The Catalyst

From Council Corruption to Russian Blood Oil

by Cat Holloway Long before I started Spark Shoalhaven as a citizen journalism platform, Mark Corrigan was burrowing under Shoalhaven's surface, scratching around local political donations to uncover corruption, and publishing in his blog The Ferret's Notebook. "Ferrets Notebook started in 2011.  I was writing

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Building Character - or Building Barriers?

Council debate and voting are often confusing - especially if you are unfamiliar with the interaction of LEP, DCP, HCA and PPs in DPHI. That's a shame, because these decisions directly affect us, usually hitting our hip pocket. Last night's discussion about finalising the Berry Heritage

The Catalyst

When a tree is not a tree, but a war club.

by Cat Holloway 488,000 dollars, 102 trees, 4 car parks and 1 councillor who embodies exactly what is wrong with Shoalhaven Council and how it is hurting our community. It should have been a moment to celebrate a windfall.  It could have shone a positive light on collaboration between

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Toxic City: Asbestos, Amnesia, and the Collapse of Care

by Cat Holloway When Shoalhaven City Council abruptly shut down its own chambers last week over fears of asbestos in the air-conditioning, a deep and dangerous wound reopened in our community. Asbestos was discovered in a concrete pipe underneath Council’s Nowra administration building, and the doors were shut tight.

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Will We Walk Together in 2027?

by Liza Butler, Member for South Coast As many Australians gather to mark Australia Day, we do so with a shared responsibility to listen, reflect and acknowledge that this day can carry very different meanings. For many First Nations people, today may be a day of deep sadness, grief and

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Careful What You Wish For

by Cat Holloway In this edition: Citing legal risks and Safework standards, Shoalhaven Council voted to eliminate Community Consultative Bodies by July 1, 2026. But what will replace them is unclear. Common ground between Shoalhaven and Kiama Councils is increasing. But that's not necessarily building trust and confidence

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Grassroots sport loses as Shoalhaven facilities crumble.

By Parri Barrel   Vicki Pritchard was just eight years old when her lifelong love of tennis began. While still a high school student, Vicki became secretary of the Shoalhaven District Tennis Association (SDTA) and she has held that position ever since.  Built in 1985, the courts at Bomaderry's

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Third Time's A Charm?

by Cat Holloway If you made good use of your preferences in the last local government elections, your vote is about to become very powerful – again. If you didn't preference, you'll probably be annoyed – again – that your vote turned out to be wasted. If you are

Podcasts

Wreck Bay's troubled heritage to Nowra's hopeful future

Catch up on Col Hesse's Dec 5 Triple U FM interviews Independent Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe discusses the shocking findings of the Senate Inquiry into the extent, regulation and management of PFAS, with particular emphasis on the inquiry's disappointing recommendations about the Wreck Bay community. "

The Spark - Shoalhaven

From Sublime To Ridiculous

by Cat Holloway Sick of serious news? Me too. Time for a large dose of silly. Stop complaining about being so busy and waste a couple of hours at Nowra Players theatre in Bomaderry over the next two weeks, ideally with your least-dignified and most-foolish family and friends. The Players&

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Everybody is Kung Fu Fighting

by Cat Holloway As warriors kick, strike and wrestle over the news on Sunday of the arrest warrant for Shaolin Temple Abbot Shi Yongxin, let's take a deep breath and meditate for a moment on the meaning to the Shoalhaven of all this international intrigue. The 5th century

The Catalyst

A politician, a developer and a monk walk into a bar...

by Cat Holloway (With excerpts of documents provided to ICAC, Ombudsman and the Office of Local Government from Peter Allison and others.) Of all the mad stories I've been told and all the crazy people I've met since starting Spark Shoalhaven, nothing beats the saga of

The Spark - Shoalhaven

State Recognition vs Local Legends

by Cat Holloway I received three interesting emails today. One was about a Remembrance Day gathering. One was an important reminder to nominate a local hero for Shoalhaven's Australia Day citizen awards. And another, published below, criticised the state funeral for Australian Labor Party powerbroker, Graham Richardson, and

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Melodies, Magic & Mayhem: 50 Years of Albatross Musicals

The curtain rises this weekend in Nowra on the Penzance to Present cabaret-style musical, celebrating 50 years of local passion, persistence, and joyous community entertainment. Each time the Albatross Musical Theatre Company (AMTC) stages a new production, audiences see the elaborate costumes, hear the soaring voices, and applaud the energetic

Podcasts

Top Local Podcast Listens

I do it while I'm cooking. Hubby does it in the garden. We both jostle to plug in on drives. Podcast listening is the easiest way to multitask and Shoalhaven voices have much to reveal to anyone willing to tune in. Complementing these catchup episodes (below) of Col

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Forget immigration - the problem is supply, inequality & inclusion.

by Crystal Brandon When I say it’s been a while, I mean it. The last time I wrote anything of substance was in 2017 when I wrote a play, titled A Sign of The Times and performed in Short + Sweet Illawarra. The irony that Donald Trump was President then

The Spark - Shoalhaven

"You Can Quote Me On That."

These were the exact words said to me by Radio 2st presenter, Graeme Day, after he told me he had complained to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) about Shoalhaven Councillors 'leaking' information to media. But Day's permission to publish didn't stop him claiming

The Spark - Shoalhaven

CEO: Ways and Means

The second press conference with Shoalhaven Council's Mayor and CEO started off discussing 52 job cuts, but ended up with a call to investigate Councillor corruption and media collusion. by Cat Holloway Long-time Radio 2st host, Graeme Day, revealed that he yesterday submitted documents to the Independent Commission

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Stability, not Constance

Member for South Coast, Liza Butler, said Shoalhaven Mayor Patricia White has lost the support of her voters because of events in Council since White was elected. Butler didn't hold back in yesterday's interview with Chance Hanlon and Bec Tucker on their Triple U Brekkie Show.

The Spark - Shoalhaven

State Fiction vs. Local Facts

The Shoalhaven is often described as place of great beauty. Everyone, from locals and visitors through to government and real estate agents, whether born here or moved from somewhere else, shares a love of that inherent natural beauty. There’s beauty too in our built heritage. The old villages of

Podcasts

Colin Hesse in Conversation

Catch-up on Friday morning's Triple U FM radio interviews. Wouldn't it be nice if the local newspaper removed its paywall, employed more staff and provided a central multimedia access hub for the wide variety of fascinating content produced independently across Shoalhaven's many platforms? Well,

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Discretion: The Better Part of Valour

Will old political allegiances define Shoalhaven's new era of development? by Cat Holloway One week ago, Andrew Constance became the new CEO of Shoalhaven City Council. Within days, the Office of Local Government announced it would investigate the appointment. Only time will tell if the naysayers are correct

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Read the Room, Or Leave It.

The year-long quest for Mayor Patricia White to find an ideal CEO partner to run Shoalhaven Council isn't over yet. Public and political backlash against the appointment of ex-politician Andrew Constance now has our region in metropolitan headlines for all the wrong reasons. Gaping wounds in the organisation

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Cr Bob Proudfoot Speaks Out

In mere minutes, social media commentary exploded after the announcement yesterday from Mayor Patricia White that ex-Liberal career politician Andrew Constance was Shoalhaven City Council's new CEO. After months of speculation, aggravation and lack of communication from Council, one selection committee member, Cr Bob Proudfoot, has given a

The Spark - Shoalhaven

Fiona Phillips: Not Happy

Statement from Member for Gilmore, on Shoalhaven City Council appointment of Andrew Constance as its fourth CEO in a year. This afternoon Shoalhaven City Council announced that it has appointed Andrew Constance as CEO. Because of that decision, I have lost all confidence in the Shoalhaven Mayor and Shoalhaven City