Articles
The rain is out of control. Let’s fix that right now. Story & image S Sorrensen
Wouldn’t it be good if the government could control the rain? In the interests of jobs, wealth creation and reigning in the awful budget deficit left to it by Labor, the rain, which is now splashing down uselessly on a Lismore CBD street as empty as parliament during a climate change speech, would certainly be allocated by a special PM’s Advisory Council on Rain to somewhere more productive, like, say, the Olympic Dam uranium mine in South Australia. This operation takes 12 billion litres of water from the Great Artesian Basin every year. That is obviously unsustainable. What if the Basin were sucked dry before all the uranium was extracted? Fiscally irresponsible, for sure. Of course, it will take a few more years to completely drain the Basin, so no need to worry, but moving forward into the future, what then for continued production of this clean energy? Harvest the melting Antarctic ice? Import bottled water from China?
The Olympic Dam project is doomed... unless we find another water source. And I’m thinking that now that Aussie scientists don’t have funding for useless projects like biodiversity mapping and renewable energy innovation, they could devote their time to geo-engineering rain control. They could, say, divert rain from the north coast and deposit it on the Roxby Downs area.
This would guarantee a continuing huge profit for BHP Billiton, which, thanks to the trickle-down effect, is good for ordinary Australians. It would also guarantee a continuing supply of uranium to nuclear plants like Fukushima. Yes, it was proudly Australian uranium which supplied that plant. The accident was a one-off aberration which sees our processed uranium
Community Meeting 3 June 2015 at 5.30pm Byron Shire residents are invited to an update on construction and services planning for the new Byron Central Hospital, due to open early in 2016.
still spilling into the Pacific Ocean where, thankfully, its effect is negligible. The Japanese government has assured its people and our government that there will never be another earthquake in Japan. That’s good. And that reopening its nuclear plants will create jobs, investment possiblities and will reign in the budget deficit left to them by the previous government. Owing to the trickle-down effect, this would make all Japanese people deliriously happy and want to have sex again. At the moment though, the rain is wasted as it drops onto Carrington Street (and my iPad), runs into the gutters, and flows into the Wilsons River. Sure, some of this rain is falling on the paddocks and gardens, but really, food does not come from around here. Nothing useful is produced around here, except for a few hippie types who want to live in some sort of environmental and social paradise. Well, they had their chance at progress. The government, as directed by corporations, wanted to develop
this area for coal seam gas production, but no, people were worried about the land and the groundwater and the little birdies... Luckily, Metgasco is coming back and will bring jobs, wealth creation and a sure fix to the terrible deficit left to us by Labor. This area could support thousands of CSG wells – if we had enough water. (One well uses about 2–3 million litres of water.) So, maybe it’s good it’s raining here, despite the
droplets on my iPad making tomorrow’s forecast unreadable. The rain will increase the groundwater reserves, providing a valuable resource for the fracking process. And, tree-huggers, don’t worry about groundwater contamination. The coal seam lies above the the aquifer – and there is no trickledown effect. Q Read more of S’s work
at www.echo.net.au/category/ articles/here-and-now
SLIPPERY WHEN WET
KEEP BYRON IN WATERER WITH A 3 MINUTE SHOW An initiative by Byron Shire Council and Rous Water
mullum2brunspaddle.com.au A record 1,050 participated in the 10km paddle this year, with more than $25K raised for the Brunswick Surf Lifesaving Club, Marine Rescue & Visitor Centre.
A huge thank you to more than 60 generous sponsors!
Experts will discuss architectural plans, building construction and timetables, sustainability (environmental measures), road access and onsite parking, clinical services, including mental health, and relocation from the Shire’s two current hospitals.
Where:
Mullumbimby Civic Memorial Hall, Dalley Street, Mullumbimby
When:
3 June 2015 – 5.30pm Timeframe for meeting is around 1½ hours.
This briefing is free of charge, all community members welcome. Further information: ByronCentralHospital@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au
TERRACE ESPRESSO BAR • BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL • BRUNSWICK RIVER INN • PARK ST NEWS UNCLE TOM’S PIES • NORTH COAST HOLIDAY PARKS • SUN PROTECTION AUSTRALIA • BRUNSWICK BUCCANEERS • LJ HOOKER REAL ESTATE • GYM ON THE RUN • TORAKINA CAFÉ BRUNSWICK HEADS MASSAGE • BRUNSWICK SAILS MOTOR INN • MULLUMBIMBY HIRE & SALES
Broadview Apartments • WD Nicholls Accountants • JumParty Jump • Okanui Classics Green Monkey Cafe • Mullum Instyle Living • Crystal Castle • Ray Towers Carpets Mullumbimby Engineering • Mullumbimby Removals • Brunswick Blinds & Awnings Tides Café • Bruns Kids • EyeZing Optometrists • Byron Hire • Old Mill Timberyard Bridglands Mullumbimby • Brunswick Fitness Health Club • Tony Carsburg Holden Santos • IGA Mullumbimby • Brookfarm Juices2U • Yami • Brunswick Sails Motor Inn • Torakina Daze • Mimi & Flo • Linknet • Bernardi’s Gelato Brunswick Surf • Brunswick Tackle & Surf • Brunswick Beauty Bar • Brunswick Byron Fishermen’s Co-op Byron Bay Osteopathy • Caltex Brunswick Heads • Ocean Shores Tavern • Coles
Sincere thanks to the community groups who assisted – The Brunswick Mullumbimby Lions Club, the Brunswick Heads Chamber of Commerce and the Brunswick VRA; to the musicians; all the volunteers who helped out before and on the day and to the Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club & Billinudgel Pub for providing the buses for the shuttle service. See all the results for the Paddle Challenges, raffle and duck race and great images: www.mullum2brunspaddle.com.au Mullum2Bruns Paddle Committee
North Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au
The Byron Shire Echo May 27, 2015 11