The Byron Shire Echo – Issue 35.01 – June 17, 2020

Page 1

BURSTING WITH GOODIES FOR 34 YEARS AND COUNTING The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 35 #01 • Wednesday, June 17, 2020 • www.echo.net.au

Retired magistrate calls for more DV policing Paul Bibby The office of NSW Minister for Police, David Elliott MP (Liberal), is yet to comment on why his department spends inordinate resources on busting pot growers and users rather than directing police to address the state’s appalling domestic violence problem. The question of police resources was put to Elliott’s office after retired magistrate, David Heilpern, told The Echo that stopping domestic violence should be the NSW justice system’s first priority, rather than the endless war on cannabis. After 21 years on the bench, Mr Heilpern has opened up about his observations regarding the devastating impact of violence within the home, and his frustration at the lack of proactive policing to address it. ‘This sort of violence is incredibly damaging,’ Mr Heilpern says. ‘I can honestly say that I rarely, if ever, saw a repeat juvenile or child offender who had not seen or witnessed violence in the home or been a victim of family violence in the home. ‘And the stats on women offenders and domestic and family violence are just horrendous.’ As the police proudly trumpeted the seizure of $22m worth of cannabis near Lismore last week, Mr Heilpern says the same level of proactive policing should be applied to stopping violence. ‘Right now, most domestic and family violence policing is completely reactive,’ he says. ‘For example, I was never asked to authorise a single search warrant for domestic violence, but regularly

—ĕčĕŕĕſÍĆ?ÄśĹ&#x;Ĺ• čſÍĹ•Ć?Ɔ Ĺ&#x;Ĺ• Ĺ&#x;Ç” Ä•Ĺż

for drug offences. ‘Every time I see police helicopters swooping down with the ground crew, and the expense and all the rest, I think “maybe community values have shifted and family violence should be the priority�,’ he says. Mr Heilpern also questioned the level of compensation given to survivors of domestic and family violence. ‘I’ve got a friend who is a longterm victim of sexual assault,’ he says. ‘Her compensation was $15,000. But if you’re assaulted by a priest, it’s $150,000. ‘Now, I haven’t got a problem with the latter amount, I think that is the rightful level of compensation.

DV comp too low ‘But I think the amount of compensation for domestic violence victims is far too low.’ Despite having presided over numerous domestic violence cases and other cases involving appalling violence, Mr Heilpern says he retains his faith in human beings. ‘There are only a handful of people that I’ve concluded are bad to the bone,’ he says. ‘Most people don’t want to hurt others, they don’t want to take from others, they don’t want to endanger the community. ‘I really think that the court has a therapeutic role in helping people find a pathway of achieving, not society’s goals, or the community’s goals, but achieving their own goals. ‘So in many ways, sitting up there has strengthened my optimism about the essential goodness of human nature.’

Should artists have a living wage? â–ś p5

Byron Shire Council Notices ▜ p8

Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF) advisor, Maggie Brown, and executive officer, Emily Berry, are looking at how they can support communities who are building resilience. They have launched a Resilience and Regeneration fund that allows donors to get their money straight to where it is needed. From July 7, local community groups throughout the Northern Rivers can apply for grants of up to $10,000. Photo Jeff Dawson â–ś Read more on page 18

Development opportunities before councillors Thursday Nineteen landowners have expressed an interest in having their land designated for residential land developed for urbanisation, according to the Draft Residential Strategy Submissions Review Report, which will be before councillors at the upcoming Council planning meeting this Thursday. The Residential Strategy aims to supply future housing needs for the Shire’s towns ‘for at least the next 20 years’. Remarkably, the staff report excludes all other submissions received during the exhibition period, that will instead, ‘be addressed in a further report to Council’. A number of properties put

Big names announced for localised event ▜ p9

This includes the Saddle Road area (‘Area 17’ of 2.9 km2 land) and the Broken Head Quarry Site. Parts of Mullumbimby, Ewingsdale and Bangalow were also found to be unsuitable. Additionally, a large 165,820 m2 parcel just outside Mullum at 1897 Coolamon Scenic Drive was found unsuitable. Council previously rejected a large festival site/wellness centre proposal at that location. A court case ensued. Also, the large, open area of

land (209,981 m2) to the south of Argyle Street and New City Road, Mullumbimby, was rejected by staff, owing to it being flood and bushfire prone, as well as being important farmland. Another adjacent 414,903 m2 block of land in Mullum’s outskirts was rejected for similar reasons. So what land does council staff approve for development? A small parcel at 20 Prince Street Mullumbimby, and a large panel adjacent to the Mullum Community Gardens – 152 Stuart Street and 124, 127, 130, 132, 134 Station Street. A 17,612m2 block at 21 Ballina Road, Bangalow was also supported by planning staff.

4WD users trashing beaches south of Ballina ▜ p10

Opportunities to be healthy and healed ▜ p16

forward were deemed by staff as inconsistent with the NSW government’s North Coast Regional Plan and the Draft Residential Strategy.

Areas unsuitable

ZƾŜ dĹšĹ?Ć? ĹŻÄžÄ?ĆšĆŒĹ?Ä? Ä‚ĆŒ ĨŽĆŒ &ĆŒÄžÄž ŽŜ ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ

dÄžĆ?Ćš ĆŒĹ?ǀĞ dŽĚĂLJ

>Ĺ?ǀĞ Ä‚Ĺś Ä‚ĨĨŽĆŒÄšÄ‚Ä?ĹŻÄž ÇŒÄžĆŒĹ˝ Ä?Ä‚ĆŒÄ?ŽŜ ĹŻĹ?ĨÄžĆ?ƚLJůĞ ĹśĹ˝Ç Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ Ä‚ ĹŻĹ˝Ç ĹŹĹľ EĹ?Ć?Ć?Ä‚Ĺś >ĞĂĨ Ĺ?ĹľĆ‰Ĺ˝ĆŒĆšÄžÄš ĨĆŒŽž :ĂƉĂŜ Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ LJŽƾĆŒ ĹśÄžÇ ,ŽžÄž ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ ĹšÄ‚ĆŒĹ?Ĺ?ĹśĹ? ^ƚĂƚĹ?ŽŜ

ĎŻĎŹ ĹŹt Ä‚ĆšĆšÄžĆŒÇ‡ Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ ĎŽĎŹĎŹ ĹŹĹľ ĆŒÄ‚ĹśĹ?Ğ͘ ,Ä‚Ć? ĆŒĆľĹ?Ć?Äž ŽŜĆšĆŒŽůÍ• ƾƚŽ ĹŻĹ?Ĺ?ŚƚĆ?Í• <ĞLJůĞĆ?Ć? ÄžĹśĆšĆŒÇ‡Í• ZÄžÇ€ÄžĆŒĆ?Äž Ä‚ĹľÄžĆŒÄ‚Í• ůƾĞƚŽŽĆšĹšÍ• ĹŻĹ?žĂƚĞ Ä?ŽŜĆšĆŒŽůÍ• ZÄžĹ?ÄžĹśÄžĆŒÄ‚ĆšĹ?ǀĞ Ä?ĆŒÄ‚ĹŹĹ?ĹśĹ?Í• ŚĞĂƚĞĚ Ć?ĞĂƚĆ?Í• ĞƚÄ?͘

Ď´Ď´Ď´ ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ dĞŏ ŚĂĆ? Ä‚ĹŻĹŻ ƚŚĞ Ä?ŽŜŜÄžÄ?ĆšĹ?ŽŜĆ? ƚŽ Ä?ĆŒĹ?ĹśĹ? LJŽƾ Ä‚ĨĨŽĆŒÄšÄ‚Ä?ĹŻÄž ĹŻÄžÄ?ĆšĆŒĹ?Ä? sĞŚĹ?Ä?ĹŻÄžĆ? ĂŜĚ ŽĨĨ Ĺ?ĆŒĹ?Äš Ĺ˝ĆŒ ŽŜ Ĺ?ĆŒĹ?Äš Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ć?Ĺ˝ LJŽƾ ĹśÄžÇ€ÄžĆŒ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŽ ĆľĆ?Äž ĨŽĆ?Ć?Ĺ?ĹŻ ĨƾĞůĆ? Ä‚Ĺ?Ä‚Ĺ?ĹśÍ˜

Ď´Ď´Ď´ ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ dĞŏ ŚĂĆ? ĞdžÄ?ĹŻĆľĆ?Ĺ?ǀĞ Ä‚Ä?Ä?ÄžĆ?Ć? ƚŽ ƚŚĞ Ç ĹšŽůÄžĆ?Ä‚ĹŻÄžĆŒ ŽĨ ƚŚĞĆ?Äž Ĺ?ĹľĆ‰Ĺ˝ĆŒĆšÄžÄš Ä?Ä‚ĆŒĆ? ĂŜĚ Ç Äž Ć‰ĆŒĹ˝Ç€Ĺ?ĚĞ Ä‚ Ä?ŽžĆ‰ĹŻÄžĆšÄž Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ä?ĹšÄ‚ĆŒĹ?Ĺ?ĹśĹ? Ć?ƚĂƚĹ?ŽŜ Ć?Ĺ˝ LJŽƾ Ä?Ä‚Ĺś ĹŻĹ?ǀĞ ƚŚĞ ÄšĆŒÄžÄ‚Ĺľ ĹśĹ˝Ç Í˜

dŚĞ EĹ?Ć?Ć?Ä‚Ĺś >ĞĂĨ Ĺ?Ć? ƚŚĞ ůĞĂĚĹ?ĹśĹ? ĞůĞÄ?ĆšĆŒĹ?Ä? Ä?Ä‚ĆŒ Ĺ?Ĺś ĆľĆ?ĆšĆŒÄ‚ĹŻĹ?Ä‚ ĂŜĚ Ç Äž ŚĂǀĞ ĹśĹ˝Ç Ć?ÄžÄ?ĆľĆŒÄžÄš ƚŚĞ Ä?ÄžĆ?Ćš Ć?ƾƉƉůLJ ŽĨ ůĂƚĞ žŽÄšÄžĹŻ EĹ?Ć?Ć?Ä‚Ĺś >ĞĂĨÍ›Ć? Ĺ?Ĺś Ĺ?ĆŒÄžÄ‚Ćš Ä?ŽŜÄšĹ?ĆšĹ?ŽŜ Ä‚ÄžĆ?ƚŚĞƚĹ?Ä?ĂůůLJ ĂŜĚ žĞÄ?ŚĂŜĹ?Ä?Ä‚ĹŻĹŻÇ‡Í˜

&Ĺ?ŜĂŜÄ?Äž Ĺ?Ć? ĂǀĂĹ?ĹŻÄ‚Ä?ĹŻÄž Ć?Ĺ˝ LJŽƾ Ä?Ä‚Ĺś ƉĂLJ ĨŽĆŒ Ĺ?Ćš Ä‚ĹŻĹŻ Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ ƚŚĞ žŽŜĞLJ LJŽƾ Ć?ĂǀĞ͘ Ä‚ĹŻĹŻ sĹ?ĹśÄ?ĞŜƚ ĹśĹ˝Ç ĆšĹ˝ Ä‚ĆŒĆŒÄ‚ĹśĹ?Äž Ä‚ ƚĞĆ?Ćš ÄšĆŒĹ?ǀĞ͘

Ä‚ĆŒ &Ä‚Ä?ĆšĆ?Í— ώϏϭϲ EĹ?Ć?Ć?Ä‚Ĺś >ĞĂĨ y K ĆľĆšĹ˝Í˜

dŚĞ ÄžĆ?Ćš dÄžÄ?ĹšŜŽůŽĹ?LJ Ĺ?Ĺś ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ WĹ˝Ç ÄžĆŒÍ• KĨĨ 'ĆŒĹ?Ě͕ ZÄžĆ?Ĺ?ĚĞŜƚĹ?Ä‚ĹŻ Θ ĆľĆ?Ĺ?ŜĞĆ?Ć?

Ć? EÄžÇ Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ ŽŜůLJ ĎŻĎ­Í•ĎŹĎŹĎŹ ĹŹĹľ ŽŜ ^ƉĞĞĚŽ

3ULFH LQFOXGHV LQVSHFWLRQ FHUWLILFDWH UHDG\ IRU UHJR

Ď´Ď´Ď´

/LF 1R &

KŜůLJ ΨώϲÍ•Ď´Ď´Ď´ÎŽ

tÄž ^ƾƉƉůLJ ĂŜĚ &Ĺ?Ćš ƚŚĞ ůĂƚĞĆ?Ćš s Ä?ĹšÄ‚ĆŒĹ?Ĺ?ĹśĹ? dÄžÄ?ĹšŜŽůŽĹ?LJ ĨĆŒŽž ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ ÄšĹ?Äž ĂŜĚ DÇ‡ÄžĹśÄžĆŒĹ?Ĺ?͘ &ĆŒÄžÄž ŽŜĆ?ƾůƚĂƚĹ?ŽŜĆ? ĨŽĆŒ Ä‚ĹŻĹŻ LJŽƾĆŒ Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ ĂŜĚ s ŜĞĞĚĆ?͘

Ä‚ĹŻĹŻ sĹ?ĹśÄ?ĞŜƚ ^ĞůůĞÄ?ĹŹ ĨŽĆŒ Ä‚ &ĆŒÄžÄž ŽŜĆ?ƾůƚĂƚĹ?ŽŜ

WĹš ĎŹĎŽ ϲϲϴϴ Ď°Ď°Ď´ĎŹ

Ç Ç Ç Í˜Ď´Ď´Ď´Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒĆšÄžĹŹÍ˜Ä?ŽžÍ˜Ä‚Ćľ

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.
The Byron Shire Echo – Issue 35.01 – June 17, 2020 by Echo Publications - Issuu