THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 24 #20 Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 21,000 copies every week
BRIEF CEREBRAL FRISSONS
p20-21
NSW govt targets Coorabell celebrates centenary coastal hot spots The NSW government announced last Monday it will introduce new measures for areas affected by coastal erosion to clarify the rights of councils and property owners and minimise the risk to taxpayers. Belongil is expected to be among the 19 coastal ‘hot spots’ targeted. ‘These issues should be dealt with locally but recent disputes have shown that intervention was required to achieve a practical result,’ said Premier Nathan Rees in a press release. ‘I asked the Ministers for the Environment and Planning to come up with a balance between protecting property rights and the environment. ‘A detailed package will be released this year including legislation. Our approach will ensure key councils have plans in place and existing home owners can act to protect their properties and share the financial responsibilities – subject to stringent environmental impact assessments.
‘New tools’ ‘These are complex issues with much to learn but we will work with councils and local communities to protect our precious coast.’ Minister for Climate Change and the Environment John Robertson said the government had identified the need to plan for rising sea levels and action was underway. ‘We already have the NSW Coastal Policy and Coastal Protection Act but it’s clear that new tools and approaches are required. ‘Some councils have been working on their coastal management plans for over a decade when action is required now. Delays are no longer an option when storms are becoming more destructive and the CSIRO tells us sea levels will rise by up to 40cm by 2050.’ The deputy director of the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Simon Smith, rejected the notion that beachfront
property owners would be allowed to build barriers at the expense of public beaches. ‘It’s not just, “I’ll build a wall, it’ll protect me and I’ll be right mate”,’ the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him as saying. Owners will have to ensure the works did not transfer the erosion from one spot to another. The package of new measures will include a code of practice for temporary protections to threatened properties; require councils to prepare emergency storm plans for ‘hot spot’ areas; create council and ministerial powers to stop unapproved works; provide mechanisms for cost sharing; and allow property owners to apply to fully fund their own works where environmentally feasible and sustainable.
New powers Mr Robertson said, ‘New powers will enable councils or the Minister to issue an order to stop unapproved action likely to result in significant beach erosion. This will be backed by increased penalties. ‘Protecting homes and the environment by managing coastal erosion is one of our clear priorities.’ The impact the hot spot legislation will have on Council’s draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) is uncertain. The CZMP goes on public exhibition from Thursday until December 22. Mayor Jan Barham said the draft CZMP proposes a precautionary approach to the management of the coastline and is the result of many years of research and development. ‘The draft CZMP takes into account 20 years of planning for managing coastal hazards and future climate change risks,’ she said in a press release. ‘It proposes an adaptation model that considers the significant management issues associated with how locals
Billy Wrencher, George Lewin, Ian and Janet Kneale help spruce up the Coorabell hall in preparation for next Saturday’s centenary celebrations. Photo Jeff ‘Mellow Yellow’ Dawson.
Put on your dancing shoes (or better still, your button-up boots) and come to Coorabell Hall next Saturday October 24 to celebrate the hall’s Centenary. Sporting a resplendent new exterior paint job and new odourless plumbing, the hall is tizzying itself up to host a day and an evening of familyfriendly activities – including some
good ol’ fashioned country dancing (Yee-Haw!). When the hall opened a century ago, the local lads and lasses danced until dawn according to The Mullumbimby Star. All-night gigs were popular way back then, and locals can recall how the young cockies – after a night of drinking, dancing and carousing – would be poured onto
their horses, who all knew their way home, to finally slide off in a heap in their own bales to begin the milking. These days we are all restrained to the ‘godly’ hour of midnight. Steve Wedd, whose forebears were probably dancing at the opening night, has been giving old time dancing lessons for free on Sunday mornings continued on page 7
Minister approves $70m power upgrade
Minister for Energy John Robertson last week announced planning approval for a $70 million upgrade of the Lismore to Mullumbimby electricity network. Mr Robertson said the proposal, which will generate 30 construction jobs, involves upgrading the transmission network from Lismore to Mullumbimby via Alstonville, Ballina, Lennox Head, Suffolk Park, Byron Bay and Brunswick Heads from 66 kilovolts (kV) to 132kV. ‘The five-year project includes continued on page 2 construction of a new zone substa-
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tion at Suffolk Park and concept approval for another new substation near Brunswick Heads,’ Mr Robertson said. ‘Existing zone substations at Mullumbimby, Lennox Head, Ballina and Lismore and some major powerlines will also be upgraded to increase power supply capacity. ‘Detailed environmental and social studies, which included extensive consultation with landowners and other interested community members, have been carried out and feedback from local communities has
helped Country Energy identify the best options.’ Project approval has been granted for the first of two stages, which includes all components of the upgrade other than the Brunswick Heads substation and a 132kV line from the Mullumbimby to Ewingsdale line to Brunswick Heads substation. Country Energy will have to undertake further detailed assessment on the second stage and receive project approval from the Minister for Planning before construction.