A month after opening for members, new Australian group the Local and Independent News Association has published its first newsletter, reporting on recent activities and announcing plans.

LINA members have held two online networking sessions, one to get to know each other and a second to discuss insurance. Next Tuesday (October 25) guest speaker will be Region Media group editor Genevieve Jacobs, talking about digital news publishing.

Group members are Wimmera Mallee News; South Burnett Online; The Fold Media; Victoria-based The Local Paper Group; Adelphi Printing Group; The Illawarra Flame; North Sydney Sun; In the Cove; The Point; Manly Observer; Brunswick Voice; Central Coast Council Watch; On the Upper (NSW Central Coast); Murray Bridge News; Hyperlocal News Group; IndyNR; The Fleurieu App, and “an aspirant news publisher in Toowoomba launching soon”.

Claire Albrecht, who joined last month as programme manager, is heading off to the LION Publishers' Independent News Sustainability Summit in Austin, Texas, while Claire Stuchbery travels to Cairns for the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia annual conference. Contact LINA here.

Pictured: Claire Albrecht, pictured at the New Writing Newcastle Cuplet Poetry Night, which she organised