A FREE PRESS EXISTS TO SERVE THE GOVERNED, NOT THE GOVERNORS – US Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black
The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 36 #22 • November 10, 2021 • www.echo.net.au
Govt proposes Ǖ ōŔ żſşĎƖĈƐĶşŕ extensions Proposed changes by the NSW government to extend the number of days (past 30) for filming as an exempt development has caused alarm for many local residents who have been affected by filming activity in recent months. The NSW government changes are part of wider reforms aimed at ‘Bringing fun back to NSW’. Other changes include ‘a complying development pathway to allow a change of use of retail premises to small live music or arts venues, including developments standards, and amendments to the Building Code of Australia’. Submissions regarding changes to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 close on November 22. The policy can be viewed at www.planningportal. nsw.gov.au/the-fun-SEPP.
Emergency housing prospects ‘low yield’, ƆëƷ !şƖŕĈĶō ƆƐëǔ Paul Bibby
Boxed veggies in season! Affordable vegetable boxes are available every Tuesday from the Mullumbimby Community Gardens from 10am till 1pm, says president Gina Lakosta. She told The Echo, ‘Our volunteers have created a seasonal organic vegetable garden in order to provide boxes for a small donation of just $15. As part of our program, we also have food plots where people can pick vegetables directly in exchange for a small donation or some volunteering. We are also running some Syntropic Gardening workshops on Thursday mornings from 9.30am till 12.30pm. The garden is entirely volunteer run; everybody is welcome to come and help too, or to complete Work and Development Orders (WDOs), or do their over 55 Centrelink obligations’. Pictured is volunteer and customer, Amanda Wright, and garden co-ordinator, Ilan Menahemi. Photo Jeff ‘Seasonal Since 1986’ Dawson
Micro solar gridlocked by NSW govt red tape The proponent behind a micro grid solar farm and green energy storage facility in Byron Shire says that Essential Energy’s policy for connecting to the ‘poles and wires’ grid network is cost prohibitive, and that the government owned corporation does not encourage smaller operators to provide locally produced solar energy for residents and business. Claims by Dieter Horstmann were put to Energy Minister Matt Kean (Liberal) with no reply. Mr Horstmann says he is
exploring a ‘way of working together and offering a proposal to the Tyagarah community. First, a response is needed from the Tyagarah community to see if they are willing to make the deal with Enova Energy and other involved parties’. Through Tyagarah Green Energy (TGE), Mr Horstmann says he has approvals and is ready to go with a 5MW solar/battery plant at his property in Tyagarah, called Byron Eco Park (BEP). He also has plans for a hydrogen power plant. He told The Echo he was given
Local politics gets wedgey ▶ p5, 14
an ‘offer to connect’ to the State’s power grid by Essential Energy for $30,000, and that there is ‘little to no incentive for operators’ such as himself, given the price cost parity is similar for coal fired power stations, and that the cost is the same when paying into the grid, regardless of whether it comes from a coal fired station 100kms away, or is locally produced from solar.
Poles and wire monopoly Essential Energy have a monopoly on the NSW energy grid,
Student protests against the loss of his unvaxxed teacher ▶ p6
and according to their spokesperson, are ‘responsible for providing safe and reliable energy to more than 875,000 connected customers across 95 per cent of NSW’. The Echo asked Essential Energy if ‘legislation needs to change to encourage smaller operators to invest into solar/battery proposals?’ An Essential Energy spokesperson instead outlined their responsibilities as a energy provider and acknowledged the Byron Eco Park proposal.
Prof Bob Morgan on the horse trading of climate ▶ p14
Byron Council will continue to explore the possibility of building emergency housing on Lot 22 in Mullumbimby, despite an independent assessment finding that the site is subject to major planning issues and constraints. Council has made a number of attempts at finding a way to use Lot 22 – located next to the Mullumbimby Community Garden – to help address the Shire’s housing crisis. The latest plan involved the construction of up to 100 caravanstyle dwellings, that could be used for transitional supported accommodation for those at risk of homelessness, especially single mothers with children.
Major setback But this proposal has suffered a major setback, after assessor Mike Svikis found that less than one hectare of the 3.4-hectare site could be used as a caravan park. ‘Moveable dwelling sites are required to be a minimum of 80 metres square,’ a summary of Mr Sviki’s assessment says. ‘With fire separation distances and the need for roads, landscaping and other infrastructure, the actual [housing] yield is likely to be as low as 40 sites.’ Lot 22 was also subject to significant flooding and road access issues, the assessment found. ‘The costs of extending services to the sites, as well as the cost of filling and achieving a flood resilient access across the railway line and back to Stuart Street, are likely ▶ Continued on page 4
‘A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others’ – Dali Arts Feature ▶ p26