THE BYRON SHIRE
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Volume 28 #18 Tuesday, October 8, 2013 Phone 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
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‘ W H A T D A Y I S I T ? ’ A S K E D P O O H . ‘ I T ’ S T O D A Y,’ S Q U E A K E D P I G L E T . ‘ M Y F A V O U R I T E D A Y,’ S A I D P O O H .
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Boomerang takes flight
John Campbell tackles another choc-top – p23
The NSW government’s draft controversial planning reforms were overwhelmingly rejected at the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) 2013 annual conference, held in Sydney last week. It’s the latest thumbs-down for the NSW coalition’s plans, which critics say will strip the rights of communities to reject inappropriate developments. LGNSW is the peak body representing the state’s 152 councils, and Byron Shire councillors Di Woods and Alan Hunter both attended the conference. The conference’s outcome saw LGNSW delegates agree that community participation should be enshrined ‘at all stages of planning’.
Organisers of the inaugural Boomerang Festival of indigenous music and culture held at Tyagarah over the weekend were buoyed by its success and crowd response, vowing it will return. Estimates put crowds at more than 5,000 people for the threeday event. It was an opportunity to engage in music, art, dance, painting, film, discussion and cultural exchanges with first-nation people from around the world, including weaving circles, traditional Maori healing and tea with elders. Festival director Rhoda Roberts said, ‘Boomerang offered a completely unique experience to festival goers.
‘The atmosphere on the festival grounds over the weekend was electric and there was a unanimous view among festival goers, performers and crew that they were participating in something very special – including [former minister] Tony Burke, who described it as an “unforgettable weekend”,’ Ms Roberts said.
Effusive praise Meanwhile promoter Peter Noble was effusive in his praise after the closing ceremony yesterday, saying he was immensely proud to see what it had achieved and wanted Boomerang to be a permanent event on the local festival calendar. ‘I have never felt more pride in
doing an event, ever,’ the promoter of the long-running Bluesfest said. The performance from Elcho Island singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu on Saturday night that included a surprise guest appearance from Natalie Pa’apa’a of Blue King Brown was just one highlight. Other standouts included the thought-provoking dialogue with Dr Gondarra, Xavier Rudd and Jeff McMullen and Wantok Sing Sing, while John Williamson and Archie Roach were also big crowd favourites. There were no reports from police of any incidents. Q See more on this story at
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Serious flaws They also voted to, ‘Express strong concern about the removal of community consultation from any stage of the planning process and call on the NSW government to ensure all planning considerations are made with infrastructure commitments, for example childcare and transport etc.’ It was also decided to advocate that, ‘Councils are given equal status to the minister for planning and infrastructure in planning decisions,’ and that developments have ‘triple-bottom-line outcomes for planning decisions.’ Meanwhile Nature Conservation Council CEO Pepe Clarke was in Byron Bay last Friday, launching a new report – available at nccnsw. org.au – that he says, ‘exposes serious flaws in the draft Planning Bill 2013.’ He says, ‘Under the new laws,
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developers would have new rights to override local plans and challenge council zoning decisions, placing existing environmental protections at risk. In addition, State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPP), which contain protections for sensitive environmental areas including koala habitat and rainforest, will cease to exist under the new planning system. ‘The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has raised concerns about the broad, unfettered discretion given to key decision makers, including the minister for planning and the directorgeneral of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure.’ Recently Byron Bay-based NSW coalition MP for local government and the north coast, Don Page, told The Echo he relayed community concerns about the planning overhaul to planning MP Brad Hazzard.
NSW Business Chamber’s input As for input from the NSW Business Chamber: they gave feedback to the Green Paper in December last year. The Chamber said then that ‘at the local level, councillors should still have a role in leading the community in the development of broad planning policies and principles for a local area’, but added that ‘the development of Local Land Use Plans will need to be oversighted by the department of planning… to ensure that they are consistent with subregional, metropolitan and NSW plans and policies.’ The controversial legislation, which so far has gained little to no public support, is due to be debated in parliament next month. Present this ad for a
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Byron Shire Council Notices
NSW govt planning reforms remain unsupported Hans Lovejoy
The Malu Kiai Mura Buai Dance Troupe’s youngest member (he’s five) won hearts all weekend long with his spirited performances. For more pictures by Jeff Dawson, see his snaps of Boomerang and the Mullum Circus Festival on page 12. Also Sharon Shostak’s video wrap is at www.echo.net.au.
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