She didn’t get to show her slides on the night, but if you asked Jacqui Forst what Kiama should be doing differently, she’d answer with one word: partnerships.At last week’s housing forum, Jacqui - a social worker and service innovator with experience across NSW Health, aged care and the not-for-profit sector - proposed something bold to flip Kiama’s housing narrative from stuck to strategic.Her slide deck, titled “Innovate Kiama”, points to global and local models that are already delivering housing solutions with social, environmental and economic impact.Among them:Nightingale Housing, a not-for-profit group delivering architect-designed, low-energy apartments for low to middle-income residents, underpinned by values of affordability, transparency and community.Havilah Place, right here in Kiama, was named as a potential Nightingale-style demonstration site.International examples like Birmingham Dreaming City, Dark Matter Labs, and Glasgow’s Our Town initiative, all of which use strategic partnerships to drive regeneration and social infrastructure.Jacqui’s key proposal was to activate Draft Housing Strategy V2 Recommendation 26 of the Draft Housing Strategy, the final action line most readers skipped over, and turn it into something real.She wants KIama Council to help convene a housing reference group of local residents, funders, venture capitalists, urban futurists and strategic risk holders such as insurers and superannuation funds.The goal? To co-design and support a portfolio of real world, system-led demonstrations that tackle the housing crisis through local innovation.She also proposed a Kiama Hackathon, where residents, planners, architects and builders could prototype new ideas and break through regulatory constraints together.“This doesn’t have to be a pipe dream,” Jacqui said. “We’ve got the land, the knowledge and the urgency. What we need now is structure, trust and investment.”

When two gifted quilters answered a quiet call for help, they stitched more than fabric.They stitched memory, respect and community into every thread.The two quilted panels now hanging in Jamberoo’s RSL Hall began their journey in Broken Hill.Barbara Adams, president of the local Red Cross, saw them in a craft store and immediately felt their potential.Robyn Thomson (L) and Teresa MacPherson (R) at Jamberoo RSL Hall, where their handmade remembrance quilts honour generations of service and sacrifice.Photo: Linda FaiersShe brought them back home, hoping they’d find someone to bring them to life.That connection was made by Annette Hoskins, the Community Coordinator of the Kiama Quilters Guild and a long-time volunteer with the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI). Annette is known for quietly connecting people and projects with purpose. She brought the panels to the Guild and asked if anyone might be willing to quilt them. Two members,Teresa MacPherson and Robyn Thomson, stepped forward.What followed was a labour of love, generosity and quiet pride.Teresa, who moved to Kiama five years ago, discovered the quilting group through The Bugle and has found a deep sense of belonging through her involvement.Though she modestly downplays her role, describing herself as “just one of a team,” it’s clear her contribution was heartfelt.“Anything that involves community, I love to be part of,” she said. “And being able to contribute to the Anzac spirit means a great deal to me. I lost relatives in the World Wars, so this was personal.”For Robyn, quilting has been a part of life for 30 years, but it wasn’t until moving to Kiama that she joined a group.Originally from Australia, she spent decades living in Scotland and the United States before returning with her husband, who now works remotely in immunology research.“It’s a pleasure, really,” Robyn said. “But it’s selfish too. I do it because I enjoy it.”Teresa MacPherson and Robyn Thomson in front of a commemorative poppy quilt at Jamberoo RSL. The quilt, stitched with teamwork and care, honours those who served and includes handmade poppies contributed by fellow community quilters. Photo: Linda FaiersThe pair are long-time contributors to community quilting projects, especially those that support the Children’s Medical Research Institute through the Genes for Jeans campaign.But last Saturday’s unveiling of their Anzac quilts in Jamberoo was something new. They were present. They were celebrated. “A little overwhelming,” Robyn said. “But very, very nice.”Each quilt, while based on a pre-printed panel, was brought to life by hand.Other members of the quilting group were invited to create beautiful crocheted and knitted poppies, which were then carefully attached to the quilts, adding a special handmade touch.The added details, including crocheted poppies and careful stitching, reflect a shared effort. It’s a striking example of what happens when quiet craft meets community care.As Teresa put it, “We thought we’d just send them off and maybe one day get down to Jamberoo to see them.🎥✨ A stitch in time... unveiled! Watch this beautiful moment as Barbara Adams, President of the Jamberoo Red Cross, unveils two stunning quilts honouring Vietnam War veterans.But then we were invited to the march and the morning tea. It was such a lovely acknowledgement.”Now hanging in Jamberoo’s RSL Hall, these quilts are not just beautiful.They are a reminder of those we honour, and of the people who quietly, lovingly, remember them.

A total of 180 call-outs in 12 months and a team of local volunteers who quietly keep us safe. Now it is our turn to step up for Jamberoo Rural Fire Service.They do not ask for much. In fact, the Jamberoo Rural Fire Service volunteers spend most of their time asking for nothing at all.They simply show up, again and again, whenever the pager sounds.Last year, they answered 180 call outs across our region. Fires, floods, car crashes, rescues, you name it, they were there.Rain or shine, day or night, these local legends are first on the scene, bringing calm, skill and courage when it matters most.The vital funds raised help the brigade purchase specific equipment that directly contributes to the incidents they respond to.Recent investments include:🔥 A thermal imaging camera that allows firefighters to see through smoke, assist with search and rescue, and quickly gain control over a fire environment.🔥 A piercing nozzle specifically designed for tackling pile burns, hay fires, car fires and rubbish fires by injecting water into the centre of the fire.These tools can be the difference between saving a life or losing a property.Every dollar raised genuinely helps our RFS volunteers do their job better and safer.This Friday 24 May, you can help — and have a fantastic night while you are at it.The FUKERS Fundraising Concert at Jamberoo School of Arts Hall promises live music, singing, dancing, food, drinks, and a chance to throw your support behind the people who are always there for us.Paul Taylor and the FUKERS are donating their time and talent, and every ticket sold will help Jamberoo RFS stay equipped and ready for whatever challenges come next.If you are thinking of coming, please jump online and book now.Bring your friends, your neighbours, your family, and show our RFS they are not standing alone.”The important details📍 Jamberoo School of Arts Hall🗓️ Saturday 24 May🕖 7 pm till late🎤 Live music, singing and dancing🍷 Food and drinks at bar prices🎟️ $40 from Humanitix here

The first slab of concrete has been poured on the site of the new Shellharbour Hospital, a significant milestone in the construction of the much-needed facility. The concrete forms the foundation of the hospital’s perioperative unit, which will house new state-of-the art operating theatres. As the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region's specialist elective surgical centre, the new hospital will help deliver improved health outcomes and enhance patient care for local communities.The new Shellharbour Hospital is part of the more than $780 million New Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services Project, jointly funded by the NSW and Australian governments.This initial pour used close to 300 cubic metres of concrete, with more than 33,000 cubic metres of concrete expected to be poured throughout the life of the project.It comes after weeks of site preparation and marks the start of a series of concrete pours that will continue in the months ahead as the new hospital’s seven-storey structure begins to take shape.Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said it was exciting to see this construction milestone reached for the new hospital. "I can’t wait to see the building take shape, which will transform the delivery of healthcare for the Illawarra community.“The NSW Government is committed to improving health services and infrastructure for regional communities across the state and is proud to invest in projects like this that will make a genuine difference.”Once complete, the new Shellharbour Hospital will transform access to healthcare for the Shellharbour community, providing a wide range of modern and expanded health services and reducing the need to travel out of the area for a range of treatments. The new hospital will include an expanded emergency department, enhanced paediatric services, including a new Paediatric Assessment Unit that will function closely with the emergency department, rehabilitation and aged care services, acute medical services, specialised elective surgery and mental health services, renal dialysis and outpatient care services, as well as car parking and improved public transport links. Designs for the new Shellharbour Hospital also enables the construction of a future rooftop helipad.“This initial concrete pour represents more than just a construction milestone - it represents our commitment to the future health and wellbeing of our growing region of the Illawarra," said Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson.“Thank you again to everyone contributing to the delivery of our new Shellharbour Hospital. I look forward to seeing the progress continuing over the coming months.”Community members can stay up to date on the project via shellharbourdevelopment.health.nsw.gov.au.

Opinion A motion to protect the Minnamurra River is testing whether Kiama Municipal Council’s governance reforms have real bite, or just better branding. At first glance, the Strategic Finance and Governance Improvement Plan (SFGIP), adopted in response to a state-imposed Performance Improvement Order, is full of promises, better systems, improved accountability and streamlined decision-making.It is the kind of plan that comes with charts, timelines, and a digital dashboard called Pulse. But at the last Council meeting, the real test of those reforms came from outside the official agenda, through a public access presentation by Minnamurra Progress Association spokesperson Jacqui Forst. Speaking in support of Councillor Melinda Lawton’s motion to undertake a full environmental assessment before a possible relocation of the Council depot near the Minnamurra River, Forst offered more than advocacy.She offered a mirror, asking whether a Council promising high governance standards can justify self-assessment under outdated legislation. CEO Jane Stroud's written response to Cr Lawton’s motion confirmed that a self-assessment under Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 would be carried out and stressed that the project was already being managed within Council’s new internal framework, the very one established by the SFGIP.In other words, trust the process. But Forst gently challenged that trust, pointing out that 1979-era assumptions about rivers as “dumping sites” no longer meet modern community standards or expectations.Her call includes quadruple bottom line reporting, economic, environmental, social, and cultural costs, in the assessment process, and collaborating with Shellharbour Council to create a joint strategy for the catchment. This is not the first time the CEO’s approach to transparency has raised concerns.In her Item 13.1 progress update on the Performance Improvement Order (PIO), Stroud noted the governance plan was “operational in nature” and therefore did not require community feedback. But this distinction, as the river debate shows, is exactly what troubles residents - decisions made under the banner of “operations” still affect public land, natural resources, and community amenities.Whether it is selling aged-care facilities or moving a depot near a fragile river ecosystem, these decisions are lived, not abstract. Tellingly, the PIO progress report flags a quiet risk, that councillors might “make new commitments beyond capacity.”In plain terms, it is a warning against councillors overstepping.But it also raises a deeper issue - are elected representatives being empowered to lead, or managed into silence under the guise of reform?Cr Lawton’s motion, and Forst’s evidence-backed support, suggest that community leaders are still trying to ensure environmental integrity is not sidelined by financial convenience.The test is not whether the system can absorb such motions. It is whether it can act on them. Just months after finalising the Blue Haven Bonaira sale and launching a new digital governance tool, Council is now facing a different kind of audit, not by the Office of Local Government, but by residents who are asking what does improvement actually look like? As Jacqui Forst put it, “Safe and inclusive discussions are essential in this time of change.” So is listening.

Kiama’s Acting Mayor, Cr Melissa Matters, says it is time for the State and Federal Governments to stop turning their backs on regional communities like Jamberoo.From early childhood education to critical transport links, Cr Matters says Kiama Municipal Council is being forced to carry the load while higher levels of government remain silent.“Kiama is a childcare desert,” she said.“Families are stuck on waitlists for months. In Jamberoo, our community pre-school is on a floodplain, one heavy rain away from being unusable, and we still have no funding commitment for a safe, modern facility.”The need for a new Jamberoo Community Preschool is now listed as a top priority in Kiama Council’s Draft Delivery and Operational Plan.Cr Matters is encouraging residents to make a submission and show their support during the public exhibition period.“This is more than just education,” she said. “It is about safety, equality and whether young families in our region are given a fair go.”Another pressing concern is Jamberoo Mountain Road, a vital route for locals, tourists and emergency services, which will again be closed for major repairs in May.Council will carry out the work, but under disaster funding rules, the repairs must follow outdated standards.“We are doing the heavy lifting, rebuilding a road from the 1800s, but the funding rules stop us from building it to modern safety standards,” Cr Matters said. “That is not just frustrating. It is dangerous.”Kiama Council is calling on the NSW Government to assume responsibility for Jamberoo Mountain Road and for both levels of government to fund a long-term solution before another landslip or tragedy occurs.“We are not asking for handouts,” Cr Matters said. “We are asking for common sense and a fair go. Until we get it, Council will keep fighting.”

Opinion: It is easy to assume that if you criticise government decisions, you are taking a side.I am not. What I am challenging is the process, not the party.A perfect example is the Labor government in NSW.When they came to power, they swiftly shut down a raft of vital programs funded by the former Department of Regional NSW, programs that were quietly changing lives for young people in rural and regional areas.Mentoring schemes, skills development, and youth leadership initiatives were scrapped almost overnight.Not because they were failing, but because they had been set up under a different political banner.That is not reform, that is vandalism.And before anyone thinks this is an attack on Labor, let us be clear. The Liberal and National parties have been just as guilty.Remember Barnaby Joyce’s push to decentralise government agencies by relocating them into his own electorate?The idea was sold as supporting the regions, but the outcome was a hollowed-out public service.Staff refused to relocate, expertise was lost, and millions were wasted on temporary contractors and consultants.The agencies involved became weaker, not stronger, and the real losers were the farmers and rural communities who needed skilled, experienced support - not a shell of an agency run from a half-empty office hundreds of kilometres away from Parliament House.There are career public servants still trying to work out what job title they are supposed to have.The bigger the change looks on paper, the more it feels like 'something is happening'.In reality, the actual work on the ground grinds to a halt.Energy that should go towards delivering better services is instead wasted on finding new logos and rewriting organisational charts.This is not about blue or red. It is about the chronic addiction to 'optics over outcomes'.It is about a political culture where dismantling the past is valued more than building the future.And the real losers are the people who rely on services that do not make headlines.Young people in country towns who were finally getting a leg up.Farmers trying to deal with biosecurity risks. Local communities fighting to hold onto their hospitals, their schools, their chances.Every time a government wastes millions rearranging the deckchairs, it is our lives, not theirs, that are made harder.The challenge for all of us is to stop falling for it.Let's stop cheering when our team gets into power and starts tearing down everything built by the last one.Ask instead, who benefits? Who loses?And what good work might we be throwing away, just because it came from the 'wrong' side?The answer, too often, is that the work we need most is the first to go.

After an agonisingly narrow defeat at the last federal election, Gilmore candidate Andrew Constance has dusted himself off for another shot at Australia’s most marginal seat.Pre-polling suggests he may again come up short but the former NSW Treasurer is keeping the faith heading into Saturday's election day showdown with Labor incumbent Fiona Phillips. Community independent Kate Dezarnaulds, The Greens’ candidate Debbie Killian and One Nation nominee John Hawke are also expected to play a crucial part in the final count once preferences are distributed.“People are quite complimentary by the fact that I haven't walked away and I'm still fighting fighting for them,” Constance said.“We will continue to fight hard on issues to support people financially during the cost of living crisis that everyone's in. Inflation is such a huge issue with this election."Constance also points to housing, development and the controversial windfarm proposal for the Illawarra coastline as major issues that will be on the electorate’s mind when they are in the ballot box on Saturday.“There is such a significant number of people who are undecided and polls are not always indicative of what happens with elections,” he added.“I think given the very significant undecided vote, our internal research is saying that the people will make their mind up at the very last minute. It would be brave to come out and predict the election result.“It's a big seat - 200km in length from Kiama down to Moruya - there’s different issues in different towns and that means that the election campaign can be very localised and very focused in that sense.“We've got so much to do in the region and a good plan to deliver and that's what I hope to do.”Constance has been forced to endure a bumpy week in the lead-up to voting day.He was forced to respond to claims that religious extremists had infiltrated the Liberal Party’s volunteers at pre-polling booths in marginal seats, including Gilmore, and a funding announcement at Sanctuary Point with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was disrupted by three anti-nuclear protesters.

Community Independent candidate Kate Dezarnaulds believes younger voters will be instrumental in deciding the outcome of Saturday’s vote in the federal electorate of Gilmore.With a notional margin of a mere 0.1 per cent, the seat was already held by a slender margin by Labor incumbent Fiona Phillips and this time around, as well as renewing acquaintances with Liberal rival Andrew Constance, she is facing pressure to stave off Dezarnaulds. Citing her camp’s internal polling, Dezarnaulds claims she has the strongest support among undecided voters and if she can convince enough of them to go the independent route, the Berry businesswoman could usurp Phillips after preferences are distributed.“It’s pretty clear the country isn’t excited about either Dutton or Albanese - only one in three voters are backing them,” Dezarnaulds said. “That makes this the perfect moment for an underdog Independent to break through - and that’s how we win.“People are tired of the point-scoring and party politics. They want someone who listens, who shows up, and who puts the community first.”Irrespective of the result on Saturday, Dezarnaulds said the Community Independent camp would stay around to contest the next state election at a number of South Coast seats. “Independent for South Coast, the organisation that we established in December last year, will run independent candidates for state and federal elections from here on into the future,” she said.“So the South Coast is just getting its first taste of a genuine community independent but it won't be the last.”Dezarnaulds said Gilmore was a “genuine three-horse contest” despite the major parties claiming that she had little hope of getting the jump on them.“I think the influence of young people on the outcomes of this selection are the real wild card in the system,” she told The Bugle.“This will be the first election where there are more Gen Z and Millennials than there are Baby Boomers and Builders. And what that portion of our population votes on Saturday is really still to be seen. “I don't think they have felt the power of demographic weight until after the election on Saturday but I hope that they know that there are positive alternatives willing to fight for a better future for our young people on the ballot for the first time in Gilmore.“We know that they are more progressive and more willing to vote with independents than any other generation and I'm excited to see how that translates into results on Saturday.“There's no doubt that we are an outside chance for this first tilt and if we are not successful on Saturday we will be back again for the next federal election.”

The time has come for Gilmore to decide whether Labor incumbent Fiona Phillips will retain the most marginal federal seat in Australia.Liberal rival Andrew Constance is out for revenge after losing the 2022 count by a mere 373 votes while independent candidate Kate Dezarnaulds believes she has a groundswell of support to get the jump on the major parties after preferences are distributed. More than a quarter of the Gilmore electorate voted within the first week of pre-polling being opened after Easter Monday. But the people who enter their choice in the ballot box on election day on Saturday are traditionally swinging voters who often leave it until the last minute to decide which candidate they prefer.Polling by YouGov released last weekend shows the Labor Party is ahead of the Liberals in Gilmore on a two-party preferred basis by 54-46 per cent.Phillips is tipped to attract 36.2 per cent of the primary vote with Constance at 33.5 per cent, which is well down on the 42 per cent he received three years ago.“I just do not pay any attention to polls, they can be wrong,” Phillips said.“The only poll I'm concerned about is when I'm out talking with voters and that's why I have spent a lot of time at pre-poll stations, talking with voters - they're the votes that matter and on May 3 as well.”Constance is quietly confident that he can exceed expectations to get the nod in Gilmore and as the campaign reaches its climax, he believes the controversial wind farm project slated to be installed off the Illawarra coastline is a recurring theme in the feedback he is getting from the electorate.“It’s having an impact on the vote, I have no doubt,” he said.“People are wanting to send (Federal Energy Minister) Chris Bowen, Fiona Phillips and Anthony Albanese a very clear message on the floating turbine proposal. “A lot of people are expressing concern about the intrusive nature of it and the fact that Chris Bowen has said we're holding it off until after the election. Under Labor it will certainly happen.” Dezarnaulds is hoping to follow the path that Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie took in the 2010 election when he won his seat from third place with just 21% of the primary vote.“We’ve done the maths, and we think we can do the same," she said.The Greens’ candidate, Debbie Killian, and One Nation’s John Hawke could potentially play a factor in the final outcome with each party predicted to attract around 8 per cent of the primary vote.Graham Brown (Family First), Adrian Carle (Legalise Cannabis Party) and Melissa Wise (Trumpet of Patriots) are also in the race for Gilmore.

Lifts for Life offers practical and stylish lift solutions with a commitment to helping their clients stay comfortable in the homes they love.Based in Albion Park Rail and open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm, the family-run business makes homes and businesses across the Illawarra more accessible.Lifts for Life CEO Fiona Wilkinson says the highlight of working in this region is being able to work within the local community to help people stay in their homes and make their lives more accessible. “One of the most rewarding experiences was a guy who was house bound for three years and he was unable to get out of his home,” Fiona said. Lifts for Life was able to assist this client with their custom-designed lift solutions that suited his needs, making his home accessible and comfortable. With years of experience in accessibility solutions, Lifts for Life offers home lifts, wheelchair lifts, commercial lifts, comprehensive services, and ongoing maintenance.“Home lifts are becoming quite popular, and there are lots of options for different types of homes and different needs,” Fiona said. In towns like Kiama, where older generations value staying in their family homes, installing a lift can be the alternative to moving. Not only does it improve accessibility, it can also add value to the property.“They’re not your shopping centre lifts, they’re made specifically for home and there are a lot of options, we can generally find the right option for everybody,” said Fiona. “We provide consultations where people can come and figure out what’s right for them.” Lifts for Life offers reliable service and personalised options to clients, helping them to make their spaces safer and more comfortable for years to come. 

Created by a Bunny, poured by The Grumpy Bunny: South Sydney Rabbitohs player Jai Arrow visited Kiama during the week to launch his new coffee blend, The Arrow, at local café The Grumpy Bunny.Arrow has played 162 NRL games and represented Queensland in 12 State of Origin matches, but he is also a passionate coffee lover.“I love my coffee,” says Arrow. “I got involved with my mates’ coffee company and decided to make my own blend. I was lucky enough that The Grumpy Bunny was looking for a new coffee, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”The Arrow is the result of a collaboration between Arrow and longtime friend Jayson Matheou, founder of specialty coffee roaster Willy’s Beans.“Jai and I grew up together,” says Matheou. “He was always promoting my coffee, so I asked him - instead of just promoting it, would he like to have his own product?”The Grumpy Bunny is the first café to stock The Arrow blend - a fitting partnership for the Bunnies star. According to Matheou, the café will now be serving the highest-grade coffee in the region.“Willy’s Beans started when I invested in a coffee farm in Colombia,” says Matheou. “I wanted to showcase what real specialty coffee is - from a farmer’s perspective.“I travel to Colombia every three months, import the beans, and roast them on the Gold Coast. There’s no other café in this area serving a blend of this grade.”Matheou and Arrow ended up collaborating on the blend with other Rabbitohs players to craft the perfect blend.“Jai is very particular - not necessarily about the variety, but he wants a really smooth, rich coffee,” says Matheou. “He came up to the roastery and we tried different roast profiles and origins. He liked all of them, so we had the Souths boys at the club taste them - since they all drink his coffee now - and they helped pick the final blend. That’s how it all came together.”Willy’s Beans prides itself on full traceability and direct involvement in every step of the process - from farm to cup.Jai and Jayson enjoying their own brew.“If you can’t tell me who the farmer is, where the farm is, what kind of soil they use - to me, that’s not specialty coffee,” Matheou said. “With every coffee we roast, I can tell you where and when it was harvested, who grew it, how it was processed, how it arrived in Australia, and how it was roasted and brewed. That’s what real specialty coffee is.”The Arrow blend is available exclusively at The Grumpy Bunny. And if you’re wondering what the creators themselves drink - Jai Arrow’s go-to coffee order is a strong flat white, while Jayson Matheou prefers an espresso or a filter coffee.

When former Kiama High student Mateo Goytizolo returned home after being medically discharged from the army, one of the first things he did was reach out to his old school mates.It turned out to be a lightbulb moment for the army private, and politics, philosophy and economics graduate.Kiama High School friends Ben Falconer and Jaden Manley were working in the solar energy industry. Ben as a Kiama-based electrician and owner of Solar Storm and Jaden as a systems design specialist in solar sales.Now in their late 20s, the trio lost touch after high school when Mateo went to university and was posted to Townsville. But when he reached out it was like stepping back in time and the tight-knit group of friends reconnected.The bond grew deeper when they started working on their business project - All Australian Energy - in November before launching it early this year.“We decided to put our brains together and that was enough to equal one pretty sharp brain,” joked Mateo.All Australian Energy installs solar panels and batteries and along with the trio, employs five other ex-Kiama High School students as sales representatives.“We are keeping our business in the community to help the community,” says Mateo.With the push for renewables a key election topic and some Kiama suburbs experiencing frequent blackouts, Mateo expects interest in solar panels and battery storage to increase.Australia is a world leader in solar energy production, with solar panels installed on more than four million homes, but less than five per cent have battery storage.The federal government recently launched its Cheaper Home Battery Program, offering a 30 per cent discount on the up-front cost of a home battery.If Labor retains government, and the promised solar battery storage rebates are delivered, Mateo says the technology will become much more cost effective and even allow users to make money from solar power.“If people want to profit from solar power we link them to our partner Amber Electric,” he says.“People can then export their excess energy into the grid during peak periods of high demand to maximise the bang for their buck.”Mateo expects energy bills to continue rising and says a passive income from solar and battery energy can help reduce the cost of living.But he has a word of warning for those interested in solar battery storage. “I would recommend doing your homework,” he says.“The solar and battery company you choose should be an approved seller and have all the correct qualifications to claim the new rebate on your behalf through an Accredited Certificate Provider."Mateo has urged those interested in exploring their solar panel and solar battery options to keep it local and contact the team for a consultation.“We can send a system design specialist to look at people’s energy bills and then design an energy system for their needs,” says Mateo.“Solar panels were quite expensive when they first came onto the market but they are now very cost effective. If these solar battery rebates do come through batteries will be much more affordable.“We install premium Australian-made RedEarth Energy batteries that come with 100% Blackout Protection and can power your entire home."It's difficult to navigate your way around solar and batteries at the moment, but we tailor our solar and battery systems specifically to your home's energy consumption habits, ensuring you are completely energy independent, regardless of government policies or power outages."

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward is pleased to see Kiama has continued to perform well in the category of new Justices of the Peace (JPs) over the past six years.Figures released this week show that over the past six years, Kiama is second only to the much larger Wollongong state electorate when it comes to the number of JPs.Kiama has 275 people who are JPs according to the most recent data from 2024 for a tally of 1959 across the past six years.Wollongong has the highest with 414 in their total of 2636. Heathcote has the third-highest total (1378), followed by Shellharbour (810) and South Coast (757).“Becoming a Justice of the Peace in NSW offers several benefits, including community recognition, professional development, and the opportunity to make a positive impact and assisting others,” Ward said. “JPs also gain valuable skills like attention to detail and handling confidential information, which can be transferable to various types of employment. “I encourage local residents who are eligible to consider becoming a NSW Justice of the Peace (JP) today and supporting our local towns and villages."To be eligible for appointment as a NSW Justice of the Peace (JP), you must:Be at least 18 years of age;Be nominated by a NSW Member of Parliament (MP);Be an Australian citizen or a person who is entitled to vote at a general election for the Legislative Assembly;Be of good character; andNot be an undischarged bankrupt.To find out more about eligibility and character, you can read the Guidelines on the appointment of Justices of the Peace: assessing eligibility and good character issued by the NSW Attorney General.“Local JPs can also network with other experienced JPs and access training opportunities through organisations like the NSW Justice of the Peace Association (NSWJA)," Ward added.“NSWJA also have their 2025 annual conference in November in Fairy Meadow and with over 2,800 active members is the leading voice for JPs in NSW." To learn more information, please visit the Department of Communities and Justice website.

OpinionListening to Kiama Community Radio’s interviews with the four lead candidates contesting Gilmore, it quickly became clear.Some focused on immediate relief, such as cost-of-living measures, funding boosts and short-term incentives.Others spoke about longer-term structural reforms.Debbie Killian (Greens)"If we keep choosing short-term fixes, we will never solve the real problems facing our community."Maybe this difference says more about us than it does about the candidates. Feeding, clothing and housing our families is vital.But it is worth asking whether we have become so used to short-term solutions that we shy away from deeper changes. Are we choosing the comfort of quick fixes over the harder path of long-term resilience?Fiona Phillips (Labor) "I come from a point of loving this community and wanting to genuinely see better outcomes."It is not an easy choice. Both approaches have a place.Kate Dezarnaulds (Independent) "Real change happens when communities stop waiting for permission and start leading the way themselves."The question is whether, as a community, we are willing to think beyond the next few years and what that could mean for the future of Gilmore.Andrew Constance (Liberal) "You do not have to always agree with the community, but you must always fight for them."These differences in approach are worth considering carefully as we head to the polls.If you're still deciding, or simply want to hear how each candidate explains their own values, Kiama Community Radio is giving voters a clear voice this electionIn a crowded election field, it is easy to be overwhelmed by promises, flyers and slogans.That is why Kiama Community Radio deserves real credit for their recent in-depth interviews with Gilmore’s leading candidates.Fiona Phillips (Labor), Andrew Constance (Liberal), Kate Dezarnaulds (Independent) and Debbie Killian (Greens) were each given the same set of questions, covering topics like housing, healthcare, First Nations voice and climate action.Each candidate was given time to fully explain their views without interruption.If you have not yet made your decision, or if you simply want a deeper understanding of the values and priorities of your chosen candidate, listening to the podcast because you will not find a better way to compare their policies, their style and their vision for our region.Good politics begins with informed voters.Thanks to Kiama Community Radio, Gilmore residents have been given the tools to make thoughtful choices this election.🎧 Listen to the interviews hereYou can see the full list of candidates standing for the House of Representatives and the Senate in Gilmore by visiting the Australian Electoral Commission website

Gilmore candidate Andrew Constance was blindsided by a report claiming members of a religious sect have infiltrated the army of volunteers who have been handing out how-to-vote cards for the federal election.Independent candidate Kate Dezarnaulds said she has had first-hand experience of intimidatory bullying tactics from volunteers at local polling booths.She told The Bugle about these incidents, including one where a volunteer had taken a photo of her and her 11-year-old daughter talking to a Greens official without their consent as “proof” that she was linked to their party.The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Monday night that hundreds of members of a religious sect known as the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church had been campaigning in Labor-held marginal seats in Victoria and NSW, including Gilmore. When asked by The Bugle about the report, Labor incumbent Fiona Phillips did not want to comment about the allegations and said her focus was ensuring the issues relevant to the Gilmore electorate are at the forefront in the lead-up to election day on Saturday. There are six pre-polling stations which have been operating in Gilmore since last Tuesday with already more than 26 per cent of voters getting in early to have their say at the ballot box, including at Kiama Uniting Church which has been very busy over the past week.“There was something menacing and hard to put your finger on in terms of the style and behaviour of the dominant number of volunteers for the Liberals over the last week," Dezarnaulds said.“There are familiar faces from the local Liberal Party who were at some polling booths but the dominant numbers have been made up by a group which are not known to the community and have been very threatening and menacing and dominant in their behaviour.“People really don't like the experience of being harassed at the polling booths and overwhelming booths with out-of-towners doesn't do anything to communicate to the people of Gilmore that the Liberal Party is listening to their concerns and their priorities."Dezarnaulds said the actions of some volunteers had been intense but "our job is to rise above it, to keep on smiling and to stay focused on having conversations that matter with people who are undecided on where to put their vote".Kate Dezarnaulds. “They have been aggressively positioning Liberal Party corflutes en masse and relocating and moving other parties so that they have the dominant positions at every booth.“They have been pouncing on cars in driveways, particularly that contain elderly people and shepherding them to the polling booth. They have been whispering completely misleading information into people's ears as they finally step over the threshold into into the polling area.“Some of them the other day had a photograph of my 11-year-old daughter on their phones with us having a conversation with a friend who was handing out for the Greens and have been whispering in people's ears saying ‘she's a Green”. I've never had anything to do with The Greens party or election campaigns and for a picture of my daughter to be on the phones of a bunch of threatening men from out of town is pretty galling.“I'm very glad to see that the temperature has come down a notch or two (since the report was published) and the behaviour seems to have been corrected by the local branches of the Liberal Party who are behaving in a much more pleasant way.“There's absolutely nothing which is non-compliant or illegal about what they are doing, just culturally it's deeply offputting to people and and it speaks to the incredible number of resources that the Liberal Party are throwing at this seat. “I think that we are past saturation point. I think it is now offputting to voters and people don't like seeing politics played in this aggressive way. They would prefer to be straightforward, respectful and friendly.”Constance was not happy with any implication from Dezarnaulds that he would condone intimidatory tactics.“It’s quite a serious allegation that she is putting because I don’t go and ask the religious background of any volunteer,” he said. “It’s inappropriate to and she should do well to know that any Australian can participate in the democratic process, regardless of religious background or what she might think.Andrew Constance with Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor at the start of the election campaign. Photo: macourtmedia.com“Generally pre-polling is very respectful. If people have concerns, the election officials are there. Go to them if you have concerns.”He went on to criticise Dezarnaulds for comments she made in an email last year which were leaked to the media earlier this week.“I think Kate Dezarnaulds has done enough damage given her position in relation to Berry and describing it as a backwards, miserable retirement village,” he said.“Throughout my career, I’ve done nothing but to make sure our communities are unified and embraced. “There are wonderful people in Berry who work tirelessly as volunteers, there’s some fantastic festivals - everything from the local show to the Australia Day ceremonies to the services put on by those volunteers and I can assure you it is not a miserable backwards retirement village.“It’s not as if she decribed it five years ago like that, she described it as that last year.”

Kiama Farmers' Markets has been called off for 30 April due to the wet weather.Due to the heavy rains and ground damage at Surf Beach, today's Kiama Farmers Market has been cancelled.Unfortunately the markets were unable to relocate to the Uniting Church hall due to the area being used for Federal Election pre-poll voting.Even though the market has been cancelled, some stalls will still be set up in the car park to assist with some of your fresh food needs: Rita's Farm, Produce from Orange, Bakers Chemistry gluten-free bed, Flour Water Salt Bakery .Schottlanders Wagyu will attend with customer orders and a small range of cuts and they will also be back next Wednesday (7 May) as their last official week at the farmers' market.

"War is one of those stupid corruptions of mankind we keep repeating. You hated them, then peace came, and we turned around and got on with life. There’s no point holding hate. It doesn’t do anyone any good." – Harold WestHarold West served in what is now Papua New Guinea.From his home in Kiama, the 102-year-old reflects on the war that shaped his early adulthood, and the quiet strength that carried him into peacetime.He was part of the Anzac Day services in Kiama last week, riding in a car in the official march.When Harold talks about war, he doesn’t dwell on heroism.He speaks plainly, almost gently, of a time when he was 18, conscripted into the Australian Army, and sent to fight the Japanese in New Guinea, the eastern half of the island that is today the independent nation of Papua New Guinea.“You’re shooting at a bloke you don’t know because someone told you to do it,” he says. “That’s the way it was.”For four years, Harold worked as a wireless operator, keeping communications alive through dense jungle and harsh conditions.He remembers being in Wewak, in northern New Guinea, when the war ended.“We caught the surrender ceremonies up there,” he says. “And that was it. Four years, then peace.”But coming home didn’t mean picking up where he left off.“You miss a big chunk of your life,” Harold reflects. “You’ve lived by army rules, and then suddenly, you’re free. It’s strange. You’ve got to start from scratch.”Before the war, Harold had already begun training as an accountant.Without the interruption, he imagines he might have finished his studies, found a job, and married young. “But the war turned that path inside out,” he says.“When I got back, I just wanted to settle down. Find a girl, get married, have a family. That was my way of getting back to normal.”And that’s exactly what he did. He completed his qualifications as a Certified Practising Accountant, met and married Eunice in 1949, and together they built a home in Mascot.They raised three daughters, and now have seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Many family holidays were spent at their much-loved getaway in Jervis Bay.In recognition of his longstanding commitment to community service, Harold was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2007.When Harold retired they moved to the South Coast, a decision they had long dreamed about. “We loved it down here,” he says. “We built a cottage and eventually moved our whole life here.”Now living in Kiama, Harold reflects often on peace and forgiveness.“They were the enemy then. Now we trade with them. There’s no point holding hate. It doesn’t do anyone any good.”Harold’s story is one of endurance, perspective, and quiet resolve.“War is just one part of your life,” he says. “When it ends, you turn around and get on with the next bit.”

Opinion"My father refused to march on Anzac Day until the service of Indigenous soldiers was formally recognised."Those words, shared by a local resident after this year’s Anzac Day events in Jamberoo, capture something many of us felt but struggled to articulate.The moment you leave two flagpoles bare for an Anzac Day ceremony, you invite a distraction that should never have occurred.At the Anzac Day March in Jamberoo the weekend before Anzac Day, two flagpoles stood emptyAt the Anzac Day March in Jamberoo the weekend before Anzac Day, it was the RSL that made the decision to fly only the Australian national flag. Two flagpoles stood empty.This decision left many in the community feeling disappointed and excluded.Flags are symbols. And like language, tradition and democracy itself, symbols evolve.Across the world, flags have changed shape, colour and meaning, reflecting revolutions, reckonings and the growing understanding that nations are made up of more than one story.The British flag itself evolved into what we now call the Union Jack, acknowledging the union of England, Scotland and Ireland, and eventually representing the United Kingdom. It did not start that way. It grew.Australia’s flag, too, has a history of evolution. The Federation Star gained its seventh point in 1908 to represent all territories.A version of the Australian Blue Ensign was carried into battle by Australian troops in both World Wars.But it was not until 1954, more than five decades after Federation, that our current national flag was officially declared under the Flags Act. In 1995, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags were also formally proclaimed as official national flags of Australia.So when a local Anzac Day service takes place in front of three flagpoles and only one flag flies, it sends a message. Not necessarily an intentional one, but a message all the same.By Anzac Day itself, however, the story had changed. Local community members chose to raise all three national flags - the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags - side by side. The difference was not lost on those who attended.As one local said, "Well done to Jamberoo for being so inclusive and respectful of all, and for including ALL three of our national flags."Well done to Jamberoo for being so inclusive and respectful of all, and for including ALL three of our national flags.The emotional weight of the issue was clear in other reflections too."Respect to those RSLs now who acknowledge this also," another wrote, sharing a historical note that many Aboriginal servicemen were once excluded from RSL branches, denied entitlements, and discouraged from marching on Anzac Day.Many Aboriginal veterans returned from war only to face exclusion at home.Many Aboriginal veterans returned from war only to face exclusion at homeOthers pointed to deeper truths often overlooked."You can find a million pieces of info about colonisation of Kiama, but so very little on its first inhabitants," one contributor observed. "Forever learning."And when ugly arguments erupted online about which flags "deserved" to be flown, another reminder surfaced: "The gracious acceptance of the Aboriginal flag is, to me, characteristic of a country that has come to terms with its past, however difficult it has been."In my opinion, of all organisations, the RSL should understand that the details we choose to honour carry real weight.Recognising the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags as national flags in 1995 was not a small gesture. It was a deliberate act, a formal acknowledgment that Australia’s story did not begin in 1788.So when people dismiss the act of flying all three flags as unnecessary, I believe they are missing the point.This is not about tokenism. It is about truth, respect and the kind of country we choose to be.To me, in a nation where all three flags are officially recognised and flown at Parliament House, citizenship ceremonies, and at many Anzac Day services, leaving two flagpoles empty sends a message that cannot be ignored.Flying all three flags does not divide us. It strengthens us. It tells the truth. And it shows every young person that all who serve, and all who remember, belong.Next year, I hope we raise all three. Quietly, respectfully, together.