THE BYRON SHIRE
The
Volume 30 #07 Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Good Life
www.echo.net.au Phone 02 6684 1777 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week CAB AUDIT
Food Wine Travel
Mungo on the Farewell Ian Writers Real estate Splendour Cameron ALP gasbag festival liftout! pics galore – p7 convention – p8 reviews– p13 – p17 – p24
Hans Lovejoy
This year’s Splendour in the Grass festival, held over the weekend, went off despite the rain, which turned the festival site into a mudbath. Around 30,000 people partied to the sounds of 100 different acts, including Florence and the Machine, The Grates, Mark Ronson, Ryan Adams and Blur. But it wasn’t just about music – there was also art, craft, food and a special Splendour-only Q&A session, hosted by Tony Jones. Police issued a statement praising the crowd’s behaviour, despite a number of drug arrests. And it’s still a perennial problem for some residents and community groups; frustration over their loss of amenity was vented at www.echo.net. au/2015/splendour-in-the-mud. Photo of Crafty Captain Rachel Burke by Jeff ‘Crafty’ Dawson
Turnback policy supported by local Labor MP syndicates, making a great deal of money, taking advantage of vulnerable people with the result that 1,200 asylum seekers died on our border in less than three years. She says if elected, Labor would increase UNHCR funding, abolish Temporary Protection Visas and ‘by 2025, Labor will double Australia’s annual refugee intake to 27,000.’ She added that Labor would provide independent oversight of facilities, and create an independent statutory advocate to protect the interests of children seeking asylum. ‘We will also legislate mandatory
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Evans Head dredging spoil ‘may be toxic’: Bruns harbour next
http://www.echo.net.au/2015/07/137499/
Farmers market fears eviction
Splendiferous
Local federal MP Justine Elliot (Labor) has fallen in line with the right faction of her party to adopt the ‘option’ of keeping Tony Abbott’s refugee ‘turnback’ policy if elected. The issue was debated at the recent Labor conference in Melbourne, which saw Anthony Albanese from the left vote against and lose. Ms Elliot says, ‘Despite the best intentions, a terrible loss of life took place on Labor’s watch. We can’t allow people smugglers to reopen the perilous journey from Java to Australia again. This journey is all about people smuggling: criminal
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reporting of any instances of abuse of children in immigration detention.’ But the decision has ‘dismayed’ federal Greens spokesperson Dawn Walker, who says, ‘Labor had an opportunity on the weekend to stand up against the cruelty of turnbacks and the suffering of refugees on Nauru and Manus Island, but sadly they failed.’ ‘No matter how the Labor leadership tries to explain why they’ve made this decision, the truth is this is a race to the bottom where human rights, the law and decency are sacrificed.’
The Byron Farmers’ Market says it has been given its marching orders to move from Butler Street Reserve in preparation for paid parking in the town. But the claim has been hosed down by Council’s general manager Ken Gainger; he told The Echo that there has been ‘no decision’ on relocating the market. Yet at a recent parking forum, hosted by the town’s chamber of commerce, mention was made that Council is preparing a parking scheme where business owners and staff would use Butler Street Reserve for all-day parking, while the rest of town would be metered paid parking. Additionally, Council will debate a report this Thursday that looks at paid-parking exemptions and the Butler Street Reserve as a parking lot.
Collateral damage Byron Farmers’ Market treasurer, Kaye Shadbolt, told The Echo that market representatives asked for a meeting with Ken Gainger last Thursday, and were informed that Council, ‘will not compromise to accommodate us’. ‘They want a re-location to the Ewingsdale Sports Complex,’ she said. ‘The farmers’ market conducted a recent survey which showed that 30 per cent of customers, both locals and tourists, either walk or cycle to this market, so many people would be affected by any move out of town. ‘Having to move our market would have a massive impact on the
60 local, small-scale farmers that depend on the farmers’ market for their livelihoods. It appears that we are collateral damage so that businesses in town have a parking space, and the council can raise more revenue’, Ms Shadbolt said. She added that the market organisers were still ‘trying to get up to speed’ with the council’s plans, and see no reason why the farmers market and the paid-parking trial cannot co-exist. ‘Like all markets in Byron Shire, we have been operating on a temporary licence, and our licence expires early next year, so we are very worried about our future’, Ms Shadbolt says. Byron Farmers’ Market members Liz and Bob Gray added, ‘The current, central location with ample parking is the key to the success of the weekly market, and a forced move will inflict an enormous, needless economic and social shift. ‘This callous disregard of community in favour of cars is shocking and appallingly brutal’. The Echo asked Council’s general manager Ken Gainger to confirm claims by Ms Shadbolt, but instead he said, ‘Out of respect, we wanted to keep them informed about the projects and hear their concerns.’ ‘Bringing the elements of the additional needs for town centre parking, the proposed bypass, business and community together is challenging. There are many competing factors and talking with the market organisers is part of the process. continued on page 2