Digital Dead Ends for Telstra Funds?
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THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 [email protected] [email protected] http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 20 #13 TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2005 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only FARDELS BEAR IS NOT AN ANIMAL Digital dead ends Joy and sadness fi ll memories of war for Telstra funds? Michael McDonald But Norlink chief Keith David- With the National Party lobbying son is still cheerful about the com- hard for a fi ve billion dollar fund pany’s prospects. When asked if the from the sale of Telstra to upgrade NTN funds had been spent wisely, telecommunications services in the he said, ‘Yes, we have a broadband bush it is worth looking at how suc- wireless service into hospitals and cessful earlier efforts to upgrade schools’ and cited a number of services have been. The Nats made towns receiving the service in Networking The Nation, in part set Byron Shire and the Lismore area. up as a ‘social bonus’ of earlier Tel- He also said Kyogle would be the stra sales, a very useful pork barrel ‘second stage’ with infrastructure from 1997 to 2004. ‘ready to install’. The north coast was awash with What Norlink had achieved is NTN funds in its heyday. It was little different to that done by local probably no hindrance that the businesses such as Linknet. No chairman of NTN was Doug over-arching plan has emerged Anthony, father of then Richmond from NTN to give the bush a MP Larry Anthony. wealth of high speed connections. The initial benefi t of more money Interestingly, on Thursday after- in the community is obvious. But noon after I had talked to Mr Dav- have the NTN funds done any- idson, the mullum.com.au site thing much to improve telco serv- became inaccessible and the nor- ices on the north coast? link.net.au site became just a Almost 40,000 Australians lost their lives during World War II and more than 30,000 were taken prisoner. Last weekend pointer to Regional Telecom, Nor- many of the 170,000 veterans still surviving remembered those six years while the world fought and celebrated 60 years $2m in public funds link’s new name. of peace. Though not in the Pacific conflict himself, French Army officer Gaston Vanzetti, pictured above, reflects on the Over $2 million in public funds Still Mr Davidson believes Nor- same feelings of elation and relief he felt in Europe at the end of WW II. Gaston and dozens of Diggers, family, friends and went into Norlink, the internet pro- link is ‘a positive story’. The com- school children gathered at the Brunswick Heads War Memorial on Monday morning to commemorate Victory in the vider originally supported by local pany’s fi xed line business has been Pacific’s 60th anniversary. Photo Jeff Dawson business and community organisa- sold and private investors are ready tions. On May 26 this year Norlink to put in additional capital, he went into voluntary administration says. New Mullum supermarket off the rails and is hoping shortly its creditors will accept a deed of company Bangalow project Cheaper prices, greater range, bet- ommending approval of the new the use of Station Street as the pro- arrangement so it can continue to One of the local benefi ciaries of ter parking – all items that would supermarket location. While the posed entry point for 3,000 vehi- trade its way out of diffi culty. NTN funding was Bangalow busi- be on anyone’s shopping list for a report acknowledged the substan- cles. Its vision of a series of ‘E-towns’ nessman Christopher Sanderson, new supermarket. Mallams held tial increase in traffi c volume as an Many local businesses did not supported by local councils was who was down to receive $894,000 out all three as carrots to Council issue, it put aside the adverse effects support the proposal, concerned not realised and its presence did for an online produce marketing and Mullumbimby residents in on neighbours in favour of the ben- that it would draw shoppers away not make it as far as Kyogle, one of service called variously TAFTCO return for approval of their plan to efi ts to the general public. from the existing shopping hub. the intended towns. It operated and Grower Direct. An earlier build on a parcel of State Rail Access to the currently vacant Mullumbimby real estate agent online from MAP, the Mul- incarnation of Mr Sanderson’s owned land in Station Street. site would be along Station or Tin- Mark Cochrane reeled off a list of lumbimby ISP it acquired, and project was the Regional Internet Traffic congestion, increased cogan Streets which currently han- local businesses who, he said, offers a wireless service. Marketing Cooperative which was fl ooding and fragmentation of the dle 1,600 and 1,300 vehicles per opposed Mallams’ plan, which also As of last Thursday morning involved with the Northern Rivers town centre were too high a price day respectively. Traffic counts includes providing an unstated online documents still bore the Agricultural Development Corpo- to pay however for improved gro- estimate that a new retail develop- number of ‘ancillary shops’ such as logos of groups which have since ration (NORADA), actively pro- cery shopping and, persuaded by a ment would generate an extra a bottle shop, chemist and cafe in sought to distance themselves from moted by Doug Anthony. Its efforts public gallery packed with protest- 2,900 vehicles per day. addition to a new supermarket. Norlink. The NSW Farmers Asso- to fi nd Asian markets for Austral- ers, a majority of Councillors voted Tincogan Street resident Rhonda After drawing a parallel with Lis- ciation says it has had no associa- ian growers were found wanting by to reject the rezoning proposal at Ellis spoke against the use of the more Shopping Square, he said tion with Norlink for a number of some members of the NSW Farm- last Tuesday’s Council meeting. six metre wide Tincogan Street as ‘This will become a ghost town. I years and the Northern Rivers ers Association. After what they say has been 15 an access route calling it ‘the nar- am in favour of a larger supermar- Regional Development Board Mr Sanderson chose not to talk years of planning, Mallams thought rowest and most dangerous corner ket but not on this site. The retail- abandoned administrative support to The Echo but directed me instead the fi nal hurdle was in sight when in town’. Station Street property ers of Mullumbimby are not fat to the company in 2000. continued on page 2 Council staff put up a report rec- owner, Ian Pickles, also protested continued on page 4 2 August 16, 2005 Byron Shire Echo www.echo.net.au Local News Retraining for over 40s Door knock for rescuers Finding a job in Byron Shire manager Barrie Peters. has always been a bit of a chal- ‘For example in the event lenge. As part of a campaign management or theatre pro- to help more people over the duction area there are quite a age of 40 to get back into the few employers looking for local workforce, the federal casual or part time paid tech- government has funded a nical assistance when they program of free ACE courses have productions running. By for older people wanting to providing training ACE pick up new skills. believes they can help volun- Eight new courses will teers gain certifi cation to allow "2!$3"%34&2)$'%&),,%23 offer retraining opportuni- them to apply for paid work.’ ties in fi elds such as informa- ‘In horticulture there are tion technology, theatre pro- increasing needs for conser- duction, horticulture and vation work supervisors, 8*/&40'5)&.0/5) event management through landscape gardeners and Byron Shire ACE. food crop workers,’ added ‘The eight industries were Mr Peters. chosen because it is believed To be eligible for the there are job opportunities in courses, participants must )BSEZT these areas. Discussions with be over 40, willing to attend potential employers indicate classes for up to 14 hours 1SFTFSWBUJWF they are looking at both full each week for around 13 'SFF3FE time, casual and part time weeks and be looking for a opportunities in the local area,’ career change. For more 8JOFTN- commented ACE project information call 6684 3374. FB Digital dead ends broadband network called Jindi-Net, set up through his continued from page 1 intentional community to Laurie Hammond, whose called Jindibah. #6/%:130.05*0/ Bundall-based company Of the other north coast Timsco Pty Ltd had pro- telco services to benefi t from Over 4,600 people have been rescued by the Westpac Helicopter vided venture capital to NTN funding, the Southern since 1982 and one day you might be one of the people in need. #VOEZ$PMB TAFTCO. Mr Hammond is Cross University’s CoastCall ‘Not one of these people ever counted on using the Westpac Life preparing a ‘dossier’ on the business initiative, which Saver Rescue Helicopter, however we need to count on as many DBOTYN- venture for the news media, received $385,750, ran for a people as possible to ensure our annual Doorknock Day is a suc- including the Australian couple of years with most of cess,’ said Philip Gibson from the Helicopter service, pictured Financial Review and The the money spent on adminis- above with Robin Duff from Westpac’s Mullumbimby branch. ‘We Daily Telegraph in Sydney, tration. Its 2000 report are asking everyone to get behind us for just a couple of hours on which are expected to run admitted CoastCall had no August 28 and collect in their home town.