Congratulations to the Northern Rivers companies and people who have made it to the Green Globe Award finalist list - including Suffolk Park youngster Arlian Eckert, aka Plastic Free Boy, seen here with his mother, Karin.

"I am very proud to see our region so well represented in many of the Award categories. Clearly, our area punches well above its weight when it comes to environmental innovation,” said Ballina MP Tamara Smith.

Photo: A dead koala at the side of Ewingsdale Rd Byron Bay July 2018, courtesy Friends of the Koala

 Our local koala populations continue to be at risk from vehicle strikes as well as from disease and habitat loss.

 Content warning - Heartbreaking footage from 2017 of a koala trapped in the St Helena tunnel has been released by the RMS after some dedicated work by members of our community to obtain the video.

Media Release

15 August 2018

The Liberal/National Party last night voted against Greens amendments that would have given communities like Byron Bay and local councils more power to regulate short-term rental accommodation including Airbnb.

The Greens support the sharing economy and the new business models and opportunities it provides.

However, the Fair Trading Amendment (Short-term Rental Accommodation) Bill 2018 passed last night fails to balance these opportunities with the impacts on people and communities, particularly in popular coastal destinations such as Byron Bay and the NSW South Coast.

Sea Shepherd visits Byron

It was my pleasure to meet Mal Holland, the captain of Sea Shepherd's flagship vessel the M/Y Steve Irwin, when it called in to Byron Bay, and to hear about his commitment to stopping the $16.5 billion coal mine, rail link and coal port proposed by Adani for Queensland’s Galilee Basin.

Media Release

3 August 2018

A turtle caught in a shark net

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith said today the NSW Government should listen to the science on the ineffectiveness of shark nets, not make it a popularity contest.

Tamara Smith, Member for Ballina, Christine Milne, and climate scientist Joelle Gergis, author of Sunburnt Country.

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith is celebrating the achievements of strong women environmental campaigners at this year’s Byron Writers Festival.

It was inspiring to join the North Coast Greens family to welcome NSW Greens MPs Jamie Parker and Jenny Leong, along with the Greens MP for Maiwar, Michael Berkman, to our Plastic Free July celebration at Wildspace on Main Arm Road at the weekend.

It was quite a party, and 💯 per cent free from disposables! 

It was a gala day for pool openings on Saturday.

The weather was ideal for the re-opening of both the Ballina and Alstonville pools. As the patron of the Ballina RSL Sub-branch I was particularly delighted to see the Ballina Memorial Pool looking so wonderful.

Congratulations to Ballina Shire Council for delivering such wonderful amenities and well done to the community who have contributed through their rates towards truly first-class swimming baths that are there for everyone.

New holiday letting laws could mean the end of our communities

Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith says proposed legislation expected to be voted on in August could mean the end of communities as we know them in many areas of Byron and Ballina.

E News Update

I share the joy and relief of the Lennox and wider community at the withdrawal of the DA for the expanded sand mine at Newrybar Swamp Rd.