Letters
Hospital site There have been so many good things brought about in the Bay over the years because of the foresight and dedicated hard work of community members with a vision for their town. We think of the memorial Olympic pool, the new library, the community centre, the Cavanbah sports centre and the new hospital, to name a few. The subject disturbing our minds over the last couple of months since returning from visiting family in the UK is the sight of the old hospital, fenced with wire and studded with notices telling passersby that it is no more a hospital. It is closed. Is this very desirable public land, situated as it is at the very heart of our community, about to be sold to developers for the building of yet another block of flats? Or will it be used for something that will benefit our community? If not, we feel this would not only be a big mistake and an opportunity lost but also a disgrace that public assets should be sold off to the highest bidder without thought for the long-term needs of the community. Wendy & Bob Levett Byron Bay
Save Bangalow Jobs, jobs, jobs, 400 more jobs? Crap! There are over 1,000 people employed in Bangalow at present. A factory complex and ancillary traffic will put at least 400 of these out of work by reducing the viability of businesses. The business of Bangalow is now and forever the very top shelf of fine dining, art, and fashion, design and innovation. Jobs growth is in
the quality of Bangalow, our internet connection to the world, and especially our cashed-up visitors. A giant factory complex will definitely lower the tone and the 400 postulated jobs will be taken by revhead westies. Get real. Wait for the masterplan in which a local growers food hub can elevate 2479, not destroy it. Milton Cater Bangalow
Business rating I’ve previously suggested that Byron Shire Council should introduce a bed tax. I’ve now been told that this is not allowed by the NSW government. If this is true, then may I suggest this. All houses and apartments purchased for short/long-term rentals, holiday letting, Airbnb are businesses and as such should be rated as a business, not as private residential. If the owners decide to live there in the future and they submit documentation providing proof, then these rates can be adjusted down to residential. You may wish to adjust this increase to reflect holiday lets and BnB which I suppose would be fair as the longterm renters’ income stays here in Byron Shire. D Haydock Suffolk Park
Community con The so-called ‘community consultation’ by NBN at Coorabell Hall on September 8 was a failure at both assembling the community and consulting effectively. NBN supposedly notified residents within a 2km radius of the microwave tower site. Several residents near the tower say
they were not informed. Consultation consisted of one-on-one interactions diced with misleading information while not knowing answers to important questions. However they did seem well-trained at brushing off opposition by any means possible. A development application would flush out many truths but NBN continues to ignore Council’s request to submit a DA, claiming it complies with zoning laws, when the Environmental Defenders Office claims it does not comply. Michael Stavrou Mullumbimby
Microwaving As advertised in last week’s Echo on page 50, Telstra has intentions of microwaving Main Arm Village via a roofmounted antenna on the local exchange building opposite the shop and a childcare facility 30 metres away. This they describe as ‘low power’. If compared to the natural level of microwave radiation from the sun, such as what life has evolved in, then typically microwave radiation levels today are at least 10,000 million times greater, according to Professor Martin L Pall. This has only occurred and is increasing in recent years. Now the government might say this is safe but they do hold the patents to wi-fi, and who funds the industry regulator ACMA? Well, it’s the telecommunication industry – no conflict of interest here. Anton Vanderbyl Main Arm
Boring build Kudos to Geoff Southward (Letters, November 23) for his incisive, observant and
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articulate comment about the ugly, uninspiring and disappointing redevelopment of the old council chambers in Lawson Street. My sentiments exactly. What a missed opportunity, right in the heart of town, to add some innovative aesthetic. Instead, we will have yet another homogeneous eyesore that does not reflect the ‘essence’ of Byron. This wretched building that has now been worsened by the addition of huge red, black and yellow murals, is an insult to the residents who care about Byron’s township. I now wonder why the Council even bothered to retain the ‘heritage’ frontage, which has absolutely nothing akin to the adjoining new ‘cheap as chips’ monstrosity. It seems that Council really doesn’t care a hoot! Does this exemplify what the future holds? Josephine Wolanski Byron Bay
THE DIRTY DOZEN 12 Recycling Rules for your yellow bin
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Koho booboo Council has approved the development of eight modern units in the Mullumbimby Heritage Conservation Area at 116 Stuart Street. Although the previous council refused this development at its last meeting the developers Koho had decided to take Council to the Land & Environment Court. The vote was four-all, with the mayor Simon Richardson having the extra deciding vote as Basil Cameron was sick and was not at the meeting. Basil is in fact the only informed councillor about the issue and the other councillors have had no chance to continued on next page
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String, rope and electrical cable can become tangled around the MRF machinery, hindering the recycling process. Please do not place these items in your recycling bin.
RAILS
THE RAILWAY FRIENDLY BAR, BYRON BAY 6685 7662 • therailsbyronbay.com
AND THE FAMOUS
RAILS kitchen
Thursday 1 December
DAN HANNAFORD Friday 2 December
PINK ZINC
Saturday 3 December
BOSSY BIG HEART Sunday 4 December
PHIL BARLOW & THE WOLF Monday 5 December
JASON DELPHIN Tuesday 6 December
JAMIE ASHFORTH Wednesday 7 December
DAN ENGLAND
The Byron Shire Echo November 30, 2016 11