14 October 2, 2007 Byron Shire Echo
www.echo.net.au
Letters continued from page 13
has only recently discovered that global warming is happening – just how slow is this idiot? He’s got a grandchild now so maybe he’ll finally work out that the planet’s worth much more than his fiscal policy. Begone, Howard, and your type! Hannah Grace
Mullumbimby
Sports beefs Regarding the Sports Roundup report on Casey Stoner – ignorance of a subject does not excuse sloppy repor ting. For John
Campell’s information, Wayne Grady is a golfer. He means Wayne Gardner. Gary Hocking was born in Wales and raised in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). Only Australians Gardner (1987), Doohan (1993-98) and now Stoner (2007) have won the 500cc or Moto GP world championship. Doohan of course is considered one of the greats. Casey was Aprilia Challenge UK Champion in 2000 (not UK 125cc). In 2001 he was 2nd in the 125 UK Championship and 2nd in the 125 Spanish Championship. More signiďŹ cant
Byron Bay Bromeliad & Air Plant Nursery
was his second placing in the 2005 250cc world championship and rather than impressing in Moto GP in 2006 he earned a reputation, as he did in earlier classes, of being fast but a crasher. However he did set pole in his second ever Moto GP race, displaying the raw speed and courage that has characterised his 2007 year with Ducati. Just five minutes on Google or Wikipedia would have given John this information. And why the stupid photographic collage? Why not a decent photo of the new champion on his machine? Doug Barry-Martin
Brunswick Heads
Education funds
Given the number of letters I have received over the last fortnight from parents conTues 10–3 cerned about public education it was disappointing to Wed 10–3 see the small turnout at Turn into Tandys Lane Fri 10–3 (next to Uncle Toms, Mullum) Byron Bay High School for Sat 10–3 We’re 800m on the left. the Public Education forum on September 26. Those concerned parents who did come were shocked to hear that the Australian Labor Party will maintain current level of funding for
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ÀÊ Ă€Âˆ>Â˜ĂŠ/Ă€>ViÞÊ all schools, including the Â… ĂŠÂ*Ă€iĂŒÂŽ -ĂŠ °/° ° millions spent annually on the wealthiest private *Ă€ÂœĂ›Âˆ`ˆ˜}ĂŠ>Â?Â?ĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ`iÂ˜ĂŒ>Â?ĂŠĂ€iÂľĂ•ÂˆĂ€i“iÂ˜ĂŒĂƒĂŠĂŠ schools. vÂœĂ€ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•ĂŠ>˜`ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠv>“ˆÂ?Ăž Not only have they guarUĂŠ 8 1 ĂŠ , anteed not to cut funding to any school, they have comUĂŠ ĂŠ / ,6 / " mitted to keeping the fundUĂŠ 8 1 ĂŠ*, 6 / " ing formula the same. This
ĂŠĂ¤Ă“ĂŠĂˆĂˆnäÊÇÇÇ{ĂŠĂŠ means the undermining of vÂœĂ€ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠÂ˜iĂ?ĂŒĂŠ>ÂŤÂŤÂœÂˆÂ˜ĂŒÂ“iÂ˜ĂŒ our public education will continue apace under a Rudd Labor Government. 1UALITY Should you choose to SECOND deliver the balance of power HAND to the Greens in this elecGOODS tion these sensible policies FOR #OMPANION !NIMALS have some hope of being SALE 7ELFARE )NC implemented in exchange for support from the Greens on other parts of the incom#NR 4WEED "OOYUN 3TS "RUNSWICK (EADS ing government’s plat .EXT TO 3UPERMARKET form. The Greens have an out0H -ON &RI AM TO PM side chance of winning (ELP US BUILD A DOG SHELTER IN "YRON 3HIRE some Lower House seats in CAWI DOGSHAVETALES ORG AU this election, so use your
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Grandma’s parking penalty Grandma Rose recently visited Brunswick Heads with a view to relocate nearer to family and share in a friendly ‘village’ community. Grandma sadly suffered a heart attack in the Bruns Newsagency. Newsagency proprietor Natasha Dal Bon and staff were outstanding in their compassion, attending to grandma with seating, water, fan etc. As grandma was deteriorating and needing medical treatment, we left her with granddaughter and staff and moved our vehicle to opposite Bruns Newsagency. Upon return, grandma’s condition had worsened, so we raced to Bruns Medical Centre. Professionals at the centre were excellent, immediately phoning for the ambulance, then doctor and staff leaving the surgery to
attend grandma. Members of the public were also offering assistance and Brunswick Heads was living up to its reputation. Meanwhile – our vehicle was being booked for having parked in the disabled zone opposite Bruns Newsagency. Natasha Dal Bon left her newsagency to inform the Byron Shire Council parking ranger that a family health crisis was unfolding within view. The response: ‘Too late, started to issue parking ticket – $397 – no disabled sticker on vehicle.’ We appreciate the ranger would be following BSC parking procedure, but what we’re looking for is the compassion button on the parking infringement recorder. The reason such parking zones exist is to improve the lifestyle of members of the
public who have a disability (or are suffering a heart attack). We were advised that an appeal could be lodged with Byron Shire Council ďŹ nancial agents in Parramatta, the Debt Recovery OfďŹ ce (no bureaucratic spin on that title – the $397 regarded as instantly overdue – and needing recovery). Appeal has been lodged and will advise outcome through The Echo. Brunswick Heads retailers, medicos, general public and hospital staff responded immediately with their relevant skills, unfortunately, so did BSC through their parking procedures. Grandma Rose extends her gratitude to the wonderful people of Brunswick Heads.
preferential vote effectively. the entire world, or just the Northern Rivers region, as Vote One Green. Giovanni Ebono this information will help Greens candidate for me with my property investRichmond. ment decisions.
original intention and clearly explained in the DA. It is no wonder that people try to get around the red tape by taking matters into their own hands as it seems so ridiculously out of perspective. If you are found out, Council then goes to war with the applicant with the support of the law. This is ludicrous! I suggest Council should do the work of the red tape dragon, help the ratepayers and allow me to get on with my tree planting so that I may live happily ever after in my beloved surroundings.
Seeking advice Paul Brecht (Letters, September 25) lambasted MP Sue Page for saying that reducing greenhouse gasses would have a devastating impact on ‘the cost of living and jobs’. While I do not agree with Sue’s assertion, Paul rebukes her with his own laughable assertion that ‘if this reduction is not implemented like yesterday, then there will be no jobs and no living’ . I would greatly appreciate it if you could invite Paul Brecht to write a full page article for The Echo, explaining exactly how global warming will not only destroy all jobs but also kill all life in the next twenty years. I’m eager to find out whether this catastrophe will affect all of Australia,
Lau Guerreiro
Red tape
Mullumbimby
I am writing to inform you how disappointed I am that this council is not helpful to the ratepayers’ needs. In this speciďŹ c instance I am referring to the need to remove a tree on my property to improve my beloved surroundings. I am faced with a dilemma: should I just chop the tree down surreptitiously at the dead of night, or should I do the right thing and pay $75 for a DA to remove the aforementioned tree, face the inevitable visit from an obstreperous council ofďŹ cer followed by the red tape ‘dragon’ who then eats thousands of dollars of my money? Common sense would use the money to replant the tree several times over, as is my
Angela Ward
Mullumbimby
Dieter Horstman
Tyagarah Q Letters received from A Hatch, Yelgun, Anne Thompson, North Coast Drought Appeal, Peter Westheimer, Mullumbimby, Tony Narracott [yes], Byron Bay, Gillian Rich, Mullumbimby, Jillian Watt, Ocean Shores, Chris Bracken, Mullumbimby.
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