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The Byron Shire Echo Volume 36 #01 • June 16, 2021
DĶſƆƐ ƐIJĕƷ ĈëŔĕ Īşſ ƐIJĕ ĈōşƱŕƆǾ As an elected public figure, aggressively pursuing anyone in public who criticises you is generally an unwise move. For example, the nation’s top law officer, Christian Porter (Liberal), was recently found to be not-sogreat at law regarding his attempts to sue the ABC for defamation. There are many ways to defend your reputation, yet it is becoming all too common to lurch to the legal avenues. And while the lawyers enjoy every picnic, will it actually work to gain public sympathy or political points? Will your reputation be restored by going down this path? On Monday, possibly one of the worst of politicians ever to wield power, NSW Deputy Leader John ‘Bruz’ Barilaro (Nationals), commenced defamation proceedings against YouTube comedian Jordan Shanks, aka Friendlyjordies. And coincidently on Monday, the show’s producer, Kristo Langker, was filmed being arrested and dragged from his home by an aggressive, secret, counter-terrorist force that targets those ‘obsessed’ with public figures. His family and dog were hurt in the process. It looked like footage from Pinochet’s Chile in the ’70s. Langker reportedly has a NSW Parliamentary press pass, which makes the case for being a lone wolf stalker pretty thin. Langker’s record is in public interest journalism. Langker is being charged with two counts of ‘stalk/intimidate with an intent to cause fear of physical or mental harm’ after an ‘incident’ where he approached Barilaro by a parked car to hand him back legal documents. There is also a previous, similar interaction. All interactions were recorded by Langker and broadcast by Shanks. Shanks is well prepared for his defamation case.
As a self-absorbed crusader against dodgy politicians, he’s been itching to escalate this conflict for a long time. He broadcast video evidence on Monday that contradicts the police version of events, and casts doubt on whether the incidents could reasonably be considered harassment. Former ABC Media Watch presenter, Jonathan Holmes, mused on June 6 in the SMH (Nine) that it was two years ago that federal police knocked on journalist Annika Smethurst’s door with a search warrant. The next day, federal police arrived at the ABC’s Ultimo HQ with another warrant. What resulted was an inquiry into the impact of Australia’s security laws on press freedom. Holmes wrote, ‘To quote just one sentence [from the inquiry]: “… the prevailing argument to this inquiry from non-government stakeholders is that the balance in legislation and culture within the Australian Government has tipped away from transparency and engagement to excessive and unnecessary secrecy”.’ The way toward a better functioning, more open society of course, is enshrined press freedom, or a bill of rights. Anything other than what is happening under current governments would be a start. Sadly, no political party sees enough votes in pursuing that, and besides, such a move would clearly upset the entrenched and growing authoritarian police state. And you can’t pass press freedom by without mentioning a growing list of whistleblowers who face courts behind closed doors. It’s a relatively new way of dealing with an unruly public, and is similar, if not the same, as what undemocratic countries do. So how’s the Council election campaign going? Hans Lovejoy, editor
here is a beautiful James Taylor song – ‘You Can Close Your Eyes’ –that commences with the words; ‘Oh, the sun is surely sinking down But the moon is slowly rising’. I seek that sky. Many years ago, on ridge west of Casino, carrying equipment to a North East Forest Alliance blockade, the sun was rising to my right and the moon was setting to my left. There was a fusing of white cool moon and red rich sun that left me speechless. It was as though the Earth was delivering a pyrotechnic miracle to remind and thank its protectors of our duty to the forests; the lungs of the planet. And so, seeking that sky, I trekked up to the lighthouse on May 26, 2021 to watch the bloodred moon rise at 16.48 and the bloodred sun set at 16.50, just to feel that extraordinary blend of light again. And magic it was. There were rock wallabies and an echidna on the incline. The world looked different for a moment with every colour a surprise. There were people with pretty offerings to the full circular lunar, an occasional wolf-baying from laughing youngsters, a set of flexi yogic sun salutations, and deep warm smiles all ‘round. I wanted to hug strangers. As the moon rose, shining its silver sliver on the sea, the dolphins danced their thrill. In that fused moon/sun light I spun around and around slowly, and pledged anew to Mother Earth. These waters and this land deserve our attention, our protection, our passion, our energy. I turned to look at the darkening bay, and the hills behind, and compared the view to when I slept the night on that same lighthouse spot in the 1970s. Then, the hills were largely barren of trees, the abattoir at Belongil was still going full steam, the darkness was split by chook farms, and the trains rattled into town in the early morning. I was woken, then, by the
‘The insecurity of place is an appalling scourge for many [in Byron Shire], especially those with children. But I am utterly convinced we cannot develop our ƱëƷ şƖƐ şĪ īĕŕƐſĶǔ ĈëƐĶşŕț
David Heilpern headland goats snuffling at my adolescent stubble. There were so few whales in those days. By and large, we have done well to protect our patch. I was drawn back to the present by the snake of red tail-lights leaving Byron as the workers scurried home to their cheaper abodes in the hills, or turned left or right at the highway. South to the monolithic Ballina/ Lennox continuum. North to the Gold Coast belching stain. A stark reminder of the practicalities of accommodation shortages. And so, to housing. It pains me greatly to see our tribe suffering from lack of affordable places to lay their weary heads. The insecurity of place is an appalling scourge for many, especially those with children. But I am utterly convinced we cannot develop our way out of gentrification – it is a bulldozer of unquenchable thirst. I have seen it before; from Bondi to Pearl Beach to Cinque Terre. We can, and should, muddle around the edges with clipping holiday letting, increasing government-led affordable housing, only permitting sympathetic development, trailblazing with more tiny houses, micro-farming, MOs and second dwellings. We are a uniquely innovative and creative mob that can achieve much. But to the north and the south, where there has been comparatively untamed development for decades, the working poor are still increasingly being driven west. So too it will be here, I predict, no matter our fiddling. I learnt in court that there are often no good solutions, only bad and worse. The real question to be asked, as I gazed down upon Byron’s bay in fairy-tale light, is ‘What do we want
this view to look like in ten years?’. I want it to be an island of green. I do not want another Gold Coast or Ballina suburban splurge seeping and squeezing this haven. I know this means it will be an enclave for the haves, just like Wategos, but that will happen anyway. I know that this means more workers will live outside the Shire, and this could change the very character of the culture here. And for that we will mourn. So while that is a sad vision, it is not as tragic as the alternative. The alternative is still ‘gentrified’ – but big and ugly and grey. I fear many children and grandchildren may well not be able to buy in the Shire, and that is a significant change, because up ‘til now they largely could. They can still visit here, maybe on an evening when the full moon rises and the sun sets at the same time, basking in the glorious. And they can stand on this headland, sleep here if they’re game, and drink in a view unblighted by high-rises or ticky-tacky boxes on the hillside. They will see a sea of green, not brown and grey, and I think they will thank us for keeping this place Earth-special, even if humanly-elitist. The moon kindly gifted me enough light to walk down the steps to Wategos, and I hummed some more of my favourite James Taylor song; ‘Well it won’t be long before another day. ‘We’re gonna have a good time, ‘And no one’s gonna take that time away. ‘You can stay as long as you like’. Ah James, optimistic as always. Q David Heilpern is a retired local
magistrate.
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