The Byron Shire Echo – Issue 37.35 – February 8, 2023

Mullumbimby rail corridor deals behind closed doors

Hans Lovejoy

Protest gets results

Protest co-organiser, Kol Dimond, used a loudspeaker outside Council to highlight that the unsafe roads in Upper Main Arm have breached Council’s duty of care. Photo Jeff ‘Putting The Pot In A Hole’ Dawson

Hans Lovejoy

Psst: want to get Council staff to do something about the appalling state of roads in your neighbourhood?

Then organise a protest outside Council Chambers!

By the time a hardy crew of Upper Main Arm residents had gathered on Thursday to highlight their dangerous and disintegrated road, Council road works crew had graded the worst bits that morning.

It appeared the work residents were requesting for months took all of about four hours to complete.

Prior to Council grading the road and the protest on Thursday, Council’s Director of Infrastructure Services, Phil Holloway, put out a lengthy press release around the challenges of road repairs in the hinterland, owing in part to a lack of funds. He said, ‘One of Byron Shire Council’s main areas of focus in 2023

is managing a $180 million program of flood recovery work designed to provide improvements and solutions to roads and bridges that will be able to stand up to future flood events’.

Frustration acknowledged

‘We are very aware that much of this work will be starting 12 months after the floods and it is a frustrating wait for those in our community who are negotiating damaged roads, bridges and causeways as part of their daily routine’.

Holloway added, ‘a lot of work is happening behind the scenes,’ and that, like other affected councils, Byron Council has ‘never dealt with a disaster of this magnitude’.

‘For a small, regional council like Byron Shire, a damage bill of more than $180 million is beyond our financial capacity and we are working with the NSW government to secure funding and planning the

scope and detail of each project, and sourcing contractors, are not things that can be done quickly,’ he said.

‘At Upper Main Arm, reconstruction work is not expected to start until the second quarter 2023, pending approvals from Transport for NSW. In the meantime Council is looking at doing some temporary grading work as an interim measure until the reconstruction work gets underway.

‘Prior to Christmas the clearing of culverts was finished, along with some other emergency roadwork such as road pavement works at Palmwoods Road.

With no consultation with either the Mullum Chamber of Commerce, the town’s residents association or the community at large, Council and the NSW Liberal-Nationals have announced a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the town’s disused railway land into affordable housing and ‘associated infrastructure like public spaces, car parks and footpaths’.

A press release announcement on Friday by Minister for Infrastructure, Rob Stokes, and Deputy Premier, Paul Toole, contained supporting comments by Mayor Michael Lyon.

According to Council’s meeting agenda for Thursday February 9, General Manager, Mark Arnold, signed the MoU with a government representative in charge of public rail land on November 24, 2022, in a closed door meeting with the mayor.

Councillors are being asked at this Thursday’s meeting to ‘note’ the MoU.

The Echo asked Council staff why the MoU had not been made public until now, but there was no reply by deadline.

The joint announcement for the land’s future is also not informed by the latest flood modelling. The DPE are yet to provide a now overdue Post Flood Analysis Report from the 2022 event, which saw much of the area submerged. That report was expected in December 2022.

regarding this proposal?’

‘And, given such development may exacerbate flooding in the area, why isn’t Council seeking flooding advice prior to this MoU? Given the affordable housing SEPP delivers very little benefits for those seeking “affordable housing”, how will Council guarantee that this project will benefit those in need?’

Instead on answering these questions, he said he welcomed the government announcement, adding he has ‘lobbied the state government for some time, including the premier when I met with him last year’.

He added the proposal was in ‘alignment with existing Council resolutions, the Mullumbimby Masterplan and my election campaign commitments. I am hopeful that we can get a result quickly on an extension of the Council car park into the rail corridor to alleviate the significant parking issues in town’.

Yet former Mayor, Jan Barham, told The Echo, ‘The Mullum Masterplan was done in 2019, pre-flood, and should be revisited, as the sites where they propose housing are flood-affected’.

Meanwhile local Greens MP, Tamara Smith, raised concerns because the affordable housing SEPP does not deliver much ‘affordable housing’. She told The Echo, ‘It sounds like a dud deal for us’.

‘Council has also prepared applications for additional funding to improve the resilience of the Main Arm Road to withstand future flooding events. The results of the funding applications, which are expected in early 2023, will inform the extent and type of repairs’.   ess y at larrge, , weather and socia See

The Echo asked Cr Lyon, ‘Was there a reason there has been no communication with the business chamber, or the community at large,

‘Any project proposal where we lose public land should benefit the community 100 per cent, go through democratic processes, as well as flood and environmental studies first, and be designed for the future in terms of extreme weather and social amenity’.

See editorial, page 10

Love is in the air

Valentine’s Day ▶ p22

Bluesfest adds more artists to its 2023 bill

Hans Lovejoy

With under nine weeks till the region’s premier music festival kicks off, Bluesfest director, Peter Noble OAM, has released an additional 18 artists to the long and esteemed bill.

They include some familiar locals, such as The Round Mountain Girls, Loose Content, Hussy Hicks and Daniel Champagne.

They join the latest list of Clarence Bekker Band, Coterie, Dog Trumpet, Steve ’N’ Seagulls and Lisa Hunt.

International artists already booked include: Counting Crows, Jackson Browne, the Doobie Brothers, Beck, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Paolo Nutini, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Beth Hart (exclusive), Jason Isbell, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle (interview page 28), and Mavis Staples.

Is this the last artist announcement before opening night on April 6?

Remarkably, he says there are more acts he is in conversation with.

Noble makes no bones about the tough environment that artists, venues and festivals now find themselves in.

Bluesfest performer, Bonnie Raitt, took out three gongs at Monday’s Grammy awards, giving her a total of 13 across the span of her career. Photo supplied

With the 2021 festival cancelled during the height of covid, 2022’s event was threatened by bad weather.

‘We’ve all been knocked down’, he told The Echo

‘Small traders are doing it tough. I recently saw many empty stores in Melbourne. And while the tourism industry has rebounded, the music industry is still up and down’.

Despite the challenges, Noble is, as always, optimistic, and a firm believer that great music will always find a supportive audience.

With all the big names for the 2023 event, Noble makes special mention that US blues legend, Buddy Guy, will perform his last Australian

tour. A stellar cast of top blues players are also booked alongside the longtime Bluesfest favourites – Christon Igram, Chain, Eric Gales and Joe Bonamassa (exclusive).

‘There’s never been a blues lineup like that’, he says.

Other highlights that Noble mentions include Marcus King (US), Grammy and Emmy award winner Robert Glasper (US), Electric Cadillac (Indonesia), Grammy award winner Bonnie Raitt (US), and Frank Turner (UK).

‘There isn’t any possibility at all that Bluesfest won’t be on; we will be full steam ahead next Easter.

‘The live music industry needs your support right now.

‘Bluesfest and other festivals are going into a year of lower ticket demands after experiencing cancellations, in our case, twice and one successful festival.

‘It’s time to get out of your shells,’ he says.

‘We’ve been home a lot in the last few years, Netflix has had its run – the music is calling’.

Bluesfest runs April 6 till 10 in Tyagarah. For more info and tickets, visit www. bluesfest.com.au.

Flood rebuilds hampered by ‘like-for-like’ insurance clause

Paul Bibby

Attempts by flood-affected homeowners to retrofit their homes with flood-resilient materials are being cruelled by insurance companies and builders, a local resident says.

And some are getting so fed up with the process that they are electing to sell up and move on.

Mullumbimby resident, Susan Fell, was among many locals whose home went under during last year’s Feburary/March floods.

Since then, she has been engaged in an ongoing battle to have the internal walls and fittings in her home replaced with others made from materials that can withstand flooding.

‘I’ve said from the start that I want to employ the industry standard for using resilient materials in the rebuild,’ Ms Fell said.

‘But, like most insurance companies, mine has a had a ‘like-for-like’ clause in its policies for flood damage.

‘That basically means it will only replace the old

plaster and chipboard with more plaster and chipboard. The next time there’s a flood, the same thing will happen, and I’ll be out of my home for a year waiting for it all to be repaired.’

Resilient materials refused by builder

Ms Fell said she had finally convinced the insurance company to come to the table on the issue, only for the contracted builder to refuse to do the work.

‘I received a letter that basically said the builder was refusing to use resilient materials because, in his opinion, I wanted to make ‘too many alterations to the insurance policy’.

‘It seems very unfair. The builders are getting plenty of money out of this, and they can just say “No” to someone like me and move on and fix the houses of other people who have agreed to replace like with like.’

Ms Fell said that these and other problems were being experienced by many in the

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local community, particularly older women.

‘We’ve started a group with regular weekly meetings in Mullum, and one of the main reasons is that no one is helping elderly women.’

‘People are getting so distressed.

‘Many are just going to sell their homes, as a frame, for a significant loss and move elsewhere.’

Local social worker, Julie Walker, confirmed Ms Fell’s comments, adding that the situation was causing great distress.

‘There’s [also] incredible frustration around the interactions with government organisations,’ Ms Walker says.

‘People are feeling really unsupported’.

‘The only time people felt heard was from the local grassroots organisations.’

She also said the upcoming anniversary of the floods was bringing up ‘significant trauma’.

‘The lack of certainty is also very distressing – people can only live in limbo for a certain period of time’.

Eve Jeffery

A new defibrillator and shark trauma response kit have been placed on the outside wall at Mrs Birdy Cafe in South Golden Beach, just north of Bruns.

The first aid kit can be accessed 24/7, and assist in blood loss prevention and resuscitation efforts in times of emergency.

‘SGB was the last coastal community in the Byron Shire to receive a defib’, says Marine Rescue Unit Commander, Jonathan Wilcock.

The equipment purchase and installation was a collaborative effort between the South Golden Beach/ New Brighton/Ocean Shores Community Resilience Team, Marine Rescue Brunswick

Paul Bibby

Around 70 protesters gathered at the site of a proposed mixed-use development in Suffolk Park last Friday as a compulsory conciliation conference was held ahead of a possible court battle over the plan.

Located next to the existing retail precinct on Clifford Street, the development proposes two new threestorey buildings incorporating seven townhouses, four units, 12 affordable housing units and 300 square metres of commercial space.

The original application for the development was knocked back by Byron

Heads Unit, Mrs Birdy Cafe, Shark Response Inc. and the Northern Rivers Community Foundation.

‘Owing to our location, it can sometimes take

ambulances a while to arrive, and we can get cut off in times of flood’, says Bec McNaught, who co-leads the SGB/NB/OS Community Resilience Team.

‘This equipment can help first responders save lives so we saw it as a real priority for our community’.

Marine Rescue is encouraging people to register publicly accessible defibs on the Service NSW app.

A defib was put to use at a New Brighton Beach drowning recently, and is yet to be returned to the New Brighton shops.

As a consequence, there is no publicly accessible defib at New Brighton at the moment. Defib users are encouraged to return them to the venue they were retrieved from, or let the venue know where they are, so that the battery and pads can be replaced.

With the state election looming on March 25, the NSW Coalition government announced additional funding for councils across the Ballina electorate on Wednesday, ‘as part of the $500 million Regional and Local Roads Repair Program to fix more potholes’.

The press release reads, ‘Byron Shire Council will receive $1,110,667 to fix 609km of council owned roads’.

Nationals Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway, said,

‘We also provided cash advances for emergency disaster funding to eligible councils and have diverted Transport for NSW road crews to help fix local roads’.

‘After we announced our initial $50 million injection to help fix potholes across regional NSW in November a number of councils sat down with me and asked for additional help and funding.

‘We listened, and managed to secure an additional $280 million for regional councils’.

Council, with Council setting out 17 separate reasons for refusal, including that the proposal was an overdevelopment, not in the public interest, and breached multiple local planning rules.

The developer, Sydneybased Denwol Suffolk Park Pty Ltd, has maintained that the development is appropriate for the location, and will provide much-needed affordable housing for the Shire.

They appealed Council’s refusal in the Land and Environment Court (LEC), triggering Friday’s compulsory conciliation conference.

Six local residents were granted leave to address LEC Commissioner, Tim Horton,

The Byron Shire Echo

Volume 37 #35•February 8, 2023

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The

Nicholas Shand 1948–1996

Founding Editor

to elders past, present and future.

Disclaimer: The Echo is committed to providing a voice for our whole community. The views of advertisers, letter writers, and opinion writers are not necessarily those of the owners or staff of this publication.

‘The job of a newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.’ – Finley Peter Dunne 1867–1936

at the conference, and they raised a range of concerns.

Lynne Richardson from the Suffolk Park Progress Association spoke about the contravention of regulations involved in the plan, and the issue of affordable housing.

‘The Suffolk Park Progress Association understands that the relevant legislation may allow some minor exceedances, but what is sought by the applicant goes beyond minor flexibility,’ Ms Richardson said.

‘It makes a mockery of the substantive legal intent of the overall planning concept for this area.’

Another local resident spoke about Suffolk Park from a historical perspective, focusing on the village’s low-rise character, and how the scale of the proposed development would affect this.

Another resident then talked about the traffic impacts of the plan, and then another addressed environmental concerns.

The protesters maintained a constant, but quiet, presence throughout the public section of the hearing.

People held the posters up on both sides of the street, and got support from passing traffic prior to the conference.

DOCTORS

Dr Anthony Solomon

Dr Rob Trigger

Dr Bettie Honey

Dr Meera Perumalpillai-McGarry

Dr Mann Ying Lim

Dr Javin Chee

Dr Elisa Gill

OSTEOPATHS

Paul Orrock Bimbi Gray

NATUROPATH

Mandy Hawkes

AUDIOLOGIST

Chris Adelaide

Bec McNaught (South Golden Beach, New Brighton, Ocean Shores Resilience team), Marine Rescue’s, Jonathan Wilcock, Scott Foster from Mrs Birdy, and Bronwyn Elliott, also from the SGB/NB/OS Resilience Team. Photo Jeff Dawson

Echo acknowledges the people of the Bundjalung nation as the traditional custodians of this land and extends respect

Food Box celebrates ten years

Connecting Generations update

Ruth Winton Brown

A local organisation that links young families with older people has voted to become incorporated, allowing it to apply for government grants for future events.

The Australian Red Cross, which has been active in flood recovery in the area, is helping Connecting Generations and Communities with the change.

The Food Box, which distributes quality food for those in need in Mullumbimby on Thursday mornings at the Uniting Church, recently celebrated ten years of serving the community. Co-ordinator, Gill Lomath, told The Echo a morning tea was held with all who have assisted them over the years, ‘along with folk who assisted with flood recovery on our property’. Pictured are (L–R): Moyna Reay, Edie Trotter, Tay Lee, Jan Tarbox, Barry Reid, Barry Lomath, Steve Thomas, Jude Alcorn, Ingrid Manning and Gill Lomath. Brenda Bartlett was absent.

Council agenda items this Thursday

With Council returning to public meetings this Thursday, some items of interest up for debate and voting are: ‘Amendments to Byron Development Control Plan Submissions Report’ and, ‘Rural Community Title DCP 2014 Chapter D2 amendments – Submissions Report’. There are also three notices of motion before

councillors, and all are authored by Greens Cr Duncan Dey. They are: ‘Timing of removal of fill on bank of Marshalls Creek’, ‘Consult about local impacts of 2023 Triathlon’, and ‘Expression of Interest for land for a natural burial ground’. Regarding Marshalls Creek fill, The Echo has previously reported that the NSW

EPA is investigating Council’s connection to fill dumped on the floodplain, which was highlighted by residents and initially ignored by staff.

Cr Dey is also the only councillor who has asked questions without notice.

They are: ‘Upgrades on Main Arm Road’ and ‘Triathlon sponsor’s not-for-profit status’.

It is hoped that the organisation will receive funding to pay for activities, such as face painting and art and craft supplies, for its seasonal events, which are now being held at Bangalow Bowlo.

It also plans to host a free ‘Connecting Communities’ lunch for isolated people annually.

Becoming incorporated will also allow the organisation to maintain ownership of the model and mentor other community groups around NSW who want to develop similar gatherings for their communities.

Connecting Generations and Communities was

formed around five years ago by a group of community members known as Possum Creek Conscious Elders.

Inspired by the book From Age-ing to Sage-ing, the group’s aim was for older people to have conversations about their spiritual, emotional, physical, mental and moral lived experience.

The last Connecting Generations event in November was a huge success, with activities such as making magic potions to turn cane toads into frogs. Local musicians provided a great soundtrack to the

afternoon, with young and old dancing together.

Feb 12 event

The next event will be at Bangalow Bowlo on February 12, from 2pm to 4pm. The theme is Galloping Galaxies, and children will be able to meet Freckles the Pony, and build spacecraft. The organisation now also has a Facebook page that members of the community can follow for updates.

Ruth Winton Brown is from Connecting Generations and Communities.

Natural burial ground plans resurrected

Paul Bibby

The long-running campaign to build a natural burial ground in the Byron Shire will return to the agenda of Byron Council this week, with councillors to debate a new motion on the topic.

With the long-term previous plan to build the chemical and coffin-free burial ground falling over recently, Greens councillor Duncan Dey is proposing that Council undertake a new Expression of Interest process for the project.

Should Cr Dey’s motion be successful, Council would publicly invite local landowners to put forward space

that could be purchased by, or donated to, the Council for use as a chemical and coffin-free burial ground.

Cr Dey wrote in the agenda, ‘The [previously] favoured site on Sewage Treatment Plant land at Vallances Road [in Mullumbimby] was not suitable, in the main because road access to it is not safe’.

Two existing cemeteries, at Mullumbimby and at Clunes, are now being considered, yet Cr Dey notes the Mullum site may not have enough available land, and Clunes is considred by some to be too far away.

However, Cr Dey’s

proposal for an Expression of Interest process has received less than overwhelming support from Council staff.

Council’s manager of Open Space and Facilities, Malcolm Robertson, said that Council had asked for Expressions of Interest to host the burial ground less than three years ago, and not one response had been received.

‘Because of the lack of community response previously, it is recommended that current actions to investigate options within Mullumbimby and Clunes cemeteries are undertaken as a first step’.

Photo Jeff Dawson

The Connecting Generations event at Bangalow Bowlo in November. Photo Angela Saurine

19-TWENTY • allison russelL • the angels • Ash grunwald

Backsliders • BECK • beth hart • the bros. landreth

THE BLACK SORROWS • bobby alu • BONNIE RAITT

BUDDY GUY the final tour of australia • buttered • THE CAT EMPIRE

CHAIN • CHRISTONE 'KINGFISH' INGRAM • clarence bekker band

coterie • Counting crows • dami im • daniel champagne

dog trumpet • The doobie brothers 50th ANNIVERSARY TOUR

eleCtriC cadillac • ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS • ERIC GALES

eugene “hideaway” bridges • FEMI KUTI & THE POSITIVE FORCE

frank sultana • frank turner • GANG OF YOUTHS

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS • hussy hicks

• JACKSON BROWNE

JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT • JOE BONAMASSA

JOE CAMILLERI PRESENTS A STAR STUDDED TRIBUTE TO THE GREATS OF THE BLUES

JON STEVENS • kaleo • KEB' MO' BAND

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD

LACHY DOLEY & THE HORNS OF CONVICTION

LARKIN POE • lisa hunt’s forever soul • loose content

LP • LUCINDA WILLIAMS • MARCUS KING

MAVIS STAPLES • MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD

nathaniel rateliff & THE night sweats

NIKKI HILL • paolo nutini • ray beadle stax of blues

ROBERT GLASPER • ROCKWIZ LIVE • roshani • round mountain girls st paul & the broken bones

The Soul Rebels with GZA, Talib Kweli & BIG FREEDIA

SOUTHERN AVENUE • SPINIFEX GUM feat. Marliya • STEVE EARLE

steve ‘n’ seagulls • steve poltz • TASH SULTANA

trombone shorty & orleans avenue

vintage trouble • XAVIER RUDD • yirrmal

AND MORE TO COME!

THU 6th - MON 10th APRIL, 2023 BYRON EVENTS FARM. BYRON

NSW

BAY.

“Bluesfest was as ever, a musical treat.” The Guardian

“Bluesfest, one of the world’s great rollingfestivals” stone

NSW Labor states its position on struggling health sector

Further to last week’s story around health pledges from the candidates for the NSW election, Labor’s Andrew Broadley told The Echo their policy is to ‘remove the public sector workers’ salary cap’. He says, ‘This requires legislative change – so it can only occur if there is a change of government.

‘In recent times, Public Sector workers have the case for this change. The Liberals and Nationals have ignored all reasonable attempts to

A tribute for Richard Moloney

facilitate discussions with employee groups.

‘The staffing crisis across all public services, such as Health and Education, will only be addressed when Labor, under Chris Minns, scraps the cap!’

The Greens are pushing for increased wages, while the Liberal-Nationals believe incentives to relocate to regional areas can address the struggling sector.

Obituary provided by family, friends and colleagues

Byron Shire has lost another of its colourful characters, the irrepressible Richard Moloney, who died suddenly but peacefully in his home at the end of January.

He was aged 71.

Still practising as a solicitor despite a stroke 15 years ago, Richard will be remembered not only for his advocacy and achievements in court, but as a phenomenal contributor to the community.

Of Welsh and Irish descent, Richard was born in Adelaide in 1951 to parents John and Lindsey Moloney.

Richard’s father, a Captain of the Third Battalion during the Korean War, undoubtedly influenced Richard’s commitment to social justice. John (Paddy) Moloney fought alongside Indigenous soldiers in the taking of Maryang.

He later became a powerful supporter of the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, providing a yearlong tenancy at his residence in Canberra to half the Aboriginal tent embassy after the

government demolished the original tent embassy.

Richard’s mother, Lindsey, was an accomplished artist. Roger, his brother in Melbourne, inherited her talent.

Before committing himself to law, Richard was preparing to be a scientist. He was later to give much of his time in volunteer talks on science at the Byron Community School in Butler Street. His dedication to the young included the zebra road safety campaign, which raised money for the school’s future science projects as well as The Buttery.

Admitted as a solicitor in both NSW and the ACT in 1975, he moved to Byron Shire in 1981.

Commitment to social justice

His commitment to social justice and his fight against prejudice was shown in his success in overturning the conviction of AIDS sufferer, Leiff Falconer, who was fined $500 for possessing marijuana in 1991.

This was a significant fine at the time. He was a proud member of The Phantom Club, and lived up to the

Sacred Oath ‘to fight on the side of the weak against the oppressor – with good against evil, and to do everything in my power to destroy greed, cruelty and injustice, wherever it exists…’

Richard took his legal responsibilities very seriously, but he could be outrageously eccentric and irreverent.

He never bothered ironing his shirts.

Richard bucked stuffy conventions with humour.

A sign at the door to his business read, ‘mind the step, no jumping!’ His services were advertised playfully: ‘From murder to mayhem, from property to piracy… we’re here to help’.

In 1995, Richard married Fiona Brophy, on a surfboard, in Byron Bay. The marriage was celebrated by local identity, Zenith Virago, who waded out to join them.

Richard was passionate about swimming from Wategos to The Pass on a regular basis, just to relax.

He was also a great motorbike enthusiast, roaring around the place with his black open-face helmet, grinning happily. A formidable chess player, Echo co-founder, David Lovejoy,

occasionally took part in tournaments organised by Richard.

Richard was an excellent cook, loved French cuisine, and possessed a cassoulet. He was known to come to your house and cook a meal there. He also loved informality, bringing a cheese platter and wine to visit his neighbours, on utterly random occasions.

Motorcycle enthusiast neighbours and mates would meet at the coffee shop over the road. Senior women in Byron were treated to dainty high teas after a game of ‘croquet bastardy.’ Richard was fabled for such generosity, with his time as well as repast.

Bibliophile

A bibliophile, Richard was often seen trawling the local bookshops in town and Mullumbimby. He was a prodigious reader, his home groaning under the overflowing volumes.

Always very keen to lend his books, he was just as keen to discuss them. His tastes were eclectic.

Much of his extensive collection will come to circulate in the community, via its street libraries. He would appreciate this bibliographical legacy.

Richard’s reading provided him with much material for his famous trivia night quizzes, and he was known as the ‘Trivia King.’

[Question:- what did Florence Nightingale carry in her pocket before journeying to the Crimean War? Answer: An owlet, which she rescued in Athens and named Athena. (Sadly, it died from neglect after she left)]

Richard is survived by his current partner, Margot Sutton, a retired journalist from Canberra, as well as Fiona.

Zenith will be conducting a public farewell to be held this coming Saturday, February 11 at 3.30pm at the Ewingsdale Community Hall.

MDMA and psilocybin use welcomed by MMA

Mind Medicine Australia (MMA) have welcomed the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announcement that the medical use of MDMA and psilocybin will now be prescribed by authorised psychiatrists.

They said in a statement they will be, ‘setting up a special fund to receive donations from philanthropists, large to small, and hopefully

from governments around Australia, to support those who cannot afford the full costs of treatments’.

‘We welcome donations at mindmedicineaustralia. org.au/donate/.’

The company adds, ‘MMA is receiving hundreds of enquiries about the way this program is likely to work in practice, as well as enormous interest in medicine

supplies, clinician training and costs to patients’.

‘This initiative is designed to help to bridge the funding gap before funds from Health Funds and from the Australian government’s Medical Benefits Scheme become available to patients in the future. The economic case for this, and the need to reduce human suffering, is overwhelming’.

Arnold 0487287122 Tracey Donaldson 0472722949.

Local solicitor, Richard Moloney. Photo supplied

North Coast News

News from across the North Coast online www.echo.net.au

Basketball camp for youth mental health

Recently the ASK Youth team was in action at the Ballina Indoor Sports Centre, delivering the ‘Optimise Me’ basketball camp to a large group of local kids.

Protesters stop logging at Doubleduke

The latest in a series of actions to save trees and habitat, native forest logging has been halted this morning by protests in Doubleduke State Forest, between Grafton and Casino. Looking forward, looking back with Jeff Johnson

Long term Independent Ballina Shire Councillor, Jeff Johnson, reflects on the challenges of the past year, and his priorities for 2023.

Allergic reaction from wasp sting

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service reports that at around 9.30am on Monday 6 February, they were tasked by New South Wales Ambulance on a primary mission to a property at Tyalgum Creek, west of Murwillumbah.

Tamara Smith promises CCTV for Ballina CBD

Ballina electorate Greens MP, Tamara Smith, says that if re-elected next month she is committed to funding CCTV cameras to help police combat a worsening crime situation in Ballina’s CBD.

Elanora woman murdered – police seek sightings of Ford Laser

Detectives investigating the murder of 61-year-old Wendy Sleeman are appealing to anyone who may have seen or captured vision of a distinctive white Ford Laser station-wagon on the Gold Coast last Tuesday to come forward.

New SES Zone Commander for the north

The NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) has appointed a new Zone Commander for the northern part of the state.

Medicinal cannabis grown locally

A new, state-of-the art medicinal cannabis farm, operated by Cymra Life Sciences, has opened near Alstonville, and claims to be the ‘only direct Australian brand growing in sustainable organic living soil beds’.

The cannabis biotech company say they create ‘evidence-based medicines for the unmet need in the global chronic pain market’.

‘The facility, permitted by the Office of Drug Control, was made possible owing to the successful NSW Regional Jobs grant given to Cymra Life Sciences in April 2021’.

Member for Ballina, Tamara Smith MP, officially opened the facility and said, ‘The Greens are very supportive of medical cannabis’.

‘We believe that it would be a great long-term industry for regional jobs in NSW and we are very supportive of more funding to support the Australian cannabis cultivation industry and provide patients more affordable access to cannabis medications’.

Joel Hardy, CEO of Cymra, says the farm employs approximately 27 people

‘to oversee quality control, horticulture, logistics, sales, chemistry and post-harvest processing’.

Regional jobs grant

‘The regional jobs grant has given us a boost to be able to invest in infrastructure that created full time and casual jobs on the Northern Rivers. We are grateful for the NSW Government support’.

‘Cymra has a 2.4 hectare site with a 4,000sqm

greenhouse alongside a processing facility, that is currently producing up to one tonne of dried, organic, sustainably grown flower per year, under the Superbly Green brand.

‘There are plans to expand the site to include more cultivation and processing capacity, as well as breeding, tissue culture, product formulation and manufacture of extracts for cannabis oils, vape oils and other formats’.

Hardy says the cannabis flowers are sold to pharmacists, who dispense the product to the patient once they have a prescription from a doctor.

‘Over three million Australians suffer from chronic pain, yet have limited options for medications, especially with opiates now being restricted by the TGA, owing to issues with efficacy and overuse’.

For more info visit www.cymra.com.au.

Member for Ballina, Tamara Smith MP and Joel Hardy, CEO of Cymra. Photo supplied

Paul Bibby

A much-loved fig tree next to the Brunswick Heads boat harbour has been saved from destruction – for now – by the quick thinking of a local activist.

But the stay of execution may be short lived if locals are unable to convince the landowner, William Silverman, to change his mind.

Dean Jefferys was riding his bike beside the harbour last Friday, when he saw the tree being chopped down.

He immediately intervened and managed to stop the screaming chainsaws before climbing into the branches in a bid to ensure they didn’t start up again.

‘The tree was planted 30 years ago, and was healthy with no rotten or dangerous limbs,’ Mr Jefferys said.

‘It’s only “crime” – receiving the death penalty – that I’m aware of, is that its roots were penetrating some of the sewerage pipes about 70 feet away, and a small rise in the car park where its roots have travelled.’

Mr Jefferys is now trying to convince the owner of the land, William Silverman, to

preserve and protect the fig, which lost branches in the ordeal, yet is still standing strong.

Hundreds in the community are supporting the move, flocking to social media to express their shock and dismay at the potential loss of the fig.

‘This particular tree is a food source to many native birds and bats and it is also their natural habitat,’ Mr Jefferys said in an open letter to Mr Silverman.

‘People have a personal relationship with this tree and many seek the shade from this magnificent fig on a regular basis.’

‘I managed to get a copy of the [Council] permit, but not the reasons for why the permit was granted in the first place,’ Mr Jefferys said.

‘They wanted me to pay $80 for the info, which I wasn’t happy about. That information should be freely available in my opinion’.

The Echo asked Council staff to explain the reasons for its decision to grant permission. They replied, ‘Council is very aware of the importance of trees to our community, and any permits for the removal of trees are strongly considered’.

‘In the instance of the fig tree at Brunswick Heads, approval was given for the property owner to remove the fig tree because its roots were causing extensive and recurring damage to plumbing services, as well as structural damage to the surrounding car park.

‘The owner of the property is required to plant two Eumundi quandongs to compensate for the removal of the tree’.

Mr Silverman’s representatives, who manage his abandoned fish and chip shop, were contacted over the matter, but there was no reply by deadline.

Dean Jefferys protesting the destruction of a native fig. Photo Jeff Dawson

Champagne governance!

Break out the bubbly – Mayor

Michael Lyon was effusive on social media after his ‘win’ over getting an agreement with the state government to finally do something with the disused rail corridor in Mullum (See page 1).

Should we rejoice mindlessly, or stop and ask: ‘So you held a secret meeting and made an agreement without asking anyone first?’

‘How do these actions gain our trust?’

Presumably, the mayor expects this no-longer-secret agreement between Council and the NSW government to be supported by councillors this Thursday.

And it’s likely to be, as the majority councillor block are compliant and unquestioning.

They froth at anything with the words ‘affordable housing’ in it.

The only thing is, affordable housing isn’t a thing, because the laws that surround it are exploited by developers. Affordable housing doesn’t deliver its intended purpose under NSW State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPPs).

Those who are interested in affordable housing know all this.

Most people don’t.

This appears an example where a politician is saying things you, the good looking and extremely time poor public, want to hear.

Yes, there is a lack of affordable housing (across the nation), as well as social housing, but processes should matter, and so should the right location.

‘Look at me – affordable housing!’

Isn’t this cheap populism, as the mayor accused fellow Cr Mark Swivel of recently, when Cr Swivel was found manoeuvring in the background and betting on both sides of the holiday letting debate?

It’s actually dishonest to claim

that affordable housing will meet the needs of those seeking affordability.

That’s why the mayor didn’t answer that question from The Echo

And going about making that happen – in secret – which will impact a fragile, small community that is still dealing with flood trauma, is reprehensible (see page 3).

In the context of needing to seem like he’s achieved something in office – anything – it’s worth pointing out that not much is really working for the mayor.

For example, Lot 22, near the Mullum community gardens, was pegged for affordable housing.

After years of staff investigation (and money), that was dropped last year, mainly because of flooding risks.

Other Council projects that have incurred vasts amounts of staff time without bearing fruition include the Byron bioenergy facility, the Dingo Lane solar farm and the natural burial ground (See page 4).

When elected to govern, you can just keep making mistakes until you get booted out of office. There is no such latitude in the private sector.

As MP Tamara Smith pointed out, rezoning rail land will transfer public ownership to private wealth.

And if that is to happen, there needs to be a lot more good faith than has been evident thus far.

The mayor told his social media followers late last year that he acknowledged his communication with the public had not been great, and he will try harder this year.

While we are not off to a great start for 2023, it can only get better, right?

Hans Lovejoy, editor

Until about the mid-nineties, you could drive through, shop, or even live in Ballina and not realise it was on a beautiful waterway. Like so many of our towns, it was as though Ballina was sulking, turning its back on the river as somehow uncouth.

But now, with high rise, and walkways and cafes and parks Ballina is at last embracing the beauty of nature in water, views and green.

So we gathered by the water’s edge at sunset to remember the latest victim of domestic violence, killed by a man on bail.

I granted bail to men who then killed.

I refused bail to several who did not last 24 hours behind bars – shot, stabbed, hanged or drowned in their own vomit. And while I acknowledge the anger directed at the bailor, it is a complex and hard decision.

First, if bail was refused to every man who threatened his partner then the prisons would be overflowing within weeks. As horrible as they are, such threats are par for the course in family violence matters before the courts. Sometimes, they are words designed to hurt, worry and concern. Sometimes they are a precursor to murder. But how to tell the wheat from the chaff is really difficult.

Second, compounding that difficulty, is time.

On a Monday in Lismore local court, I would often have a list of over 100 matters, plus five to ten bail issues, mostly family violence.

On average, I would have a minute or three to consider bail. Domestic violence bail applications and opposition need tons more time than that.

Time to hear from victims and perpetrators, to consider bail conditions and prior records and to weigh up competing interests. This is not a luxury, it is a necessity. List days in the lower courts are, as a colleague once quipped, like putting your mouth over a fire hydrant.

Third, over time you develop a cynicism for both police facts and defendant denials. The former because they often gild the lily

and present things as somewhat worse than they turn out to be. The latter because almost everyone denies everything – especially in the steamy, achy, resentful passage that marks many separations. And of course, the accuracy of recollection is decreased because so often everyone is horribly drunk. If you are suss about police facts, and extra suss about feeble denials it’s sort of like firing arrows into the darkness and hoping you don’t pierce someone.

Finally, the laws on bail that the courts work with are simply bizarre. One example – if a person is a first offender charged with possession of three magic mushrooms they must be refused bail unless they show cause why bail is appropriate. If a person is charged with their umpteenth ‘breach AVO involving violence’, then there is a presumption in favour of bail.

And at the back of your mind are the numbers of people in custody on remand in NSW. ‘Remand’ means that you have been charged with an offence, and refused bail while you wait the months, and sometimes years, before your case is heard.

Four out of ten prisoners have not been convicted and are on remand.

For those under 18, it is three out of four. Half are First Nations people. Many will not be sentenced to custody after a hearing. It is pretty hard to argue in the face of those statistics that we need to refuse more people bail. Maybe just different ones.

And where are the solutions to this damnable scar? At the vigil I mentioned changing attitudes, priorities and supporting victims. To this list I also could have added key domestic violence offence predictors – controlling, sexism, alcohol, past trauma and isolation.

Will vigils like the dusk vigil at Ballina make a difference?

We will never know for sure. But sitting in silence by the river at sunset with hundreds of likeminded caring people, shedding tears and fears, paying tribute to survivors and victims is surely a step in the right direction.

I rather fancy that just as Ballina now hugs its river, it bravely confronts this horrible crime.

Iknow something you don’t know.

And when you do know what I know and can’t tell you, you will be gobsmacked about what you now know, and did not know. You will wonder how your favourite columnist could keep such a stunning secret, and why I could not tell you.

Keen watchers of the media will know that a prominent person has been charged with two rape offences in Toowoomba, which occurred on 21 October 2021. They are back in court next month.

And because of an extraordinary law in Queensland, those charged with sexual offences cannot be named, even once they appear in court, until they have been committed for trial – a process likely to take over a year. You can see the point – why should someone’s name be slurred until there is at least a case to answer? Of course, this does not apply to other crimes, like drug offences. Only alleged sex offenders are offered this grace. And it means that other victims – and so often there are many – cannot be spurred on to report (because they know they are not alone).

So here I sit, with masking tape around my mouth, gagging, threatened with prison if I tell you anything that could identify the charged person – the worst kept secret in the twittershpere and legal gossip rooms. Here’s a hint. It is not Christian Porter.

David Heilpern is a former magistrate and is now Dean of SCU Law.

‘The laws on bail that the courts work with are simply bizarre’ David Heilpern

The Voice

A referendum for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution is the people of Australia having a conversation. A conversation about acknowledging and honouring the original inhabitants of this great land.

For over 60,000 years the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders inhabited, cared for, and governed themselves with a rich tapestry of customs and laws. In the two hundred years since colonisation the Indigenous people of Australia have lost their sovereignty and been harshly ruled by an occupation that has applied traditions and laws which have disinherited and separated them from their families, Country, and practices. Australian people know that we need to address, speak honestly, and heal this damage. We are all looking for a way to honour the original custodians of this land.

In May 2017, over 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates from ‘all points of the Southern Sky gathered in Mutitjulu in the shadow of Uluru and put their signatures on a historic statement. The Uluru Statement From The Heart addressed to the Australian people [and] invited the nation to create a better future via the proposal of key reforms.’

One of those requests was for Constitutional recognition through a Voice to Parliament. A body enshrined in the Constitution that would enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to provide advice to the parliament on policies and projects that impact their lives. That is it. An elected body to advise, consult, discuss and help make policies with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, rather than for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This appears completely reasonable, long overdue and necessary.

A constitutionally enshrined voice isn’t threatening, it isn’t complicated, it isn’t a reason for anyone to object. People are sadly using it as a vehicle to confuse, misinterpret, and distort. Even some Indigenous people are arguing it is divisive and will do nothing to improve the lives of First Nations people.

Yes, truth telling is needed, and a treaty, but these are separate steps.

I have read the objections from the ‘No’ campaign and am seriously disappointed, dismayed and frustrated. People are using it as a platform to push other agendas and spread misinformation.

The Voice is not about special rights for First peoples, it is a symbolic change that will include all of our First Nations in the foundation document of this country. Let’s do this people;, let’s honour the oldest surviving people and culture and say ‘Yes’.

Janet Walker Goonengerry

Letters to the Editor and cartoons

Santos

Santos – most of us are familiar with that coal seam gas (CSG) company?

Well, remember it well. The coalition regime at Macquarie Street have given approval for 850 CSG wells throughout the Pilliga Forest near Narrabri.

This approval was originally given in November 2020 by federal environment minister, Sussan Ley, so we can’t rely on that system.

The Gomeroi people made a native title claim in 2011 that is yet to be determined by the Federal Court. Nevertheless, in December 2022 the National Native Title Tribunal determined that Santos’ Narrabri Gas Project and proposed mining leases should be granted, despite the Gomeroi people not consenting.

According to the Gomeroi people, Santos did not negotiate in good faith and this project would have grave and irreversible consequences for land, water and their culture. The Gomeroi are not surprised by this ruling.

The Gomeroi have been fighting against Santos and their gas project for ten years, it’s not so funny that Santos have their name on the Ride Down Under and are major sponsors of the bike race in South Australia as I write.

Give us a break, what a load of horseshite.

Paul Brecht Evans Head

Doesn’t hold water

The arrival of Banya in Mullum’s high street was always going to create a splash but Hannah Grace’s argument doesn’t hold water.

How does the ‘EST 2022’ signage negate the provenance of the old bank when it’s been so obviously, and lovingly, restored? Look closer and a plaque on the side of the building explains its full heritage.

I for one am thrilled to see the site reanimated, after years of being a white elephant. I am sure adjacent businesses are

feeling the benefits of the Banya and the life it has undeniably breathed into that part of town.

And how great is it that locals looking to celebrate a special occasion can finally do so in their home town, without having to venture further into the Shire? Those looking for a less ‘yuppy’ experience can always

Cartoon by Brendan Kelly

Controversial development that would dwarf Uki under appeal in L&EC – Tweed Nightcap Village MO

Aslan Shand

The contentious Tweed Valley, Nightcap Village $39M multiple occupancy (MO) development application (DA) proposed near Uki, and promoted by Pete Evans, was refused by the Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP) in August 2021. NCV Enterprises Pty Ltd had one year to appeal the decision, and with one day to spare they lodged an appeal to the Land & Environment Court (L&EC) against the NRPP refusal.

An ‘on site Mediation Conference’ was originally set for ‘9 and 10 February 2023’, however, this has now been moved to an online meeting, starting 9 February.

The DA ‘seeks consent for a concept proposal comprising a staged rural land sharing community and associated works over 24 lots and Stage 1 civil infrastructure works’.

The proposal is for the development of 392 dwellings on 3,000 acres of rural land near Uki, stretching between Mt Burrell and Kunghur. Under the DA the land will be subdivided into ten rural land sharing communities (RLSC), alternatively known as MOs, and one village parcel. NCV Enterprises Pty Ltd estimate that approximately 750 to 1,500 people would reside in the proposed 392 dwellings of the ten proposed RLSC communities. The eleventh parcel of land, or village, would house between another 750 to 1,200 people according to the community group Northern Rivers Guardians.

Dwarf Uki

The fact that the development will ultimately be larger than the nearby town of Uki of 800 people has raised a range of concerns for locals. One key issue is the significant impact of increased traffic in the area that will degrade local roads and cause congestion.

‘This DA adds another 1,000 + people, another 800 or more cars to Kyogle Road,’ said a concerned neighbour.

‘There are three bridges and significant work on the local [public] roads that would need to be done to make them adequate for the increased traffic of this DA.’

A network of 26.5km of internal roads would need further work for the development to go ahead.

Sewage and water

Locals have previously highlighted, at public meetings, that the DA proposes each house manage its own sewage and wastewater treatment as well as potable (drinkable) water supplies.

‘We note that Uki has its own wastewater treatment plant, operated by TSC, that services approximately 800 people,’ say NRG. They highlight that managing sewage and potable water for several thousand people once the ten RLSCs and the new village are in full operation should be considered a major infrastructure issue and not left up to individual households.

While the DA says that water will be mainly harvested as rainwater off roofs, NRG also notes ‘the opportunity for bores and springs also identified as available to the site’, raising concerns over the potential long-term impacts on the area’s water supply and management.

Deforestation

Objectors to the DA, at the 2021 March public meeting in Uki, said that among the numerous issues with the proposal the DA is seeking to ‘relocate’ and reduce to a quarter of its size a critical wildlife corridor.

‘The DA claims that no koalas inhabit the area and that no other endangered or threatened species are present on the site. [However], the major wildlife corridor that runs through the site connects Mebbin National Park with Nightcap National Park, and 48 threatened fauna species have been recorded, as the DA acknowledges (Appendix E2, page 38),’ say NRG in their assessment of the DA.

Dr Sam Coulson, Caldera Environment Centre coordinator, told the 2021 public meeting that ‘the majority of the property is natural bush’ and that the proposal to ‘relocate’ the wildlife corridor, would reduce it to a quarter of its size, had ‘not been explained or properly researched’.

‘The risk to native fauna and the reduction of habitat and the impact on a healthy koala community is unacceptable. There are approximately 40 vulnerable species on the land proposed for development.’

Reasons for refusal

The DA was refused first by Tweed Shire Council on ten grounds and then by the NRPP. The reasons for refusal included: the concept is a prohibited sub-division; it would cause undue harm to the environment; it is in breach of the cap on population density; the development would seriously affect a natural wildlife corridor; there had been no Aboriginal Cultural Heritage survey; the development would mean the removal of large areas of native vegetation; the DA did not provide sufficient information to enable a determination of the suitability of the concept.; the development was not considered to be in the public interest; and the development is in a bushfire-prone area and was not supported by the NSW Rural Fire Service.

The report to Tweed Council on which they originally refused the DA stated that:

‘The Development Application was referred externally to: Natural Resources Access Regulator, Heritage, Community Engagement – Department of Premier and Cabinet, NSW Rural Fire Service, Department of Planning Industry & Environment – Biodiversity and Conservation Division. All of the agencies either required further information or did not support the proposal. The Biodiversity and Conservation Division advised that they estimate the proposed development would require extensive land clearing of approximately 106ha of native vegetation with a further 220ha of impact in native populations and areas described as “cleared/grassed paddocks with scattered trees, regrowth and weed thickets”. The cost of biodiversity offsets required to offset the loss of biodiversity values (to enable the proposed development) is estimated in excess of $27 million.’

Last gasp

President of NRG, Scott Sledge, told The Echo that he thinks this is ‘a last gasp effort to see if there are legal grounds for turning around the DA’.

‘To achieve the final outcome proposed by the developers there are a significant series of steps that

they would be required to go through from combining the various lots, then subdividing them into ten MOs and the eleventh village lot. This is a DA for ‘Stage 1 civil infrastructure works,’ he said.

‘Each step along the way would require another DA and at each of those points there would be a risk of the entire enterprise falling over,’ explained Mr Sledge.

MO structure does not let you buy land

The structure of a MO means that people investing in the development will not be buying a parcel of land. Instead, they buy shares or invest in a company or legal structure that owns the land. This will then provide them with certain entitlements – for example an area to build a house. However, they cannot take out a loan against the land they build on because they do not own it.

Denise Nessel, Secretary of NRG, told the public meeting in March 2021 that if the property was only seen as one RLSC then they would be allowed a maximum of 80 dwellings.

‘Dividing it into ten RLSCs to facilitate 392 dwellings [and then a village] does seem more like a typical urban development than an RLSC. An RLSC is usually set up by people who know one another and come together to create an intentional community,’ she told the meeting.

Ms Nessel pointed out that the DA doesn’t clarify the boundaries of the ten RLSCs and village, and that the RLSCs do not get set up until stage 3 of the development. She also highlighted that it is difficult to work out from the DA, what the company is that you are investing in and who owns the land.

No more MOs

At the beginning of March 2021 Tweed Shire Council sought to remove RLSCs in Tweed Shire by passing a motion ‘to remove Tweed Shire from the [state planning] SEPP’ that allowed RLSCs to be created in Tweed Shire. MOs (or RLSCs) had already been removed from the Tweed Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2000, and 2014. However, as this DA has already been submitted it will be judged under the existing SEPP.

Byron Street, Bangalow – opposite the Public School www.bangalowheadacheclinic.com.au

Our community is in a housing crisis. Many people are living in tents and caravans whilst visitors stay in residential homes. Businesses and essential services are facing serious staff shortages because workers can’t find accommodation.

What is all this about short-term rental accommodation?

In 2019 the NSW Planning Minister acknowledged the negative impacts that short-term rental accommodation (STRA) was having on Byron Shire and allowed the Council to prepare a Planning Proposal to mitigate these impacts.

The proposal aims to:

Reduce the cap for non-hosted STRA from 180 days to 90-days per year in residential areas in the Byron Shire. In certain precincts, STRA will be permitted 365 days per year – central Byron, Wategos, and part of Belongil and Brunswick Heads.

So what happened?

Why didn’t Council’s proposal proceed?

In December 2022, NSW Govt backflipped and took the planning power away from Byron Shire Council. They have appointed the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) to review Council’s proposal to cap STRA in parts of Byron Shire.

This ad has been prepared by Byron Residents’ Group, the ‘Byron Deserves Balance’ team and community members and paid for by residents of our community.

Op Shop

come along to Kiva, which I manage.

Sam Leader Mullumbimby

Land use planning

Twenty years ago I submitted a development application in line with the rural settlement strategy of 1997 as the controlling document for closer settlement in rural areas of the Byron Shire. Council was sympathetic to the application and we now have a rural land sharing community at Main Arm.

Since 1997, or 26 years ago, Byron Shire Council has been unable to deliver a revised rural land use strategy. I am told now that Council is in an emergency situation to provide an urban expansion strategy. One would wonder what Council has been doing for the last 30 years given the number of planning staff in Council?

We are blessed in Byron Shire to have rural residential lifestyle options that have been confirmed in the 2014 Local Environmental Plan. There seems to be resistance from Council, or a lack of courage, to continue to allow an expansion of rural residential lifestyle in the Shire, which is a shame in view of the affordable housing crisis.

When I was working as a forward planner with Ballina Council we completed a draft Local Environmental Plan for the whole shire in six months, which was completed by three staff in the planning section.

Byron Council’s inaction on this matter was further exacerbated by their recent desire to disallow dual occupancy in rural land sharing communities. Luckily there was enough criticism of this proposal that this idea was dropped.

I understand that there is resistance from our state government to allowing further rural lifestyle expansion, owinge to the absence of road infrastructure, but these infrastructural costs are paid for by section 94 contributions. If Council is having trouble collecting these contributions, then maybe they need to look at their processes and timing of payment of contributions.

Boyd Warren Main Arm

LEAN

Thank you Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN) and Ballina Labor for providing the golden opportunity to speak with Senator Jenny McAllister, Assistant Minister Climate Change and Energy

in the federal government last Thursday.

Jenny also reiterated Labor’s targets and work in stabilising the politics around climate change. Thanks also for your support of Andrew Broadley, Labor candidate Ballina electorate, and your time.

Yvonne Jessup Byron Bay

Lessons not learnt

Do the Greens ever learn anything from history?

All change is difficult, big change is very difficult, especially when a referendum is involved.

To effect critical environmental and energy policy reform this progressive Labor government has to stay in majority power for a number of terms. To ensure the Coalition can’t wreck it again, radical minor parties can’t impose unrealistic demands, the lights must stay on, we must be able to pay for it and Aussie voters must not drown in massive energy bills.

Failure to achieve any of these policy areas could be terminal, as powerful, well-financed conservative forces will fight to stop it.

John Howard was able to take this country so far to the

right and enact so many discriminatory policies that hurt so many Aussies because he managed to stay there for four terms.

If the Greens have learnt anything from their disastrous decision back in 2009 to block Kevin Rudd’s CPRS in the Senate, which ultimately gave rise to Tony Abbott, Adam Bandt must rein in radical elements within the Greens, led by that disruptive and disrespectful ‘show pony’ Lidia Thorpe, who are recklessly threatening to derail the history-making referendum on the ‘Voice’ by insisting a treaty be negotiated first; that will only make it even more difficult to pass.

Keith Duncan Pimlico

Forests critical

Last year, NSW Forestry Corporation’s hardwood division lost $9 million (‘Costs of native forest logging to NSW residents revealed’, Echo, 18/11). But there are other losses too. It’s a little-known fact that mature forests dominated by Eucalyptus regnans have been found to store more carbon than any other forest known. But after logging, most of the stored carbon is lost to the atmosphere.

Ode to a ‘Byron character’ – Richard Maloney

Courtney Miller

Richard Maloney was gloriously eccentric. When I was a child, he spoke to me like a full human, with formed opinions and compelling ideas. He would test some of his trivia on me, or make me read the Australian Constitution. One of my fondest memories was of an 11 course meal he made for my sister and I. The first five courses were varieties of apples, the last five were varieties of chocolate, with a meal in between.

According to Professor Brendan Mackey from Griffith University, stopping the logging of our native forests would reduce CO2 emissions by 15 million tonnes each year, almost the same as the annual reduction needed to achieve our 2030 emissions reduction target.

Forests also provide critical habitat. Since settlement, 100 Australian species have become extinct with 13 added in 2021 alone. Now, more than 1,700 native species and ecological communities are known to be threatened and at risk of extinction.

Richard is someone who fully encompassed the spirit of this region with none of the stereotypical tropes.

He walked his own walk, quite literally with a gait few could match. He peppered his speech with words of idiosyncratic origin and definitions the New York Review of Books would admire. And he could tell you the plot lines and describe in great detail the characters of every book he’d read and they were many and varied.

Richard wasn’t a hippy or a surfer. He was a lawyer by trade, but his views

As the NSW election approaches, the climate and biodiversity value of the state’s trees are clearly an election issue, evidenced by the quick scuttling of the Land Reform Bill introduced by Agriculture Minister, Dugald Saunders, in December last year. Unsurprisingly, after extensive and severe flood events, Local Government NSW has called for ‘urgent action to address the climate crisis… and fit-for purpose protections for biodiversity of native habitats’.

Phasing out the logging of native forests, as WA and

were alternative, antiestablishment and often confronting. He taught science at the Byron Community School for a time, he ran trivia nights and he read voraciously. He read TinTin and crime fiction; cookbooks by Edouard De Pomaine, books about people, politics, and travel – there was nothing he wouldn’t read if it was written well.

For my 18th birthday, Richard gave me 18 crime fiction novels carefully curated across eras from the 1920s to the 2000s, male and female authors, detec-

Victoria have done, would be an excellent start.

Ray Peck Hawthorn, Vic Marshalls Creek

The past week saw some intense rain in the Byron Shire. Council has a large deposit of fill near Marshalls Creek; the rain would no doubt have seeped fill into the creek; thus undermining the ‘rights of nature’ and the sensitive ecology that defines Marshalls Creek, and indeed all adjoining waterways.

The community deserve

tive and thrillers, all fabulously unique.

Richard loved his Ducati, and days before he passed was happily delivering lollies to delighted kids. I will forever hear Richard’s commanding, yet playful, voice in my head, reading Suddenly to my four-year-old or relating the plot of his latest book.

Thank you, Richard, for forever widening and encouraging my love of books and the magical worlds and ideas they take us all to. Your unconventional perspective on the world is a loss to our Shire.

an update on this current reckless situation, as by defying its own policies Council is displaying poor governance and disregard of our democratic rights, indeed the rights of all sentient beings. Could the four councillors who voted against the removal of this pile of fill please inform the public of the current situation of the creek? This situation presents as environmental vandalism. Simply: ‘Is the creek singing or choking?’

▶ More letters on page 18

www.misstree.com.au stephanie@misstree.com.au stephanie@misstree com au

Native Plant Specialist

Nursery open Tues, Wed, Thurs 9am – 3pm or by appointment 0448 974 421

420 Rosebank Rd, Rosebank NSW 2480

The ageing thing

Richard Hil

Mandy Nolan’s wonderfully quixotic article (Echo, 18 January) about turning 55 and loving the ageing process took my day by storm – sort of.

If I understand her correctly, ageing is a kind of clarion call to gratitude and acceptance – those beguiling Buddhist mantras – as well as a royal F-you to those who opine about one’s chronological status. There’s no doubt that ageing is fascinating. As it progresses, you become increasingly mindful of bodily and other changes, over which most of us have little or no control. Various bits begin to wear out, fall off, sag or morph into shapes and sizes that simply amaze, and occasionally horrify.

of self-help books urging the over-somethings to do this or that, or become this or that, according to some ill-defined cultural script or biomedical model. There’s not a tome in sight inviting you to grow old disgracefully.

On 10 July this year I’ll hit 70 – hopefully. In my world, ageing is a mixed bag. It’s certainly not as brilliant as Mandy seems to suggest. It brings with it the organ recitals, the increasing visits to medical personnel, the grief and sadness of losing friends and family. And then there’s getting out of bed in the morning… And the design faults; you might have the time and inclination to do what you’d like to do, like drink, sleep all day and fornicate, but the body’s a determined refusenik.

exclusionary put downs. I’m told that this sort of thing is mostly experienced by women. I don’t know about that. It happens to blokes too, who can also get hit with the ‘old white man’ tag. That said, there are complex historical reasons why said ‘tagging’ is experienced differently across social groups.

A Gambit for the Muse

‘David Lovejoy’s latest novel, White Horses and Dark Knights, is… the story of the fictional George Marks, a British journeyman International Master whose rational mind struggles with the possibility that he may have met – or rather been chosen by – a muse, Kay Orikasa. …Fun to read, with Lovejoy keeping the action and plot twists going until the end.’

– Grandmaster Ian Rogers, Canberra Times White Horses and Dark Knights, paperback, 245pp, is available for $20 at The Echo

The most absurd Zonal tournament in history concluded in Melbourne last week with almost half of the 250 player field gaining new FIDE titles.

The Zonal tournaments are qualifiers for the next stage of the World Championship cycle and, as elite events, were given the rare honour by the world body FIDE of offering titles, up to and including the IM title, based on a single performance.

When Australia broke away from Asia a quarter of a century ago to create Oceania, it was already clear that sponsors did not exist to be able to conduct a traditional Zonal, with the top few players from each Oceania country participating.

Oceania therefore moved to a mass participation model, with the entry fees of amateur players covering the (often poor) prize fund.

While the rest of the world looked on aghast, these mass tournaments proved extremely popular, since every untitled player who scored 50 per cent or more took home a FIDE title.

FIDE later established a rating level which had to be achieved for the title to be officially granted. However, those levels were set so low that it was clear that title devaluation was of no concern.

The mass Zonal reached its apogee last week when the largest and

weakest Open Zonal in history was completed in Melbourne.

Only two of Australia’s GMs turned up to battle for a World Cup slot, Perth’s Temur Kuybokarov taking the World Cup position after a playoff against Gary Lane. The other GM, Coffs Harbour doctor Zhao Zong Yuan, led from the start but a shock last round loss to veteran Stephen Solomon enabled six players to overtake him and tie for first place.

The Women’s Zonal, won by top seed Julia Ryjanova after a close race with fellow Women’s Grandmaster Zhang Jilin, also gave away FIDE titles to 19 of the 41 players. (Most will have to move their rating to 1800 –the level of a slightly better than average club player – to claim their title.)

Devaluation of FIDE titles, including that of Grandmaster, has been going on since inflation took hold of the rating system in the 1980s, although the trashing of the lower titles of Candidate Master and FIDE Master has accelerated dramatically since the Oceania zone was created.

Unexpectedly, the Asian Chess Federation, of which Oceania countries are members, is about to admit a new country – Russia! The Russian Federation has reacted to the (very modest) sanctions placed on its players by the European Chess Union and is due to be welcomed as an Asian country at the end of this month.

But there’s more to ageing than personal transformation. Demographic trends around the world are telling us that populations are getting older, birth rates are declining and, in some cases, total numbers are shrinking. The general effects of all this are profound. The age-related demarcations of old, young, not-so-young and every stage between are being radically redrawn, and with growing ranks of ‘the elderly’ and ‘seniors’, social identities are being rethought. (That said, I’ve just looked up some synonyms for ageing, and they’re truly awful: ‘declining’, ‘crumbling’, ‘stale’, ‘slumping’!). An obsession with wellbeing has taken hold, too. Bookstores are full

▶ Continued from page 15

Dutton’s racism

Australian politicians have regularly embraced racism when it has suited their cause.

In 1901 we established the so-called White Australia Policy, which effectively precluded non-white immigration to Australia. We proudly maintained this policy, with minor variations, until 1973.

In addition, until 1967 we restricted our First People’s right to vote in federal and state elections and did not include them in our censuses until the late sixties.

Most of our racially motivated stratagems, including those mentioned above, were introduced at the time of Federation in the beginning of the 20th century and probably reflected the mood of the country. To be fair, they probably reflected worldwide

Being older also prompts various unsought comments from people who like to remind you of exactly where you sit in the chronological order. I’ve had people refer to me as ‘young man’, or look at me with that ‘there, there dear’ countenance, and worst of all, render me and others in my age group invisible. It happens, right? It’s not necessarily deliberate. It’s stereotypes and social mores playing out according to familiar positionings when it comes to ‘the aged’. I giggle at it all, mainly because I’ve developed a sort of anthropologian shield. But I don’t like it when I witness the same stuff aimed at people I know. I think I get most upset when witnessing someone, say, in their 80s, rendered voiceless by subtle

attitudes until the middle-tolate 1950s.

Menzies (and Caldwell), leaders of the government and opposition during the sixties, were enthusiastic supporters of the White Australia Policy and by today’s standards, were staunch racists. Both Menzies and Caldwell retired in 1966 and Holt and Whitlam became, respectively, leaders of the Coalition and the ALP. Neither was remotely racist and together, and separately, they set about repealing all racially offensive legislation.

Whitlam was followed by Fraser, Hawke, and Keating, all of whom were famously anti-racist and who in less than 15 years transformed Australia from one of the most racist countries on earth to perhaps the least; racism actually became unpopular.

Then, along came ‘Honest’ John Howard.

If you’re utterly secure in yourself, unconcerned by what other people think, then, hey, all this bullshit might just bounce off you. But it’s often hard not to be positioned and ‘othered’ in ways that can impact your lived experience. Our identities, after all, are formed through social interactions – how people treat you matters

As for looking into mirrors and at photographs or, heaven forbid, seeing yourself in 3D fitting rooms, well, you take your chances. Too much self-scrutiny of the compare-and-contrast sort can lead to problems. To prevent existential meltdown, I have taken to peering into a single mirror with subdued lighting and an abundance of self-delusion. I tell myself that the looks thing is superficial, but few

Howard discovered early on that Australia’s racist rednecks could be his road to electoral success. The trick for him was: ‘How do I appeal to the rednecks without alienating those racist voters with an embryo conscience?’.

His answer: ‘make racism acceptable again’. He successfully achieved this by seizing upon overtly racist incidents including the emergence of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party and the Cronulla riots and providing tacit support for both. He also invented incidents including the Tampa and ‘Children Overboard Affair’ and the ‘discovery of weapons of mass destruction’ that provided the excuse for the Pacific Solution and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq –all acts of extreme racism.

With a little help from Alan Jones, Andrew Bolt et al.,

in an individualistic culture like ours really buy that one, do they? Personally, I’m eternally grateful to Keith Richards for setting the bar so low when it comes to being seventy plus. He gives people like me hope. I’m reminded too of Daniel Klein’s observation in Travels with Epicurus that at some stage in everyone’s life there’s a reckoning with one’s face.

Maybe, as Mandy suggests, it’s not so much a reckoning as fascination with where life has taken us. Those wrinkles tell a story or two. It’s easy (or not) to write off ageing as a social construction, which doesn’t mean a lot when you’re being patronised. I also find it unhelpful to think of stages of life with discrete characteristics. The idea that ageing corresponds with wisdom isn’t all that true, either. I’ve met airheads in their seventies and super bright and wise teenagers. In truth, by the time we get into our latter years we’re a smorgasbord of life experiences and personal attributes. That’s what makes ageing interesting.

Honest John almost singlehandedly re-established racism as a popular pastime in Australia. This is much to the delight of the meanspirited Peter Dutton who seems to lack the intelligence to embrace reasonable political debate, but is clearly adept at racism and is keen to demonstrate this, probably his only skill.

Dutton paid close attention to the ‘teachings of Howard’. He knows that if he opposes the Voice outright he will be accused of racism, so he has devised the ‘provide more detail’ strategy, which will convince those who want to believe he is not a racist that he isn’t one and simultaneously convince the rednecks who want him to be a racist that he is one. He must be exposed and deposed.

Frank Kelly Crabbes Creek

CHESS by Ian Rogers

Richard Hil through life. Photos supplied

Short-term rental accommodation supporters share many characteristics with right-wing extremists

Dr Jeff Lewis and Dr Belinda Lewis

Afew years ago

the Victorian government commissioned us to research violent extremism in Australia. ASIO refers to these groups as ideologically motivated violent extremists (IMVE).

Initially, our research focused on the threats posed by religious extremism. This was a reasonable approach, given the devastating impact of events like the Bali Bombings (2002, 2005), the Lindt Café siege (2014), and the rise of ISIS.

Our investigations quickly revealed, however, that the threat posed by religious extremism is being matched, or even eclipsed, by new forms of violent right-wing extremism (RWE).

Right-wing extremists have been active in Australia for at least a century, but there is now clear evidence of a resurgence of totalitarian sentiment in Australia and elsewhere in the world.

This view is confirmed by the federal government’s own homeland security website. It’s also corroborated by a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Assembly of Sciences (PNAS, 2022).

We’ve seen direct evidence of this resurgence in the United States, Brazil and other democratic nations.

The targeted assassinations of Muslim worshippers in Christchurch (2019) and police in Queensland (2022) are linked to this framework of violent right-wing ideology.

Our own study found that RWE has developed increasingly sophisticated communication and persuasion strategies.

These strategies are designed to distribute information, propaganda and ideology. They are also designed to infiltrate and influence conventional democratic processes.

Several RWE groups have been identified as terror organisations in Australia. The great difficulty for policy and law enforcement, however, is definition.

RWE groups in Australia are chameleon, deceptive and diverse. RWE members are from many different backgrounds, bearing a wide range of interests, emphases and motivations.

Even so, the groups share some common characteristic such as:

• A deep distrust of democracy and governance systems.

• Belief in a homogeneous and hierarchical society that is dominated by those who are ‘the most deserving’ and powerful.

• An exaltation of ‘freedom’, which is defined as unhindered self-interest.

• A deep dislike for public welfare and ‘community’, both of which are seen as weakness and a hindrance to individual freedom.

• A disposition to violence as a legitimate, even necessary, means to express freedom and self-interest.

• A belief that political and social improvement is only possible through the complete liberation of the individual and his self-interest.

Many of these features, in our opinion, are shared by the active advocates of STRA in the Byron Shire.

It’s quite clear that the vast majority of the Byron Shire community wants to see the STRA industry regulated and restrained. A rigorous and inclusive democratic process has been undertaken and the outcome is unambiguous.

So why has the local community and democratic process been so radically thwarted at the eleventh hour? And why has the elected state government crumbled under the pressure of unelected corporate property interests?

Quite obviously, the STRA advocates are largely from big business, most of them based in major cities, and several with international reach.

Corporations generally, and the STRA corporations in particular, have no real interest in public governance, democracy or public/ community rights.

After all, democracy was designed to constrain the excesses of corporate and political power. Therefore, the motivations and ideology of the STRA corporates are in essence antithetical to community-based democracy.

The advertising and lobbying campaigns that the corporate property moguls have inflicted on the Shire exposed a deep disdain for community and neighbourhoods. Used to getting their own way in everything, the corporates have been unrelenting in their attacks on democratic process and community needs.

The corporates’ singular interest in profit has demonstrated a complete lack of interest in community wellbeing. Most striking is their ignorance about the complex social and economic determinants of healthy, diverse, equitable and cohesive communities.

This hostility is fundamentally exercised through the expropriation of territory; houses, rental accommodation, public spaces and infrastructure. It’s also evident in the unceasing and aggressive disruption of peace for neighbourhoods, families and vulnerable residents.

No doubt, these corporations would deny their affiliation with right-wing extremism. They would defend themselves by pointing out that they are working within the aegis of the law and that their activities are not directly ‘violent’.

Our research into rightwing extremism shows, however, that violence is

PLATEAU LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES HAVE THE LARGEST POT YARD IN THE NORTHERN RIVERS. We have so many options to choose from including traditional pots and urns, stunning waterfeatures and modern leightweight pots suitable for both indoors and out.

Come out to Alstonville and take a look first-hand. With potted gardens being so popular right now, our extensive range is guaranteed to delight.

14

insidious and not always direct and explicit. As in family or racial violence, much of the STRA ‘violence’ is exercised through domination, alienation and threat.

Profit is made on the misery of others – that is, our community.

Inflicting constant disruption on neighbourhoods, families and individuals is cruel enough. But depriving people of affordable accommodation is one of the worst acts of violence one group can ever impose on another.

The right-wing extremists we studied are largely clandestine. They cloak their violence in language and ideology. They despise the impediments of regulation.

This looks very much like the strategy and ideology of STRA corporations and their affiliates.

While they continue to accumulate wealth and property, the advocates of unrestrained STRA bully and infiltrate the political process. This is precisely the approach of RWE.

The sudden intervention of the State Planning Office in a clearly defined democratic process is an act of violence; right-wing extremism at its most pernicious.

Further Reading: Jasko Katarzyna and colleagues, A comparison of political violence by left-wing, right-wing, and Islamist extremists in the United States and the world. Jeff Lewis and colleagues, ‘Social cohesion, Twitter and far right politics in Australia’ The European Journal of Cultural Studies

Lydia Khalil ‘The new global extremism and the threat to democracy’ (2022) The Lowy Institute.

FREE HEALTH ASSESSMENTS

Aged 45-49 or over 75? Get a free* health assessment to detect & prevent chronic diseases.

Book at 1300 117 546

West Byron Shopping Village 9/20 Bayshore Drive, Byron Bay SCAN TO BOOK

(02) 6788 1234

Kays Lane, Alstonville, New SouthWales

Mr Mac: Byron Shire’s Computer Tutor

Got issues with your Mac computer or Apple device?

Mr Mac (Dave Carnovale) specialises in upgrades, fine-tuning, system optimisation and recovery in a dedicated computer workshop.

When needed, Mr Mac can do an in-home visit to help with tuition, problem-solving, iCloud and Mac-specific advice.

Other areas covered are system recovery, OS updates, RAM upgrades (where possible), backups, email and network issues and battery replacements.

Devices needing more specific attention can be dropped in to the Brunswick Heads workshop (by appointment).

Call Dave to organise a booking on 0418 408 869. There is a dedicated chat line at www.mrmacintosh.com.au, or try Facebook (Mr Macintosh) or Instagram (@mrmacbyronbay)

MR MAC: SERVING THE BYRON SHIRE SINCE 2001

The Happy Goods Co.

A marketplace full of happy goods for happy kids!

Having recently opened in the Byron Bay Arts & Industry Estate, after transitioning from being an online store, The Happy Goods Co. are loving having the retail space to meet their customers and have them shop in-person!

At The Happy Goods Co., they offer a curated collection of uncomplicated, practical and stylish goods from around the globe that both children and their parents will love. They collaborate with like-minded, sustainable and designfocused brands to bring you unisex fashion pieces, beautiful home décor, accessories, books, and body and bath products for your little ones.

Follow them at @thehappygoodsco

Open Monday–Friday from 10am–4pm 1/1 Centennial Circuit, Byron Bay thehappygoodsco.com

The COVID-19 Pandemic of Fear

In the updated edition of her book, Margaret Stevenson explains how people have been threatened and coerced to follow a political line.

Margaret shows how, with determination and some strategies, we can break free from this mental prison and design our own future – one of peace, hope, freedom and abundance.

‘When COVID-19 appeared, the world was imprisoned in political and medical tyranny. Our constitutional rights were confiscated, unlawful lockdowns imposed, and lives and livelihoods were lost. Logic and reason were trashed and replaced with mandates and madness.

Since the experimental COVID vaccine rollout, people have been injured and are dying in record numbers – on the sporting field, in business meetings and at the dining table. This inconvenient truth can no longer be sugar-coated or brushed under the carpet.’

www.margaretstevenson.com.au

If you need some retail therapy, you can’t go past locally owned Wallace & Co, in the heart of River Street, Ballina!

Offering expert advice and good, old-fashioned customer service, they specialise in men’s and ladies’ clothing and footwear. Shop the biggest and most sought-after range of linen and bamboo clothing from Industrie, Kingston Grange, Gazman and Blazer,

as well as Birkenstock and Doc Martin shoes and famous Australian brands like Akubra and RM Williams.

Shop their great range now.

Open seven days for your shopping convenience, or shop online.

109 River St, Ballina 6686 2081 wallaces.com.au

Wallace & Co

Makers & Finders Market

This market in the heart of Murwillumbah, is almost a mini festival. It brings together makers, growers, recyclers and vintage collectors. Throw a blanket on the grass and enjoy the live music, delicious food and good vibes while the children play in the huge adventure and skate park. Makers and Finders Market is on the third Saturday of each month. Knox Park, Murwillumbah www.makersandfindersmarket.com

Sing to Thrive

Explore your voice and become an embodied, confident singer in a safe, nurturing and fun environment.

Private tuition for all ages at Byron Music or online.

Weekly adult singing circles in Mullum and Ocean Shores.

SING DANCE THRIVE classes for kids during school term.

Maddy also offers PACH (Past Age Clearing and Healing) sessions to clear fear, anxiety and self-judgement to help you communicate authentically in all your relationships.

Get empowered singing leading-edge conscious music to build self-esteem, self-confidence and overall joy.

Maddy Monacelli 0437 274 354 happy.maddy@live.com.au www.singtothrive.com

IG & FB: @singtothrive

IH Byron Bay homestay program – reap the rewards!

International House Byron Bay is looking for Host Families in the Suffolk Park, Byron Bay and Sunrise Estate areas to provide a friendly, comfortable and supportive home environment for international students.

Byron Bay attracts many young adults from around the world who want to study English and gain an authentic experience with a local family. The students are typically from Europe, Japan and Latin America. They are

serious about their studies and would greatly enrich your family's life. The Homestay Program is perfect for families with children and empty-nesters with a spare room. This is an opportunity to have a genuine cultural exchange experience while earning additional income.

Contact the IH Byron Bay Homestay Officer at accommodation@ihsydney. com.au for more information about this fantastic program.

Byron Community College

It’s GO time at the College!

Term One at Byron Community College has just kicked off, but there is still time to sign up to that art class you’re dreaming of, or learn the language on your bucket list!

The opportunities to explore a new interest are endless with over 100 courses on offer. Everything from German to Guitar, Tango to Tarot or Painting to Psychic Development. Sewing to Sculptural Metalwork, Face yoga to First Aid, Crochet to Creative Writing and Reiki to Radio Broadcasting!

With something for absolutely everyone, it’s never too late to chase those dreams, and meet new and interesting people!

Head to www.byroncollege.org.au or call 6684 3374 for more details. RTO 90013

MarionStClaire Anti-ageing Creme

Love your face.

One of our great loves in life is our favourite daily skin cream. Your face shows your love, so it’s important to protect and preserve it.

MarionStClaire Anti-ageing Creme is the cleanest, purest, most effective, organic, anti-wrinkle creme that you will find anywhere.

One creme, for face and neck. No need for serums, night creams, eye creams, or neck creams. An artisan-formulated gift of love to anyone who loves the ritual of daily skincare.

100 per cent money-back guarantee if you’re not entirely satisfied. Available online at www.marionstclaire.com.au

Valentine’s Day at Crystalbrook Byron

Let love bloom this Valentine’s Day with an aphrodisiac dinner designed to tickle your taste buds; cocktails made for sipping, slurping and nibbling; and a chakraopening couple’s spa package that will have your heart and soul humming in sweet harmony once again.

Aphrodisiac dinner in Forest Byron Bay

Feed your soul (mate) in this intimate rainforest setting. They’re spicing things up with an aphrodisiac tasting-menu designed to help stimulate all your… senses. Choose from either the three-course set menu for $90 or the five-course tasting menu for $129.

Aphrodisiac Cocktail Menu

Sip, slurp, lick or nibble your way through the Aphrodisiac Cocktail Menu, available for the entire month of love.  Each custom cocktail experience is thoughtfully paired with a bite-size aphrodisiac designed to delight.

Conscious Connection Couple’s Treatment in Eléme Day Spa

Connect with a transcendental couple’s treatment that will have your hearts and souls humming in sweet harmony once again. The treatment includes a guided couple’s meditation, couple’s chakra healing massage, Social Alchemy cacao and chocolate dipped strawberries, Rose Quartz pebble, and pool access for the day. Learn more at crystalbrookcollection.com/byron/special-offers/ valentines-day

Ballina RSL

Single and ready to mingle?

Ballina RSL is holding a Singles’ Night Out for over 40’s, including speed dating, drinks, dining and live tunes.

$25 includes a drink on arrival.

Tuesday 14 February from 6.45pm.

Level 1 Lounge Area – Ballina RSL

‘70s DJ set from 8.30pm – 10.30pm.

The event will be hosted by Local Health & Wellness Coach, Michelle Winrow.

Enquiries: Michelle Winrow 0411 698 887  michelle@michellewinrow.com

Tickets through: www.ballinarsl.com.au

Register online from 1st Feb

Register online NOW

Redeem Active Kids Voucher with us!

info@suffolkparkfc.com suffolkparkfc.com | SuffolkParkFC

Mullumbimby Junior Rugby League

1973 to 2023 - Celebrating 50 years

Come play rugby league or league tag for the Junior Giants in 2023. We’re a family friendly club committed to fostering a love of the game and a healthy lifestyle within a fun and safe environment.

All kids 5 to 17 welcome. We offer:

• U6 Rugby League Tag.

• U7 to U16 Rugby League, including SafePlay modifications.

• U12-U17 Girls League Tag and tackle competitions. Affordable registration fees $150 (or $50 using an Active Kids Voucher)

For more information and to register head to: www.mullumbimbygiants.com.au or contact us at Mullumbimbygiantsjrl@gmail.com

Community at Work

On The Horizon

DEADLINE NOON FRIDAY

Email copy marked ‘On The Horizon’ to editor@echo.net.au.

Dementia

Caring for someone with dementia?

We’d love to see you at our monthly Northern Rivers Carers Coffee Club on the third Wednesday of every month. Our next meeting will take place at 11am on Wednesday 15 February in Brunswick Heads. Please call or Emma White on 66851 629 or email: emmawhite@byronrespite.com.au.

Bring your questions, suggestions, and concerns, speak with other carers and meet new friends.

Guided Walks

The Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens are having February Guided Walks through their cool and shady rainforest. Saturday 18 February guided walk is of the Useful Plants Garden with Andreas. Find out which rainforest plants have been used for tools, medicine, food and weaving. Sunday 26 February there are two guided walks 1) Rainforest pollinators with Graeme and 2) Hoop Pine Forest Walk with Trudi. Learn about our native stingless bees and other wonderful insects found at the Gardens. Meet at the Visitor’s Centre at 9.15 am for a 9.30 start for a one hour walk. Wear hat and sturdy shoes. Gold coin donation appreciated.

Coraki Catholic Church

The Coraki St Joseph’s Catholic Church is celebrating the Centenary of the opening of the church. The 100 year celebration will open with Mass at 9.15am on Sunday 12 February with Bishop Greg.

End-of-Life Choices

Voluntary Euthanasia End-of-Life Choices are discussed at Exit International meetings held quarterly.

SUFFOLK PARK FC “The Phoenix”

Football fan or not, chances are you will be cheering for the Matildas during the World Cup when it’s in Australia and NZ this year!. Join their friendly community club and get in on a little bit of the football action too. Players and volunteers of all ages and abilities are welcome!

Miniroo teams 5–11 years.

Training Thursdays 4–5pm at Linda Vidler Park Seniors training, Wednesdays 6.30–8pm at The Cavanbah Centre. SPFC is also seeking a goalkeeper for Men’s 1st Div. Please contact us!

info@suffolkparkfc.com \ FB:SuffolkParkFC

Mullumbimby Giants Junior Rugby League

Celebrating 50 years of junior rugby league in the Brunswick Valley. The Giants are a family friendly club committed to fostering a love of sport and a healthy lifestyle within a fun and safe environment.

Junior League isn’t only for boys, everyone can play through to 17 years. It’s safe, with the introduction of modified rules with the SafePlay Code and emphasis on player skills development through the Player Development Framework. If you want to play for Mullum Junior Giants in 2023 head to their website for more information. www.mullumbimbygiantsjrl.com.au.

birthday celebration take place on Saturday 11 February 10am–12pm.

A family fun day There will be guest speakers and morning tea. Then for the kids, face painting and Shorty Brown’s Imaginitus show from 11am. Also, at 11am, local author Helen Burns will host an event.

Laughter

Meetings are held at Robina and Tweed Heads South and Lismore. Attendees must be Exit Members. For further Information www.exitinternational.net or phone Catherine 0435 228 443 (Gold Coast and Tweed) or Peter 0429 950 352 (Lismore).

Food Box

The Mullumbimby Food Box re-opened on Thursday 19 January. We will celebrate our tenth birthday on 9 February, so please join us on this occasion 9.30–11.30am.

BV VIEW Club

Brunswick Valley VIEW Club’s monthly luncheons are held at Brunswick Heads Bowling Club on the second Thursday of each month at 10.30am. The first meeting for 2023 is on 9 February. It will be followed by the AGM. Casual members please advise if attending. Apologies to Wenda on 0449 563 580 or email: wjhunt@yahoo. com no later than the Monday before.

Bridge for beginners – Ballina

Starting Monday 6 February, lessons will be twice a week for four weeks on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9–11am. Then for two weeks Monday 6 March, Friday 10, Monday 13 and the last one on Friday 17 March, 9–11am. Bridge is a challenging game and fun to play. Lessons are conducted in a relaxed atmosphere in our clubroom at 13 North Creek Road, Ballina (opp. Aldi): it’s airconditioned, with tea and coffee and free parking. Cost is $80 including the famous ‘Green Book’ text to keep. Call Rebecca on 0438 480 942 to enquire and book your place.

Byron library turns ten

Byron Bay Library’s tenth anniversary

Open garden

The Zonta Club of Northern Rivers are having their annual Open Garden fundraiser on 11 and 12 February, 9am–4pm. CREW Garden is located at 131 Platypus Drive, Uralba. It is a beautiful sub-tropical garden with feature ponds and paths. The Open Garden is a major fundraiser for the Zonta Club of Northern Rivers with proceeds going to the club’s continuing work with older vulnerable women, and women and girls displaced by floods in our local community. Entry is $10 or $5 concession. Children under 16 are free.

BCV Probus Club

The Brunswick Valley Probus Club are welcoming new members and would love to share in the fun, friendship and fellowship of like-minded fellow retirees. Probus meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 10am at the Ocean Shores Country Club, with interesting guest speakers. We look forward to meeting you and enjoying your company. Enquires to Margaret on 6680 3316.

Bruns CWA

Brunswick Heads branch meets on the first Friday of the month at 9am at the Corner of Park and Booyun Streets, Brunswick Heads. CWA of Brunswick Heads Crafty Women meet here Fridays 10am–2pm. Join us for a chat, a cuppa, and bring along your craft projects including sewing, knitting, crocheting, memory books or quilting. Beginners welcome. Gold coin donation. https://www.facebook. com/CWAofBrunswickHeads. Our next Market Day is Saturday 18 February 8am–1pm.

The benefits of laughter are well documented and available to us all. Laughter sessions are happening at Coorabell Hall from 10.15am on Fridays from January, 2023. Cost $10. All ages are welcome and no experience is needed. Just show up, and if you have any questions please contact Paulette on 0413 960 777.

New Mums

Support for New Mums is a volunteer organisation that looks after mums and their babies in the Tweed and Byron Shires. We offer a free weekly home visiting service that supports the health and wellbeing of mums in the last trimester of pregnancy, the first year of their baby’s life and beyond, if needed. We need more volunteers as the demand for our support grows. Contact us if you are a new mum or would like to become a volunteer. Contact: Deb Hunt on 0490 409 039 or email: newmums8@gmail.com.

Safe Haven

Mullumbimby

Safe Haven in Mullumbimby provides free mental health support to the community from 12–6pm, seven days a week. Safe Haven is funded by Healthy North Coast and is staffed by experienced clinicians and mental health support staff. Safe Haven is a drop-in centre, no appointment or referral is required. Any community member is welcome. We are located at 15 Tincogan St, behind the Mullumbimby and District Neighbourhood Centre. Find out more online: safehavennc.org.au or email: support@safehavennc. org.au. Free community support groups commencing in February. Art Connection for Women: commencing Monday 6 February – 27 March, 10.30am–12noon. Addiction Family Support: Commencing Tuesday 7 February 6.30pm–8pm. Enquire at Mullumbimby Safe Haven open 12pm–6pm seven days.

North Coast news online

Regular As Clockwork

DEADLINE NOON FRIDAY

Please note that, owing to space restrictions, not all entries may be included each week. Email copy marked ‘Regular As Clockwork’ to editor@echo.net.au.

Mullumbimby District

Neighbourhood Centre

Mullumbimby & District Neighbourhood Centre is open Monday–Thursday 9am–4pm (closed from 12.30–1.30pm for lunch) and offers a range of services and activities. Everyone is welcome. Call reception on 6684 1286 and discover what is on offer. MDNC services that are running include: Flood Recovery Support Service: personalised, longterm support for those impacted by the floods. Community support: Food parcels, meals, showers, assistance with electricity and phoneelstra bills, Work Development Orders.

Listening Space: free counselling.

Staying Home, Leaving Violence program Integrated Domestic & Family Violence program

Financial Counselling: outreach

available Thursdays & Fridays

Financial Counselling: free service to resume in February, call 6684 1286 for more details. Information, referral and advocacy. To enquire about accessing any of these services call 6684 1286 or fill out an online enquiry form.

Byron Community Centre

Byron Community Centre

The Byron Community Centre provides community services and programs including meals, advocacy and counselling for locals in need. Fletcher Street Cottage: A welcoming, safe and respectful space where people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness can come to get practical relief opportunities, find connections and access broader support. Fletcher

Street Cottage services are open Monday–Friday. Breakfast: Monday–Friday, 7am–9am. Showers and Laundry: Monday–Friday, 7am–12pm. Office Support: Monday–Friday, 9am - 12pm. Support Appointments: Individual support appointments with community workers or specialist services. For bookings please call 6685 6807. Fletcher Street Cottage, 18 Fletcher St, Byron Bay. More info: www.fletcherstreetcottage.com.au.

Byron Community Cabin: Seniors Computer Club (school term only), 9–11am, Friday, Carlyle Steet. More info: www.byroncentre.com.au Phone: 6685 6807

Low-cost or free food

Food Box Thursdays 9.30–11.30am at Uniting Church, Mullumbimby. You may purchase cheap food, obtain free veges, and enjoy a cuppa. Free Food Relief Bags for anyone doing it tough, every Wednesday 10–12noon at The Hub Ocean Shores, cnr Rajah Rd and Bindaree Way. No ID or Concession Card required. NILs referral service also available. Check Facebook page The Hub Baptist Ocean Shores for details. Liberation Larder Takeaway lunches and groceries Monday and Thursday 12 till 1pm. Fletcher Street end of the Byron Community Centre.

Craft group

The Uniting Craft & Social Group meets every Monday 9.30am–2.30pm at the Uniting Church in Carlyle Street, Byron Bay. Bring lunch and whatever else you need. Small cost. All welcome. Do you prefer patchwork and quilting? Come along on Monday evening same place at 6pm. Enquiries Tilly 0423 331 8505.

2023

BYRON BALLET

Byron Ballet’s community classes are designed for the passionate dance student and parents seeking age-appropriate instruction within a holistic environment. They provide solid foundations in classical ballet, contemporary, jazz and musical theatre. Their teachers are former professionals who work in a disciplined and nurturing way, cultivating the joyful essence of dance in every body.

Byron Ballet  is performance. Oriented and promotes involvement in quality productions and selected dance events. They can prepare students for any performance event including solos or examinations with the Royal Academy of Dance.

In recent years students have performed in numerous productions with the Byron Youth Ballet Company and Victorian State Ballet Company in Byron Bay. These experiences have been a source of wonderful inspiration and fun for the students involved.

www.byronballet.com

Shores United Soccer Club

Shores United had another top year in 2022 with all teams from Under-6s through to 1st Division men performing well. The girls’ and ladies’ teams were particularly strong, performed superbly and had a lot of fun. Online registration is now open and we are optimistic for the forthcoming season, so sign up.

www.shoresunited.com.au.

Sing Dance Thrive Classes

These fun and educational for classes are for your kids to experience the joy of singing and choreographed dancing to conscious musicto inspire and uplift. The kids will learn easy somatic vocal tips and techniques, coach their ears to hear and sing harmonies, develop rhythm and timing and build performance skills and confidence. Classes are held at KulchaJam in Byron Arts and Industry Estate and are $15, invoiced per term.  Private singing tuition (for all ages) is also available on Wednesdays at Byron Music School. There are two weekly adult groups available as well.

ues, coach their

Contact Maddy 0437 274 354 to enrol your child for Term One. Check out www.singtothrive.com to find out more about what’s on offer.

Teach your kids to stand on their own two hands

Spring into circus. Learn silks and trapeze, tumbling and juggling, acrobatics and aerials, and so much more.

Condition your body, build resilience, increase flexibility and strengthen your core. There are classes for young kids and old kids, and classes where even adults have fun. All ages, all levels, all abilities. At Spaghetti, it’s circus for everyone!

Don’t forget to use your Service NSW Active Kids and Creative Kids vouchers to subsidise the cost of classes.

Ask us about our family and multi-class discounts.

Book online at spaghetticircus.com. For more information email info@spaghetticircus.com or phone 6684 3038.

Good Taste

BYRON BAY

HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY 5–6PM

Local DJ – Friday & Saturday nights, from 6pm

$12 Margarita / Lychee Martini

$8 Tap Beers / $7 Natural Wines

Book online via website nobonesbyronbay.com.au

#BRUSSELSNOTBEEF

Loft

Book online:

The Italian Byron Bay

21, 108 Jonson St, Byron Bay

Open Monday to Saturday 5.30pm to late 5633 1216 www.theitalianbyronbay.com

Legend Pizza

Serving Byron Bay for 30 years. Open 7 days and nights. Delivery from Suffolk to Ewingsdale. 90–96 Jonson Street 6685 5700 www.legendpizza.com.au

Main Street

Open for takeaway daily, 12 midday until dinner.

Menu, more details –@mainstreet_burgerbar

18 Jonson Street 6680 8832

Success Thai

Open Lunch Wed–Fri 12–2.30pm. Dinner Mon–Sat 5–8pm. Closed Sunday 3/31 Lawson St, Byron Bay www.facebook.com/ pages/Success-ThaiFood/237359826303469

The Rocks

Brunch

6.30am–2pm, every day 16 Lawson St, Byron Bay 6685 7663

Menus at therocksbyronbay.com.au @therocksbyronbay

KURA Byron Bay

8/4 Bay Lane, Byron Bay 02 6685 6136

Open at 12–3pm bookings@kurabyronbay.com

Online orders: www.kurabyronbay.com

Instagram @gallery_kura Facebook : Izakaya Gallery Kura

KARKALLA

Byron Bay

Native Indigenous Restaurant

Cnr of Bay Lane & Fletcher St, Byron Bay 5614 8656

Barrio Eatery & Bar

1 Porter Street, North Byron

Mon–Tues: 7am–3pm

Wed–Sat: 7am–10pm

www.barriobyronbay.com.au

@barriobyronbay 0411 323 165

Signature cocktails, and casual dining with ocean views.

Happy Hour | Daily from 4–6pm

$6 Loft beer or wine, $10 Aperol Spritz, $14 Margarita & $2.50 fresh oysters

Espresso Martini Nights | Every day 9pm – close 2 for $25 Classic Espresso Martini.

Open weekdays from 4pm and weekends from noon

The Italian Byron Bay provides a bustling, atmospheric restaurant, dishing up contemporary inspired Italian cuisine and some of Byron’s finest cocktails and wines.

OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY. BOOKINGS CAN BE MADE BY PHONE OR THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. WALK-INS VERY WELCOME.

Byron’s Freshest Pizza

Order online and join our loyalty program.

Catering for up to 100 people lunch and dinner.

BYO

Locally owned and operated.

Scan code for menu.

Open for takeaway daily, 12 midday until dinner.

Menu and more details

@mainstreet_burgerbar

‘Make a meal of it’ Add chips and a drink, just $5.

All your favourites, every lunch and dinner. Experienced Thai chefs cooking fresh, delicious Thai food for you. BYO only.

Welcome for lunch, dinner and takeaway. Menus available on Facebook.

The Rocks

We have a range of freshly sourced dishes, Reverence coffee, and hand-made juices and smoothies at locals prices. Fully licensed, all-day brunch and happy hour from 11am. Check out our new dishes on Instagram!

KURA is an authentic Japanese restaurant serving yakitori, sushi and ramen located in the heart of Byron Bay, Bay Lane. We take pride in providing fresh local produce from the Byron Shire and the Byron Farmer’s Market. There are also a variety of vegetarian options available. The restaurant features an open kitchen concept where you can watch the chefs at work. Come dine with us in a relaxing and friendly atmosphere today.

Food with history, story & connection

DINNER, THURSDAY–MONDAY

Early sitting from 5pm | Second sitting from 7.30pm Bookings highly recommended, via our website www.karkalla.com.au | @karkallabyronbay

For exclusive events & catering please contact us via our website.

Barrio brings together the local community in a relaxed environment for all-day dining.

The wood-fired oven and open-flame grill is the heart of the restaurant. Keep an eye on socials for daily specials. Now open for Sunday lunch from 11.30am–3pm

A Slice of Paris in Byron Bay

Come find us down the laneway for delicious share plates, natural

Open from 5pm Tuesday to Saturday.

Wahlburgers

Byron Bay American style burger restaurant & sports bar

Upstairs at Mercato on Byron, Jonson Street. www.Wahlburgers.com.au

North Byron Liquor Merchants

61 Bayshore Drive, Byron Bay Ph 6685 6500 www.northbyronhotel.com.au

Open 10am–8pm daily

Bangalow Bread Co.

12 Byron St, Bangalow 6am–3pm weekdays. 7am–2pm weekends. 6687 1209 www.bangalowbread.co info@bangalowbread.co

MULLUMBIMBY

Eateries Guide

American & local sports played live Family Offer Buy 1 kids meal, get 1 free.

$8 after 8 $8 drinks from 8pm Thur–Sun. Live music Fri–Sun.

Open 11am to 9pm daily – dine-in or takeaway.

‘Byron’s boutique bottle shop’ Natural wine Craft Beer Local Spirits Specialty Tequila for the ages Wedding & event liquor catering

Stone baked sourdough, hand rolled pastries, small batch pies, house made cakes.

Your local artisan bakery, specialising in all things sourdough. Serving Old Quarter coffee along with freshly made sandwiches using our own sourdough bread, hand rolled pastries, award winning pies and a variety of house made cakes.

Yaman Mullumbimby

62 Stuart St, Mullumbimby 6684 3778 www.yamanmullumbimby.com.au

Open 7 days from 9am–8pm Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

The Empire 20 Burringbar St, Mullum 6684 2306

Open for brunch and lunch FB/Insta: EmpireMullum empiremullum.com.au Online orders: mryum.com/theempire

NEWRYBAR

Coffee, malawach rolls, pita pockets, falafel, traditional Yemenite spices and all your favourites, always freshly made. Drop in for an authentic atmosphere. Dine-in or takeaway.

Something for all tastes, from epic burgers to vegan delights. Enjoy delectable treats and good vibes at this Mullum icon.

Order and pay online!

Scan the QR view menu and order online. Takeaway is available on the whole menu. Phone orders also welcome.

Harvest

18–22 Old Pacific Highway Newrybar NSW 2479 02 6687 2644 www.harvest.com.au @harvestnewrybar

OCEAN SHORES

No Bones vegan kitchen and bar 84 Rajah Rd, Ocean Shores OPEN TUES–SUN from midday until 8pm noboneslittle.com 0422 355 928

Celebrations

Cakes by Liz Jackson

COFFEE CART

7 days | 6.30am–3.00pm RESTAURANT Lunch | Wed–Sun | 12–2.30pm Dinner | Fri & Sat | 5.30–8.30pm DELI 7 days | 7.30am–3.30pm

NO BONES OCEAN SHORES $5 TACO TUESDAY every tuesday from midday til 8pm

HAPPY HOUR 5–6PM $12 COCKTAILS / $7 WINE / $6 BEER

Order online via our website noboneslittle.com

E: lizzijjackson@gmail.com P: 0414 895 441

CELEBRATIONS BY LIZ

GLUTEN FREE AND SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS CATERED FOR

JACKSON

BANGALOW

BANGALOW BREAD CO.

BYRON BAY continued

Good Life

The elusive ‘Drop of the Desert’ cocktail

Simon Haslam

What does it take to produce the winning cocktail in a competition held in Byron in the middle of summer?

A fair bit of thought, and what some would call hard work. Jono Samuelsson, bar manager at Loft Byron Bay, has certainly had a lot of cocktail-making practice, but the minimalist tequila-based creation he dubbed ‘Drop of the Desert’ isn’t the sort of cocktail he’d normally serve over the busy bar, being a bit more on the ‘serious’ end of the scale, as he puts it.

‘When it comes to creating cocktails, I like to work with our chefs, who have a wealth of knowledge about flavour pairings,’ says Jono. ‘They also know how to best extract the flavours from different vegetables or fruits. This competition was sponsored by Pernod Ricard, using their Altos Plata Tequila, and our Head Chef Juan suggested, in keeping with the Mexican theme, that I use a special cactus, the Nopales, which I sourced from local exotic fruit growers Picone Exotics,

and then clarified.’

‘The cactus, when it’s cooked, reminds you of green beans or asparagus, but its uncommon, subtle, slightly bitter flavour really comes together very well in balance with the rest of the ingredients. The Altos range also includes a reposado,

Valentine’s Day

Victoria Cosford

Is there anything lovelier than the sight and the scent of a blue lotus? It’s a flower and a fragrance in one, and a grand idea for Valentine’s Day. From her stall, Byron Bay Blue Lotus, Liz Lualdi dispenses these glorious plants, which grow in her tea-tree lake at Tyagarah. Indeed, since ancient times, the lotus has been used in the production of perfumes, and as I stood, chatting at the Ahana candle stall with Marianni’s daughter, Valentina, we were both simultaneously struck by a

sublime scent we thought was the other’s perfume. It was in fact the blue lotus Marianni had as centrepiece to her lovely candles – candles which, moreover, are another Valentine’s Day suggestion, the gold or cream beeswax exuding their own particular scent of gentle honey.

Liz Lualdi also dries the flowers to make a fragrant herbal tea; a common practice in Korea and China. She dries out whole lotus flowerheads too, selling them for people to use as edible flowers over salads or to make their own tea. These

but I used the plata tequila, which I combined with Yellow Chartreuse, a very herbaceous botanical liqueur made using a secret recipe of 130 different herbs, along with clarified lime juice, grapefruit juice and salt.

‘Clarifying the citrus juices just makes the cocktail look

teas, she tells me, have a calming effect, endorsed by the many return customers extolling the benefits. So there’s another gift idea!

More flowers can be found at Jumping Red Ant whose spectacular sunflowers stand proud alongside the prettiest roses in pink and red, orange and cream, and sprays of intricate orchids. Summit Organics sell mixed bunches if you can’t decide on a particular type; joyous assemblies of

better, less murky, and also changes the texture of the cocktail so you’re drinking a completely clear cocktail. Overall, the look of the cocktail is minimalist and elegant; I just cut a small coin from the cactus leaf and put that on top of a clear ice cube as a garnish. It’s a bit

vibrance interspersed with fernery and greenery, as well as natives. At Glenyce Creighton’s stall she has artistic arrangements of fern fronds amidst natives, languid palm leaves, heliconias and bird-of-paradise.

Chocolates are another Valentine’s essential and Sarah Wheeler’s organic Puremelt selection includes her vegan Love Bites, heartshaped mouthfuls of chewy, nutty indulgence. Flowers, candles, chocolates – there’s

fussy to make at home, especially the process of blanching the cactus, blending and clarifying, but the result was pretty good!’

But will the cocktail make the cut and join the ten ‘signature’ cocktails that complement dozens of ‘classics’ at the busy bar? Well, no – as apparently the process of creating a cocktail list involves a lot more than drinking them or, dare I say, writing about them.

‘Will it make our cocktail list?’ Jono laughs. ‘The whole team, even past bartenders, have had input into that list, and it tends to respond to the crowd – at the moment we feature easy-drinking hot weather cocktails, but we also have some more serious drinks for the connoisseurs; I try to make it a versatile list, so that most people coming in find something that they enjoy. Because of the large number of customers, we get a lot of feedback about what people like, but we also have a lot of sales data, which we review on a regular basis to make sure we’ve got the mix right. Whilst we have wines and beers, cocktails are our most popular drink – I think

Valentine’s Day organised!

Byron Bay Blue Lotus, Ahana Candles, Puremelt Chocolate, Jumping Red Ant, Summit Organics and Glenyce Creighton are all at Mullumbimby Farmers Market – every Friday from 7–11am.

Summit Organics, Jumping Red Ant and Glenyce Creighton are also at New Brighton Farmers Market, every Tuesday from 8–11am.

it also has something to do with their presentation; they look more exciting on your social media feed than a glass of pinot noir!’

Since ‘serious cocktail’ is something of an oxymoron, I’m sure that while ‘Drop of the Desert’ may prove elusive for now, that won’t trouble too many people in the party mood this summer.

loftbyronbay.com.au

Open: Mon–Fri 4pm–late; Sat & Sun noon–late.

Above: One for the connoisseurs: Jono with his elusive ‘Drop of the Desert’, a ‘serious cocktail’ that tastes even better than it looks on Instagram. Right: More cocktails from Loft – if you want a tough assignment try tasting these to see if they’re as good as they look.

Liz Lualdi and Igor Vujica from Byron Bay Blue Lotus.

Issue# 37.35

February 8–14, 2023

Editor: Eve Jeffery

Editorial/gigs: gigs@echo.net.au

Copy deadline: 5pm each Friday

Advertising: adcopy@echo.net.au

P: 02 6684 1777

W: echo.net.au/entertainment

STEVE EARLE WHAT A PEARL

Steve Earle is not a fluffball of peace, light and unicorns, though he wears his heart on his sleeve – and his jacket and his jeans. It can get messy. And at 68 his work isn’t getting any fluffier. Husband to six wives (one twice-married) and with three sons (his firstborn, Justin Towns Earle, died tragically in 2020), telling it like it is, both personally and professionally makes his work some of the most important in modern music history – Seven recently spoke to Steve at home in New York about life and his preparations for Bluesfest.

Your son John Henry is almost a teenager – how is fatherhood treating you these days?

Well, I’m a single dad nine months of the year. I tour in the summers for the most part, except for odd trips, like Australia – it actually coincides with his spring break. He’s been in this school since he was three – there’s nothing for kids with autism in Tennessee.

Last time we spoke you said you were supporting Bernie Sanders for that election cycle. How is the current political situation going?

I’m a pretty hardcore lefty. But in fact, I joined the Democratic Party for the very first time so I could support Sanders in that last election cycle. I knew it was gonna be better for everybody if he had a shot. He had enough support. I don’t know whether he could have won or not. I had a feeling that he wouldn’t get the nomination, but he came very close and it did make a difference. In this cycle, I supported Joe Biden from day one and I pissed a lot of my very, very left-leaning friends off. It’s not that my politics changed. I just thought we had to get Trump out of there.

You told me once before your best songwriting tip was to keep your ears open and not wear headphones on the subway. Does that still apply?

I haven’t been on the subway for a long time just because it got spooky. It was just because so many people that were on the street moved into the subways and they were kind of preying on each other. Me alone was one thing, but riding with John Henry was spooking me. It got dangerous, it’s still more dangerous than it was – but now it’s improving slowly but surely.

7 DAYS OF ENTERTAINMENT

The big question I have is, in what ways has the loss of Justin changed your world view?

I set my memoir aside because it was largely a book about recovery. I’ve been working on it for years and Justin dying of an overdose of fentanyl changed that book. It’s a big hole I get to walk around in for the rest of my life. It’s not gonna get better. It’s not supposed to. You have to just accept that. You know, people will say the one thing that you should never have to do is bury your child, but that’s kind of bullshit. Somebody’s doing it every day. I’ve tried to keep that in mind as well. It’s just sort of disrespectful to think it’s something that’s only happened to you.

Has your creative process bent to the will of your grief?

I wrote one song, which is on the last record, right after he passed away. I’m a different person than I was before I lost my firstborn son. Just like I’m a different person than I was before I got sober, and a different person than before I moved to New York when I was 50 years old. All those things are kind of landmarks and they do change you. I write – that’s what I do. You know, that’s the only way I can kind of justify the space I take up. What are you looking forward to seeing this year in Byron?

It’s my favourite festival in the world – in a tie with Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (a festival held in the fall in San Francisco). But Byron is a great place to be for that three or four days. I’ve done some of the best shows I’ve ever done there. I’ve done it solo, and with bands, and there are always great audiences, they’re there for music. Byron’s my kind of town – every dog has a bandana. Find out more about Steve Earle and other great sets coming your way at: www.bluesfest.com.au.

SYDNEY’S HOTTEST MEN IN THEIR BRAND-NEW SHOW – LIVE ON STAGE @ MULLUM EX-SERVICES!

Welcome to the best hen’s night, bachelorette party or ultimate girls’ night out. Get frocked up and come out for a girl’s night out, with strippers from London, Vegas, Rio, Barcelona, and Sydney. The current Sydney Hotshots show includes some of the sexiest men on stage.

The hunks from Sydney Hotshots are set to sizzle and seduce you for one night only live at Mullum Ex-Services Club, Friday 17 February 8pm (strictly 18+).

Aside from their performers’ well-toned and ripped bodies, the Sydney Hotshots show is also renowned for its high-powered dance routines, spectacular lighting, unique costumes, and for blending sex appeal with humour, games, and big... personalities. Their brand-new show is a two-hour, nonstop exciting male cabaret show touring Australia now. With all new choreography, a wide range of hit music and classic cameos that include the Hot as Hell Fireman, the sensual and sensitive Officer and a Gentleman, the ‘Lock Me Up’ Policeman, the Special Forces SWAT Team and more. Get out, get naughty and let the cocktails wash over you.

Tickets from $35 + BF online or at Club reception www.mullumexservices.com.au/what-s-on

FLOW MUSIC PRESENTS: BYRON BAY

Let’s connect the world as one, with the love in our hearts, to the beat of the drum. After the magic of their Portal event in December, Flow Music invites you to gather together once again on the dance floor for a night of festival alchemy.

Featuring some of Europe’s biggest and most respected names in the electronic music scene, Flow Music will be delivering the European festival scene to Australia and create that much-loved vibe again at the Byron Bay Community Centre

The theatre will be transformed into a festival wonderland, with pre-show entertainment from 6pm, including body and face painting by donation, incredible dancers from Epic Creations, lighting by Tone from Crystal Grid and decor by Bare Foot Beat

Leading the musical charge will be melodic maverick Seth Schwarz who will be bringing his mighty bangers of symphonic dimensions to town. Seth incorporates elements of house, techno and electronica, while improvising with his violin for an emotional imprint, creating a unique signature on the virtual world of sound. His powerful productions have been moving dance floor communities across the world.

Fellow German, Franca, is set to heat things up with energetic, creative and groove-driven DJ sets. Playing on the fringes of techno and house, she is as tight on the controls as she is playful in her storytelling. Franca’s devoted approach to her work cannot only be heard in her continuing development as a DJ but also in her rising qualities as a producer.

We also welcome Dutch native, Joep Mencke, whose deep and melodious tracks, intertwined with organic sounds of nature, create a compelling and explorative experience. His sets at Burning Man, The Gardens of Babylon, Moga Festival and Afrikaburn, alongside his club residency at KUN in Istanbul, epitomise how his music radiates happiness, bringing people together across the globe.

Melbourne-cum-Amsterdam local, Deep Ghosh, is no stranger to expressing himself in the global music world, with selections of unabashed love of emotional, vocal melodies juxtaposed with the deeper end of the sonic spectrum. Deep is one of the curators of the Flow Sessions long-format mix series.

Flow Music is so excited to bring these headliners to Byron on the last stop of their Australian journey, which started at the wonder-filled Festival 23, then travelled south to move audiences in Sydney and Melbourne.

Music connects us all, from Europe to Australia to Indonesia, and back again. So let’s come a little closer to each other and set our souls alight as one on the dance floor. Saturday, 6.30pm at the Byron Theatre. Tickets: byroncentre.com.au.

Flickerfest returns to the Northern Rivers for it’s 26th year screening a smorgasbord of the best short films from the Byron region, Australia and the world, across four amazing sessions in one cinema-packed short-film weekend. All films are handpicked from a record 3200 entries, promising our Northern Rivers audiences an entertaining journey through the most remarkable short films in the world today

THURSDAY 16th February

7pm: Opening Night Gala

Includes complimentary drinks from Four Pillars Gin, Gage Roads Beer, Rosnay Organic Wine , PS Organic Juices & snacks on arrival before the Opening Night screening.

8pm: Best Of International Shorts Flickerfest is thrilled to present its Best of International Shorts programme, a selection of stunning film gems from our Academy® Qualifying and BAFTA recognised competition in Bondi. Highlights include the Australian premieres of the delightful Canadian Animation ‘The Flying Sailor’ and the masterful Danish Inuit drama ‘IVALU’ both recently nominated for an Oscar and the heart warming and uplifting UK comedy ‘Dream Big’ about a women who finds her power in mysterious ways.

FRIDAY 17th February

8pm: Best of Australian Shorts celebrates a diverse range of stories from across Australia that honour our unique identity and culture.

Selected from our Academy® Qualifying Australian competition in Bondi. Highlights include: the colourful and insightful Torres Strait cultural drama Katele (Mudskipper) about a woman longing for home, winner of Best Australian Short Film at Flickerfest 2023, the moving Teacups, based on an incredible true story, winner of Best Australian Animation: and two outstanding Northern Rivers’ films fresh from their Flickerfest premiere Bangay Lore by director Jahvis Loveda, and Six Of One by director Minka Bleakley.

Celebrating 26 years as National Flickerfest Festival Director in 2023 and 32 years of Flickerfest , Bronwyn Kidd says, “I’m always excited to be bringing Flickerfest home to the Northern Rivers where I live. The films we are presenting are clever, soulful, insightful, moving and funny and I think they will really resonate with our local audiences. Our Bangalow Flickerfest and Byron All Shorts weekend is for people of all ages who love cinema and great stories and want to celebrate the best of short cinema with other local cinema lovers, in a fun and welcoming festival environment.”

Info & tickets: Tickets and programme: www.iQ.org.au (booking is recommended, tix at the door subject to availability).

SATURDAY 18th February

4pm: Byron All Shorts returning for the 18th year presenting the Best of Northern Rivers’ Shorts; encouraging local audiences to experience the many amazing films and local stories that are produced on a range themes in the region each year. 14 incredible local short films will screen in competition for a range of prizes, and the filmmakers will be along to engage with audiences before and after the session.

8pm: Short Laughs Comedy Is an evening of joy with clever comedy from Australia and across the world. Highlights include the delightfully heartywarming French comedy romance, Born To Cry where a man confronts his fears and gets the girl, alongside an incredible band of followers, winner of Best International Short Film at Flickerfest 2023; and the stunning Australian animation An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It, just nominated for an Oscar for Short Animation.

Flickerfest Bangalow & Byron All Shorts is a fundraiser for The Island Quarry Reserve. The Flickerfest Cafe Bangalow A&i Hall opens 1 hour before sessions serving delicious treats & drinks.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN (PIANO) ADVENTURE

Award-winning pianist Andrea Lam throws open the doors to an interactive, ever-changing experience with Choose Your Own (Piano) Adventure

The audience ‘chooses its own musical adventure’ determining the playlist from a selection of works by composers ranging from J. S. Bach, Frederic Chopin and Claude Debussy to George Gershwin, Bill Evans – and more. A list of musical choices will be made available on the day, and audience members can submit their choices via their phone.

Interwoven through the concert, Lam performs Schubert’s breathtaking ‘Sonata in A major, D. 95’. This large-scale work encapsulates beauty, nostalgia, grandeur, intimacy, melancholy, joy, stillness and whimsy – all of the elements explored through the audience’s selection of works, whichever they will be.

Pronounced a ‘real talent’ by the Wall Street Journal, New York-based Australian pianist, Andrea Lam, performs with orchestras and leading conductors in Australasia, Japan, China and the United States, including the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and all major Australian symphony orchestras. From New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to the Sydney Opera House, she has played for Sydney Festival, Musica Viva’s Huntington Festival (Australia), Orford Festival (Canada), Chelsea Music Festival (USA) with works from Bach, Schumann and Chopin to Aaron Jay Kernis, Lilya Ugay, and Nigel Westlake.

See this exciting show on Sunday 19 February at 3pm at the Byron Theatre. Tickets: byroncentre.com.au.

Could you be BayFM’s next Station Manager?

Put yourself at the heart of BayFM Community Radio – Australia’s most awarded station in 2022. You’ll need experience in broadcast radio management and strong tech skills. This permanent part-time role is twenty hours a week and is as

Pay rates are in line with the responsibilities involved. Email president@bayfm.org today for a full job description.

bayfm.org

CELEBRATING LOVE

The Paddock Project is hosting a (pre) Valentine’s Day picnic at the home of the giant LOVE sign that welcomes everyone to Mullumbimby. The LOVE sign has set the tone for all visitors and locals who pass by on their way into town and has probably been the most photographed local influencer for the past three years.

The LOVE sign has taken its share of beatings with the extreme weather events of late; it is miraculously still standing, however, as it was not built for outside living it is slowly showing signs of ageing. Rather than letting LOVE die, the Paddock people have decided to have it remade in a more permanent material and will host a Family Fun Day to give the community the opportunity to help raise money to remake the LOVE sign.

The event will have music from 9am with Jay Squidge, Tony and the Thief, Zac Cracka Laka, Mia Bloom and Sophie Wilksch

Visitors will have the opportunity to walk through the gardens and pick flowers to make their own arrangements, with two florists on hand to assist. There will be face painting, art and craft stalls, an art display, and workshops. Photographs will be taken of young, old and new lovers at the LOVE sign and the kiosk will be serving a special menu and more.

Come and join in for this LOVEly community event.  Saturday at 64 Argyle St, Mullumbimby from 9am to 3pm.

A BIG MONTH IN THE HOUSE

There’s a lot of awesome stuff happening at Brunswick Picture House this month – coming soon is Wil Anderson’s Whatchu Talkin’ ‘Bout Wil?  He’s back with an all new night of laughs – this is a completely improvised night of stand-up comedy. Every show is completely different, made up on the spot with the help of the audience. ‘Savage intelligence and rapid-fire riffing…’ according to Time Out Magazine

Wednesday, 15 February at 7pm.

After releasing three hit albums with Killing Heidi, Ella Hooper embarked on her solo career. Her forthcoming album, Small Town Temple has been hailed as a new beginning, showcasing Ella’s deeply personal songwriting.

Thursday 16 February at 7pm.

Grab your tickets fast for Libby Donovan. A powerful vocalist and sassy cabaret performer, Libby will take you on a retrospective journey, celebrating the high notes, big hair and fashion moments of her 20-year career.

Saturday 18 February at 7pm.

Back by popular demand is the Moontide Ensemble in their farewell show before heading overseas. The Moontide Ensemble returns to the Brunswick Picture House to perform their highly regarded audiovisual show. This performance, which is largely improvised, offers a glimpse beyond the veil of Moontide’s previous productions along with other unreleased material.

Friday 24 February at 7pm.

Book tickets for all of these shows now through brunswickpicturehouse.com.

GIG GUIDE

It’s free to list your gigs in the gig guide. gigs@echo.net.au w: echo.net.au/gig-guide

WEDNESDAY 8

BRACKETS OPEN

THURSDAY 9

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, DAN HANNAFORD

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 3.30PM RAY RED, 8.30PM DJ SIMBA

BYRON THEATRE 7.30PM NEW BLOOD HOTEL BRUNSWICK 6PM JOSH LEE HAMILTON

BRUNSWICK HEADS PICTURE HOUSE 7PM CHEEKY CABARET

THE NORTHERN, BYRON BAY,

BEN WALSH

DRILL HALL THEATRE,

MULLUMBIMBY, 7.30PM

WHEN THE RAIN STOPS

FALLING

LENNOX HOTEL HOTEL STAGE

8PM JAM NIGHT

FRIDAY 10

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 4PM LEIGH JAMES, 8PM

MAJESTIC KNIGHTS

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6.30PM ANGUS KAFTAN, 9PM JOE MUNGOVAN

BYRON THEATRE 6.30PM

CORNERS OF THE EARTH:

KAMCHATKA

HOTEL BRUNSWICK 7.30PM

OOZ

BRUNSWICK HEADS PICTURE

HOUSE 7PM CHEEKY

CABARET

THE NORTHERN, BYRON BAY,

MATTY ROGERS, 8PM BOO

SEEKA

HOWL & MOAN, BYRON BAY, 7PM BELLIGERENT GOAT, THE SQUIDLICKERS & WILD

ROCKET

OCEAN SHORES COUNTRY

CLUB 5PM GREGG

PETERSON

YUM YUM TREE CAFE, NEW BRIGHTON, 6PM ROD

MURRAY – A TRIBUTE TO

JAZZ

WANDANA BREWING CO., MULLUMBIMBY, 4.30PM DJ

PAPA BITCHO

MIDDLE PUB, MULLUMBIMBY, 5PM KRAPEOKEEE WITH JESS

DRILL HALL THEATRE, MULLUMBIMBY, 7.30PM WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING

TINTENBAR HALL 7.30PM

TINTENBAR UP FRONT

STAR COURT THEATRE, LISMORE, 7.30PM COMEDY

COMMUNE SUMMER GALA

THE CITADEL, MURWILLUMBAH, 6PM GREENS LAUNCH

ADAM4LISMORE MATT GREEN BAND, JIMMY

DOWLING AND ASH BELL AND MC MANDY NOLAN

KINGSCLIFF BEACH BOWLS

6PM BILL JACOBI

KINGSCLIFF BEACH HOTEL

7PM PRESTON

SEAGULLS, TWEED HEADS, 6PM MARK REDMAYNE

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 8PM

JERSEY GUYS

LENNOX HOTEL HOTEL STAGE

8.30PM CHEEKY BEVS DJS

COOLANGATTA HOTEL

9.30PM NO DOUBT ABOUT GWEN

SATURDAY 11

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 8PM THE WHISKEYS

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY,

12.30PM LUKE HAYWARD,

3.30PM KALAKARI

BYRON THEATRE 6.30PM

FLOW MUSIC PRESENTS –

BYRON BAY

HOTEL BRUNSWICK 2PM

JASON DELPHIN, 7.30PM

MINNIE MARKS

THE NORTHERN, BYRON

BAY, KANE MUIR, 8PM KYLE

LIONHART

BYRON TWILIGHT MARKET

5PM GUY KACHEL THE PADDOCK PROJECT, MULLUMBIMBY, 9AM THE

FAMILY FUN DAY FEAT JAY

SQUIDGE, TONY AND THE

THIEF, ZAC CRACKA LAKA, MIA BLOOM & SOPHIE

WILKSCH

WANDANA BREWING CO., MULLUMBIMBY, 4.30PM DJ ABEL TORO

DRILL HALL THEATRE, MULLUMBIMBY, 7.30PM WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING

BALLINA RSL BOARDWALK

6.30PM DENNIS WILSON

ELTHAM HOTEL 7PM M WARD

KINGSCLIFF BEACH BOWLS

6PM NATHAN KAYE

SEAGULLS, TWEED HEADS, 6.30PM LONE WOLF

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 8PM

PIANO MEN

LENNOX HEAD

SUNDAY 12

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, THE SWAMP CATS

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 12.30PM LEO VINE, 4.30PM

LATE FOR WOODSTOCK

HOTEL BRUNSWICK 4PM

PAUL GEORGE AND JASON

JANUS

BRUNSWICK HEADS PICTURE

HOUSE 6PM CHEEKY

CABARET

THE NORTHERN, BYRON BAY, THE VERSACE BOYS MIDDLE PUB, MULLUMBIMBY, 3PM OPEN MIC WITH THE SWAMP CATS

WANDANA BREWING CO., MULLUMBIMBY, 4PM OPEN MIC HOSTED BY JACK CAVE DRILL HALL THEATRE, MULLUMBIMBY, 5PM WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING

SHAWS BAY HOTEL, BALLINA, 2PM SHAWS BAY SUNDAY SESSIONS FT MAJESTIC KNIGHTS

BALLINA RSL LEVEL ONE

2PM EVERLY BROTHERS & BUDDY HOLLY SENIORS

SHOW

ELTHAM HOTEL 7PM

M WARD

SEAGULLS, TWEED HEADS, 1PM BRAD BLANC

LENNOX COMMUNITY MARKET 9AM ANIMAL VENTURA

DUNOON SPORTS CLUB 4PM

OPEN MIC

MONDAY 13

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, GUY KACHEL

TUESDAY 14

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, JOCK BARNES

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6.30PM JEROME & GABBY BYRON THEATRE 7.15PM

VAGINA CONVERSATIONS

#8 PRESENTED BY ZENITH VIRAGO & BYRON THEATRE

WEDNESDAY 15

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, BEN WALSH BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6PM JORDAN MAC

BYRON THEATRE 7.15PM

VAGINA CONVERSATIONS

#8 PRESENTED BY ZENITH VIRAGO & BYRON THEATRE BRUNSWICK HEADS PICTURE HOUSE 7PM WIL ANDERSON – WHATCHU TALKIN’ ‘BOUT WIL?

BANGALOW BOWLO 7.30PM

BANGALOW BRACKETS

OPEN MIC

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

At the tail end of the Irish Civil War in 1923, on the fictional Irish isle of Inisherin, folk musician Colm Doherty abruptly begins ignoring his lifelong friend and drinking buddy Pádraic Súilleabháin. Pádraic, though nice and well liked by the islanders, is too ‘dull’ for Colm, who wishes to spend the remainder of his life composing music and doing things for which he will be remembered.

Pádraic’s life is destabilised by the loss of one of his few friends; as Pádraic grows increasingly distressed at the rejection, Colm becomes more resistant to his old friend’s attempts to speak to him. Colm eventually gives Pádraic an ultimatum: every time Pádraic bothers him or tries to talk with him, Colm will cut off one of his own left fingers with a pair of sheep shears.

The local garda, (policeman) Peadar, beats his troubled son, Dominic severely, and Pádraic and his sister, Siobhán, take Dominic, in for a short time. Later, in the pub, Peadar insults Pádraic, who retaliates by making public the fact that he beats his son and sexually abuses him as well.

After Pádraic delivers milk to the market, Peadar accosts him and strikes

him twice, knocking him to the ground nearly unconscious. Colm witnesses this. Wordlessly he lifts Pádraic back into his wagon and drives it back toward their homes. On the way, Pádraic breaks down sobbing. Colm pulls the wagon to a stop at a fork in the road, and gets

out to walk down the right path toward his house, leaving Pádraic to guide his wagon along the left path to his own.

What happens to this strange friendship?

Find out at Ballina Fair and Palace Cinemas this week.

BALLINA FAIR CINEMAS

Mungo’s Crossword N477

Nicessism Disorder

Cryptic Clues

ACROSS

1. One new act – alternative, but not outside (6)

4. Little groveller – and a bad writer (8)

9. Shit – a long time in jail (7)

11. Herb returns with Royal Australian Regiment to Krypton, perhaps (4,3)

12. I complain, going back to feminist West (5)

13. Restrain army unit? No, make it stronger (9)

14. Old means of transport for drama trainer (10)

16. Boss of horse farm (4)

19. Cunning vault (4)

20. Mad moon starer also looks at stars (9)

22. Led potboy astray to A or B, perhaps (5,4)

23. English chop, off for a long time (5)

25. Turn support around Saint – a mark of rank (7)

26. Distinguishing characteristic with nothing – a right rat (7)

27. Balls magazine – could mean extra money! (8)

28. Bug and insect – let go! (6) DOWN

1. A nation, one’s inside another (9)

2. Ernie to leave after a row (5)

3. Partial to Mobius strip? (3-5)

5. Heart attack in vehicle 499 including Australian – stop! (7,6)

6. Publicity break off course (6)

7. Algorithm break down into another mathematical function (9)

8. Batty, ascended around Italian (5)

10. Uneasy organisation – but it keeps the body working! (7,6)

15. Each organ transplant in Alaskan city (9)

17. Unlikely starter – could be a nightmare! (4,5)

18. Bet on meeting – and sign it off in advance (8)

21. Theologian included in ransacked loot – found in an auction! (3,3)

22. Exist, overturn – good Spanish (5)

24. A hundred found in shonky betting shop group (5)

STARS

BY LILITH

Quick Clues

ACROSS

1. Within a building (6)

4. Scribbler (8)

9. Prison cell (7)

11. Noble gas (4,3)

12. American author … Wolf (5)

13. Fortify (9)

14. Horse-drawn carriage (10)

16. Hunk (4)

19. Span (4)

20. Uranologist (9)

22. Must be known before a transfusion (5,4)

23. Era (5)

25. Ornamental shoulder piece (7)

26. Backstabber (7)

27. Work in addition to regular hours (8)

28. Scarab; cockroach (6)

DOWN

1. Our Asian neighbour (9)

2. Native Australian dog (5)

3. Biased (3-5)

5. Acute coronary syndrome (7,6)

6. Unmoored (6)

7. A number expressed as a power of a chosen base (9)

8. American comedian … O’Donnell (5)

10. The brain, spinal cord and nerves (7,6)

15. Harbour (9)

17. An unexpected winner (4,5)

18. Precede in time; come before (8)

21. An incomplete or random group (3,3)

22. All right (Spanish) (5)

24. Eight musicians (5)

Last week’s solution N476

IMPOSSIBLEPAGE MATANOR PASTORALINTUIT ASUAGEM READMONUMENTAL TTPCATC ISOSCELESWILES ATTORAP LIBRAAFTERLIFE MUCTDTE BANGLADESHICED GGNREHI TILLEDREALTIME NEIODES MESSDARKSECRET

I have a disorder that is incompatible with living a comfortable life in the current system. Unfortunately it’s becoming less common, but there are people living in your street who will have it. Maybe even your friends, or someone in your family. Maybe you. It’s my deep shame. It’s why I will never be rich and successful. But probably why I am so deeply happy and why I am so full of love and care for other humans.

I have nicessism

It’s defined by having no sense of entitlement, too much empathy and a failure to enjoy what you have without an awareness and a sense of responsibility for the suffering of others. It makes surviving in our capitalist system almost impossible. In fact a nicessist is completely at odds with the ‘take, take, take!’ approach encouraged by our economic model.

Nicessism makes you acutely aware of the impact of your choices on other people. It tells you that you can make a difference, and you should, and that profits don’t come before people. Nicessism is why my husband and I will work until we die. Nicessism is exhausting; if you see something you must act – you cannot close your eyes to what is needed. When someone calls for volunteers you must step up. When someone is in need you must give. It’s a constant sense of connection and responsibility. You cannot take the parking spots of other people, even if you saw them first. You cannot drive past a hitchhiker if you have a space in the car. You cannot see someone fall, and not stop to help them up.

Nicessists don’t put their seat back when they are on a short domestic flight. They are aware of the discomfort of others. Just because there is a button doesn’t mean you are entitled to use it.

ARIES: While Jupiter’s feel-good vibes won’t heal unresolved issues, they will boost the benefits of Chiron in your passionista sign to soften the scar tissue of the past and reopen your tender heart. Jupiter and Uranus are currently urging you feed and nurture yourself with more joy, creativity and adventures into exciting new territory.

TAURUS: Taurean Jean Houston, says it best for this week: ‘Now is the time we must live as if we and all of life is sacred, as if everything we do makes a difference. The ecological crisis is doing what no other crisis in history has ever done: challenging us to a realisation of a new humanity.’

GEMINI: Gemini Shakespearean actor and British national treasure, Sir Ian McKellen, has an easily accessible approach for Valentine’s, and every other, day, which is just to address everyone as ‘love’. Check out tinyurl.com/3s9sp4d8 for his full story.

Nicessists don’t take the last cupcake. They go without.

Nicessists give their time. When they are asked to help they say, ‘Yes’. So they get asked to help all the time. This gives them less time to make money. Which they are shit at anyway. They can’t invest in anything unethical so they suck at the stockmarket.

Nicessists tend to work as teachers, nurses, paramedics or in aged care. Places where they do 16-hour shifts and don’t get paid properly. And when they complain no one listens because everyone knows they are niceissists and they’ll keep doing it until they burn out and die.

Nicessists don’t feel okay about 26 January being Australia Day. They don’t fly the Aussie flag on their front lawn.

Nicessists aren’t comfortable with offshore detention. They are appalled that we are the only country that does this and that people are suffering because our government prefers to argue about things like ‘jurisdiction’ instead of focusing on things like ‘humanity’.

Nicessists can’t destroy forests for mining or for profit-driven development of any sort. They know there are better solutions. They will tie themselves to trees and stop traffic. They will face imprisonment under NSW protest laws.

Nicessists can’t buy investment properties and put them on the short-term holiday market. Even though the financial return might benefit them, they think about things like: ‘Would I like to have people on holidays having parties night after

CANCER: From Cancerian Anthony Bourdain: ‘Eat at a local restaurant tonight. Get the cream sauce... eat an oyster… Be open to a world where you may not understand or agree with the person next to you, but have a drink with them anyways. Tip your server. Check in on your friends. Check in on yourself. Enjoy the ride.’

LEO: While sweets and flowers are traditional Valentine’s gifts, a more meaningful contribution might be doing just one thing that brings extra heart to each day. In physical astrology Leo rules the heart, and nestled in the centre of that word is the organ of hearing, suggesting a simple commitment to enhanced listening might just be the answer.

VIRGO: What better love instructions for your earthy sign this week than Advice From A Tree? ‘Stand tall and proud. Go out on a limb. Remember your roots. Drink plenty of water. Be content with your natural beauty. Enjoy the view’. From Ilan Shamir, whose name means Protector of Trees.

night next door to me?’, or ‘If I use a residential house as a hotel then I am taking a house out of the market that someone could have made into a home. I’d be taking away the chances for someone else to feel security. What if a woman has to live in her car because she can’t find a rental and my home could have been hers?’.

A nicessist would see their role in the erosion of community. ‘If we don’t keep more of our houses for the community, then who will cut the oranges up for the nippers? Or coach the netball team? Or be a nurse at the local hospital?’.

Nicessists can’t buy houses in towns with the worst homelessness rates outside of a capital city and then rent them out for fast turnover profits. They don’t feel that having money and being able to do such things means that they will. In fact, they think the opposite.

Nicessists think that having money and opportunity means you should be making better decisions; more ethical ones, because you can afford to. When people who have lots of money also have Nicessism, they do some bloody incredible things. Nicessists with money are scary; if there were enough of them all over the world, they could break capitalism. That’s why the system lures the wealthy in and indoctrinates them into the mindset that allows them to justify profiteering at the expense of the environment or community. The system destroys nicessists and keeps them poor.

Capitalism hates nicessism. But fortunately for capitalism people with nicessism understand that.

LIBRA: The celestial setup on Valentine’s Day suggests balancing overthinker Mercury by relaxing your intelligence, exercising your heart muscles and treating yourself to a gift you’ve always wanted. And then extending this generosity to nearest and dearest, and even further to everyone you meet, with the gift of a kind word, encouragement or compliment.

SCORPIO: This week offers a chance to reflect on the many different kinds of relationships. While passion planet Mars fires up desires, Jupiter inspires a broader, more panoramic love picture, as described by Scorpio Kurt Vonnegut: ‘A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.’

SAGITTARIUS: From Sagittarian, Rainer Maria Rilke: ‘For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been given to us, the ultimate, the final problem and proof, the work for which all other work is merely preparation’.

CAPRICORN: This week’s day of the heart issues a challenge you might like to consider from history’s most famous Capricorn, Jesus of Nazareth: ‘Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who treat you spitefully...’ which, as anyone who’s tried it knows, isn’t the easiest call.

AQUARIUS: Mercury joining the Sun and Saturn in your communityminded sign mixes an inspired cosmic cocktail for communicating via writing or speaking to groups and organisations. And this sees you at your most entertaining and engaging. Stubborn though, so don’t neglect to exercise the flex – it’s guaranteed to attract more love.

PISCES: Valentine’s advice from Pisces actress Glenn Close: ‘I think everybody wants to connect. There is nothing worse than feeling disconnected. And stories that really move people and make people care are the ones where they feel some sort of connection. A huge part of real love is constant forgiveness’.

AQUARIUS

Whether or not you celebrate ‘Big Red Heart Day’, it’s still worth considering what love’s got to do with this week...

A nicessist is completely at odds with the ‘take, take, take!’ approach encouraged by our economic model.

MANDY NOLAN’S

+Registered in September 2022, this block is ready for new owners to proceed with their building plans

+The elevated position offers panoramic rural & water views with a 16m north-facing street frontage

+This 480m2 blank slate provides an abundance of potential - build a dual-storey home, landscape and add a pool!

+Sought-after, family-friendly estate with quality homes, wide streets and great walking paths for the fitness enthusiast

+The quiet & private location is only 10 mins to Ballina CBD, beaches & airport. Byron Bay is an easy 20 mins away!

Thank You!

- Joy Pointon-Wales

Laine Palmer Gail Beohm Rachael Jenkins Katrina Beohm Chris Plim Sarah Gaggin Emily Hughes

Mr Property Services

Grand Home on Large Block with Separate Studio

•Main residence has retained many ornate features – high ceilings, timber floors, stained-glass windows, fireplaces and has multiple large living rooms

•A separate and private self-contained studio complete with kitchen, ensuite and private outdoor area

•The spacious yard is framed by established gardens and tall trees giving a great sense of privacy

•Centrally located within walking distance to Mullumbimby town centre

•There is also an outdoor firepit which takes entertaining to the next level

6

Avenue, Mullumbimby

Price Guide: Contact Agent

Spacious and Private Family Home with Separate Studio

3 1 3 1,174M 2

•The property sits on a large residential piece of land surrounded by greenery

•The main residence features an open floorplan with timber flooring, pitched ceilings and an abundance of natural sunlight filtering throughout the home

•Featured is a covered outdoor entertaining area, with a lush greenery outlook

•An additional bonus is the separate studio with a spacious floorplan and loft

•Conveniently located just 7 minutes to Byron Township and beaches

7 Tristania Place, Byron Bay

Online Timed Auction – Starting Bid $1.5M

Open: Saturday, 11th February 11–11.30am

Paul Banister 0438 856 552 Scan QR

35 FLETCHER ST, BYRON BAY NSW 2481

PH: O2 6685 8466

Charming Bangalow Cottage with Modern, Stylish Finishes

3 2 2 649M 2

•The open plan living space features a seamless transition to the undercover timber deck, which is the perfect place to entertain with family and friends

•The stylish, spacious kitchen has quality modern appliances with gas cooktop, pantry and plenty of storage

•Outdoors features a hardwood vegetable garden and fully fenced, level yard

•Short distance from lovely Bangalow village, public school and sports fields

34 Parrot Tree Place, Bangalow

Online Timed Auction – Starting Bid $1.25M

Open: Saturday, 11th February 9–9.30am

•The home consists of 2 spacious bedrooms, a sunroom, home office, dining and living and an updated kitchen with gas cooking and ample storage

• This stunning cottage features hardwood timber flooring and VJ walls throughout

• Large level yard with lush garden surrounds that enjoys peace and privacy

• An added bonus is the separate studio room which offers endless opportunity

• Only a short drive to Brunswick Head beaches and 30 minutes to Byron Bay

891 Main Arm Road, Main Arm

Price Guide: $1m – $1.1m

Paul Prior 0418 324 297

Tranquil,

• Open-plan living and generous mixed hardwood decking with amazing vistas and undercover areas promotes outdoor living and makes this home special

• The home has very solid bones which makes updating easy (STCA)

• Featured is a giant rumpus room with private deck access and a sink

• Double garage with internal access, garden sheds and caravan site

61 Robinsons Road, Wilsons Creek

3 4 2 3.45HA Tara Torkkola 0423 519 698

We would love to meet you!

First National Byron are looking to expand our team. We have several opportunities available to work alongside experienced, award winning sales agents and administration teams. Positions will suit passionate individuals with local knowledge, who are motivated, organised, have great communication skills, and strong attention to detail.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS

DO YOU POSSESS THE FOLLOWING SKILLS?

• Ability to plan and prioritise

• Ability to implement processes and streamline systems

• Highly developed written, verbal, administration and computer skills

• Minimum 2 years recent experience in administration

• Current certificate of registration is desirable

SALES ADMINISTRATION TRAINEES

DO YOU POSSESS THE FOLLOWING ATTRIBUTES?

• The desire for a career within the real estate industry

• Commitment to providing excellent service to our clients

• Attention to detail and accuracy

• Good written, verbal, administration and computer skills

• The ability to work within a strong team environment

• Current certificate of registration is desirable

We provide a great work culture with strong support and training from experienced colleagues. Please email your interest and resume to sales@byronbayfn.com.au

www.byronbayfn.com

Skennars Head 36 Surf Avenue

The Morning Surf Awaits!

This newly completed Hampton style 5 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom, 3 lounge home highlights the relaxed seaside village lifestyle the Aureus development seeks to promote. With its vast, breathtaking ocean vista approach, it’s no wonder that new land releases at Aureus are sellouts. Here is your chance to move in immediately and enjoy a spacious finished home, level garden and fabulous 8 x 3m saltwater pool.

• Hampton style 5 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home highlights the relaxed seaside village lifestyle.

Northern

• Open plan living, dining and stunning kitchen with a large undercover alfresco area.

• Level garden and lawn area with fabulous 8 x 3m saltwater pool.

• Solar panels, ducted air-conditioning, high ceilings, stone bench tops.

• Perfect teenage retreat, or as an extended family or guest area.

4/4 Halyard

Crt,

Ocean Shores

Tranquille Private Location

EXECUTIVE TOWNHOUSE

A very special beachside property. The one where you get all the lifestyle, living & beach loving activities without the This executive townhouse will give you exactly that, located

AUCTION

Brunswick Heads

• 9 Newberry Parade, Brunswick Heads. Fri 3–3.30pm

• 19 Stuart Street, Mullumbimby. Fri 3.45–4.15pm

• 9 Newberry Parade, Brunswick Heads. Sat 9–9.30am

• 34 Parrot Tree Place, Bangalow. Sat 9–9.30am

• 2/10 Corkwood Crescent, Suffolk Park. Sat 9–9.30am

• 42 Brandon Street, Suffolk Park. Sat 10–10.30am

• 7 Ocean Avenue, New Brighton. Sat 10–10.30am

• 26 Oakland Court, Byron Bay. Sat 10–10.30am

• 8 Weeronga Way, Ocean Shores. Sat 10–10.30am

• 122 Paterson Street, Byron Bay. Sat 10–10.30am 61 Robinsons Road, Wilsons Creek. Sat 10.30–11am

• 103 Paterson Street, Byron Bay. Sat 10.45–11.15am

• 7 Tristania Place, Byron Bay. Sat 11–11.30am

• 16 Omega Circuit, Brunswick Heads. Sat 11–11.30am

• 132 Scarrabelottis Road, Nashua. Sat 11.30am–12pm

• 19 Stuart Street, Mullumbimby. Sat 12–12.30pm

• 6 Jubilee Avenue, Mullumbimby. Sat 12–12.30pm

• 8 Sallywattle Drive, Suffolk Park. Sat 12.30–1pm

• 891 Main Arm Road, Main Arm. Sat 12.45–1.15pm

Harcourts Northern Rivers

• 1/57–59 Cedar Crescent, East Ballina. Sat 8–8.30am

• 1/163 Tamar Street, Ballina. Sat 9–9.30am

• 6 Karalauren Court, Lennox Head. Sat 9–9.30am

7 Sweetlip Place, Ballina. Sat 9–9.30am

• 16 Hartigan Street, Cumbalum. Sat 10–10.30am

• 9 Richmond Street, Wardell. Sat 10–10.30am

• 36 Surf Avenue, Skennars Head. Sat 10–10.45am

• 3 Jabiru Place, East Ballina. Sat 10–10.30am 950 Pimlico Road, Pimlico. Sat 10.45–11.15am

• 24 Farrelly Avenue, Cumbalum. Sat 11–11.30am

distance to unspoilt white sandy beaches of the Byron shire. No expense spared on the fixtures & fittings this is a must for the astute, who loves the beach & Byron shire lifestyle or invest for the future. The property is proposed for Auction if not sold before.

• 59 Dolphin Drive, West Ballina. Sat 12–12.30pm

• 20 Earls Court, Goonellabah. Sat 12–12.30pm

• 3/5 Henry Philp Avenue, Ballina. Sat 12–12.30pm 4 Quail Place, West Ballina. Sat 1–1.30pm

• 2/14 Patricia Parade, Lennox Head. Sat 1.15–1.45pm

• 731 Teven Road, Teven. Sat 2–2.30pm

• 59 Richmond Hill Road, Richmond Hill. Sat 2.15–2.45pm

LJ Hooker Brunswick Heads

• 3 Garden Avenue, Mullumbimby. Fri 11–11.30am

• 3 Garden Avenue, Mullumbimby. Sat 11–11.30am

• 4/4 Halyard Court, Ocean Shores. Sat 11–11.30am

MANA Real Estate

• 351 Zara Road, Zara . Thu by appointment

• 4/2 Nunyer Court, Ocean Shores. Sat 9–9.30am

• 1477 Kyogle Road, Uki. Sat 9.30–10am

• 1/3 Halyard Court, Ocean Shores. Sat 10–10.30am

• 5 Phillip Street, South Golden Beach. Sat 10–10.30am

• 63 Castle Field Drive, Murwillumbah. Sat 10.30–11am

• 9 Galleon Lane, Brunswick Heads. Sat 11–11.30am

McGrath Byron Bay

• 35 Belongil Crescent, Byron Bay. Wed 4.30–5pm 30 Marvell Street, Byron Bay. Thu 11–11.30am

• 2 Elkhorn Place, Bangalow. Thu 11–11.30am

• 35 Belongil Crescent, Byron Bay. Sat 9–9.30am

• 56 Parrot Tree Place, Bangalow. Sat 10–10.30am

• 13 Brushbox Drive, Mullumbimby Creek. Sat 11–11.30am

• 2 Elkhorn Place, Bangalow. Sat 11–11.30am 30 Marvell Street, Byron Bay. Sat 12–12.30pm

• 1 Wright Place, Byron Bay. Sat 12.45–1.15pm

North Coast Lifestyle Properties Brunswick Heads

• 19 Grevillea Avenue, Mullumbimby. Sat 10–10.30am

• 6 Yamble Drive, Ocean Shores. Sat 10–10.30am

1/16 Helen Street, South Golden Beach. Sat 11–11.45am

North Coast Lifestyle Properties Mullumbimby

• 15 Clifford Street, South Golden Beach. Sat 10–10.45am

• 1 Willow Tree Drive, Chilcotts Grass. Sat 11–11.45am

Ray White Byron Bay

• 109–111 Broken Head Road, Suffolk Park. Thu 2.30–3pm

• 20 Cavvanbah Street, Byron Bay. Thu 4–4.30pm

• 20 Cavvanbah Street, Byron Bay. Fri 1.30–2pm

• 1/10 Corkwood Crescent, Suffolk Park. Sat 9–9.30am

• 3/14 Sunrise Boulevard, Byron Bay. Sat 10–10.30am

• 4/19 Julian Rocks Drive, Byron Bay. Sat 10–10.30am

• 65 Currawong Way, Ewingsdale. Sat 11–11.30am

• 18 Kiyung Court, Ocean Shores. Sat 12–12.30pm

• 13/146 Old Bangalow Road, Byron Bay. Sat 12.30–1pm

• 36–38 Benloro Lane, Myocum. Sat 12.30–1pm

• 2/4 Hazelwood Close, Suffolk Park. Sat 1.15pm–1.45pm

• 109–111 Broken Head Road, Suffolk Park. Sat 1.30–2pm

Ray White Rural Bangalow

• 9 Kurrajong Street, Mullumbimby. 9–9.30am

• 37 Clover Hill Circuit, Bangalow. Sat 10–10.30am

• 259 Arthur Road, Dorroughby. Sat 11–11.30am

Real Estate of Distinction

• 454 Crabbes Creek Road, Crabbes Creek. Sat 10.30–11.15am

• 35–37 Edwards Lane, Kynnumboon. Sat 1–1.45pm

Ruth Russell Realty

• 110 Bayside Way, Brunswick Heads. Sat 11–11.45am

• 11 Quail Way, Mullumbimby. Sat 11–11.45am

• 76 Orana Road, Ocean Shores. Sat 12.30–1pm

Tim Miller Real Estate

5 George Street, Bangalow. Thu 12.15–12.45pm

• 5 George Street, Bangalow. Sat 10.30–11am

• 15 Main Street, Clunes. Thu 1.15–1.45pm

• 17 Ivory Curl Place, Bangalow. Sat 9–9.30am

• 8 George Street, Bangalow. Sat 9.45–10.15am

• 1098 Bangalow Road, Bexhill. Sat 11.30am–12pm

NEW LISTINGS

Byron Shire Real Estate

• 159 Shara Boulevard, Ocean Shores

• 7 Yackatoon Court Ocean Shores

AUCTIONS

Byron Shire Real Estate

• 11 Coolamon Avenue, Mullumbimby. Online auction closing 4pm Wed 15 Feb

• 3–7 Myokum Street, Mullumbimby. Online auction closing 4pm Thu 16

Service Directory

SERVICE DIRECTORY RATES, PAYMENT & DEADLINE

DEADLINE: For additions and changes to the Service Directory is 12pm Friday.

LINE ADS: $99 for 3 months or $340 for 1 year prepaid.

For line Service Directory ads email classifieds@echo.net.au.

DISPLAY ADS: $70 per week for colour display ad. Minimum 8 week booking 4 weeks prepaid.

Please supply display ads 85mm wide, 28mm high. New display ads will be placed at end of section.

For display Service Directory ads email adcopy@echo.net.au.

The Echo Service Directory is online – www.echo.net.au/service-directory

ACCOUNTS & BOOKINGS: 6684 1777 INDEX

Accountants & Bookkeepers..........41

Acupuncture.................................41

Air Conditioning & Refrigeration....41

Antennas & Installation.................41 Architects.....................................41

Automotive...................................41

Blinds, Awnings, Curtains, Shutters.41

Bricklaying....................................41

Building Trades.............................41

Bush Regen & Weed Control..........41

Carpentry & Joinery ......................41

Carpet Cleaning............................42

Chimney Sweeping........................42

Chiropractic..................................42

Cleaning.......................................42 Computer Services........................42

Concreting & Paving......................42 Decks, Patios & Extensions.............42 Dentists........................................42 Design & Drafting..........................42 Earthmoving & Excavation.............42

Electricians...................................42

Fencing.........................................42

Plumbers......................................43

Pool Services.................................43

Property Styling............................43

Removalists..................................43

Roofing.........................................44

Rubbish Removal..........................44

Self

Byron Coast Removals

The Water Filter Experts

DISCLAIMER

Advertisements placed in The Byron Shire Echo do not reflect the views or opinions of the editorial staff.

The Byron Shire Echo does not make any representations as to the accuracy or suitability of any content or information contained in advertising material nor does publication constitute in any way an endorsement by The Byron Shire Echo of the content or representations contained therein. The Byron Shire Echo does not accept any liability for the representations or promises made in paid advertisements or for any loss or damage arising from reliance on such content, representations or promises.

PUBLIC NOTICES

Dynamic Drawing

is back on every Wednesday from 15 February!

Drill Hall, Mullum. 9.30am–12.30pm. Live model and facilitation. Ph 0428132297 dynamicdrawing. com.au

SINGING GROUP FOR Fun and Frivolity

Uniting Church Hall, Brunswick Heads

Wednesday 1pm. Beginners welcome. $15 ($8 Con)   byronbaysinging.com

facebook.com/ByronBaySinging

SINGING GROUPS FOR FAMILIES KIDSONG

Uniting Church Hall, Brunswick Heads. Tuesday, 6pm. This is a family orientated class for all ages. Children 8 & up can attend alone. $10 per student/$20 per family byronbaysinging.com

facebook.com/ByronBaySinging

SINGING GROUPS FOR WOMEN CHIXONG

Tues $15 & Weds $15 ($20 both). 7pm

Beginners welcome. Brunswick Heads. byronbaysinging.com

facebook.com/ByronBaySinging

ECHO CLASSIFIEDS – 6684 1777

CLASSIFIED AD BOOKINGS

PHONE ADS

Ads may be taken by phone on 6684 1777

AT THE ECHO HEAD OFFICE

Ads can be lodged in person at the Mullum Echo office: Village Way, Stuart St, Mullumbimby

EMAIL ADS

Display classies (box ads): adcopy@echo.net.au

Line classies: classifieds@echo.net.au

Ad bookings only taken during business hours: Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm. Ads can’t be taken on the weekend. Account enquiries phone 6684 1777.

DEADLINE TUES 12PM

Publication day is Wednesday, booking deadlines are the day before publication.

RATES & PAYMENT

LINE ADS: $17.00 for the first two lines $5.00 for each extra line $17 for two lines is the minimum charge. DISPLAY ADS (with a border): $12.85 per column centimetre

These prices include GST. Cash, cheque, Mastercard or Visa Prepayment is required for all ads.

HYPNOSIS & NLP

www.wendypurdey.com

TREE SERVICES

TRADEWORK

VAGINAS #8 FEB 14 & 15

BYRON THEATRE FEB 16 M’BAH REGENT

4pm

6pm

PROF. SERVICES

THINKStrategic Town Planning and Heritage services. Specialist in preliminary feasibility assessments of sites for investors & projects. Call Nancy 0450545224

DENTURES

LOOK GOOD FEEL GOOD Free consultation. SANDRO 66805002

HEALTH Study Kinesiology

For self-care or rewarding career. FREE INTRO with Parijat Wismer 16 Feb & 1 Mar, 6.30pm. Ph 66857991 wellness.net.au

KINESIOLOGY

Clear subconscious sabotages. Reprogram patterns and beliefs. Restore vibrancy and physical health. De-stress. Ph 0403125506

SANDRA DAVEY, Reg. Pract.

HYPNOSIS & EFT

Simple and effective solutions

Anxiety, Cravings, Fears & Trauma. Maureen Bracken 0402205352

COUPLES THERAPY Online www.oztantra.com 1800 TANTRA

Learn to Meditate

Release stress and relieve anxiety with Vedic Meditation, an effortless and effective meditation technique you can practise anywhere (even if you’ve tried to meditate before without success).

Come along to a no obligation information session in Byron Bay on Monday 13th February at 6 pm. Visitthemeditationpeople.com for details and to register.

Kate is a deeply intuitive, wholehearted, compassionate &

Make profound changes in your life. Achieve personal goals and reach your true potential within every aspect of your life. Call Wendy

Leaf it to us 4x4 truck/chipper, crane truck, stump grinding. Local, qualified, insured, free quotes. 0402487213

WANTED

TUTOR FOR HOMESCHOOLING Year 10 student. Pls call 0484093990 LP RECORDS: good condition, no op shop crap! Ph Matt 0401955052

GARAGE SALES

UNIT 7, 9 GREVILLEA ST, BYRON A&I Every Saturday, 9.30am–2.30pm until end Feb. Shoes, clothes, h/hold, mostly new.

Inspired Creative Academic Nurturing

Cape Byron Steiner School is a vibrant and progressive K-12 school dedicated to the educational principles inspired by Rudolf Steiner.

Primary School Teachers for relief work. Previous experience in Steiner Education would be desirable.

Applicants will be:

Registered or eligible to register with the NSW Institute of Teachers. Hold a current NSW Working with Children Check.

Primary/Kindergarten Duty Statement and application process available: https://capebyronsteiner.nsw.edu.au/ information/positions-available/

Relational Inquiry

Collaborative Transpersonal Work Group

12-week taster, early March, learning:

• seven sacred relationships

• participatory spirit

• feeling and personhood

• awareness and free attention

• lean ritual & liminal flowers

• co-presencing as medicine

• lived therapeutic democracy

• imaginal openness

• shadow, ego and unconscious distress

• transpersonal group work

• harness collective wisdom

• the primary person/perfect nature with Dr G Lahood.

FOR SALE

MIELE WASHERS

Dryers and dishwashers available at Bridglands Mullumbimby. 66842511

BAMBOO PLANTS: clumping, screening, hedging, flowering gingers, bromeliads. Close to Mullum. 0458535760

ARCHIBALD’S CHEAP

QUARRY PRODUCTS

Road base, gravel, blue metal and metal dust. ALL SIZE DELIVERIES. Phone 66845517, 0418481617

MOTOR VEHICLES

2005 TOYOTA CAMRY V6 AUTO, only 152,000kms. Rego til March. Immaculate, excellent runner, fully serviced, roof rack & tow bar. Need to sell as getting a bigger car to tow caravan. Will consider any offer close to $4,000. Ph Michael 0266840333

CARAVANS

CARAVANS

We buy, sell & consign. All makes & models. 0408 758 688

BUSINESS FOR SALE

WINDOW & PRESSURE CLEANING Est 2009 with extensive client base. Equipment and vehicle included. Jonathon 0415846343 or 0409207646

SHORT TERM ACCOM.

SMALL HOUSE FOR RENT 1bdr, 1 or 2 people, f/furnished. From mid March to mid May negotiable. $580p/w. No outgoings. Coorabell 0400148778.

TO LET

SEEKING WORKING COUPLE to rent beautiful, 1 bedroom, farm cottage. $350p/w. Off-grid, Coorabell. 0428079408

SMALL HOUSE FOR RENT

New, 1 person, fully furnished. No outgoings. $580p/w. 0402061110

LOCAL REMOVAL

& backloads to Brisbane. Friendly,

Classifieds

TO LEASE

SHARED commercial space in O.Shores next to med. centre. 0455241502 Dave

POSITIONS VACANT

THE ECHO LENNOX HEAD DELIVERY

The Echo has a contract position delivering papers to:

LENNOX HEAD: 1000 PAPERS++: Folding, inserting and if necessary bagging papers then driving around in a car, throwing accurately.

Whilst many people do this number of papers by themselves, this job would suit a semi-retired or underemployed person/couple who just wants a reliable job to do at their own pace at the same time every week. The successful applicant for this run will have an ABN, a reliable vehicle, a strong throwing arm, and ideally they will live near the distribution area. They will collect the papers/inserts from Ballina (before 7am) or Mullumbimby (7–7.30am) or Byron A&I Estate mid-morning on Wednesday and will have delivered all the papers by 6pm Wednesday. Suit mature or stable person.

Commencing asap.

Email simon@echo.net.au or phone/text 0409324724

LADIES WANTED, MUST BE 18+ Casual or permanent work available in busy adult parlour. 66816038 for details.

SOCIAL MEDIA GURU for small local business. Please call Wayne 0423218417

Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School currently has the following exciting teaching opportunity available:

High School PDHPE Teacher (0.4FTE) Terms 1–3 2023

Applicationscloseat9am onTuesday,14February2023

Please refer to website for closing times, position description and details on how to apply at: www.shearwater.nsw.edu.au

FITTBUILD

CARPENTERS: clean new work, undercover, travel paid, 5+mths work, fantastic crew. Please only call if you have the following: Cert.lll Carpentry, insurances (pub liability, income protection), good attitude.

RECEPTIONIST

Full time and part time Medical and Allied Health reception positions available. Reception experience and excellent customer service skills essential. Ability and commitment to work in a fast paced multi disciplinary team environment. Please send resumes to mmcadmin@ mullumhealthcentre.com

WORK WANTED

PRISCILLA 44y/o, single F. Exp care worker with refs. Accom in exchange for care services in Byron Shire. 0402678915

TUITION

FRENCH • ITALIAN • GERMAN Eva 0403224842 www.languagetuitionbyron.com.au

Adobe Tutoring

MUSICAL NOTES

GUITAR STRINGS, REPAIRS Brunswick Heads 66851005

DEATH NOTICES

Cameron Earle Gough (48)

1951 ~ 2023

IN MEMORIAM

Rest In Peace PHIL ROXBOROUGH

On behalf of the New Brighton fringe dwellers, we would like to offer our condolences to Phil’s family and all his friends. He was a lovely man and we all enjoyed surfing with him over the last 40 years.

LIFE CELEBRATIONS

Celebration of Life

Richard Moloney

1951 ~ 2023

A community gathering of family, friends & colleaguesto celebrate & honour one of Byron’s most colourful characters.

LICENSED TO THRILL

Premium Massage & Play touchofjustine.com/byron-bay-outcalls

KRYSTAL ADULT SHOP

Large variety of toys and lingerie 6/6 Tasman Way, A&I Est, Byron Bay Ph 66856330

BLISSFUL MASSAGE FOR WOMEN BY A WOMAN

Gift your wife a sensual treat! Ph 0407013347

Devoted

Pleasure

SOCIAL ESCORTS

LOTS OF GORGEOUS LADIES available for your pleasure nearby. Spoil yourself. In & out. 7

RTO: 90013 02 6684 3374 byroncollege.org.au

*Course Fees are fully subsidised for eligible NSW students. Call us or visit the link for details. This training is subsidised by the NSW Government.

Spanish For Beginners

Portuguese For Beginners

Italian For Beginners

Golf For Beginners

Creative Memoir Writing

Sewing For Beginners

Face Yoga

Stretch Sewing

Radio Broadcasting

Tech Savvy Seniors

SO FRENCH! (Beginnersonline)

Spanish For Beginners (Lv2)

German For Beginners

First Words Advanced

Mental Health First Aid

Self Help For Anxiety

Silver Jewellery (Intro)

Paint With Natural Pigments

Web Design With Wordpress

Reiki Level 1

Crochet For Beginners

Intro To Argentine Tango

Cyanotype Printing

Experienced

Ewingsdale Hall on Saturday 11th of February at 3pm.

Professional Trainer

• Photoshop • Indesign

• Illustrator

Vistara Primary School

• Part-Time Primary Teacher, Years 3–6 (Stages 2 & 3) on Mondays & Tuesdays. Starting Term One 2023.

• Maternity Leave – Full-Time Primary Teacher, Stages 1 & 2.

• Casual Primary Teachers, K–6.

Vistara is seeking a vibrant, dedicated Primary School Teacher to join our wonderful team. We are a not-for-profit, Independent Primary School with three multi-staged classrooms delivering the NESA NSW syllabus. Our classes are small and we aim to maintain a creative and dynamic approach to teaching and learning. Our school’s ethos and Neo Humanist philosophy (see www.vistara.nsw.edu.au) is integrated withthe NESA NSW Syllabus. If you love to work in a beautiful rural setting, with a progressive educational philosophy based on ecology, we want to hear from you. The vaccination mandate has ceased and we are receiving applications from all teachers. The salary is based on the Association of Independent Schools NSW Hybrid Multi Enterprise Agreement.

To be considered, applicants must submit the following:

1. CV – incl. full contact details, D.O.B., previous schools, year levels taught, duration at each school, two referees from two previous schools.

RSVPs to lynnerichardson3006@gmail.com

‘There are holes in the sky

Where the rain gets in But they are ever so small

That’s why rain is thin’

~ Spike Milligan

ONLY ADULTS

MALE 2 MALE MASSAGE Sensual, relaxation, stimulation. Very discreet. In & outcalls  thehealingtouchbyronbay.com  0476069889

BALLINA EXCLUSIVE 34 Piper Dr. Open 7 days 10am till late. In & Out Calls. 66816038. Ladies wanted Find us on Facebook and Twitter! COVID SAFE

FULL BODY RESTORATION

Healing Through Pleasure massagebyronbay.com or 0425347477

2. A copy of your Dept. of Education Approval to Teach letter.

3. Working With Children Check number.

4. NESA number and level of accreditation.

Additional information may be requested before an interview.

Email your applications to: visps@bigpond.net.au

DATE (Feb) DAY, MOON PHASE SUN RISE / SET MOON RISE / SET HIGH TIDES, height (m) LOW TIDES, height (m) 8W 6:22 19:37 21:14 8:10 1102 1.69 2312 1.28 0415 0.31 1719 0.36 9TH 6:22 19:37 21:42 9:04 1133 1.64 2348 1.30 0451 0.35 1748 0.36 10F 6:23 19:36 22:10 9:58 1203 1.56 0530 0.41 1819 0.37 11SA 6:24 19:35 22:40 10:53 0029 1.32 1235 1.47 0612 0.49 1851 0.39 12SU 6:25 19:34 23:12 11:50 0115 1.33 1312 1.36 0702 0.58 1928 0.42 13M 6:26 19:34 23:48 12:50 0209 1.34 1358 1.24 0806 0.65 2014 0.44 14TU 6:26 19:3313:54 0318 1.37 1503 1.13 0931 0.70 2114 0.46 15W 6:27 19:32 0:31 15:00 0438 1.45 1630 1.07 1111 0.67 2228 0.45 16TH 6:28 19:31 1:22 16:07 0554 1.56 1757 1.08 1238 0.56 2342 0.40 17F 6:29 19:30 2:23 17:11 0700 1.70 1910 1.14 1341 0.44 18SA 6:29 19:29 3:32 18:09 0756 1.83 2009 1.23 0048 0.31 1430 0.32 19SU 6:30 19:29 4:45 18:59 0847 1.93 2100 1.33 0145 0.21 1515 0.23 20M 6:31 19:28 5:58 19:42 0934 1.98 2147 1.41 0238 0.13 1557 0.18 21TU 6:31 19:27 7:09 20:20 1018 1.97 2233 1.47 0328 0.11 1637 0.17 22W 6:32 19:26 8:17 20:54 1100 1.88 2317 1.50 0415 0.14 1715 0.19 U SUN, MOON & TIDES – TIMES FOR NEXT 2 WEEKS Data sourced from Bureau of Meteorology. Times adjusted for Daylight Savings when applicable. M 1st SAT Brunswick Heads 0406 724 323 1st SUN Byron Bay 6685 6807 1st SUN Lismore Car Boot 6628 7333 2nd SAT Flea Market, Bangalow 0490 335 498 2nd SAT Woodburn 0439 489 631 2nd SAT Tabulam Hall 0490 329 159 2nd SUN The Channon 6688 6433 2nd SUN Lennox Head 6685 6807 2nd SUN Chillingham 0428 793 141 2nd SUN Coolangatta 3rd SAT Mullumbimby 6684 3370 3rd SAT Murwillumbah 0413 804 024 3rd SAT Salt Village Market, Casuarina 3rd SUN Federal 0433 002 757 3rd SUN Uki 0487 329 150 3rd SUN Lismore Car Boot 6628 7333 3rd SUN Ballina 0422 094 338 4th SAT Evans Head 0439 489 631 4th SAT Wilsons Creek 6684 0299 4th SAT Kyogle Bazaar kyoglebazaar.com.au 4th SUN Bangalow 6687 1911 4th SUN Nimbin 0475 135 764 4th SUN Murwillumbah 0413 804 024 4th SUN (in a 5 Sunday month) Coolangatta 5th SAT Flea Market, Bangalow 0490 335 498 5th SUN Nimbin 0458 506 000 5th SUN Lennox Head 6685 6807 FARMERS/WEEKLY MARKETS Each TUE New Brighton 0424 168 672 Each TUE Organic Lismore 6628 1084 Each WED 7-11am M’bah 6684 7834 Each WED 3-6pm Nimbin 0475 135 764 Each WED 4-7pm Newrybar Hall Each THU 8-11am Byron 6687 1137 Each THU 2.30-6.30pm Lismore 0450 688 900 Each FRI 7-11am Mullum 0424 168 672 Each SAT 8-11am Bangalow 6687 1137 Each SAT 8-11am Duranbah Rd (Tropical Fruit World) Each SAT 8am-1pm Uki 6679 5530 Each SAT 8.30-11am Lismore Each SAT 8.30-12am Blue Knob Each SUN 7-11am Ballina 0493 102 137

The Echo updates this guide regularly, however sometimes markets change their routine without letting us know. Please get in touch if you want to advise us of a change. AMBULANCE, FIRE, POLICE 000 AMBULANCE Mullumbimby & Byron Bay 131 233 POLICEBrunswick Heads 6629 7510 Mullumbimby 6629 7570 Byron Bay 6685 9499 Bangalow 6629 7500 STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE Storm & tempest damage, flooding 132 500 BRUNSWICK VALLEY RESCUE Primary rescue 6685 1999 BRUNSWICK MARINE RADIO TOWER 6685 0148 BYRON CENTRAL HOSPITAL ...................................................... 6639 9400 BYRON COUNCIL: EMERGENCY AFTER HOURS 6622 7022 NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE (Mullumbimby) 6684 1286 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 24 hour crisis line 1800 656 463 LIFELINE 131 114 MENSLINE 1300 789 978 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS 24 hours 1800 423 431 AL-ANON Help for family and friends of alcoholics 1300 252 666 NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Meets daily 6680 7280 NORTHERN RIVERS GAMBLING SERVICE 6687 2520 HIV/AIDS – ACON Confidential testing & information 6622 1555 ANIMAL RESCUE (DOGS & CATS) 6622 1881 NORTHERN RIVERS WILDLIFE CARERS 6628 1866 KOALA HOTLINE 6622 1233 WIRES – NSW Wildlife Information & Rescue Service... 6628 1898 EMERGENCY NUMBERS Please stick this by your phone

Attention: Administrator / Applications Now Open: Feb 2023 Vistara Primary School, 41 Richmond Hill Rd, Richmond Hill. NSW 2480

Byron Bay Boardriders have pulled off a massive upset beating powerhouse clubs to take out the Australian Boardriders grand final at Newcastle last weekend.

Byron Bay came out firing on the final day with an incredible manoeuvre from Dakoda Walters setting the club on a path to glory. The huge backside tailblow reverse on one of the biggest waves of the whole competition netted the highest score of the day (9.35).

Two massive backhand turns from Soli Bailey and a solid 8.30 score almost solidified Byron Bay’s win before Merewether Surfboard Club fought back. An impressive series of turns from Phillipa Anderson (8.88)

took Merewether from fourth to first with just minutes to go.

But the day belonged to Byron Bay Boardriders, winning by a nail-biting margin of just 0.62.

‘The team is so stoked. We’ve been here so many times and just really haven’t performed anywhere near where we should be as a team and as a community from Byron,’ Byron Bay’s open surfer, Soli Bailey said.

‘To actually come down here and do this is epic. We’ve all definitely wanted it and dreamed about it for a long time.’

Former world number two and Byron Bay’s master surfer, Danny Wills said: ‘It all came together at the right

Ballina hosts Far North Coast swimming carnival

time. I’m just so proud of them. It’s always so hard to come up against these clubs, the best clubs in Australia. We are a very small, little town.

‘I believe we’re the first team to ever come from round one and take it out. It’s huge. Massive’.

Byron Bay Boardriders Club won with 31.83 points ahead of Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club (31.21) and Merewether Surfboard Club (30.13).

For his efforts Dakoda Walters won the Hyundai Electric Air Show award, while Dane Henry (Kingscliff Boardriders Club) won the Wayne Bartholomew Medal and the Harvey Norman High Performer Award.

Athlete wins Ballina Sports Achievement Award

Sixteen-year-old Alexander

Crimmins from Lennox Head has had a passion for athletics since the young age of eight and this year won the Sporting Achievement Award from Ballina Council.

Alexander’s individual motivation, innate drive, and commitment to excel has led

to his immense success.

In 2022, Alexander’s triple jump talent landed him seventh place at the Australian National Championships and second place at the NSW State All Schools event.

He is set to continue this success in 2023 having qualified again for the Nationals.

Divorce and Separation Property Entitlements

Children's Rights and Parenting Financial Agreements (prenups)

Defacto and Same Sex Relationships

The Ballina RSL Swimming Club combined with Grafton and hosted the Far North Coast Zone Carnival at the Ballina Pool last Saturday.

‘With the sponsorship support from Ballina RSL Club we have been able to include all local swim clubs to join in the carnival,’ said Nicci Carter, Ballina RSL Swim Club president and

joint event co-ordinator.

‘We hosted around 100 swimmers, men and women 18 years and over. The most senior participant is now 93 years young and still diving in from the blocks,’ she said.

In the Far North Coast zone there are seven swimming clubs but three of their pools have been closed owing to flood damage

(Grafton, Twin Towns and Lismore).

Representatives from Southport, Nerang and Bellingen RSL swim clubs also attended.

Competition included championship events, handicap events over 50m and 25m, as well as relays. Southport were the overall points score winners.

Lismore Thistles launch youth player academy

Former Northern NSW Coach of the Year, Chris Layland, has joined the Lismore Thistles Soccer Club to help foster youth development through the Thistles Acceleration Program.

The program is selective, so players aged 9-12 trial to be selected in the elite squads.

There will be a total of four TAP teams: U/12 girls and boys squads and two mixed squads (for ages 9–11).

These squads will receive specialist coaching from Layland with the view to develop these players into future Premier League and representative players.

The former Liverpool Academy, now called Northern Rivers Football Academy, relocated to Lennox Head from Lismore after the floods.

‘With no player academy in Lismore since the floods, Lismore Thistles saw the need for our city to have a local option when it comes to developing youth players,’ Layland said.

‘As Lismore rebuilds, it’s important to give our local players a pathway into future representative and professional teams, so that they

can dream and aspire to be the best they can be’.

As a coach, Layland has won the Football Australia U13 National Championships, coached at Brisbane Roar academy, run youth clinics for Sydney FC, won Football NSW State Titles as well as three consecutive Summer Youth League titles with Byron Bay FC.

Representatives of the Ballina RSL Swim Club after their Sunday swim. With only three members in their 50s, a couple in their 60s and 70s and the majority in their 80s, new members are always welcome. Photo: supplied

Coach Chris Layland with some aspiring footballers at the Lismore Thistles homeground. Photo supplied

The aerial prowess of Dakoda Walters was too much for the competition at Merewhether Beach in Newcastle last weekend. Photo Christopher Smith (Surfing Australia)

Alexander Crimmins. Photo Ballina Shire Council

Council and schools are back for 2023! So, students, please don’t do what the mayor does, and hold secret meetings around long term planning of towns – see page 1.

Better late than never: The reclassification of psilocybin and MDMA as prescribed psychiatry treatments is truly a game changer. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) last week permitted the use of well-known mood enhancer MDMA for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, and psilocybin for treatmentresistant depression.

ICYMI a Parliamentary Inquiry has found that former NSW Nationals Deputy Premier John Barilaro’s $500,000 New York role was ‘jobs for the boys’. Investigative journalist, Anthony Klan tweeted, ‘Aside from Gladys Berejiklian, the three people closest to the ICAC Wagga Gun Club scandal – Perrottet, Barilaro and Ayres – are the same players in the Barilaro NYC job scandal’.

The Guardian reports that ‘a devastating new outbreak of avian flu – which has already wiped out wild bird populations across the UK – is likely to hit Britain in the spring. That is the stark warning made last week by ornithologists who said the disease has now established itself across many parts of the country’.

Local musician, Pete Murray, has made the front cover of Men’s Health magazine. Is he buff? Oh, yes. Yes, he is.

Further to page 8 on the new medicinal cannabis farm near Alstonville, Tamara Smith MP says drug driving laws don’t

allow for any detectable level of THC in the bloodstream while driving. ‘Cannabis is the only legally prescribed medication for which you lose your licence when testing positive for presence, not impairment’. She says the Greens are pushing for changes in state-based regulation of drug driving.

The NSW Auditor-General issued a scathing report on the NSW Government’s administration of Bushfire Recovery Grants, in the wake of the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfire season. The report found that the fast-track stream of the grants process lacked ‘integrity’, ‘transparency’ and ‘consistency’.

The north coast rail line has been rotting away since NSW Labor took the trains off the tracks in 2004. On the Gold Coast however, residents are protesting a light rail project that will connect the city to the airport. How good would a light rail project be here?

The number of electric vehicles (EVs) purchased last year increased by 86 per cent from the previous year, says the Electric Vehicle Council, ‘with 3.8 per cent of all new cars purchased being electric’. Better start the rollout of charging stations soon then?

Federal Greens First Nations spokesperson, Senator Lidia Thorpe, quit her party and defected to the crossbench this week, after the Greens backed the Voice to Parliament model, rather than a Treaty. Unfortunately, it’s fodder that will be used by racists who would like to see reconciliation fail. In political terms, this is an example of where the perfect is the enemy of the good.

Councillors and staff will be holding their public meeting in a small room this Thursday, nearly a year after the floods damaged the chambers. The mayor and the GM want to develop all around that area, (see page 1), presumably to make it flood more, so they can keep holding meetings in small rooms, thereby reducing public participation.