THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 20 #18 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2005 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
A D VA N C E D
C O N S P I R A C Y
Locals lobby Canberra for disability funding Alex McAuley
Bangalow resident Cindy Petersons and her daughter Alexandra have returned from Canberra after making the journey to lobby the federal government to provide adequate funding for family carers of people with dependant disabilities. Despite coping with the horrors of Alexandra suffering a seizure on the plane, Cindy feels that the experience was very worthwhile.
‘There were about 350 people at the rally including Justine Elliot, federal member for Richmond; senator Jan McLucas, shadow minister for ageing, disabilities and carers; Kay Patterson, minister for community services; and Anna-Maria Arabia, social policy advisor to Kim Beazley,’ said Cindy. ‘Kay Patterson addressed the rally and spoke at length about the $600 per year carer’s allowance that she has
At the Canberra rally, from left, Member for Richmond Justine Elliot, Alexandra Petersons and her mother Cindy Petersons (Bangalow), Senator Jan McLucas (Shadow Minister for Ageing, Disabilities and Carers) and family carer Marie Dudgeon (Bangalow).
introduced. The fact of the matter is that $600 pays for one nappy per day for six months. That doesn’t go far for someone like me. ‘Nevertheless, I found her to be receptive to our concerns and found Jan McLucas and Justine Elliot to be very sympathetic. It was a positive experience for me because I feel that I am now part of a political pressure group. This is really the start of something that can make a difference for us. To all those people who generously supported me, they should know that it was well worth it.’ Nell Brown, NSW spokesperson for the Walk a Mile Foundation, had meetings after the rally with the parliamentary representatives and felt that she made some ground. ‘We asked the minister [Kay Patterson] to launch a senate enquiry into the failure of the Commonwealth State and Territory Disability Agreements to deliver services to families caring for someone with a dependant disability,’ said Ms Brown. ‘Initially, she was reluctant to support such a move, claiming that it is a state rather than federal issue and no precedent has been set. However, after further discussions she relented somewhat and agreed to go away and think about it. We will meet again before Christmas to open up negotiations.’ ‘On the whole it was a positive meeting with her; she know that we’re not going to give up. We have formed a national carer’s alliance and are prepared to take political action.’ continued on page 2
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T H E O RY
Peace was the word at the weekend
Arnhem Land’s Elco Island dancers led the 150 or so people who gathered on the beach at Byron at dawn through their Morning Star Sunrise ceremony. This kicked off Byron’s part in the global Earth Dance worldwide Day of Peace celebrations. Byron’s Peace Carnival saw three days of peace-related activities. The World Peace Flame was permanently installed in the Byron Community Centre after passing through the hands of representatives of different faiths, beliefs and communities and the Mayor. There were dances, doofs, ceremonies, choirs, whale calling, drumming, celebrity spotting, video linkups, a rally through town and a ‘peaceful, easy feeling’. Photo ‘Peaced Off’ Dawson
Council cannot stop lettings: landlords Council’s actions in serving notices to property owners to cease holiday letting is wrong and unlawful, says the Holiday Letting Organisation (HLO), a new lobby group of property owners. President of the HLO, John Gudgeon, issued a statement to the media on Friday advising that a letter has been sent to Byron Shire Council Mayor, Jan Barham, containing legal advice which proves that issuing notices to property owners to stop holiday letting is unlawful. On Monday morning Jan Barham told The Echo that neither she nor Council had received any correspondence directly from the HLO by Friday afternoon. ‘They (HLO) have my
email address, but I haven’t received anything from them. I have seen the letter because the media forwarded it on to me and I have passed this onto council’s legal team,’ Cr Barham said. HLO’s agenda appears to be the self-regulation of the holiday letting industry through a code of practice. ‘HLO does not seek to push for resolutions through any kind of legal proceedings. It does seek to come to a mutually satisfactory solution through meaningful dialogue focusing on real issues,’ said Mr Gudgeon in his statement. ‘HLO believes that the solutions are management centred. HLO has been formed so that individual
home owners can take primary responsibility as to how their properties are marketed and managed. The HLO is directing its energy to short and long term solutions. ‘However, HLO recognises that there have been problems with noise and nuisance associated with holiday lettings in residential areas. On the other hand, there is an abundance of successfully run dwellings countering the claims that holiday letting inevitably leads to neighbourhood disturbances.’ Much of Council’s position on holiday letting has been based on the result of a legal case last year involving a property in Belongil. The continued on page 2