THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 26 #31 Tuesday, January 17, 2012 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
NE W BYRON E COLLEG E S R U CO GUIDE ’S WEEK IN THISHO! EC
CAB AUDIT
Compliance blitz hits SGB resident The homeowner of a South Golden Beach property, along with another person related to the property, have been fined a whopping $9000 over an unapproved house extension. Byron Shire Council submitted to the Mullumbimby local court last Thursday that the property owner did not comply with an order to cease use of the downstairs area for habitation. Council’s governance manger Ralph James said that despite several requests from Council, the property owner had not taken any reasonable steps over the past two years to get the downstairs development approved or cease use of the area. ‘Of concern was the fact that the house was located in an area that is subject to flooding.’ Mr James said the property owners failed to appear in court in December last year and the matter was stood over to January 12, 2012. He said the defendants did not attend court again, however submitted a written argument. The court dismissed the defendants’ argument that they did not have to submit to the jurisdiction of the court, or council.
Acrobatics on unused tracks
No job losses for Byron Centrelink Hans Lovejoy
Contrary to other media reports, Byron Bay’s Centrelink offices will not lose its existing face-to-face services, according to the federal Department of Human Services. The department confirmed with The Echo its plans to refurbish the Byron Street centre in the coming months; this will include a doubling of the number of self-service computers.
More customers
All aboard for the Great Gondos! Daniel Oldaker and Rani Huszar arrived in town by ghost train this week for their upcoming shows. Their unbelievable body-bending, absurd acrobatics and feats of funniness can be witnessed at their two shows at the Byron Community Centre on January 20. It’s a combination of the finest routines they developed while touring the world for the last ten years. Photo Jeff ‘Bending Minds In Public Since 1986’ Dawson
Zone leader Brian Small said it was the result of ‘the increasing number of Byron Bay customers,’ and that ‘No jobs will be lost as a result of this refurbishment’. He also spruiked the advantage of more computers. ‘Self-service allows customers to conduct a wide range of business on line or over the phone. ‘For example lodging a claim, reporting employment income, claiming an advance payment, completing rent reviews, updating personal details, or requesting documentation.’ A specific date for the refurbishment is yet to be confirmed.
Animal activists have ‘facts wrong’: rodeo management Simeon Michaels
Activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Australia protested outside the Byron Bay Rodeo on Thursday night holding signs that read, ‘Byron Bay: Buck the Rodeo’ and ‘Nobody likes an 8 second ride.’ According to Des Bellamy, local activist for PETA, bulls and broncos are terrorised into action. ‘Flank straps are either tied to their genitals or they place a burr underneath them’, he says. However, Ian Bostock, co-owner of the Rodeo, says that PETA has never taken the trouble to speak with him personally and have their facts wrong. ‘We don’t use cattle prods, the flank strap is a soft rope, no burrs, and it’s round their abdomen, not
their genitals. If something’s wound tight around your goolies you won’t be bucking, you’ll be pleading. Bulls are no different.’ Bostock’s rodeo also shies from calf-roping contests. Mr Bellamy told The Echo, however, he did contact rodeo management. ‘During the protest I spoke at some length to Kerry Hall, who I gathered was a part-owner – the company is called Hall Rodeo – and he offered to give me a tour of the rodeo. This included the “backstage” area where the chutes hold the animals. Mr Hall had generously instructed security to let me in at no cost. He agreed that what we said about rodeos had been true 20 years ago, but that the rodeo associations had cleaned up their act. He also agreed that this was largely the result of pressure from animal organisations, particularly the RSPCA in Australia, of
which he said he is an inspector!’ Meanwhile, Mr Bostock agreed that animals are occasionally hurt, but ‘it’s nothing compared to what they do to each other in the paddock.’ It is also nothing compared to what they do to the cowboys, with a fatality and several hospitalisations in recent years. Bostock also points out that his animals are purchased from the slaughterhouse. ‘These are horses that no-one can ride because they like to buck, and cross-bred bulls no good for stud. We do around 30 rodeos from Byron up to Gympie, and we rotate our stock so that animals are taken to 15–20 a year. ‘They come out into the arena, buck for eight seconds, then go back to the paddock. Yes, they work for their living, but there’s no cruelty.’ The animals at this particular ro-
deo appeared well fed and cared for. However, PETA believes that any level of animal suffering is unjustifiable given that the rodeo serves no purpose other than entertainment. ‘There’s nothing brave or heroic about animal abuse, and that’s all the rodeo is,’ says PETA, but Bostock disputes the claim.
Stockmanship heritage ‘Stockmanship is part of our heritage and I’m determined to keep it alive. Most horses will try to buck their rider at some stage and if the rider can’t handle it, then that horse gets given up on. We need people who have the skills to ride those horses. ‘Also, outback stations are short of riders. These days people just want to ride motorbikes, but mustering on horseback keeps the cattle a lot calmer.
‘The rodeo inspires kids to learn horsemanship.’ A Kyogle-born rodeo lover observed, ‘Bulls are naturally aggressive, I don’t think it’s anything to them, but I worry about the horses, they’re a flight animal, easily traumatised.’ Anti-cruelty laws have effectively banned rodeo in the UK. In the US, California has banned the use of cattle prods, but 12 US states have taken the opposing line, exempting rodeos from animal cruelty laws. There is an agreement over the ethics of preventing cruelty, however: Bostock stands with Bellamy in his opposition to the factory farming of chickens and pigs. Mr Bellamy says, ‘PETA’s credo is that animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on or use for entertainment.
QPAC, BRISBANE, FRIDAY 27TH JANUARY Tickets from qpac.com.au Phone 136 246
GOLD COAST ARTS CENTRE, SATURDAY 28TH JANUARY Tickets from theartscentregc.com.au Phone 07 5588 4000
LIVE CONCEIN RT
Featuring ORIGINAL PERFORMERS and SPECIAL GUESTS
Brian Cadd . Tim Gaze ( TAMAM SHUD ) Lior . Mike Rudd . Gyan
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