THE BYRON SHIRE
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Volume 30 #31 Wednesday, January 13, 2016
www.echo.net.au Phone 02 6684 1777 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
p34–35
LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF DOUGHNUTS
CAB AUDIT
Should churches pay bigger A kid’s life as the ’79 comp payouts to child victims Iranian revolution of sexual abuse? – p5 unfolded – p7
Busking, Byron style
Byron property prices top region Chris Dobney
Byron Shire ratepayers will soon have to face bigger rates after the shire topped the region’s LGAs in the valuer-general’s 2015 statewide survey of land values, released last week. Residential properties in Byron Shire increased in median value by 17.85 per cent last year to $383,000, up from $325,000 last year. Meanwhile, median residential and commercial property prices increased even more, by 20 per cent and 20.16 per cent respectively. While this pales in comparison to some Sydney suburbs, some of which had increases of more than 30 per
cent, it well and truly outshone all of its near neighbours. Tweed shire came in second with a 10.22 per cent increase in median residential property prices, to $248,000 and a 12.96 per cent increase in commercial. But the big surprise in Tweed was the value of industrial properties, which jumped 53.51 per cent in median terms to $350,000. Yet just minutes down the new Pacific Highway in Ballina, median residential prices saw a much more modest 6.06 per cent increase to $245,000, with commercial and industrial properties showing no increase at all.
In Lismore, residential property values were even lower – just 4.42 per cent growth to $118,000. Commercial properties were also flat, with industrial premises showing just a 3.42 per cent increase.
Record Brunswick Heads house sale It’s getting a lot more expensive to enjoy the ‘simple pleasures’ of Byron’s traditionally sleepy Brunswick Heads, with a recent auction there setting a new record. A typical 1980s brick-and-tile house, which has been divided into two two-bedroom flats, just sold for $1.152 million.
Sunday 17th Jan 4pm
3K
Stay for Dinner after the Show
www.echo.net.au/2016/01/lismorenanna-locks-on-in-pilliga-forest
Conduct confusion Hans Lovejoy
Taking iron supplements to a whole other level, Space Cowboy demonstrates his freakishness on Byron’s main streets as a warm-up for his upcoming shows. Mr Cowboy will be performing at the Byron Theatre on Saturday January 16 and the following day, Sunday January 17, with two shows per day. For tickets visit www.byroncentre.com.au/whats-on. Photo Jeff ‘Ironed and Impressed, Man’ Dawson
netdaily Lismore Nanna locks on in Pilliga forest
Online in
Two recent cases involving code of conduct complaints – one against a volunteer and one against a councillor – have revealed a lack of understanding of the code as well as a lack of clarity with the code itself. A volunteer tasked with helping the recent South Golden Beach community hall renovations was ‘censured’ by Council’s general manager after she made contact with the building contractor without Council’s permission. And while Council said Angela Dunlop’s efforts and contributions were ‘greatly appreciated and acknowledged,’ Ms Dunlop said the response was unfair and asked for a review by the NSW Ombudsman. Claiming ‘delays and poor communication from Council staff,’ Ms Dunlop maintained that ‘we had been approached by numerous prospective clients who were interested in hiring the hall for one-off events, but owing to the uncertainty of the commencement date, we were unable to guarantee that the hall would be available.’ The Echo understands that after the building contract was signed, Ms Dunlop disregarded a written direction not to contact the builder. And despite conduct ‘briefing’, she told general manager Ken Gainger, ‘I am not aware of any direction from Council to our committee to not make contact with the builders. I believe the claims of misconduct to be spurious.’ Ms Dunlop also questioned a possible conflict of interest occurring where the general manager ‘conducts any investigation involv-
ing a perceived failure of management process.’ The NSW Ombudsman’s office replied to Ms Dunlop and said that they were satisfied the general manager acted in accordance with the code. As for Ms Dunlop’s concerns that the code of conduct applied ‘in different ways to committee members and elected councillors and staff,’ inquiries and assessments officer Daniel Hill said, ‘it is open to you to lobby your elected representatives and relevant ministers if you think changes should be made.’
Uncertainty Similar uncertainty surrounds a complaint against Cr Sol Ibrahim after he contacted an associate of a tenderer to Council regarding ‘some engineering aspects’ of the Belongil rock wall project. Reviewer Gary Faulks replied to Byron Resident’s Group’s Cate Coorey’s complaint, saying, ‘Cr Ibrahim acknowledges that he attended a code of conduct course in Lismore but, despite this, was unaware of many aspects of the code.’ Mr Faulks said there was ‘incomplete understanding and knowledge of the requirements of the Byron [Council’s] code of conduct [policy]’, but regarded Cr Ibrahim’s intention was ‘progressing the whole issue, as well as securing cost and time savings for the project.’ While Mr Faulks advised he would not take further action owing to there being ‘no adverse consequence for Council,’ he did acknowledge that ‘further training for Cr Ibrahim (and probably other councillors) regarding the Council codes and policies is something that should be considered.’