Letters pencil judiciously at the polling booth to maintain the ad-free radio, TV and online gem, our Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The new managing director Michelle Guthrie has form with the Murdoch conglomerate. Be aware, be very aware! Jill Keogh Federal
on rural land. Reading it one soon becomes aware that what is envisaged is a very large manufacturing precinct with shops, market and restaurant and provision for 477 + 29 car parks, ie a large tourist attraction close to our entry from the Lismore Road with a huge increase of traffic including large trucks – B-doubles? Traffic is already an enormous problem in Bangalow, particularly along Granuaille Road where, we are told by one large food producer, he intends to send all his trucks. Another strong concern expressed by people living in the area was pollution of the creek on which they depend, pollution from sewage and run-off. I don’t think noise was raised but, on re-reading the DA, I think it should have been because it would cer-
Bangalow’s future
Work with the Earth CO2 has reached 400 ppm in the atmosphere, the Great Barrier Reef is dying and we’ve just had the hottest autumn on record. You would think this would be the biggest election issue but only the Greens are focusing on this. We have to drastically lift our effort and make sure government takes much bigger steps rather than dawdling to disaster. Some good news last week was that in 2015 more investment went into renewables than fossil fuel electricity production.
The problem is that solar and wind currently only make four per cent of global electricity. We have to make sure our political leaders are working with the Earth, not against it. A good start would be to not vote for any party that provides fossil fuel subsidies or allows expansion of coal mines. Garth Luke Mullumbimby
Protect our ABC Throughout the last week of floods (and pestilence) Aunty ABC has again shown she is worth her salt. Radio, online
and TV coverage have provided us with vital, up-to-the minute information about imminent danger, residential evacuation and road closures. The ABC endures as arguably the single and only corporation trusted by almost all Australians; endures being the operative word as base funding will have dropped by $100 million by the time we vote. Staff losses number more than 80. The wonderful enlightening and informative Fact Check for example has been de-funded recently by the Turnbull government. Come July 2, use your
The Bangalow Progress Association appreciates Chris Dobney’s coverage of their June 2 meeting (Echo, June 8) but must disagree with one of his assertions, namely that most people present agreed that ‘the worst thing that could happen is seeing Byron Bay Cookies produced in Melbourne’. This may well be Mr De Fina’s opinion but it is not that of our members. We are much more worried about Bangalow’s future, our concerns strongly backed by a recent broad-reaching survey of residents and visitors who want to see Bangalow’s rural heritage village character retained and enhanced, not compromised by another industrial park on its outskirts, twice the size of the current one. Survey respondents were quite clear in wanting Bangalow to keep its rural nature and surrounds and this development proposes more than just a food-processing plant
The CSG story Response to Robert Rosen (Letters, May 25): You seemed relaxed about Cooper basin wells’ ability to isolate and not continued on next page
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tainly be a very noisy site with many busy machines, all in a peaceful, rural area on what has been a sound, working farm. In this day and age, should we be covering prime rural land with huge sheds? If this DA goes ahead it will be at the expense of Bangalow as we know it. It is not too late to send in submissions to Council: DA 10.2016.283.1, Attention Planning. The assessment and determination will be by a Joint Regional Planning Panel but all submissions count. Jenny Coman Secretary, Bangalow Progress Association
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The Byron Shire Echo June 15, 2016 13