Many many letters have been written regarding Rose Wanchap’s decision to initially stand for Byron Shire Council as a Green councillor and then do a 180-degree about-face and represent the pro-developing faction.
These letters include the huge spread by Rose herself on 21 October justifying her decision, as well as extolling her philanthropic actions in our town and telling us what she has done for the environment. Something that is usually done by another who has recognised her talents.
This extract is from a piece called ‘Differences of Opinion’ which was issued earlier last century by Institute of Public Affairs, and is currently relevant to the often extreme points of view that are held in our council and our community, relating to the developments that will change the face of this small town, and certainly not be affordable by all sectors of the community.
‘Some people attempt to settle differences of opinion by force. They are angered by anyone who holds ideas that clash with their own. However, no one man, no political, economic or religious faith is a repository of all the truth. Everyone, every serious belief, has something to contribute to the sum total of human knowledge.
‘The strength of our democratic society lies in its variety of viewpoints.
‘By respecting the viewpoint of others, we grow in stature and understanding. Those who claim the right to dissent must grant to others the right to dissent from them.
‘The truth is not revealed to any of us in the noise and hysteria of self-righteousness. Differences of opinion in our society are thus something that not merely to be tolerated.
‘They should be encouraged, indeed treasured, for they are the source of our strength, the seed bed of progress and a more civilised way of life.
‘But we should be able to air our differences without wanting to punch the other fellow on the nose (literally or symbolically).
‘The wise person does not shout out his disagreement in angry tones. He shouts it quietly, because there is a lurking suspicion or possibility that perhaps he/she may be wrong after all, or at lease not wholly right.
‘It is seldom that there is not some tiny particle of truth, some grain of wisdom, in the opposing viewpoint.’
This is the process of democratic decisions that are worked out through councils, local governments, state and national governments, and if we are on the left or right of those in power we will have opposing viewpoints.
However, what is beyond democracy, and beyond viewpoint and a differing of opinion, but an ethical and moral truth, is the fact that Rose Wanchap was elected as a Green councillor; she was given votes by those who believed that she represented them, and she has now totally betrayed their trust in due process in government.
For this reason Rose needs to stand down for her betrayal of those who believed in her representation.
Robbie Winter-Blick, Byron Bay
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. 
