THE BYRON SHIRE
Byron Bay Film Festival Program in this issue
Volume 31 #17 Wednesday, October 5, 2016
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A PLEBISCITE – MEANINGLESS AND IMPOTENT LIKE A TURNBULL
Falun Gong and It’s tick season! Matthew Newton’s Ms Nolan: affordable the Chinese Get informed new film From housing and other organ trade – p5 – p7 Nowhere – p18 myths – p33
Rate rise flagged Up for discussion and voting by the new crop of councillors at their first official meeting this Thursday will be a proposal by staff to increase rates with a special variation of 12.5 per cent over four years. This includes the estimated 2.5 per cent rate peg. The need for more cash for Council, says director of corporate and community services Mark Arnold, is owing to a commitment to the state government’s Fit for the Future program and the need to maintain and improve infrastructure. Neighbouring Tweed, Kyogle and Clarence Valley councils were considered ‘unfit’ for the future by the state government in October last year; however, Byron Shire was found to be fit. Mr Arnold says in his report in this week’s agenda that a ‘key component of the Fit for the Future program was the requirement for each council to prepare and submit a Council Improvement Plan (CIP).’ Byron Shire Council’s adopted plan contains six key improvement strategies, he wrote. They are: ‘Pursuing new, recurrent revenues such as pay parking, asset realisation (sale and development of land), increasing rates beyond the rate peg in future years, efficiency savings through strategic procurement initiatives, continuation of savings generated through operating efficiencies and significant increase in expenditure on infrastructure such as roads.’ One of the underpinnings for the rate rise, Mr Arnold says, is that ‘community satisfaction surveys conducted in 2013 and 2016 showed that residents of the Byron
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Jesse averts disaster
Shire thought road maintenance was within the top three priority issues for the Shire.’ Councillors have been presented with three options: The first is to do nothing and apply the estimated 2.5 per cent rate peg (classed as ‘deteriorate’). The second is to implement a special rate variation of 7.5 per cent, each year, for four years (classed as ‘maintain’) and the third option is to apply a special rate variation of 12.5 per cent each year for four years (classed as ‘improve’). The potential result of a proposed rate increase of 12.5 per cent ‘will see a potential approximate $22,254,000 raised over a four-year period.’
Amalgamation fears Mr Arnold also warned that if Council was considered ‘not’ Fit for the Future, it could be ‘considered as a possible amalgamation target.’ ‘If a decision is made to not introduce a special rate variation… Council will have some difficult decisions to make concerning a reduction in services, maintenance and facilities.’ Community consultation and awareness regarding the special rate variation is planned, with a handout booklet for ratepayers via the October rates notice which Council distributes. Consultation will also include a random telephone survey ‘of a representative sample of 400 local residents.’ Submissions and online surveys will be sought, while information stands will be available at markets and through print and electronic media and presentations to the business and community roundtable.’
After his usual school holiday climb of a fig tree above stallholders and market-goers last Friday morning, Jesse Hutton spotted a massive crack and told his dad Jon. Thankfully the area was evacuated just in time as the tree collapsed soon after. Resident Ruth Laxton told The Echo, ‘The Hutton family of Crabbes Creek Wood Fired Bakery need to be recognised for saving the day.’ She says if the area wasn’t evacuated, ‘I’m sure people could have died or been injured when the massive tree cracked and fell.’ Jesse has been recommended by local police for a bravery award. Market manager Allie Godfrey is pictured centre. Photo Jeff ‘Cracked’ Dawson
Best shark mitigation strategy ignored? Hans Lovejoy
The peak body that trains beach inspector lifeguards has told The Echo that the state government is ignoring best practice shark-mitigation strategies that are in line with an independent report and recommendations by a NSW Legislative Assembly committee. Last October, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) announced $16 million for shark mitigation over five years, which was touted at the time as being a world first. And with last week’s mauling of
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17-year-old Cooper Allen at Ballina’s Lighthouse Beach, one of those new strategies – an Aquarius Barrier at Lennox Head’s Seven Mile Beach – failed to withstand ocean conditions and will be removed. The Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard Association (APOLA) say their $50,000 grant application to establish Surveyor lifeguard towers was recently rejected. The proposal would have seen APOLA also contribute $50,000 to their trial. APOLA’s Ken Holloway says his organisation ‘has given consistent advice to the NSW government re-
garding how to minimise the risk of shark bites at surf beaches in NSW over the last 20 years.’ ‘This advice is that at locations where there is a spatial overlap of people recreating in the surf, and known aggregation of sharks and at historically patrolled locations, a system of having a qualified lifeguard in an elevated position trained to identify shark activity and sharkbite victims should be fundamental for any beach-patrolling system. ‘The lifeguard in the tower is supported by at least one other continued on page 3
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