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 #38 TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2007 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
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Preschools rage against ‘dismal’ state funding Story & photo Lou Beaumont Last week, NSW preschools and their families held another statewide rally aimed squarely at NSW Premier Morris Iemma. The rallies were organised by Children’s Choice, the lobby group for NSW preschoolers. Children’s Choice, a grassroots organisation established by preschool staff, parents and other preschool stakeholder groups from across NSW, presently have over 350 preschools under the Children’s Choice ‘banner’. In the past 12 months they have successfully lobbied for additional money for preschools, however, they believe there is still a long way to go. Children’s Choice spokesperson and mother of five Kerry Grigg said, ‘Mr Iemma’s attempts to position himself as the concerned family man and father of four in the leadup to the election are abhorrent given his government’s dismal record on preschool funding.
The statewide rallies will highlight the exorbitant fees and low participation rates that are proving to be a bugbear for the state Labor government and more particularly Morris Iemma who has staked his campaign on his credentials as a family man in touch with the concerns of NSW families.’ Nikki Kempnich, parent and spokesperson from Byron Bay Preschool, said, ‘We are all busy working families – we feel very angry that we have been forced to protest yet again to get the message across to the Premier and his government.’ Ms Kempnich said at the rally in Byron Bay on Friday, ‘We are outraged at what our state Labor government is doing to our preschools. Preschool is not childcare, it is an education system. We need more funding in order to be able to continue to hire qualified staff without further increases in fees.’ Children’s Choice has sent
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Buttery patrons’ loving embrace
tens of thousands of letters, faxes and emails to the Premier and relevant Ministers, protesting around the state in April 2006 and lobbying local members and candidates.The lobby group, made up of preschool parents and educators, is accusing the Premier of mishandling the preschool issue from the beginning. Kerry Grigg told The Echo, ‘NSW families pay the highest preschool fees in the country and as a result, NSW has the lowest preschool participation rate of any Australian state or territory. According to the Productivity Commission, NSW children have the lowest percentage of participation in preschool services at around 60% while other states’ participation rates are on average 96%. ‘In most other states and territories preschool is free or involves a relatively small voluntary contribution, so it’s easy to see why there is such
Two famous musos from opposite ends of the spectrum take time to embrace the new Buttery building project with each other in the grounds of The Riverview Guesthouse, Bangalow. Rick Grossman of Divinyls, Hoodoo Gurus and Ghostwriters fame gets a good dose of the David Helfgott charm and trademark hug as they discuss music industry efforts to help build the new Buttery, continued on page 4 an alcohol and drug rehabilitation centre. Rick, an ex resident of The Buttery some 20 years ago and in recovery for that amount of time, is coordinating members of the music industry to get behind fundraising efforts for the project.
David Helfgott, much loved patron of The Buttery, with his wife Gillian dropped in to give a morning recital to Buttery staff and residents and to update on fundraising efforts. Rick flew in from Sydney to pre-record an onscreen presentation for the Buttery’s fundraising launch in Sydney on March 15, as Rick flies to the US with the Gurus for a two week tour over that period. David Helfgott will give a recital at The Buttery Sydney event and Norman Swann from The Health Report will interview Professor Shane Darke, an expert in matters of drug and alcohol issues. The Help Build a Better Buttery fundraising coordi-
nator Dee Tipping said, ‘It was quite overwhelming to have such wonderful supporters of The Buttery all arriving at the same time but it provided an ideal opportunity for David, Gillian, Rick and myself to discuss some exciting news around a fundraising CD by top Australian artists. After hearing David play and hug us all at least three times each and then Rick telling his story of recovery barely a dry eye was to be seen in The Buttery that morning.’ For updates on Buttery events visit www.buttery.org. au. For more information contact Dee Tipping on 6687 1623. Photo Jeff ‘Cuddles’ Dawson
$100,000 for Bruns skate park
Frustrated teachers, parents and the children of Byron Shire’s preschools rallied for a ‘Day of Rage’, part of a statewide action highlighting the lack of funding for community based preschools.
Michael McDonald Mayor Jan Barham used her casting vote last Thursday to commit Byron Shire Council to putting $100,000 towards the development of a skate park at the Stan Thompson sporting complex at Brunswick Heads. Cr Diane Woods put up the notice of motion to get the project started.
Greens councillors Tom Tabart, John Lazarus and Richard Staples voted against the proposals with Crs Westheimer and Mangleson, while the mayor found herself aligned with Crs Woods, Tucker, Tardif and Kestle. A Brunswick Heads resident, Cr Tabart was not opposed to a skate park for the town
but felt it was the wrong location, saying it was taken out of town because of objections by business interests. In an amendment, which was defeated 6-4, Cr Westheimer sought to have a report brought to Council on the upgrading of sporting facilities in the Shire’s north, continued on page 2