THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 27 #39 Tuesday, March 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
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CAB AUDIT
How local is your local supermarket? – p9
Letters written by you and printed by us, so that you can read them – p11
Cinema reviews – p25
Gigs? We have ‘em listed – p26
Hans Lovejoy
Acclaimed director Cathy Henkel is pictured left with Paul Tait and Jeni Kendall, who were presented with a Byron International Film Festival, or BIFF, Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film Making in the Northern Rivers. For a complete wrap up of the festival, see page 2. Photo Jeff ‘I’ve Been Handed Another Award’ Dawson
New rules for Byron’s nightlife ing said the new strategies were ‘a holistic approach’, developed in close A 1.30am lockout and the banning consultation with the NSW Office of of doubles, shooters and jugs are at Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR). the top of the list of a new set of trial measures announced last week by the Six month trail She added the plan was ‘equivalent Byron Liquor Accord in an attempt to deal with community concerns over or even stricter in some areas’ than the epidemic of late night alcohol the Last Drinks campaign that helped reduce violence in Newcastle. fuelled violence in the Bay. ‘These are commonsense measures The six month trial will commence on March 21 and run until September that we feel will go a long way towards 21 this year. Also, under permanent actually addressing the issues,’ she said. new terms, alcohol service will stop ‘We know that most of the incidents 15 minutes before closing, people seen are occurring in public places and we drinking within 50 metres of a venue know the times, so we have voluntarily will be refused entry, and a multi-ven- agreed to introduce measures aimed at ue barring policy will be introduced. targeting actual problems.’ Other trial measures in the package Accord chairperson Hannah Spald-
Pages 41
Cookie workers speak out
Film enthusiasts rejoice
Chris Dobney
Byron Shire Council Notices
include: a maximum of four drinks per person after midnight; no cocktails after midnight; no energy drinks with alcohol after 2am; and no ready mixed drinks with higher than five per cent alcohol at any time. Venues trading after 2am have each agreed to employ a minimum of one RSA marshal on Saturday nights under the trial. Large ‘goon bags’ will also be a thing of the past, with members’ bottle shops agreeing to withdraw wine casks of more than two litres and ultra cheap cleanskins. Tweed-Byron Local Area Command acting Inspector Saul Wiseman declined to comment on the proposals. He told The Echo the police had ‘one continued on page 3
Shock waves are still reverberating in the Byron Bay Cookie Company after eight Byron Bay and four Sydney staff lost their jobs last Thursday. Administrators moved in last week on the company, owned by Gordon Slater’s Slater International, following an investigation by the Australian Tax Office (ATO). According to court documents, the company owes around $1.2 million in unpaid Business Activity Statement, Pay As You Go taxes (PAYG), GST and fringe benefits tax. More astonishingly, it’s emerged from the ATO’s investigation that the company has failed to pay its workers’ superannuation for many years. That is just one of a long list of allegations of mismanagement, including that the company failed to pay suppliers on time, or in some cases failed to pay them at all. The Echo understands that no other company owned by Slater International is being investigated by the ATO. That includes the retail division of Byron Bay Cookie Company and Byron Bay Gourmet Foods. Former employees from the company, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed with The Echo that their superannuation was not paid for at least two years. ‘Despite our payslips indicating that we were being paid super,’ said one, ‘the administrators on Thursday said we were unlikely to receive anything.’ They also said that they were keen to regain employment at the company and want to go back to work. ‘I loved my job and the people I worked with,’ one said. ‘It was a good team, brand and product. If asked to come back I would. We all desperately want the company saved.’
Another said, ‘We want Byron Bay Cookies to continue as it’s a great company. We all love working there and consider ourselves a family. We really need the support of our community to bring us through.’ But as for management, all were critical. Another ex-employee said, ‘[CEO] Gordon Slater had a chance to save the company but he didn’t. The last time he was here was six months ago and he didn’t meet with any factory staff.’ They also said that both Mr Slater and company director Jacqueline Schurig offered no apologies for the company’s collapse, nor any thanks for their work. As for the way in which the dismissals were handled by administrators, an ex-employee said that, ‘All staff were assembled in the office where we were told what was going on and in the end, eight names were called out. We were then brought into the boardroom where we were told we were officially retrenched while being told that, “It isn’t personal.” “This is personal to us”, one said.’ ‘This has not only affected us but our families. Some of us have mortgages – one woman had worked there for 15 years.’ All shared concerns for the wellbeing and future work prospects of the remaining employees. ‘There is a complete sense of shock and everyone is worried.’
Former employee speaks Another ex-employee, Jackie Castellano, also told The Echo she is owed superannuation for her time at the company. Ms Castellano says she was originally employed to ‘clean up’ the accounts and the ‘franchise bookwork for the David Jones stores.’ Instead, continued on page 2
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