ALISON Penfold is now officially the Federal Member for Lyne, after the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) formally declared the ballot result last Wednesday. In an electorate reeling from the recent flood disaster, Ms Penfold said the news came at a time when it was difficult to focus on anything other than supporting the community on […]
Gloucester Machinery Site investigation not yet complete
NSW Crown Lands has yet to complete its investigations into the extent of contamination under the old Gloucester Machinery site opposite Billabong Park in Denison Street. MidCoast Council has been considering acquiring the site for a new visitor information centre. The site was used as a service station until about 15 years ago and has […]
MidCoast Mayor pays tribute to former councillor Dheera Smith
MIDCOAST Council has announced the passing of former Greens councillor Dheera Smith. Mayor Claire Pontin said she shared the news with a “heavy heart”. “Dheera served on MidCoast Council from 2021 until earlier this year,” Mayor Pontin said. “She gave so much of herself during her time with us – always guided by her caring […]
Kerbside waste collection only targeting flood-impacted areas
AS the enormous clean-up effort from the flood continues, MidCoast Council is asking people outside of the flood-impacted areas not to put their waste on the kerbside. Over 15,000 tonnes of waste have already been picked up from kerbsides in areas impacted by flooding and that volume is expected to climb considerably as affected residents […]
Yancoal confirms no critical minerals plan for Stratford
YANCOAL has poured cold water on a suggestion that the Stratford mine might be an appropriate source of critical minerals. “Yancoal has no plans to pursue the extraction of critical minerals or REE (rare earth elements) from coal waste or to undertake any exploration for these commodities at the Stratford and Duralie sites,” a company […]
Voters abandoning the two major parties in Lyne
“OVER the past 40 years the share of votes going to independents and minor parties has risen in both state and federal elections,” the Australia Institute stated in a research article in October 2024. “In the 1980 federal election, the combined primary votes for minor parties and independents accounted for only eight percent.” At the […]
Countback process dates given
THE countback process to fill the Councillor vacancy on MidCoast Council is now underway by the NSW Electoral Commission. The vacancy was created by the resignation of Dheera Smith, who stepped down due to health reasons last month. Instead of holding a by-election (estimated at around $700,000), a countback process will be undertaken, as agreed […]
NSW Gov funds $10m for weed control and eradication
THE NSW Government will deliver $10 million to local councils to target high-risk weeds across the state to protect the state’s primary production and public land. The NSW Government Weeds Action Program funds local councils, known as Local Control Authorities (LCA), to detect and respond quickly to incursions of new high-risk weeds. The program focuses […]
Historic mine sites reveal critical minerals and high-tech metals
FOLLOWING a sampling project, 28 current and historic mine sites in NSW have been identified as potentially having critical minerals and high-tech metals deposits hidden inside their old waste, including Stratford. For mines that have closed, the NSW Government says the results could mean new opportunities for production, bringing more jobs and investment opportunities to […]

Albanese takes victory lap after Labor landslide
ANTHONY Albanese has pledged unity in his second term as more Labor MPs are elected to parliament in a decisive victory for his government. Labor stormed home to victory in the federal election in an emphatic landslide, reducing the coalition to one of their worst performances at the polls and losing their own leader in […]