THE BYRON SHIRE
AR TS
Volume 29 #52 Wednesday, June 10, 2015
www.echo.net.au Phone 02 6684 1777 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week CAB AUDIT
T H E Y T O O K AWAY O U R F R E E D O M S T O P R O T E C T U S F R O M T H O S E W H O WA N T T O TA K E AWAY O U R F R E E D O M S
How’s that new Outrage over Roses are certainly What’s new Byron Hospital birthing unit not Green – p7, in the Shire? shaping up? – p5 closure – p9 letters – p11 – p14–15
p22–23
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Cooly Rocks On! Gallery by Jeff Dawson www.echo.net.au/cooly-revs-on
Nat MP asked to Champions of the marble please explain The pressure isn’t abating on councillors Sol Ibrahim, Rose Wanchap, Alan Hunter, Di Woods and Chris Cubis, who are pushing to erect a rock wall in front of Council land and private property at Belongil. About 300 people braved blustery weather on Sunday to show their opposition to the controversial plan, which they say comes without community input, is overblown in cost and lacks due process. The gathering heard speakers Cate Coorey from Byron Residents’ Group, Delta Kay representing the Arakwal people, Greens MLC Jan Barham and Byron Shire councillor Duncan Dey (Greens), before walking to the site of the existing rock wall, past a sign reading ‘keep the rocks’. Ms Coorey told The Echo, ‘People don’t want engineering on their beaches, and are appalled at the ac-
tions of the councillors, doing all this in secret without community consultation.’ Meanwhile, Greens MLC and former Byron Shire mayor Jan Barham has put on notice questions for minister for Crown Lands, Kevin Humphries (Nationals) about his approval for the works. She told fellow MPs in parliament last week that the proposed rock walls would be built without a NSW government-approved Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). Ms Barham also said experts had warned that the so-called ‘interim’ rock walls proposed by Council could increase coastal erosion, cause the loss of the beach and impact on public safety. ‘Will this project Brunswick Heads School reigned supreme after a gruelling marbles tournament which saw Jordan O’Hearn and put Council and the community at Sam Pheill victorious. It was all part of Brunswick’s Old and Gold Festival held on Saturday. Photo Jeff Dawson risk of further legal challenges or proposals for additional rock walls?’
EPA investigates spill at former Metgasco site Chris Dobney
Arakwal woman Delta Kay, former mayor and NSW MLC Jan Barham with environmentalist Dailan Pugh. Photo Jeff Dawson
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has commenced investigations into a suspected spill of contaminated water from a storage tank at Metgasco’s decommissioned Corella exploration well near Dobies Bight. But the authority told The Echo last week ‘there is no current pollution taking place requiring booms or other devices to be activated.’ A spokesperson said results are yet to be received back from samples it took at the site, which is located northwest of Casino. North coast environmentalist and scientist Alan Roberts, who took samples of
his own at the site before alerting the EPA, says his tests are ‘demonstrably repeatable’ and is accusing the authority of ‘facilitating environmental damage.’ The Corella test well was decommissioned in June 2013, and on November 6 that year Metgasco submitted a statutory declaration that the site had been rehabilitated. On November 28 the landowner, Mark McCaughey, confirmed to the department of resources and energy that the rehabilitation had been conducted to his satisfaction. But a large plastic tank that is thought to have contained fluids associated with the CSG test well
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was left at the site. Early last month nearby residents noticed that it had tipped over, apparently leaking its contents in the direction of a nearby dam. After taking radiation readings and other tests of his own, Mr Roberts alerted the EPA last week. Mr Roberts is calling on the EPA to release its figures. ‘The nuclear radiation in samples of the material from within the tank was up to 2.6 times background which increases the risk of DNA damage 2.6 times more than a person only exposed to background radiation. I would like to be aware if I was to be exposed to this level.’ Q Visit www.echo.net.au for more
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