TURN OFF YOUR NOTIFICATION BELLS AND RUB YOUR FREEDOM JELLY ON, IT’S… The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 36 #48 • May 11, 2022 • www.echo.net.au
Labor MP responds to her party’s pro coal/gas agenda Hans Lovejoy
The future, nurtured in Main Arm The 11th annual Mother’s Day planting was held in Coopers Lane in Main Arm over the weekend, with hundreds of people turning up to plant approximately 1,000 trees. The planting was made possible by the drive and support of Brunswick Valley Landcare, and their dedicated volunteers. The rain held off for the morning planting, and everyone got to enjoy a barbeque, cakes and live music. Nino Haggith and Glenn Wright, who run the Mullum Music Festival and Little Valley Foods, organised the music. Pictured are the Renouf family: mum Carly and Louis, with Leon and daddio Jean in the background. Photo Jeff Dawson
lşĎƖōëſ IJşŔĕƆ Īşſ ǖşşĎ ưĶĈƐĶŔƆ IJĕëĎ Ɛş ſƖŕƆ Paul Bibby Two vacant blocks in the Bayside housing estate in Brunswick Heads, and land that once contained that town’s sewage treatment plant (STP), have been chosen to host temporary ‘modular houses’ for those left homeless by the recent floods. Nearly a month after the State government announced its $350m plan to provide up to 2,000 modular homes across the Northern Rivers, the roll-out has finally reached the Byron Shire. The two Council-owned sites were selected by Resilience NSW from 16
North Coast news ▶ p6
put forward by Byron Shire Council. The first consists of two small vacant blocks on Torakina Road and Excelsior Circuit in the Bayside housing estate. The second is located at 125 Tweed Street, the now remediated site of the former Brunswick Heads Sewage Treatment Plant.
No DA required Under special legislation passed by the State government to help address the flood crisis, it does not need development consent to install the modular homes or any accompanying infrastructure. ‘There’s no doubt that housing is
More election candidate profiles ▶ p10
the most pressing challenge for the thousands of people impacted by these floods,’ NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said at the time of the original housing announcement. ‘We’re committed to delivering safe and secure housing to all flood impacted communities.’ The sites will contain ‘moveable homes in various configurations which can accommodate one to four people, and will be co-located with supporting infrastructure and amenities’. When asked how many dwellings would be placed on the two sites, Byron Council said this and ▶ Continued on page 3
Retired NSW MLC, Richard Jones, offers up some election insights ▶ p16
While the Liberal-Nationals parties are wedded to fossil fuels through political donations, and their employees oscillate between government jobs and the mining sector, Labor have also supported the introduction of new gas and coal mines, despite the urgent warning to reduce carbon emissions by climate scientists. Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, was reported in SMH (Nine) last month as saying his party will support new coal and gas mines, ‘matching the pro-mining stance of the Coalition, as the opposition targets blue-collar workers in crucial seats for the coming federal election’. The Echo asked local Labor MP, Ms Elliot her stance on the issue: ‘Given that you have a record of opposing CSG and appear to accept anthropogenic-induced climate change, how do you reconcile with your party’s plans – if elected – to support fossil fuel projects that contribute to an unstable climate for future generations?’ She replied, ‘Labor is the only party of government that has a fully
detailed plan to cut emissions by 43 per cent by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050 by taking real action on climate change, creating jobs, cutting power bills, reducing emissions by boosting renewable energy, and kickstarting $76 billion of investment. The only way to make this happen is for locals to vote 1 Justine Elliot’.
Policy vacuum According to Labor’s website, www.alp.org.au, only one environment policy is listed – which is to ‘fix the [power] grid’ to ‘create more jobs and power prices’. There is no policy listed by the Nationals at www.nationals.org.au with regards to climate change. The recent federal budget by the Liberal-Nationals government had ‘big spending in the works for gas and no significant additional spending for renewable energy’, according to www.climatecouncil.org.au. The Liberal-Nationals parties Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan aims to deliver net zero emissions by 2050, by relying on technology investment. Yet Nationals MPs have undermined the plan by claiming the policy is ‘dead’ and non-binding.
About that insert last week… Regarding the eight page pamphlet inserted into last week’s newspaper by advertiser Tom Barnett; it was not produced by The Echo. We regret not noticing it was anonymous, and our role in unwittingly distributing unreliable information. Echo readers have pointed out that if you read enough of the websites cited in the pamphlet, you’ll start wearing tinfoil hats. It is untruthful, for example, to propose anthropogenic (human induced) climate change doesn’t exist. At The Echo, we embrace the colourful kaleidoscope of ideas from this wonderful community, yet put every effort into only publishing accurate and correct information.
The latest Scoop ▶ p32
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Artfelt creativity ▶ p33
Sporty action ▶ p55