THE BYRON SHIRE
o t k c a B hool Sc
Volume 27 #32 Tuesday, January 22, 2013 Phone 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
Inside this week
CAB AUDIT
W I T H G R E AT P O W E R C O M E S G R E AT E L E C T R I C I T Y B I L L S – U N L E S S Y O U G O S O L A R
ps! lee s ore 8m p16–19
Activist and law Australia Day Home & Garden Still watching Trades and lecturer Aidan services TV? feature feature Ricketts i/v – p9 – p37–41 – p32–33 – p20–21 – p23–24
Back in the water
Byron Shire Council Notices Pages 48
Bruns comes alight
Extra sub-licence granted to surf school Hans Lovejoy
Byron Bay Surf School owner-operator Jayme Edwards has won a hardfought battle to stay afloat as a surf instructor. On July 31 last year The Echo reported Jayme’s ten-year business and elite surf coach Steve Foreman’s tender applications were rejected in favour of a higher ‘blind bid’ from other operators. It was despite the pair being established longtime operators with impeccable records. The decision led to the tendering process being reviewed independently and sparked division with the then-councillors, led by former mayor Jan Barham. That review, by Sydney-based company Grant Thornton, found that the Byron Shire Council did not use ‘the most appropriate method for assessing and scoring the sub-licence fee criteria considering the nature and circumstances of the tender.’ The reviewers also added they, ‘do not believe there is a sound basis for the
panel to make the recommendation to award the contracts to the successful tenderers.’ And now Council and state government departments have agreed to allow an extra commercial sub-licence – from four to five – for operators to teach surfing on Main Beach, Byron Bay.
Now a fixed fee Additionally, a fixed fee will be set for future commercial activities sublicences, according to Byron Shire acting general manager, Ray Darney. ‘The fee will need to be determined and set prior to the next tender,’ he told The Echo. ‘As yet, the tender process for the commercial activities sub-licences has not been reviewed, but will be reviewed prior any further Jacob King comes to McGregor’s Carnival at Bruns each year, and says he’s pretty impressed with the new ‘Stars tenders being invited for commercial Ride’ aka ‘The Vomitron’. Although the Fish & Chips festival has wrapped up, the carnival will be open at Banner Park in Brunswick Heads until Australia Day on Saturday January 26. Photo Jeff Dawson activities on coastal reserves.’ Jayme says the introduction of a standard fee for all surf school operators in future, ‘will be the ultimate gain in this lengthy and costly profes-
Australia and Survival Day in the Shire
continued on page 2 Australia Day – or Survival Day if Strait Island hand-waver flags.
you prefer – will be celebrated publicly throughout Byron Shire on Saturday January 26. Breakfasts will be held at the Housie shed in Banner Park, Brunswick Heads from 7.30am, while Byron Bay’s breakfast will be in Apex Park from 8am. Later on at 11am in Apex Park, a celebration of the survival of Indigenous culture (Sisters for Reconciliation) will be held until 3pm.
Survival Day at Apex park
After six months of limbo, surf instructor Jayme Edwards is again giving surfing lessons in the Bay. Photo Jeff Dawson
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Formal Survival Day activities will begin at noon with a Welcome to Country ceremony, to be followed by speeches, men’s and women’s dance troupes, music, kids’ activities, tea, coffee, cake, a sausage sizzle, plus information booths, artwork, weaving, souvenirs and Aboriginal and Torres
As for the official Australia Day ceremony, it will be held at the Ocean Shores Country Club from 11am to 1pm, and will include an address by mayor Simon Richardson.
Australia Day at Ocean Shores Country Club Australia Day awards categories include Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Community Event, and Junior and Senior Sportsperson of the Year. The Australia Day address will be given by Frank Mills, OAM. Byron Shire will also welcome nine new citizens as part of Australia Day 2013 celebrations, says Council. The new citizens have arrived from the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy,
Germany and New Zealand. ‘I congratulate the newest citizens of Byron Shire and on behalf of the local community, wish them well as they end their migrant journey and start their new lives as Australians. ‘I encourage all Australians, whether new or old, by birth or by choice, to join in Byron Shire’s Australia Day events and celebrate this great nation,’ mayor Simon Richardson said. At New Brighton Oval from 4 to 6pm, the Ocean Shores Community Association will host an Aussie teabreak. For Suffolk Park residents, a fun afternoon is planned by the Byron Rural Fire Brigade from 1 to 5pm at Gaggin Park. And in Banglalow, a family fun day will be presented by the Bangalow Historical Society from 2 to 5pm at Heritage House.
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