Letters Here we go again There is yet another proposal to establish a retirement village on rural land at Ewingsdale. The previous proposal was sensibly rejected as being an inappropriate use of the land, and to preserve the current R5 zoning for Ewingsdale (noting the intended development site is currently RU2). This time, prior to acquiring the land, the development company, Ingenia, is undertaking a limited community consultation with the directly affected community. That is, residents who own property adjacent to the land surrounding Higgins House in Ewingsdale through to William Flick Lane. Last Tuesday evening they held an information evening to gauge community response. It is fair to say that all of those attending were dismayed that, yet again, this was a proposal for high density living. Potential purchasers seem undeterred by the current zoning and want to build small lot, high density housing for retirees. They suggest this allows over 55s to ‘age in place’ – a deliberate misuse of the term which, in aged care, means bringing the services to the people in their homes as they ‘age in place’. That said, the main issue is that there appears to be a lack of a deterrent for potential purchasers and developers to seek to re-zone the property. In their paraphernalia, Ingenia reference the unique nature of Ewingsdale in a tokenistic way. If they
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genuinely held the unique environment of Ewingsdale in high regard, they would have a completely different proposal, in keeping with the acreage living that reflects the existing community. It is clear, and in contrast to Ingenia’s proposal, that other developers in the area (Figtree and Scenic Vista) have developed sensitively. Cynically, the developers are seeking to use the promise to develop the long overdue roundabout at Ewingsdale Road and McGettigan’s Lane as a carrot to entice some local residents to support the development. This is largely tokenistic as the responsibility for decent road amenities clearly lies with Council, with funding support from state and federal grants. Paul Leitch Ewingsdale Cartoon by Craig Scanlan
Hey – you new lot... Oi, you new chums, refos from the cities, new residents and local crazies who are filling the Shire; please pay attention. Mullumbimby is special, and is getting crowded. We need to maintain its special ambience and I want to draw your attention to a particular problem with this before disaster strikes, or, at least a nasty accident. So pay attention now. Part of Mullum’s specialness is ‘pedestrians have right of way’ – not cars. You new chums need to realise that when you emigrate to (or even just visit) Mullumbimby it takes approximately three months to slow down to the local speed. It is a blissful, gentle,
friendly speed. And worthwhile achieving. Also, it makes it much safer for we pedestrians as we wander across the road. The whole town is a pedestrian crossing. So join us and learn the art of gentle driving. It will lower your stress levels and help you blend in to paradise. Lay back and become a local. Slow down. Andrew Hall Ocean Shores
Time to retreat? So when is enough, enough? I am referring to the efforts and cost of mitigation of coastal erosion. Especially when it impacts on the built environment. A number of houses
PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE TELSTRA MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION AT BALLINA Telstra plans to upgrade a telecommunications facility at 27–29 Clark Street, Ballina NSW 2478 (RFNSA No. 2478018). 1.
The proposed facility consists of:
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The replacement and reconfiguration of existing panel antennas and the installation of new panel antennas to be installed on the existing structure;
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The installation of new Remote Radio Units (RRUs) to be installed on the existing structure; and
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The installation of ancillary equipment such as transceivers, amplifiers, antenna mounts, cable trays, feeders, cabling, combiners, diplexers, splitters, couplers, jumpers, filters, electrical equipment, security fencing, handrails, kick plates, signage, bollards and other associated equipment.
2.
Telstra regards the proposed installation as a Low-impact Facility under the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 (“The Determination”) based on the description above.
3.
In accordance with Section 7 of C564:2018 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposal. Further information and/or comments should be directed to Wannan Bao on behalf of Telstra, 0428 684 927, Telstra.enquiries@wirelessconsultation.com.au by 5pm, 12 August 2020.
10 The Byron Shire Echo `ƖōƷ ǩǰǽ ǩǧǩǧ
on the NSW coast over the last week or so have been impacted by surging tides. Certainly a horrific experience for anyone. Also the erosion at Main Beach, Byron Bay last week once again has seen Council busy with machinery. They are engaged in what seems to be a never ending cycle of rearranging grains of sand to reconstruct pathways and the beach in the fleeting image of its former glory; only for it only to be washed away again at the next surging tide. The machinery returns. The tide returns. Etc. I’m assuming there has to be, both metaphorically and literally, a time to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough to the costs. Often, the number of people impacted is miniscule to the whole population but the costs of restoration and/ or legal action are not miniscule when it is local councils having to foot the bill. All this results in less money for the benefit of the rest of the community. Surely it is time for a wider and more comprehensive discussion on planned retreat so that money can be used for the greater good, rather than on those who have ignored decades of warnings only to build on at-risk land and then cry loudly it is someone else’s fault. Enough! Neil Matterson Byron Bay
It was encouraging to read in last week’s Echo that Australians want drug law reform not more drug war. Equally disheartening was the news that the NSW Labor opposition will not deviate from the current law and order approach. The war on drugs began a century ago in response to racial anxieties, and while expatriate Chinese opium smokers were its first target, the pursuit of a drug free society has subsequently been the means by which to persecute and demonise any number of groups. Yet as cracks appear in the edifice of prohibition globally, the objectives of Australia’s drug war remain most uncertain. It seems to have become a war fought largely for its own sake; an institutional virus. How else to view the legally sanctioned indecent assaults – aka strip searches – of young women by police officers at Byron Shire music festivals; the 148,363 people arrested in Australia for possessing illicit drugs in 2018 (the latest available data), the overwhelming majority (91 per cent) of whom were in possession of small quantities for personal use; the drug testing of drivers – without reference to impairment of driving ability – under the guise of ‘road safety’; and the Federal government’s recent (but currently mothballed) initiative to drug test certain Centrelink clients? Dave Lisle Goonengerry
Thanksgiving A way out of depression/ Find one thing to be thankful for,/ a grateful heart has hope./ Hope lets the light in,/ in the light there is truth./ Truth brings freedom,/ freedom releases love./ Love, in turn, inspires giving. Greg Davies Byron Bay
Homeless housing I was sad to hear that homeless people have been moved on from Brunswick Heads – where can they go? Bruns at least had toilets and water on tap – very necessary for those sleeping rough. I have long been telling anyone who would listen that we have an empty train line south of the Byron Bay intersection and that the
state government is scrapping old train carriages. Why not bring those old train carriages up and park them on the line, with bush either side, thus out of sight of those who do not care for their fellow homeless human beings. The only cost would be to provide a few facilities, like a water supply and toilets, shower and laundry facilities. It may need some supervision for resident safety reasons, but may well provide the temporary accommodation sadly lacking for Byron’s homeless. Yes, I know a number will have mental illness, and/or addiction problems, but surely those problems cannot be addressed when people are living outside in all weather. If they have some sort of roof over their head, then support agencies could reach out to them. Maggie Borger Byron Bay
Yet another scandal Another coalition government, another pork-barrelling scandal, it shouldn’t surprise anyone. This time Gladys Berejiklian and accomplice, porkbarrelling supremo John (pork) Barilaro, are being accused of allocating the vast majority of $250 million in the ‘Stronger Communities Program’ designed to assist councils after mergers, into coalition-held seats, prior to the 2019 election. Emails obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that the Premier, (Gladys) had direct oversight into the granting of $90 million (a third of the entire scheme) to Hornsby Council, which hadn’t even amalgamated. The fact that former Liberal Federal Minister Phillip Ruddock is now Mayor of Hornsby Council is probably just a mere coincidence? The Stronger Communities Fund was set up to compensate local councils that were forced into amalgamation, but Western Sydney mayors in Labor-held seats are claiming to have missed out on funding completely, and to not even have known about it. Another ‘coincidence’ occurred in Barilaro’s own electorate where local councils that, again, weren’t impacted by amalgamation received $4 million. ▶ Continued on page 12
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