THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 32 #25 Wednesday, November 29, 2017
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Ancient Chinese Mullum Hospital bureaucracy didn’t must be mess about – p6 demolished – p2 Mayor leads ‘crack addiction’ push for paid parking Brunswick Heads will not get paid parking right now, yet the slim Greens-led majority councillors voted to lay the groundwork for it in the future. A rowdy crowd wearing red assembled during morning public access at Thursday’s Council meeting and Kim Rosen from the town’s chamber of commerce made the case to councillors that the town is against. She claims a petition against paid parking had also reached more than 6,000 signatures. Like Bangalow, the chamber challenges the validity of the surveys and say that councillors ignored the traffic report’s recommendation not to implement paid parking. Ms Rosen later told The Echo, ‘We are pleased with the unanimous vote last Thursday to stop paid parking. But we were very disappointed that clever wording in the narrowly passed resolution means that this is only a temporary reprieve.’ ‘The opposition to paid parking in our village was convincing, despite the obviously biased surveys, and even with the “sweetener” offered to win over support for paid parking. So that should be the end of it. But apparently not. Some councillors obviously didn’t get the result they had hoped for to justify forcing paid parking on us, so they plan to try again in only six months time. This is very unfair. ‘We wanted the new timed parking arrangements to be trialled for a full year of busy and quiet periods to see how that worked. But Council voted 5–4 to spend about $100,000 investigating and collecting data on continued on page 2
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R E B U K I N G P R I V I L E G E D O L D W H I N I N G W E A LT H Y W H I T E M E N WITH ENORMOUS POWER AND NO MORALS SINCE 1986
Mullum River Street Cinema Shop Local first Ballina reviews winners – p8–9 – p14–15 – p35
Japanese culture celebrated
Online in netdaily Sea Shepherd releases government whaling footage www.echo.net.au/sea-shepherd-releasesaustralian-government-whaling-footage
GM resigns
Council’s general manager Ken Gainger. Photo David Hancock
Hundreds braved gorgeous Byron Bay weather to imbibe a little Japanese culture by the sea last Saturday. Byron’s first Japanese Festival introduced fascinated festival goers to adventurous and delicious food, colourful dance, delicate music, traditional ceremonial tea service and exquisite outfits. Photo Jeff Dawson
While staff are yet to provide a press release, they confirmed with The Echo on Monday that general manager Ken Gainger has resigned. Cr Paul Spooner told The Echo he expects Mr Gainger to remain until January. With around three years left on his contract, Mr Gainger leaves the post after five years. In that time, he reformed the executive management and oversaw a 33.55 per cent four-year cumulative rate rise. Roads and infrastructure were also focuses of his management.
Developer on Byron masterplan group lodges $21m four-storey DA Realtor/developer Graham Dunn has stood by his decision to remain on the Byron Bay masterplan leadership team while being involved with a $21m four-storey high-density DA (development application), located on the corner block opposite Mitre 10 and Byron Music. The Byron Bay masterplan leadership team comprises 22 community members who will advise and direct the town’s masterplan delivery. The DA proposes 24 shops, 26 serviced apartments, a 65-capacity childcare centre, retail premises and a cafe. While the community has for
many years fought hard to retain a three-storey height limit, Mr Dunn’s DA states that four storeys ‘are a response to the recommendations of the council-adopted Byron Bay Masterplan.’ As the development is estimated to be over $20m, the state government’s Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) will be the consent authority, which approves almost 100 per cent of development applications. Remarkably Mr Dunn claims there is no pecuniary interest as he told the group of his intention to develop the site when he joined the
group. However spokesperson for the group Donald Maughan told The Echo he attended every meeting and had ‘no recollection of Mr Dunn stating any interests in the development in the southern end of Jonson Street.’
Conflicting statements Fellow team member Dr Mary Gardner also supported Mr Maughan’s statement. Mr Maughan said, ‘I cannot speak for the community members of the masterplan leadership team; however, on a personal level this DA that
proposes to exceed current height restrictions does worry me. Its size and its impact on transport movement and infrastructure in the community of the Bay will be significant.’ ‘The fact that it’s costed at over $20m has the possibility of taking its approval from Council’s jurisdiction to the state government and that really worries me as the community loses any say. ‘I emphasise that the masterplan leadership committee has not discussed this DA and to my knowledge community members in the team continued on page 4
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