THE BYRON SHIRE
Huge Splendour in the Grass liftout in this issue!
Volume 31 #06 Wednesday, July 20, 2016
www.echo.net.au Phone 02 6684 1777 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
N E W S PA P E R S W I L L P R I N T A N Y T H I N G
CAB AUDIT
Mullum Music Fest announces first round lineup – p48
Dear Mr Barilaro, A feature that The art and stop wrecking features you industry of TAFE – p10 – p18–19 Byron – p20–21
Inadequate nursing staff for new Byron hospital Luis Feliu
Byron Central Hospital management have hosed down nurses’ claims that a lack of staffing at the new hospital could put patient safety at risk. The hospital, opened just five weeks ago, could face its first industrial action after the nurses’ union warned they would consider that course if their concerns weren’t addressed. At a combined meeting of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) and members from the Mullumbimby War Memorial and District and Byron District Hospital branches, it was unanimously agreed to go public with their concerns. NSWNMA general secretary, Brett Holmes, said ‘the facade and physical resourcing of Byron Central Hospital would lead the community to believe that it is a state-ofthe-art hospital equipped to provide safe effective patient care but the branches believe the community has been misled’. ‘There is one vital ingredient missing – adequate nursing staff levels,’ Mr Holmes said.
Mismatch between nurses and patients ‘The clear mismatch between nursing staff and patient numbers does not provide safe care for the number and complexity of the patients admitted,’ he said. ‘Nursing staff are stressed, exhausted, frustrated and extremely concerned about patients missing
care. These concerns have been voiced to management with no acknowledgement or action to address the issues.’ Mr Holmes said the nurses ‘needed community support to help highlight the issues and improve the situation’. ‘We’re calling on the public to send a message to the Baird government that ignoring their right to safe patient care is completely unacceptable,’ he said. ‘The nursing staff, therefore, have no alternative but to request community support to increase staffing levels in all areas of Byron Central Hospital so that they can do what they do best – provide safe, effective nursing care for their communities.’
Staff adjusting to new hospital: management But in a bid to allay concerns, chief executive of the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSW LHD), Wayne Jones, replied that staff were continuing to ‘adjust to the new working environment and level of care provided at the new facility’. Mr Jones said management was ‘very aware of the heightened emotions and transition issues being experienced by our staff as they adjust to the change of two independent hospitals being merged into one stateof-the-art facility that has a higher level of care required, despite a reduction in the actual number of patients’. ‘While year-on-year activity levels between the new Byron Central Hospital (BCH) and the combined continued on page 2
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Thousands of trees to be planted across region www.echo.net.au/thousandstrees-planted-across-region
Making a RUKKUS
Despite the appearance of ambulances at Mullumbimby’s RUKKUS skate comp on Sunday, the skating did not stop. Old-school skater, Tim Go from Lismore, fractured his femur, and despite the injury to the 44-year-old requiring hospitalisation and probable surgery, the competition was a great success. Organiser Flavio Beihl said there were 78 entrants, including eight girls. ‘The under-12s division had 22 kids competing, and was won by Karlin O’Halloran from Ocean Shores. Haylie Powell form Mooloolaba (QLD) won the girls, Sumanya Black (Mullumbimby) won the under-8s, Sam Windhurst (Kingscliff ) won the under-16s and Joey Cormack (Byron Bay) took out the open division.’ Photo Jeff ‘Old and Unschooled’ Dawson
Planned retreat defendable: staff Gothic Potato Pants Hemingway
A Council staff presentation to last year’s NSW coastal conference has put forward a supporting argument for planned retreat at Belongil, claiming that it is a legitimate position that Council can defended in court. And while Council’s media spokesperson says that the presentation does not present a position on ‘planned retreat’, it’s a stance deeply at odds with the majority five councillors. Last week they voted to go into confidential session and have au-
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thorised multinational law firm Norton Rose Fulbright to sign consent orders in the NSW Supreme Court ‘between Ralf Lauren 57 Pty Ltd and others and Byron Shire Council and Reserve Number 82000.’ It’s a settlement shrouded in secrecy, owing to its being before the courts; however, The Echo understands that the $100m claim by 16 Belongil landowners started in 2010 and is for damage they say was caused to their properties by Jonson Street protection works. During morning public access, Suffolk Park resident Donald
Maughan was ejected by the councillor majority after he requested to stay. During his speech, both Crs Cubis and Woods began speaking among themselves, distracting from Mr Maughan’s speech. The mayor stopped Mr Maughan mid-speech and asked Cr Cubis to stop swearing ‘like a thug’, whereupon Cr Cubis began arguing. The mayor replied, ‘Can you just stop swearing? It’s not a footy club room.’ Cr Cubis then launched at the mayor regarding the issue of confidentiality, and accused the mayor of continued on page 2
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