Shaggy Dog Comments...

Among the cacophony of protestors waiting to greet the government outside the school were forestry workers concerned about the Vegetation Management Plan for the region. So they've decided to do something about it.

Tony Wade, president of the Timber Communities Association's Grafton branch, brought along Pete the Penguin, who he's planning to stand at next year's election. 'First we're going to fill him with hot air, so he's more like a politician,' Tony explained. 'He doesn't say much, but neither do the politicians, so we reckon he'd do a better job.'

Given that a Parrot currently seems to be part of the government, a penguin might balance things out.

Heritage Minister Andrew 'Red Baron' Refshauge scored the wildest ride of his political career (since his preselection ballot) when he got the chance to ride in a Tiger Moth over Evans Head airfield. Tiger Moths were the training plane used by the hundreds of pilots trained at the airbase during WWII. This plane, Tygress, was built in 1940 and was one of 1000 Tiger Months built in Australia. Now around 200 are left.

While local doctors may have a few things on their minds at the moment, they'll still doing their bit for sick kids. On Saturday night they raised more than $10,000 for the special care nursery at Lismore Base Hospital at the Northern Rivers Division of General Practice's inaugural trivia charity night. . The the evening was so successful that there is enough money to buy a humidicrib, as well as two oxygen analysers. Humidicribs cost about $8,000 and are vital in maintaining the constant temperature necessary for the survival and growth of premature babies. The three winning tables received a total of $1,750 for their charity of choice - the Northern Rivers Family Care Centre (post-natal day stay unit).

Pictured collecting their table's winnings for the unit are Elizabeth Tierney, Lee McDonald, Janet Hayes, from trivia night sponsors Pfizer, Linda Muscat and Vicki Muskens, Pfizer representative.

Thousands of people lined the streets of Nimbin for the 10th Mardi Grass march on Sunday.

The colourful parade wound its way through the town to Peace Park where the crowd listened to speeches about drug law reform.

Throughout the weekend visitors were treated to musical performances, information sessions regarding drug law reform and education, forums about cannabis and health, industrial hemp and of, course, a bit of fun and games with the hemp olympics (no drug testing needed).

Only one arrest was made throughout the weekend for possession - and police warned police impersonator 'Chicken' George (pictured, with a belly allegedly the result on concealing several hundred joints) for not having his 'sniffer' dog registered with Council.