WHO DOESN’T LIKE A LOCAL COUNCIL SCANDAL? Local politics has been a long-standing interest of mine – some would say this is an over-developed interest. I recently wrote about this, generally at the state level, and more specifically at the local (Kyogle) level. My article was published in the Nimbin Good Times – page 13 …
AN ARTICLE I WROTE ABOUT THE RICHMOND RIVER WAS PUBLISHED IN LOCAL NEWSPAPER ‘THE ECHO,’ IN PRINT AND ON-LINE. THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE INCLUDED LINKS TO SEVERAL SOURCES I USED. THESE LINKS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN ‘THE ECHO,’ BUT ARE IN THE VERSION COPIED BELOW. As the Echo reported in December, there is serious pesticide pollution …
‘A beautiful stream of clear water, running over clean sand and pebbles …’ Read More »
The Life Writing workshop I present is usually three hours, occasionally five. It’s highly participatory – I have written in my memoir how when I started back in 2013 I thought I may be stronger at the participation than the writing skills part of the workshop – and while there is naturally enough no compulsion, …
I am grateful to Christabel, Katinka and Fatemeh for their reviews, published below. Any more would be very welcome and I’m happy if these include criticism – on the assumption the criticism would be constructive. IN LIFE THERE IS LUCK Graeme believes that creativity is inherent in every human being, and he believes in the …
Throughout May I am offering In-conversation style author talks at local libraries in northern NSW. These will be with Bob Brace, who is quite familiar with the book having read the manuscript. These are free events but for seating and catering purposes the libraries have requested bookings. They are: Casino on Tuesday May 9, from …
In a major reorganisation of the website I had to move a couple of pieces I had published on this subject. These are very archival: One of these looks at the opportunities for deliberative democracy at the local level: ‘Open Government should start locally.’ This was published in On Line Opinion in May 24, 2011, …
The Richmond River has its source on the southern slope of Mount Lindesay in the McPherson Range on the Queensland – New South Wales border. From here the river flows south-east through Kyogle, Casino, Coraki and Woodburn before turning north-east and reaching the sea at Ballina. Over its course of 237 kilometres it descends 256 …
In the 1700’s a Swedish naturalist by the name of Carolus Linnaeus developed a system for classifying and naming living organisms. It uses Latin names, which can’t change, and mean the same thing to people all around the world. This nomenclature is very handy and it’s still used today. For most people though, common names …
Since publishing Beyond Fear and Loathing in 2012 my interest in local politics and local community issues remains strong. The extent to which local issues are ignored bothers me. A local issue in one place is almost certainly a local issue somewhere else. There are lessons to be learned. I recently wrote Reconnecting, locally, which argued …
Everyville: the good, the bad and the ugly at the local level Read More »
Earlier this year I was invited to join a youth mentoring program about to commence in the area where I Iive – on the NSW south coast.* I was interested but unable to take on the role owing to travel plans over the following months. I thought though, I’d like to follow the program with …