The Byron Shire Echo – Issue 35.25 – December 2, 2020

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A SPECTRUM OF POTENTIAL SINCE 1986 The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 35 #25 • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • www.echo.net.au

Mobile wildlife hospital launches

Telstra ignores 5G opposition Paul Bibby

Tex Perkins, Luke Hemsworth, Dr Steven Van Mil, INXS drummer Jon Farriss, and model Elise Knowles at the launch of the mobile Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital. Photo Jeff ‘Strucked By Stars’ Dawson Aslan Shand A star-studded cast of locals, from Tex Perkins to Luke Hemsworth, attended the launch of the mobile Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital last Thursday at the The Farm in Ewingsdale. There was excitement in the air as everyone gathered around a a purpose-built semi-trailer mobile hospital that aims to assist native animals in need of specialist care. Lennox Head vet, Dr Steven Van Mil, who is CEO of the project, said that the project was conceived about two years ago before the devastating bushfire season. Last year, the unprecedented Black Summer fires tore through the east coast of Australia, killing nearly three billion animals.

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Following the fires, there were calls from environmental groups for more effective, on the ground, approaches to help animals affected by the fires and other impacts of climate change. Dr Van Mil highlighted the fact that the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary was seeing around 4,000 animals a year, and that there was a ‘critical need for a dedicated wildlife service’ on the north coast. At the launch, the project’s founders spoke to their vision that this is only the beginning for the mobile wildlife hospital, with plans to create a more permanent space in the future. They said that this could serve a dual role as a hospital as well as an educational facility where locals and tourists can go to learn more about wildlife and their

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conservation. After the launch, the mobile wildlife hospital travelled to a site next to Island Quarry on Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay, where they have been given a penny lease by a local landholder, Adam Bennett-Smith.

Site yet to be approved However, concerns have been raised in relation to the current environmental protection zoning of the site. A Council spokesperson said that, ‘Access to the land from Ewingsdale Road is dependent on the section 138 application now lodged being approved – this includes both Council and RMS/TfNSW approvals. A development application is to follow for the use of part of the land as [the home to] a mobile Wildlife Hospital’.

8 Acacia St site approved 5G opponents have expressed anger and dismay at the latest proposed installation, which is the eleventh proposed 5G upgrade in the Shire. ‘Byron Bay PS is just 300 metres from this tower,’ safe technology activist Rinat Strahlhofer said. ‘Of all the 11 proposed 5G upgrades, five are within a 500m radius of a school or child care centre, which goes against Department of Education policy’. The group that Ms Strahlhofer co-founded, Northern Rivers for Safe Technology, is also continuing its fight against the proposed

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ĹŻĹŻ Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ć?LJĆ?ƚĞžĆ? Ç Ĺ?ĹŻĹŻ ŚĂǀĞ Ć‰ĆŒĹ˝Ä?ůĞžĆ? Ć?ŽžÄžÄšÄ‚Ç‡Í˜ / ĹŹĹśĹ˝Ç Ä?ÄžÄ?ĂƾĆ?Ğ͕ ĞǀĞŜ ƚŚŽƾĹ?Ĺš / ĆŒƾŜ Ä‚ Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ä?ŽžĆ‰Ä‚ĹśÇ‡Í• Ĺ?Ćš ŚĂƉƉĞŜĞĚ ƚŽ ĹľÄžÍ˜ dĹšÄžĆŒÄž Ç Ä‚Ć? Ä‚ Ä?ĹŻÄ‚Ä?ŏŽƾĆšÍ˜ Ç€ÄžĆŒÇ‡ Ç ÄžÄžĹŹ / Ĺ?Ğƚ Ä?ĂůůĆ? ĨĆŒŽž ÄšĹ?Ć?ĆšĆŒÄ‚ĆľĹ?Śƚ ĹŻĹ˝Ä?ĂůĆ? Ç ĹšĹ˝ / ĨůĹ?Ä?ŏĞĚ ƚŚĞ Ć?Ç Ĺ?ĆšÄ?Ĺš ƚŽ ĆšĆľĆŒĹś ŽŜ ƚŚĞ Ä?Ä‚Ä?ŏƾƉ Ä?Ä‚ĆšĆšÄžĆŒĹ?ÄžĆ? Ä?ŽƾĹ?Śƚ Ä?ŚĞĂƉ Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ ĂŜĚ ƚŚĞLJ Ä?ĂŜΖƚ Ĺ?Ğƚ ĂŜLJ Ć?ÄžĆŒÇ€Ĺ?Ä?Äž ĂŜĚ͙ EŽƚŚĹ?ĹśĹ? ,ĂƉƉĞŜĞĚ͊ ĨĆŒŽž ƚŚĞ Ä?ŽžĆ‰Ä‚ĹśÇ‡ ƚŚĂƚ Ć?ŽůÄš Ĺ?ĆšÍ˜ /žĂĹ?Ĺ?ŜĞ ĹšĹ˝Ç Ć?ƚƾƉĹ?Äš / ĨĞůƚ Ç ĹšÄžĹś / Ç ÄžĹśĆš ŽƾĆšĆ?Ĺ?ĚĞ ĂŜĚ /ƚΖĆ? Ä?ĆŒŽŏĞŜ ĂŜĚ ŜŽ ŽŜÄž Ç Ĺ?ĹŻĹŻ ĨĹ?dž Ĺ?ĆšÍ˜ ĆŒÄžÄ‚ĹŻĹ?Ć?ĞĚ žLJ Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ĺ?ĹśÇ€ÄžĆŒĆšÄžĆŒ ŚĂĚ ÄšĹ?ĞĚ͊ /žĂĹ?Ĺ?ŜĞ ĹšĹ˝Ç ĹľĆľÄ?Ĺš Ĺ?Ćš ĹšĆľĆŒĆšĆ? ƚŽ Ć?ƉĞŜĚ Ăůů ƚŚĂƚ žŽŜĞLJ tŚĞŜ / Ä?ŚĞÄ?ŏĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĹšĹ?Ć?ĆšĹ˝ĆŒÇ‡ ŽŜůĹ?ŜĞ Ĺ?Ćš ŚĂĚ Ä?ĞĞŜ ĂŜĚ ĨĹ?ŜĚ ŽƾĆš ƚŚĂƚ ƉĞŽƉůĞ LJŽƾ ĆšĆŒĆľĆ?ƚĞĚ͕ ÄšŽŜΖƚ Ä?Ä‚ĆŒÄžÍ˜ ĚĞĂĚ ĨŽĆŒ Ĺ˝Ç€ÄžĆŒ ĎŻ žŽŜƚŚĆ?͘ ĆŒÄžÄ?ĞŜƚ Ć?ĆľĆŒÇ€ÄžÇ‡ Ä?LJ ƚŚĞ ůĞĂŜ ĹśÄžĆŒĹ?LJ ŽƾŜÄ?Ĺ?ĹŻ ĨŽƾŜÄš /Ćš Ä?Ĺ˝Ć?Ćš žĞ Ĺ˝Ç€ÄžĆŒ ΨϳϏϏ Ĺ?Ĺś ĹŻĹ˝Ć?Ćš Ć‰Ĺ˝Ç ÄžĆŒÍ˜ ƚŚĂƚ ώϹК ŽĨ Ăůů Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ć?LJĆ?ƚĞžĆ? Ç ÄžĆŒÄž Ć‰ĆŒĹ˝ÄšĆľÄ?Ĺ?ĹśĹ? ĨÄ‚ĆŒ ĹŻÄžĆ?Ć? Ć‰Ĺ˝Ç ÄžĆŒ ƚŚĂŜ ƚŚĞLJ Ć?ĹšŽƾůĚ͘ dŚĞLJ ĂůĆ?Ĺ˝ ĨŽƾŜÄš ƚŚĂƚ ϭϹК ŽĨ ŜĚ / ŚĂĚ ƚŽ ƚĞůů žLJ ĨĂžĹ?ůLJ ƚŽ Ć?ĆšÄ‚ĆŒĆš ĹŻĹ?Ĺ?ŚƚĹ?ĹśĹ? Ä?ĂŜĚůĞĆ?͘ Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ć?LJĆ?ƚĞžĆ? ĨÄ‚Ĺ?ĹŻ ÄžÇ€ÄžĆŒÇ‡ Ç‡ÄžÄ‚ĆŒÍ˜ /Ćš Ç Ä‚Ć? ƚŚĞŜ ƚŚĂƚ / ĆŒÄžÄ‚ĹŻĹ?Ć?ĞĚ͕ /Ĩ ƚŚĹ?Ć? Ä?ĂŜ ŚĂƉƉĞŜ ƚŽ tŚĂƚ Ĺ?Ĩ ĆšĹšÄžĆŒÄž Ç Ä‚Ć? Ä‚ Ç Ä‚Ç‡ LJŽƾ Ä?ŽƾůÄš Ĺ?Ğƚ Ĺ?ĆŒÄžÄ‚Ćš ǀĂůƾĞ ĂŜĚ žĞ͕ Ĺ?Ćš Ä?ĂŜ ŚĂƉƉĞŜ ƚŽ ĂŜLJŽŜĞ͘ ŽŜĹ?Ĺ˝Ĺ?ĹśĹ? Ć?ÄžĆŒÇ€Ĺ?Ä?Äž ƚŽ ĞŜĆ?ĆľĆŒÄž LJŽƾĆŒ Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ĺ?Ć? ƉƾžĆ‰Ĺ?ĹśĹ? dĹšÄžĆŒÄž žƾĆ?Ćš Ä?Äž ĂŜ ĞĂĆ?LJ Ç Ä‚Ç‡ ĨŽĆŒ ÄžÇ€ÄžĆŒÇ‡ÄšÄ‚Ç‡ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ƚŽ Ć?ƾŜůĹ?Ĺ?Śƚ ÄžÇ€ÄžĆŒÇ‡ ĚĂLJ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ Ç‡ÄžÄ‚ĆŒÍ? ĨĹ?ŜĚ ŽƾĆš ĹšĹ˝Ç Ç ÄžĹŻĹŻ ƚŚĞĹ?ĆŒ Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ĺ?Ć? Ç Ĺ˝ĆŒĹŹĹ?ĹśĹ? ĂŜĚ ƚŽ ĹŹĹśĹ˝Ç Ç ĹšÄžĹś ĆšĹšÄžĆŒÄž Ĺ?Ć? Ä‚ Ć‰ĆŒĹ˝Ä?ĹŻÄžĹľÍ˜ ^ĂǀĹ?ĹśĹ? LJŽƾ ƚŚŽƾĆ?ĂŜĚĆ? ŽĨ ÄšŽůůÄ‚ĆŒĆ? Ä‚ Ç‡ÄžÄ‚ĆŒ Ç Ĺ?ƚŚŽƾĆš ĨÄ‚Ĺ?ĹŻÍ?

ŚĞĂƉ ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ͳ EŽƚ tĹ˝ĆŒĹŹĹ?ĹśĹ? WŽŽĆŒ /ĹśĆ?ƚĂůůĂƚĹ?ŽŜ Ͳ EĹ˝ ^ĆľĆ‰Ć‰Ĺ˝ĆŒĆš

The controversial roll-out of Telstra’s 5G network across the Shire has taken another step forward, with the announcement of a new proposed installation in the heart of Byron Bay. As opposition to the upgrades continues to boil, the telco announced its intention to upgrade its existing mobile tower on the corner of Fletcher Street and Williams Lane in last week’s advertisment in The Echo. That announcement also invited the community to make written submissions in relation to the plan. Yet the submission process has been criticised as a token gesture rather than genuine consultation, with Telstra yet to answer questions from The Echo regarding the degree to which community submissions are taken into account.

5G upgrade in the Byron A&I Estate, which is within 500 metres of a pre-school and childcare centre. This is despite the fact that Telstra told the group on November 10 that it intends to go ahead with the upgrade, ignoring hundreds of letters of opposition. Landowner of the tower site, Andrew Simmons, is yet to reply to Echo questions around community concerns. According to a land title search of 8 Acacia Street, Mr Simmons is co-owner with Peta Sarah Lloyd-Harris. The Echo also asked to confirm whether the Simmons family are still part of Site R&D, which is the ‘local’ landowner consortium pushing to develop West Byron against considerable public opposition. Meanwhile, Ms Strahlhofer said a movement was building among school communities who opposed upgrades that were in close proximity to educational institutions. ‘Periwinkle [pre-school], Cape Byron, Busy Kids, Byron Public are now informing parents to help hold a vigil to ensure no technicians come to upgrade the towers to 5G,’ she said. ‘Telstra are in for a PR nightmare – if their technicians and equipment show up in Byron, a red alert will be sent out and concerned parents and concerned community members will take to the streets to prevent this upgrade. ‘Protecting our children and community is more important than faster [internet] speeds.’

/ Ć?ƉĞŜƚ ĹšŽƾĆŒĆ? ĂŜĚ ĹšŽƾĆŒĆ? Ç Ĺ˝ĆŒĹŹĹ?ĹśĹ? ŽŜ ƚŚĹ?Ć? ĂŜĚ Ä?ĂžĞ Í´ tÄž ƉĂLJ ƚŚĞ Ĩƾůů ĎŽĎŹĎŽĎŹ ĆŒÄžÄ?ĂƚĞ ŽŜ ĂŜLJ Ć?LJĆ?ƚĞž Ĺ˝ĆŒÄšÄžĆŒÄžÄš Ä?ÄžĨŽĆŒÄž yžĂĆ? Í´ sĂůƾĞ Ψϯώϰ ƾƉ Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ Ä‚ Ć?Ĺ?žƉůĞ͕ ĞĂĆ?LJ ƉůĂŜ ƚŽ ĞŜĆ?ĆľĆŒÄž Ăůů ŽƾĆŒ Ä?ĆľĆ?ĆšŽžÄžĆŒĆ? Ä?ŽƾůÄš Ĺ?Ğƚ Ć‰ÄžĆŒĨÄžÄ?Ćš ĆŒÄžĆ?ƾůĆšĆ? ÄžÇ€ÄžĆŒÇ‡ ĆšĹ?ĹľÄžÍ˜ dŽƚĂů &ĆŒÄžÄž ǀĂůƾĞ ΨϭÍ•Ͼϳϰ / Ä?Ăůů Ĺ?Ćš ƚŚĞ ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ 'ĆľÄ‚ĆŒÄšĹ?ĂŜ WĹŻÄ‚ĹśÍ˜ zŽƾ ĂůĆ?Ĺ˝ Ĺ?Ğƚ Ď­ĎŹ Ç‡ÄžÄ‚ĆŒ Ç Ĺ˝ĆŒĹŹĹľÄ‚ĹśĆ?ĹšĹ?Ɖ dŚĞ Ĺ?ŽŽÄš ĹśÄžÇ Ć? Ĺ?Ć? ƚŚĂƚ Ĺ?Ćš Ĺ?Ć? ĹšĆŒĹ?Ć?ƚžĂĆ? Ć?ŽŽŜ ĂŜĚ / Ç Ä‚ĆŒĆŒÄ‚ĹśĆšÇ‡ Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ ĨĆŒÄžÄž Ç Ä‚ĆŒĆŒÄ‚ĹśĆšÇ‡ Ć?ÄžĆŒÇ€Ĺ?Ä?Äž ĨŽĆŒ Ăůů Ç Ĺ?ĆŒĹ?ĹśĹ?Í• Ĺ?ĹśÇ€ÄžĆŒĆšÄžĆŒĆ?Í• ƉĂŜĞůĆ? ĂŜĚ Ć?Ç Ĺ?ĆšÄ?ŚĞĆ?͘ ůŽǀĞ Ĺ?Ĺ?Ç€Ĺ?ĹśĹ? Ä‚Ç Ä‚Ç‡ Ĺ?Ĺ?ĨĆšĆ?͘ ^Ž͕ ĂŜLJŽŜÄž Ä?ƾLJĹ?ĹśĹ? Ä‚ ĹśÄžÇ Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ Ć?LJĆ?ƚĞž ĨĆŒŽž Ď´Ď´Ď´ /Ĩ LJŽƾ Ç Ä‚ĹśĆš Ĺ?ĆŒÄžÄ‚Ćš ǀĂůƾĞ ĂŜĚ ƉĞĂÄ?Äž ŽĨ ĹľĹ?ŜĚ Ć?Ĺ?žƉůLJ Ä?Ăůů žĞ ƚŽ Ä‚ĆŒĆŒÄ‚ĹśĹ?Äž Ä‚ ĨĆŒÄžÄž ŽŜĆ?Ĺ?ƚРǀĹ?Ć?Ĺ?ĆšÍ˜ ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ dĞŏ Ä?ÄžĨŽĆŒÄž ĹšĆŒĹ?Ć?ƚžĂĆ? Ç Ĺ?ĹŻĹŻ Ĺ?Ğƚ ƚŚĞ ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ 'ĆľÄ‚ĆŒÄšĹ?ĂŜ ƉůĂŜ ĨŽĆŒ ĨĆŒÄžÄžÍ˜ Ď´Ď´Ď´ /LF 1R & Í´ &ĆŒÄžÄž ĹŻÄžÄ?ĆšĆŒĹ?Ä?Ĺ?ƚLJ ZĞƚĂĹ?ĹŻÄžĆŒ ŽžĆ‰Ä‚ĆŒÄž ĨŽĆŒ Ä?ÄžĆ?Ćš ĚĞĂů Í´ sĂůƾĞ ΨϯϹϏ Ć‰Í˜Ä‚Í˜ Í´ Ď­ĎŽ žŽŜƚŚĆ? ŽĨ žŽŜĹ?ĆšĹ˝ĆŒĹ?ĹśĹ? Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ žŽŜƚŚůLJ ĆŒÄžĆ‰Ĺ˝ĆŒĆšĆ?͘ Í´ sĂůƾĞ ΨϳϏϏ Ć‰Í˜Ä‚Í˜ ƒŽŽ Í´ Í´ ^ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ WĂŜĞů ůĞĂŜ Ç Ĺ?ƚŚ žĂĹ?ŜƚĞŜĂŜÄ?Äž Ĺ?ĹśĆ?ƉĞÄ?ĆšĹ?ŽŜ Í´ ‹Â?…‡Â?– ‡ŽŽ‡…Â? ‘™ sĂůƾĞ ΨϯϹϏ͘ Í´ ^ĞƚƾƉ LJŽƾĆŒ Ç Ĺ?ĨĹ? Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒ žŽŜĹ?ĆšĹ˝ĆŒĹ?ĹśĹ? Ć?LJĆ?ƚĞž ĂŜĚ Ć?ĹšĹ˝Ç Ç‡Žƾ ĹšĹ˝Ç ĆšĹ˝ ĆľĆ?Äž Ĺ?ĆšÍ˜ sĂůƾĞ ΨώϹϏ Ç Ç Ç Í˜Ď´Ď´Ď´Ć?ŽůÄ‚ĆŒĆšÄžĹŹÍ˜Ä?ŽžÍ˜Ä‚Ćľ

WĹš ĎŹĎŽ ϲϲϴϴ ϰϰϴϏ


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The Byron Shire Echo – Issue 35.25 – December 2, 2020 by Echo Publications - Issuu