WHAT’S NEW?
THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 27 #01 Tuesday, June 12, 2012 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
AUDIT
Inside this week
Slavery and imperialism editorial – p12
Letters to the editor – p13
Council now backs CCTV Hans Lovejoy
Council now supports, in principle, the use of CCTV in Byron Bay. The reversal on the matter comes after it was voted on at last Thursday’s meeting. The note of CCTV support was included within the Draft Safer Community Compact policy which had been on public submission. Crs Ross Tucker and Jan Barham voted against the motion. It’s welcoming news to Byron Bay Liquor Accord chairperson, Elke van Haandel, who is also general manager of the Beach Hotel. ‘The Accord and police cannot fix the issues of the town,’ she told The Echo. ‘We need the Council’s support on many factors contributing to the town’s issues, namely, the installation of CCTV, improved lighting in the CBD, and to improve the transport hub.’ She says the Accord meets every eight weeks and members are made up of representatives of all major venues in town (bottle shops and restaurants), local police, Byron Youth Services (BYS) and the chamber of commerce. ‘The council is invited each time but most often doesn’t attend,’ she says. The purpose of the Accord Ms van Haandel says, ‘is for us to work togeth-
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A U S T R A L I A’ S M O S T E A S T E R LY R A B B L E
CAB
er as an industry to introduce practical solutions to liquor-related problems. ‘Recently we have been focusing on the town’s alcohol-related assaults. It’s important to note that this has always been Byron Bay’s issue. There hasn’t been a significant spike in assaults although the media will lead us to believe that; it’s a longstanding issue that the police and the accord are working closely together to address.’
Classified NORPA presents ads Biddies – p24 – p38
Surfing siblings – p45
Byron Shire Council Notices Page 44
Not dampened, just gold
No significant spike in assaults: Liquor Accord At the last BBLA meeting in April, she says the Accord pledged their support to: impose drink restrictions in our venues to promote RSA (for example, no doubles, plastic retainers to replace glass, limited drink purchases after midnight, stricter RSA practices), target illicit drug use within venues, improve communication of security between venues regarding problem patrons, support the Designated Driver campaign, to continue the current selfimposed 2am lockout and to support maximum capacities in venues. ‘We also support greater police presence and greater enforcement action from police for venues, staff and problem patrons.’
Aldi sets the plastic bag standard
Suffolk Park resident Laurel Erilane is happy Byron’s new ALDI supermarket has a policy of no free plastic. Instead, they offer recyclable reusable bags for sale. Photo Jeff ‘Tripping The Light Non-Plastic’ Dawson
Old and Gold Festival goers were not dampened by the weather last Saturday as large numbers flocked to fossick through the town’s halls, street stalls, schools and garages in search of a bargain. Pictured are Victoria Furver and Robyn Menzies beating the cool damp conditions with sensible hats. Photo Jeff ‘Golden’ Dawson
Broken Head Road trees look to be saved Luis Feliu
Councillors have voted to save scores of native trees in a wildlife corridor earmarked to be felled by Council staff. The work was part of the rebuilding of a section of Broken Head Road, which sparked an outcry from the mayor and community. Twenty large trees were felled last month, unbeknown to the mayor, and around 60 more were planned to be chopped down for the road widening. Then last week, only days after she succeeded with an urgency motion to halt the works, staff further angered her by recommending the roadworks south of Broken Head Reserve continue, including the felling of more mature trees. Staff in their report had warned
that funding from the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) for half the budgeted $570,000 project was tied and could be lost if they did not proceed. They also said the road’s poor pavement condition exposed Council to a risk of accident-insurance claims and that Council had a duty of care as a roads authority to maintain and improve the road for public safety. But Cr Barham successfully moved for Council to carry on with the works but without having to finalise the road widening or remove any more trees. The move was opposed by Crs Ross Tucker, Diane Woods and Tony Heeson. Half the cost of the project was being funded under the government’s REPAIR program for regional roads. The Council will now proceed with
the rehabilitation of the road using developer-contribution (section 94) funds and will ask the RMS if the grant funding can be used for other road improvements along a greater stretch of Broken Head Road. A report has also been sought on the environmental repair work now needed for the areas being cleared and to see what improvements or mitigation works for wildlife conservation along the road can be carried out. Cr Barham told media before last week’s meeting that widening the road by removing vegetation in a wildlife corridor was uneccesary to improve safety and she’d rather council spend the money ‘on the surface people drive on, rather than three metres either side’. Staff said the project was not required to go to tender under Local Government Act regulations.
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