THE BYRON SHIRE
Health
Volume 29 #12 Tuesday, September 2, 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
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Healing CAB AUDIT
AT L E A S T T H E WA R O N T H E E N V I R O N M E N T I S G O I N G W E L L
The A citizens guide to Mary and Conservationist/ NSW govt Inside this dealing with sniffer dogs educator off to gas shortage the telltale Good Life China – p9 claim – p11 gannets – p15 – p21–24 week and their owners – p7
In need of better governance
Byron Shire Council Notices Page 43
Byron Shire now gasfield free With the completion of the last gasfield-free surveys, a celebration was held on Sunday at Byron Bay Farmstay with mayor Simon Richardson being handed certificates declaring the shire’s intention to be gasfield free. Coopers Shoot, Talofa, McLeods Shoot and Hayters Hill were the last to join other Byron Shire towns and hinterland areas. Co-ordinator Sally Cusack said she enjoyed the whole survey process, especially connecting with her neighbours and chatting with them around their kitchen tables.
Community consultation
Around 400 people rallied for better governance in Ballina on Sunday as part of nationwide protests. After the march, which ran from the town to Missingham Park on the river, speakers and musicians entertained families and the politically and socially engaged from the amphitheatre. The afternoon was also catered to with food stalls and was complete with kids’ playground and a skatepark nearby. Photo Eve Jeffery
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The certificates that were handed to the mayor said: ‘We, the people of our area, declare that our roads are gasfield free, protected by the will of the people. ‘This decision was made through community consultation and engagement. We recognise that our best defence is by standing together. ‘If we detect any activity by gas companies here, we will raise an alert
and ask their representatives to leave. ‘We are committed to stopping gasfield industrialisation. ‘In doing this, we protect the water, soil and air. ‘We will protect our community from the destructive impacts of the gasfield industry.’ The new banner for Gasfield Free Byron Shire says that 97 per cent of Coopers Shoot residents surveyed want to remain gasfield free.
Blues Fest 2015 announcement The Black Keys, Zac Brown Band, Alabama Shakes, Michael Franti and Spearhead, George Clinton & Parliament, Funkadelic, Paul Kelly, Trombone Shorty, G Love & Special Sauce and Beth Hart are some of the first acts to be confirmed for next year’s Bluesfest. To be held at the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, the festival will run from Thursday April 2 until Monday April 6. For the entire first round announcement and tickets visit www.bluesfest.com.au.
Council’s peak body slams federal govt’s carbon tax rhetoric Hans Lovejoy
The body representing NSW councils has refuted the federal government’s claim that the abolition of the carbon tax will lead to savings that will adequately compensate their expected budget shortfalls. Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs), which contribute significantly to council operating funds, will no longer be indexed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). They are a target of the Abbott government’s harsh austerity measures. After Local Government NSW (LGNSW) called for the CPI freeze be reversed, Nationals MP and deputy prime minister Warren Truss issued a press release and instead accused the media of misreporting their widely criticised policies and budget. The electorate was also blamed for its inability to
understand the ‘strong action’ that was necessary to restore the budget. Mr Truss’s media response to LGNSW said, ‘In the near hysteria that has ensued since the federal budget was announced, much has been misunderstood and misreported.’ ‘The government is asking all sectors of the economy to contribute to repairing Labor’s debt and deficit disaster, and so it is only reasonable that local government should also make a contribution.’ He also claimed the CPI freeze would ‘be more than offset by the abolition of the carbon tax and the injection of infrastructure investment for local communities.’ But Local Government NSW president, Cr Keith Rhoades AFSM, told The Echo, ‘The freeze on the Federal Financial Assistance Grants will have a long-term impact on councils and communities, and will not be offset completely by the
negligible savings made by abolishing the carbon tax or the ‘injection of infrastructure investment’. ‘Financial Assistance Grants are untied, which means councils can assess the individual needs of their community and put that funding into where it’s needed most. That could be infrastructure or services, other than that dictated by the federal government.
Grants stuck at 2013/14 levels ‘While populations continue to grow and the CPI continues to rise, the Federal Financial Assistance Grants will still be stuck at the same level as 2013/14. What’s more, the infrastructure funding Truss speaks about is time limited. Unfortunately, under the decision to freeze the Financial Assistance Grants, which are particularly important to regional and rural councils, [their level] will be permanently lowered.’
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