THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 28 #05 Tuesday, July 9, 2013 Phone 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 [email protected] [email protected] www.echo.net.au CAB 23,200 copies every week AUDIT North Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BEGAN IN 1788 P24–25 Inside Who hates free speech? Concerns over Writers’ festival Find out what’s new Byron Shire this It appears to be the NSW Bitou Bush book reviews under the sun Council Notices week govt. See editorial – p10 spraying – p7 – p15 – p18–19 Page 40 Telco plonks Byron to temp tower A Lennox love-in declare CSG near residents Wooyung residents say they have free July 21 been kept in the dark over the erec- A gasfi eld free Byron Bay declara- tion of temporary Telstra commu- tion day is planned for Sunday July nication towers which will service 21 at the Peace Park on Main Beach. the Splendour In Th e Grass festival Organisers are planning a family from July 26 to 28. aft ernoon of fun to coincide with Wooyung Road resident Rob the beachside markets, and the Learmonth told Th e Echo that no-one event will include meditation, yoga, from Telstra contacted him or neigh- a welcome to country ceremony, bours before the two nine-metre tow- entertainment by the Raise The ers were erected close to his home. Roof Choir, Shane Howard, Holley ‘I am gobsmacked,’ he told Th e Knott and others. Additionally, a Echo. ‘Major infrastructure works ‘Stand in the Sand’ crowd forma- have taken place along Wooyung tion is planned, which will repre- Road to get the fibre optic cable sent the actual survey percentage to the site. It is directly opposite for Byron Bay. and within two hundred metres of Organisers say the Byron Bay homes across the road.’ survey is the biggest so far conduct- Th e telco has no obligation to ad- ed in urban Australia. Co-organiser vise residents due to it being tempo- Suzie Deyris told Th e Echo, ‘Th is has rary, says Mr Learmonth, ‘in accord- brought people together as never ance with the Communications Act before, strengthening the bonds be- and State SEPP planning processes.’ Adam (Crooked Stixz) Hemwood blows it at the Love Lennox on Q See video on this story at tween neighbours and demonstrat- ‘We are only a small community Saturday. With traffi c restrictions, the beachside town was open to ing their solidarity.’ More details and we seem virtually powerless to stallholders and the public. Photo Jeff ‘Blow Harder’ Dawson next week. the bully-boy tactics of Telstra. It all appears to be being done by stealth. He fears it could set a precedent and become a semi-permanent ar- Council’s fi nanacial (loss) arrangement with parks rangement, and asks ‘Will the tower Hans Lovejoy to year determined by the work needed to be As a comparison to when Council managed be erected on the Wooyung site for performed. Plans for the upgrades of the day use the parks over ten years ago, Council’s 2001/2002 all subsequent events and if so how Th e former Byron Council staff er and now man- reserves in Brunswick Heads will be exhibited to- annual report says that Th e Terrace Park gener- many events?’ ager of the state government-owned private en- ward the end of this year. Th ese plans will identify ated $380,000, Massey Greene $270,000 and And questions to Telstra by Th e terprise, North Coast Holiday Parks (NCHP), extensive improvement works to be funded from the Ferry Reserve $121,200, equalling a profi t of Echo also remain unanswered. has hit back at claims his parks do not contribute caravan park revenue.’ $771,200. Another snapshot a few years later in Th ey include: ‘Why has no advice back to the community since he took over ad- Th e questions come aft er a recent press release 2003/2004 reveal a higher fi gure of $860,653. been provided to residents on the ministration from Byron Shire Council in 2006. by a public relations company on behalf of NCHP Council’s community infrastructure executive levels of electromagnetic radiation But questions still remain as to why Council’s that claimed, ‘guests can be confi dent that the prof- manager, Phil Holloway, said the income was spent they may receive’, and, ‘Why wasn’t fi nancial returns are extraordinarly lower than its from the dollars they invest are returned to the across all Council reserves as per a 2007 agreement this placed away from residents?’ In- before the takeover. people of NSW and their coastal recreation zones.’ with the then-called North Coast Crown Lands stead, a spokesperson confi rmed the NCHP general manager Jim Bolger told Th e Council’s media officer confirmed that in Division. ‘Council also receives income for Crown towers and said, ‘Th is equipment is Echo that a major amount is paid directly back 2011/12 the amount paid by NCHP for three reserve works from the paid parking on Main in high demand and will be moved into the Shire via Council. Brunswick Heads caravan parks was $196,818, Beach, Byron Bay, and fees from market licences.’ to the next event as soon as possible ‘Other amounts paid for reserve maintenance and is listed under the ‘Open Space And Recrea- He says the funds can only be expended on works aft er Splendour in the Grass.’ and or improvement by NCHP vary from year tion Program’ in the budget. in the area to which the income was generated. 24 Longest running fi tness centre in Byron Shire hour gym Membership includes: Last week s 2ENOVATEDGYM s .EWWELLBEING of 30 days for s )NDOORHEATEDPOOL SAUNA 30 dollars s lTNESSCLASSES s #ASUALSQUASH PERWEEK s &RIENDLYLOCALSTAFF Squash & volleyball players wanted 14–16 Teven Street, Brunswick Heads t 6685 1794 m 0432 715 626 Local News North Coast news daily: netdaily.net.au Homeless blitz Local scouts win A Brunswick Heads man ap- prior occasions. Firstly to in- peared in the Mullumbimby vestigate the issue, assess the Court on June 27 and was impacts, provide information Grey Wolf award fined for failing to comply on alternative accommoda- with a no camping sign, says tion options and fi nally move Byron Shire Council’s govern- people on. ance manager Ralph James. ‘While camping on re- He told Th e Echo that the serves and streets is a high defendant intends to chal- priority, Council does not lenge the fi ne and the case was target homeless people and adjourned until August 15. tries to assist wherever it can.’ Mr James said five ‘no ‘Camping in public streets camping’ fi nes had been is- and reserves’ has been iden- sued in April at the Brunswick tified as a high priory for Heads Reserve. ‘Rangers had Council’s ‘2013 Compliance been to the Reserve on four program – Priorities.’ As the Aussie Dollar Drops Consumer Prices Rise! Our suppliers are raising prices every week ... So, Come see us now - It’s a Good Time to Buy! New AIR’s Now In Stock! 7th April to 4th July ‘13 Pictured are Amy, Olivia, Harry and Imogen with Cub leader (Akela) Mike Mansted in the background. Photo Jeff Dawson AUD/USD Harry Blair and Eamon Schultz have port; Joeys, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and great family commitment and enthusiasm completed the highest award attainable scout leaders gather locally and at events bringing the best out in our local children.’ in the Cub Scouts, the Grey Wolf. across Australia. Linda Whitehurst from Th e Grey Wolf award is embarked upon MBAIR: Now 2X as Fast & Doubled Battery Life! First Byron Bay Scouts has a long heri- the 1st Byron Bay Scouts says, ‘Th e mem- once a series of Boomerang badges have 15% Drop: April-July The NEW MacBook AIR 11”: from $1089 tage in Byron Bay with community sup- bership in Byron is at an all-time high with been accomplished by the Cub. The NEW AIR 13” from $1339 NOW: $1239! Lightforce Computers Bangalow weir’s ‘new look’ unveiled Authorised Reseller Authorised Service Provider Chris Dobney 3/84 Centennial Circuit Byron Bay 02 6685 8796 hrs: m-fri 9-5 • sat 9-1 www.lightforce.com.au A determined community, an offer of free rocks and FOR SALE a creative concept mean Bangalow’s broken weir may Focus Crafts soon be a beautiful new ad- dition to the town rather An iconic craft and jewellery shop in Byron Bay than a crumbling, neglected for 28 years. Best location near the beach in artefact from the past. the Heritage building in Jonson Street. Th e weir, which was built by community volunteers in the 1920s, was fi rst breached in 2010 and its condition t 3x3 lease worsened to the point that An artist impression of what Bangalow’s weir could look like for under $300,000 t $135,000 Byron Shire Council fenced plus stock it off last year. ries of options with escalating struction’. Simon Richardson’s com- t Negotiable Council then commis- price tags. A second meeting A local civil engineer has ments at the last community sioned a report from Geolink, decided to support the op- also completed a concept de- meeting in April are anything which valued the cost of re- tion of repairing the weir to sign, pictured, which has now to go by. placing the weir at $1million. a height of 0.9 metres, just been submitted to Byron Shire Then, the mayor said Two public meetings later, below the concrete fl oor of Council for consideration.