The Byron Shire Echo Volume 34 #14 Wednesday, September 11, 2019
www.echo.net.au
RIGHT NOW S O A P O C A LY P T I C
Byron Bay police bashing – still no resolution Paul Bibby The year-long delay in deciding whether or not to charge a local police officer involved in the violent arrest of a distressed youth in Byron Bay is ‘unacceptable’, the state’s leading civil liberties organisation says. In a strongly worded letter to NSW attorney-general, Mark Speakman, the NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) expressed serious concern about the delay in dealing with the incident, in which the officer struck the youth 18 times with a baton in the early hours of January 11 last year. ‘The NSWCCL is of the view that this delay is unacceptable,’ the secretary of the NSWCCL Therese Cochrane said. ‘The young person, who was seriously injured in this incident, and the community are entitled to know, in a timely manner, where the accountability lies in relation to this incident of excessive force and whether the officer involved will be prosecuted. ‘We expect this matter would be weighing heavily upon the young person involved.’ Footage of the officer, known as Officer E, repeatedly hitting the youth was aired on national television, bringing an outraged response from many locals and the wider community. The teenager suffered broken
ribs and multiple bruises and abrasions during the incident, which also took a severe psychological toll. The arrest became the subject of a public inquiry by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC), which ultimately found that the senior constable known as ‘Officer E’ struck the teenager 19 times with his baton, including a number of times while the youth was handcuffed. The LECC found that this constituted ‘an inappropriate use of excessive force’ and referred the matter to the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW DPP) seeking advice as to whether Officer E should be charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. But the LECC, the community, the youth, and his family are still waiting for the NSW DPP to provide this advice. Meanwhile, NSW Police have confirmed that Officer E has now left the Tweed-Byron region. ‘He is now performing duties at another command,’ a NSW Police spokesperson said. ‘He is no longer stationed within Tweed Byron Police District.’ The spokesperson also said Officer E was ‘subject to an interim risk management plan’. ‘We are still awaiting the DPP review of this matter. As that review is ongoing no further comment is possible.’
Gathering for Théo Hayez on Sunday ▶ p4
Byron Shire Council Notices ▶ p10
Shearwater springs into summer
Ayla almost considers sharing her mango ice block with her dad Chris at Shearwater Steiner School’s Spring Fair over the weekend. Photo Jeff ‘Blossom’ Dawson
Time to stand for koalas – if you care Aslan Shand The logging of the high-use koala habitat in the Braemar State Forest is due to start this Friday 13 and the call is going out for people to take a stand for koalas this Sunday. This area is one of the most significant koala populations known in NSW State Forests according to ecologist Dailan Pugh from the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA). ‘Under the old rules for protecting koala habitat around 100 hectares of the Braemar State Forest would be protected but under the new rules only five feed trees per hectare will be kept,’ said Mr Pugh. ‘We’ve found koalas using about
Nat Young’s Church of the Open Sky ▶ p17
19 feed trees per hectare and this will be a major reduction of food trees that will lead to a major reduction in this koala population. ‘Braemar encompasses core breeding habitat that is part of the nationally significant koala population previously identified across the nearby Carwong and Royal Camp State Forests. ‘Our appeals to the premier and environment minister to intervene and ensure that all koala high-use areas are identified and protected were counterproductive. Instead the government has decided to switch over to the new rules where koala high-use areas are no longer protected.’
Byron A&I mapped out ▶ p18
Join the rally NEFA are calling for a peaceful, family-friendly, public rally on Sunday 15 September from 10am at the turnoff to Rappville, 24km south of Casino on Summerland Way. ‘We want to celebrate the koalas in Braemar State Forest and encourage people to come and show their support for saving the koala from extinction,’ said Mr Pugh. Some koala supporters are planning to remain at the site for Monday or longer if logging has started to make clear their objection to destroying key koala habitat.
All about health ▶ p20
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Go on and entertain yourself ▶ p32