May 1, 2026
New Peer Leader to advocate for locals with spinal cord injuries Noel Hiffernan OAM.
Community, Health

New Peer Leader to advocate for locals with spinal cord injuries

NORTH Haven’s Noel Hiffernan OAM is a full-time wheelchair user and longtime disability advocate who is also the new Peer Leader of the Mid North Coast Advocacy Community Network. The network takes in Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA), which has grown to be the peak body for more than 20,000 people in Australia living with […]

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Liberals’ migration plan ‘strange’, from ‘another time’ Angus Taylor is being accused of trying to replicate One Nation's anti-immigration stance. Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS.
Regional

Liberals’ migration plan ‘strange’, from ‘another time’

THE coalition’s hardline migration plan has been lashed as divisive and Australia’s multicultural communities say they are tired of being dehumanised by all sides of politics.  Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has unveiled a plan to boot migrants from the nation if they do not exhibit “Australian values”, shut the door on some asylum seekers and […]

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Farmers hit hard by food waste
Local News

Farmers hit hard by food waste

AUSTRALIAN fruit and vegetable growers are missing out on the sale of up to a million tonnes of produce annually that never makes it to market. That’s a whopping $2.5 billion a year but a figure dwarfed by the costs linked to such a huge loss. Data shows Australian horticulture experiences average food loss rates […]

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Willing & Able Port Macquarie marks 60 years of supporting people with disability Some of the Willing & Able team showcasing their many chairs on sale. Photo: @WillingandAbleFoundation.
Community

Willing & Able Port Macquarie marks 60 years of supporting people with disability

ONE of the Port Macquarie-Hastings region’s most recognised organisations, Willing & Able marks 60 years of supporting people with disability, while continuing to evolve to meet the needs of the community. Despite its long history, many people are still unaware of the full scope of services it provides and the impact it has had on […]

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Extension of AgSkilled program welcomed by farmers Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Photo: Tara Moriarty LMC FB.
Business

Extension of AgSkilled program welcomed by farmers

THE NSW Government has announced a $15 million investment to extend the AgSkilled program over the next three years. Announced at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, the funding will support the continued delivery of practical, hands-on training across key agricultural sectors including livestock, horticulture, grains and fibre. The program is designed to give workers job-ready […]

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Seafood industry calls for urgent reinstatement of Stay Afloat mental health program Port Oyster Co.’s Paul Wilson on the ‘farm’. Photo: Port Oyster Company/Facebook.
Regional

Seafood industry calls for urgent reinstatement of Stay Afloat mental health program

Port Oyster Co.’s Paul Wilson on the ‘farm’. Photo: Port Oyster Company/Facebook. Cowper MP Pat Conaghan with Bob St John, GM of Coffs Harbour Fisherman’s Co Op. Photo: supplied. THE loss of a key mental health program for Australia’s seafood industry has prompted urgent calls for funding to be reinstated.  Federal Member for Cowper Pat […]

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Liz Faassen bids farewell to the Hastings’ 2WAY FM Liz Faassen at the desk for 2WAY FM.
Community

Liz Faassen bids farewell to the Hastings’ 2WAY FM

BETWEEN 2pm and 4pm on 29 April, Hastings Community Radio presenter Liz Faassen will broadcast her final program of “The Sounds of the Swinging 60’s and 70’s”. Liz became a 2WAY FM presenter in 2014 after completing the required training. She had listened to 2WAY FM for many years prior to this, and was a […]

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Walkable towns help regional Australians exercise 75 minutes more each week The report shows walkability has a bigger impact on the amount of time spent walking in regional communities. Photo: David Guerrero/Pexels.
School

Walkable towns help regional Australians exercise 75 minutes more each week

AMID soaring fuel prices which are prompting Australians to explore alternative transport options, a new study highlights the health benefits of walkable neighbourhoods. New research shows that regional residents living in walkable towns and centres walk 75 minutes more each week, prompting calls for Governments to invest more in well-connected, safe footpaths to boost community […]

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Top marks for sports uniform proposal to boost students’ physical activity University of Newcastle’s Belinda Peden of HMRI’s Population Health Research program.
School

Top marks for sports uniform proposal to boost students’ physical activity

NEW research suggests most Australians support a simple change that could significantly boost children’s physical activity levels: letting students wear sports uniforms every day. The majority of young Australians are still not active enough, despite well-established evidence that regular physical activity improves children’s physical and mental health. Schools are seen as an important setting to […]

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