Caring for community at Christmas

by Janelle Saffn MP Member for Lismore

At this time of year, as always, I send my best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all. This can be a time of celebrating with family and friends, of Christmas Carols and Santa. But we know the Christmas season can also be a very diffcult time for many people.

Loneliness is a growing and often hidden problem in our communities, and I commend the Minister for Mental Health, Rose Jackson, for initiating a Parliamentary Inquiry into the prevalence, causes and extent of loneliness in New South Wales.

The inquiry has received 135 written submissions, including one from the Nimbin Neighbourhood and Information Centre.

I spoke on this in Parliament because this submission raises issues that are relevant across our region.

This is an excerpt of my speech to Parliament on 14 November and what I said about the Nimbin Neighbourhood Centre runs true for the Lismore Community Gateway, Resilient Lismore, Women Up North Housing and all the neighbourhood centres in the electorate: receive the help and support they require.

“I thank the Nimbin Neighbourhood and Information Centre [NNIC] in my electorate for submitting a comprehensive report on loneliness to the inquiry. I will raise some of the points from that submission, because it highlights what loneliness can look like in a regional area.

Attendees then crossed the road to Cherry Street Sports Club for a group photo on the Bowling Green with the message of say NO to Domestic and Family Violence.

All photos to be credited to Andy Garlepp

The NNIC is a hub of community support services in the heart of Nimbin, which welcomes everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion, age or social status.

The NNIC conducted its annual community wellbeing survey in May and June this year, which measures belonging, participation, trust and access. The results showed that people living with disability scored the lowest across all measures, compared with other groups. Men also scored lower across all those measures. It found that men are less likely to participate in local activities and groups. They are among the least likely to volunteer or take part in neighbourhood centre activities.

The neighbourhood centre followed up with an online survey, the Nimbin Loneliness Survey, to better understand the extent of loneliness in the community. The survey showed that men were more vulnerable to loneliness and indicated a link between loneliness, ageing and disability as isolation becomes an issue.

The issue becomes compounded for our elderly people when they have to give up their driver licences.

NNIC runs many social activities including the weekly food pantry and soup kitchens, weekly workshops, monthly food swap, the annual women’s dinner, the big free community Christmas lunch, Nimbin NAIDOC Day and regular weaving circles and singing circles.

The following are some of the comments that people have shared:

“I really love the Food Pantry days and Soup Kitchen too. The service is great, and it has become an important part of my life, giving me a sense of social connection and emotional wellbeing.”

“Some of the best conversations I get all week are at the food pantry and soup kitchen days.”

Volunteering plays a major role in reducing social isolation in Nimbin, and NNIC’s activities involve more than 50 volunteers per year.

One volunteer said:

“I’ve found that feelings of loneliness stem from feeling disconnected from the community and world around us. Helping others through volunteering helps you feel less lonely and allows you to have a sense of mission and purpose in life.”

In regional areas, neighbourhood centres play a critical role in helping people stay connected to their communities.

The vexed question of what to do with the Brooms Head reserve might have an answer following the latest Clarence Valley Council meeting.

Exasperated at the lack of action in coming up with a plan to manage the site to the satisfaction residents and stake holders of the park, Cr Peter Johnstone brought a question with notice to the meeting seeking to get things moving.

His questions were:

Following the recent Councillor facility tour to Brooms Head Holiday Park, the questions were:

1. What progress has been made since the April 2024 resolution of Council regarding the Brooms Head Plan of Management?

And, 2. What options are available to council in the preparation of an updated Plan of Management?

In response to the questions, council staff prepared a report with four options for councillors.

Cr Johnstone dismissed options 1, 3 and 4 but decided to move a variation of Option 2 as the best solution to the issue.

He moved that:

1. Council endorse the Draft Brooms Head Reserve Plan of Management for Crown reserve R65975, to be referred to the Department of