Letters
Perils of commercialising the beach Open letter to Byron Council GM: Dear Mr. Gainger, We are writing to you as the co-coordinators of the Green and Clean Dunecare group. This official volunteer group has been working repairing the dunes by removing rubbish and weeds and replanting, from Main Beach to Clarkes Beach, for 17 years. We have implemented, to fruition, restoration goals of Byron Shire Council’s 2004 Plans of Vegetation Management for Main Beach. Byron Bay’s dunes are a fragile and vulnerable narrow wildlife corridor that has slowly returned to health from past abuse with the commitment and work of volunteers. They continue to be under pressure from the large number of people who use them. There must be no expectation that such events [the recent controversial marquee on the beach – Ed] can occur on Byron Bay’s iconic beaches. We feel there are ample opportunities and facilities for events requiring this style of
infrastructure to be located off the beach. Green and Clean Dunecare Group urges Council to take the view that this was a one-off event and that such events are not sustainable in this vulnerable regenerating dune area. Council needs to review its policy regarding events on the beach. Such events conflict with Byron businesses’ campaign of ‘Byron Naturally’. As carers of the dunes, we are primary stakeholders and have both a right and expectation to be informed and consulted. Our group has canvassed among its members issues arising from this event and wishes to express its opposition, concerns and rationale. We are opposed to: 1) Structures being erected on the beach. 2) Night events requiring artificial lighting or generators on the beach. 3) Any amplification, music or microphones on the beach. 4) Privatised areas on our public beach.
5) Alcohol being consumed on the beach. 6) Exclusion from consultation, as we are a major stakeholder. We have no issues with the beach being used for lowimpact and sympathetic uses, such as surf schools, kayak tours, wedding ceremonies. We are concerned: 1) At the magnitude of the structures, causing erosion at the site and to the pathways, when the structures are transported to and from the site. 2) That a one-night event involves three days (including setup and packup) of wear and tear and occupation of our public beach. 3) That toilets to service approximately 150 people were inadequately and inconveniently located 100m from the marquees where alcohol was being consumed, thus rendering the beach and foredunes vulnerable to pollution from human excrement. 4) The foredune area is a rich habitat supporting mammals, reptiles and birds including the migratory Red Necked Stint and sand-nesting birds
such as the Rainbow Bee Eater and vulnerable Pied Oyster Catcher. The endangered Bush Stone Curlew has also been recorded recently in beach management Zone 6 (as per BSC Vegetation Plan of Management) adjacent the event site. The refuge and nesting requirements of these and other species is placed under considerable stress (as delineated in Threatened Species determinations and Shore Bird Recovery Plans) by night lighting, amplified sound and foot traffic. We acknowledge that Byron Shire Council is the manager for these Crown lands. We, the Green and Clean team, are the carers of the Dunes on these Crown lands. Our hope is that we can work together to continue to repair and preserve our magnificent beaches and dunes. Then all who live here and visit can enjoy the primary attraction and natural drawcard for Byron Bay, its beautiful beach. Veda Turner on behalf of Green and Clean Awareness Team
Parallel universe
1.2 metres or 47 inches or less rain than it normally does, a trend that actually began two years ago for the whole east coast of NSW. The southern mountains of NSW have had about twice our rainfall this year. (www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/#tracker) Doppler radar shows our rain is consistently coming from the northwest, meaning that we are now on the rain shadow side of the Great Dividing Range. This will be quite disastrous for our area if this trend continues in the years to come, changing our area from a lush, dense green, subtropical rainforest area to a temperate savannah area. This is it not due to the current developing El Nino, which will only make the drought even worse, but instead would seem to be the result of manmade global warming. Peter Olson Goonengerry
on the threat of manmade global warming using the cloak of green environmentalism known as ‘sustainable development’ to lull people by stealth toward draconian controls that will eventually erode our rights and freedoms. The carbon economy is all part of this. Gore was here to steer Palmer in the right direction. To see just how sustainable Al Gore’s belief in climate change and saving the environment really is – last year, according to canadabuster. com, fracking company PetroBakken Resources of Canada announced Gore would be pumping $200 million into the company for a 15 per cent stake. Gore and Palmer don’t look such the odd couple now, do they? Here Gore is ‘saving’ the environment in the form of money, which he says he will put toward environmental causes – maybe another horror movie dressed up as a documentary. Anton Vanderbyl Palmwoods
rich are stimulated by tax cuts and other concessions in the hope that they will increase spending and thus ultimately advantage those less well-off. It is a theory that has probably been around for a long time but was given added impetus during the Thatcher/ Reagan era. That it is a totally self-serving and fraudulent theory can be seen by the fact that the gulf between rich and poor continued on next page
The member for Richmond Justine Elliot appears to be living in a parallel universe. She needs to come to grips with the acceptance that the hundreds of billions of dollars absolutely wasted by her and her fellow former government members over a six year period from 2007 to 2013 have created the budget problems that necessitated expenditure cutbacks. If she is so concerned now, why wasn’t she concerned then? Justine, have you ever considered the number of hospitals that could have been built, the improvements in education and assistance to the disabled that could have been undertaken with only part of this wasted $400-plus billion? Six years on and there is virtually nothing to show for this waste. Justine, this budget is medicine that you have forced all of us to swallow and you are the one responsible. Tim Harrington Lennox Head
Bad weather ahead? Terrific weather or terrible drought? From January 1 to June 15 Byron Shire received
Draconian controls If you are still perplexed by the antics of Clive Palmer and Al Gore, then try viewing it from the context of United Nations Agenda 21; it may make more sense. UN Agenda 21 relies
Fraudulent theory The federal budget is based on the trickle-down theory of economics – whereby the
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RAILS
THE RAILWAY FRIENDLY BAR, BYRON BAY 6685 7662 THE FAMOUS RAILS kitchen Wednesday 9 July
JOSH HAMILTON Thursday 10 July
E-LION Friday 11 July
BOHEMIAN COWBOYS Saturday 12 July
LITTLE BASTARD Sunday 13 July
LIONHEIR Monday 14 July
STEPHEN LOVELIGHT Tuesday 15 July
JACKSON JAMES SMITH The Byron Shire Echo July 8, 2014 11