17.9 C
Byron Shire
July 2, 2026

Byron coastal policy sent to minister in shock move

Latest News

Women to the front: the female voices shaping the 2026 Byron Writers Festival

The 2026 Byron Writers Festival program puts women front and centre. Journalists, novelists, and an award-winning columnist bring an extraordinary breadth of stories to Bundjalung Country this August.

Other News

Locals losing their homes for luxury $2.5m retirement flats

For Kerry Pauley and the six other remaining permanent residents at the Glen Villa Resort on Butler Street, Byron Bay, news of the luxury retirement village that has been proposed for the site at 80-86 Butler Street has been devastating.

Missing man in Ballina

Police are appealing for assistance to locate a missing man. Caine Tierney, aged 47, was last seen on Ross Street, Ballina, about 12.30pm on Wednesday 24 June 2026.

CSIRO releases flood mitigation report

After four years of work, the CSIRO has come to the conclusion that multiple water detentions (dams), in the upper reaches of the catchments in the Northern Rivers, along with other flood mitigation engineering, could reduce future catastrophic flooding impacts in Lismore and elsewhere by as much as 2 metres.

The ghosts of generations – Siang Lu at Byron Writers Festival 2026

The Byron Writers Festival talks to author Siang Lu about his book, Ghost Cities, which won the Miles Franklin Award in 2025.

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: When No Means MoNo

Pauline wants monoculture. No one really knows what she means. And we know that Pauline definitely doesn’t know what it means, she just knows it will create disturbance. So I’ve done a bit of a deep dive on what the mono might look like.

Mandy Nolan confirmed as Greens candidate for Ballina

Following the Ballina-Byron Greens preselection ballot, Mandy Nolan has been selected as the party's candidate to contest the state seat of Ballina in the 2027 election, currently held by Tamara Smith.
Byron Shire [former] Greens Councillor Rose Wanchap has backed the controversial rock wall since her defection.
Byron Shire [former] Greens Councillor Rose Wanchap has backed the controversial rock wall since her defection.
By Hans Lovejoy

 

It’s been high drama in Byron shire council chambers in the past 24 hours with what appears to be a final decision by staff to send its controversial coastal policy to the minister.

For those unaware, last Wednesday, the council majority of Sol Ibrahim, Rose Wanchap, Di Woods, Alan Hunter and Chris Cubis voted for their Coastal Management Plan Byron Bay Embayment (CZMP BBE) to go to the next stage, which is an assessment by the planning minister.

It was met by a vocal and sometimes angry gallery who burst into song upon the vote being made.

But later in the day, right-wing Crs Ibrahim and Cubis left the meeting without explanation, leaving the left wing faction in control, despite Cr Paul Spooner’s absence.

This was confirmed to Echonetdaily by both the mayor and Cr Duncan Dey.

That resulted in recasting the vote by Cr Dey, which aimed to delay the coastal policy being sent.

Still with us?

Echonetdaily understands that it was accepted at the time by staff, but the following day that decision was reversed by staff, who promptly sent the document on to the minister.

Council staff have been asked by Echonetdaily for an explanation as to why the reversal was made, and where it applies to the code of conduct policy and or legislation.

Mayor Simon Richardson said at the time that Cr Woods announced to the room that her faction would leave the chamber to prevent the vote, which he says is a clear breach of the code of conduct.

 



For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling.

If you are a local business owner help us and in turn we help you. All The Echo asks for is advertising, not a free ride. It is every advert in The Echo and on www.echo.net.au, which creates the space for all the stories and coverage of community events, happenings and concerns.

If you are a reader you can become a sponsor of The Echo. Your support keeps the us independent.

Even a small one-off or regular donation from you will help keep the echo’s independent voice alive and strong.

Support Us

Become one of the supporters who helps keep independent, local journalism alive in the Byron Shire by contributing anything from as little as the cost of a coffee each month.

You're Wonderful, Thank you for supporting independent journalism in the Byron Shire

You’re supporting The Echo, thank you

Your contribution is keeping independent, local journalism alive in the Northern Rivers.

Because of supporters like you, we can keep every story free for everyone — no paywall, no exceptions. Your money goes directly to funding our newsroom of 40-odd local workers covering the stories that matter to this community.

Tell us what you think, give us your opinion

The Echo loves your letters and comments and is proud to provide a community forum on the issues that matter most to our readers and the people of the NSW north coast. So don’t be a passive reader, email us your epistles at editor@echo.net.au.

The letters deadline for The Echo is noon Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. The publication of letters is at the discretion of the letters editor. Please remember to include your full name, address and telephone number.

Online comments are no longer available.

Osher’s next act: transforming recovery into a toolkit

Byron Writers Festival talks with best-selling author Osher Günsberg whose new book, So What? Now What? is a mental health toolkit and a compelling follow-up to his critically-acclaimed 2018 memoir, Back, After The Break.

BaySounds opens the door for songwriters

Some songs arrive quickly. Others sit half-finished in notebooks, voice memos or guitar cases for years before somebody finally hears them.

Bay FM’s Mia Armitage heads to Germany

Northern Rivers journalist Mia Armitage has been selected for a prestigious international internship with Germany’s public broadcaster, Deutsche Welle.

Biosecurity strategy up for comment

Feedback is now open on the draft NSW Biosecurity Strategy that the government says will provide the focus for improvements to the state’s biosecurity framework over the next 10 years.