THE BYRON SHIRE
l o o h c S
Volume 32 #03
holidays
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
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(Some of) Byron Writers Fest Frazer asks why What’s a Mandy’s flock fly author profiles and our pollies are so Talisman the nest – p32 their stories – p15 pathetic – p14 Sabre? – p11
Council seeks full control of Butler Street Reserve
Very important space mission
Councillors all agreed at last Thursday’s meeting to a staff report that recommends buying the Butler Street reserve from NSW Crown Lands. Yet the late staff report – not included in the agenda – was criticised by Rainbow Region Stallholders Association president Gyan Purno in morning public access, who told the gallery his group had not been consulted. The land is home to the monthly markets and weekly farmers markets.
Stallholders appalled ‘This will force the markets to move,’ he said. ‘I have been talking about this for years… there are no developed plans and we have not been consulted.’ During his speech he used words like ‘appalled, sneaky, shameful’ and, ‘conflict of interest’. Later in the day, Cr Paul Spooner (Country Labor) asked general manager (GM) Ken Gainger why it was necessary to buy the land given Council already manages it. Gainger replied that as part of an arrangement with Crown Lands a few years ago for a carparking trial on the site, it was agreed there would be an opportunity to negotiate its purchase after the trial. He also said the Crown Land Reserves Act 1978 was amended late last year, to allow Crown land that is of ‘local significance only’ to ‘be offered to councils, so Council would assume ownership of those properties.’ He said, ‘We believe that Butler Street [reserve] falls into that definition.’ continued on page 3
Byron Bay’s first-ever astronomy festival was a sellout last weekend at Elements of Byron, drawing a 400-strong crowd of science enthusiasts keen to learn about dark matter and gravitational waves. Organised by local Dylan O’Donell, the Star Stuff Festival featured professor Fred Watson, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Dr Alan Duffy and more. Pictured are Ivy and Emily, starring into the outer worlds of deep space and baby dolls. Photo Hans Lovejoy
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Saddle Road residents face off over eco village Divisions between landowners over future land use on Saddle Road near the Brunswick Heads highway interchange have again flared up after Council included the area in Residential Land Use Strategy recommendations at last Thursday’s council meeting. A staff report entitled Byron Affordable Housing Summit Issues Action Plan was supported (Crs Coorey, Cameron and Hackett against); however, a late addition will see ‘site 17’ on Saddle Road land identified in the Draft Preliminary Residential Housing Strategy. Site 17 includes the proposed Bruns Eco Village, as well as other private properties. The motion by mayor Simon Richardson invites ‘lodgement of planning proposals to rezone the land for this purpose.’ An amendment by Cr Coorey was unsupported, and excluded continued on page 4
Greens, staff cop flak, push on with bypass An angry group of Butler Street residents unloaded upon staff and the Greens councillors at last Thursday’s Council meeting, with accusations of lies and suppressing information as to whether it was possible to build a bypass on the disused rail corridor instead of past their homes. Throughout public access Greens mayor Simon Richardson struggled to keep the meeting to order against a hostile gallery. Residents have long called for the bypass to run up the unused rail corridor instead, some-
thing they say has happened in Moree. They say it will be cheaper than building a new road and won’t cut into wetlands.
No alternative costings The reason the issue was again before Council was owing to a motion from Cr Paul Spooner (Country Labor), who wanted to explore rail corridor costings. He told the chamber there has never been a costing on the alternative, and referred to a recent let-
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Martin, Ndiaye and Hunter had the numbers to vote on a motion that acknowledges the estimated $20m bypass cost – including $4m from Council – and seek funding for the remaining $5.5m. The mayor told the chamber it was unlikley Council could purchase the rail corridor for a road, yet in the same speech said, ‘We are very close to gaining control of the land.’ The mayor said later in a press release, ‘We’ve spent $2 million in continued on page 3
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ter to local state MP Tamara Smith (Greens) which says the government would ‘be happy to consider its proposal in further detail’. ‘This is a game changer,’ he said. But it’s advice that is at odds with staff opinion; they have consistantly said it’s unlikely Council would be given permission. Despite the new evidence, Crs Martin, Lyon, Ndiaye, Richardson and Cameron voted against Cr Spooner’s motion. Instead, Crs Richardson, Lyon,
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