The Byron Shire Echo – Issue 33.51 – May 29, 2019

Page 1

NOW IS THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT AND COMFORT The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 33 #51 • Wednesday, May 29, 2019 • www.echo.net.au

Primary colours up the creek – with paddle The Brunswick River was all a-splash on Sunday morning for the double-digit birthday of Australia’s largest organised paddling event, the Mullum 2 Bruns Paddle. Some of the top kayakers and standup paddlers in the country competed in the various 10km challenges but the majority of paddlers were just in it for the fun. Organisers welcomed a creative and colourful array of dragon boats, kayaks, inflatables and even homemade tugboats for the 10th anniversary event.

Major annual fundraiser for Bruns The Paddle is a major annual fundraiser for three non-for-profit organisations based in Brunswick Heads – the Surf Life Saving Club, Marine Rescue, and the Bruns Visitor Centre.

Mullum 2 Bruns Paddle participants. The 10th annual event was held on Sunday. Photo Jeff ‘Paddles’ Dawson

Bypass gets green light, small business future unsure Hans lovejoy While the Byron bypass passed its final hurdle at Thursday’s Council meeting, there is uncertainty around how businesses located in the old Norco building will operate, given that all parking has been consumed by the bypass. Council staff are yet to reply to The Echo as to how these businesses will continue – Byron Music will perhaps be the most affected, along with a sound-recording studio and others in the same building. On Thursday, the Greens bloc supported a $14m tender to a QLD-based construction company

with last-minute inclusion of a biodiversity enhancement program and plans to relocate the Byron monthly markets from Butler Street for six months to the beachside. The weekly farmers markets, held at the same location, will relocate to the Cavanbah Centre. In favour of the tender approval were the Greens bloc: mayor Simon Richardson, Crs Sarah Ndiaye, Jeannette Martin, and Michael Lyon, along with Labor’s Paul Spooner and Jan Hackett. National Party-aligned Cr Alan Hunter also supported the motion. Independent Crs Basil Cameron and Cate Coorey voted against.

Magnificant leadership and other tales of local governance ▶ p4

Byron Music’s Nick Sergi told The Echo he is ‘quite nervous’ about the future of his business, given there are no parking and truck-access allocations in the plans.

Parking not considered He says around 20 to 25 people turned up to a meeting with staff on Monday night, and staff were adamant it was all going ahead. Sergi said, ‘The meeting was combined with residents and businesses, which was a bit disappointing because we have quite separate issues.’ Noise-mitigation issues may be addressed for businesses he added, ‘Yet none was included in the Noise

Community effort conjures up Sean’s magic boots ▶ p6

Mitigation Plan, as approved by the Planning Panel’. During Thursday’s morning access, Butler Street resident Paul Jones stood before councillors as ‘defeated’ and outlined claims of deception and lies that led to the decision, none of which were refuted (See Council roundup page 4). Under pressure to apply more vigorous environmental oversight, Greens mayor Simon Richardson was supported by all councillors for a report on ‘establishing a biodiversity enhancement program separate from, and above that which is required by the biobanking ▶ Continued on page 2

Byron Shire Council Notices ▶ p10

Greens Mayor again attempts to impose paid parking on Bruns The Brunswick Heads chamber of commerce, represented by Kim Rosen, has again highlighted a lack of consultation by Council over parking arrangements for the town and rejected Greens mayor Simon Richardson’s plans to again introduce paid parking. While she addressed Thursday’s Council meeting in the morning outlining staff report inadequacies, the mayor brought an unexpected lengthy amendment later in the day calling for paid parking for the town and expanding parking schemes. It was voted down – Crs Lyon, Coorey, Cameron, Hackett, Spooner, Hunter voted against. Instead, councillors voted for Cr Hunter’s motion to defer any decisions for a month. Cr Hunter told the gallery it is ‘not in my nature to defer [decisions]… We haven’t talked to [businesses]… We should show good governance.’ Rosen later told The Echo, ‘Brunswick businesses want to know why the latest report by Traffic & Parking Consultants (TPS), who were engaged by Council with ratepayer money, was once again ignored’. Ms Rosen said, ‘Recommendations in the staff report did not match those from TPS, critical data for councillors to be able to make informed decisions was missing, and there was no consultation with affected stakeholders, as was expected in the Parking Review.’ The contentious staff recommendations included turning all the all-day parking into 4-hour parking ▶ Continued on page 5

Letters in glorious ink and on paper ▶ p13

Phillip Frazer dissects the election ▶ p15


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.