NSW FARMERS CALL FOR ACTION ON FAR NORTH COAST ISSUES

By J. WILLOW

The launch of the NSW Far North Coast Branch (NSWFFNC) was held on Tuesday, 7 February at the Murwillumbah Services Club. The event was attended by the frst elected Chair of the new branch Burringbar farmer Craig Huf and immediate past president of NSW Farmers James Jackson.

Mr Huf discussed the issues faced by local farmers, such as land use confict with the affuent from Sydney’s north sharing full size operating farms to use as lifestyle blocks, leading to the prices paid for farms being well past the point of achieving an economic return for any neighbouring farmer seeking to expand.

He also highlighted the importance of farmers having a secondary income and the opportunities for agritourism operations to help future proof the farm.

The NSWFFNC is also seeking to address issues around weed control, farm access roads and safety, with Mr Huf noting that rollovers are ‘by far our greatest workplace risk’. He explained that a DA and wait time for two years to move forward with addressing road safety meant that addressing worksafe obligations in a timely way was ‘almost impossible to achieve’ under current regulations. Mr Huf concluded by calling for a reduction of the burden of compliance on farmers, and a need for policy makers to take part of the responsibility for the exit of farmers in the region in order to ensure the availability of local produce.

The NSWFFNC is focused on working with all parties in order to get the right outcomes for farmers with a primary goal of ensuring that local produce is available to all.

For more information on the NSW Farmers Far North Coast Branch email: farnorthcoastNSWF@ gmail.com or register at NSW Farmers

Private Deals Concerning Mullumbimby Rail Corridor Revealed

By J. WILLOW

Without consulting the Mullum Chamber of Commerce, the town’s Residents Association, or the community at large, the Byron Council and the New South Wales Liberal-Nationals have announced a nonbinding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the town’s disused railway land into affordable housing and associated infrastructure such as public spaces, car parks, and footpaths. This announcement was made on Friday, with supporting comments from Mayor Michael Lyon. It has since emerged that the MoU was signed by Council’s General Manager, Mark Arnold, in a closed-door meeting with the mayor on the 24th of November 2022, with councillors now being asked to ‘note’ the MoU at a meeting this Thursday.

Questions have been raised about why the MoU was not made public until now, and why Council is not