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 21 #19 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2006 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
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Police flag concerns over NYE safety Michael McDonald In a confidential letter to Byron Shire Council, the officer in charge of Byron Bay police, Inspector Owen King, has expressed his concerns about public safety on New Years Eve in Byron Bay. This led Mayor Jan Barham after an urgency motion last week to seek to commit $12,500 to lighting and toilets. While declining to release his letter to the press, Insp King told The Echo, ‘I could not wait any longer to find out what was happening. I needed to tell my commanders what resources I needed. ‘Council does have a legislative responsibility for the safety of residents and visitors. Police too need safe working conditions and I outlined to Council the risk management measures I wanted to put in place. ‘As officer in charge and a member of the NYE safety committee I wanted to ensure a safe environ-
ment. Road closures are one of the important things and providing a pedestrian precinct. ‘There will be 8,000-10,000 people in town for the weekend anyway. They can’t all fit into venues and they will spill out into the streets.’ Insp King said he would have adequate police numbers for the night. The NYE vote got up 7-3, Crs Tucker, Tardif and Kestle opposed, after Councillors expressed misgivings about putting any more money into NYE. It transpired the money would come from an existing $25,000 budget for waste management and would not interfere with the cleanup for the night. Cr Barham said Council’s NYE committee needed immediately to book facilities to ensure community safety and to have the alcohol prohibition zone approved.
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Taste of Byron a top treat
Celeste Butler did more than just dip the strawberries at the Chocolat stall. Photo Jeff ‘Soft Centre’ Dawson
Buttery outreach awarded, then runs out of funds
Victoria Cosford For an event which faltered, floundered and ultimately failed last year then seemed to be thrown together in a short space of time this year, the Taste of Byron 2006 can only be considered an unqualified success. Perfect weather last Sunday with a bit of a wind ensured a huge
Members of The Buttery’s outreach service MISA (Mental Illness and Substance Abuse) Lifestyle program have been recognised in Sydney for their outstanding initiatives in supporting those of this region who deal with dual diagnosis issues, that is mental illness and substance abuse. They received this award in Martin Place as part of the launch of Mental Health Week NSW. Ironically as they received the award from Governor Marie Bashir they prepared to wrap up the program as the non recurring funding from the federal government ceases at the end of October. Along with the jobs of three experienced and professional staff will be the loss of over eight group and community programs which are run from Lismore to Tweed Heads.
Mamone who worked flat out to keep the gourmets satisfied.
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turnout of what appeared to be largely locals, though also the tailend of holiday-makers. Like two years ago, the festival was held on the beachfront behind Main Beach; it consisted of aisles of stalls, lots of seating under umbrellas, tents housing cooking demonstrations, fashion parades
‘The reality is that governments often won’t release funding unless it is in line with elections. We need funding this year and both state and federal elections aren’t till next year, so once again our clients, families and carers and other small agencies miss out,’ said Antonia Ravesi, Program Manager of MISA. Director of The Buttery Barry Evans said, ‘We are keen to use this award to highlight the success of this service in dealing with this minority group in need of such special attention. ‘We welcome any support from the community in terms of funding opportunities to help reinstate this program.’ A big hit at TOB, Fishheads kitchen was mobbed when word got out about their Contact The Buttery on 6687 1/2 swimmer lobster, local baby calamari, local prawns and salmon mixed grill. 1623 or at www.buttery.org.au. Chef Lynette Bradford, here with Kylie Phipps, Konrad Reimer and Ralph ■ Family drug support, page 15
and bands, roving entertainers, stilt walkers and children’s activities. The air was appropriately perfumed with cooking smells as the sunglasses-clad crowds jostled and thronged from stall to stall juggling cardboard plates of food. The stalls themselves were a gratifyingly representational mix of both local eateries and producers – some of them almost impossible to access due to the length of the queues. I tasted a lot of Byron that hot afternoon – but also beyond: the most delicious thing I ate, and to be sure the winning Taste of Byron Dish, was the Iluka Prawn, Pink Ginger and Coconut Wonton with Tahitian Lime and Wasabi Mayo from Lismore’s Basilico restaurant. In fact all three of their offerings were superb: clean fresh flavours, use of local ingredients, impeccably cooked chicken and prawn, given the conditions. Honourable mention of the day went to Brown Sugar café, not only for their really gorgeous Rosewater Yoghurt Balls with creamy chocolate sapote sorbet but also for the vicissitudes they encountered: firstly no power to run their espresso machine and continued on page 4