THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 33 #01
THE
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
www.echo.net.au Phone 02 6684 1777 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
PA G E S 2 8 - 2 9
NO EMBARGO
Anti Vax Network response to Mandy Nolan – p16
The legacy of cedar – p13
Lennox cricket team debut in Shand cup – p47
Yo young peeps: don’t ever take advice… except here – p10
netdaily Lennox fig may have Aboriginal significance
Online in
www.echo.net.au/lennox-fig-mayaboriginal-cultural-significance
Govt holiday-letting A skyhigh anti-bullying message plans released
Closed door meetings However, most concede privately that the chances of convincing the government to either amend its continued on page 2
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Bullying is challenging for children, parents and schools and working out how to respond, how to support your children and how to move forward in a positive way can be difficult. Raising money to help children find positive ways to address bullying, Marlena May Katene will be jumping out of an aeroplane from 15,000 feet on Saturday June 16. And this is no normal jump – Marlena has cerebral palsy, a condition that affects a person’s ability to move. Yet this has not stopped her living her life to the fullest. Marlena, who uses a talking de-
vice and facilitated communication to communicate, started her first business at 15 and then went on to complete a Bachelor of Communication, majoring in journalism. ‘My obvious abilities are often overshadowed by my obvious disability, but only to those who do not know me,’ said Marlena. And Marlena has every right to be proud – among her many other talents, Marlena has become a successful journalist interviewing the likes of Richard Branson and the Dalai Lama to name just a few. With a goal of raising $1,500, Marlena will donate all the money raised to the Dream Guards, who have run
programs at primary schools to help kids learn how to be resilient and stand up to bullying in a positive way.
Resilience building ‘We believe no child should feel afraid while getting a quality education,’ said Michael Bennett from Dream Guards, who is also jumping with Marlena on Saturday. ‘Our program is easy for children to understand and follow, helping educate the bullied and the bully. The money raised will go towards buying a bus so that we can go national.’ To donate to the cause, visit www.gofundme.com/i-can-i-willskydiving-day.
ST
The Echo published the incorrect address for the JRRP meeting for West Byron on Tuesday June 19 from 3pm. It will not be held at the Council Chambers – it will be at Mullumbimby Civic Hall.
Aslan Shand
60 Fro * m in c. G
Correction
Anti-bullying campaigner Michael Bennett with daredevil journalist Marlena May Katene. Photo Jeff ‘If At First You Don’t Succeed, I Don’t Recommend Skydiving’ Dawson
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Byron Shire Council is seeking an exemption from the state government’s new short-term holiday-letting laws in a last ditch bid to preserve its policy of restricting short-term letting in residential areas. However, short-term holiday letting advocates are pushing for even less regulation of the industry, and some are openly discussing strategies to avoid the 180-day cap the government is proposing. On June 4, the NSW government announced a series of long awaited proposed changes to short-term letting rules that will have significant implications for property owners and renters across the Shire. Most notably, the new laws explicitly state that short-term holiday letting is allowed in residential areas. This significantly undermines Byron Council’s policy of cracking down on this practice on the basis that it is an ‘unauthorised use’ that takes much-needed housing stock out of the rental market. The new laws pave the way for an increase in short-term holiday letting in the Shire by giving homeowners and investors a green light to let out their homes and granny flats without
fear of prosecution by the council. Under the new laws, Council may have the power to prevent property owners from letting out their houses or flats for more than 180 days per year if they don’t live there; however, it’s unclear how it will preserve community amenity and stem the holiday-letting tide. Greens councillor Michael Lyon told The Echo Council was not going down without a fight. He said it would apply for a special exemption from the laws, which would allow Council to implement its own policy. ‘There’s a small window of opportunity to seek an exemption from the new policy from the minister for planning,’ Cr Lyon said. ‘Council staff are seeking to make contact with the minister to get an urgent meeting about it. ‘The negative impact of this policy on housing supply and rents is unquestionable.’ The Shire’s registered accommodation providers – those with specific approval to run tourist-accommodation businesses – are also hitting back. They have taken to social media urging those who are unhappy with the ‘absurdly destructive holidayletting changes’ to lobby for change by emailing the NSW premier and the minister responsible, Matt Kean.
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