Governor-General brings a message of kindness

GOVERNOR-General Sam Mostyn has visited the Northern Rivers for the first time since being sworn into office to see first-hand the damage caused by the 2022 flood.

Ms Mostyn visited Jarjum Preschool in Goonellabah as part of the tour, a centre that caters to 75 students and focuses on providing learning that embraces Indigenous culture.

The tour also included a visit to Southern Cross University to hear about how it helped the community during the floods.

Ms Mostyn said standing in the space that offered emergency accommodation to hundreds of people confirmed for her the scale of the disaster and the impact it had on the community.

“What I have discovered is that this is a community that has dealt with some of the toughest times, many times over, is very resilient and was able to get through this because of the strength of the community,” Ms Mostyn said.

“But there’s still a lot of underlying trauma and concern about what the future holds and not just relying on things that have always been to face if this ever happened again, but more importantly to rebuild community and to have a sense of belief that the community will be OK.”

Ms Mostyn saw her role as representing the community and taking its stories back to the country’s leaders, to help understand what makes a resilient Australia. She also valued the need to do so with kindness and care.

“To stand by communities, either in their moments of great joy or their moments of despair, and stick with communities – that’s something that I’ve always believed,” she said.

“I find wherever I go, the yearning for caring and kindness.”

The Governor-General also met with artists from CONVERGE, and got a sneak peek of the Lismore Library, one of many community assets still under repair.

Books being thrown from the library after the flood was an indelible image she remembered seeing on the news, and she said it was heartening to see the library being rebuilt.

Ms Mostyn also toured the old municipal building, the waste facility and water treatment plant, before attending a civic reception at Invercauld House.