

Today we March 4 Justice, justice for women which makes for a just society.

Today I thank Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins.

They have both spoken out with a roar that has brought us out of our stupor, forcing us to challenge behaviour that does not treat women as equal.

Equality would deliver justice.

Equality would stamp out predatory behaviour, and that would stamp out rape.

However, at the current rate of change it will take 100 years.

We cannot wait 100 years.

We should not have to endure one more sexual assault, one more sexual harassment, one more sexual act of discrimination.

I am travelling to Parliament and will miss our local March in Lismore and the Sydney March as well, but I commit to take up the March 4 Justice call to action.

I commit to march with you in the halls of Parliament, taking the voices of all into the caucus rooms, onto the floor of the Parliament in debate, and to make the legislative and policy changes that will bring justice for women.

The Prime Minister Scott Morrison seems tone deaf to the current conversation, claiming that he is protecting the ‘rule of law’.

The rule of law was not violated when the sexual harassment allegations against Justice Dyson Heydon were subjected to a High Court-instigated inquiry.

And the rule of law would not be violated if the Prime Minister instigated an inquiry into allegations against Attorney-General Christian Porter.

I know what the rule of law is.

I wrote 18 teaching modules on the rule of law.

I taught the rule of law.

The rule of law requires due process, and importantly, also accountability – accountability that is not being afforded here.

I entered public life to make the world a better place for all, beginning in my own backyard; to change behaviour through the political system through policy and law.

I recommit to work with you and for you to realise justice for women, starting with the 10 demands.

For more information go to www.march4justice.com.au

 

A short message to all members of the Morrison Coalition Government: No Means NO!

 

#NoMeansNO!

#SexualAssaultIsACrime

#SexualHarassmentIsUnlawful

#DomesticViolenceIsACrime

#EnoughIsEnough 

#EqualityAndRespect 

#WomenHaveFullCitizenship 

#HumanRightsAreWomen'sRightsToo!

Speaking Up, Australia, 15 March 2021

 

@CognitiveTX

Shark or Dolphin? A gentle reminder to keep an eye out when in the surf

 

Clarence Valley Independent, 10 March 2021:

This shark swam among surfers at Pippi Beach, Yamba, for 20 or so minutes. Seemingly surfers were oblivious to the shark’s presence. Image: Jesseaphoto.com

It was just like any other day at Pippi Beach, Yamba, on Saturday February 27; the sun was shining, the waves were breaking and the wind was favourable … as a shark swam among surfers for at least 20 minutes – and no one noticed or, if they did, they didn’t care.

Surf and ocean orientated photographer Jesse Jennings captured the extended moment on camera.

Jesse says she has lived in Yamba “for the last year or so” and she that particularly likes flying her drone around Pippi Beach and Yamba Point at its northern end.......

Read the full article here.

More of Jesse's ocean and surfing photographs at 

https://www.jesseaphoto.com/