THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 29 #15 Tuesday, September 23, 2014
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Inside School holidays Making the case for rail are upon us this trails – p7 – p18–19 week
Amitayus service turns 20 – p11
Running without scissors – p13
South Jonson Street – p14
ge Pa 15
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Proud to be difficult Terrordoodler!
Rally fills Railway Park demanding a better West Byron result The man ejected from Tigerair speaks Hans Lovejoy
‘In Sydney they say we are a difficult community. Hands up for being proud about being difficult!’ Former Greens mayor and current upper house NSW MLC Jan Barham rallies the crowd on Saturday’s protest to improve the outcomes for the West Byron project. Photo Eve Jeffery Luis Feliu
Byron Bay residents, including local Indigenous leaders, MPs and local politicians, rallied on Saturday in protest at the controversial West Byron development soon to be decided on by state planning minister Pru Goward (Liberal). While other media reported crowds of over 500, organisers told The Echo their estimations put the figure at around 700, with signed petitions numbering around 550. Locals gathered at Railway Park and heard how the proposed rezoning for development for hundreds of homes in the Belongil Creek area
would impact heavily on the fragile wetland environment, koala habitat and add to the town’s already heavy traffic and sewage congestion.
Unsound population projections But more importantly, the crowd also heard how the state government is keeping locals out of the loop and that the planning justification for such a massive increase to the size of the town was based on unsound population projections. Arakwal representative Delta Kay urged the community to fight the plan. Ms Kay said her family
had been custodians of the area for generations and had a strong connection to Belongil Estuary. Greens candidate for the seat of Ballina, Tamara Smith, joined newly pre-selected Labor candidate for Ballina Paul Spooner and Labor colleague Keith Williams, who all spoke out against the rezoning of West Byron for intensive development. All three called for local people, through local council, to be allowed to have the final say on the development. Nationals candidate for the seat of Ballina, Kris Beavis, was asked by The Echo about his position but he declined to comment.
The man booted off a Tigerair flight from Melbourne to the Gold Coast last Saturday for doodling the word ‘Terrorismadeup’ on his notepad has told The Echo of his experience. Oliver Buckworth, 28, made headlines last week after the passenger next him complained of his drawings, which also depicted the word ‘Terrorismadeup’. The former Byron Shire resident says he works as an interior designer in Melbourne after he helped to redesign the interior for La La Land nightclub. ‘The owner liked my work so much that he asked me to come to Melbourne to help renovate his other bars in Melbourne,’ he said. But after doodling on a notepad while waiting for take-off, he says the passenger next to him became alarmed and informed the flight attendant. ‘I overheard him say to the attendant, “look at what he’s writing.” When I heard that, I offered to show him the picture but he didn’t seem interested. He didn’t want to look, he seemed frightened. I even said to the man, “I’ll do some happy drawings if that would make you feel better.”’ Mr Buckworth described the man who complained as ‘an Average Joe father in 40–50s, standard Aussie, clean haircut and neat appearance.’ The incident comes amid the Abbott government’s decision to raise the national threat level as well as last week’s largest anti-terrorism operation, which targeted alleged Islamic fundamentalist terrorists linked to the Islamic State movement. Additionally there are new terror
powers that are to be tabled in parliament this week by attorney-general George Brandis. Mr Buckworth, who is of caucasian English heritage, says he doesn’t watch TV. ‘I thought that the man looked like he must watch a lot of TV. ‘If you don’t watch TV, you separate yourself from everyone else. ‘There’s only ten channels, but I am getting influenced from all sorts of different places… I am miles away from that. Being forced together on a plane will result in interaction issues.’ He says reports by The Age and Daily Mail missed the bigger point. ‘I was treated with utter disdain on the plane. The flight attendant didn’t look at the notebook. There were no discussions, despite trying to explain myself.’ After being ejected, he says the police didn’t search his bag or look at his notebook. ‘I asked what is the protocol – I gave them everything so I could get back on the plane.’
No refund: Tigerair The Echo asked Tigerair if they would refund Mr Buckworth’s expenses but instead said, ‘Tigerair has a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate and anti-social behaviour.’ Mr Buckworth added, ‘People of Australia have a right to carry on their lives in a happy and friendly way, otherwise there’s no point to this “protection”. What are we protecting? I don’t want to be afraid and I don’t think anyone should be. ‘You are not going to act cleverly or wisely if you are afraid. I love going surfing but sharks don’t bother me. How can I enjoy surfing if I am petrified of the water?’