RK (Kath) Crosby

Tenterfield’s Mum’s Cleaning Services has been recognised as the New England’s Best Cleaner in the 2026 Best in the New England awards, with customers praising the business’s meticulous attention to detail, professionalism and consistently high standards. Although still a relatively new business, Mum’s Cleaning Services has quickly built a loyal client base stretching from the Queensland border south to Glen Innes.

Sporting ovals, cemeteries and favourite holiday spots across the Macleay are set for their annual dose of herbicide, as Kempsey Shire Council rolls out its yearly spray to banish bindiis and clovers from Monday, 27 July. Bindiis are the scourge of bare feet on sporting fields and parks, their sharp burrs a familiar hazard for kids, dog walkers and footy players alike.

In this final part of our New England Times investigation by RK Crosby, we look at two known forces that corrupt the numbers: culture and politics. In amongst all the numbers that get thrown around by governments and politicians, there are some you think you can trust, and some that you know you shouldn’t. The ones you think you should be able to trust are those that are produced by agencies and departments that are there to watch over others.