Letters
Citizenship test How about an IQ test while we’re at it? Lester Prowse Huonbrook
A good night’s sleep To the people who have turned Airbnb into a business in their homes – just be considerate to your neighbours and surrounds. To deprive anyone of a good nights sleep is not building good neighbourly relations. So just be aware of how Airbnb can be impacting on others. It’s common, decent behaviour. Until you have actually experienced a constant stream of holiday-makers right next door to where you live you
Letters to the Editor Send to Letters Editor Aslan Shand, 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.
might be unsympathetic. Anyone of us who lives in Byron is likely to have this type of business right next door to them one day, so come on, Council, do the right thing and do something to protect the long-term residents. L SntClaire Byron Bay
Who has the power?
Parts of The Echo’s lead article last week concerning court proceedings over the Butler Street bypass require correction and clarification. It is not correct to imply that GM Ken Gainger had delegated authority to defend the bypass to the tune of $450k plus. Council’s delegated authority document allows him to spend up to $50,000 on a case without seeking further Council approval. When I pointed out to Council’s in-house solicitor Ralph James that Mr Gainger had well exceeded that amount, a twinkle came into his eye as he pointed out to me that the delegation doc-
ument refers to ‘commencing’ a legal action, whereas the Butler Street case was a ‘defence’ of an action brought by the residents. Nice. This technically may mean that Mr Gainger was not in breach of his delegation, as the delegation document is silent on the question of ‘defending’ a case. As to the question of Council’s lawyers Hebsworth attempting to intimidate Butler Street residents by demanding financial and personal details of individuals involved, I find it hard to believe that Hebsworth would act in this manner without express instructions from the GM. The mayor has said that he would be ‘Happy to follow it up’, but don’t expect any conclusions from him that might upset their cosy relationship; the key word in his statement is ‘follow’, as in things happening right under his nose without his noticing. Why were Butler Street residents quietly advised by a member of staff earlier this
Spring into action with a Hustler Mower! FasTrak™60
RAPTOR SD 48”
Kawasaki V-twin FR730V engine Twin Hydro-Gear ZT3100 integrated serviceable commercial duty hydro’s 0-12.9 kph (0-8 mph) to get the job done fast
Kawasaki FR691V premium and commercial grade V- twin engine Twin Hydro-Gear ZT2800 hydro’s-serviceable with spin-on filters 12.1 kph
read The Echo’s independent voice, the local stories and interesting articles written by excellent journalists who don’t mind telling it how it is. The Echo is one of the things that makes the Byron Shire great. Long may it continue. Magenta Appel-Pye Mullumbimby
year that if they backed off their appeal then their houses would be rezoned ‘commercial’, vastly increasing their value? Here’s my theory: certain well-connected but discreet developers and politicians have secret plans to turn Butler Street, including the reserve and the railway corridor, into a commercial zone, an effective extension of the CBD. The commercial success of such a venture would depend, as always, on high public visibility and passing trade. If I’m correct then Council’s push for the bypass has nothing to do with traffic and everything to do with real estate. I’ve already predicted in Public Access that in ten years’ time that whole area will be commercial. Everything that’s come to light in subsequent months has confirmed that prediction. As soon as the bypass work starts, or the bus terminal, make sure you buy up, eh. The push is on and your elected clowns aren’t up to the challenge. Fast Buck$ Coorabell
Extortion zones Byron Council’s proposed ezones threaten to punish landowners who have reforested their properties and encouraged wildlife, by placing landuse restrictions on them. These restrictions will lower the market value of the land. Landowners who have kept their properties barren by running stock and cutting down anything that might grow above three metres are not being targeted. This is
Q More letters on next page
EAR WAX? RELAX Microsuction Ear Wax Removal now available at
Carlyle Street Medical Centre gentle & safe – no water used
BULK BILLED
Q This letter has been edited for legal reasons.
13 Carlyle Street, Byron Bay
Appointments Call 6685 7479
A matter of history I am enjoying reading about the early days of The Echo by David Lovejoy. What a colourful, audacious, dedicated group they were. I reckon it would make an excellent TV mini-series. I recently spent a month in Sydney reading their rubbish, homogeneous local papers with nothing more than one or two stories, usually advertorial, and, of course, real estate. I came home eager to
THE
grossly unfair. People who want to develop and make profits should be paying the penalty, not those whose selfless work has nurtured the green hills that enhance the view from new suburbs. E-zones need to come with a substantial rate reduction. Otherwise they punish those who care for the environment and reward the wreckers. Until Council addresses this perverse imbalance with significant rate reductions for e-zoned properties we should fight them every inch. There’s nothing in e-zoning for the environment; it only benefits bureaucrats and developers. A better intervention would be to require environmental rejuvenation of degraded land. Alistair Bell Byron Bay
Career Guidance Vocational Psychologist with over 25 years experience offering expert assessment and counselling. Suitable for: • students • school-leavers • adults returning to work or study • career/work transition
Contact Peter Curry at Pathwise Careers pathwisecareers.com.au
P
6680 1474
M
0407 811 484
RAILS
THE RAILWAY FRIENDLY BAR, BYRON BAY 6685 7662 • therailsbyronbay.com
AND THE FAMOUS
RAILS kitchen
Thursday 16 November
ADAM BROWN DUO
Or $249.97/mth over 30 months Interest Free Based on RRP $7,499
Friday 17 November Or $383.30/mth over 30 months Interest Free Based on RRP $11,499
Hustler Super Z 60 60” Cut side discharge VX4® Clean-Cut deep deck technology Kawasaki premium commercial duty V-twin FX1000V engine Remote dual stage canister air cleaner HyperDrive™ Hydro System - industrial grade pumps and motors 0-25.7 kph (0-16 mph) to get the job done fast
PINK ZINC
Saturday 18 Novemberr
SILK & OAK
Sunday 19 November
THOR BAND
Monday 20 November
Or $759.97/mth over 30 months Interest Free Based on RRP $22,799
JASON FICHERA Tuesday 21 November
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HUSTLER AND THE NEW HUSTLER PRICING
CALL YOUR LOCAL HUSTLER DEALER
101-105 DALLEY STREET, MULLUMBIMBY 6684 2022 WWW.FARMCARE.COM.AU
North Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au
CHRIS ARONSTEN Wednesday 22 November
THIS WAY NORTH The Byron Shire Echo November 15, 2017 9