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14 August 29, 2018 The Byron Shire Echo
www.byronandbeyond.com
continued from page 13 someone had listened to her complaints, someone had heard her. The tone in her voice changed. The patient opposite me shared a look with me, we both recognised the change in her demeanour, just from my small show of support. I will send a letter to both CEOs of these hospitals and hope some changes can be made. Megan Jack Tyalgum
Holiday letting
Fair Trading Minister Matt Kean in his introduction speech to the Fair Trading Amendment (Short Term Rental Accommodation) Bill, 2018, stated ‘If the investigation of a complaint regarding a host or guest finds that they have committed a serious breach of the Code more than once over a two year period, the guest or host will be listed on the register’ (Hansard 6 June, 2018). Based on his statement, VOHL (Victims Of Holiday Letting) has major concerns that a still undeveloped Code of Conduct will not protect the residential amenity of neighbours of holiday lets. Kean’s statement appears to indicate that if the occu-
pants of a holiday let make a disturbance such as offensive noise, then only a penalty (‘strike’) will be applied to the guest and not the host who is the owner/manager. Therefore, the owner/manager is not taking any responsibility for a failure in their vetting and management. Online platforms and hosts are only provided with the name and address of the principal guest who gives credit card details. If this guest is listed on the register, they can easily circumvent any imposed restriction by getting another relative or friend to make future bookings. Invited friends are often a further cause of residential amenity damage. VOHL has always stated that owners must be held responsible in this Code to solve any problems that arise where residential amenity is disrupted. Hosts allow guests into their holiday let for commercial gain and should take responsibility for problems that arise. In hotel, motel and B&B accommodation management and/or security are onsite to immediately resolve any disturbance. Our permanent residents must be protected. Doug Luke Coordinator, VOHL
Accountants please
$5.7million for a roundabout on Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay and $8 million for a hospital with operating theatre, patient rooms, pharmacy etc. Doesn’t add up to me. Margaret Keating Ocean Shores
School fight
The community of Pottsville and surrounds continue the fight to establish a secondary education facility in southern Tweed Shire. In its own statement via budget announcements, the Department of Education stated that projections of government school enrolments for 2019–20 were to be over 40,000 higher than that of 2015–16 yet there is still no plan for a government high school in Pottsville – despite land being set aside for that very purpose. As subdivisions continue across the Tweed Shire, with an estimated 4,500 homes in the Kings Forest housing estate alone, the question is being asked – how will the children who move into this area be educated once they reach secondary school? Kingscliff High School’s current enrolment of 1,280 students continues to increase as more families move to the Tweed Shire. Most of
netdaily.net.au those who have moved to the Pottsville area in particular were lured here with the promise of a high school to be built in the very near future. Land earmarked in 2000 for the school is still vacant and those who have moved to the area with children are now placing their children on buses for commutes of up to 45 minutes each way. The 2016 Census Data shows 485 students from Pottsville, Bogangar, Burringbar, Hastings Point and Cudgen Creek are commuting to high school for up to 45 minutes one way. While the NSW government funds the school bus use of these children, the amount of money spent per student could easily fund a new school in Pottsville and save the government millions of wasted dollars. When children commute to school, they are removed from their local community. This affects the children’s ability to obtain part-time jobs and play sport in their local community. The flow on effect is then felt with local business as they lose not only the children, but the parents. Appointments are made in Kingscliff instead of Pottsville because the dentist or doctor continued on page 16
Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo