User Profile

Genevieve Swart

Genevieve Swart is a journalist who has spent 30 years at newspapers, magazines and websites in London, Cape Town and Sydney. For the past decade, she has run a community news business, which rebranded in 2022 to become The Illawarra Flame, a name inspired by a tree. Genevieve is a co-director of True Story festival and a founding member of the Local & Independent News Association. On days off, she goes kayaking.

News

Wollongong’s Lord Mayor welcomes more women in the top tier of politics

Last year Labor’s Tania Brown made history as the first woman to be elected as Lord Mayor of Wollongong. Now, with her party securing 94 of the 150 seats in the 150 House of Representatives, the Lord Mayor is celebrating a win for Labor women in...

Genevieve Swart

20 minutes ago

What's On

Ride4Rotary this Sunday and raise funds for vulnerable young people

For the first time in the event’s 10-year history, the Ride4Rotary is moving from Unanderra’s velodrome to Marine Drive, joining the Ride Wollongong festival of cycling in the city this Sunday. “There’s a 10k option, a 20k option, a 29k...

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

News

What’s next for offshore wind? Scientists plot best path for people and planet

Associate Professor Michelle Voyer, one of the leaders of the Blue Energy Futures Lab at the University of Wollongong (UOW), is a co-author of the Australian Marine Conservation Society’s roadmap, titled Improving decision-making in relation to...

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

Arts & culture

Scenes From The Climate Era opens on Wednesday at IPAC

Scenes from the Climate Era opens tomorrow at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC), with nibbles on everything from zombie mice to a post-aeroplane planet. Of the 50 scenes in David Finnigan’s play, actor Nic English is most looking forward to sharing the story of Smiley the frog.

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

News

Nearly 100 people attend UN Commissioner’s talk in Wollongong

One of the world’s leading human rights lawyers visited Wollongong last week sharing a message of determination and hope. Chris Sidoti is a United Nations commissioner who worked on a report published in March titled “More than a human can bear...

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

News

Women watching whales: How career changes opened up volunteer work at ORRCA

At the peak of their careers, two Wollongong mothers each made a life-changing switch that gave them time to volunteer and pursue a passion for marine conservation. Lyndell Roberts comes from the world of construction, Jody Langlois from nursing...

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

News

Health concerns drive calls for new homes to be all-electric

On the eve of World Asthma Day, about 50 people rallied outside Wollongong City Council’s Burelli Street offices. Their goal: to urge council to make new developments all-electric, with research showing gas stove use is estimated to cause 12% of childhood asthma in Australia.

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

News

They’ll be back: Cunningham runners-up determined to remain strong voices

Cunningham has long been a safe seat for Labor – other than a surprise win for the Greens’ Michael Organ in a 2002 by-election – so 2025’s result is no surprise here.

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

News

Alison Byrnes ‘straight back to work’ after Labor landslide in Cunningham

The day after the Labor landslide that led the party to a historic victory at the polls – and the Coalition to its worst ever result – the newly re-elected Member for Cunningham, Alison Byrnes, is back at work.

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

News

Sun, smiles and democracy sausages as Illawarra voters turn out for federal election day

The 2025 Federal Election is officially a sizzler, with thousands of voters enjoying sunshine and sausage sandwiches at polling places across the Cunningham electorate today. “The last couple of elections, it’s either been howling winds or...

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

News

Women’s health and safety in focus at federal election forum in Port Kembla

Far from the razzmatazz of party leaders, media buses and TV debates, in a backroom of the Foundery Cafe in Port Kembla, more than 50 people gathered on a rainy Tuesday night to confront a clear and present daily danger to Australians: domestic and...

Genevieve Swart

May 2025

News

Author joins calls for a museum celebrating Illawarra’s ‘remarkable’ history

Author Michael Samaras thinks local proposals for a world-class regional museum celebrating the Illawarra’s history are a “great idea”. “I think that would be splendid,” said Michael, who will be in Thirroul to talk about his new book...

Genevieve Swart

April 2025

News

Coledale film screening raises over $1000 for ‘Grandma’s House’

The Coledale RSL hosted a sold-out screening last week of two locally made short films: Grandma’s House (2024) and Dating Violet (2021)

Genevieve Swart

April 2025

News

3 Ways with Climate Action: The letter writer

Worried about climate change, an Oak Flats grandfather is campaigning for action and he’s chosen to deliver his message via good old-fashioned Letters to the Editor. What’s more, he’s found it an effective way of reaching an undecided demographic...

Genevieve Swart

April 2025