THE BYRON SHIRE
Living
Volume 29 #05 Tuesday, July 15, 2014 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
HOME • GARDEN • ECO T H E S T R A P T H AT M AY G O U N N O T I C E D B Y S O M E G I V E S LIT TLE COMFORT TO THE STRAPMAKER
CAB AUDIT
Has Murdochracy gone Monk Mad?– p10
Mullum High students back from Indo – p5
Human rights and writing – p18
Bandicoots Kicking and are okay – screaming – p41–42 p17
The bigger the chrome, the wider the bonnet
Bruns was awash with chrome on the weekend as the annual Back to Brunswick Hot Rod Run roared through town. It featured the Show and Shine competition, sponsored by the Woodchop Committee. Photo Jeff Dawson
Battlelines drawn over 2015 NSW election Darren Coyne & Hans Lovejoy
National party preselection candidate for Ballina, Sharon Cadwallader, says she is considering her options after being narrowly defeated by a relative newcomer to the party, Kris Beavis. With the retirement of state MP Don Page at the next election after 27 years’ service, the seat is considered wide open by all political parties. Ms Cadwallader, who is a Ballina Shire councillor with many years of service to both the community and the National party, told The Echo that she was ‘stunned’ to have missed out on preselection. ‘I’ve always worked tirelessly for the community and it’s been quite a journey,’ she said. ‘I’ve always had my sights on the seat if Don [Page]
was to retire, and thought I would give it a tilt.’ But when it came to the crunch, at a preselection meeting attended by 75 members recently, Cr Cadwallader missed out by just five votes, 33 to 42. The winner was Kris Beavis, who joined the party early last year and is CEO of the northern region Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service.
Nationals MP ‘a man’s job’: Cr Cadwallader ‘I was very disappointed that people didn’t vote for me,’ Cr Cadwallader said. ‘There were comments that I was too old and that it was a man’s job’. Cr Cadwallader would not be drawn on whether she would run as an independent at the next elec-
tion, but admitted that she was at a crossroads in her political career. ‘The fork in the road has appeared and it’s time to consider my future,’ she said. Meanwhile, Dr Sue Page, who also nominated for pre-selection but was not endorsed, told The Echo that politics had become a factional career and was no longer about local representation. ‘These days people don’t just go into politics, they train in the machinations of politics,’ she said. ‘It seems representing the interests of the local electorate is not as important as the interests of head office.’ Dr Page would not be drawn on earlier comments that the Nationals were ‘a boys’ club’. She did say however that she continued on page 2
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Byron Shire Council Notices Page 36
Bruns chamber responds to govt’s development plans With large-scale development plans by the state government for Brunswick Heads holiday parks and reserves receiving less than positive responses, the Brunswick Heads Chamber of Commerce is remaining neutral, telling The Echo that while some of their suggestions were adopted, not all were. The Echo previously reported members of the public, mayor Simon Richardson and Greens MLC Jan Barham were outraged over the plans, which were quietly adopted over three weeks ago by the state government. The plans of management (POM) put on public exhibition late last year by the North Coast Holiday Parks (NCHP), and its manager Jim Bolger, attracted widespread criticism for attempting to evict the Buccaneer boat-hire business, close public access, erect fences and cram more cabins into allotments. The Brunswick Heads Chamber of Commerce told The Echo it made a ‘lengthy, balanced, comprehensive and carefully considered submission’ on plans of management for the town’s three holiday parks and reserves.’ Chamber president, Peter Wotton, said, ‘We identified the areas that we supported and we also offered a number of suggestions for improvement, complete with alternative layout designs for each of the three parks.’ ‘We believe our submission reflected the values and needs of those who work and play in Brunswick Heads and a number of our suggestions were incorporated into the new plans of management. ‘In line with our submission, we are pleased that the Terrace Holiday
Park foreshore residents will be able to live in their present location.
Pedestrian access suggestion ignored ‘We suggested that a 3m foreshore pedestrian access to the north and south of these residences could be created now, and that these paths could be eventually joined up; however, this was not included in the POM. ‘The relocation of the waste bin and southern amenities block to reduce impact on the neighbouring residents, and the kayak launch facility within the park, was part of our submission, and was adopted. ‘We are glad that our suggestions for alternative measures to fencing to improve security and a landscape plan were favourably considered. ‘We did want more of the western zone of Massey Greene to have been allocated for community use. However, our suggestion to allocate continued on page 2
‘Cost-shifting’ from councils to the state Former disgraced Labor minister, Tony Kelly, took control of a large number of holiday parks from councils in 2006, resulting in ‘cost-shifting’ assets and revenue to the state government. And despite the public outrage and a mute local Nationals MP Don Page, the government recently pushed ahead with its plans to develop the three in Brunswick Heads: Ferry Reserve, Massey Greene and Terrace Reserve Holiday Park, as well as other Crown foreshore reserves.