Melbourne
Cup 2008
THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 23 #21 Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 22,700 copies every week
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THE VILLAGE WORDSMITHY
Baby whale found dead at The Pass
Council’s finances sound: auditor
A three month old humpback whale stranded on the beach at The Pass last Sunday following what is thought to be a collision with a large boat. Rescuers from Australian Seabird Rescue, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Cape Byron Marine Park were unable to save the whale and it was pronounced dead at 7.30am. The whale suffered a series of severe lacerations and broken bones near its tail from a propeller and it appears the animal had been unable to swim properly for the past one to two days. Australian Seabird Rescue spokesperson Keith Williams said the death be a reminder to all boaters to exercise caution during the whale migration season. ‘A large number of whales, including many calves, are moving along our coastline at the moment. Boaters need to be alert for whales in the area and ensure they do not cross the path of the whales as they continue their southwards migration. Calves in particular are inexperienced with boat traffic and may act unpredictably.’ National guidelines require boats to stay at least 300m away from a whale in its direction of travel and approach no closer than 100m from the side. National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Byron Coast Area Manager Sue Walker said the deep wounds which appeared to have been inflicted some days earlier had cut through the lower spine of the seven metre male calf making it unable to swim. ‘The cooperation of the surfers and the local community on the beach
Michael McDonald
Photo Jeff Dawson. More photos in the galleries section of our website www.echo.net.au.
together with the Marine Parks Authority, Southern Cross University, Australian Sea Bird Rescue, Byron Bay Police, local vets and Byron Shire Council and NPWS staff all helped to make the difficult situation of retrieving the baby whale from between the rocks as smooth as possible,’ Ms Walker said. Dan Burns, a PhD researcher with Southern Cross University’s Whale Research Centre, has urged boat owners to be extra vigilant for humpback whales during the southern migra-
tion. ‘Humpback mums and calves tend to travel closer to the shore on the southern migration. People need to be particularly vigilant at this time of the year from late September through to early November,’ Dan said. ‘This is going to become a bigger issue as the whale population increases. At the moment we have around 1,000 mothers and calves heading south each year. It’s great for people to see them in close, but it means people have to be careful
when they are out on the water. ‘People need to keep an extra lookout for whales and keep the speed down. Studies in the northern hemisphere have shown that if a whale is hit by a boat travelling above 15 knots there is a nearly 100 percent fatality rate.’ A study by SCU Honours student, Kathryn Brown, is looking at the behaviour of whales in Byron Bay and has found there are up to 80 whales a day passing Cape Byron during the southern migration.
Be prepared for storms, urges State Emergency Service Lou Beaumont
The Mullumbimby State Emergency Service is urging residents to prepare for the storms and cyclones this summer. Particularly in light of the hail storm last Wednesday, they recommend that each household should put together an emergency kit. The kit should include a battery
powered radio, a torch, batteries, and candles. The SES also recommends keeping gutters clear and putting important documents into a waterproof, snap-lock bag. SES Local Controller, Noel McAviney, told The Echo, ‘This is a time that people need to be aware. We can expect a lot more storms, and most of the severe storms we have had in recent months have contained hail.
‘Suffolk Park was the worst affected area this time, followed by parts of Byron and Bangalow. We received 71 calls for assistance, most of which were for broken skylights. Windows were smashed, car windscreens and a huge tree fell and took out the side of a house.’ If you get caught out in a storm McAviney suggests seeking shelter
or a garage as soon as you can. If this is not possible, he suggests putting your car up against a wall as hail normally comes from one direction and at an angle. Also, old blankets and towels over the car can prevent broken windscreens and dents. For more information call 1800 201 000. To report an emergency situation call 132 500.
Kevin Franey, partner in audit firm Thomas Noble Russell, last week told Byron Shire councillors that Byron Shire’s finances were in good shape despite a dip of $7 million in the value of its investments. Mr Franey gave a powerpoint presentation of his firm’s audit report for 07/08 at last Thursday’s meeting. Both councillors and ratepayers have been concerned about Council’s exposure to the global financial crisis through its investment in Collaterised Debt Obligations (CDOs). Mr Franey said that in this area a large proportion of Council’s capital is protected and ‘we will get the face value back’. Of course this will mean a loss in terms of potential interest earned had Council invested elsewhere. Of Council’s $52 million in investments, $10m is in CDOs. A movement in the valuation of its investments has seen a downturn of $7.39m for Council.
Restricted funds At the meeting general manager Graeme Faulkner once again pointed out that, while Council has that $52m, it is restricted by law and only about $1m is available for discretionary infrastructure spending. Council’s revenue for 2008 came to $47.5m. Of that, cash contributions (statutory requirements under s94 and s64) from property developers came to around $4.2m. Mr Franey was happy with Council’s ongoing general fund balance of $1 million each year over the last three years – compared to $142,000 in 2002 – and a debt service ratio of 6.5%. Council has had considerable success in getting its outstanding rates debt level down from 10% in 2002 to just over 4% in 2008. In moving to accept the financial statements, Cr Ross Tucker made a point of thanking the general manager and staff for their work. ‘We seem to be in very good shape,’ he said. Council’s financial statements now go on public exhibition.