THE BYRON SHIRE
WHAT’S NEW p.19–21
Volume 26 #18 Tuesday, October 11, 2011 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
D I S O B E YI N G U N J U S T L AW S S I N C E 1986
CAB AUDIT
Heightening cancer awareness Affordable housing
in Byron tabled Councillor wants to ‘gift’ prime land to community Ray Moynihan
Greens councillor Simon Richardson is pushing for prime Council land near the Byron Arts and Industry estate to be made available for affordable housing projects. Council will this Thursday debate a motion to undertake an ecological assessment of two large vacant blocks on Bayshore Drive, which have long been flagged as potential affordable housing sites, but include vegetation of high conservation value. One five-hectare block runs along the railway line, and a second twohectare block sits opposite the IGA shopping centre and is adjacent to a new housing and industrial development already underway. ‘So many people who work in this area can’t afford to live here’, says Reanna Blake is getting in early with Sharon Le Beau who is ready and raring for the Pretty in Pink High Tea to be held on October 24 at the Ocean Shores Country Club. Story & photo Eve Jeffery
The stats on breast cancer are staggering: one in nine women across NSW will be diagnosed with breast cancer by the age 85, according to the Cancer Council. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women aged 50– 69 are urged to have a mammogram in an effort to detect the disease early. And the mammogram is free; Jane Walsh, Director from BreastScreen NSW North Coast says, ‘Regular breast screening provides an extra line of defence against breast cancer. ‘It is vital that women aged 50–69 years have screening mammograms every two years. One trip to one of our clinics could save a life.’ Across the Shire women are holding events to raise both funds and awareness of breast cancer during the month. There is the Pink Power Lighthouse Run on October 16 and on Saturday October 22 women will meet in Railway Park Byron Bay for the annual
Breast Cancer Day and Minifield of Women to celebrate the lives of those affected by breast cancer. There will be a mini-healing-festival event with yoga, crystal singing bowls, inspirational speaker, food vans, juice and cuppas, a pink labyrinth and the pink information stall.
Events across the Shire The Minifield of Women is an event where women silhouettes are planted in the ground to pay tribute to those affected by breast cancer. In the north or the Shire, Reanna Blake will be only of the many who will celebrate Pink Ribbon Day on October 24 when she hosts a High Tea. Reanna says she has always wanted to do a charity event where ladies can frock up and eat yummy food and raise money for a good cause. ‘I chose to do the Pink Ribbon Breakfast with benefits with a Pretty in Pink High Tea as the theme’. Reanna says that when reading about breast cancer, she came across
a number of facts that shocked her. ‘I think of all the women in my life. Out of my friends, family, workmates and all the women I know, one in nine will get this disease. That’s a lot of women. I don’t personally know anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, so this made me realise how quickly any one of us could become part of this statistic’.
Richardson. ‘This could allow a diversity of people to live in town.’ Despite Council’s ongoing commitment to more affordable housing in the Shire, little has come of plans to make council land available. A longdiscussed project on council land in Station Street Mullumbimby has hit multiple obstacles, including around the suitability of the site. Inspired by a recent meeting on affordable housing organised by the Transition Towns group, Cr Richardson says he spoke to Council’s planning department, which suggested the idea of a fresh ecological assessment of the two Byron blocks. ‘Let’s see how much of this land could be available for affordable housing,’ he said. In the agenda documents for this continued on page 2
Kevin 24-7 pit-stop in Tweed
Pink Ribbon Day The Pretty in Pink High Tea will be held at the Ocean Shores Country Club from 10am on Pink Ribbon Day. Tickets can be purchased from the club or by contacting Reanna 0423 637 345. Donations can be made at Reanna’s fundraising page: http://fundraise.pinkribbonbreakfast.org.au/ reanna_blake. BreastScreen NSW North Coast has screening centres at Tweed Heads, Lismore, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. To book an appointment call 13 20 50.
Photo and story Hans Lovejoy
Something you don’t hear everyday: a former PM’s family hailing from Mullumbimby. As he took to the stage at a public meeting in Tweed on Friday Mr Rudd said, ‘My mother’s mother and father moved up from Mullumbimby
to Nambour in the early part of the last century.’ Mr Rudd then went on to speak on the continuing work by Australian aid agencies overseas. The former PM also engaged in a public Q&A on the nation’s foreign aidwork, and a photo opportunity with the public afterwards.
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