Rednecks have their say

I’ve always liked a festival and travelled far and near Cane harvest, Jacaranda, the Octoberfest last year.

But the one that really caught my eye I saw the other day.

Was the festival of Blues and Rootes that’s held in Byron Bay.

Thus begins the Blues and Roots poem, written by Northern Rivers poet, Ken Woodward.

The poem is one of a number which have been published in his latest book, Revenge of the Redneck.

They cover topics from a “redneck” point of view on how a festival should be run, consent, koalas and even the Kokoda track.

“I had been going to the Tenterfeld, Oracles of the Bush poetry weekend for a few years and competed a few times,’ said Ken.

“The odd person would ask for a copy of my poems so I put them in a book.”

And while the bush poetry weekend no longer exists Ken is hoping that the launch of his book will bring some of the old bush poets together.

“I will be doing a sample of some of my poetry,” he said.

“Along with a friend of mine, Lloyd McClymont.”

Interested readers will be able to buy the book for $15 at the launch which will be on February 7, 10am to 12pm, at the Clarence Country Muster site, 11 Coulters Lane, Ulmarra. Morning tea and entertainment will be provided for this free event.

“If there are any copies left over, I may try and get the South Grafton Post Offce and Book Warehouse in Grafton to sell them too,” said Ken.

TIM HOWARD

The Clarence Valley’s response to the climate emergency will be downgraded if a proposed a restructuring of the public advisory committees reporting to Clarence Valley Council goes ahead says deputy mayor Greg Clancy.

At the December meeting council approved changes to its Community Strategic Plan component of the Integrated Planning and Reporting framework which would condense 10 community committees advising council to four.

Cr Clancy was concerned the changes would dilute the amount of specialised knowledge coming to council from the community on environmental matters.

The proposed structure would allow for one environment committee, which would handle matters covered by the Biodiversity Committee, the Climate Change Committee and the Coast and Estuary Committee.

Cr Clancy said the new structure would not encourage people with specialised expertise to be part of the new system.

“People who have expertise and interest and passion for biodiversity are not necessarily the same people that have those interests, qualifcations and passion for climate change, although they probably would have an interest in it,” he said.

These committees have provided other benefts