Having been in real estate, albeit 45 years ago, I must agree with Cr Wanchap, the buyer does indeed determine the price (in other words, whatever the market will bear) and scarcity raises prices. So does lack of choice. However, if Cr Wanchap thinks the West Byron Mega Suburb (WBMS) is sustainable I would advise the Greens to educate all prospective candidates on the real meaning of the word sustainable, rather than the marketing bullshit version, and the actual value of the environment.
Cr Wanchap would probably describe me as a green fundamentalist but I can assure her I’m way beyond that. To my mind ‘Save the Earth’ is not an appropriate catch cry. It suggests the need for an almost religious level of altruism which a lot of people find difficult. I suspect a more rampantly self-interested approach would have more effect. We are changing our global environment, potentially to a state which will no longer support us. The survival of our species is at stake. Is that self-interested enough or is it too global? Let’s get local.
Not only is WBMS profoundly unsustainable even by suburban development standards, suburbia itself is unsustainable. Dormitory suburbs mean that we must commute for practically everything, almost all supplies trucked in and wastes trucked out to be dealt with elsewhere. Completely unsustainable and the only housing choices on offer are variations of that same theme.
This region has the knowledge and resources to create housing development models that are totally sustainable and with the potential to be more attractive, affordable and prosperous than anything else on the market. There’s an outline and a possible approach at www.byronenvironmentcentre.asn.au/robin.htm.
I would dearly love to see this conversation get going.
Robin Harrison, Binna Burra
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. 
