I was firstly amused then affronted and now disgusted with Byron shire’s Cr Ibrahim’s answer to the question, ‘Has your personal friendship with some or any of these landowners influenced your decision to vote on their behalf?’.
On last council election day I manned the polling booth at Byron Bay public school in support of Karen Kolbe from approximately 9am to close of polling around 5.30pm. By chance the candidate team next to me was the team supporting Sol Ibrahim.
Now I am not sure how you define ‘Personal Friendship’ but John Vaughan, who I have known very well for many years, manned the Sol Ibrahim booth for several hours and we spoke to each other during the course of the day.
John was very happily supporting and espousing Cr Ibrahim’s credibility and the virtues as a potential councillor. Maybe not a ‘personal friend’ but John (Vaughan) sure was an ‘enthusiastic Ibrahim supporter’.
As an aside having lived in The Bay for 64 years and involved with the community in several organisations, I thought I knew a lot of people but I did not recognise virtually any one of the people who were gladhanding, back-slapping and taking how to vote paraphernalia for candidate Ibrahim on the day.
I thought, isn’t it strange how quickly someone who grew up in the The Bay does not recognise those who control its destiny.
Donald Maughan, Byron Hills
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. 
