BYRON BAY WRITERS’ FESTIVAL 2-4 AUGUST 2013
THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 28 #02 Tuesday, June 18, 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 CAB AUDIT Noth Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au
Inside this week
Council has a full day of decisions – p9
PROGRAM BOOKLET IN THIS WEEK’S ECHO
MY REALITY CHEQUE BOUNCED
Mungo has a spray at federal politics – p10
More of that fracking mess – p11
Writersfest book reviews – p23
Joel’s TekSTAR ready
A meeting of minds: Joel Salom and his wire haired terrier, Eric, will be on the same wavelength when they hit the stage for the TekSTAR Konvergence this Thursday at the Byron Sport and Cultural Complex. The day features 12 hours of performances, workshops, panels, installations and more. It’s part of a regional ten day festival of art and technology, and wraps up at the Lismore Lantern Parade. For full program visit www.tekstar.tv. Photo Jeff Dawson
Far away in time: Echo Beach – p25
Byron Shire Council Notices Page 47
State govt to overhaul environmental protection Luis Feliu
Conservation groups across NSW have slammed the announcement on Friday by deputy premier and NSW Nationals leader, Andrew Stoner, that the Native Vegetation Act, the Threatened Species Conservation Act and related biodiversity legislation would be ‘comprehensively’ overhauled. And despite NSW Farmers welcoming the move as simplifying current legislation, state Labor says land clearing is the single greatest threat to the biodiversity of NSW. The North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) spokesperson, Dailan Pugh, said it amounted to a winding back of protections for native vegetation and an imminent ‘gutting’ of protections for threatened species. The laws are regarded as vital in tackling soil erosion, salinity and greenhouse
gas emissions and protecting threatened species. Mr Pugh told The Echo the government doesn’t want to let threatened species ‘stand in the way of their assault on NSW’s natural environment.’ Mr Stoner however told a state Nationals’ conference in Bathurst that rules on land clearing under the former government had become ‘a patchwork of laws that is fragmented, rigid and overly complex and which has had the perverse effect of limiting both environmental and economic outcomes’. Meanwhile, Save North Coast Nature (SNCN) is urging residents to make a submission by June 28 on the government’s proposed new planning system. The Nature Conservation Council’s submission guide is available online at http://nccnsw.org.au.
Big plans for Byron Hospital surrounds Off for state approval: aged care, residential and retail proposal on lands surrounding Ewingsdale hospital site Hans Lovejoy
Plans for seniors housing, aged care facilities, a supermarket, retail premises and medical facilities have been put to the state government by Council for ‘Gateway’ determination after they were tabled at last Thursday’s meeting. The proposed development would be located on lands either side of the future Byron Hospital on Ewingsdale Road. But before it’s given the nod, Councillors will seek to impose conditions, including traffic and noise
impact reports, sewage management clarification, heritage assessment of ‘buildings and surrounds’ and an assessment of possible site contamination, due to its former usage as a cattle dip station. Council has also requested a master plan that would ‘adequately address’ the requirement that the aged care facilities ‘are constructed prior to, or concurrently with, the retail/commercial precinct to guarantee that the seniors housing component is constructed.’ Crs Di Woods and Basil Cameron voted against.
And despite no starting or completion dates being announced for the Byron Central Hospital, Belbeck Investments Ltd on behalf of Jewelbond Pty Ltd are seeking a rezoning to allow the development proposal. Within the lengthy and repetitive 209 page document for the proposal, Belbeck Investments claim that Byron’s ageing population, ‘is expected to almost triple from 2,760 2011 to 7,660 in 2036, making up to 17 per cent of the population.’ And while it spruiks the economic benefits it would provide and its desirable location, the proposal is light
on detail regarding neighbour impacts. However, a community consultation component is included on page 27, which would provide an opportunity for submissions. Deputy mayor Diane Woods told The Echo that despite voting against, she is in favour of the development. ‘My opposition was to the change in the recommendation that required the developers to make a plan that includes construction of the residences prior to or concurrently with the retail section. ‘I don’t think it is right of Council to instruct the applicants how
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to do their development as we are not privy to their financial arrangements and it may not be possible to comply with such a restriction ‘If it is impossible to do so, then the whole development could fall over and that is not in the best interest of the applicants or our community.’ Within Council’s agenda, planning staff commented that the proposal ‘may be inconsistent with the relevant regional and local strategic plans‌’ However they say it ‘does provide social and economic benefits for the community.’