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DON’T FLUSH AWAY YOUR LOOT!
continued from page 9 that calls of complaint would be logged by the hotline but there would be no steps taken by police to ensure the noise levels were lowered. Once the festival was over, I was advised that at a future meeting, the hotline log would be examined and discussed. In other words, there are absolutely no steps to be taken by the festival owners, police or Council to ensure the noise is lowered and residents can have some relief. To monitor the noise levels post the festival is the clearest indication of the absolute lack of concern for residents. This is a completely unacceptable situation with all power given to Parklands to annoy and disturb the impacted suburbs with no fear of interference or orders to lower the noise level. Sue Arnold Ocean Shores
Secret trade talks
EY SAVE WATER, SAVE MON An initiative by Byron Shire Council and Rous Water
Why is our government holding secret trade talks with foreign powers as I read in Paul Malone’s article in The Canberra Times? Why does Australia want to be in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Common Market of the Pacific? I see no advantage for this country. Before we sign up, we have
MICHELLE & HELEN ARE PROUD TO PRESENT
to agree to allow other countries to sue our government if foreign companies are in any way disadvantaged by our health regulations, or suffer any loss of profits! We are already being sued because Philip Morris Asia doesn’t like our plain packaging tobacco laws. We need our government to work for us, not for multinationals David Dynes Federal
Thoughts on ICAC In response to the latest Backlash, I’d like to support ICAC. Megan Latham is quite right – if tasteless – about the importance of putting the blowtorch to corrupt officialdom. Also, the ICAC approach does not enter into a criminal trial or affect the rights of the accused in an open court. We need more of ICAC. But without graphic descriptions of sadistic activities. Matt Hartley Byron Bay Q If I heard correctly, one of the crimes that ICAC may inquire into is ‘undermining confidence in public institutions’. Does that mean that if I express my lack of confidence in certain public institutions I am ‘undermining confidence in public institutions’? Does that then mean I should prepare for the arrival of the thought police? Like, pack my toothbrush? I take comfort in the fact that there are so many politicians, some of them close at hand, in the line before me that the prosecution will run out of funding long before they get to me. Jim Nutter Main Arm
Shark culling Don Munro from the LeBA board riders certainly does not speak for all of the local surfing community when he makes the obscene call for a
‘Stars of Byron Shire’ Cancer Foundation Fundraiser Event
10 August 19, 2015 The Byron Shire Echo
story ‘Tweed resident starts TPP petition’ – www.echo.net.au/tweed-resident-starts-tpp-petition
‘limited’ shark cull. He speaks for the redneck fringe. If he is so concerned about sharks he should stay out of the water. Maybe take up tenpin bowling or take crack instead? When many of us surf, it is to commune with nature, not show our mastery of it. Humans have wrought incredible destruction on this little planet of ours and although it sounds misanthropic, the idea of humans being eaten by sharks is actually rather encouraging. It shows our pretense to have mastered nature as the hubris that it surely is. More people die from bee stings than shark bites. Are you calling for a bee cull, Don? Dave Lisle Mullumbimby
Metered parking Council is about to introduce metered parking all over town. Not just in the current time-restricted areas but well beyond, including Lawson Street all the way up to the Beach Cafe. It’s bad enough that we have to pay city rents and now city parking prices. How are we meant to get through the winter? This will be the death of the boutiques. You might as well just turn Byron into a giant Westfields, because it will only be the big chains that will survive. I am not happy with the current one-hour zones either. It has really hurt my business. I propose that they raise all the current time
limits. You can’t have a meal and shop in one hour. And that million dollars of revenue per year in fines is disgraceful! Will those people ever come back? Karene Wodiske Byron Bay
Skype it Most global corporations and multinational companies use video conferencing facilities to communicate, conduct business and as a management tool. Even family groups spread around the globe can get together on Skype. Our politicians can do the same. No need to travel, no need for accommodation, no need for meal expenses. They can stay in their electorates and be of service to their constituents. After all, that is what they were elected to do. Anthony Plesko Ballina
Traffic woes I left the Byron Bay Writers Festival at 4.30pm on the Friday and it took 10–15 minutes to get down Bayshore Drive to Ewingsdale Road where traffic sat unmoving heading into Byron. I don’t remember anywhere in Sydney where it’s taken so long to get a few kilometres. I’m not sure why more people aren’t excited about the quiet, little train that will go between North Byron and Byron Bay. It apcontinued on page 12
www.byron.nsw.gov.au
from Monday 24 August until further notice
The Bowlo Bangalow | 22nd August – 7pm Tickets $20 or $25 on the door.
DONATION APPRECIATED
Q Comment by Anne Celest McCoy in response to the
O’Mearas Bridge load limit reduced to 5 tonnes
Contact Michelle michelleh@echo.net.au Lucky door prize for best dressed Rocker! Restaurant bookings essential 6687 2741 www.everydayhero.com.au/event/starsofbyronshire2015
Bus available
Unless you can convince the politicians that they will lose their seats they won’t agree to not signing the TPP. Big business is the name of the game and also their masters. This agreement, no matter how sugar-coated, is disastrous.
Byron Shire Council
MICK BUCKLEY & THE HEPCATS
from Suffolk, Byron and Sunrise
Online comment of the week
Cancer Council
The load limit for O’Mearas Bridge on Binna Burra Road will be reduced to 5 tonnes for all vehicles from Monday 24 August. Heavy vehicles will need to find an alternative route via Friday Hut Rd and Coorabell Rd or Eureka Rd and Federal Rd. Variable message signs will be in place from Monday 17 August and traffic controllers on site from Monday 24. Heavy vehicles may adversely affect the structural integrity of the bridge and result in Council closing the bridge to all traffic in the event that non-compliance with the load limit is evident. Monitoring at the bridge will be in place to help enforce the load limit reduction and fines could apply to heavy vehicles that cho se to ignore the signage. Council apologises for the inconvenience the load reduction may cause. Motorists can call Byron Shire Council on 02 6626 7072 should they have further enquiries. Council is in the process of applying for funding to replace the old timber bridge with a new concrete bridge. If unsuccessful, repairs to the old timber bridge will commence in 2016.
E: council@byron.nsw.gov.au
PO Box 219, Mullumbimby 2482 Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo