THE BYRON SHIRE
Enrolments n o i t a c u d E &
Volume 28 #01 Tuesday, June 11, 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
Pages 20-21
S M I L E – Y O U R D ATA I S B E I N G M I N E D B Y T H E G O V E R N M E N T
CAB AUDIT
Clive Palmer’s got a Richmond candidate! – p7
Letter writers rev up – p11
Mandy is Noice, different, trying to be new – p18 nice – p23
A real kick in the arts – p27
Classifieds for all tastes – p39–43
Byron Shire Council Notices Page 44
NSW Coalition unveils Marble fun at Old & Gold its plans to develop Planning review on the table: public meeting June 12 Hans Lovejoy
The Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) has blasted the NSW government’s White Paper as a ‘significant step backwards for environmental and social considerations’, but if you believe the government’s hype, it will mean an easing of red tape to encourage as much economic growth as possible. The glossy and somewhat repetitive 214 page document is the government’s vision for a new planning system and is now up for public discussion at www.planning.nsw.gov.au. It comes as Byron Council holds a public information session with staff on Wednesday June 12 from 5.30pm at the Mullumbimby Chambers. As one of the few independent voices that has analysed the document, the EDO has published its critique at www. edo.org.au. Among its observations is that, ‘the language throughout the White Paper consistently prioritises growth and economic considerations, instead of a truly integrated focus on the legally recognised principles of ecologically sustainable development.’ EDO’s senior solicitor Ian Ratcliff told The Echo the government’s claims of a simpler process is ridiculous. ‘Instead of simplifying the process, it has added another level of complexity,’ he said. ‘The paper attempts to portray competing [zoning] uses as a positive thing,’ says Ratcliff. ‘It’s counterintuitive to have different land uses close to each other. It poses potential conflicts in land uses.’ Meanwhile, Caroline Joseph from the Bellingen Environment Centre told The Echo she staged a stunt at the public meetings after concerns about the lack of public participation in the process. She and a handful of others turned up to the public meetings with
tape around their mouths. ‘We will lose 80 per cent of our right to appeal,’ she said. ‘After we went through the White Paper we realised there aren’t many changes from the [previous] Green Paper. There are omissions for heritage protection, koala protections have been removed, and as for community participation? “Community� is defined as industry, business and residents. ‘The minister will appoint four people from each local shire from the “community�. They will set the ground rules for local evidence based strategic plans. We had an industry here wanting to put 2000 cows 80 metres from a river bank. After 1000 submissions to council it was stopped. If those industries fit into the codes, there will be no right to comment.’ The White Paper also proposes continuing with the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) and expanding the number of Joint Regional Planning Panels (JRPP) to decide controversial developments. ‘Regional planning will be led by the department of planning and infrastructure, partnering with relevant state agencies and local councils.’ Submissions close June 28.
What’s an EDO? The Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) is a community legal centre specialising in ‘public interest environmental law’ and is one of the few independent voices in government policy. Its main source of funding is from the Public Purpose Fund of the Law Society of NSW (PPF), and after attacks from the state government and The Australian newspaper last year, the EDO says funding was reduced by ‘about 27 per cent in 2013.’
Poppy Hand demonstrating the form she used in Saturday’s Australian Marbles Championships, in Brunswick Heads, as part of the Old & Gold festival of treasures. Jimi Carle and Holly Azapati are considering throwing their hats in the ring next year. Photo Jeff Dawson
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Aquarius restaurant/bar shuts after OLGR sting The restaurant and bar at the Aquarius backpackers hostel has voluntarily closed after they claim undercover officers from The Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) entrapped the establishment in a licensing sting. Twenty staff will lose their jobs and, ‘another 15 to 20 jobs will be affected indirectly, including security, cleaners and suppliers,’ says the director and secretary of Sixth Lafite Pty Ltd, who owns the Aquarius Restaurant Bar. Dr Harry Chua released a statement on Sunday night insisting that the restaurant/bar had not broken any NSW licensing laws. He says the licence allows them
to serve liquor when meals are provided. ‘On the night of June 8, 2013, undercover officers from OLGR came into our premises, and purchased a light meal from the BBQ. They had their wrist stamped and proceeded to purchase alcohol. ‘Apparently we did the wrong thing as they had not eaten their meal. Besides the fact that this is entrapment, the legislation says that meals are to be “provided�, It doesn’t say “consumed�. ‘In any case, to get our staff to monitor whether meals being purchased are actually eaten, whether food is spat out or swallowed is going beyond their job description.’
He says the pressure put on Aquarius staff and management to monitor food consumption is ‘unfair, too onerous and creates substantial stress and is ultimately untenable.’ ‘Sixth Lafite Pty Ltd will shortly apply for a primary service of alcohol (PSA) license. While we wait for the approval, Aquarius Restaurant Bar will cease trading on June 17, 2013 indefinitely. ‘It is also unfortunate that with the closure of our bar/restaurant, we will not have the staff and security to monitor the alcohol consumption of the 160 backpackers (soon to be 304) who reside here.’
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