Byron Shire Markets need your support. A new policy is being considered that would privatise the markets.For the past 26 years the Byron Shire Markets have been run professionally and effectively motivated purely by the best interest of the Byron Community. The markets are internationally and nationally respected – Oprah choose to send her Australian tour to the Byron Farmers Markets, the Byron Shire Markets are constantly profiled as the “best markets in Australia”.
The markets provide a direct income for many hundreds of people and families in this region. The indirect benefit would be in the thousands.The markets are a successful, major tourist attraction. Each market community organisations directly benefit from being able to fundraise at the markets. (For Byron Community Market this is a total of 728 over the past 26 years). By pursuing this new policy it will be allowing a for profit event company to manage one of the areas biggest community assets. This policy could lead to a company like McDonalds running the markets and deciding who gets to set up stalls. Many valuable community projects will be lost to the community if the markets are privatised.
The local character of the north coast markets will be swamped with junk imports. The markets will be turned into a franchise opportunity for the highest bidder. Our markets are worth more than that, our community markets are: NOT FOR SALE, NOT FOR PROFIT
