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THE BYRON SHIREVolume 24 #28Tuesday, December 15, 2009Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777Byron Bay 02 6685 5222Fax 02 6684 1719editor@echo.net.auadcopy@echo.net.auwww.echo.net.au21,000 copies every week E A R L Y R A N D O M A C C E S S T E C H N O L O G Y

Youth take over council chambersStory & photo Eve Jeffery

Last Wednesday the council chambers played host to a entirely new council. Ranging in age from 12 to 18 years, a group of 15 young people were of-ficially inducted into the Byron Youth Council, the group representing a broad range of youth interests and experiences from five local schools.

Current councillors present at the event vacated their official seats as the Byron Shire Youth Council members were invited to take a place around the chambers as part of their formal presentation and introduction.

Mayor Jan Barham congratulated the group on their nomination and Crs Basil Cameron, Diane Woods and Simon Richardson presented the young people with certificates and a Youth Council package, including a diary to manage the responsibilities of their new role.

Each of the young councillors presented a speech outlining their hopes and ideas to councillors, fam-ily, friends, community members and council staff. Together with his mother Delta Kay, Ngurung Brown, the youngest member of the group, gave a Welcome to Country.

Youth Council spokesperson Cara Maku spoke eloquently about the role of the group and what they hoped to achieve. We are a diverse group

with many different backgrounds and interests from political interests to en-vironmental awareness and commit-ment to social justice, said Ms Maku.

One thing we all have in common is our passion and ambition in giving young people a voice and improv-ing the lives of young people and the

community in the Byron Shire.Young people are not an alien race, nor are parents or other adults. We are all hu-man beings and part of the networks that make up our society.

Councils youth development of-ficer Rita Youssef-Price said the group will help coordinate the Byron Shire 2010 National Youth Week event and are keen to involve other local young people.

High on their list of priorities are issues such as transport, safety and a strong focus on building commu-nity networks; especially for young people in the north of the Shire, said Ms Youssef-Price. Young people need to feel that they belong in this com-munity.

Supporting young people to have a voice, and to participate in the com-munity life of the Shire, is an impor-tant role for the Youth Council.

The Youth Council will form small working groups, inviting other young people to help respond to community and youth issues.

If you are a young person aged 12 to 21, and would like to be involved or want further information, please contact Rita Youssef-Price on 6626 7000.

Cr Simon Richardson looks on as Angeline Daniels gives her first address as a youth councillor.

Tweed/Byron Local Area Command detectives are again appealing for anyone with information about the death of Mullumbimby teenager, Jai Morcom, to come forward, as they continue to compile a report for the Coroner.

Sixteen-year-old Jai died in the Gold Coast Hospital on Saturday August 29, two days after a melee in the grounds of Mullumbimby High School.

Tweed/Byron Crime Manager, In-spector Greg Carey, said every effort to identify and interview witnesses was being undertaken, to the extent that an email address to investiga-tors had been established. We have conducted interviews with literally

dozens of students, teachers and com-munity members. We have been in constant contact with Jais parents and the school community.

Investigators have also set up an email address which has been cir-culated throughout the school com-munity, in the hope that additional information could be provided by that method.

Inspector Carey said detectives were still awaiting the full autopsy report from the Queensland authori-ties. As Jai died in Queensland the report will be submitted initially to the Queensland Coroner.

I know every possible effort is being made by the Queensland authorities to conduct a thorough and completely

accurate report, which will be then passed onto the NSW Coroner, along with our report. To ensure we have investigated every single aspect of this boys death we need 100 per cent coop-eration from everyone who had con-

tact with Jai on the day he died. My detectives have amassed an

enormous amount of witness state-ments, and have spent literally hours and hours interviewing his teachers, friends and family, but we must be convinced there are no unanswered questions.

Our investigation has not been helped by on-going speculation in the community over Jais death. It is vital that the community understand we need facts and not speculation.

Unfortunately, it takes time to conduct a complete and accurate in-vestigation, just as it takes time for all autopsy tests and reports to be completed.

We ask the community to be pa-

tient with our investigation, continue to assist us with any information they believe may be relevant, and to sup-port Jais family. Ultimately, it is Jais family who are suffering the greatest loss, and we want the answers.

Anyone with information about the death of Jai Morcom is urged to con-tact Tweed/Byron detectives at Tweed Heads Police Station on 07 5536 0999 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Alternatively, information can be provided by email to tweeddets@po-lice.nsw.gov.au.

Also, Jais father Steve Drummond has dedicated a Truth 4 Jai hotline: 0468 966 912. He can also be reached at Stephen-drummond44@hotmail.com.

Police seek more help in ongoing investigation into Jais death

www.echo.net.au2 December 15, 2009 The Byron Shire Echo

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Local News

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Soup kitchen heats up for ChristmasStory & photo Eve Jeffery

The Mullumbimby Soup Kitchen is again preparing a very merry Christmas for some who may not otherwise have a reason to celebrate. This will be the sixth year that volun-teers at the community facility will provide a meal and a take-home holiday hamper as well as gifts for the littlies.

Kitchen founder Kris Camp-bell says that this year, as every year, there are those living in our community who belong to the have-nots. In a small way we can help provide a few treats for some people who cannot get these things for themselves. If as a community we can each give something small then it takes the load off the few who always give and it makes life easier for everyone.

The service is asking for non-perishable food items and treats and gifts for small children to be left at the Mul-lumbimby office of The Echo. The kitchen is also looking for

volunteers to cook and serve food in 2010.

Items can be left until 5pm on Friday and for more in-

formation about the kitchen, phone Kris on 6680 1229.

Kris Campbell, centre back, and volunteers from the Mullumbimby Soup Kitchen.

Community urged to have say on coastal planByron Shire Councils draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) closing date for submissions is Tuesday De-cember 22 at 4pm. Councils executive manager of plan-ning Ray Darney said this is an opportunity for residents and ratepayers to have input towards the management of the Shires coastline.

He said as with any impor-tant community planning in-strument, there are often di-verging opinions on the best way forward. A common ques-tion at the recently held com-munity information stands over the past month was on the 20 metre coastline buffer.

The overall objective of the draft CZMP is to maintain a 20 metre development-free buf-

fer to accommodate natural coastal processes and absorb the potential threat of immedi-ate coastal hazards to life and property. At the same time, the draft CZMP will provide for the preservation and manage-ment of safe public accesses to beaches.

Mr Darney said the 20 metre buffer could require the reloca-tion of private dwellings and public infrastructure.

He said that retaining a de-velopment free 20 metre buf-fer from the erosion escarp-ment does not necessitate the immediate removal of houses and infrastructure which are located outside of the 20m buf-fer zone; 20 metres is the dis-tance within which structures and infrastructure are at risk

and will need to be removed or relocated.

Included in the draft CZMP is an urgent priority for Coun-cil to undertake a Risk Analysis Audit of private erosion pro-tection structures and public works. Council has a respon-sibility to ensure items such as drains and pipes do not remain exposed after a storm event and as required under the draft CZMP, would be relo-cated landward before coastal erosion might impact on them, Mr Darney said.

In the past, infrastructure has already been removed and relocated from the Kendall and Border Street areas in Belongil. Water, sewerage and roads have been moved further away from the coastal escarpment.

Copies of the draft CZMP and accompanying informa-tion are available for viewing at community access points including the Federal Store, Bangalow Post Office, Ocean Shores Summerland Credit Union, Suffolk Park Holiday Park, Shire libraries, and Coun-cils administration centre, Sta-tion Street Mullumbimby, 9am to 4pm.

Submissions may be lodged online at www.byron.nsw.gov.au/public-exhibition and written submissions should be addressed to The General Manager, PO Box 219, Mul-lumbimby NSW 2482, clearly marked Submission Draft Byron Shire Coastal Zone Management Plan. Tucker blasts plan, page 15

www.echo.net.au4 December 15, 2009 The Byron Shire Echo

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Protest leads to death threat: SmithVictoria Cosford & Michael McDonald

A protest to mark the 61st an-niversary of the Universal Dec-laration of Human Rights has led to a death threat, according to local activist Gareth Smith.

Last Friday Mr Smith ad-dressed the public out the front of Byron Bays Railway Park. His large banner reading Gaza! Israels Ghetto. 1.5 million be-sieged attracted passers-by al-though the throngs of skimpily-attired youths milling around the bus stop seemed more inter-ested in their mobile phones.

Later on, according to Mr Smith, At around 2.30pm, two young Israeli men started ha-ranguing me, claiming I did not know what I was talking about. Mentioning Yesh Gvul, Gush Shalom, the Shministim and the Israeli Defence Force refuseniks only made one of them angrier.

If we were in Israel and I had a gun I would kill you because you are protecting killers, he said. When Snr Constable I A MacDonald and two officers arrived following complaints about my offen-sive language, the ex-IDF man repeated the threat. The police took both our details and said a report would be written.

This incident highlights the reality of life in the Occupied

Territories for Palestinians and Gazans. If this ex-soldier sin-cerely wanted to kill me sim-ply for speaking out against the Israeli government, accus-ing them of war crimes, what chance do Palestinians have when they protest the destruc-tion of family houses, confisca-tion of land and destruction of wells and olive trees?

We Gaza Freedom Marchers had better hope that we do not encounter Israeli soldiers who share this mans values.

Mr Smith will travel to Gaza with 13 other Australians for a Peace March on New Years Eve along with 1,000 others from 40 countries. Prior to that they will be meeting up with a Viva Palestina convoy of about 100 vehicles from the UK and Ire-land carrying medical supplies, clothing and other essentials.

Its all about Gaza and the bombardment of Gaza Israel out! he shouted into his loud-speaker. He told The Echo that he had equipped himself with

a Multiple Entry Visa (Peo-ple can get into Gaza but often cant get out, he said) which should ensure a safe exit.

He plans to take humani-tarian supplies into Gaza and is calling for donations of childrens clothing, medical supplies or cash to Canberra Program for Peace, Common-wealth Bank, BSB 06 2919 A/C No 00922173.

I will document as fully as possible how donations are used, Mr Smith said.

Gareth Smith and banner, and looking on, from left, Nika Meyers from Vermont, Katy Dissinger from New York and Joanna Capelin from Colorado. Photo Jeff Dawson.

SCU researcher seeks local Chinese historyLocal archaeologist and South-ern Cross University Honours student Theresa Gilroy has launched a study into Chi-nese archaeological sites in far north-eastern NSW. The study has three stages, interviews with local knowledge holders, site visits and map generation.

Theresa is calling for people with knowledge of Chinese ac-tivities, artefacts and structures to contact her on 6684 1498 or by email at tgilro.10@scu.edu.au. Written accounts can also be sent to her at the School of Environmental Science and Management, PO Box 157, Lis-more 2480.

Theresa is particularly keen to hear from senior members of the community who have memories of Chinese people from the first half of the 20th century, or who remember sto-ries told to them by friends and family members.

Much of this information has never been recorded, said Theresa. We are in danger of losing this knowledge if we dont document it soon.

As well as asking people to contact her directly she also encourages friends and family of senior citizens to question them about any memories they have about Chinese people and

places. This information can be written down or recorded and submitted as an email at-tachment.

Participants will not be identified in the study unless they request to be. All partici-pants will receive a copy of the studys results. This informa-tion and GPS site recordings will be used to generate maps that indicate the location and time frame of Chinese sites in far north-eastern NSW.

Theresa hopes that her study will increase the communitys awareness of our Chinese history. Most people are not aware of the extent of Chinese

involvement in the health, nu-trition and infrastructure of our region, she said.

Last year Theresa identified the existence of 94 sites in the region which she classified into five main phases pastoral, mining, market gardening, ba-nana growing and permanent family. Site types include stone terraces, wells and causeways, and wooden houses, sheds and stores. Last year Theresa identified the location of a market garden in Byron Bay. She is particularly keen to find anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of the Alstonville Chinese market garden.

www.echo.net.au6 December 15, 2009 The Byron Shire Echo

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www.echo.net.au The Byron Shire Echo December 15, 2009 7

Local News

Mandy Nolan

It takes a lot of courage to come out in public and tell people you have a mental health issue. For Crackers & Jam organiser, performer and Bay FM pre-senter Gina Baker, singing in the choir and speaking at the cabaret about her experiences is a challenge she is eager but a little nervous to face.

This is huge for me as a per-son. I am coming out and say-ing I have a mental health issue. Its like coming out! Ive already come out in my sexuality [as a lesbian], I would say this com-ing out is even scarier!

There is so much stigma around mental health and tra-ditionally we are maligned in films as murderers or psycho-paths. There isnt a culture of acceptance.

Fellow organiser Anna Sam-son agrees and is keen to point out the importance of refram-ing illness and seeing it as a normal part of the fabric of our wider community.

Gina laughs: Normal is just a setting on a washing machine. The concert is about letting the community see that people have something to offer.

According to Gina, the big-gest hurdle for people with mental health issues is iden-tity. It shouldnt define who you are, but it can, people start to stereotype you as the person with bipolar or the depressive. Its just a part of the picture, it isnt who you are.

Anna Sansom is the musical director for On Track. Annas musical therapy has metamor-phosed into a musical project: Amada Ensemble.

The idea to perform came from the people in Amada. The muscians were so enthusiastic and talented and creative. It started as a jam session [hence crackers and jam] and it just

grew from there. Music gives people a release from the grind and the creative aspect allows everyone to contribute.

Anna and Gina both believe that the community needs to be more aware of what it means to have a mental health issue, and how that impacts on peoples lives.

A lot of people are strong and courageous, says Anna, dealing with inner turmoil and the stigma. I actually pre-fer working at On Track than I do being a music teacher in other settings.

Mental health issues touch us all. One in five Australians deal with mental health issues, says Gina, its not us and them, its all of us.

So what do people who have struggled and felt marginalised bring to the music that is dif-ferent to regular groups?

It adds a realness to the mu-sic, what I notice is that you hear the depth of emotion, says Anna, and the depth of the joy that it brings to people.

Crackers & Jam kicks off at the Bangalow A&I Hall on Thursday at 7pm. Ill be the MC and the keynote address is by University of Sydneys Pro-fessor Meg Smith. There is a performance by Rod Gibson, standup comedy, The Hear-ing Voices Choir, The Buttery Recovery Choir, Namatjera Brothers, Amada Ensemble and the Nia Dance Group. Tickets are $25 for adults, $17

for concession and kids under 12 are $9. Tickets available at Barebones in Bangalow on 6687 1393 or Private Life in Byron, 6685 6734.

The performance is integral in awareness raising and mov-ing towards a culture of inclu-sion and acceptance. As Gina puts it very simply, Its a way to express yourself and find be-longing and most of all people need to feel connected.

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Gina Baker and Anna Sansom, organisers of the Crackers & Jam concert.

The winner for the Santos T-Shirt design competition has been announced.

After some deliberation, it was decided that not one win-ner could be chosen, but two, said John Dolman, general manager of Santos. Thank you very much to those of you that entered the competition. In the end a combination of the two winning designs will be used.

Congratulations to Chris Gregson from Bangalow and Isolde Kopping from Lennox

Head for their winning designs. A highly commended award was given to Amy McLaugh-lin, age 18 from Mullumbimby for her series themed around looking after the planet.

The T-shirts will appear early next year, and will be for sale at Santos outlets.

Should any of the other entrants wish to collect their artworks, please do so from the Santos Warehouse, 7 Brig-antine Street, Byron Arts and Industry Park.

T-shirt design winners announced

8 December 15, 2009 The Byron Shire Echo www.echo.net.au

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New alcohol rules are not OK

Swap market a success Heading them off at The Pass

Helena Maughn, Katherin McMiles and Don Maughn were out at The Pass last Friday gathering signatures on a petition op-posed to the redevelopment of The Pass Caf site by the Cape Byron Trust and NPWS. Submissions close December 18 see letters on page 18. Photo Jeff Dawson.

War comes to the Dendy

What started out as a bit of a lark is now receiving a big screen release at the Byron Bay Dendy on December 23. On a budget of only $200 a bunch of local teenagers have produced a movie described so far only as the war film set in WWII and inspired by Saving Private Ryan (which had a slightly larger budget). With a cast of ten, the film was four years in the making. Tickets cost $5 and the producers warn it is not suitable for children under 13 and contains, naturally, war themes.

The Mayors new shoes. Jan Barham, pictured here with sus-tainability officer Graeme Williams, picked up these new tiger print shoes at Saturdays hugely successful Swap Market held by Council in Mullumbimby. Photo Jeff Old Sole Dawson.

Night Rider rolling onVictoria Cosford

The Nightrider shuttle bus service, initiative of the Byron Bay Liquor Accord, is, accord-ing to Accord member Luke Thomas, up and running, with patronage increasing each week. The main issue, he told The Echo, has been with the ticket purchase, with some confusion as to where they can be obtained.

Theres been a few hiccups there, he said, but they should be ironed out with the licensed venues. He added, however, that if people were still having problems finding tickets they should contact the Nightrider driver on 0419 848 875.

On the whole, reports have been exceedingly favourable re-garding customers of the serv-ice, which transports patrons

to and from Baywood Chase, Suffolk Park, Sunrise and town on Friday and Saturday nights. People have been great, en-thused Luke, and the driver has already been getting some regular customers who are re-ally pleased with the service. Were still asking all restaurants to get on board and be part of it as their customers are regular offenders of drink-driving.

In addition to this initiative, the Liquor Accord is also about to introduce the Nightwatch Radio Link Program, whereby all licensed premises will be linked by a radio communica-tions network. An agreement with a taxi company to co-lease their radio tower will enable them to hook into an already existing system, so that venues can be notified immediately of troublesome customers.

Mayor Jan Barham

With the Australian and NZ Governments issuing a crack-down on alcohol and antisocial behaviour its a timely indica-tor to look closer to home to see whats happening in Byron Shire and in particular Byron Bay. Changes to state govern-ment approvals have seen the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing providing a new ap-proval system that appears to go against local government and police submissions that raise concerns and grant ex-tended trading hours.

In Byron Bay there are a number of applications to ex-tend trading hours of night-clubs. The consequences of

4am trading in Byron Bay could dramatically change the focus of the town and the strengthening of the identifi-cation as a party town. With the extended trading hours it could mean all night partying and then patrons on the streets after 4am with no need for ac-commodation but able to wan-der the town until daylight.

Its essential to consider how a change in the liquor licensing would impact on the commu-nity. There is little doubt that increased access to alcohol would make a difference to the character of the town and di-minish the safety for the com-munity. It would also mean an additional workload for the police but would not necessar-

ily mean additional police be-ing allocated to the area.

Of great concern is the identity of Byron Bay if these licence applications are ap-proved. Byron Bay deserves to be identified with being more than an alcohol fuelled-party town. The identity of the tourism location as a drink-ing town that provides an all night party is not a sustainable choice and the concerns and safety of the community must be considered.

There is already such a strong focus on alcohol and as a community we must con-sider the message this sends to young people and the example that is being set.

I will be writing to the Min-

ister this week to raise concerns about the current licensing processes and the Local Gov-ernment Association Executive has resolved as a result of the state conference to raise late night alcohol trading issues with the Ministers office. I was successful at a meeting in hav-ing the specific needs and con-cerns of regional communities included as a separate priority for consideration.

A concerted effort by the community to make submis-sions to the applications could make the difference and I en-courage residents to take the time to view the applications and put forward their views.

See www.olgr.nsw.gov.au/ap-plication_noticeboard.asp.

www.echo.net.au The Byron Shire Echo December 15, 2009 9

10 December 15, 2009 The Byron Shire Echo www.echo.net.au

Comment

Tony Abbott will no doubt take great com-fort from the words of a woman who attended a gath-ering of global warming un-believers addressed by Pro-fessor Ian Plimer recently.

According to a news report, as the woman was leaving she was accosted by a sceptical (in the correct sense of the word) journalist, who asked her if she was aware that Plimers work had been comprehensively re-futed and discredited by his scientific peers. Certainly she was, the woman replied, and added brightly: We all know Ian Plimers a charlatan, but he says the things that we want to hear.

This would appear to jus-tify Abbotts political strategy on the way to the next elec-tion. Say anything, no matter how implausible, deceitful, irrational or just plain silly, as long as it is what people want to hear or at least what a fair number of them say they want to hear.

Abbott has cheerfully ad-mitted that he is a political weathervane, always ready to swing with the prevailing popular breeze. His support-ers say that he speaks from the heart, but that is only ac-curate in that it admits the absence of the brain.

His performance last week on the cost of an ETS with a target of 15 percent ($400 billion?) or 25 percent (half a trillion? No I didnt say that. Anyway theres no model-ling. There is? Well I havent seen it and anyway its out of date and who cares because its just a great big tax any-way) showed such a cavalier disregard for the facts that he clearly didnt expect any one to believe him. It was simply

about appealing to the emo-tions, and the more selfish and ignorant his audience, the better.

This is also the basis on which he has chosen his shadow cabinet, a group so preposterous that even he must have known that they would not be taken seriously. The idea of Phillip Ruddock, Kevin Andrews and Bronwyn Bishop actually taking con-

trol of portfolios at any time in the future is not a cred-ible one. The team is designed for opposition, not govern-ment; but even there Abbott is making some pretty hairy assumptions. The gruesome trio are, he claims, fighters, fired up and ready for an all-in political brawl. But are they really? Last week they came across less as seasoned warri-ors than as mad and grumpy old farts. The only real sur-prise was not to find Wilson Tuckey in their midst.

And then, of course, there is Barnaby Joyce, the subject of many respectful, if some-what bemused, profiles over the weekend. The consensus seemed to be that Joyce has emerged as a considerable fig-ure, one of the years movers and shakers. Its certainly true that Joyce has commanded a great deal of media atten-tion in the last 12 months, but very little of it has been complimentary.

Joyce has been generally portrayed as parliaments resident clown, the undis-puted star of the Coalitions Funniest Home Videos. As such, he is widely appreciated and even admired, but this does not mean that he to be treated as a national authority on anything other than ac-countancy in the hamlet of St George. He obviously aspires to the role of a jester in the

Shakespearean tradition, a wise fool who dares to speak truths too shocking for more sober mortals. But he is more often seen as a vaudevillian taking one prat-fall after an-other on verbal banana skins that he himself has dropped. He is certainly not the man to make the running in what Abbott anticipates will be the mother of all scare campaigns on climate change.

But then, is Abbott himself? A few weeks ago he described the science as crap, and ap-peared to go along with Nick Minchins idea that it was all a left wing conspiracy to drive us back to the caves. Now, with the headlines coming from Copenhagen proving that just about every other political leader in the world takes it seriously, the weather vane has swung round to the idea that perhaps, just per-haps, there could be some-thing happening, but never mind, if there is we can fix

it without actually putting a cost on carbon emissions or on anything else. This trick will be accomplished by lift-ing building standards, trans-port standards, offering tax incentives for clean energy, all sorts of really nice things. But wont these cost money? Well, they wont cost half a trillion dollars, thats for sure

Presumably the script will be refined a bit before the mother of all scare campaigns starts in earnest, but it still sounds pret-ty unconvincing, especially to Malcolm Turnbull, who can be relied upon to point out its failings to all his highly placed Liberal friends and to anyone else who cares to listen. Apart from the manifest inconsist-encies in the message, it is all but impossible to run an ef-fective scare campaign from opposition at any time and the more so when you are a long way behind in the polls and therefore lack anything like the clout of the incumbents.

Abbotts media cheer squad are making encouraging noises, but even they seem to have their doubts. Words like desperate and last hope have been replaced by high risk but the commentators in the Weekend Australian, while universally supportive, seemed infected by a com-mon strain of pessimism. Not only did they lack enthusiasm for Abbotts army of has-beens and never-will-bes, apart from the above-mentioned fascination with Barnaby Joyce. None was prepared to offer even a breath of specu-lation as to what an Abbott government might aspire to in office. Clearly they believe that such an eventuality re-mains in the realm of fantasy. Fortunately theyre right.

Compared with the Tweed Shire councillors, our Byron mob are The Mild Bunch. In the Tweed you get old school politics with plenty of abuse and the gleeful support of overdevelopment. In Byron you get a bit of heated niggle during council meetings but not much more.

So Cr Ross Tuckers outburst over the Draft Coastal Zone Man-agement Plan (CZMP) and green councillors in general comes as something of a refreshing change. You can read about his frustra-tions and Tom Tabarts response to them on page 15.

Ross has obviously been lobbied by the Belongil Progress Association (BPA) as has the entire known world. It is passing strange, however, that Rosss comments are distributed to the news media by BPA member Ian Evans when Ross is entirely capable of contacting reporters himself. It gives a somewhat ven-triloquial role to Mr Evans, which is not Rosss usual style at all.

Whoever wrote the press release, there is nothing of substance in it by way of elucidating flaws in the CZMP, merely a timely re-minder to lodge objections by December 22. This is not like Ross at all: in council meetings he gives the impression he has read the agenda items and usually has a number of reasons at hand when putting his case for or against an item.

The main thrust of the BPA/Tucker document seems to be a whinge about a council which is incapable of making decisions a council of which Ross is a member. His blast at his Green col-leagues lacks definition. The Greens themselves hold four seats, which is not a voting majority, and independent Basil Cameron and OSF member Patrick Morrisey do not necessarily vote with the Greens. Even Ross and his party sidekicks Tony Heeson and Diane Woods have been known to vote with the Greens there have been quite a few unanimous votes so who exactly is inca-pable of making decisions?

Ross has invented the big steel filing cabinet in which many of Councils policies languish. It harks back to Cr Anudhi Went-worths bottom drawer of the 1990s which contained a wealth of forgotten planning documents. As to the cabinets contents, Ross kindly supplied the media with a spreadsheet of antique policies buried deeper than Tutankhamens tomb, possibly under the Belongil sands. Among them are the Byron Settlement Strategy, which got derailed long before this mob, and the Sand Lobe off Cape Byron Study, which was abandoned because of prohibitive costs, no doubt to the chagrin of Belongil landowners, as the plan was to refresh the beachfront from that lobe.

The costs of hiring consultants to do reports or work on poli-cies are ridiculous, and I would agree with Ross there, but this council does not stand out among councils in the last 20 years in its ability to accumulate bumf. Ross forgot to mention the sepa-rate steel filing cabinet required for the Byron Bay bypass studies.

As to Rosss motives: he is not likely to declare his hand to The Echo, so Ill take a few guesses. He wants to support the BPA fair enough. He is genuinely frustrated with Councils lack of progress on some fronts who wouldnt be? He is positioning himself for another grasp at the crown of thorns the mayor wears. Though the 2012 election is a long way off, it may be Rosss last best chance, especially as Jan Barham is likely to be enjoying a seat in the NSW legislative council. Or perhaps Ross just took pity on the local news hacks and threw us a juicy bone.

Council is not just about accumulating policies. While Ross is rummaging around in musty filing cabinets, visit www.byron.nsw.gov.au and take a look around. For the ultimate thrill, attend a council meeting. Go on, I dare you.

Michael McDonald, editor

Ross vents

Volume 24 #28 December 15, 2009

Abbotts supporters say that he speaks from the heart, but that is only accurate in that it admits the absence of the brain.

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Tony explores the realms of fantasy

www.echo.net.au The Byron Shire Echo December 15, 2009 11

Spirit of the BayI was walking along Jonson Street on Tuesday morning pondering all the talk over the last weeks of the spirit of a Byron Bay Christmas being represented or not in a tall, plastic tree. I was trying to bal-ance boxes of Christmas gifts for overseas friends and I was being waffled on by my two excited girls listing Christmas wishes while skipping around me. We burst into the post of-fice to be greeted with reassur-ing nods and a helpful hand from behind the counter.

Merry Christmas and thank you to the staff at the Byron Bay Post Office for your ever-present smiles, calm patience and senses of humour through-out the whole year. You often face long queues, yet you al-ways make time to talk to our children, put stamps on their hands and have a joke with me even if I have forgotten to fill out those green declaration

stickers again! You dont earn tips and you arent sponsored by anyone and yet the whole year round you are friendly, patient, caring and thoughtful, not just at Christmas. Could that be the spirit of Byron?

Lynne HolianByron Bay

Cohen benefitFor those who came late, Ian Cohen faces a million dol-lar debt for a short speech he gave at a benefit concert for me in 2001. I was being sued for defamation and in turn Ian was sued by the same litigant, developer Jerry Bennette. This Saturday December 19 in the Suffolk Park Hall, perform-ers are donating their talent at yet another benefit concert. Mook, Azo Bell, Mandy Nolan, Al Hughes, Men Wot Sing, the Love Handles and guests are giving their time and energy for a sit down and get up danc-ing night.

I know that while many peo-ple support Ians stand for free speech not all can be there. Donations can be made to the Ian Cohen Defamation Ac-count, BSB 062514 Common-wealth Bank account number 10329868.

Bill MackaySuffolk Park

Keep coolI had trouble trying to under-stand OT Baggios (MIEAust CPEng) gobbledegook about my statement that ice displaces its own volume (Letters, De-cember 8). Are you an engi-neer? Could you tell me what university you went to, so I can avoid it?

If you go back and (really) read my letter, you will see I was talking about the Arctic polar cap, which is floating sea ice. You mentioned this but got sidetracked about shelf ice and ice and snow on land, which,

Letters

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continued overleaf

Letters to the EditorFax: 6684 1719 Email: editor@echo.net.au Deadline: Noon, Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. Letters already published in other papers will not be considered. Please include your full name, address and phone number for verification purposes.

My family has lived in By-ron Bay for 40 years and I have never written a letter of protest before, however this latest at-tempt by Optus has made me so angry I feel must write to alert the residents of this area what is going to affect more than just we immediate un-lucky few. Optus with no con-sultation whatsoever is plan-ning on destroying our lives by building a 40 metre (thats more than 12 storeys) high mobile phone tower within a stones throw of our front door in one of the most scenic areas in the Shire.

This will be visible from the Golf Course, Baywood Chase and Skinners Shoot. The site is right beside the water supply

to Suffolk Park and the local school students wait there to catch the bus every day. The original site on Coopers Shoot only required a tower half the size but as this one has to send electromagnetic radiation over our home and around the es-carpment to reach Suffolk Park it has to be gigantic.

We are only a handful of res-idents but we are all united in objecting to this site. We may not be as powerful as those who had it withdrawn from the previous site but we will not take this lying down. I call on all those who value the beauty of this area to support us in this fight.

Byron Shire Council has the final say in this DA and does

not meet until February to consider it. Unfortunately we were only alerted to this DA days before submissions closed but I am sure they will listen to letters of concern. If you are considering using Optus please say No.

Wendy BlumsonByron Bay

As residents of Old Bangalow Road, we object strongly to the proposed Optus tower. It will be an eyesore on a beautiful escarpment. This area is being destroyed by big business with insensitive development.

Why put it in one of the most beautiful areas in Byron? Why cant it go with the rest of the towers at St Helena?

Why were we residents not consulted (only seeing it in The Echo today)? Is Optus trying to sneak it through at the busiest time of year hoping we wont notice? It is too high, too ugly and inappropriate for the site. Put it in Suffolk Park where its needed.

Alan & Denise MordenByron Bay

Proposed Optus tower an eyesore

12 December 15, 2009 The Byron Shire Echo www.echo.net.au

Letters

when melted, obviously would increase the volume of the ocean.

This is the kind of psuedo science (I was referring to in my previous letter) that is baf-fling the general populace and will ultimately lead to indiffer-ence and despair.

Look, to make it easy, go and google ice and volume displacement, or to the point, melting Arctic polar cap and sea level rise, so I can save my breath. Physics and real science confirm my statement.

To clarify, I am not a denier of humanitys destruction of our environment. We need much more radical change than mere carbon offsets/cred-

its etc but it must be led by real science and scientists that do not have vested interests in a particular outcome for their research.

One positive of O Ts heated letter is that it may stir some to actually do some homework.

Keep cool, O T.Andy Mc Tavish

Goonengerry

Walk the talk?If Bluesfest is really as green as theyd like people to believe (Echo, December 8), why have they lodged no less than eight Section 96 applications to Council to water down con-ditions of consent, including arrangements for water con-nections and shortening the

flora and fauna assessments time period? Walk the talk? I dont think so.

Cr Patrick MorriseyGoonengerry

Thanks, firiesA big shout out to all the car-ing firies who worked dili-gently to protect our homes at Fern and South Golden Beach last Saturday as winds howled and flames spread across the Billinudgel Nature Reserve. Well done, bravo, and safe and happy holidays to all!

Judy Sunshine Fern Beach

Great festivalAs Secretary Manager of Mul-lumbimby Ex-Services Club

and Mullumbimby Ex-Services Bowling Club there are several groups of people I would like to thank regarding the Mullum Music Festival. Firstly I would like to congratulate the organ-isers of Mullum Music Festival for their efforts at producing such an amazing and well run event. I would also like to thank the festival audience, the friendliness and all-round good nature of this crowd so reflects the ambience of Mul-lumbimby and is a shining example of how gentle people conduct themselves; it was an absolute pleasure to have you in our clubs.

In the world of licensed ven-ues often big crowds mean big

continued from page 11

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Council: disappointment and spin

continued on page 14

Response to Mr Wegners let-ter regarding his disappoint-ment at not being able to ask a question at the Ordinary Meet-ing held on December 3.

As anyone who attends a Council meeting will appreci-ate, public access sessions are popularly attended by Byron Shire residents and ratepayers.

The public access session gives priority to individuals or organisations who wish to speak for or against agenda items listed for that particular day. Speakers are required to contact Council to be placed on the public access list; only one presentation for and one presentation against may be made on an item in the busi-ness paper, with a maximum of five minutes allocated to each presentation. More than one speaker for or against an item must share the allotted time.

It is not uncommon that over 20 items are listed for dis-cussion and debate at Coun-cils Ordinary Meetings. This has the potential for numerous public access presentations and unfortunately they may not be

all possible in the allocated one and a half hours prior to the of-ficial start of the meeting.

Questions from the gallery are held at the end of public ac-cess sessions and may be taken on notice. Any public questions taken on notice are recorded and referred to the appropri-ate Director for a written re-sponse. A copy of the question and response is provided to all Councillors.

While every endeavour is made to accommodate the publics opportunity to speak and ask questions, Council is restricted by time. For those residents and ratepayers who cannot attend a Council meet-ing, please phone, email or write a letter to Council detail-ing your concern or feedback.

Graeme Faulkner General Manager

Byron Shire Council

When I recently criticised Councils vague resolution re holiday letting (the most poor-ly drafted resolution Ive seen) I didnt expect Jan Barham to take issue, any more than she replied to any of the other criti-

cisms Ive levelled over the past year.

She did surprise me the fol-lowing week, however, when she used the demise of Splen-dour to suggest that this was actually a good thing because it would result in less holiday letting and more housing for locals. In other words, instead of rejecting my prediction that nothing would happen over holiday letting, she chose the back door by putting out propaganda to the effect that her mind (as opposed to her actions) was still focused on it. Never mind the obvious fact that not a single holiday letter will close down because one week of Splendour over-charging will be deleted from the calendar.

I wonder whether it was Councils (full time) Media Liaison Officer or Jan herself who thought of this opportun-istic little spin.

But it couldnt have been the (full time) Media Liaison Officer because as everyone knows, this position requires unrelenting obeisance to the banks of CNN, Fox Media, ABC and New York

Times reporters who camp per-manently outside the Council chambers waiting for a titbit or morsel to convey to their anx-ious worldwide audience.

No, it must have been Jans idea. She after all is the one who has so much time up her sleeve that she can do not only the Mayor bit, but also the State Upper House. The total ben-efits from doing both would be about $4,000 per week. Not bad, eh?

Most of the Councillors at-tendance requirements have been shrunk to an average of less than one day a week, and Jan is adamant in her adher-ence to a pre-set timetable into which everything must be crammed, even if it means chopping off significant parts of public access, sweeping in-convenient truths under the carpet and ignoring complaints about whats going on all of which can be easily dealt with in any case by Councils (full time) Media Liaison Officer in terms of spin, diversion and photo-ops.

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Letters

trouble, not so with the people who visited our clubs. People were so appreciative of the club venues and so considerate of the property and staff that we were able to enjoy the event nearly as much as the ticket holders. We were pleased to be able to provide some respite from the heat on Saturday af-ternoon, as the mercury soared so did the crowd numbers in our lounge area with everyone taking advantage of the air-conditioning and cold drinks. We had a pram traffic jam as families packed the lounge and the bigger, more mobile kids played pool and skittered around on the carpet while their parents sank back into the lounge chairs and braced themselves for the next event on the program.

My apologies to those who may have been annoyed about the sign-in process, unfortu-nately it is a legal requirement of the State and we are bound to insist on this procedure. Next year, due to a law change, the process will change for the better as visitors will be able to sign in for up to seven days at a time, negating the need to sign in every day. We will also implement a wristband system for those who have signed in so that they may come and go from both clubs as they please over the weekend.

Thank you to our mem-bers whose good nature and understanding allowed us a

temporary relaxation of our dress code for the weekend. I am sure that at the very least the extremely varied nature of our visitors over the weekend gave everyone something to talk about.

Cant wait till next Novem-ber.

Luke BarnesSecretary Manager

Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club

Goodbye wise foxStuart Fox and I used to send each other our Photoshop pranks. Ill miss the wise fox.

Vince from The Vipers

Unlevel playing fieldAs a small business owner I am extremerly concerned with the the recent pricing strategies of Coles and Woolworths.

They have recently had both Harry Potter and Ice Age 3 on sale for $10 or less (over 60% below the industry whole-sale price) if I buy a certain amount of groceries at the same time. While it looks like an incredible saving, it poten-tially means that consumers are being charged more for our essential groceries to sup-port the cost of this DVD.

In addition, it means that my DVD store and others are unable to compete with this pricing. Furthermore it is creating the consumer per-ception that you dont need to spend more than $10 on a new release DVD which is

appoximately one third of the wholesale price. Obviously this is not sustainable.

It looks to me that big busi-nesses are trying to do whatev-er they can to drive out small businesses, and if they do I am certain that their DVD pricing will go up, leaving consum-ers no option but to pay more. Whatever they decide Id like the ACCC to have a say about this. It is creating an unlevel-playing field and if it contin-ues it could devastate small business across the country.

Ken GentleNetwork Video

Brunswick Heads

Connect the dotsA few weeks ago Cr Tom Tabart explained to Fast Buck$ (in a letter to The Echo) that Councillors have no role in operational matters. None-theless, we have finally seen some action from Council on behalf of the citizens of Byron Shire. First the trees on Jonson Street were saved, and now, hopefully, the sports field at Ewingsdale will be saved too, by overriding staff recommen-dations.

Perhaps Councillors will now connect the dots and question why staff would sabo-tage the sports field by submit-ting an inflated estimate of the costs involved (including $1 million for a canteen.) Could it be that staff is concerned that we will find out that there are indeed consequences to

the losses in the investment funds? Is that why they wish to prevent any expenditure from these depleted funds?

In any event, it is good to see Councillors taking respon-sibility rather than playing the role of cheerleaders for the bu-reaucrats. It is about time!

Ephraim SellaByron Bay

Coastal solutionsIn the current debate on the Draft Coastal Zone Manage-ment Plan there is an unfor-tunate amount of divisiveness that is polarising our commu-nity.

The plan itself is laden with a sense of doom. The end is nigh it shouts, we must all head for the hills! This current context constrains our options and prevents a creative engage-ment with the problem. Rather than adapt, it sets us up for a long struggle, legally, socially and economically.

It also creates a sense of un-certainty and abandonment among the coastal homeown-ers, causing them to become defensive and combative. After all, we all will defend our homes, sometimes to the death.

Fortunately a small ray of light has fallen on this unhappy situation. In the Sydney Morn-ing Herald weekend editon, December 5-6, the article A Deluge of Dutch Courage, page 6, News Review, speaks of the

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continued on page 18

www.echo.net.au The Byron Shire Echo December 15, 2009 15

Articles

Late on Monday December 7 Byron Shire Councillor Ross Tucker issued a press release, calling on residents to lodge objections to the Councils Coastal Zone Management Plan before December 22. This Plan will be disastrous for the Shire and for everyone who lives and works here, he said.

Its yet another example of Councillors placing their own political agenda ahead of the interests of the residents and ratepayers of Byron Shire. The residents of this Shire should be aware that the CZMP will be a blight on our community forever.

Cr Tucker also attacked the Green group on Council for policies which are extremely costly, wasteful and foolish. This Council is incapable of making decisions.

Do nothing

It is an ideological and phil-osophical body which wants somebody else to change the world. These people propel themselves to the high mor-al ground, launch ratepayer funded studies, engage consul-tancies, develop strategies and plans but actually do nothing.

Councillor Tucker said that over the past five years Council had spent hundreds of thou-sands of ratepayers funds on studies used to form policies that have never been put into practice.

There is a belief among some councillors that once you have a policy you have completed the task. This is certainly not the case.

According to Cr Tucker, all of the reports and studies de-veloped have been consigned to the big steel filing cabinet.

No one has read them and no one will. If anyone did they would draw the conclusion I drew that these reports and studies are, in the main, pure drivel.

Individually these docu-ments and consultancies cost anywhere between $20,000 and $100,000. Cumulatively they cost ratepayers and tax-payers (some grant funds are used) millions.

I see their policies and plan-ning as negative, anti-people, hardline and un-Australian ideology that would have us bring back the dark ages. Doc-uments resulting from their studies are training exercises for their great day in the bog.

Tabart responds

In response Greens council-lor Tom Tabart told The Echo: Over the last couple of years Ross has gone from a hard-core global warming unbeliev-er in answer to my question in Council to acknowledging that something is happening but it is definitely not caused by human activity. This was a while ago and I am not sure of his current position.

While grudgingly agreeing that the recovery of the Byron sand lobe was a non-goer, Ross has never come up with any plan to combat coastal ero-sion, rather confining himself to criticism of all green-tinted initiatives, especially Planned Retreat. He has always taken the populist line that someone (read government) should do something to preserve the status quo on the coastline in

the sacred causes of property values and developer rights.

We all have our ideologies and philosophies, the Greens believe that preservation of the planet is the primary objective, Ross believes that laissez faire property rights are paramount he is quite fond of the Dea-partment of Plannings initia-tives over the last few years and is constantly warning against confronting the conga line of planning ministers we have en-joyed recently.

He has a point about Coun-cil getting a poor result from its reports, studies and plans but this is the fate of local govern-ment in its current construc-tion. It is a milch cow for every entity it engages and pays out-rageous prices for poor serv-ices. The fact that many of our initiatives languish unre-solved does not mean they are not worthy do we sit on our hands because we operate in a dysfunctional environment?

This little spray to the me-dia it is his constant theme in Council session may be a ranging shot for the next council elections which must be this ageing troglodytes last hurrah.

Ross Tucker, an independ-ent, has been a councillor since 1991. Tom Tabart is in his sec-ond term, elected as a Greens councillor in 2004. Comment, page 10

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Cr Ross Tucker, left, and Cr Tom Tabart.

16 December 15, 2009 The Byron Shire Echo www.echo.net.au

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www.echo.net.au The Byron Shire Echo December 15, 2009 17

Articles

Story & photo Mary Gardner

This particular water dragon, out in the open, ignored peo-ple walking by who, in turn, ignored it. But as I focused my camera and approached the creature, it became aware of me. It stopped on the hot pavement and turned its head. As the morning glare inter-fered with each photo, I angled closer. Unnerved, it picked its way down into the rocks. Be-fore it disappeared, just before I snapped the photo, we were looking eye to eye.

What are these lizards I find by the sea but never in it? Re-ports say the Australian east-ern water dragon Physignathus lesueurii lives near freshwater and swims well. There isnt a word about their beach life. This one has a dark belly and chin which might mean it is a female. The males are suppos-edly red in these spots.

If it is female, has she perhaps recently finished with digging a burrow and laying eggs? The breeding season is said to be in October and November. The dozen or so eggs will produce males or females depending on the temperature of the nest, not the chromosomes of the embry-os. Cooler temperatures favour the development of females.

Typically, water dragons only range about 75 metres, so might a nest be nearby? Need-ing three months for incuba-tion, hatchlings could appear in the next month or so. What will they make of their home, the Main Beach and central zone of Byron Bay?

Water dragons eat insects, worms, frogs, other reptiles as well as fruit. I suppose both adults and youngsters can find the food they need. And as for being arboreal? Newcomer that I am here, I have yet to see them in tree branches.

But these are simple myster-ies compared to the ones deep in the depths of those dark eyes. I search for facial expres-sions I can relate to, but fail. The reptile faces are so unlike those of us primates. I am left baffled.

Maybe the scaly reptile skin is too different from our hairy mammalian skin. But reptiles and mammals are related. One of the traits we have in common is that our skeletons feature backbones and four limbs.

Our skulls differ, though. Their skulls, apart from eye sockets and nostrils, have two extra holes. We have only one. But our brains have similarities.

Now for centuries, scientists explained these similarities and crucial differences as part of the Scala Naturae, a great hi-erarchy of life. European Man was at the top, followed by his woman. From here paraded a long line including every other form of life. They ranked in a descending scale down to the most primitive form.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, evolution was another part of the evidence supporting and explaining this great ladder of life. The reptile brain gave way to the superior mammal one. The story was that over eons, dim-witted dinosaurs gave way to sharp thinking ro-dents and eventually primates.

But by 1930, the Scala Natu-rae was being broken. One lead-ing researcher causing change

was Tilly Edinger, a German woman. She was the first to use casts of the inside of fossil skulls to understand more accurately how brains evolved.

These models clearly showed the detail of soft tissues long gone. The different parts of the brain, processing different sensory information, could be correctly identified.

Edinger set up the new sci-ence of paleoneurology. She used biology with geology to reveal the behaviour and life-styles of extinct dinosaurs, sea cows, whales, horses, amphib-ians and bats. During World War Two, this work became her passport from persecu-tion in Nazi Germany and into life as an academic at Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.

Her work revealed a more sophisticated understanding of how evolution changed the original vertebrate brain. Over time, its three main parts were developed in ways unique to each species. By the time of her death in 1967, the story of brain evolution was freeing itself of the elitist views of the Scala Naturae.

Paul MacLean, a neuroscien-tist, set this emancipation back with his idea that the human

brain was a three-in-one pack-age. He thought the reptile, early mammal and advanced mammal brains were in us all today. He saw our problematic behaviours as merely reflecting this evolutionary heritage.

But more careful research shows what we actually share. There is no reptile brain but a familiar set of nerve cells in the brain stem. These have been useful for all us vertebrates be-fore we split into reptiles, birds and mammals. These cells in this arrangement have been a good thing for 280 million years.

Other parts of our different brains changed, leading to new skills. But the tissues of think-ing still have similarities. Thats why some workers suggest that reptiles have a passive type of consciousness, full of raw feels. They also suppose there may be some level of active conscious-ness, with intention. These are based on neural processes quite unlike the thinking systems of us mammals.

What I am looking at on those rocks is also looking at me. The water dragon and I are like long parted family mem-bers. In each others absence, we picked up new body lan-guage, mannerisms and habits. These new quirks make it al-most impossible to understand each other. Almost.

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The dragons secret neural processes

18 December 15, 2009 The Byron Shire Echo www.echo.net.au

Letters

response by the Dutch to sea-level rise, and this response is one of adaption, rather than fight or flight. It is intitiated by their Delta committee and has resulted in them giving advice to other countries, including the USA, on how to adapt and engage constructively with sea-level rise.

There is another way. This is cause for cautious optimism and is the sort of thing the councils consultants should have picked up, but anyway check it out. Lets not wilfully dismember the Shire just yet.

Andrew HallNew Brighton

Protect The PassI encourage all readers to make submissions and com-ment on the current proposal for the Pass. Simply log on at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/parkmanagement/capeby-ronamendments.htm and check out the plans you can also lodge your submission online. But be quick, submis-sions close on December 18.

Jake HennesseyByron Bay

Ever enjoyed a BBQ at The Pass? Lets keep up the pres-sure against a Gold Coast style kiosk as The Pass and make it clear that we like it the way it

is or was before they closed the old caf.

You can see their proposed amendments at www.environ-ment.nsw.gov.au/parkman-agement/CapeByronAmend-ments.htm where it states, Existing picnic facilities and amenities are well utilised but could be upgraded to optimise the unique natural values of the site. Er, Im not sure that is exactly what they have on offer with no BBQs shown on new design.

Take a look and then lobby the trust nathan.oliver@environment.nsw.gov.au (tel 6620 9300) or MP Don Page on 6686 7522. There is only

one week left for effective comment.

Ben Sullivan and familyPossum Creek

Market bluesMy daughter and her friends have recently discovered the joys of selling goods at community markets. Their experiences have been mainly positive.

However, they recently ap-plied to the illustrious Byron Markets. Just to fill in forms and be interviewed they had to drive from Tweed to Byron on Wednesday prior to Sundays market and pay $60 for two sites up front, no guarantees of a position but a promise of a refund if no site available.

They then had to drive to Byron early on market day, still none the wiser, so they were obviously fully loaded with stock. You can guess the rest no site available and no refund offered weve run out of refund money. One gent who had paid his $30 on the Sunday of the market was told we cant give you a refund be-cause we have run out of re-fund money.

Candle burning but no one home!

Mark RydingBanora Point

Salt solutionIm no climate change scep-tic, but for me the cause is not clear. Nor is there consensus across the scientific communi-ty, notwithstanding crackpots and fruitloops.

If CO2 emissions are causing imminent global catastrophe, then molten salt (590C) as a medium for storage of har-nessed solar energy provides the capacity to deliver base load and dispatchable power with two months autonomy. No more cloudy and overnight intermittency worries. Two months to convert the suns rays onto the grid.

Dig it? No CO2 emissions, guaranteed energy prices for the next 25 years. End of crisis.

The waste salt simply be-comes fertiliser (sodium ni-trate) and is harmlessly re-turned to the soil. If our rulers are sincere about protecting our biosphere, solutions are here, now, without the need to tax.

The grotesquely greedy cor-porations and their ever-hun-gry shareholders would prefer to pour billions into seques-tering coal so it remains busi-ness as usual until they invent it, then business as usual once they invent it.

T AvedissianByron Bay

Letters received from D Trussell, J Cassar, T Parker, F Druett, G Wright, C Mester, J Scrivener, P Basket, G Scott, D OConnell, J Lazarus, D Gilet, C Haynes, M Lang, A Gatten-hof, E Callan, M Laratro, J In-ness, R Land.

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www.echo.net.au The Byron Shire Echo December 15, 2009 19

Articles

Story & photo Lou Beaumont

Something exciting is happen-ing in the hip hop hood. Bless tha Beatz is an all ages, drug and alcohol free hip hop show that is bringing together up-coming and established artists from Byron, Tweed and Ballina Shires.

The show, hopefully the first of many, aims to put the spot-light on local hip hop as well as providing safe, affordable entertainment for youth over

the summer holidays.Bless tha Beatz is one of many

in the Brunswick Community Drug Action Teams (CDAT) youth summer activities pro-gram, which is funded by the North Coast Area Health Ser-vice Drug and Alcohol Unit. The team aims to reduce drug and alcohol related harm by providing positive, healthy and life enhancing experiences for young people over the sum-mer, instead of them getting bored or wasted.

Local hip hopper and an organiser of Bless tha Beatz, Tanina Millis, told The Echo, CDAT have provided us with a golden opportunity. Not only are we learning how to organ-ise and present events, this will also be the first performance for some of the artists, myself included.

We hope to make Bless tha Beatz a regular event. We are very grateful to the dedicated volunteers at CDAT for mak-ing our dreams possible.

You can enjoy and sup-port the flourishing local hip hop scene at Bless tha Beatz on December 19 at 6pm at Brunswick Memorial Hall on Fingal Street, entry by gold coin donation. Raffle tickets with two tickets to Splendour in the Grass as first prize will also be available on the night, drawn on Australia Day. If you want to find out more about, or help organise, any activities run by CDAT, phone Michele on 6680 3163.

YOUR TOWN AND YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS IS IN DANGER!

All property within one kilometre of the high water mark in Byron Shire will be affected by Councils Coastal Zone Management Plan. The CZMP will have a severe and permanent effect on values throughout the Shire and on our

prosperity and employment. Would you buy a house or business that you might have to demolish? When the demolitions begin, people will be left standing in the street with no home and a mortgage to pay.

Several thousand houses and other properties in Byron Bay, New Brighton, South Golden Beach, Suffolk Park, Belongil, Clarkes Beach and Tallow Beach will be affected.

If the sea comes to within 20 metres of any building in the zone: Council will cancel its development approval and obtain a court order for demolition You will not be allowed to take any action to protect your home You will have to pay for the demolition There will be no compulsory acquisition, no compensation and no appeal

The CZMP is a bad policy, supported by hardline Green councillors and sympathisers in Council, that has negative consequences for residents and property owners.

WORRIED? YOU SHOULD BE!Your life and the inheritance of your children will be severely damaged by this.

The CZMP is now on public display. You have very limited time to protest! THE CLOSING DATE FOR OBJE