The Byron Shire Echo – Issue 37.52 – June 7, 2023

Fully sick Byron skate bowl!

Closed door deals on fasttracked land rezonings

Hans

Lovejoy

Up to 1,300 new dwellings could be accommodated in Byron Shire under vague draft fast-track development plans released by the NSW government-run Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC) last week.

Describing it as a ‘unique opportunity’, the glossy The Resilient Land Strategy brochure by NRRC ‘identifies’, but does not disclose, north coast land that will be ‘accelerated for delivery with funding support’.

The plans indicate Saddle Road, located on the highway turn off to Brunswick Heads and Mullumbimby, could house up to 800 homes, while land bordering Bangalow’s south could accommodate 500 homes.

Definitely the newest, and possibly the best tourist attraction Byron has to offer, Jarjumirr Park, is a competition-level skate park that is located between the courthouse, library and Youth Activities Centre (YAC). But it’s not only the skate part that’s awesome – there is plenty of grass and shade, with barbecues, picnic tables, seating, a climbing wall, and cycle paths. On Saturday, Jake Thatcher made his second trip down in three days from the Gold Coast to the venue. He said that out of the 30 or so parks he has been to: ‘I rate this one pretty high’. Byron Shire Council kicked off the project in 2017, and say it was completed with NSW government funding of $2.05M and $600,000 from Council.

Photo Eve Jeffery

Paul Bibby

The company behind a controversial mixed-use development in the heart of Suffolk Park has quietly submitted revised plans for the proposal as part of the ongoing court battle over the matter. Sydney-based developer, Denwol Pty Ltd, took Byron Council to the Land & Environment Court after it refused their plans to build

two new three-storey buildings, containing 16 units, seven town houses and 300m2 of commercial space at 9–15 Clifford Street.

Council had set out 17 separate reasons for refusing the development application when it was originally submitted last year, including factors related to the environmental impacts, design, bushfire risk and affordable housing claims.

With the formal court hearing getting underway last week, Denwol made an application to the court to submit amended plans for the project.

This followed an amended DA that was submitted in April which involved a significant reduction in the size of the development.

Published on Council’s website, these amended plans involve ▶ Continued on page 3

Another medium-term floodfree parcel of land is also pegged on the indicative map; it is located just west of Bangalow on Bangalow Road heading towards Lismore.

While NRRC are seeking public feedback on the proposals, the plans do not provide any framework that would ensure any newly released land would be ‘affordable’ or directly benefit those affected by the 2022 floods.

However, there was mention of ‘Financial support for social and affordable housing development’, and ‘Innovative housing pilot programs’ worth $100M.

Mute Mayor Michael

Mayor Michael Lyon, who has led closed doors discussions with NRRC, refused to comment to The Echo on the exact locations, nor why he excluded other councillors from negotiations.

Cr Peter Westheimer, who was elected on the mayor’s ticket, told The Echo he ‘would have preferred to be involved’.

Additionally, local NSW MP Tamara Smith (Greens), told The Echo she was briefed by the NRRC and was told they only consulted with mayors and general mangers.

She said, ‘I would prefer a more transparent approach where the community genuinely gets to have a say about what will be significant developments across the region, and in the Ballina electorate’.

322 expressions of interest were received across the region, say the NRRC, and a panel have identified ‘22 potential development sites across the Northern Rivers on both private and public land’.

Approximately 7,800 dwellings could house flood affected residents across the region, it says.

While The Echo was not advised by the NRRC of the document’s release on Friday, local ABC journalists were.

Elloise Farrow-Smith reported online that Lismore Labor MP, Janelle Saffin, was frustrated at the NRRC’s lack of detail with the plans.

Farrow-Smith wrote, ‘No-one from the corporation was willing to be interviewed. The ABC was invited to an online briefing about the strategy with the corporation, during which it was forbidden to record or reproduce any part of the briefing. ABC journalists were permitted to ask questions but were not able to use the answers or attribute the comments made by anyone in the briefing’.

NRRC’s land strategy is available at https://tinyurl.com/mtfxbb6w.

An Echo article about saving koalas in the Braemar State forest prompted 12-year-old Leila, from Byron Public School, to share the plight of our cute marsupial icon with her class.

As a result, Leila and her friend, Chaska, with the help of Leila’s mum, Tara, have started an online petition and have included the details of the ministers for environment and forestry, so they can see the progress of the petition.

Leila said that after hearing that koalas in NSW are now classified as an endangered species, she had to take action.

‘I have been raising money for a local koala group (Bangalow Koalas), and now I am raising awareness about the destruction of their habitat’, she told The Echo

‘There is a population of koalas in NSW currently at risk of losing their homes.

‘There is a plan by the NSW government to remove over 5,000 mature koala feed trees from the Braemar

Hans Lovejoy

With the federal Labor government recently pledging $236M for a much-needed national disaster warning network over a ten-year timeframe, The Echo asked NSW Emergency Minister, Jihad Dib, ‘Is there any appetite from NSW Labor to fast-track such essential infrastructure, given non-operational flood gauges in this region led to inaccurate, or an absence of,

▶ Continued from page 1

reducing in the number of residential apartments from 16 to seven, and the number of town houses from seven to six. There would be two retail tenancies.

Both buildings are reduced to two-storeys in the amended plans, though there is little difference in the overall height of the development.

There is also a significant increase in how far the buildings will be set back from the road, though this will require more trees to be cut down.

Resident, Lynne Richardson, said that the amended plans represented little change in practical terms

State Forest.

‘The Braemar State Forest has been surveyed by the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) and found to be heavily populated by koalas.

‘Previously, logging in this area had been restricted to only allowing half of the forest area to be harvested, but the rules were changed by the Berejiklian

flood-level warnings, which put lives at risk?’.

Minister Dib replied, ‘This government is committed to building more accurate and complete data for flood threat modelling systems’.

‘We are working with the Bureau of Meteorology on priority flood warning service improvements.

‘In response to the catastrophic flooding in February and March 2022, the Australian government

government to allow for only five small koala feed trees per hectare to be protected.

‘In 2019, there was a bushfire that devastated the area and wiped out 50–70 per cent of the koala population.

‘Every individual koala is so important and we cannot afford to lose any more,’ said Leila. ‘It is predicted that our unique koalas could be

has allocated $15 million in funding from the Commonwealth’s Emergency Response Fund for NSW to make improvements in the affected Local Government Areas (LGAs).

‘Improvements to the service are being investigated in the Richmond and Wilson Valley Catchment. Investigations in other locations will follow.

‘[Council’s lawyers, Marsdens] asked us to respect the

plans more widely’.

– Resident, Lynne Richardson

because the overall footprint of the development was ‘much the same’.

‘The only community members who were actually told were those who were due to give evidence during the hearing, and we were only given a few days’ notice to get our heads around the plans before doing that.

extinct by 2050. It’s not too late. We can stop this.

‘Please sign the petition and help stop the logging of the Braemar State Forest, home of our beautiful koalas.

‘Hopefully it will make an impact and help to stop the logging.’

Everyone is invited to sign the petition online: chng.it/rMfzq4SkDM.

‘Priority upgrades will be designed and implemented as soon as investigations in specific areas are completed. The overall project is scheduled for completion in 2025.

‘We welcome the Australian government’s commitment to upgrading the national flood warning network, and will continue to work with them to ensure NSW communities are able to benefit from these important upgrades’.

She also said that the process by which the most recent amendment had been submitted had excluded the community.

‘I was enraged by the process,’ Ms Richardson said.

‘[Council’s lawyers, Marsdens] only told us a few days before we were due to give evidence, and they asked us to respect the confidentiality of the developer by not disseminating the new plans more widely. In my opinion, the newly modified plans should have been more widely circulated to the

community. This affects all of them so they should have been told.’

The Echo understands that Council will continue to contest the matter in court, despite the submission of the modified plans by the developer.

‘The

we want to go on and on is because we live in an impoverished present’.

Photo & story Eve Jeffery

Mrs Miller’s Year Six class at Byron Public School have their ‘save the koala’ letters ready to send to the government.

reason

– Alan Watts

Phillip Wolanski, Managing Director of Denwol Group. Photo realestate.com.au

That’s a wrap… with giggles

The

Bangalow developer scales back DA to six cabins

Paul Bibby

A Bangalow landowner whose plans for a $1.3M tourism development were branded ‘excessive’ by Council has returned with a scaled down version of the proposal.

A decision on the revised DA will be made at Thursday’s Council meeting, with staff in support of the DA.

The original plan for 12 cabins, five swimming pools and a function centre on his property at 72 Lawlers Lane were summarily dismissed by Council last November.

At the request of the landowner, Mr M Mamone, councillors agreed to defer the matter so that a more modest development application could be submitted.

Height limit pushed again in Byron CBD

Paul

Bibby

Is it okay to breach a town’s building height limit by 30 per cent, so your holiday unit development can have a rooftop swimming pool?

That seems to be the assumption made by a Byron Bay developer, whose application is coming before this week’s Council planning meeting. The owners of 43 Lawson Street have submitted a modification application in a bid to effectively add an extra storey to their six-unit development on the strip.

That has now been done, with Mr Mamone proposing to build six holiday cabins on the site and ditching his plan for a function centre entirely. A loop road would be built to provide access to the cabins, and the developer has promised to restore around five hectares of camphor laurel, which equates to an additional 800 trees.

Annual strata reporting for 2022 is now due

If approved, the proposal would see the height of the build increase to 11.7m, which is 2.7m above the legislated height limit for that part of town. This would accommodate the rooftop pool and a large shed.

Council Planner, Patricia Docherty, has recommended that Council refuse the application, which she said raised ‘significant detrimental environmental impacts’ and was ‘not in the public interest’.

‘It is considered the height of building would impact on the visual amenity and scenic

qualities of the coast, taking into account the surrounding coastal and built environment, and the bulk, scale and size of the proposed development,’ Ms Docherty said in her report, contained in the agenda to this week’s meeting.

‘The proposal does not demonstrate it is in keeping with the predominant character of the area, and would result in an intrusion when viewed from public land in the coastal foreshore locality.’

Ms Docherty said staff had raised these concerns with the developer, advising that the application would not

be supported by Council and should be withdrawn.

However, at the time of writing, the developer has not withdrawn the application.

It is not the first time the owners of 43 Lawson Street have sought to exceed the height limit with their plans for the site. The original application, submitted back in March 2015, was recommended for refusal for a range of reasons, including non-compliance with the building height limit. The matter was deferred, and then came back with a new application in December 2015 with a compliant height limit.

Strata schemes including strata title duplexes must report key information to the NSW Government every year. If you haven’t completed your 2022 report, it’s easy to submit your information via the NSW Government Strata Hub. Reports

Byron Comedy Festival brought the mirth and chuckles to the Bay last weekend. On Saturday night, there was standing-room only at the Surf Club, where the Women on Top show went off, with incredibly funny women: Alexandra Hudson, Ting Lim, MC Mandy Nolan, Kirsty Webeck, Janty Blair and Vanessa Larry Mitchell. Photo Eve Jeffery

Illustration from DA 10.2014.417.3.

Fire season

Aslan Shand

As the landscape dried out in the leadup, and during, the 2019–20 Black Summer fires, Ocean Shores resident, Kitty Crain, began to look around and wonder who would come to her rescue if a fire started in the bush around her home.

‘Ocean Shores is surrounded by bush, and I felt vulnerable in a suburb surrounded by bush. I thought “who’s going to come to our rescue?” I decided I’d better go and investigate, and that is why I joined the RFS,’ said Kitty, who is now President of the Billinudgel and Ocean Shores RFS.

Following three years of wet weather, the resulting plant growth, and the prediction of an El Niño that will make eastern Australia drier this year, there is general concern that the upcoming fire season will be dangerous.

Start training

‘Now is the time to join and start training for the next fire season,’ explained Kitty.

‘It is the time for new recruits to come on board, and join in for the preparation of the upcoming fire

is coming

– time to join the RFS

season, as the prediction is that it will be a dry summer.’

Billinudgel and Ocean Shores Captain, Darren Cornale, highlighted that you can get a great range of experience as a member of the RFS.

‘It’s not just bushfires that you attend. You can also be called to car fires, for ambulance assistance, house fires and respond to floods as well.’

However, Senior Deputy Captain and training officer, Murray ‘Muzz’ Drechsler, said it takes commitment to train

and qualify as a member of the RFS. ‘My life changed when I joined the RFS,’ Muzz told The Echo. ‘It gave me the confidence to lead, it gave me confidence in who I am.’

‘It takes about 38–40 hours to do the training to get your Basic Firefighter’s certification and be ready to go to a fire,’ he said.

‘Then, once you have the basics there is regular training and you need to do call outs – that can be mornings, nights or weekends. It takes

a big commitment for the brigades and training officers to train you up as a firefighter, so we are looking for people who have that time, and are willing to make that commitment, to come and join up and get involved.’

Training is on the last Sunday of every month, with a training and meeting every second Tuesday of the month. Apply online at www.rfs. nsw.gov.au/volunteer/jointhe-nsw-rfs, or you can drop into the Billi station.

Billinudgel and Ocean Shores RFS crew. Photo Eve Jeffery

Chinny Charge is on for 2023

Aslan Shand

The 2023 Chinny Charge, a fun run up Mount Chincogan just north of Mullumbimby, is open for registration for both runners and walkers.

This year it will take place on Saturday, September 16, and it is the one day of the year that the access up the mountain is open to the public.

It is a great opportunity to either test your endurance, or just enjoy a lovely afternoon walk with friends.

There is the open adult race, as well as the children’s race, from Mullumbimby to the bottom of the mountain and back.

The race was started as a fundraiser for the Mullumbimby Swimming Pool, and the first race was run in 1960.

The second race took place in 1967, before it became an annual town event and fiesta.

Organisers hung up their laces in 2001, and it was another 16 years before the run was brought back, in 2017, by the Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce.

‘There were two years that the run didn’t go ahead

because of covid, but we are really happy to be back again after last year’s successful event,’ said Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce member, and run organiser, Jenelle Stanford.

Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club is sponsoring prizes for first female and male runners across the line, with the first place winners receiving $500.

The Echo is sponsoring prizes for first local female and male runners across the line, with the first place winners receiving $350.

There are three in perpetuity memorial awards – they are The Kevin Moran Memorial Shield, which is awarded for special effort and

Let’s unpack federal Labor’s housing bill and attack ads!

Hans Lovejoy

Political attack ads are underway by the local sitting Labor MP just a week after Greens candidate, Mandy Nolan, announced her second tilt for the local federal seat of Richmond.

According to www.aph.gov.au, the next federal election could be between August 3 2024 and May 17, 2025.

20 government-subsidised homes by 2026.

‘The government is doing nothing whatsoever for the 16,786 families renting in Richmond’, said Nolan.

Elliot replied to Nolan’s claims with the assertion that ‘at all levels of government, the Labor Party builds houses and the Greens Party blocks them’.

encouragement of others; The Reg Burns Shield is awarded to first oldest female across the line; and The Dr Suresh Shield for the first oldest man across the line.

The Chinny Charge is once again an environmentally sustainable event with runners and walkers encouraged to take their own water bottles that they can recharge at water stations along the way.

All participants are asked not to take single use plastics onto the mountain. No dogs allowed.

There are 500 spaces for runners and walkers on the day.

All participants must be 12 years or older.

To book a place, visit www.eventwizards.com.au.

Long standing Labor MP, Justine Elliot, who has held the seat since 2004, has been using social media and newspaper ads (see page 7) to accuse the federal Greens of blocking a $10B Housing Australia Future Fund Bill 2023, which she says will ‘build social and affordable housing plus housing for women and children fleeing domestic violence, and more’.

By Monday, the federal Greens halved their demands in supporting the legislation, and are now calling for an ‘immediate rent freeze’ and a ‘guaranteed minimum spend of $2.5 billion per year on public, community and affordable housing, starting now’.

The Echo asked Nolan whether she believes Labor’s bill is at least a step in the right direction, ‘and then the law could be improved in the future?’

‘Does nothing for renters’

Nolan replied that Labor’s bill ‘does nothing for renters, many of whom are one rent increase away from homelessness.’

‘Currently, there is a shortage of 640,000 social and affordable homes in Australia, and that’s set to grow by 75,000 over the next five years.

‘The 30,000 homes figure [from the Bill] is best case scenario, and even then, it’s based on an allocation of $83,000 per home. $83,000! I’d like to know what home our local Labor member thinks she can build for $83,000.

‘Labor has an opportunity to directly invest billions in public and affordable homes, and instead, they’re choosing tax cuts for the rich, stadiums and submarines. There is nothing stopping them from investing directly in public housing but themselves’.

Nolan says the unmet housing need in the Richmond electorate (from Tweed to Ballina Shires) is estimated to be 5,800 homes, according to UNSW City Future Research Centre (Source: www.cityfutures.ada.unsw. edu.au/cityviz/housing-need-dashboard).

Ten-year waiting list for social housing in Richmond electorate

And, according to the NSW government’s own statistics, the Richmond electorate has a social housing wait list time of more than ten years (Source: www.facs.nsw.gov. au/housing/help/applying-assistance/ expected-waiting-times).

‘At the same time, the government is winding back the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS), which will see 97 homes removed from government-subsidised housing in Tweed Heads (Richmond electorate)’.

On page 10 of the December 2022 NRAS Quarterly Performance Report, it states 20 government-subsidised homes will be removed in Tweed by 2024, and a further 77 by 2026 (Source: www.dss.gov.au/sites/ default/files/documents/03_2023/december2022-nras-quarterly-performance-report.pdf).

Additionally, Lismore (page 9) is set to lose

Referring to the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS), Mrs Elliot said it was a ‘desperate attempt to divert attention from her party’s destructive actions in the Federal Parliament’ and, that Nolan ‘failed to understand that this program was actually cancelled nearly a decade ago by [former Liberals PM] Tony Abbott and had been deliberately winding down under previous Liberals-National governments ever since then, leaving us with nothing’.

New solutions needed: Labor

‘With this program having been cancelled by the previous government, we need new solutions – and the Albanese Labor Government has introduced the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, the biggest investment in social and affordable housing in a decade.

‘Unfortunately, as Echo readers will know, the Greens are blocking it – along with the Liberals, Nationals, and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’.

‘As the Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, I’m on the ground speaking to people and groups involved, and working hard to get this bill passed.

‘Our community is desperate for housing and the Greens Party needs to either back the bill or just get out of the way.

Fixing a decade of neglect from the previous government (which let wait times for housing in Richmond blow out to 10 years) needs action, and our community has every right to be angry that the Greens Party continues to block this important bill in Parliament.’

‘It’s very, very disappointing that Mandy Nolan’s Greens Party colleagues are delaying the building of 30,000 new social and affordable homes for people in need.

Elliot added, ‘It’s disgraceful that, while locals are living in cars, and women and children fleeing domestic violence have nowhere to go, candidate Mandy Nolan and her Greens Party colleagues are playing political games to try to win votes’.

Doesn’t add up

Nolan’s office also told The Echo, ‘The Housing Australia Future Fund is a $10 billion investment fund that gambles tax payer dollars on the stock market’.

‘[If it were in place now] The fund would have lost $120 million last financial year.

‘In the years that the fund does generate a return, the bill caps total spend at $500 million a year.

‘Given the average cost of constructing social housing is about $300,000, and the absolute maximum investment per year is $500 million – that equates to about 1,600 homes.

‘Over five years, that would be about 8,000 homes, not 30,000. It just doesn’t add up.

‘The bill also doesn’t account for skyrocketing inflation; hence being a gamble’.

‘This is in contrast to investing directly in social and affordable housing to address the housing crisis now’.

Mount Chincogan. Photo Ziggi Browning

The facts on Labor’s $10 billion Housing Australia Plan

(not the Greens’ spin)

Labor’s Housing Plan includes:

Investing $100 million in crisis and transitional housing for women and children fleeing domestic and family violence

Providing $200 million for the repair, maintenance and improvements of housing in remote Indigenous communities

Building at least 30,000 new social and affordable homes

Providing investments in perpetuity - forever - to ensure housing continues to be funded

...and more.

North Coast News Army depot construction starts in Chinderah

Byron’s Yarn Up and Murwillumbah’s Kinship Festival – celebrating Reconciliation Week

The week-long celebrations across the region marked Reconciliation Week and commemorate two significant milestone dates in the reconciliation journey – the successful 1967 referendum on May 27, and the High Court Mabo decision June 3, Mabo Day.

Federal Labor have announced local Indigenous companies in Tweed Heads are starting construction of new facilities, which will benefit the Australian Army’s A Company, 41st Battalion, Royal NSW Regiment and 225 Army Cadet Unit.

In a press release on Monday, the office of local MP Justine Elliot, said, ‘Local business, DDR Pty Ltd, which has 51 per cent Indigenous ownership, recently secured a $12.71 million contract for construction’.

Flood trauma?

Free women’s mindful healing workshops available

WORTH (Women’s Outreach Trauma Health Service) are reaching out to women over 16 who have been affected by the 2022 floods who would like to participate in a free ‘Mindful Healing in times of trauma’ course.

Busking For Change in the Northern Rivers

If there is one thing that Northern Rivers communities love, it’s a good busker! And after a successful pilot program in 2022, Busking For Change is launching nationally – we’re in! Grant for innovative

Birthing on Country program

Birthing on Country can be very important for many Aboriginal women, but many face the challenge of leaving Country to access medical care when their babies come.

A deer in the headlights

The Tweed, Byron, and Kyogle Shires have joined forces to find out just what is happening with feral deer in the region.

Tweed Council to start nappy rebate scheme but defer Cudgen Creek Masterplan

The last Tweed Shire Council meeting (May 18, 2023) saw the Reusable Nappy Rebate Scheme adopted by councillors, the rail trail impacts were discussed, while a decision on the motion to go ahead with the Cudgen Creek Masterplan was deferred.

Tragic death of two men in Yamba

NSW Police spoke to the media last week after the body of a man and a teenage boy were located inside a home at Yamba.

News from across the North Coast online www.echo.net.au www.echo.net.au

‘Importantly, Jabin Project Management, a wholly Indigenous-owned company, will provide support to DDR Pty Ltd throughout the construction process’.

The development includes a multi-user depot with

storage, parking, and associated infrastructure, including a minor refurbishment of the

On June 5, a Mad Hatter’s tea party celebrating World Environment Day was held on a logging road at the entrance to the Yarratt State Forest, near Taree.

North East Forest Alliance spokesperson, Susie Russell, said the action was to help save the much loved and diminishing koala population. ‘Government after

government condones the destruction of their homes, and then laments their declining populations’ she said. ‘Here in the Manning Valley, the most significant lowland koala forest that was not burnt in the 2019 fires, is being scalped. Every day, more truck loads of koala trees are taken out of Yarratt State Forest,’ said Russell.

A dive into fossil fuel investments within local Councils

Mia Armitage

Ballina Shire Council had more than $60 million invested in fossil fuel aligned companies on behalf of ratepayers as of the end of April 2023.

That’s what emerged from May’s Council meeting, where the staff report says that, of the $107.3 million in various investments, mostly with fossil fuel aligned banks, the largest share at 14.9 per cent was with Westpac, followed by 14 per cent with the Commonwealth Bank (CBA) and 13 per cent in the National Australia Bank (NAB).

Together, the three major banks represented nearly 42 per cent of the total Ballina Council investment portfolio.

A detailed staff graph showed none of the three were classified as fossil fuel free or green.

A further 6.5 per cent of investment funds were allocated to each of the Bank of Queensland and ME Bank and 4.8 per cent to AMP Bank, with none of those three classified as fossil fuel free or Green.

Around 37.5 per cent of the portfolio was classified as fossil fuel free or Green, including funds with Suncorp, BankVic, Auswide Bank, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Defence Bank and Police Bank.

The figure was an increase of around three percentage points compared to March figures, with staff saying they’d

made $8 million worth of new investments in April, including $5 million in ‘non-fossil fuel aligned institutions’.

At the meeting, staff indicated future possibilities for more non-fossil fuel aligned projects, with the introduction of increased investment quotas or percentages for B-rated investments. An amended Ballina Shire Council investment policy, with the suggested increases was approved for public display and feedback at the meeting.

‘Our numbers are pretty similar to Lismore at the moment,’ Cr Bruem said when supporting the amended investment policy for public display, ‘and about double what Byron Shire is doing, which is interesting’.

‘I think there are many people in the shire who have a very hard-headed and sensible approach to this topic,’ Cr Bruem said, ‘and they still view fossil fuels as legal and a legal business in the country’.

‘They don’t necessarily see it as something to be avoided all at all costs,’ he said.

Byron Shire Council

Meanwhile, Byron Shire Council investment figures for the end of April 2023 showed it had more than $72 million of ratepayer money in various banks, again mostly aligned with fossil fuel companies.

More than 29 per cent of the funds were in a CBA Business Saver account, excluding

some $660,000 in a separate CBA Business Saver account for a Tourism Infrastructure Grant Fund, representing more than $22 million banked with the CBA in total.

Nearly 24 per cent of Byron Shire Council’s investment funds – $17 million – was invested across nine accounts with the NAB.

Another $10 million was in a Macquarie Accelerator Call account, but that didn’t include $7 million spread across seven other Macquarie accounts, representing another 24 per cent of Byron Shire Council’s investment funds.

The three banks together represented 77 per cent of Byron Shire’s investments and weren’t classified as fossil fuel free.

They didn’t include the other fossil fuel aligned accounts in the likes of the Bank of Qld, and AMP etc.

Fossil fuel free aligned investments accounted for less than $10 million, or less than 14 per cent of Byron Shire Council’s portfolio.

Cr Bruem was therefore inaccurate when he said Ballina Council invested twice as much as Byron in so-called green funds – on percentages alone, Ballina is investing closer to three times as much and that’s before its substantially bigger portfolio is taken into account.

As for the Lismore City Council, reports presented to councillors in May

showed more than $114 million invested on behalf of ratepayers.

Lismore City Council leads region

Staff noted the council was ‘actively seeking ethical investments’ and had increased the ratio held to 40 per cent, with another $14 million recently included.

Staff said ‘ethical’ investments included fossil fuel free investments.

‘The Ethical Investments products available to Council are currently limited, and as with any investment, needs to be managed in line with Council’s cashflow requirements, investment strategy, and the risk to capital,’ staff said.

Staff said Council investment decisions also had to comply with the ‘Minister’s Investment Order’ and the ‘Investment Policy adopted by Council’.

Tweed Council

Further north in the Tweed Shire, a Council Investment Report Pack for the month of April showed a much bigger portfolio than Byron, Ballina and Lismore put together.

The report said the Council had nearly $420 million invested on behalf of ratepayers.

The data didn’t label investments according to their fossil fuel alignments,

but most banks used were the same as those used by other local governments.

The Tweed Shire Council had more than $70 million invested with the CBA, representing nearly 17 per cent of its portfolio.

Westpac represented more than 13 per cent of the portfolio, ING more than seven per cent, NAB nearly seven per cent and the Bank of Queensland more than six per cent.

The major banks listed above represented 50 per cent of the Tweed Shire Council’s investment portfolio, but didn’t include all investments with fossil fuel aligned accounts.

Smaller investments were held in other fossil fuel aligned accounts, such as nearly $9 million with the Macquarie Bank, representing more than two per cent of the portfolio, but more investigation would be required to reach a total figure.

Calculating how much money the Tweed Shire Council had invested with accounts that don’t sponsor fossil fuel projects was more difficult, but there was more than $46.2 million with Suncorp-Metway and $8 million with BankVic, two banks that Ballina Shire Council had labelled green.

Preliminary analysis suggested Tweed Council had at least $54.2 million or 13 per cent of its investment portfolio in non-fossil fuel aligned projects.

Training Ship Vampire, a facility that the Royal Australian Navy Cadets use.

Elliot turned the first sod with Assistant Minister for Defence, Matt Thistlethwaite. Photo supplied

A Mad Hatter’s tea party on a logging road managed to turn one logging truck around. Photo supplied

Mad Hatter’s tea party saves koalas, for a day, near Taree

Redress scheme cruel, says sexual abuse survivor

Hans Lovejoy

A man who gave evidence at the Royal Commission into institutional child sexual abuse has told The Echo that the resulting National Redress Scheme (NRS) ‘has been very cruel’ and that those who cannot afford to risk legal cases for an increased pay-out are being left behind.

‘I know child sexual abuse is a difficult subject’, says Robbie Gambley.

‘I am going public on this important issue to protect precious children’.

The establishment of the scheme was recommended by the Royal Commission, and started on July 1, 2018, and will run for ten years, according to the Department of Social Services.

Those who experienced institutional child sexual abuse are able gain access to counselling and psychological services, as well as monetary payments.

According to www.knowmore.org.au, those eligible can receive payment of up to $150,000. ‘The average redress payment is around $80,000’.

After being offered $73,000 via the Scheme to address

historical sexual abuse

Robbie suffered as a child, he says he explored how he could receive a fairer payout.

‘I really do not want to go down that path, but just want fair compensation for the damage to my young life’, he said. ‘I was a young, innocent, happy teenage boy before the abuse occurred’.

‘A crime was committed. The sexual, physical and psychological abuse – the assaults – almost totally destroyed my life. It almost cost me my life, but I am still here!’ He says before survivors of abuse can pursue a ‘second chance’ at civil action, they have to go to court to have their first case ‘set aside’, by the judge.

Courts in the states and territories determine the ‘second chance’ at civil action, Robbie says.

He says one law firm told him the abuse was ‘blatant and you have a strong case’.

‘Despite that, they would not risk going to court, because if the judge did not set my first case aside, they would incur the cost with no result, and I would be up for the institution’s costs. I survive on a Disability Support Pension, so I do not have financial backing to pay such a bill.’

‘PM unwilling to improve scheme’

‘The new PM, Anthony Albanese, is not prepared to improve the scheme’, he says.

‘Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth (Labor), will not hold a meeting, and is not proposing positive changes to the scheme.’

Local Labor MP, Justine Elliot, responded to The Echo on the matter and said, ‘We’re committed to making sure that the redress process is as smooth as possible, and my colleague, Social Services Minister, Amanda Rishworth,

has been determined to make improvements to this scheme since taking office last year.

‘Positive changes include enshrining a Survivor Roundtable into the governance arrangements, to make the scheme respectful of people’s lived experience, and enable more compassionate decision-making and investing more money in the Scheme for timelier outcomes.

‘Last month, the Albanese Labor government issued a full, transparent, and final response to all 38 recommendations of the independent second year review into the scheme’.

Meanwhile, Robbie said he worked very hard with Lismore detectives from 2005, which resulted in the perpetrator being arrested, charged and imprisoned.

He says, ‘It was a victory! I won over evil! Is it too much to ask for myself and other people to be awarded decent compensation to help get on with their life. To buy a home and live with some pride, dignity and comfort?’

‘I have never married, I do not have children, which is a great sadness for me. This is one impact from the abuse’.

Robbie Gambley.

Photo supplied

Is a free press essential or a luxury?

The Byron Shire Echo

Volume

37 #52 • June 7, 2023

Dear Chris Minns

NSW Premier

52 Martin Place SYDNEY NSW, 2000

Firstly, congratulations on winning the election in March, and becoming the new Labor premier.

For over a decade, the public suffered from some of the worst politics ever seen in the state, so there really is an opportunity to do good work, and improve the lives of all those living in NSW.

The reason I am writing to you is to bring to your attention the unruly and unprofessional conduct of the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC), which is a NSW government-run corporation.

As you are aware, they are tasked with ‘building back $5.6 billion in public infrastructure damage’ from the 2022 floods, and assisting 6,500 people by buying back, raising, or retrofitting their flood-affected homes.

Regarding the Resilient Home Fund, which is the buyback, houseraising or retrofit schemes for floodaffected homes, it appears progress is extremely slow.

According to the NRRC website, 6,471 households are registered and are still waiting. Two buyback settlements have been completed, from a total of 831. Do you consider this efficient governance?

As Echo editor, I have also been contacted by residents regarding their eligibility for the house-raising or retrofitting streams.

They say no one has contacted them (in Byron Shire), and the deadline for NRRC to do this is June 30 – less than three weeks away.

I understand phone calls from the NRRC were meant to commence from mid April.

The Echo asked the NRRC last week if this deadline would be extended, but is yet to receive a reply.

Another aspect to their responsibilities is the Resilient Land Strategy, which is identifying flood-free land (both private and public) in the region that could be ‘fast-tracked’ to become residential.

Last week, they released this strategy to the ABC, exclusively it seems, and it was poorly received by a local MP from your own party, owing to a lack of detail.

Lismore MP, Jannelle Saffin told local ABC News the release of the strategy compared to the ABC-TV political satire Utopia

Ballina MP, Tamara Smith (Greens), also has concerns, and told The Echo she wants more transparency, given only north coast mayors and general mangers were consulted with these land deals.

Smith also said, ‘We still do not have a true commitment from the new Labor Minns government for the second tranche of flood money that will deliver the bulk of the needs in Byron and Ballina Shires – houseraising and wet proofing’.

She added, ‘I have made it clear that if that is not in this year’s budget it will be devastating for people in our community who have been waiting patiently and following the process of expressing interest and registering.’

Please, Mr Minns, show leadership with this serious issue, and genuinely assist the flood-affected people of the Northern Rivers.

I suggest replacing the entire executive board of NRRC, including CEO David Witherdin, and his atrocious media team.

Additionally, please remove the corporation status of the NRRC, and newly formed NSW Reconstruction Authority, so the public can be informed of their activities through NSW parliamentary hearings.

It’s taxpayer money after all.

Yours sincerely,

The very first amendment made to the American Constitution protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

It is claimed that freedom of expression is essential to protect every other right that flows in a ‘free’ country. But is that true?

In Australia, we have spent the past year considering the health of our own democracy – the voters have strengthened the power of parliament by electing large crossbenches to hold the major parties (Labor and the Liberals–National coalition) to account.

A National Anti-Corruption Commission has finally been established.

Parliamentary inquiries have revealed the scandalous betrayal of taxpayers by large corporate consultancy firm, PwC.

The court system has exposed a revered Victoria Cross (VC) recipient, Ben Roberts-Smith, as a probable war criminal.

But in every case, our ‘free’ news media has not merely had a role reporting on these stories – in the case of the VC recipient who failed in his defamation bid, the role of the media became the story itself.

Just as Roberts-Smith has gone from hero to zero, the two journalists he sued for defamation are now the heroes, talking us through how they conquered the odds to complete their mission.

We surely have feelings of gratitude for the journalists’ efforts.

But it is shattering to realise that somehow, as a nation, we blindly handed the Victoria Cross to a war criminal who became one of our most revered Australians.

We now face a difficult journey addressing our responsibility for war crimes, and unpicking how this could possibly have happened – what system, what culture, what sort of deranged groupthink could have perpetrated such a gigantic fraud on the Australian public?

What is worse, this hero-to-zero story is not an isolated case. It adds to a pattern of news stories where accepted norms and embedded narratives have been turned on their heads.

Hans Lovejoy

Editor, Byron Shire Echo

‘Spying on one of the poorest countries in the world to steal economic advantage from them was said to be

– Catherine Cusack

betrayed Australian taxpayers, has exploded thanks to media reporting. For the Australian office of PwC to betray Australian taxpayers – in order to line the pockets of global clients like Glencore Mining – can only be described as economic treason. We have to ask how did we get into this situation where the institutions we rely on – the ATO, Treasury and even the Australian Federal Police (AFP) dropped the ball – and it fell to the free press to fill that void?

The free media has played a vital role in quashing astonishing abuses of power by our own government.

The appalling persecution of the Murugappans – a Tamil family of four better known as ‘the Biloela family’ went on for ten years in a game of cat and mouse that only ended with a change of government last year.

Similarly, the media was critical to ending the secret prosecution of Bernard Collaery – a lawyer accused of breaching the federal Intelligence Services Act 2001

Mr Collaery helped his whistleblower client reveal embarrassing details about how Australia’s government, in 2004, spied on East Timor to gain a commercial advantage in sharing of Timor Sea oil and gas reserves. Think about it.

Spying on one of the poorest countries in the world to steal economic advantage from them was said to be in our national interest.

Revealing that shameful activity to an incredulous public was said to be against our national interests. It took nearly ten years for Collaery, aged 77, to be freed from persecution by his own government.

Later on, a couple of Guardian journalists figured out, and revealed, the staggering truth about Robodebt.

www.echo.net.au

Phone: 02 6684 1777

Editorial/news: editor@echo.net.au

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Office: 64 McGoughans Lane, Mullumbimby NSW 2482

General Manager Simon Haslam

Editor Hans Lovejoy

Deputy Editor Aslan Shand

Photographer Jeff Dawson

Advertising Manager Anna Coelho

Production Manager Ziggi Browning

The PwC scandal, whereby a trusted accounting company

The Byron Shire Echo

Volume 37 #52June 7, 2023

Established 1986• 24,500 copies every week

The Echo acknowledges the people of the Bundjalung nation as the traditional custodians of this land and extends respect to elders past, present and future.

Disclaimer: The Echo is committed to providing a voice for our whole community. The views of advertisers, letter writers, and opinion writers are not necessarily those of the owners or staff of this publication.

Nicholas Shand 1948–1996

Founding Editor

‘The job of a newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.’

– Finley Peter Dunne 1867–1936

An ABC Four Corners story ‘Fox and the Big Lie’ revealed Murdoch media’s deliberate undermining of American democracy to protect Fox

profits, bringing down right-wing icon, Tucker Carlson, in the process. And it was the media who discovered Scott Morrison’s multi-ministry scandal.

It took a persistent, questioning media effort to reveal that a 95-yearold nursing home resident ‘injured during an interaction with police’ had, in fact, been tasered, as she slowly approached them in a walking frame.

So much of this news is demoralising, and often calls into question our precious perceptions as to who we really are and what it means to be Australian.

Sometimes these media reports are particularly hard, because they reveal things that politicians, governments, institutions and we, the people, do not want the truth to be. We wish it wasn’t true and so it falls to the media to force us to face it. To protect the truth, however unpleasant it proves to be.

This is never easy or simple – we are dismayed by the shattering of the mythology surrounding Ben Roberts-Smith. But we also need to remember the bravery of SAS soldiers who defended the truth and, in many ways, salvaged our honour as a nation. These men who stood by the gut-wrenching truth would rather run headlong towards Taliban bullets than talk to friendly journos.

It is a lot to absorb when heroes become villains and villains turn out to be heroes. It is especially troubling that truth can take so long to emerge.

As former US Secretary of State, Madelaine Albright, wrote: ‘The ability of a free and independent press to hold political leaders accountable is what makes open government possible – it is the heartbeat of democracy.’

Catherine Cusack is a former NSW Liberal MLC.

Stoney future

It seems like the world is in a constant state of war. Refound this quote but can’t remember who said it: ‘The fourth world war will be fought with rocks and sticks’. This will be something lovely, warm and tactile that we can really enjoy. So much better than the nasty impersonal weapons used in the third world war.

To David Morris

I refer to David Morris’ recent letter (May 24) about the ‘continual snide disparaging of the British (English monarchy).’

The confusing use of brackets appears to suggest he opposes the snide remarks against ‘the British’, which I also oppose; but the bulk of the article is a feeble attempt to defend the ‘English monarchy’, to which I respond:

First, please specify which

republicans have been ‘duchessed’ by royal invitations. Is the suggestion that, whoever they are, they represent an affinity for the English monarchy of all republicans?

Next, as stated, the monarchy represents England, not Australia, hence the republican opposition to it in this country. The argument is that the ‘constitutional monarch’ ought to be confined to England, which royalists can defend there; it has no proper place in what should otherwise be

a self-determining country like Australia, unfettered by events such as the Whitlam dismissal.

And finally, the whataboutist distractions about wealthy film stars and CEOs, the other imperialist nations who ‘stole stuff’, and the cute rhyme to finish it all off, is wholly unconvincing, and probably a method for dealing with David’s cognitive dissonance; the recent Echo political cartoon of the king and queen sitting atop a mountain of jewels and skulls captures the core of the opposition to the institution that David holds so dear. Perhaps he would like to defend this institution’s imperialist history? I think he will struggle to do so.

Jason van Tol Myocum

Cane burn

Thank you to the cane growers south of here for blanketing us with your smoke on such a beautiful day – not to mention the health hazard.

PS: Could you not have waited for a westerly instead of a southerly wind?

Peter Walters Ballina

Letters to the

Editor

Send to Letters Editor Aslan Shand, email: editor@echo.net.au, fax: 6684 1719. Deadline:Noon, Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut Letters already published in other papers will not be considered. Please include your full name, address and phone number for verification purposes.

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Opinion

A just recovery depends on true democracy

Miriam Torzillo & Andrew George

Recovery from the floods in the Northern Rivers of NSW has revealed a failure in the political arrangements that privilege top-down decision making and a neo liberal market-driven approach. The are two failures of this process; the impact on tenants and the rental market from the relocation of homes on the floodplain; and the lack of transparency and consultation by the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC), the agency tasked with that process. Our understanding is informed by our interactions as Lismore residents and community advocates with the community group Reclaim Our Recovery (ROR).

A key component of recovery is the Resilient Homes Program that plans to buy back approximately 2,000 properties in the Northern Rivers. The program is designed to move houses from the highest-risk areas by paying owners the ‘pre-flood cost of their

homes’, in effect a way for the government to discharge its liability for the loss.

The NRRC requires ‘vacant possession’ before a homeowner can settle and receive their buyback. If the property is rented, the tenants need to vacate for the owner to receive their payout. It is the landlords who will have to ask their tenants to leave. After that, according to one of the directors of the Resilient Homes program, the NRRC will ‘secure’ the premises and switch off the utilities. In their own

words ‘they don’t want to be landlords’.

Renters left out in the cold

The program has come under criticism from many quarters. The focus was always on homeowners or investors. However, at no point were the harsh implications for tenants in many of the homes taken into account. If the house is of suitable quality, the owner may have arranged to relocate it. Or the NRRC

The program has come under criticism from many quarters. The focus was always on homeowners or investors. However, at no point were the harsh implications for tenants in many of the homes taken

will attempt to sell the house for relocation, salvage the materials; or the last option, demolition. This might take place weeks, months or years after settlement. Meanwhile the houses, many currently habitable or easily made habitable, could sit empty, and the tenant, newly homeless, is out on the street looking at their indefinitely boarded up home wondering where they will go next.

the current structures of decision making and power wielding, which do not allow us to meaningfully participate. We have handed over responsibility of governance and self-determination to authorities for so long, exchanging them for the spoils of capitalism. Perhaps now it is time for us to reengage with community life, with politics, at this vitally significant juncture. There are well researched and trialled frameworks and tools to achieve this.

Dear residents,

This is a courtesy letter to advise you that a cultural event will be held at Dening Park, Byron Bay on Saturday 17 June 2023. This is an all-ages, all-inclusive event.

Event details:

Event name: BYRON MUSIC FESTIVAL

Event type: Community live music event

Date: Saturday 17 June 2023

Event times: 11am – 8:30pm

Event bump-in: Friday 16 June 2023

Event bump-out: Sunday 18 June 2023

The expected attendance is a maximum of 3,000 people over the nine-hour duration of the event. A shuttle bus service will be running throughout the day, and Traffic Attendants and accompanying signage will be present to assist in the reduction and smooth flow of vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

There will be live amplified music between the hours of 11am – 8:30pm. Provisions have been made to ensure this has minimal impact on surrounding residents. Noise levels will be monitored and recorded throughout the event to remain compliant with EPA standards.

We hope to see you at the event, in a celebration of our local creatives as a community, at a time when the music industry needs as much support as possible so we can continue to provide our community with connection, healing, and joy through music.

BMF is run by locals for locals; produced by the team at Byron Music Shop. For any enquiries during the festival, our hotline number is 0488 022 857 For more information, please visit www.byronmusicfestival.com.au

Kind Regards, Byron Music Festival Team

In recent public rallies and outreach events organised by ROR, community responses showed a concern for the voiceless. Responses showed that perceptions of ‘those not being heard in the discussion’ included First Nations people, children, renters and the ecosystem itself. The homes program is clearly homeowner-centric. This is not surprising in a capitalist system, which values capital and profit above basic needs. ROR exists to challenge the unsuitability of capitalism in a disaster and collectively imagine new ways of being. Is it really good enough for the NSW government, in a housing crisis to leave liveable houses vacant in this area for prolonged periods?

This issue highlights the need for the community to continue to collaborate and act in solidarity – as we did in the immediate wake of the disasters – and to keep raising questions of social justice to the NRRC. The NRRC does seem open to this. In meetings that ROR has had with members of the NRRC team, they have said they want us to keep bringing issues to their attention to improve the program. But is this enough, that the community has to intervene and cry out to get mistakes fixed once

decisions have been made and programs are in place?

If the recovery is to be just, the community must have a seat at the decisionmaking table from the beginning – not just ‘consultation’ but engagement and agency. The community should be engaged in collectively deciding the future of the towns and cities ravaged by the recent catastrophic flood events. We argue that there is a need for true participatory democracy, where the community is involved in the challenging conversation about the future of towns and cities in a changed climate.

Time for community engagement

Council and NRRC are currently working on a ‘Vision’ for Lismore. It will be a document apparently that will allow for ‘vigorous community comment’. We believe there is no better time for the community to be properly engaged in this visioning process. We have the opportunity with the latest floods, to reckon maturely and collectively with the consequences of past decisions. Decisions such as the building of a town on a floodplain; decisions and policies to clear 99 per cent of the Big Scrub forest; and ongoing decisions to pump carbon into our atmosphere.

As a community we have to reckon with the disconnect between our need as a community to determine the fate of our region, and

Citizens’ assemblies or juries ( www. newdemocracy.com. au) are robust means of participatory democracy designed to harness collective intelligence, engage critical thinking and collaborative deliberation; as well as take input from experts on the topic at hand. Furthermore, citizens’ assemblies are pragmatic and democratic in that they bring in ordinary people, representing a microcosm of a region that would be affected by a decision, then draw on the collective experience and intelligence of this microcosm to capture the sentiments of the larger group. Citizens’ assemblies are not about public opinion, full of ill-informed conspiracies and biases, they are about creating public judgement.

The recovery project and the work of the NRRC is very much a business-as-usual approach, where corporations are profiting from the disaster. The roll-out of the program has many contradictions. There is inequity everywhere, between investors and owner-occupiers and between renters and the homeless and everyone else. At the same time, the state continues to support and facilitate carbon polluting industries and the destruction of our environmental carbon sinks and ecosystems.

Without centring participatory democracy, justice, and ecology in our response to the Northern Rivers floods, and centring the experience and knowledge of First Nations people, we are sure to waste stupendous amounts of money, effort and time, and condemn future generations to reckon with these traumatising experiences again.

Thousands of homes and businesses were flooded throughout the February and March 2022 floods. Pictured is flooding in Lismore. Photos David Lowe

Giving voice to The Uluru Statement from the Heart

I have only limited understanding of ‘The Dreaming’ despite listening to and reading Indigenous explanations of how fundamental ‘The Dreaming’ is in Indigenous culture. I don’t well appreciate what it means to be ‘on Country’ except that it is deep attachment to ancestral land. I don’t really have an Indigenous view of ‘Mob’ and how it binds cultural groups together, nor of the taboos that apply within and between Indigenous people. But all these, and more, are fundamental to Indigenous culture. I’m hoping that if we have a successful Voice referendum that these Indigenous concepts become part of our national identity in recognition of the occupation of this land by Indigenous people for many thousands of years. I think more understanding of these concepts, and many others, would enable us to understand how best to work with Indigenous people on all the areas of concern identified in ‘Closing the Gap’ reports.

There is a mountain of reading material available on how to improve Indigenous health. One study that sticks in my mind is about how a particular clinic was not having much success with helping Indigenous men because they were reluctant to attend a clinic and sit in a waiting room where women were also seeking medical assistance. It was culturally confronting. No sooner did the practice establish separate areas for women and men than many more men sought treatment, and were receiving much improved outcomes. That included fuller consultations

and check-ups with a view to early intervention.

This sort of grassroots change has been happening for some time now, well before any moves to establish a ‘Voice’. And of course it’s about how medical services are delivered not necessarily about law-making.

So what’s the value of a Voice to parliament? The Voice, with its constitutional basis, means that there is the mechanism for such cultural awareness to be applied when any laws impacting Indigenous people are in contemplation by government. Australia has accepted that Indigenous people have the right to be heard on matters that affect them under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, but Australia has been a laggard in implementing those rights. So it’s catch-up time.

Frank Lynch Mullumbimby

There is so much ignorance on display with regards the Voice. The Voice came from First Nations people through hundreds of meetings of ordinary people leading up to the Uluru Statement several years ago.

It is not a product of politicians.

There is no risk to the sovereignty of parliament in the proposed amendment. The rights and privileges

of the Voice will be set by parliament.

The Voice will be able to advocate Indigenous points of view, this will give them a rise in public status, which should mean the media will pay attention when they speak.

As to details, the Voice proposal was the subject of a review commissioned by the previous Liberal government. The authors of the review, Professors Marcia Langton and Tom Calma, have already published their work, which can be found on the government website.

That is why Leeser resigned from the ministry. Dutton and Littleproud ignored the work done at his request and continue to do so.

There is nothing to be proud of, looking at our racist history towards Aboriginal people. Our Anglo ancestors massacred thousands, took their children and stole everything from the ancestors of present-day Aboriginals.

There can be no longterm damage from the Voice because it will be controlled by a set of rules by parliament. However, if we have a Voice enshrined in the constitution, at the very least, the powers that be will have to listen. And so will we.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart is asking us simply to listen to their proposals on how to address their day-today struggles in survival.

Please don’t miss this opportunity, and vote ‘Yes’. First Nations people need the Voice to enhance their lives into the future.

Rhonda Ansiewicz Federal

Street camping

Personally, I find the nonstop redevelopment happening along South Beach Lane in Brunswick Heads far more annoying than the young people picnicking and planting pineapples in the park. The large three-storey buildings with visually imposing awnings and huge verandahs hanging over the laneway are far more intrusive than the van campers. It’s all happening without Council oversight, and those tradies and their power tools certainly must impact on the mood of the

handful of locals still living on this busy tourist strip.

Byron Shire Council’s kneejerk reaction to close off the car park area – that was stolen from the crown reserve parkland during a previous parking crisis – is absolutely pathetic.

I thought I was reading a Murdoch publication with quotes from our once Green Mayor stating: ‘I think we need to develop a reputation for zero-tolerance for illegal van camping’.

Ralph James, Council’s head of compliance, is on the record stating that Council rangers will not be targeting

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homeless people in the crackdown on van campers. He assured the community that rangers can identify the difference between the homeless, and travellers reluctant to pay exorbitant prices for a campsite, when Council first adopted the policy and started rolling out the signposts prohibiting parking from 1am to 6am in acres of vacant car parks all over the Shire.

‘We don’t want to live in a ‘police state’ but we do want to live in a Shire where people are following the rules,’ Cr Lyon said.

Those rules don’t seem to apply to the substandard accommodation and Airbnbs operating illegally in residential areas that Council has never pursued with the same vigour or determination. Both Byron Council and state boffins frequently bend the rules for those developers wanting extra height or floor space – or who like to build on floodplains and dump loads of fill.

byrondogrescue.org

• Ph 0447 927 600

MULLUM VET

Mr Lyon is reading from Tony Abbott’s book for boofheads. Pick on those least able to fight back. Let’s torment young people who can’t afford a home and are burdened with university fees and punish them for daring to holiday in Byron Shire without paying someone for the privilege. Let’s threaten them with $1,000-a-night fines for sleeping in our streets and harass them with aggro cops and rangers pounding on the windows at 3am.

beachfront car parks!

I urge Mr Lyon and his friends to find a better solution. Our crown reserve caravan parks have priced themselves out of the market. We need affordable sites for the thousands of young people who want to visit instead of using brute force to toss them out and imposing huge fines. Why don’t we have a positive outcome for young campers and homeless people in the Byron playbook? You bend over backwards for those developers.

Michele Grant Ocean Shores

Israel/ Palestine

More killing of Palestinians on the West Bank by the Israeli military just recently. Again. I know because I saw it on ABC TV news. I’m sick of all and sundry supporting Israel to carry out this persecution of Palestinians.

that Palestinians don’t exist, a lie inherent to the Zionist ideology and made explicit in the hackneyed canard that Palestine was ‘a land without a people for a people without a land’.

This explicit denial of the existence of Palestine and Palestinians is an expression of the genocidal ideation that animates the Zionist movement and enables the Zionist project. It is a loathsome, hateful idea that should shock the conscience of decent human beings, and yet is readily accepted and condoned in Australia, which shares a cultural heritage of genocidal apartheid and the dispossession of Indigenous peoples.

A big ‘porky’ has arisen that would appear to have seduced Byron councillors. Maybe they have not done research revealing ratepayers’ strong objection to the folly surrounding the erection of a methanespewing fire hazard situated near a bird sanctuary and plonked in the middle of a growing business/ residential/tourist site. Furthermore, Council claims a descent into fiscal poverty, yet through lamenting tears this vile monster is being given time and wasted ratepayers’ money in Council representation and elitist $$$ brown nosing. Council is seeking an investor! This behaviour is beyond naughty… this behaviour demands immediate legal scrutiny. Why go through all of the pretence of ticking boxes on the democratic process and then immediately dismissing public risk and rights and manufacturing a document wrongly upholding public approval for the bioenergy facility?

Jo Faith Newtown

Russian karma

Tocontinuechesshistoryfrom lastweek:The2000sbeganwitha massiveupset,VladimirKramnik defeatingGarryKasparovina worldtitlematchinLondon.

Onlyfouryearslater,unableto organiseareturnmatch,Kasparov wouldretire,openingthewayfor theWorldChampionshiptitleto bereunited,sincetheyounger generationofKramnik,Viswan‐athanAnandandVeselinTopalov couldbarelyrememberwhy KasparovandNigelShorthad brokenawayfromtheworldbody FIDEinthefirstplace.

Afterafewyearsofconfusion Anandemergedontop,defeating bothofhisrivalsinmatches.

Intandem,the2000swasalso theperiodwhenFIDEbecame irretrievablycorrupt,President KirsanIljumzhinovwinning electionafterelectionwhere nationaldelegates,havinglinedup forwadsofcash,would photographtheirsecretballotto provethattheydeservedeven moremoney.Toitscredit, AustraliadidnotvoteforIljum‐zhinovonceduringhislongreign.

Theendofthe2000salsosaw Australiaaddtoitstallyoftwo homegrownGrandmasters,aftera long,longwait.InJanuary2007

ZhaoZongYuancreatedarecord whichstillstandsbyscoringhis threeGrandmaster‘norms’inan eightweekEuropeantripduringhis universitysummerholidays,while DavidSmerdonbecameAustralia’s fourthGMnotlongafterwards.

The2000salsosawtheriseand riseofayoungNorwegian.In2004 MagnusCarlsencametoworld attentionbywinningtheCGroupat thefamousWijkaanZeefestival, playingsomespectacularchess.

WithinfiveyearsCarlsenwas winningsuper-tournaments,onein Nanjingbya2.5pointmargin,and byJanuary2010hewasranked worldnumberone,apositionhehas sinceheldalmostcontinuously.

ItwasclearthatCarlsenwould inevitablybecomeWorldChamp‐ion,exceptforoneminorproblem: theNorwegiandidnotseem particularlyinterestedinthetitle. By2010Carlsenwasmodellingfor G-StarRawandsimplydroppedout ofWorldChampionshipqualifying events.

PlayersmeetatByronBayServices Club,Sat2.30 andMon5

For two decades the Council’s hardline attitude has failed to deter street camping. They have failed to consider any solutions beyond dumping a handful of camp sites in the blazing sun at the showgrounds or near the sportsfield in the Industrial estate for a limited time with the fees increasing recently, discouraging the most needy.

Council could utilise prime sites like the old Pacific Highway area and the old Finns building next to Ferry Reserve for overnight campers – a site that has remained vacant since 2007. There’s rail land from M’bah to Casino currently up for grabs. Far better solutions could be implemented with that $250,000 – like actually opening up the big car parks at Ocean Shores, Mullum, and Byron and letting campers gather safely for the night; they might even give you a gold coin donation. They’d pay a premium to stay in those fabulous

Yes, Hamas is the military wing of Palestine, I don’t agree with either sides’ aggression and killing of each other. Peace.

I was on a vigil in Byron Bay one year and a couple of Israelis (male/female) were saying and asking why we were flying the terrorist flag? It was the Palestinian flag. We tried to explain that we are a peace group and don’t support either side who perpetrate violence.

I don’t know if we convinced them. Young Israeli people have to do national service and learn how to kill, but of course that doesn’t make them killers. There is a peace movement in Israel of people who don’t agree with their regimes’ use of violence.

Paul Brecht Evans Head

Danny Wakil’s letter Echo, May 24) accuses Gareth Smith of spreading lies, but itself insults the intelligence of those who know the history of Zionist occupied Palestine. The biggest lie is

With his endorsement of a two-state solution, Danny obviously wants to give the impression of being fair and reasonable, despite his denial of Palestinians’ existence. But clearly a twostate solution is impossible, the only viable solution to the horror of genocidal apartheid in Israel Palestine is a one-state solution with equal rights for all.

John Scrivener Main Arm

There are more letter on the Israel/Palestine at www.echo.net.au/letters.

Can Byron Council please submit to The Echo and Byron Shire ratepayers evidence that the required public interest democratic process required for the approved erection of the bioenergy facility in the Arts & Industry Estate, was totally favoured by the community? There exists within Council such a statement. The area is under preparation presently with trucks in and out of the site.

Justice demands such evidence as, indeed, the initial public interest process revealed that one party was keen and over 60 other persons strongly objected!

A previous Echo letter mentioned a Russian statement: ‘If you send uranium to us, we will send it back to you’, and another letter mentioned the potential long-term contamination of the food supply by depleted uranium (DU).

We now read that the secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolay Patrushev, says, following ‘destruction of DU shells in an ammunition depot in the Ukrainian city of Khmelnitsky, a radioactive cloud has been blown toward Western Europe’. British nuclear scientist, Dr Chris Busby, has said radiation detectors in Poland showed a spike in radiation moving east immediately after the Russian strike on the ammunition depot in Khmelnitsky. What comes around goes around.

Peter Olson Goonengerry

For all those so very heavily involved in/with the so very, very sad Ben Roberts-Smith V.C. civil court case, an ancient Mexican adage: ‘If you want to live in peace: don’t tell all that you know; and don’t judge all that you see.’

Howard Hutchins Chirnside Park, Vic

A JOINT COMMUNITY EFFORT!

MANY

CRYSTALBROOK

SECOND HAND & VINTAGE SHOPS

BYRON RAINFOREST RESORT

ARTISTS IN FOCUS

Artists Talk – Michelle Walker & Jude White in conversation with Virginia Reid

Join exhibiting artists Michelle Walker and Jude White in conversation about their exhibition Ash, Mud & Tears, with visual artist and educator Virginia Reid, on Saturday 17 June at 2pm. Their exhibition is on display at the Northern Rivers Community Gallery (NRCG).

Walker and White’s work captures the devastation and turmoil recovery that has followed. This talk is an opportunity to hear both artists speak of the practical and emotional components

The artists will also speak to how they have worked with

Mondays from 10AM 19 JUNE & 17

Artists Talk: Saturday 17 June, 2pm. Ash, Mud & Tears is on display at NRCG from 3 May to 25 June 2023.

NRCG, Cherry Street, Ballina. All welcome!

Jay Pearse

SPACES THAT COME AND GO

@ Byron Bay Library 18 May to 18 August

Tents, marquees and pavilions erected each year only to disappear after the event, leaving behind the landscape.

jaypearse.com

Jude White & Michelle Walker at their exhibition Ash, Mud & TearsMichelle

Walker with her sculptures After the Mud Dried I, II, III at Ash Mud & Tears exhibition. Images by Nelly le Comte

After rave reviews following its successful Brisbane debut, PlayHavoc in association with Ad Astra is excited to be bringing to Byron Theatre for three performances on 15, 16 and 17 June!

What makes art and people truly authentic?

Inspired by true events, immerses us in the world of Maude Gutman, an unemployed bartender living in a trailer park, and her encounter with Lionel Percy, an eminent, New York art expert. Could Maude really have picked up a Jackson Pollock for three dollars in a thrift store? Has she

truth and what we perceive as valuable. Get ready for the rollercoaster ride that is

Book online at byron.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/108154

Pipit is mostly a restaurant – but it’s sometimes an art studio! Chef and owner Ben Devlin uses , a Japanese method of direct printmaking, to showcase the best local ingredients and seasonal menu approaches Pipit is running special food and art classes: techniques on how to use squid. Includes food tasters, $150pp.

www.pipitrestaurant.com

Jay Pearse is exhibiting a body of work inspired by the annual Tents, marquees and pavilions erected each year only to disappear after the event, leaving behind the landscape. Byron Bay Library is hosting this exhibition from 18 May to 18 August.

Don’t miss it!

jaypearse.com

jpearse@bigpond.net.au

BYRON THEATRE ~ 16th & 17th June

9

ART GALLERIES

ART KIND BYRON BAY

Exhibiting contemporary paintings, ceramics, prints and jewellery. 3/18 Centennial Circuit, Byron Bay.

Open Wed–Fri: 10am–2.30pm, Sat 10am–1pm. 0404 946 553 @artkindbyronbay www.artkind.com.au

ARTIST STUDIO GALLERY

Belongil Beach. Open by appointment. 0409 604 405 www.janrae.com.au

ARTIST’S HOME GALLERY

BYRON BAY

Landscape inspired works imparting a ‘spirit of place’. Open by appointment. 6685 5317 jaypearse.com

BS’A PROJECT SPACE

112 Dalley St, Mullumbimby. 0487 362 141 byronschoolofart.com/exhibitions

GALLERY COSMOSIS

Visionary Art.

22 Brigantine St, Byron Bay. Open Wed–Sat 10.30am–4pm, or by appointment. 0431 331 205 gallerycosmosis.com linktr.ee/gallerycosmosisbyronbay

H’ART GALLERY

Local art in the heart of Mullumbimby. Mullumbimby Comprehensive Health Centre, 60 Stuart Street, Mullumbimby. 0401 647 325

HEALING ART DESIGN & NEW AGE GALLERY

Azura Kingscliff

Shop 2B, 60 Marine Parade. 0408 868 793

KARENA WYNN-MOYLAN, FINE ART Bangalow Studio

By appt: 0414 822 196 karenawynn-moylanart.com

LENNOX ARTS COLLECTIVE

painting | photography | woodwork | ceramics | jewellery | classes | workshops 2/72 Ballina Street, Lennox Head. Open 7 days: 10am–3pm. lennoxartscollective@gmail.com

LISMORE REGIONAL GALLERY — POP-UP SPACE

46 Magellan Street, Lismore NSW 2480.

Open Tues to Sat: 10am to 4pm, Thursday until 6pm. 6627 4600

Email art.gallery@lismore.nsw.gov.au www.lismoregallery.org

LONE GOAT GALLERY

28 Lawson Street, Byron Bay. Wed–Sat: 10am–4pm. lonegoatgallery.com

MACKAY HARRISON GALLERIES

79 Bayview Drive, East Ballina. Welcome by appointment.

Artist/Sculptor David Harrison. 0412 664 284

MIST GALLERY

Shop 1B-51 Tweed Coast Rd, Cabarita Beach. 0419 870 305 mist.gallery.cabarita@gmail.com FB & Insta: @mistgallery

MULLUMBIMBY CLAYWORKERS GALLERY Drill Hall Complex, 2 Jubilee Ave, Mullumbimby. Open Thurs–Sat: 10am–2pm. mullumclayworkers.com

MZ GALLERY

57 Tennyson Street, Byron Bay. 0468 718 045 Byron Bay Contemporary Artspace. www.byronartspace.com.au

NIMBIN ARTISTS GALLERY

47 Cullen Street, Nimbin, NSW 2480

Opening Hours: 10am–4pm daily. 6689 1444 www.nimbinartistsgallery.org

NORTHERN RIVERS COMMUNITY GALLERY

Cnr Cherry & Crane Sts, Ballina. Open Wed–Fri: 10am–4pm, Sat/Sun: 9.30am–1pm. 02 6681 0530 nrcgballina.com.au

PEEK GALLERY

Check website for opening hours. 7/8 Fletcher Street, Byron Bay. 0488 646 464 hello@peekgallery.com @peekgallery www.peekgallery.com

STUDIO SUVIRA

CERAMICS & SCULPTURE GALLERY

Home gallery and sculpture garden. 28 Left Bank Rd, Mullumbimby. 0402 125 922 (call/sms first) suviramcdonald.com

THE LORE BUREAU

12 Old Pacific Highway, Newrybar. Open Thurs to Sun: 10am–3pm. By appt: 0455 992 396 www.thelorebureau.com

TWEED REGIONAL GALLERY & MARGARET OLLEY ART CENTRE

Gallery hours: 10am–5pm (Wed to Sun). Cafe open: 9.30am–4.00pm. 2 Mistral Rd, Murwillumbah. 6670 2790 artgallery.tweed.nsw.gov.au

cristina

Julie Fragar, Polygraph 2010 oil on board 180 x 120cm Collection of the artist, courtesy of the artist

Flannerys

Flannerys Murwillumbah celebrates one year as the go-to organic hub for the local community.

They pride themselves on sourcing the best locally produced and sustainable wholefoods, vitamins, supplements, bulk foods, fresh produce, meat, seafood, bread and pantry staples. Their produce is Certified Organic, and locally sourced where possible.

Echora

You’ll also find qualified naturopaths in-store seven days a week, headed up by much-loved local Colleen Cheketri. Pop in for herbal liquids and see the friendly team for free wellbeing advice. Plus, members can save 20 per cent off all vitamins once a month – it’s free to join.

66 Murwillumbah St, Murwillumbah flannerys.com.au

Mavis’ Kitchen & Cabins

Mavis’ Kitchen is a restaurant, eco-accommodation, organic produce garden and providore located at the base of Wollumbin.

Immerse yourself in nature in their lush gardens and rainforest setting, whether you’re visiting for lunch, a seven course degustation, a picnic by the creek, or staying in their cabins admiring the views from your private deck.

Picture waking up to breakfast on the veranda of this 100-year-old beauty, looking out over manicured gardens and stunning views of the mountain.

Stroll through the produce garden to see what the chefs are harvesting; always a new experience, changing with the seasons.

Go for a dip in the natural swimming holes and bring your fur babies along for the ride.

Romantic getaways and events are crafted by The Mavis’ Kitchen team to create cherished memories for families, lovers, and friends.

02 6679 5664

64 Mt Warning Rd, Uki maviseskitchen.com.au

If you want to feel warm as the days get cooler, Echora’s beautiful, sumptuous woollen jumper range is designed for comfort and a relaxed look. There are merino, cotton and mohair styles in a range of earth tone colours, all made in Australia. They feature roll top, crew and v-necks, a modern loose hem and overall design that will become your new winter favourite. Echora also has a wide range of linen tops, pants, and dresses, as well as a complete range of luxurious beechwood base layer clothing.

Open Mon–Sat from 10am until 4pm and 10am to 2pm on Sunday.

7 Prospero St, South Murwillumbah echora.com.au

World Environment Day Festival

Caldera Environment Centre’s World Environment Day Festival this year focuses on the UNEP theme of #BeatPlasticPollution. Anthony Hill will join other environmental speakers to discuss this global issue and provide insights into the ‘big picture’ behind the problem – and how it is being solved locally. Other topics on the program include native forest destruction and what is to be done, glossy black cockatoos and their significance, earth building and its manifold benefits, forensic insect and fungi photography of the weirder kind, and native stingless bees for your garden.

Entertainment includes Mudjai and Kids Caring for Country dancers, Luna Junction Gypsy-folk and the power and energy of Taiko Drumming troupe, Kazuna.

There will be food and hot drink vans and sustainable goods stalls. This year’s festival will also focus on EVs and the surprising ways they will power our future.

Date: 16 July, from 10am to 3.30pm Knox park, Murwillumbah

Caldera@calderaenvironmentcentre.org

Magic Murwillumbah

Northern Rivers Property Group

6 week market snapshot:

Qualified buyers – 60

Written offers – 23

Sold properties – 10!

If you are considering coming to market, reach out to Paul on 0448 191 351, or Adrianna on 0422 265 871 for strategic advice, premium marketing planning, five-star service and a sale result worth celebrating!

Suite 2A Warina Walk Arcade, 114 Murwillumbah St, Murwillumbah northernriverspropertygroup.com.au

Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction Murwillumbah, is a treasure trove for the daringly darling, the romantically rebellious, and anyone who loves a far-out-and-funky find. Filled wall-to-wall with an extensive, eclectic pre-loved book collection and forever-loved designer and vintage clothing, Pulp Fiction has your holiday season covered with gift cards and deals in store. Find them at 309 Tweed Valley Way from 10am to 4pm, seven days a week. Cash and card welcome. Book exchange 50 per cent of market value. Rare and valuable book collection available on request.

0403 169 616 309 Tweed Valley Way, Murwillumbah

The Regent

Located in the innovative M|Arts precinct

The Regent is a community-focused venue providing a broad range of films and live entertainment. The 250-seat theatre has been at the heart of culture in Murwillumbah since 1947 and was recently refurbished to its authentic Art Deco glory.

The live program includes theatre, comedy, and concerts by local and touring artists, with great sightlines from traditional tiered seating. Khanthaly’s Kitchen serves vibrant Asian fare, and the licensed bar features

a range of classic cocktails. The covered balcony hosts live music every Friday and Saturday and is a great spot for a party.

02 6672 8265

5 Brisbane St, Murwillumbah the-regent.com.au

Tweed Regional Gallery annual community picnic & artist paint out

Sunday 18 June, 2pm–5pm

Bring the whole family to the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre’s annual community picnic. Throw your picnic rug down for an inspiring day of creative connection, art, and community within the picturesque grounds of the Gallery. There will be live music, free activities for kids and the opportunity to create art with the stunning views of Wollumbin / Mount Warning as backdrop.

For more information see Gallery website.

02 6670 2790 gallery.tweed.nsw.gov.au | tweedart@tweed.nsw.gov.au @tweedregionagallery

1. Flannerys

2. Echora

Magic Murwillumbah

McGuiness Funerals

McGuiness Funerals is a traditional funeral company serving the Murwillumbah, Tweed, Ocean Shores and Billinudgel communities. Libby Varela, an experienced Funeral Director/Supervisor with nine years in the industry, is highly regarded and respected within the local community.

Recently joining their team, Kellie Lesleighter is an exceptional funeral director, receiving heartfelt praise from the families she has assisted.

Katriina Mansbridge is a familiar face in town and has been a valued member of McGuiness for two years, showing care, empathy, and a vibrant personality.

The McGuiness Funerals team deeply value the service they provide to grieving families, delivering a professional, compassionate, and detailoriented experience.

They understand that the funeral day holds great significance, and they strive to make it perfect for every person they serve. Their staff will treat you like family, and their ultimate goal is to alleviate some of the burden on the worst day of your life.

02 6672 2144

19 Wollumbin Street, Murwillumbah

16 Mogo Place, Billinudgel info@mcguinessfunerals.com.au www.mcguinessfunerals.com.au

The Kinship Festival

Murwillumbah came alive with the start of Reconciliation

Week on Saturday 27 May as Knox Park filled with a dazzling array of dancing, art, rapping and food.

Riverside dining at Tweed River House

Celebrate the best of the Northern Rivers’ seasonal produce when you dine at the chefhatted Tweed River House.

Dine in the magnificent century-old plantation style house, located on the banks of the Tweed River with sweeping hinterland views.

The riverside Lawn Bar is ideal for a drink and lighter bites.

02 6672 5269

131 River St. Murwillumbah South tweedriverhouse.com.au

Bolt + Buckle

It’s an accepted fact that men are hard to buy for. Well… it used to be… until Bolt + Buckle came along and they are now the self-professed ‘men are so hard to buy for’ store. Opening nearly a year ago, Bolt + Buckle has quickly established itself as the ‘go to’ shop for men’s gifts and fashion in the Tweed, all presented beautifully with a rustic industrial fit-out in the art-deco Austral building.

People far and wide have fallen in love with this store, and it’s easy to see why, the moment you walk through the door. A warm, welcoming vibe, a feeling of quality, and a wide, eclectic range that creates a sense of discovery with every step. You’ll find quirky gifts, the latest fashion and a range of rustic leather goods.

Bolt + Buckle is a must-visit store on your next trip to Murwillumbah.

02 6608 3645

11 Commercial Road, Murwillumbah indepal.com.au

‘It was fantastic, the kids loved it. There was dancing, they got told stories that went with different pieces of art they were given, they got to be part of a yarning group where they learnt traditional Bundjalung songs. They also really enjoyed going’ round and identifying the Indigenous animals on each store and learning the Bundjalung names for them,’ said one parent at the festival.

‘I’m a spiritual warrior, I’m showen ya my culture’ JK47 rapped as young people wrote down words for him to turn into songs, as well as taking turns rapping with him.

There was a great range of dancers and dances throughout the day celebrating the range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in the region.

Jet Real Estate

Jason Dittmar, Elizabeth Hickey and Tania Sheppard are JET – a group of experienced real estate professionals who have come together to deliver an ethical and personalised service to clients in Byron Shire and Tweed Valley.

They work as an enthusiastic team, so their clients get the benefit of all three JET directors working collectively for you. As well as their combined knowledge base and huge network of contacts, they bring extensive local experience that comes from working for a combined 70+ years in the region.

They all live and work in the beautiful Northern Rivers and are serious about doing right by their community. They value the relationships they form with their clients, potential buyers and tenants, and personally communicate all the way through the sales and property management process. After all, you’re going to be neighbours. Contact JET today to find out how they can help you.

02 6672 2499

Shop 1/41-45 Murwillumbah Street, Murwillumbah team@jetrealestate.com.au

Jason Dittmar – 0477 711 858 jason@jetrealestate.com.au

Elizabeth Hickey – 0474 908 555 elizabeth@jetrealestate.com.au

Tania Sheppard – 0438 446 578 tania@jetrealestate.com.au

Good Taste

BYRON BAY

Success Thai

Open Lunch Wed–Fri 12–2.30pm.

Dinner Mon–Sat 5–8pm.

All your favourites, every lunch and dinner. Experienced Thai chefs cooking fresh, delicious Thai food for you.

Eateries Guide

Bangalow Bread Co.

12 Byron St, Bangalow

6am–3pm weekdays.

The Rocks

Brunch 7am–1pm, every day 16 Lawson St, Byron Bay 6685 7663 Menus at therocksbyronbay.com.au @therocksbyronbay

Barrio

1 Porter Street, North Byron Mon–Tues: 7am–3pm Wed–Sat: 7am–10pm www.barriobyronbay.com.au @barriobyronbay 0411 323 165

Wahlburgers Byron Bay American style burger restaurant & sports bar

Upstairs at Mercato on Byron, Jonson Street. www.Wahlburgers.com.au

North Byron Hotel

61 Bayshore Drive, Byron Bay

Ph 6685 6500 Kitchen open Sun-Thu 11.30am8.30pm / Fri & Sat 11.30am-9.30pm Bar open daily 11.30am-late Bottleshop open daily 10am-8pm hello@northbyronhotel.com.au

BYO only.

Welcome for lunch, dinner and takeaway. Menus available on Facebook.

The Rocks

We have a range of freshly sourced dishes, Reverence coffee, and hand-made juices and smoothies at locals prices. Fully licensed, all-day brunch and happy hour from 11am. Check out our new dishes on Instagram!

Barrio brings together the local community in a relaxed environment for all-day dining.

The wood-fired oven and open-flame grill is the heart of the restaurant. Keep an eye on socials for daily specials.

American & local sports played live Family Offer Buy 1 kids meal, get 1 free.

$8 after 8 $8 drinks from 8pm Thur–Sun.

Live music Fri–Sun.

Open 11am to 9pm daily – dine-in or takeaway.

Step away from the centre of town and into a shimmering oasis away from crowds.

A tucked away treasure, the North Byron Hotel is a thriving mecca of good food, great music, laughter and the ‘chilled Byron Bay vibes’. Eat Drink Discover

25% LOCALS DISCOUNT

Come say ‘hi’ and find out how to get your discount!

HAPPY HOUR 5–6pm ORDER FOOD ONLINE www.nobonesbyronbay.com.au

CATERING

JACKSON

7am–2pm weekends.

6687 1209

www.bangalowbread.co info@bangalowbread.co

Stone baked sourdough, hand rolled pastries, small batch pies, house made cakes. Your local artisan bakery, specialising in all things sourdough. Serving Old Quarter coffee along with freshly made sandwiches using our own sourdough bread, hand rolled pastries, award winning pies and a variety of house made cakes.

Coffee, malawach rolls, pita pockets, falafel, traditional Yemenite spices and all your favourites, always freshly made.

Cakes

Funding for organic growers

Jonson Street, Byron Bay 6680 9183

Book online: www.loftbyronbay.com.au

Signature cocktails, and casual dining with ocean views. Happy Hour | Daily from 4–6pm. $6 loft wine or lager, $10 spritzes, $14 margaritas & $30 house wine bottle Half price deli board & $2.50 fresh oysters Espresso Martini Nights | Every day 9pm–close, 2 for $25 Classic Espresso Martini. Open daily from 4pm.

The Italian Byron Bay provides a bustling, atmospheric restaurant, dishing up contemporary inspired Italian cuisine and some of Byron’s finest cocktails and wines.

OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY. BOOKINGS CAN BE MADE BY PHONE OR THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. WALK-INS VERY WELCOME.

Freshest Pizza

Order online and join our loyalty program.

Catering for up to 100 people lunch and dinner. BYO

Locally owned and operated. Scan code for menu.

Closed Sunday 3/31 Lawson St, Byron Bay www.facebook.com/ pages/Success-ThaiFood/237359826303469 Open for takeaway daily, 12 midday until dinner. Menu and more details

‘Make a meal of it’ Add chips and a drink, just $5.

For the last 40 years, Santos Organics has prioritised products on its shelves that are locally grown or produced. It also strongly supports organic growing methods and is passionate about encouraging local farmers to do the same. As a result, for the first time ever this year, Santos funded Northern Rivers farmers to transition to becoming 100 per cent ‘certified organic’.

‘We’re serious about localisation, fostering partnerships to create local food security, while also supporting farming practices that regenerate our environment,’ said Santos CEO, Jolene Ryan.

Applicants to the ‘Grow the Growers’ funding project were either wanting to enter the organic certification system for the first time, expand their current growing potential through the purchase of equipment, or cover the cost of soil testing and additional organic inputs.

‘After a careful assessment process, we awarded funding to eight of the thirteen applicants, who all have the potential to supply our stores with ‘organic In-conversion’ produce. This certification follows the same standard as ‘certified organic’ growers, for a period of 12 months to three years, before gaining full certification.

‘More often than not, it can be difficult for farmers to find a market for their produce during this time, which can lead to disenchantment with the system. Therefore, we wanted to encourage these growers to feel inspired and continue to provide fresh, nutrient-rich food, for themselves, their family and our local community. Over time, we hope to further enhance the network of local growers within our region and offer a range of in-store events, to bring both the community and growers together’, said Jolene.

Of $25,000 total funding, over half has been allocated to the recipients, and the remaining funds will be given in the subsequent stages of their conversion:

• Margi Carter: Margi has a fantastic range of fruit trees in her large orchard, on the outskirts of Mullumbimby.

• John Quayle of Maryfields Organic Farmstay: John has mango and pomegranate plantations, as well as Manuka honey.

• Pepe Fassos of Five Sixty Farms in Lismore: Pepe produces microgreens and a range of annual vegetables.

• Andrew Cameron of Burringbar: Andrew is currently regenerating a large avocado orchard.

• Dave Warne of Green Cauldron Farm in Tyalgum: Dave offers a fantastic range of annual vegetables.

• Tom and Nicole of Misty Creek Agroforestry in Booyong: Tom and Nicole farm with syntropic agroforestry to mimic the natural structure of the rainforest for food production.

• Karen Gross of The Paddock in Mullumbimby: Karen uses syntropic farming, has market gardens, and offers NDIS programs on her inclusive farm.

• Simon Schaffer of Wollongbar: Simon uses successional agroforestry to grow taro, cassava, bananas and pumpkin.

Five Sixty Farms in Lismore, a microgreens and vegetable supplier who has received funding from Santos Organics to transition to ‘100% Certified Organic’.

Good Life

Fire dining with Terra Firma

Terra Firma is revolutionising ‘eating out’ with their no-boundaries cooking-over-fire dining experiences coming 24 June to the Mid North Coast.

Terra Firma Dining is an immersive outdoor dining experience like no other.

Inspired by the traditional Argentinian Asado barbecue method, all the food is cooked low, slow and exclusively over an open flame.

Owner and Head Chef Charly Pretet’s mission is to connect people to the environment where their food is grown.

That’s why his decision to partner with Georgina and Sam Baker of Levenvale Farm, owners of a regenerative and certified organic farm, growing the best organic produce in Bellingen Shire, makes a whole lot of sense.

Since 2021, Levenvale Farm has been serving unforgettable Paddock to Plate dining experiences, showcasing produce direct from the farm – the source to the consumer. At Levenvale Farm, diners will enjoy 100 per cent grass-fed Bello beef, pastured and organic chicken, and biodynamic vegetables, all grown in paddocks right next to them.

‘Levenvale Farm is a place that nourishes the soil, the plants, the animals, and us. We want to create a place where people can eat together, learn together, share experiences and grow together,’ Georgina Baker explains.

Local boys, Bellingen Brewing Co and Byron Bay’s own Cape Byron Gin will serve their award-winning beverages, and guests will be treated to live music from Hannah Harlen and Afie James.

Themed ‘Experience Regenerative’, the event promotes a message that regenerative producers are our pathway to a better future.

Charly Pretet will host a Fire Cooking Masterclass the next day for attendees and industry chefs who want to master outdoor fire cooking.

TICKETS: Paddock to Plate with Terra Firma: bit.ly/terrafirmalunch-echo

Fire Cooking Masterclass with Terra Firma: bit.ly/TerraFirmaMasterclass-Echo

Or contact Sam and Georgina Baker, Levenvale Farm, www.levenvalefarm.com.au

Jumping Red Ant

Why ‘Jumping Red Ant’? Duranbah is the Indigenous name for the jumping red ant, of which there are a lot on the farm. But while Guinness World Records certifies the related jack jumper ant Myrmecia pyriformis as the world’s most dangerous ant, with the median time from sting to cardiac arrest (if you’re allergic to their venom) being 15 minutes, the verdict of farm workers on the red ant is that it ‘just really hurts’ if you get stung. John Atkins from Jumping Red Ant, on the other hand, is not only completely harmless, but his food and farming practices are making the world a better place.

do well. To the twelve staff members he currently employs he’s about to add two more.

Whenever I approach Jumping Red Ant, I immediately want to make ratatouille, or caponata – any of those gorgeous jammy European braises of capsicum and tomatoes and zucchini and eggplant. These, however, are merely some of the beautiful things John Atkin has been growing so successfully on his property up north, in that rich red volcanic soil, for over 20 years now.

He didn’t start out farming, however. A variety of careers, including running a hotel and working in the fitness industry, led him ultimately to purchasing property, some 30 years ago, at Duranbah, 50 metres above sea level. In 2002, he ‘seriously started to farm’, he tells me. ‘I decided to run it as a business.’

It’s been a long slow growth toward the success John now enjoys – and that was always the plan. ‘There’s so much produce!’ he says, adding that it’s a ‘good growing climate’, and at that altitude, there’s no danger of frosts. He grows tomatoes all year round. Tropical fruits

And now there are other ‘strings’, as he refers to them, to his bow. His daughter Brianna is gradually taking over as John chooses to step back and concentrate on other possibilities (like boutique farm-stays, cooking classes, developing the range of sauces they’ve started selling at the stall). ‘We want to increase production of our natives’, he tells me. ‘It’s Brianna’s vision and direction.’

If anyone is qualified to give tips to the home gardener it’s John. Without hesitation he says: ‘Invest in your soil. Put carbon back, with mulch, with worms.’ Consider companion planting, he adds – growing plants together whereby they assist each other, increasing biodiversity in your garden.

His last tip is to support farmers’ markets. ‘It’s the only way’, he says, ‘that farming will survive!’

Jumping Red Ant are at New Brighton on Tuesdays from 8–11am and Mullumbimby on Fridays from 7–11am.

Victoria Cosford

Cryptic Clues

ACROSS

1. Heap around very strong rubbish (6)

5. Lawyers’ tool – it provides support in a pub (8)

9. John, the French-Virginian conservative (8)

10. Monster to become tedious (6)

11. Bad thing, weapons in cabarets (10)

13. Guinness – they say he can be smart (4)

14. Herb, maker of money (4)

15. State: mate all around the country (10)

18. Giving up of the French mating (10)

20. A few, but they say it’s the total (4)

21. Small pet – go away! (4)

23. Exploit Oregon mine – it’s where the power comes from (6,4)

25. Roguish, that’s Roach! (6)

26. Kill big deer, English – not seen in the performance! (8)

28. Don’t stop – hold on to a bird! (4,2,2)

29. Dwell about the team (6)

DOWN

2. Put a slant on it – or perhaps make it Roman! (9)

3. Expose your penis to Florida excrement (5,2)

4. Self-belief – for instance, oxygen provided (3)

5. Boy and a second person in the lagoon (5)

6. Those during upsets take the front seat (4,7)

7. Art returns with the French over Los Angeles – sing it! (7)

8. Zero area provided for gas (5)

12. Incarceration for scam penalty with blokes on time (11)

16. Bird – it ascends around the turn (3)

17. One domestic animal possessed by one returning? Jesus! (4,2,3)

19. Favourites dance for a place to buy animals (3,4)

20. Queer priests – fairies! (7)

22. Vicious animals, English – my oath! (5)

24. Another animal, but over the line – rejoice! (5)

27. Tree sounds like a type of hair (3)

STARS BY LILITH

Can peace-loving Venus joining feisty Mars in the dramatic sign of the Lion gentle this week’s tempers? And which of their energies will you support...?

What are you waiting for?

Quick Clues

ACROSS

1. Balderdash (6)

5. Tall seat from which to drink (8)

9. WC (8)

10. Mythical creature (6)

11. Discotheques (10)

13. Nitwit; know-all (4)

14. Pristine (4)

15. Widespread; covering all the states (10)

18. Grief-stricken (10)

20. Several (4)

21. Beat it! (4)

23. Principal source of strength (6,4)

25. Harry’s baby (6)

26. In the wings (8)

28. Persist (4,2,2)

29. Inhabit (6) DOWN

2. Convert to sloping text (9)

3. Show for a brief time (5,2)

4. Psyche (3)

5. Marshy area of water (US) (5)

6. Act as bodyguard (4,7)

7. A phrase of merriment (7)

8. It protects Earth from UV rays (5)

12. Detention (11)

16. NZ Honey Eater (3)

17. The Messiah (4,2,3)

19. UK pop duo ___ ____ Boys (3,4)

20. Pixies (7)

22. Condemnation (5)

24. Brag; crow (5)

27. Evergreen conifer (3)

Last week’s solution #493

PLUMBBLEACHERS ALRAVRAH RECLEANSEUNSER AEADNITU STRIKESTASHING IEEFEN

TIMERANOUTIDLE EASRLRIN SIDENOELCOWARD HPLYMA ANAGRAMSCARMEN NTAEENIG TUTTINIGHTMARE EESTGIMR SURCEASESCRIBS

If you want to destroy someone without lifting a finger, make them wait. Keep them believing that help will come. Farm their hope. Ensure there are no other options, but to wait. Then make them wait some more. Make them wait one day, and then two. Make them wait one week. A month. Three months. A year. Fifteen months. Send them a letter. No, don’t – that’s too personal. Have a press conference and release confusing information to update their waiting. Make them feel that they have progressed in the queue. Tell them it won’t be long now, just a bit more waiting. Maybe tell them someone will contact them by mail. Then make them wait by the letterbox that, by the way, they no longer have, because it was destroyed. Which is a symptom of why they are waiting. Don’t send anything definitive. Ensure they know that while their frustration with waiting is recognised, that other people who also don’t have letterboxes are waiting too. When the people waiting form groups of angry people who are sick of waiting, tell them to go see a social worker to support their mental health. Patronise them with some counselling. Guess what, you don’t have to wait for that. Therapists are in their car ready and on the way to placate you and send you back to your endless waiting. Don’t acknowledge that the source of their mental health decline is no longer the terrible thing that happened – it’s from waiting for the help that was promised. Let them drift into this terrible grey sea of waiting until they become disoriented and scared, until they are swollen with misery and aloneness that goes deep to their core. Let them linger there until all hope is gone. When their spirits are so broken they’ll say yes to anything you offer, not to restore what was lost, but just to stop the waiting; then the waiting has won. They are broken. This is bureaucratic torture. Those thousands of people in our communities who were inundated by floodwater have experienced something even worse now – they have been inundated

ARIES: If a situation you once loved now fails to excite, this inspirational month stimulates playful and pleasurable ways to make your day-to-day duties more eff icient and interesting. That’s the good news. The trickier bit could be the combustible combo of Mars and Venus in a fellow fire sign igniting explosive emotions.

TAURUS: The passionate pairing of this month’s Mars and Venus in a fixed sign like your own holds both positive and negative potential. Mars can be argumentative and dogmatic, and Venus won’t be talked into anything unless she wants to. But the upside of this creative coupling does offer a smorgasbord of entertaining fun.

GEMINI: June’s absolutely fabulous silver birthday lining is your own life, especially your social one, leaping from mild to wild as love and money planet Venus joins enthusiastic Mars for a glamorous sashay through the sign of eye-popping style. So go ahead and taste it, you don’t wanna waste it...

by incompetence. They have been made to wait. While the NRRC conducts its first buybacks – of which there have been only a handful completed across three LGAs, others wait to be contacted to be told whether they are eligible for funding for a) retrofit, or b) house raising. They were told they would be contacted between April and 30 June. On writing this, it seems that no one in the Byron LGA has been contacted, possibly no one in any LGA. What they are waiting for is a phone call with an offer that says they have ‘indicitive eligibility for a retrofit/ houseraise’, which basically means ‘we know what you are waiting for and yes we realise you’re feeling shirty, but you’ll have to wait even longer for the confirmation of your actual eligibility. There is no date on that. So wait until 30 June to be confirmed for that next big wait’. While you do this waiting, the construction industry costs will skyrocket and insurance companies will screw you into destitution. Because the torture is working, now you’ll say yes to anything that’s offered, just to make this torment stop.

Waiting is associated with negative psychological and physiological responses such as anxiety and stress. More uncertainty and unexpected wait times aggravate the symptoms. I can’t imagine the duress of losing everything and then being triaged by

CANCER: Venus and Mars partnered up in the zodiac’s most entitled sign could make some of this month’s players bossy and autocratic. Which may set off your emotional defense system, so you might consider safeguarding personal information and adding an extra protective layer on your crab shell during this weekend’s sensitive moon.

LEO: Mars in Leo gives you energy to burn, and this week Venus joins in for the peak pairing of the year. Mars and Venus don’t meet up very often, but when they sashay in tandem down the cosmic catwalk in your majesty’s fiery sign you’ll find no shortage of willing fans to do your bidding.

VIRGO: If this month’s Mars and Venus in lavish, nothing’s-goodenough mode come across as demanding and hard to please, just off er your elegant best and forget the rest. For the first half of June, Virgo’s planet guide, Mercury, suggests that practical perspectives will bring the most tangible results.

LIBRA: If June finds you restless and wanting to make a move, but indecisive and second guessing yourself, be patient, don’t push for answers, sit with the discomfort and wait for an opening. This month’s ongoing challenge to your smart and savvy sign is staying focused through a whirlwind of distractions.

SCORPIO: June issues an invitation to get out and about; to circulate and connect with not only kindred spirits, but a wider range of viewpoints than usual. With Pluto’s retrograde accompanying world turmoil, it’s worth keeping in mind that emotional and social intelligence will get you much further during June than ultimatums.

SAGITTARIUS: During Gemini season, the life-giving Sun, our planet’s solar power, is at its furthest distance from your sign, which can sometimes make you feel tired. While you mightn’t have much bandwidth for superficial encounters this week, you’ll still feel energised by the loyal and supportive members of your crew – you know who.

a broken and inadequate bureaucracy. People can deal with loss. They can’t deal with this. People had support in the loss. The media sent helicopters to tell the story. You can’t send helicopters to capture footage of people waiting. It makes for boring TV. But rest assured, this is a crisis. And making flood-affected people wait does not just lack compassion; it is an outright hostile act.

In my opinion the problem is that responses have been triaged, a bit like an emergency room. There are thousands in there. And everyone in there is waiting. Understandably the most seriously impacted take more time. Buybacks are emotional, complex, difficult. They are the cardiac arrests in the emergency room. Meanwhile there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people needing a retrofit or a houseraise, who are basically just being offered a panadol. If they were given what they needed they could leave the emergency room. Leave their emergency housing and be back in their actual homes.

So let’s stop talking about the flood. That’s long gone. Let’s address the real elephant in the room. The second and most lethal wave of this disaster: the waiting.

If the flood didn’t crush you, the waiting might.

CAPRICORN: Planet Pluto backtracks into Capricorn this week, assisting you till early October with finalising closures, firming up new directions and prepping for oncoming changes. Humans are supremely adaptable, and that’s the Capricorn quality you need to access as 2023 continues unfolding. Sound sombre? Not with Mars and Venus in your partnership department.

AQUARIUS: June’s astrology beckons to a getaway anywhere but your usual address; a holiday, overnighter, even just camping out in the backyard for a change of perspective. This stimulating season of social interaction makes mingling your new cardio, especially in your local zone, because this month’s chance encounters can pay off in unexpected ways.

PISCES: The Roman poet Ovid wrote that love requires both enterprise and courage, and June isn’t short on either. Though it’s best to accept straight up that this month’s people aren’t good at keeping secrets, so be very discreet about what you share and with whom, especially during the weekend’s Pisces moon.

MANDY NOLAN’S

Volume 37 #52

olume –13 2023

7–13 June, 2023

Editor: Eve Jeffery

ditor: Eve

Editorial/gigs: gigs@echo.net.au

Copy deadline: 5pm each Friday

Advertising: adcopy@echo.net.au

P: 02 6684 1777

ditorial/gigs: opy deadline: each dvertising: :

W: echo.net.au/entertainment

W: echo.net.au/entertainment

CLASSIC STORYTELLING FROM TIM

Tim Freedman has been developing an alt-country outfit since 2021 – The Whitlams Black Stump Band – which features some of Australia’s finest roots musicians like Rod Macormack on banjo, Matt Fell on bass, and longtime Whitlam, Terepai Richmond on drums. Its singles, The Day John Sattler Broke his Jaw and Blow Up the Pokies have been staples on Australian Country radio over the past year, and the band has been booked to play a Saturday night spot at the Deni Ute Muster in September.

Recently Freedman and band member Ollie Thorpe, an acclaimed pedal steel player, have been touring nationally as the Black Stump Duo, stripping back the Whitlams’ repertoire and delivering classics like ‘No Aphrodisiac’ to showcase the unique combination of piano and pedal steel. They have toured from the Mornington Peninsula through the South Coast of NSW, and up through Maitland and Bowraville to play the Northern Rivers this weekend.

Freedman’s classic storytelling songs from his seven albums will be sprinkled with some Americana gems from Kris Kristoffersen and Ry Cooder.

They are playing the Lennox Head Cultural Centre on Friday, and Brunswick Picture House on Saturday, followed by the Regent Theatre in Murwillumbah on Sunday

Tickets are $55 from www.thewhitlams.com

LISMORE MUSICAL FESTIVAL SOCIETY

¡VIVA LA FIESTA!

The HSBC Spanish Film Festival presented by Palace, an annual celebration of film and culture from Spain and Latin America, will screen at Palace Cinemas, Luna Palace Cinemas and Palace Nova Cinemas from this June to July.

The highly anticipated festival is celebrating 25 years in 2023, and befitting such a milestone, will be presenting a thirty-twofilm strong lineup that offers exciting, inspiring and entertaining viewing from the region. The many highlights include a focus on women in filmmaking, featuring the work of seven prominent Spanish and Latin American female directors, a closing night classic, a Uruguayan documentary with an Australian connection – and much, much more.

The Festival is delighted to welcome new Naming Partner, HSBC, one the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. Spokesperson Jessica Power, says ‘We’re thrilled to be involved in this year’s Festival. Much like the power of film, we at HSBC believe that by bringing people and ideas together we can open up a world of opportunity. We’re sure that all attendees to this year’s Festival will love the global selection of compelling storytelling.’

Opening this year’s festival is the Australian premiere of delicious comedy Two Many Chefs (La vida padre). Set in Bilbao’s world of high cuisine, this Spanish box office hit stars Karra Elejalde and Enric Auquer as a father and son whose unexpected reunion after thirty years apart puts their ideas about cooking, and life, to the test.

There is so much more to see and enjoy at this year’s event. ¡Viva la fiesta!

Byron Bay 15 June–5 July: Palace Byron Bay. Tickets are on sale now, visit: www.spanishfilmfestival.com.

For

GLOBAL VILLAGE AND LITTLE SPLENDOUR

With the countdown to Splendour in the Grass well and truly on, the festival is thrilled to reveal the lineups for Global Village and Little Splendour

Patrons can get ready to see, feel and experience more by journeying beyond the main stages, as an iconic selection of musicians, artists and performers wait to be discovered at Ngarindjin/ North Byron Parklands...

Follow your higher self to The Global Village for all things transcendental and transformative, or entertain the ankle biters at Little Splendour, a secure, dedicated, magical kids’ space for dance, play and exploration.

Prepare to discover more than music at Splendour in the Grass 2023…

Manifest your best festival self and get ready to be moved as you explore the Global Village where you’ll find...

The World Stage featuring Áine Tyrrell; Ausecuma Beats; Dobby; Dubarray; Kooii; Liquidelic; Mylee Grace – and so many more!

Witness powerful traditional dances and sounds from five regional groups at the Ngarindindi Dance Ground, which is an all-new Indigenous-led program in the Global Village – featuring Mirrigingi Dancers; Birin Dancers; Gumbanynggirr Nguranga Dancers; Muggera Dancers, and; the Kinship Dancers

Little Splendour, presented by Kidzklub Australia – when tiny folk are a big deal. Get ready for a carefully curated weekend

experience with everything from clay play to DJ school and bunny rabbits playing rock music (yep!)

For the crafty types, there are loads of workshops. We’re talking tie dye and puppet-making, an Indigenous art interactive sculpture workshop, clay play and there’s plenty for sporty kids, as well as a tonne of awesome kids’ rated artists. Need a break from the kids so you can go get down at one of the main stages? There’s a babysitter for that! No, you’re not dreaming!

Running from 12pm–12am Friday, Saturday and Sunday in a fully secured area within Little Splendour is a professional Babysitting Club, run with love by Corporate Kidz Australia. Drop those little (or big) terrors off, for up to two hours, and enjoy a vino and a boogie.

Bookings are required for all children under five, head to splendourinthegrass.com for more info.

Splendour in the Grass, Friday 21 to Sunday 23 July 2023.

AT LAST! THE 2023 LISMORE EISTEDDFOD

Finally, after an absence of three years, we are back on our feet. Covid and the 2022 Lismore flood couldn’t keep a good eisteddfod down – we lost everything in the Lismore flood, 114 years of written history and irreplaceable memorabilia. Fortunately, through a flood relief grant we were reimbursed for equipment that had to be repaired or replaced.

Our regular competition venues were severely damaged in the 2022 flood and we have been forced to look elsewhere this year. The Civic Hall in Casino will be used for the Schools Competitions as no large venue is available in Lismore this year.

It takes a lot of money to hold an eisteddfod. The fact that we can actually hold the 2023 Lismore Eisteddfod is due, in no small part, to our patron, Margot Davies.

Margot approached us last year, offering her assistance to get the Lismore Eisteddfod up and running again.

SPONSORS AND VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Did you know your favourite radio station is a registered charity?

That means your dollars go further when you support BayFM with a donation. And believe us, every dollar helps keep us on air.

Just say you gave us $1000 – very nice thank you! – and you’re an average tax refund of over 300 bucks. So we win - but you win too!

To help us out, go to bayfm.org/donate or scan this QR code

We would love to hear from any potential sponsors – be it monetary or offering awards, and from volunteers to assist at competition venues.

CALLING ALL COMPETITORS

Is your talent in song or dramatic performances? Perhaps you play the piano, or one of the string, woodwind or brass instruments? Does your performance joy come through dance – or the fun and excitement of primary and secondary school performances?

The Lismore Eisteddfod is your opportunity to step out onto a stage and showcase your talent. Performing gives you the opportunity to watch and learn from your peer group. You also have your work appraised by highly qualified adjudicators, which amounts to receiving lessons from another teacher.

Information on how to enter, and competition schedules are available on our website: lismoreeisteddfod.com.au, or call our secretary for further information on 0427 404 383.

KEEP THE HOMELESS IN TWEED WARM

It’s no secret that the Far North Coast has some of the highest homelessness figures in the country and Dharma Care is determined to reduce those figures as the days get colder.

Dharma Care, which is an Australian charity dedicated to creating life-changing opportunities for the destitute and disadvantaged, is hosting a Winter Warmer Homelessness Relief Campaign to provide essential support and comfort to people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, in the Tweed Shire during the cold winter months.

WINTER WARMER FUNDRAISING CABARET

The campaign will incorporate the first Winter Warmer Fundraising Cabaret at Kingscliff Bowls Club on Thursday 15 June. The event will bring the community together to enjoy some of the area’s best talent in support of this important cause: including MC Mandy Nolan, as well as The Space Cowboy, and Felicity Lawless and Ms Eleneous

Guests will enjoy a cabaret experience and can also purchase unique artwork, and participate in a raffle or silent auction of a range of exclusive prizes. Generous donations from local businesses and community members will ensure that the auction showcases a wide selection of sought-after prizes, enticing guests to support the cause. People are struggling to stay warm as temperatures drop and harsh weather conditions set in, Dharma Care recognises the challenges faced by individuals and families who struggle to stay warm and healthy. The Winter Warmer Campaign aims to raise at least $50K to ensure everyone who finds themselves in that situation has access to adequate shelter, warmth, and nourishment through providing food, sleeping bags, hygiene packs, and tents.

Irwan Wyllie, CEO of Dharma Care, says they are thrilled to host the cabaret as part of ongoing efforts to support those doing it tough. ‘This event not only offers a memorable night of entertainment but also provides an opportunity for individuals to contribute to a meaningful cause’.

Tickets for the Winter Warmer Fundraising Cabaret are now available for purchase. Early booking is encouraged as places are limited events.humanitix.com/winter-warmer-nudqxtls.

SPAGHETTI CIRCUS IS HELPING KIDS FLY!

Spaghetti Circus’ passion is empowering healthy, active, happy kids. Despite being a small not-for-profit organisation, Spaghetti is committed to providing a Scholarship Program to ensure all kids can access the joy of circus irrespective of their circumstances. Seven spoke to Rose, whose children are part of the Spaghetti Circus Scholarship Program

How many children do you have at Spaghetti Circus? How old are they, and how long have you been coming to Spaghetti?

I have three kids at Spaghetti Circus, they are 11, nine and six years old and we have been coming here for four years.

What do your children enjoy about Spaghetti Circus? Being able to attend Spaghetti Circus not only brings my children joy, but also builds confidence and self-esteem. My children love learning new skills and challenging themselves. They love having a space where it is okay to clown around and have fun, but also to be disciplined and part of a tight group who trust each other – they think it’s pretty rad to learn cool tricks too. If I think about it, there’s nothing they don’t like about their Spaghetti Circus classes! They are exposed to so many different skills that there is never a dull moment.

Spaghetti’s Scholarship Program provides subsidised places in their circus school. How has it benefitted your children and family?

After covid, and more recently the floods, my husband’s business was greatly affected, and we struggled to meet daily living costs. We were getting to a point where we would have had to really cut back on expenses, which meant the kids circus classes were going to stop. The scholarship fund, which covers class fees, helped us so much. In a time when the kids had been through so much upheaval and turmoil being able to continue at circus gave us a sense of being held and comforted.

How were you effected by the floods?

Wilsons Creek, where we live, was heavily impacted by the extreme flood-event. There were multiple landslides and serious injuries, and this sent a ripple of insecurity and unrest through the community. My husband’s work was also affected so our family income was greatly reduced. We also had considerable costs repairing

driveways that were washed away and repairing fencing and landslides on the property.

Spaghetti Circus helped support us while we were processing all the change going on around us. My children are strong and creative and silly and funny and amazing and being part of the Spaghetti Circus family makes them feel celebrated and motivated and inspired. The scholarship helped us stay connected to our community.

Spaghetti Circus’ passion is empowering healthy, active and confident kids.

How would you say Spaghetti is having an impact on young people, based on your family’s experience?

Being part of Spaghetti Circus expands my children’s social network beyond the family and school. It makes them feel connected to a community where fun and hard work, creativity and trust are all-important. I have noticed over the years how strong their bodies have become and how confident they are knowing they are part of a group that encourages them to soar in their greatness. It gives them a sense of purpose and connectedness turning up every week to participate in their classes.

Spaghetti Circus are fundraising to continue their Scholarship Program. To donate go to www.givenow.com.au/spaghettischolarships. All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

www.spaghetticircus.com

CINEMA

WEDNESDAY 7

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON

BAY, JASON DELPHIN

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY,

6.30PM ALEX TILLEY BYRON THEATRE 1PM TOKYO

THE WOMAN FROM URUGUAY AND 2,000 OF HER CLOSEST FRIENDS

In an era where cultural production has lost its impulse to rage against the machine, it can often feel as though our ease and access to a limitless scroll of ‘content’ has transformed the role of the artist into a recycler rather an inventor, an imitator rather than a creator. That said, not all hope is lost.

Amidst the moodboards and userengagement statistics, there are a few creatives attempting to revitalise the arts and to forge a new path within an otherwise bleak, technodystopian landscape.

Hernan Casciari founded Orsai Films in 2020 in an attempt to start a grassroots, decentralised

GIG GUIDE

It’s free to list your gigs in the gig guide. gigs@echo.net.au w: echo.net.au/gig-guide

LENNOX HOTEL HOTEL STAGE

8.30PM DONNY SHADES

SHAWS BAY HOTEL, BALLINA, SNEAKY SOUND

SYSTEM SUPPORTED BY

MISTER BENNETS & BILLY

BAILEY

BALLINA RSL LEVEL ONE

production company that doesn’t capitulate to the whims of Big Hollywood. The end result, a film titled The Woman From Uruguay will be screened at Palace Cinemas Byron Bay as one of the first entirely crowd-funded films to be shot where every ‘donor’ became a ‘shareholder,’ every ‘shareholder’ became a ‘producer’ and every ‘producer’ has had an equal vote in all decisions related to the film’s creation — from the casting of lead characters to distribution.

Famously, The Woman From Uruguay’s IMDB page has 2,000 associate producers listed. Above all, it’s an opportunity to witness the fruits of a revolutionary filmmaking practice for yourself.

The Woman from Uruguay will be screening as part of Palace Cinema’s Spanish Film Festival on the 19 June at 8pm and Friday 23 June at 4pm.

BALLINA FAIR CINEMAS

STORIES – EXHIBITION ON SCREEN

THE NORTHERN, BYRON BAY,

7.30PM SLEAFORD MODS

BANGALOW BOWLO

7.30PM BANGALOW

BRACKETS OPEN MIC

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 7PM FAR NORTH COAST DANCE

FESTIVAL

COOLANGATTA HOTEL COOLY ROCKS ON

THURSDAY 8

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON

BAY, BEN WALSH

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6.30PM WILL HENDERSON

HOTEL BRUNSWICK

6PM BRIAN WATT

THE LEVEE, LISMORE, 5PM WREN BROWN

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 7PM FAR NORTH COAST DANCE

FESTIVAL

COOLANGATTA

HOTEL COOLY ROCKS ON SLEEPY NOOK, MIDDLE

POCKET, 4.30AM BIG DOG

WAKES

LENNOX HOTEL HOTEL STAGE

8PM JAM NIGHT

FRIDAY 9

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON

BAY, ADAM HOLE BAND

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 5PM JEROME WILLIAMS, 8PM RAGGA JUMP, 10PM  DJ SOPHDEXX

BYRON THEATRE 7PM TAJ

FARRANT

THE NORTHERN, BYRON BAY, 8PM BAILE FUNK BRAZILIAN BYRON BEATS

BANGALOW HOTEL JORGE

PEREIRA

HOTEL BRUNSWICK

6PM ROGUE ELEMENTS

WANDANA BREWING CO., MULLUMBIMBY, 4PM DJ PAPA

BITCHO MIDDLE PUB, MULLUMBIMBY, 5PM BALCONY BEATS, 8.30PM KRAPPYOKEE WITH JESS

ST JOHN’S SCHOOL HALL, MULLUMBIMBY, 7.30PM ECSTATIC DANCE

MULLUMBIMBY WITH DJ

PUMAH

MULLUMBIMBY EX-SERVICES CLUB 8PM THE RADIATORS

10AM DEAN DOYLE WITH

SOPHISTICATION MORNING

MELODIES, BOARDWALK

7PM BACK TO THE 80S

TINTENBAR HALL

7.30PM TINTENBAR UP

FRONT – OPEN MIC

METROPOLE, LISMORE,

7.30PM PLYWOOD

MURWILLUMBAH SERVICES

CLUB 6.30PM TOMMY

MEMPHIS

KINGSCLIFF BEACH BOWLS

5PM MEL SCARLETT

KINGSCLIFF BEACH HOTEL

7.30PM BRAD COX ‘ACRES

TOUR’

COOLANGATTA

HOTEL COOLY ROCKS ON

SATURDAY 10

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON

BAY, SUPERCHEEZE

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY,

3.30PM HARRY NICHOLS,

6.30PM IZAEAH MARSH

DUO, 8.30PM DJ MY HAPPY

PLACE

BYRON THEATRE

6PM S*A*S*H FEAT.

MICHAEL JAMES, KERRY

WALLACE, AL ROYALE & JESSIE BELTERS

BANGALOW HOTEL THE LONESOME BOATMAN

HOTEL BRUNSWICK

7.30PM FRIENDLY ENEMIES

BRUNSWICK HEADS PICTURE

HOUSE 7PM TIM FREEDMAN

WANDANA BREWING CO., MULLUMBIMBY, 3.30PM DJ

MONSIEUR DIOP

LENNOX HOTEL HOTEL STAGE

8.30PM CARLY & ROO TRIO

SHAWS BAY HOTEL,

BALLINA, SAM BUCKLEY

BALLINA RSL BOARDWALK

6PM BROADWATERS

THE AARDVARK, LISMORE,

5PM LATIN DANCE NIGHT

FT. RITMO CALIENTE

METROPOLE, LISMORE,

8PM THE FUNNY GOATS

BAND + DJ THE WHO’S WHO

MURWILLUMBAH SERVICES

CLUB 6.30PM STOCKADE

KINGSCLIFF BEACH BOWLS

5PM NATHAN KAYE

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 8PM 10CC

COOLANGATTA

HOTEL COOLY ROCKS ON

SUNDAY 11

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON

BAY, STEPHEN LOVELIGHT BEACH HOTEL, BYRON

BAY, 1.30PM MARSHALL

OKELL, 4.30PM GOODRICH, 7PM MINISTRY OF SOUND

CLASSICS

HOTEL BRUNSWICK

4PM MUFASSA AND THE PRIDE + OLE FALCO

MIDDLE PUB, MULLUMBIMBY, 3PM OPEN MIC WITH THE SWAMP CATS

WANDANA BREWING CO.,

MULLUMBIMBY, 3.30PM OPEN MIC HOSTED BY JACK CAVE

SHAWS BAY HOTEL, BALLINA, BARNES STORM

LENNOX COMMUNITY

MARKET 9AM STEAM

BALLINA RSL BOARDWALK

2.30PM BLUES CLUB FEAT MAJESTIC KNIGHTS

THE LEVEE, LISMORE, 3PM NATHAN EGGINS KINGSCLIFF BEACH HOTEL

2PM CROOKED COLOURS

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 7PM 10CC COOLANGATTA HOTEL COOLY ROCKS ON

MONDAY 12

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, CHRIS ARONSTEN BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 3.30PM JOE CONROY, 6.30PM SARAH GRANT DUO MULLUMBIMBY EX-SERVICES CLUB 8PM ROSE TATTOO

TUESDAY 13

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, LEIGH JAMES BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6.30PM JOCK BARNES

ELTHAM HOTEL 7PM THE DELINES AND JIMBO

MATHUS

METROPOLE, LISMORE, 6PM OPEN MIC

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 11AM ISSI DYE & THE LEGENDS OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL

WEDNESDAY 14

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, GUY KACHEL BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6.30PM BEN WHITING BANGALOW BOWLO

7.30PM BANGALOW BRACKETS OPEN MIC

Mediterranean Inspired Beachside Home

• With a Mediterranean-inspired design and less than 200m to the beach, this is the perfect place to experience a slower pace of life

• There is a combined living and modern kitchen adjoins a dedicated dining space

• The main bedroom features an ensuite and a large deck which backs onto Arakwal National Park with paths through to the Ti-Tree Lake and Broken Head

• An added bonus to this property is a beautifully designed one-bedroom freestanding studio offering additional space for guests

30 MacGregor Street, Suffolk Park

Price Guide: Contact Agent

Open: Saturday, 10th June 11.30–12pm

Immaculately Presented Beachside Suffolk Home

• Positioned in a private enclave which includes a private pool, cabana area, and maintained gardens

• The renovated kitchen and living room open through large sliding doors onto the north-facing paved courtyard with beautiful bush outlook

• 3 spacious bedrooms, the main with a private ensuite and balcony

• Walking distance to the beach and Suffolk Park’s shops and restaurants

22/58 Armstrong Street, Suffolk Park

Price Guide: $1.1m to $1.2m

Open: Saturday, 10th June 12.30–1pm

Su Reynolds 0428 888 660

Luke Elwin 02 6685 8466

Beachside Duplex in Desirable Lennox Head – Own One or Two

• These properties present an incredible opportunity for you to either buy one or both of these beachside retreats just one street away from 7 mile beach

• Both homes offer a spacious layout split over two levels, downstairs comprises of two bedrooms, a bathroom, laundry and garage

• Upstairs hosts the open plan kitchen, living, dining and main bedroom

• Fantastic location 200 metres from the beach

3+4/75 Stewart Street, Lennox Head

Price Guide: $1.3m – $1.385m each

Open: Saturday,

35 FLETCHER ST, BYRON BAY NSW 2481

PH: O2 6685 8466

Charming Barn Style Home in Picturesque Hinterland Location

• The charming wood and iron property has breathtaking views of rolling hills and a myriad of entertaining and relaxation areas to choose from

• Featured are grand full-height ceilings and the open plan design provides versatility and the freedom to make the space your own

• To the rear of the property is a generous covered verandah, which overlooks a stunning ten metre pool and uninterrupted hinterland views

• This is a grand 5 bedroom home with additonal outbuilding/studio

Service Directory

SERVICE

DIRECTORY RATES, PAYMENT & DEADLINE

DEADLINE: For additions and changes to the Service Directory is 12pm Friday.

LINE ADS: $99 for 3 months or $340 for 1 year prepaid.

For line Service Directory ads email classifieds@echo.net.au.

DISPLAY ADS: $70 per week for colour display ad. Minimum 8 week booking 4 weeks prepaid.

Please supply display ads 85mm wide, 28mm high. New display ads will be placed at end of section.

For display Service Directory ads email adcopy@echo.net.au.

The Echo Service Directory is online – www.echo.net.au/service-directory

ACCOUNTS & BOOKINGS: 6684 1777

INDEX

Accountants & Bookkeepers..........33

Acupuncture.................................33

Air Conditioning & Refrigeration....33

Architects.....................................33

Automotive...................................33

Blinds, Awnings, Curtains, Shutters.33

Bricklaying....................................33

Building Trades.............................33

Bush Regen & Weed Control..........33

Carpet Cleaning............................33

Chimney Sweeping .......................33

Chiropractic..................................33

Cleaning.......................................33

Computer Services........................34

Concreting & Paving......................34

Decks, Patios & Extensions.............34

Dentists........................................34

Design & Drafting..........................34

Earthmoving & Excavation.............34

Electricians...................................34

Fencing.........................................34

Floor Sanding & Polishing..............34

Furniture Maker............................34

Storage..................................36

Septic Systems..............................36

Solar Installation..........................36

Television Services........................36

Tiling............................................36

Transport......................................36

Tree Services.................................36

Upholstery....................................36

PLEASE CALL 6680 9394

Tree Faerie Fotos

ECHO CLASSIFIEDS – 6684 1777

CLASSIFIED

PHONE ADS

Ads may be taken by phone on 6684 1777

AT

HEAD OFFICE

Ads can be lodged in person at the Mullum Echo office: Village Way, Stuart St, Mullumbimby

EMAIL ADS

Display (box ads) and line classifieds, email: classifieds@echo.net.au

Ad bookings only taken during business hours: Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm. Ads can’t be taken on the weekend. Account enquiries phone 6684 1777.

PROF. SERVICES

DENTURES

LOOK GOOD FEEL GOOD Free consultation. SANDRO 66805002

MULLUM DENTURE CLINIC

Now open 8am–5pm. 0256148741

HEALTH

EMDR

TRAUMA DESENSITISATION

DISCLAIMER

or representations contained therein. The Byron Shire Echo does not accept any liability for the representations or promises made in paid advertisements or for any loss or damage arising from reliance on such content, representations or promises.

PUBLIC NOTICES

Medicare rebate available Natalie Isbister, Clinical Psychologist Mob. 0490265672 Mullumbimby

MALE MASSAGE THERAPIST

Experienced, strong, healing hands, from $50, Mullumbimby. Ph EJ 0435835113

KINESIOLOGY

Clear subconscious sabotages. Reprogram patterns and beliefs. Restore vibrancy and physical health. De-stress.

Ph 0403125506 SANDRA DAVEY, Reg. Pract.

PURA VIDA

WELLNESS CENTRE Brunswick Heads

COLON HYDROTHERAPY

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN FAR INFRARED SAUNA

REMEDIAL MASSAGE + more  66850498

HYPNOSIS & EFT

Simple and effective solutions

Anxiety, Cravings, Fears & Trauma. Maureen Bracken 0402205352

PSYCHEDELIC ASSISTED THERAPY www.psychedelicassistedtherapy.com.au

Certified Mindfulness

Educator Paul

DEADLINE TUES 12PM

Publication day is Wednesday, booking deadlines are the day before publication.

RATES & PAYMENT

LINE ADS:

$17.00 for the first two lines

$5 .00 for each extra line

$17 for two lines is the minimum charge.

DISPLAY ADS(with a border): $14 per column centimetre

These prices include GST. Cash, cheque, Mastercard or Visa Prepayment is required for all ads.

CLASSIFIEDS THAT WORK ALL WEEK!

Echo Classies also appear online: www.echo.net.au/ classified-ads

HS RELIEF TEACHERS MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE

Cape Byron Steiner School is a vibrant and progressive K-12 school dedicated to the educational principles inspired by Rudolf Steiner.

High School Mathematics and Science Teachers for relief work. Previous experience in Steiner Education would be desirable.

Applicants will be registered or eligible to register with the NSW Institute of Teachers and hold a current NSW Working with Children Check. Please send expressions of interest to: employment@capebyronsteiner.nsw.edu.au

SOMATIC SHAMANIC HEALING Trauma-informed healing, accessing core issues with deep integrative soul work, ritual & body wisdom. www.deborahwolf.com.au

REMEDIAL &  SPORTS MASSEUSE Experienced. $90/60mins, $120/90 mins. Ocean Shores. Ph 0491091148

TRADEWORK

WANTED

WANTED: SILKWORM EGGS to breed silkworms. Ph 0438689480

LP RECORDS: good condition, no op shop crap! Ph Matt 0401955052

GARAGE SALES

POP UP FAIR Vintage Retro Designer Clothing, Rugs, Records and Collectibles. Bruns Memorial Hall, Fingal Street. Sun 11–Mon 12 June 9.30am–4.30pm

Tip Runs

MOTOR VEHICLES

Mullumbimby

Kate is a deeply intuitive, wholehearted, compassionate & sensitive person, who brings humour & warmth into your session. Take away detailed messages, guidance & tools, as well as a potent healing transmission from the crystals.

0413 003 301 crystalsanddreaming.com.au

COMMUNITY HOT BRUNCH FREE

FOR SALE

MIELE WASHERS

Dryers and dishwashers available at Bridglands Mullumbimby. 66842511

ARCHIBALD’S CHEAP

QUARRY PRODUCTS

Road base, gravel, blue metal and metal dust. ALL SIZE DELIVERIES. Phone 66845517, 0418481617

white, 130,000kms. New tyres, rego to September. 0412863332

CARAVANS

CARAVANS

Classifieds

TO LET

LOCAL REMOVAL

& backloads to Brisbane. Friendly, with 10 years local exp. 0409917646

SOUTH GOLDEN BEACH 3 min walk to beach. 3bdrm, 2 bthrm, DLUG. $800p/w. Suit working couple only, good refs. Pet allowed, flood free, long let. 0423904291.

BRUNSWICK HEADS spacious 4 bedroom, upstairs flat, with sunroom, office $675 per week. Ph 0413476940

TO LEASE

STORAGE OR WORK SPACE Byron Industrial Estate. 45sqm, access to bthrm. Parking. $220p/w. Ph 0421990785.

POSITIONS VACANT

JAPANESE HEAD CHEF & SUSHI CHEFS for new restaurant, Byron Bay. All levels required. Please email CV to jtup_@hotmail.com

EROTIC MASSAGE STAFF reliable and friendly for Gentlemen’s Relaxation Centre 18+. Tweed. Grace 0418185791

BROW/LASHES EXPERT NEEDED

We have space for you to set up at our gorgeous organic skincare/makeup outlet in Centennial Cct, Byron Arts & Ind. Est. Available now. Call M: 0419493615

HOUSEKEEPER

2 days p/w. Bangalow. Both days short hours. Ph 0402061110

LADIES WANTED, MUST BE 18+ Casual or permanent work available in busy adult parlour. 66816038 for details.

SOCIAL MEDIA GURU for small local business. Please call Wayne 0423218417

THE ECHO

The Echo has contract positions available immediately, delivering papers to:

LENNOX HEAD WEST: 1000 papers & LENNOX HEAD NORTH 1100 papers. These two Lennox runs can be done together)

These positions involve inserting, folding and (in wet weather) bagging and delivery of papers & throwing them accurately to driveways from a car The work tends to suit a semi-retired or underemployed person/couple who just want a reliable job to do at their own pace at the same time every week. The successful applicants for these runs will have an ABN, a reliable vehicle, a strong throwing arm, and ideally they will live near the distribution area. They will collect the papers/inserts from Ballina (before 7am) or Mullumbimby (7–7.30am) or Byron A&I Estate (around 10am) on Wednesday and will have delivered all the papers by 6pm Wednesday. Suit mature or stable person.

Commencing asap.

Email simon@echo.net.au or phone/text 0409324724

WORK WANTED

Eileen Lorna Sear Eileen (née Passfield) (née

Late of Caringbah, Sydney. Formerly of Suffolk Park, Byron Bay.

Passed away peacefully and naturally on Sunday 4th June 2023

Aged 93 Years.

Adobe

contact@thinkblinkdesign.com

www.thinkblinkdesign.com

MUSICAL NOTES

Dearly loved wife of Neil (dec’d). Loved Mother and Mother-in-law of Maureen and Laurie (dec’d), Greg and Sandra, Mark (dec’d) and Jeannette, Joanne and Paul, Liz, Louise, and Nikhil.

Cherished Grandmother of Rebecca, Kane, Adam, Elly, Kate, Joe, Matt, Ben, Jacob, Anna and Kalindi.

Loving Great-grandmother of 14 Great-Grandchildren.

Loved Sister of Pat, Tom, Mary and Helen.

Murwillumbah (02) 6672 2144

PEARCE, Pamela Margaret

Late of Byron Bay and Canberra.

Passed away at home 27 May, 2023, in Brunswick Heads.

Loved daughter of Wal and Ailsa Broadfoot. Cherished wife of Bert. Very much loved mother to Andrew (dec) Prue, Nicki (dec) and Kate.

Amazing grandmother to her 6 grandchildren and great grandma to her 7 great grandchildren. You will be very much missed by all of us.  Rest in Peace. Aged 92 years.

Pam's friends and family are warmly invited to attend a celebration of her life, to be held at St Paul's Anglican Church Byron Bay, 14 Kingsley St on Friday 9 June, commencing at 10.30am.   Following the service there will be a private cremation.

Lynda Dawn Ludlow (née Pickering)

15.09.1963 – 27.05.2023

Passed peacefully in Glen Innes.

Cherished wife of Kelvin Ludlow, loved mother and mother-in-law to Bradley and Amy, Clinton and Mathias, Kody and Sharnii, and a beloved Nanny to their children.

Adored daughter and daughterin-law of Richard and Dawn Pickering (both dec), and John (dec) and Jean Ludlow.

Admired big sister of Richard Pickering Jnr. Rest peacefully our shining light. x

John Francis Govett John Francis

K I R R A KIRRA

Kirra is desperate to begin her new life with a loving family. She is a very confident love bug that has an ‘out there’ personality. Kirra would be a super sweet addition to your family & would reward you with lots of cuddles.

To meet Kirra, please visit the Cat Adoption Centre at 124 Dalley Street, Mullumbimby..

OPEN: Tues 2.30–4.30pm

Thurs 3–5pm, Sat 10am–12 noon

Call AWL on 0436 845 542

Like us on Facebook!

AWL NSW Rehoming Organisation

Number: R251000222

Byron Dog Rescue (CAWI)

6-month-old male Border Collie x Kelpie ‘Kela’ is a cutie sweetie clever affectionate boy who needs not only adequate exercise but continuing training and lots of mental stimulation. He is initially shy with other dogs but then loves to play. He is good with children, cattle and cats but will chase chickens.

KE L A KELA

If you have a fenced property and can provide Kela with an appropriate lifestyle for a working-dog breed, contact Shell on 0458 461 935 MC: 953010006015037

MONTHLY MARKETS

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

AMBULANCE, FIRE, POLICE ............................................. 000

AMBULANCE Mullumbimby & Byron Bay 131 233

POLICEBrunswick Heads 6629 7510 Mullumbimby 6629 7570 Byron Bay 6685 9499 Bangalow 6629 7500

STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE Storm & tempest damage, flooding 132 500

BRUNSWICK VALLEY RESCUE Primary rescue 6685 1999

BRUNSWICK MARINE RADIO TOWER 6685 0148

BYRON CENTRAL HOSPITAL 6639 9400

BYRON COUNCIL: EMERGENCY AFTER HOURS 6622 7022

NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE (Mullumbimby) 6684 1286

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 24 hour crisis line

HIV/AIDS – ACON Confidential testing & information 6622 1555

ANIMAL RESCUE (DOGS & CATS) 6622 1881

NORTHERN RIVERS WILDLIFE CARERS 6628 1866

KOALA HOTLINE 6622 1233

WIRES – NSW Wildlife Information & Rescue Service 6628 1898

B E L L A BELLA

Bella is a 7 year old, English Staffy X Kelpie. She would be best with someone who is home most of the time and who has no other pets. She loves walks and the water. Friends of the Pound will give a training support package to the new owner.  M/C # 900023002145029

Please complete our online adoption expression of interest or call 0439 766 243 www.friendsofthepound.com/ adoption-expression-of-interest/

Visit friendsofthepound.com to view other dogs and cats looking for a home. ABN 83 126 970 338

Here is beautiful BELLE. She is only just twelve months old, yet she has already had a litter of kittens ...they all died. Belle was a stray and now that she is safe she can leave the trauma of her kittenhood behind and adopt a human family ...she has so much TLC to give and is very playful and loving. Her gratitude for letting her adopt you will be endless. All cats are desexed, vaccinated and microchipped. No:953010002741658

Please make an appointment 0403 533 589 • Billinudgel petsforlifeanimalshelter.net

ONLY ADULTS

BALLINA EXCLUSIVE 34 Piper Dr. Open 7 days 10am till late. In & Out Calls. 66816038. Ladies wanted Find us on Facebook and Twitter! COVID SAFE FULL BODY RESTORATION Healing Through Pleasure massagebyronbay.com or 0425347477

LICENSED TO THRILL Premium Massage & Play touchofjustine.com/byron-bay-outcalls

KRYSTAL ADULT SHOP Large variety of toys and lingerie 6/6 Tasman Way, A&I Est, Byron Bay Ph 66856330

BLISSFUL MASSAGE FOR WOMEN BY A WOMAN

Gift your wife a sensual treat! Ph 0407013347

MALE 2 MALE MASSAGE

Sensual, relaxation, stimulation. Very discreet. In & outcalls  thehealingtouchbyronbay.com  0476069889

Devoted to Pleasure

Couples, Men & Women touchofjustine.com 0407 013 347

SOCIAL ESCORTS

LOTS OF GORGEOUS LADIES available for your pleasure nearby. Spoil yourself. In & out. 7 days. Ladies always wanted. 0266816038. COVID SAFE

Sport

Mullumbimby Giants rope in the Mustangs

The Mullumbimby Giants have played their way back into the top four of local, first-grade rugby league with a solid 30–14 win over the Murwillumbah Mustangs, after leading 24–4 at half time.

‘We were dominant in the first half but they gave us a bit of a scare in the second half. But we were definitely the best on the day,’ coach Cody Nelson said.

The win also means Mullumbimby took home the Grant Cook Memorial Cup for 2023.

The side has a lost a couple of games against the better teams in recent weeks but has been strengthened with the return of key players from injury, and other players returning to the team.

‘Corey Morris got the itch to play again, which changed things dramatically,’ he said.

The side is now brimming with confidence to tackle the rest of the season, especially as some of the better teams are getting beaten by lowerplaced sides.

‘All the good teams can be beaten on a day. There are no stand-out favorites this year. If we turn up like we did yesterday and play football, there isn’t a team we can’t beat,’ he said.

Next week there is no football owing to the long weekend, but on Sunday June 18 the Giants host local rivals Byron Bay at Les Donnelly Field.

‘There’ll be some footy in it, we are definitely looking

Inter-club cycling gets underway in Glenugie

Byron Bay Cycling Club is in second place in a three-way tussle after race one of the inter-club cycling series that was held at Glenugie last Saturday.

The event was hosted by the Grafton Cycling Club (GCC) that also celebrated its 130th birthday with a gala dinner.

Yamba Cycling Club (YCC) is also part of the three-team competition.

The race featured a 54km event for A, B, and C grades, and a 26km ride for D grade.

for a win,’ Cody said.

Ladies win

The day got off to a good start when the women’s touch team notched up a rare win beating the Mustangs 18–4 in Ladies League Touch. It was the team’s first win in over two years.

In the other grades the games belonged to Murwillumbah with both the U/18s and Reserve-grade sides collecting 60–0 wins.

Master Games on the way for Lismore

The Lismore Workers Masters Games is back this year after being cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic.

The biennial event started in 1999 and has become a popular fixture on the sporting calendar for mature-aged athletes from across New South Wales and Queensland, according to Mayor, Steve Krieg.

The games will take place over September 22–24 and will feature 12 sports including baseball, cricket, fitness challenge, football, five-a-side, golf, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, OZTAG, softball and pickleball.

Over 1000 competitors are expected to attend.

‘After the cancellation of

the 2021 Lismore Masters Games, it is great to see such an iconic Lismore event return to the city,’ he said.

‘The Workers Club has been the major sponsor since the games were first created in 1999,’ he said.

This year’s games will

Calling All Sports

also include social events including a free ticket to the Lismore Cup on Thursday, September 21.

Registrations are now open and early bird registrations close on Friday, June 30, and the final registration cut-off date is August 18.

A good turnout of riders in every grade hit the challenging course and earned points for themselves and their clubs in the championship.

Grafton is on top of the table after finishing first in all the grades and ended with a total of 60 points.

Byron has 28 points ahead of Yamba on 16.

The clubs come together for round two of the series when Byron Bay opens its winter racing calendar with

an elimination criterium on July 2.

Grafton race results

A-grade: Jye Reardon (GCC), Mat Jones (BBCC) and Murray Wilkinson (BBCC).

B-grade: Garry Reardon

(GCC), Derek van Leest (YCC), and Carl Wilkin (BBCC).

C-grade: Tim Keogh (GCC), Don Bennett (GCC), and Les Paine (GCC).

D-grade: Dimitri Perdikaris (GCC), Susan Polsen (GCC).

Wollongbar Alstonville take win in reduced round

COVID-19 and a mounting injury toll truncated the senior rounds of Far North Coast Rugby Union with just four games taking place across the top-three grades.

Top-placed first-grade side, Wollongbar Alstonville (WAR), achieved a 33–7 win over Lismore, who are yet to win this season.

The first-grade game between Byron Shire Rebels and Ballina was forfeited by Ballina as they didn’t have enough fit and able prop forwards.

The Casuarina and Casino clash was called off after covid took hold in the Casino camp.

Second grade was similarly affected with the only game being WAR against Lismore. WAR won 62–17.

In the President’s Cup

Mullumbimby’s home game against Kyogle was also called off owing to the number of covid cases in the visiting side.

Next long weekend there is no rugby.

On the following Saturday, June 17, the Byron Shire Rebels will have their first game at the Recreation Grounds (Byron Bay) when they host WAR in a battle for the top of the table.

Mullumbimby took home the ‘Cook Cup’ after beating Murwillumbah in first grade. Photo Elna Nelson

Local cyclists made it down to Grafton for the Club’s 130th birthday dinner and Inter-club racing. Photo supplied

Darts winner at the Lismore Master’s Games. Photo supplied

A gutsy performance by Lismore (green) wasn’t enough against competition leaders, WAR. Photo supplied

Backlash

If your legacy as Byron Shire Mayor is a lack of accountability, secret deals and poor process (see page 1), what would you do a year out before the election? Asking for 16,000 ratepayers.

The Transformations of Crisis podcast series kicked of June 5, which is hosted by Renew Fest director Ella Rose Goninan. Eight local women are featured in the first series: Annalee Atia, Erica Crebar, Maddy Braddon, Kali Jaguar, Swarna Taylor, Melanie Bloor and Vashti Eastern. To listen, visit www.renewfest.org.au/ podcast or www.hhug.org.au/ podcast.

It’s now on record that Australia’s most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, is a war criminal, a murderer, a bully and a liar. His defamation case was defeated in the High Court, which found media reporting was of ‘substantial truth’. Former NSW MP, Catherine Cusack, ponders this, and more, on page 10.

Psst: Former federal Liberal politician, Jason Falinski, who chaired a lengthy inquiry into housing markets, is now chairman of Airbnb short-term rental management company, www.airtrip.com.au.

ATO data suggests one per cent of Australian taxpayers own a quarter of property investments, says The Guardian’s Antoun Issa. Quick, build more houses that only a handful of boomers can afford. And whatever you do, Labor, don’t get in the way of those ‘investors’!

The village of Brunswick Heads is set to host its Old & Gold garage sale this weekend, with three big fairs, entertainment and plenty of fun – come rain or shine. Pictured in old and gold are Ye Olde Church Fair co-ordinator, Mary Ashton, Old & Gold event co-ordinator, Belinda Burton,

‘I love a timid country, a land of scare campaigns, where mindless bogan slogans just overtake our brains. The stunted, short horizons of those who will not see, who, presented with alternatives, think only “me me me”.’ – Anon

Byron Bay High School is holding its annual Winter Arts Festival Showcase Evening (a.k.a. the WAF), on Thursday June 15 from 4.30pm. There will be showcases from students from all years, including a 100 student-strong, massed Year 7 choir!

Given the number of businesses closing at the moment, The Echo is compiling a list of those prepared to go on record for a feature story. If you would like to share your story, please email paulb@echo.net.au.

BYRON MUSIC