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 #21 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2006 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
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Women call for a world without violence Story & photo Lou Beaumont Staunch supporters turned up to Reclaim the Night on Friday night despite the wind and rain that threatened to keep them away. The message was as clear as ever, and there couldn’t have been a more appropriate time to shout it with Sheik Alhilali’s ‘uncovered meat’ comments still ringing in ears across Australia. This year the crowd that gathered consisted of women of all ages. Mothers and children, and young women, all standing together to publicly demand an end to all forms of sexual violence. Clothed in red, the crowd was fired up by Sister of Ceremonies
Mandy Nolan, our mayor Jan Barham, Sharon Brodie of the Richmond Sexual Assault Service (RSAS) and Zenith Virago of the Byron Reclaim the Night Collective. The crowd was also presented with red ‘Wishing Threads’ for their wrists – each one an ongoing symbol of a wish for a world without violence. Mandy Nolan noted, ‘It’s appropriate we all wear red on this night. Red is the colour of love, power and the colour of passion. But it is also the colour of pain and rage. You are here tonight to demonstrate, by your presence and through your voice, that the current statistics on
Women of all ages turned out to Reclaim the Night.
sexual violence against women are unacceptable. A quarter of all women under 18 will experience some form of sexual assault. This is not acceptable.’ Jan Barham added that it was wonderful to see so many young women in the crowd. She said demonstrations like this are vital because, ‘If we’re not heard, we can be ignored, and we can’t allow that to happen. ‘This year I am pleased to say Council are implementing two strategies using Attorney General’s grants. Expect Respect programs will be running throughout high schools in the area, and our Safe Events Strategy will call on organisers of every event and festival to pay particular attention to the safety of women and children. Council is working to develop more positive and respectful interactions between people.’ Mandy reminded the crowd that Reclaim is an international event – that the Byron crowd is a small part of a huge web of women building a sense of connectedness worldwide through this cause. She called for women to not just Reclaim the Night, but instead to reclaim 24 hours. ‘We want the whole lot back!’ Mandy continued, ‘How can we not address the deep issues that fuel the attitudes that lead to this behaviour? Rape is not an attractive or sexy issue so it is all too often silenced. The Reclaim the Night movement began in Rome when authorities consistently failed to act on sexual assault allegations. Victims were not heard and
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Bring a brolly to warming walk
Umbrella group, Byron High year 10 students Bianca Shaw, Cody Butler, Mitchell Booth and Matt Christie, talk up the walk against global warming. Photo Jeff ‘Rising Sleaze’ Dawson
It’s 2070 and Byron Shire is experiencing yet another record breaking drought, the once verdant ranges have transformed into a brown weedy scrub under the combined onslaught of drought and extreme fire regime and summer day time temperatures in downtown Mullum are regularly exceeding 40º C. Sun shielding umbrellas have become the fashion accessory de jour for the heat stressed locals. This is the scenario that the North Coast Climate Action Group (NCCAG) wants all to work
toward not occurring. Two NCCAG events being held this week give Byron Shire residents the opportunity to become better informed about the issues surrounding the emerging threat posed by global warming and more importantly provide a call to action on the solutions that need to be implemented. This Thursday Al Gore’s global warming movie An Inconvenient Truth will premiere at the Byron Cinemas. Tickets to the 6.30 and 8.30 sessions are being sold as a benefit fundraiser
for both the NCCAG and the Rainforest Information Centre and can be purchased from Santos stores at both Mullum and Byron. Information stalls and sessions are being organised by NCCAG in conjunction with the film’s screening. NCCAG has also organised a local event as part of the national ‘Walk Against Warming’ Campaign which is happening this Saturday November 4 in all capital cities and many regional areas. Local walkers are asked to meet at continued on page 7
Youth officer job saved (just)
Michael McDonald The state government takeover of crown caravan parks has hit Byron Shire Council hard, with staff estimating a loss of over $800,000 in funding and a net financial impact of $369,000 for the 06/07 financial year. Among the cuts planned to deal with the loss was the axing of the new youth development continued on page 2 officer (YDO) position
which has yet to be filled. The $43,200 for the job was reinstated solely on the mayor’s casting vote. Crs Mangleson and Woods put up a motion which would have seen the position go as part of a budget remake, while Crs Lazarus and Staples put up an amendment which would see the job stay. The votes on the motion and the amendment were
tied, with Crs Tucker, Woods, Mangleson, Tardif and Kestle voting against the amendment. During public access Byron Youth Service (BYS) director Paul Spooner made an impassioned speech on the loss of the YDO. ‘How much was Council’s 2005 revenue?’ asked Mr Spooner. continued on page 4