Three Lismore Mayoral candidates have united to publicly call for the immediate removal of prominent signage that they say has been illegally installed by another candidate’s team.
Council has strict rules about what you can and can’t do as far as election signage goes – including the size, where they are hung, when they can be hung and when they must be removed.
Penalty infringement notices and fines
The Council notification also outlined a schedule of fines including a penalty infringement notice for $330 may be issued for signage placed without approval or contravening the regulations, a notice for $572 may be issued for signage in a road reserve that poses a safety issue and a penalty infringement notice for $3,000 (individual) or $6000 (corporation) can be issued for carrying out a development without consent, including the placement of unlawful signage.
Labor candidate Darlene Cook, Elly Bird from Our Sustainable Future and Vanessa Ekins from the Greens say the signs for candidate Steve Krieg are just not on.
Elly Bird said that two weeks ago, Council notified all candidates of the requirements around election signage. ‘All candidates were clearly told that legislation around election signage stipulates that signage is not allowed to be larger than 0.8m2 and that it cannot be displayed earlier than five weeks out from the election.
‘Candidates were requested to immediately comply by removing illegal signage.’
Ms Bird said that Our Sustainable Future and Labor had put up signage on bus shelters that they thought was compliant. ‘And some excited Greens supporters had put up one or two signs but as soon as we were notified they were quickly removed.’
‘Steve Krieg’s team were notified at exactly the same time as us but their signage is still there, and not only is it still in place but they have put up more that are clearly not compliant.’
Oversized signs all over the community
Ms Bird says they put up oversized signs all over the community two full weeks earlier than is legally allowed and didn’t take any of them down when they were requested to do so. ‘They are still up, and they shouldn’t be.’
Darlene Cook says that not only is this poor behaviour in response to Council directives, it is sending a clear message to the community that this group does not believe rules and regulations should apply to them. ‘On Friday afternoon there was finally a laughable attempt made to comply with the placement of thin masking tape gridlines being stuck across one side of one of the non-compliant signs. Within minutes it was falling off.
Bending the rules
‘This is clearly an attempt to bend the rules so they can retain their illegal signage.’
Vanessa Ekins says that if this is their response when they are asked to comply with regulations that were clearly outlined to all prospective candidates, it doesn’t bode well if they are elected to Council.
‘Steve Krieg should immediately remove his non-compliant signage, and if he doesn’t then it’s clear that he and his team think that they are a law unto themselves and we should all be very concerned about their ability to stick to the rules if they are elected to Council.’
Recent stories, information and updates regarding the Lismore Elections
Nominations are now open for community members to put forward deserving individuals for recognition for the proposed Walk of Honour which will form part of the future Lismore Boulevard – Shared User Path project. Community sporting organisations in the Lismore Electorate can now apply for grants of up to $3,000 to purchase potentially life-saving defibrillators through the 2026 Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program. Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a young woman missing from the Lismore area. With temporary housing villages (pods) closing at the end of this year, community group House You has called on the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) for assurances that those living in them will not become homeless. The Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre (LRRC) will soon benefit from improved and safer access, smoother traffic flow and enhanced facilities, says Lismore City Council. NSW Police say that two women have been charged following an alleged armed robbery recently in the area. Ballina, Lismore, Kyogle and Richmond Valley shires are set to benefit from seven weed biosecurity projects, which the NSW government says will support the protection of native vegetation and the enhancement of wildlife habitats at key environmental sites. Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is calling on residents of the Lismore electorate to get their nominations in for the 2027 NSW Women of the Year Awards. Lismore’s signature food, arts and culture festival, Norco Eat the Street, is making its highly anticipated return to the CBD on Saturday, 22 August 2026.
Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is encouraging local councils and rugby union clubs to take advantage of an opportunity to upgrade their facilities, player pathways and increase local participation.
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