Byron Shire Echo – Issue 31.39 – 08/03/2017

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THE BYRON SHIRE Northern

Volume 31 #39 Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Women in Business

www.echo.net.au Phone 02 6684 1777 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week CAB AUDIT

Rivers

pages 15-17 A N Y T H I N G B U T T H E A LT R I G H T A N D T H E L E F TA R D Online in

Malcolm steers a ghost Sea Shepherd What’s new Arts & industry ship on the wrong side checks Ballina’s in the Shire? estate feature of history – Mungo, p8 shark nets – p5 – p18 – p19

netdaily

Pressure on Hogan to stand up for penalty rates www.echo.net.au/pressure-hoganstand-penalty-rates

Promises ignored Fukushima remembered Hans Lovejoy

Funding commitments for Byron Shire Council that have been ignored by the state government are causing ‘reputational damage,’ according to Council’s general manager (GM) Ken Gainger. Describing them as ‘hollow promises’, Mr Gainger says there is yet to be action over promises by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to construct a ‘multi-million-dollar bus interchange for Byron Bay.’ Meanwhile he says a National Party commitment to repair the crumbling Belongil Creek Bridge on Ewingsdale Road is yet to be addressed and a promise from Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is yet to materialise for an upgrade of the St Helena lookout. While these projects fall under the authority of government departments, the relevant coalition ministers who are responsible for those departments are RMS minister Melinda Pavey (Nationals) and minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance (Liberal). They were recently appointed after a cabinet reshuffle. Mr Gainger’s comments come just as NSW minister for tourism and major events Adam Marshall (Nationals) visited the Shire on Monday to announce a $95,000 package for local events (see page three). Mayor Simon Richardson told The Echo he was disappointed that the minister failed to contact him and staff over the visit and supported Mr Gainger’s views on state government inaction. Mr Gainger said, ‘Byron Shire contributes significantly to the state

and regional economy, yet we are largely ignored when it comes to receiving any financial support.’. ‘Byron ratepayers are becoming increasingly annoyed that they are being asked to fund infrastructure that is damaged and degraded by millions of visitors. 15,300 ratepayers cannot continue to support two million visitors without significant government support,’ he said.

Surprised MLC Parliamentary secretary for northern NSW Ben Franklin (Nationals) told The Echo he was ‘surprised by the media release from Byron Council about their concerns.’ ‘Council made representations to me regarding the bus interchange issue. As they know, I have had formal communication with both the minister for transport’s office and the minister for lands. Discussions have been constructive and we are working towards a positive outcome,’ he said. ‘Similarly, they also raised with me the Belongil Creek Bridge issue. Although this is a federal matter and outside of my purview, I have formally raised the issue with the federal minister for transport and am awaiting his response. ‘Byron Council know that these issues are being examined. I would have thought they should await the outcomes of these representations before running to the media to complain. ‘They are welcome to raise their other issues of concern with me if they wish and I will try to assist there too. Unfortunately, Byron Council have jumped the gun and appear to be playing politics with important local infrastructure issues rather continued on page 2

Local Japanese activists Yumiko Gooch and Saya Minami. Photo Jeff Dawson

With the sixth anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster this week, a locally produced short film, Good Fortune Island, will screen at the Mullumbimby Drill Hall from 2pm till 8pm on March 11. Starring local Japanese actress and anti-nuclear activist Saya Minami, the film will be part of a wider week of action planned to highlight the dangers of nuclear, the lack of mainstream media reporting and the Japanese government’s secrecy. On March 11, 2011 the Fukushima nuclear power plant, located next to the ocean, suffered a triple meltdown following a devastating tsunami that hit Japan’s northeastern seaboard. ‘Extremely high radiation levels’ still

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exist, The Guardian reported last month, while operator Tepco continues to try and decommission the plant. It’s a process that is expected to take about four decades.

Current status Ms Minami answered questions around the current status of Fukushima and the new film. What is the short film about? The film is a 17-minute drama/ short film called Good Fortune Island. Fukushima in English is Fuku (good fortune) and Shima (island). It was made by a Gold Coast-based film production company and local Byron actors. People are always concerned about the environmental is-

sues around Fukushima, but I wanted to focus on the people, as they are still living in Fukushima and dealing with invisible fears and a hopeless situation. So we made this film about a [fictitious] boy from Fukushima who gets thyroid cancer. Many people are still living inside Fukushima, even inside of the 20km exclusion zone around the nuclear plant. According to Greenpeace, the Japanese government is encouraging evacuees from Fukushima to return home, despite dangerous levels of radiation. They are planning to cut housing support for those evacuees at the end of this month. Greenpeace say the radiation levels continued on page 2

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