Letters
Caught in the cogs of the war machine The Abbott regime has committed $400m a year to the American war-mongering machine. Is that why Hockey came up with that mean budget? Just like the government at the time did when the Vietnam War and the Gulf War started. Where is the immediate threat to Australia? There isn’t one. We are just licking the boots of the American warmongers. Australian troops have been sacrificed since the Boer War and that was for the Poms and their vested interests. If you believe the propaganda coming from Abbott’s
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West Byron responds
While we recognise that The Echo has a responsibility to report local concerns, we would ask that you stick to known facts in doing so. West Byron Project representatives have written directly to you in the past and clearly stated that the Byron Residents’ Group’s use of a figure of 1,100 or more dwellings proposed for West Byron is a figure that they have
regime we are all under threat of a Muslim jihad. I’m more worried about what the Israeli regime is doing in Palestine. Paul Brecht Mullumbimby
Syria by the Islamic State or anyone else is a terrible thing and should not have happened. Killing between half a million and a million people in a war against Iraq was a terrible thing and should not have happened. Lying about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to start that war was a terrible thing, too. Invading Afghanistan and trashing the whole country
to capture one man was also a terrible thing. Destabilising the whole region is a terrible thing and could have immense consequences. Should we engage in a new war against the Islamic State? Wow, what a choice. Are we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t? Do the Muslim nations want to join a US war against Muslims? Could it destabilise Pakistan? It may be too late. Could it destabilise Kashmir and India? Kashmir is already pretty bad. Could it destabilise the Islamic provinces of China? Perhaps it already has. Could it destabilise Cen-
tral Asia? Possibly. Could it destabilise the Arabian Peninsula? Probably. Could it destabilise the Middle East? Most likely. Do we need another killing frenzy? These wars seem to be one of the most effective ways of encouraging terrorism, and we can be sure there will be far more refugees, but we seem to keep making it worse! When a war on terror becomes a war on nations and humanity, whose interest does it serve? If we had a Department of Peace, what would it advise? Michael Weatherhead Mullumbimby
made up. The West Byron rezoning proposal does not contain a request for such a figure, nor is this figure considered to be likely. The BRG has repeatedly misrepresented basic facts on many issues. We have written to them on several occasions to point out where they are in error and, for whatever reason, they continue to use incorrect information. Just some of facts that the
BRG chooses to overlook: The rezoning application has been developed over five years and been modified to incorporate public feedback received in two public exhibition periods – including from some BRG members who claim that the public has never been consulted. The application details 37 per cent of the site to be preserved for environmental management and conserva-
tion. Just 11 per cent of the site is proposed to be the medium-density housing the BRG claims will characterise the site. Population increases – less than the BRG is bandying about – from West Byron would occur over a twentyyear period. The proposal details a visual and acoustic buffer in excess of 11 metres wide along Ewingsdale Road, maintaining the green entry to Byron and appearing nothing like continued on next page
Q Beheading an aid worker in
SCOTT HARVEY
Letters to the Editor Op
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Send to Letters Editor Michael McDonald, fax: 6684 1719 email: editor@echo.net.au Deadline: Noon, Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. Letters already published in other papers will not be considered. Please include your full name, address and phone number for verification purposes.
THE
AMITAYUS – BYRON HOSPICE SERVICE ‘At Home’ Palliative Care Service
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS of service on Saturday October 4th
This service has touched many of our hearts. Please come and celebrate with us. Find out more through info@byronhospice.org.au or 6684 3808 (messagebank) or Carl on 0401 081 713 www.byronhospice.org.au
NEW DATPET 26 SE
BUPA POTTSVILLE BEACH
YOU’RE INVITED Bupa Pottsville Beach is celebrating its 5th Birthday with an Open Day! We would love you to join us for afternoon tea, a tour of our beautiful aged care home and the opportunity to find out more about who we are and what we do. You will also have a chance to meet Dr Sue Page, the resident General Practitioner at Bupa Pottsville Beach. Date: Time: Venue: RSVP:
Friday, 26 September 2014 1.00pm to 5.00pm 41-51 Ballina Street, Pottsville Wednesday, 24 September to Maree Stewart via email at maree.stewart@bupacare.com.au
We look forward to seeing you there!
bupa.com.au/aged-care
RAILS
THE RAILWAY FRIENDLY BAR, BYRON BAY 6685 7662 THE FAMOUS RAILS kitchen Wednesday 24 September
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PAT TIERNEY Thursday 25 September
THE DAYS Friday 26 September
BOHEMIAN COWBOYS Saturday 27 September
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HAYLEY GRACE Tuesday 30 September
JON J BRADLEY The Byron Shire Echo September 23, 2014 9