Former detained Australian Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has spoken publicly for the first time since his release and today we hear what he had to say at a forum in Germany.

Back home, the Greens are promising big on housing in the marginal seat of Richmond, this week housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather was in the Tweed Shire with a picture of a 13-storey affordable housing apartment block he says the party will make sure gets built if it wins enough seats in next year’s federal election.

But the 65 apartments are to be built by a yet-to-exist public developer The Greens are also promising to introduce if they win balance of power.

Meanwhile, the party has won four seats on the Byron Shire Council and today we meet newly elected Greens Mayor, Sarah Ndiaye, as well as newly re-elected Independent Ballina Shire Mayor Sharon Cadwallader. Both women won their positions despite a lack of preferences from their competitors on how-to-vote forms.

1.    Mayor credits success to fresh ticket line-up (Part 1 of 2) featuring Greens Byron Shire Mayor Sarah Ndiaye

2.      Greens to move to reverse Mullum water supply vote (Part 2 of 2) featuring Greens Byron Shire Mayor Sarah Ndiaye

3.    No grand agendas on the table from re-elected Cadwallader team (Part 1 of 2) in Ballina featuring Independent Ballina Shire Mayor Sharon Cadwallader

4.      Wollongbar pod village best dismantled and used to house new police, says Ballina mayor (Part 2 of 2) featuring Independent Ballina Shire Mayor Sharon Cadwallader

5.      Greens promise big on housing in Richmond electorate (Part 1 of 2) featuring Greens Member for Griffith and party spokesperson on housing Max Chandler-Mather

6.      Publicly funded housing developer would buy swathes of land-banked properties, say Greens (Part 2 of 2) featuring Greens Member for Griffith and party spokesperson on housing Max Chandler-Mather

7.      Julian Assange speaks publicly for first time (Dr John Jiggins)

*producer: Mia Armitage. Reports by Mia Armitage unless otherwise indicated.Tune in to the Community Newsroom on Fridays from 11am-12 on Bay FM 99.9 or listen online at bayfm.org
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PIC: Byron Shire Mayor Sarah Ndiaye (supplied)