Tamara Smith to talk in Taree
Media Release
9 March 2018
Member for Ballina and Greens Education spokesperson Tamara Smith will visit Taree this Sunday 11 March to take part in a forum about education and climate change.
Ms Smith will visit fellow Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham at Johnny Martin Oval in Taree between 9am and 1pm who will have on display a huge inflatable ‘Earth Ball’.
Government questioned on West Byron
Media Release
7 March 2018
Member for Ballina Tamara Smith MP today asked the Planning Minister Anthony Roberts during Question Time if his government would act on the concerns of the Byron Bay community about the social, environmental and economic impacts of the mega development application for West Byron.
Regional launch pad part of Sydney Startup Hub
Media Release
5 March 2018
Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith today visited the Sydney Startup Hub as a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly Committee on Investment, Industry and Regional Development.
The Committee is conducting an inquiry into support for start-ups in regional NSW.
“I toured the Startup Hub facility, and was able to speak informally with regional start-up operators there,” said Tamara Smith.
Greens call on Woolworths to exit pokies at Westower Tavern
Media Release
2 March 2018
Greens call on Woolworths to exit Westower Tavern pokies
Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith has today called on Woolworths to phase out pokies at its Westower Tavern venue in West Ballina.
This follows allegations by whistleblowers that staff at Woolworths-owned hotels have been spying on gamblers in order to boost profits.
Federal Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says whistleblowers have revealed that Woolworths’ hotels keep databases of customers who gamble, including their habits and behaviours.
NAPLAN results no longer linked to HSC
28 February 2018
Tamara Smith
Member for Ballina
Greens Education spokesperson
I welcome the NSW government backing down from its plan to prevent students who didn't reach minimum standards in NAPLAN Year 9 results from getting their HSC.
I spoke at a protest against this policy in Sydney last year and it is good to see results from the campaign that teachers, parents and unions launched last year against this move.
Support seafood country of origin labelling
Media Release
15 February 2018
Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith says she supports legislation which would make country of origin information on seafood products compulsory.
"This legislation is in line with the foodie ethos in the Northern Rivers area where we have a strong interest in buying local food," said Tamara Smith.
Woolworths Mullumbimby to ban the bag
16 February 2018
Media Release
Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith is congratulating Woolworths Mullumbimby for choosing to end providing single use plastic bags to shoppers from 4 April this year.
“The Mullumbimby branch will be among the first Woolworths stores in New South Wales to be single-use plastic bag free from 4 April, ahead of other stores which will be ending single use plastic bags by 30 June.”
Ban harmful pesticides
Private Member's Statement
13 February 2018
NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDES
One of the most important icons in my electorate is the Big Prawn on River Street at the western entrance to Ballina. The prawn represents the once thriving prawn industry of the Richmond River. Like the oyster industry in Ballina, the prawn industry no longer exists to the extent it once did. The primary reason is the poor state of the health of the Richmond River. In 2014 the Richmond Ecohealth Project revealed that the Richmond River has an overall health grade of D. The grades range from grade F in the Wilsons River and upper Richmond River estuary to grade C in the headwater streams of the catchment.