You’re wrong Mr Vaughan

Wendy Royston, Brunswick Heads

In response to John Vaughan’s letter titled Why Byron Will Stay CSG Free, in Friday’s Echonetdaily, I would like to clear up some inaccuracies and assumptions on his part.

As co-ordinator of the Brunswick Heads Gasfield Free group, I approached Cr Duncan Dey with regard to erecting two signs on the two entrance roads to Brunswick Heads, declaring the town gasfield free. This was after a survey of all residents of the town returned a vote of 93 per cent who wanted to declare the town gasfield free.

At no time did we request funding from council, and in fact we are aware that our group will pay for the signs ourselves from fundraising we have done, as will all the other gasfield free groups in Byron Shire, that will erect signs on the entrance roads to their towns, once surveys have been completed and towns are declared gasfield free.

The request for assistance from Cr Dey and council is for erecting the signs on suitable poles with an attempt at using existing ones so as not to add to the proliferation of poles on the roadsides and also for assistance with any protocols in relation to this.

So rather than denigrating Cr Dey and mayor Simon Richardson, they should be commended on assisting a project which an overwhelming percentage of their constituents would like to do. That is what we have voted them in for, in my view.

With regard to whether CSG is an issue in this region, it is not, tight sands and shale gas are the issues here and that is why we have surveyed on declaring the town gasfield free.

Brunswick Heads declared itself gasfield free on Saturday, 1 June, as you would have seen in front page headlines in the last issue of Echonetadily.

While it is true that Dart Energy, which has the mining licence over the area including Brunswick Heads, have withdrawn and there is talk that it is not economically viable for them to mine at this point, there is no guarantee as to their or any other mining company’s intention in the future.

That is why it is most important to give a clear message to the mining companies ‘you are not wanted here and if you come you will have over 90 per cent of residents opposed to you’.

I hope that you are now clear on the above matters and are happy that Cr Dey is helping residents of the shire express their wishes. He has been most helpful, clear and available to listen to what it is we need help with.