THE BYRON SHIRE
RE SPECIAL FEATU
Volume 27 #07 Tuesday, July 24, 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
RAM LIFTOUT PROG HARD TIMES REQUIRE FURIOUS DANCING
CAB AUDIT
A firsthand Inside uranium protest this account – p3 week
Home & Garden Feature – p20
Solar company’s mystery collapse Hans Lovejoy
The Australian tax office (ATO) and the liquidator of a defunct local solar installation company are remaining tight-lipped over investigations into a possible $1 million debt. The reasons are still unclear why Beyond Building went into administration last March; however a report by www.smartcompany.com.au entitled ‘Lights out for solar energy firm after ATO chases GST debt’ quotes the liquidator as saying they ‘owed a significant amount of money to the ATO‌ estimating the total at $1 million.’ After it launched in Mullumbimby in 2008, Beyond Building soon took off and expanded to Tweed and Ballina. It offered ‘group buys’ of solar installations for entire streets, which became very popular. But type ‘Beyond Building’ into internet search engines now and there’s no doubt the company has vanished, leaving a trail of forums critical of the quality of its installations and lack of customer support. Jason Bettles from insolvency and forensic accountancy firm Worrells confirmed with The Echo that liquidation and a review of Beyond Building’s records is still ongoing. ‘The premises closed prior to us coming in, and assets had already been sold off.’ He says the directors had other overseas business interests, which could explain why they are no longer in the country. He also added that staff had been paid before the business closed. However when pressed on smartcompany.com.au’s story, he said that the liquidator at the time, Robert Smith, was misquoted in the article. ‘As far as we are aware there is no current investigation by the ATO.’ But the story’s author, Madeleine
Byron Shire’s best Gig Guide – p39
Odd jobs around the house? Find a tradie in our huge Service Directory – p45
CENTRE PAGES
Byron Shire Council Notices Pages 56
CSG protesters occupy water supply
Heffernan, told The Echo she had no reason to believe what she wrote was incorrect. ‘I did not receive any such advice from the liquidator after the story was published.’ After the ATO also declined to comment on the case and accuracy of the article, a Freedom Of Information (FOI) request was lodged by The Echo.
No comment: ATO An industry insider told The Echo that after the company collapsed, a letter was sent to all solar installers by the ATO asking for verification on all GST payments. He went on to say that former Beyond Building customers could potentially have improperly installed solar systems, and that he has been called into repair many installations that are well below industry regulations. ‘Some weren’t even nailed to the roof properly,’ he claims. ‘It has tainted the industry.’ He was also critical of the media’s reporting of the company, particularly by The Echo, which was initially very supportive when the company launched.Â
Former employee speaks
Giving the CSG corporations even more complications: close to 300 protesters crossed the wall at the Rocky Creek Dam on Sunday to send the message that the water in the reservoir needs to be protected from the damage caused by coal-seam gas mining (CSG). Those marching carried signs with the names of their towns and streets to put a face to the results of a road survey showing that almost 100 per cent of residents are against the intrusive CSG exploration and mining. As with other anti CSG action, marchers presented the Ballina Shire Council mayor and the chairman of Rous Water Philip Silver with a declaration from the people stating their rejection of CSG. Photo David Lowe
One-off schoolies operator fined nearly $100,000 Hans Lovejoy
In what could well be a landmark decision for holiday letting, Byron Shire resident Shai Major has been found guilty of ‘development without consent’ and fined nearly $100,000 for hosting a group of schoolies at his share-house for one week. Major claimed that he organised schoolies accommodation via a schoolies website and with the money paid an overdue electricity bill. Council and police raided his Jonson Street property on December 2 last year, and the court heard they found 18 people sleeping on the premises which continued on page 2 posed health and safety issues.
A local representative who was part of the business in 2008, Mitra Ardron, told The Echo that he quit in late 2008 after differences in opinion with the owner on how the business was being run. ‘Soon after [that] they entered a protracted legal battle with Steve Davies, a director with very high principles. ‘Most of the excellent team I had hired left soon after I did, clashing with the owner who had taken over running it, or [who were] disturbed at the way they handled the legal fight with Steve.’
Magistrate Michael Dakin handed down the decision in Byron Bay’s courthouse last Friday after a full day of cross-examination and evidence. Major was unrepresented, and with English being his second language, appeared to not understand some of the questions asked of him or some legal procedures. While the magistrate appeared to take the disadvantage into consideration, he did say to Major, ‘I think you have a case to answer.’ But throughout the day, Major attempted to turn the proceedings into counter-accusations of Council’s poor management of the case and challenged the definition of holiday let-
ting. He began with a list of around 200 properties in the Shire that he claimed were illegally operating as holiday lets, and inferred he was unfairly singled out. Council’s media releases and subsequent Northern Star reporting was not only inaccurate, but were racist, he told the court. He said his house was not a ‘slum’ and unhygienic but a ‘normal happy share-house’. ‘How does this relate to the case?’ was often repeated by the magistrate. It was finally explained that whatever grievances Major had against Council and the media, those complaints needed to be taken up sepacontinued on page 3
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