Byron Shire Echo – Issue 28.29 – 31/12/2013

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THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 28 #29 Tuesday, December 31, 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

Inside this week

GRAMMAR IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWING YOUR SHIT AND KNOWING YOU’RE SHIT

CAB AUDIT

p14–15

Game Of Knowns Enjoying It’s a New Year and a Public lands summer reading a night of new CSG blockade rort exposed – p24 – p9 capitalism – p11 starts near Casino – p7

Byron Shire Council Notices Page 38–39

Bruns caravan park Cowboys and lizards plans ‘ignores’ locals Luis Feliu

Brunswick Heads residents long opposed to any cut in public access to the foreshore by the managers of the town’s three state-run caravan parks say new grand plans for the parks and public reserves ignore local input on vital issues such as boundaries. Plans to upgrade the three parks, including well-used foreshore reserves such as Torakina, were placed on display by the NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust (formerly North Coast Holiday Parks) and Council just before Christmas. The public are invited to comment until February 21. It’s the fifth attempt since 2000 to prepare such plans by the secretive state-run body charged with running the parks after their takeover from Council by the state almost eight years ago.

Totalling more than 800 pages, the four separate documents include drawings and photos to reflect the scale of the proposed improvements, such as a new network of wide footpaths linking the caravan parks and other reserves. Plans also propose to improve public facilities and new playgrounds at Banner and The Terrace parks. But residents and members of the Foreshore Protection Group (FPG), which has long monitored the running of the parks, say the new plans still ignore Byron Shire Council licensing conditions on park boundaries, use of foreshore and encroached lands. The new conditions were adopted by Council on August 9, 2013. FPG convener Michele Grant says the plans do not reference Byron continued on page 2

Freaks! Space Cowboy and Texan oddity Lizard Man were seen disturbing the peace at Woodford festival in QLD on Sunday night. The pair will be doing the Monster Sideshow in the Byron Entertainment Centre, January 4 and 5. Tickets available at www.ticketor.com/thespacecowboy. Photo Jeff ‘Meek Not Freaked’ Dawson

Massive Lennox bushfire contained Rock wall go-ahead Around 200 homes in and around the Linnaeus Estate and Bundaleer Road in Lennox Head were saved by firefighters on Sunday night. Sixty residents were evacuated to Byron Bay High School after a massive bushfire threatened to sweep north towards Broken Head.

Sixty evacuated

Smoke bellows from Sunday’s fire – about 40 rural fire service (RFS) volunteers stayed on the job all night to monitor the situation and extinguish spot fires. Photo Neil Campbell

Community. Energy.

A lightning strike is suspected to have started the blaze. The Coast Road between Byron Bay and Ballina remains closed as a result of the fire, which jumped the road at around 7.30pm. The blaze has burnt through around 200 hectares of bushland and there have been no reports of property damage at this stage.

Cr Wanchap again votes against her own party Belongil beach looks set to get its ‘interim’ rock wall after Greens councillor Rose Wanchap crossed the floor to immediately approve the works. The decision was made at a Council extraordinary general meeting on Thursday December 19, and brought a rebuke from Greens Byron mayor Simon Richardson. The Byron Bay real estate agent has regularly broken ranks with her party colleagues since being elected last year. But Cr Wanchap has defended her position, telling The Echo, ‘I do have a difference of opinion with

my fellow Green councillors on a couple of key issues but the majority of the time we are in agreement.’ ‘What was approved at Council’s last meeting was a planning decision on the design and application, which doesn’t mean final approval has been granted. This will depend on the funding options and other relevant issues being addressed. ‘It was simply another step in the process of which I am currently in agreement with.’ At the meeting, a report from the engineer who provided the design continued on page 2

Juno Energy would like to thank all of our customers, residential, commercial and government. We would also like to thank our staff and sub-contractors, as well as the local businesses that provided goods and services. Our national partners Sunpower, Energy Matters, and Apricus have provided great support and products. In 2014 we look forward to providing our community with new products and ways of owning or accessing solar power.

Have a safe and sunny 2014. 02 6680 7802 Patrick 0425 256 802 Joa 0431 959 154 junoenergy.com.au Electrical Licence no. 255292C


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