Media Release 
12 December 2017

Photo: Jenny Grinlington

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith has welcomed Ballina Shire Council’s decision to delay cutting down a large fig tree at Castle Drive, Lennox Head, pending a Council meeting this Thursday.

“This is a beautiful iconic tree believed to be about 200 years old. Everything possible should be done to protect it.

“I’m urging Ballina Shire councillors to please save this wondrous tree. There is a sad irony about losing one of the oldest fig trees on ‘Fig Tree Hill’.

“We rely on Council to protect the natural resources and beauty of what makes Ballina Shire special, including the rural buffer zones around our villages and our wonderful trees."

“I support Councillors to discuss all possible options to save this tree rather than getting rid of it, to preserve our heritage and environment,” said Ms Smith.

24 November 2017

Dear Friend -- 

The NSW Government is pushing ahead with the outdated technology of shark nets despite results from last summer's six-month trial in the same region showing:

•            the shark nets caught and/or killed 244 marine creatures during the course of the trial, including rays and endangered turtles; and
•          SMART drumlines deployed in the same area caught far more target sharks, and almost no by-catch.

MEDIA RELEASE

23 November 2017

The start of a second North Coast Shark Net Trial marks the beginning of six months where dozens or even hundreds of harmless marine creatures are likely to be caught or killed, with no proven additional safety for swimmers and other beachgoers, say Greens MPs Tamara Smith and Justin Field.

The NSW Government is pushing ahead with the outdated technology despite results from last Summer's six-month trial in the same region showing:

•            the shark nets caught and/or killed 244 marine creatures during the course of the trial, including rays and endangered turtles; and
•          SMART drumlines deployed in the same area caught more target sharks, with far fewer sharks deaths and almost no by catch.

22 November 2017

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith today praised the work of NSW Police who arrested a suspect for breaking and entering in Alstonville just hours after the offence was committed.

Media Release

15 November 2017

Greens Member for Ballina, Tamara Smith MP has welcomed the 'Yes' result of the Marriage Equality Survey announced today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The ABS asked ‘Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?’ and reports that 61.6% of those surveyed responded ‘Yes’.

“This is a fantastic result for civil rights in our country – I hope the Federal Government acts quickly to now enable same sex couples to get legally married and give them the same rights as other married couples,” said Ms Smith.

“Saying ‘yes’ to change and to equality for same sex couples is something Australians can be proud of and is a reflection on the long campaign for civil rights by the LGBTIQ community.”

“My thanks go to all those in the Ballina electorate who worked to achieve this historic result,” said Ms Smith.

Media Release

10 November 2017 

Meerschaum Vale koala [Photo: Heather Dunn]

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith today called on the NSW government to protect Ballina’s koala population and other wildlife as the RMS starts tree clearing work as part of the Pacific Highway upgrade at Meerschaum Vale.

Media Release

27 October 2017

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith is appalled at the lack of public consultation regarding the site of the Byron Markets.

“I am appalled that our iconic market space in Butler Street is being replaced with a giant bus interchange. It is up to the community and Byron Shire Council to tell government where the best location for a bus interchange is and that process of consultation simply has not occurred,” said Tamara Smith.

19 October 2017

I asked the Premier whether she would stand up for our NSW clean energy targets in the face of the Federal government's latest withdrawal from the science on energy, and she pledged she would !

Also, the House sang happy birthday to me when I got up to ask my question which was a delightful show of humanity, just when I'm doubting it resides there!

Watch the video of the question below and like it.

Media Release

18 October 2017

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith has called on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to oversee a co-ordinated State Government response to improving the health of the Richmond River.

“I have written to the Premier in support of Ballina Shire Council’s request that she organise a State Government response to oversee the many different improvements needed to rehabilitate the 237km long Richmond and its tributaries,” said Tamara Smith.

Media Release

21 Sept 2017

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith MP has gained a commitment from the NSW Health Minister during Question Time that he will consider keeping the old Byron hospital site in community hands and enable Byron Shire Council to lease the site for a peppercorn rent.