THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 27 #35 Tuesday, February 12, 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
P.sixteen
REAL EYES REALISE REAL LIES
CAB AUDIT
From Mungo‘s back! Read ruminations on Gigs? We Like a spot the toxic NSW Labor Party and the Yashere to have ‘em of arts? It’s eternity – p16 probable defeat of the feds – p8 featured – p22 listed – p24
Another rural road closes Hippy nanna delays vital work by govt backed corporation after storm damage Chris Dobney & Hans Lovejoy
Upper Coopers Creek Road residents now join those of Wanganui Road in having their roads closed after landslips caused by recent ex-cyclone Oswald. The decision last week by Byron Shire Council affects about 40 properties and occurred about 1.3km south of Coopers Creek School. Upper Coopers Creek Road comes off Repentance Creek Road which runs between Goonengerry and Federal. Byron Shire Council’s executive manager of community infrastructure, Phil Holloway, said a preliminary geotechnical inspection highlighted an ‘immediate risk of catastrophic collapse.’ Yet residents say they are offered no clue as to what they can do other than contact the SES. Resident Duncan Shipley–Smith told The Echo, ‘Essentially we are stranded without a single assurance.’ While he says the slip is awaiting federal assessment, Byron Shire has been recognised at the state level as a natural disaster. However Mr Shipley– Smith says some state funding may be unavailable due to technicalities. ‘Many of us failed the acid-test for state funded disaster assistance because of certain loopholes, one of which was the provision of financial assistance for food spoilage. ‘Apparently this can only be given if the claim is made within 48 hours – a physical impossibility given that we were without power and telephone for 110 hours. We feel a little less supported than we might hope.’
Happy to assist: MP Page But local state MP Don Page told The Echo he is happy to assist residents in any way possible. ‘Normally road damage is the responsibility of Council, not the SES,’ he said. ‘The state has already made
the Natural Disaster Declaration for Byron Shire, which is important because it activates state funding for these types of problems. ‘After $135 million of state funding, federal funding also starts to kick in [along] with state funding. Council needs to do their cost estimate and after that there shouldn’t be any funding issues. ‘Perhaps there could be a capacity issue for Council but I don’t know. ‘Residents can contact my office or Thomas George’s and we’ll see what we can do to help them. ‘I know Thomas has been involved in helping with a landslip on Wilsons Creek Road, which happened at the last flood. We are both keen to assist but we haven’t been contacted regarding this latest problem on Coopers Creek Road.’
Number one priority Despite further geotechnical inspections and reports expected in the coming weeks, Council warns that it will ‘not be an easy repair due to the damage and the landslip location,’ Mr Holloway also says that Council’s ‘number one priorities at the moment are the road closures at Uppers Coopers Creek Road and Wanganui Road.’ ‘All available staff resources are being directed towards getting final geotechnical reports and submitting them to the Roads and Maritime Authority (RMS) for the reconstruction works.’ He added the claim will be made under the Natural Disaster Assistance Scheme. Additionally a public meeting was called by Council at the Upper Coopers Creek Public School on Monday February 11. Mr Shipley–Smith added, ‘The issue of emergency access was not mentioned [to Council staff ] and I struggled to make the point that forty properties and their inhabitants were cut off from emergency aid by road.’
Ella Risebrow snapped this nanna being hoisted down by Sydney-based riot police at the Doubtful Creek CSG Free protests last week. For ongoing coverage visit www.echonetdaily.net.au.
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Pages 40 Staff reporters
The state government’s mining expansion plans continued to be meet with resistance – from farmers, retirees and environmentalists – throughout NSW last week. Last week’s protest at a CSG testdrilling site at Doubtful Creek near Kyogle was raised in federal parliament by Richmond MP Justine Elliot as an example of the strong community campaign against CSG. She was scathing of the state Nationals’ Don Page (Ballina), Geoff Provest (Tweed), Thomas George (Lismore) and Chris Gulaptis (Clarence), saying they were too ‘scared’ to stand up to premier Barry O’Farrell on the issue, which is facing massive opposition across the north coast. Locally, the CSG FREE Brunswick Heads thanked the 800 people who responded to the survey, and celebrated the 93 per cent who said that they would like the town gasfield free. Co-ordinator Wendy Royston said, ‘With Dart Energy taking over PEL 445 from Arrow Energy [locally], there is much to be alarmed about. ‘This is the company that attempted to drill for CSG in St Peters, in the heart of Sydney. Their record on community consultation is abysmal.’ For more visit www.csgfreenorthern rivers.org. Q Editorial page 8
OLGA steps in on Byron’s alcohol-related violence Hans Lovejoy
The NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGA) is now working with the Byron Bay Liquor Accord and other stakeholders to formulate a strategy to address alcohol-related violence in the town. It comes after two meetings were held by OLGA reps in Byron Bay last week. A media OLGR spokesperson told The Echo that, ‘This action plan will involve the local council, police, liquor accord and other community stakeholders and identify immediate, medium- and long-term strategies to address alcohol-related issues in Byron Bay.’ New chairperson of the Liquor Ac-
cord, Hannah Mooney, who is replacing Elke Van Haandel, told The Echo that all parties at the meetings were there to discuss, ‘holistically how to address the problem.’ ‘There’s not one party that will be able to fix the problem and all stakeholders are needed,’ she said. When asked if the Accord had changed its position on moving the 2am lockout to 1am, she said, ‘I haven’t had a chance to discuss that with the board yet.’ Meanwhile, Tweed LAC acting detective inspector Saul Wiseman told The Echo that regardless of any perceived ‘negative press’, he has an obligation to be honest with the community.
GAS LIFT OFFICE CHAIRS
FROM
Byron Shire Council Notices
SPINAL GUARD QUEEN MATTRESS
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‘As I indicated at Thursday’s Liquor Accord meeting, if the police are asked to comment on the state of the crime environment in Byron Bay, we have an obligation to the tell the community the truth. If the truth happens to be that BOCSAR [NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research] report a 20 per cent increase in assault in Byron Bay when the rest of the state has a decrease of 11 per cent, then so be it.’ He also says that three letters from police to Council recommending improvements to the CBD remain answered, but was advised through a podcast of the community forum on January 26 and the Accord meeting that, ‘the matters are progressing.’
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