THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 32 #08 Wednesday, August 2, 2017
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LIFTOUT FEATURE – see centre pages
MARSHALL MCLUHAN’S MEDIUM MASSAGE
Oh happy day! Council is back! – p9
An efftonne of entertainment – p39–44
Mungo weighs up Heal thyself like, Bill’s chances healthily – p12 – p17–19
Vollies the lifeblood of writers fest
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Darcy rides high in bike race www.echo.net.au/darcy-riding-high
Cr calls for federal action on coastal hazards Byron Shire councillor Jan Hackett intends to call on councillors to throw the ball on coastal hazards into the federal government’s court at the council meeting this Thursday. Cr Hackett’s notice of motion (NoM) seeks for Council to write to local MPs ‘calling for a coordinated national approach to managing coastal hazards. Currently, the task of dealing with coastal hazards along Australia’s vast coastline is left predominately to local councils.
In her comments on the councillor’s NoM, Council’s manager environmental and economic planning, sustainable environment and economy Sharyn French noted the representatives at the Redcliffe conference issued a communiqué calling on the federal government ‘to play a lead role in developing a coordinated national approach to dealing with coastal hazards including more frequent and severe extreme weather events, widespread coastal erosion, and the growing pressures of climate change’.
Enormous task
Coastal reforms
‘This enormous task is beyond the capacity of councils, states and territories. The scale of the challenge requires a national approach, national leadership and national funding.’ The councillor also wants to invite a number of expert presenters ‘to address councillors and relevant Council staff on coastal hazards specific to our Shire, in order to ensure we are well informed and have a broader range of options available to us when making decisions regarding protection of and development on our coastal zone and wetlands’. The presenters Cr Hackett prefers have addressed the NSW Coastal Conference at Coffs Harbour in November 2016 and the Australian Coastal Councils Conference at Redcliffe in May 2017.
Ms French also suggested Council could delegate councillors and staff members to attend the annual NSW Coastal Conference at Port Stephens, November 8–10. ‘The conference has grown to become one of the most successful coastal industry events held in Australia and will bring together more than 250 delegates from a diverse range of fields…’ Ms French noted. ‘The event theme this year will focus on coastal management under the new legislative system (coastal reforms), including implementing on-ground works, moving forward from major events, learning from past lessons and facing the future.’
Michael McDonald
Writers Festival volunteers enjoy an in-tents experience at Elements of Byron. Photo Jeff ‘Book ‘Em, Danno’ Dawson
On Saturday more than 200 volunteers gathered at the Byron Writers Festival site to be welcomed, briefed and tshirted in preparation for the event, which opens on Friday August 4 and runs until Sunday August 6. And in typical Byron style there was even a bit of laughter yoga included in the day’s proceedings courtesy of volunteer Meredith Yardley from Laughterworx. Volunteer coordinator Gabrielle Le Brun said, ‘Laughing together was a chance to have bit of fun and a great way to get to know one another.’ ‘Our volunteers range from 18 years old to 70 plus and come from all across the northern rivers and beyond. They are a wonderful group of people passionate about
reading and writing and are at the heart of what makes Byron Writers Festival so special. ‘In fact more than 70 per cent of the team this year are returning volunteers. This is unique and speaks volumes about their passion for and investment in the festival.’
Positive feedback ‘They do everything from MCing the marquees, the traffic and parking to ushering, book signings and running the mic through the crowd at the session Q&As and much more. ‘We always receive so much positive feedback about the friendliness of our volunteers. The writers always comment on how lovely they are. ‘Many of them have
helped out since the very first festival.’ Byron Writers Festival also provides the opportunity for students from Southern Cross University and SAE to develop their skills in a festival environment.
Live tweets A team of four film students from SAE will be recording the event and producing a showreel. Ten students from the Southern Cross University Student Reporting Team take residence onsite in their own media tent to live tweet, take photos of sessions, write reviews and produce the festival’s blog content. They will be powered by the Sunflower, Australia’s largest solar-powered audiovisual production system,
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built and designed by the University’s School of Arts and Social Sciences. ‘Reporting on festival events in real time gives students a sense of what’s required in real journalism practice, in terms of the pace of production and quality of their writing,’ said Jeanti St Clair, a lecturer in SCU’s bachelor of digital media and communications program who manages the student blogging team. ‘It also gives them an opportunity to hone their skills in determining what angles they take on stories. The feedback from students in past years is that the writers festival is one of the most valuable experiences of their degree.’ Full program and tickets at byronwritersfestival.com. advertisement
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