THE BYRON SHIRE
o t k c a B hool Sc
Volume 27 #31 Tuesday, January 15, 2013 Phone 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
Inside this week
N O T H I N G I S E I T H E R G O O D O R B A D – O N LY T H I N K I N G M A K E S I T S O
CAB AUDIT
Realtor Chris Hanley calls for community group – p7
Everything you need to get the kids back to school – p16
Holiday feature – p18
Gig guide: the best you will ever read – p27
p16–17
Byron Shire Council Notices Pages 43
Community future forum announced
Changing the blame paradigm to direct action
Byron Shire Council, in conjunction with The Echo, The Byron Shire News and BayFM presents: A public forum to be conducted Q&A style at the Byron Bay Community Centre on Saturday January 26 from 6 until 8pm. Moderator will be former ABC journalist Mick O’Regan. The community is invited to partake in a robust conversation on the challenges that face Byron Bay and how we are going to address these and create a sustainable vision for all stakeholders as we move into the future.
Panel announced
Action not words: resident Simone Pauley has been inspired to collect rubbish along New Brighton beach and is now calling on others to adopt the ‘Take It Away Now’ message. Story & photo Eve Jeffery
With all the discussion over what is to be done about the rubbish in the shire, a New Brighton woman has decided that her actions will speak louder than words. Simone Pauley says that she often walks the beach to North Wall. ‘My son and I often stop to pick up rubbish we find along the way and take it home to bin as there are few council bins provided near beach walkways.’ On New Years Eve, Simone decided she wanted a year of positive changes where she actively gave back
‘If you throw a plastic bottle into a waste bin in town, it goes straight into the landfill at the Myocum tip. ‘We don’t have magic recycling faeries working there picking through the landfill and recycling it. ‘Surely, if every resident of the shire took a bag out, and picked up any rubbish they saw – from the beach, parks, town or just around their own streets Acting on litter instead of – this would make a huge difference.’ says she wants to encourblaming tourists or council ageSimone residents to join in once a month ‘If we take it home, it keeps the to actively pick up rubbish, recycle bins in public spaces from overflow- everything possible, and bin the rest. ing and it also means we can recycle ‘Anyone who lives in residential arewhat we can. as has a garbage collection, you pay to
to her community. She has been inspired by the work of others in recent weeks and feels that instead of blaming tourists or the council for all the rubbish it would make a difference if all the shire’s residents just stopped and picked up rubbish when they saw it and took it home to dispose of.
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have the bins picked up in your rates or in rent, and it would help take the strain off public infrastructure as well.’ Simone says her plan now is to get as many friends as possible involved via social media to adopt the ‘Take It Away Now’ message. ‘I’ve committed to doing this (at least) once a month now. If you can’t join us this Saturday please consider joining our Take It Away Day next month on February 16. You can find the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TakeItAwayNow. Check under the events tab for dates, times and locations of Take It Away Now cleanup days.
Panel members include Jan Barham – NSW Legislative Council, Don Page – NSW minister for local government & local member, Byron Shire mayor Simon Richardson, Paul Waters – president Byron United chamber of commerce and vice-president of Byron Bay Liquor Accord. Cameron Arnold – chairman of VIA Byron and member of Byron Shire Council Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), Tom Mooney – licensee and member of the Byron Bay Liquor Accord, Mandy Nolan – comedian and community advocate.
Questions accepted Questions will be accepted from the audience ahead of time and selected for presentation on the night. Those interested in attending and having their ideas or questions presented need to email editor@ echo.net.au before Wednesday January 23. Get crackin’!