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Byron Shire
March 21, 2023

Turning the Tweed into Gold Coast

Latest News

Byron’s chocoholics’ Easter destination

The Love Byron Bay boutique has been specialising in unique cocoa encounters for nearly a decade now. In this...

Other News

It flooded the first storey in 2022 – so is a 60-lot development a good idea?

The Richmond Valley Council has been asked to approve a 60 Lot Residential Subdivision on Rileys Hill Road, Broadwater on a floodplain 70 metres from the Richmond River. According to locals, the area flooded extensively during the 2022 flood with many houses across the road from the site being flooded up to and including the first floor.

Dr Leon Ankersmit looks at mining, and thermal waste incinerators in the Clarence

Dr Leon Ankersmit has stated that he supports the position of no mining in the Clarence catchment but has stopped short of signing the Clarence Catchment Alliance pledge to 'ban mining in the Clarence catchment.

Labor’s Craig Elliot commits to SSF and keeping old Tweed Hospital site open

Talking state significant farmland (SSF) and the Tweed Hospitals Labor’s Craig Elliot has committed to preserving SSF, free parking at the new Tweed Valley Hospital (TVH) and keeping the old Tweed Hospital in public hands. 

Seat of Lismore has 1,000 new constituents after Electoral Commission redistribution

There are about 1,000 new constituents in the Byron Shire hinterland who at this Saturday’s election come into the Electorate of Lismore because of a NSW Electoral Commission redistribution.

Election 2023 – Tweed: Geoff Provest

The seat of Tweed is currently held by Geoff Provest for the Nationals by a margin of five per cent. He has held the seat for 16 years since 2007.

Alignment of DCP and LEP for Kingscliff ‘welcome’

The Kingscliff community has been active in taking the opportunities offered to them over the years to have input into how their community will be shaped into the future. However, differences between various planning instruments such as the DCP and the LEP have often left locals frustrated.

If Warren Polglase is so concerned about jobs in the building industry, why is he always so supportive of huge mega-developments like Kings Forest?

It’s like he has never noticed how all the work on these mega-developments goes to Queensland companies. How can anyone who claims to be concerned about local jobs have missed the conga line of Queensland utes outside Salt etc for years. Eco developments are where our locals shine, but Mr Polglase seems to be much more supportive of turning us into just another part of the Gold Coast. How short-sighted is that? Why be exactly like our biggest market, giving them no incentive to come here? Mr Polglase has learnt to ‘talk the talk’ but under close observation at Council, he does not ‘walk the walk’. If he was worried about ratepayers and rates he should have been fighting these mega-developments off with a big stick. They are going to cost us huge amounts of money, since developer contributions have been capped, someone has to pay, and that’s us.

And why do we need to all fight about raising Clarrie Hall Dam wall / damming Byrrill Creek? So all the newcomers on their tiny koala-killing blocks can wash their 4WDs all day. Why else?

As for the Labor candidates being against damming Byrrill Creek, who do they think gave concept approval to Kings Forest (incidentally raising its value from $20 million to $1000 million) about three weeks before they were hit with a baseball bat in state elections? Why, it was the NSW Labor party, or do they think we have forgotten? Hypocrites.

As for Phil Youngblutt, he seems asleep at most meetings, and I think he could be easily replaced by an elderly bulldog. Really, what moron is going to vote for him? People that can’t stand Katie and the Greens, that’s who.

Common sense says we should play to our clean, green strengths, but big-’G’ green encompasses a lot of other social policies that you may or may not agree with.

There are alternatives, people with business sense, common sense and political nous. You just need to look carefully for them. We need people who can unite the shire. Make your vote count – be careful who you give it to.

Lisa Townsend
Murwillumbah


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