User Profile

Jeremy Lasek

Jeremy Lasek has many decades of experience in media, marketing, events and PR. His career began in the Illawarra with the Lake Times, ABC Radio and WIN-TV. For eight years Jeremy was news director for WIN in Canberra and was national news director before joining the National Capital Authority as head of media and events. Jeremy was executive director of ACT Government Communications, Events, Arts, Heritage and Protocol for many years, was Chief of Staff to the ACT Chief Minister and had responsibility for the Centenary of Canberra celebrations in 2013. Before returning to Wollongong, Jeremy was CEO of the National Australia Day Council (including the Australian of the Year Awards) and head of communications for the Australian Federal Police. Jeremy is a member of the Friends of Woolyungah Indigenous Centre at UOW and a regular contributor to the Illawarra Flame.

Health & Wellness

Exercise and healthy diet the key to avoiding diabetes

“Keep moving”! That’s the simple advice on how we can try to avoid getting diabetes from a Wollongong-based expert. During National Diabetes Week (13-19 July) Diabetes Australia is highlighting the importance of prevention, to reduce adding to the...

Jeremy Lasek

10 hours ago

News

Calls for greater safety as Wollongong’s e-scooter trial extended to Jan 2026

For the second time, the NSW Government has extended Wollongong’s e-scooter trial program. It’s prompted calls from one Wollongong councillor for increased safety measures to protect riders, cyclists and pedestrians who use the shared paths. The...

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

Obituary

Vale Cilla Aslanidis: A Wollongong television pioneer and local theatre legend

Marienne Shepherd

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

Exclusive

Wollongong’s Scott Radburn excited to share reunion plans for the legendary Four Kinsmen

It’s shaping up to be one of the biggest reunions in Australia’s entertainment industry, and veteran Wollongong performer Scott Radburn can’t wait. Stalwarts of the Australian live performance circuit since 1962, The Four Kinsmen, once a household...

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

News

Police accused of ‘intimidation’ and unnecessary show of force at Wollongong free Palestine rally

The Wollongong-based Friends of Palestine say they won’t be bullied into abandoning their fortnightly rallies in the city mall, following claims of “intimidation” and “harassment” by NSW Police at their latest gathering. Former Wollongong Citizen of...

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

News

An exclusive visit inside one of Australia’s most energy-efficient 10-star homes

In these days of spiralling energy prices, how a home is built can make all the difference when power bills arrive, with their growing impact on the household budget. The Illawarra Flame has been granted exclusive access to one of the nation’s most...

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

News

Council says 440,000 new trees in the ground as native plant experts call for even more to be done

Despite Wollongong Council planting hundreds of thousands of new trees in recent years, two leading advocates for a native tree planting blitz in our suburbs have called for more to be done to prepare the city for future global warming. While...

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

News

Use of toilet paper and mobile phones spell doom for this suburban toilet block

The battle by locals to save a small toilet block in a small suburban park in Gwynneville appears to be over. Using a combination of mobile phone data technology and toilet paper use, Wollongong Council has decided the toilets must go. Lord Mayor Cr...

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

News

Lord Mayor says skydiving at Stuart Park is here to stay and financially ‘what’s in the past, is in the past’

The Lord Mayor has stood by Council’s decision to support skydiving at Stuart Park on an ongoing basis and says any issue with Council giving the long-term operators, Skydive the Beach, a “sweetheart deal” is “history” and “in the past”. At this...

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

News

Council accused of costing the city millions in lost revenue with skydive ‘sweetheart deal’

At its latest meeting Wollongong City Council (WCC) stood accused of entering into a ‘sweetheart deal’ with long-time operator Skydive the Beach, resulting in ratepayers foregoing millions of dollars in missed earnings. The issue arose during...

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

News

After decades of waiting, a cafe and visitors centre is a step closer for Wollongong Botanic Garden

Plans for a multipurpose cafe and visitors centre at Wollongong’s popular botanic gardens were first raised in the 1970s. At this week’s meeting of Wollongong City Council, there was overwhelming support to move ahead with those plans. It came...

Jeremy Lasek

July 2025

News

Major upgrade underway at Bulli’s popular beachside cafe

Grabbing a hot cuppa while watching the whales pass by has become a bit more challenging this winter with work well underway on a major renovation at the popular Bulli Beach Cafe. Wollongong Council is spending more than $680,000 to replace the...

Jeremy Lasek

June 2025

Arts & culture

From the Gong to Edinburgh: Our top citizen set to appear at the world’s biggest fringe festival

Just when you thought the multi-talented Malika Elizabeth Reese’s year couldn’t get any better... it absolutely does. In February, Malika was named the Wollongong Citizen of the Year for her advocacy on behalf of victim-survivors of violence. She is...

Jeremy Lasek

June 2025

News

In a Wollongong first, new cruise operator promises a whale of a time

A new whale watching season is now in full swing and it’s been “an unbelievable start” according to the newest cruise operator offering passengers “the experience of a lifetime” just off our coast. While cruises have been operating out of Jervis Bay...

Jeremy Lasek

June 2025