Backlash The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage has copped a pounding in recent weeks. Its mapping technology is perceived as a disaster with an independent review finding maps ‘created using the Office of Environment and Heritage’s computer model could accurately identify only 17 per cent of the vegetation communities of the Upper Hunter where a pilot program was conducted’, according to the Nature Conservation Council. In addition the Environment Protection Authority is being increasingly seen as toothless, slapping a few miscreants over the wrist with a limp lettuce leaf while letting others off altogether. It’s open season on habitat and vegetation and not enough is being done to stop the damage by government agencies allegedly responsible for doing so.
NOEL HART
GALLERY & STUDIO
STUDIO EXHIBITION New Glass and Paintings Open 7 days – 10am–2pm
1/8 Smith Street, Mullumbimby Ind. Est. 0417 042 951 www.noelhart.com 15 mins from Byron Bay & 7 mins from Brunswick Heads
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Many of those currently trying to stop the damage are out at the beautiful Pilliga, near Narrabri in NSW, blockading Santos’s attempts to drill for CSG. (Not the local health food company but the struggling oil and gas producer with the downward trending share price whose major shareholders include US investment groups Vanguard and Blackrock.) Gamilaraay traditional custodians have joined in the protest. See more about the battle against fossil fuels at lockthegate.org.au and stoppilligacoalseamgas.com, and powerful videos of the locals’ objections at cloudcatchermedia.com/videos.html. And see the story on the north coasters arrested so far at Pilliga on Echonetdaily: echo.net. au/north-coast-locals-among10-arrested-at-pilliga-csg-site.
We continue our important series on road signs. Our informant Ben Nowland tells us, ‘I’m sure whoever posted this sign would not have spent $45 and two hours of their life on this unless there’d been good reason, such as regular near-collisions due to road conditions and three vehicles abandoned in ditches over the New Year period.’ Q Q Q Q
Forty-six residents of Tyagarah on the eastern side of the highway are up in arms at what they see as Council’s delay in making Grays Lane a safe thoroughfare, especially in times of flooding. They have written to the premier and his ministers, pointing out that ‘Grays Lane is the only access for ambulances, fire engines or any emergency vehicle to the residents of East Tyagarah’ and calling it a priority to raise Grays Lane 1.2 metres above its present level. In what is becoming an energetic exchange of emails, one resident noted, ‘As flood events increase in severity the tremendous danger presented to people obliged to wade through chest-high water with no indication of the position of the bridge poses a great risk of death’. Residents also point out that they contributed $78,000 in rates to Council’s coffers last year. Q Q Q Q
Brontophilia, Backlash has
just discovered, is not a love for large herbivorous dinosaurs but a state of arousal
caused by thunderstorms. Plenty of opportunity for that on the north coast.
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LAZYBONES BANGALOW
CLOSING DOWN SALE Everything must go! Even further crazy reductions!
BOOK SALE 25% OFF EVERYTHING Saturday 30th January – Sunday 7th February Mary Ryan’s Bookshop 27 Fletcher Street Byron Bay
6685 8183 8 till 5 - Mon to Sat 9 till 5 - Sun
48 January 27, 2016 The Byron Shire Echo
Lazybones is still going strong and our Bruns store will be better than ever. 2WQV W]Z WVTQVM UIQTQVO TQ[\ WZ Å VL ][ WV social media to be kept up to date. Thank you to all our wonderful, supportive customers who have made all our years in Bangalow so amazing. To thank you we are slashing prices in Bangalow until the end of the month.
GET IN QUICK TO GRAB A BARGAIN! 64A Byron St Bangalow | Ph: 6687 0767
www.lazybones.com.au
Glorious Clothes & Accessories now in store
HUGE CLEARANCE UP TO 70% OFF CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES!!
Don’t Miss Out!! Sales ends 31 Jan AROMAHOUSE 1/1 Station St, Bangalow | 6687 1222 Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo