The proposal by the state-appointed NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust to deny public access to the foreshore at Brunswick Heads is a disgrace and shows the contempt with which the state government treats the public.
The state government trust set up to manage the caravan parks has a sole focus on providing revenue rather than public access to our parks and reserves.
Both Byron and Ballina councils handed over the management rights many north coast caravan parks under duress.
With Ballina, councillors were told that if we didn’t accept a negotiated settlement, we could be left with nothing.
This line of thinking is not unique when councils deal with the state government. It’s the same situation with rural land re-zonings.
In both cases, the public is left either without access to its public reserves, or is stuck picking up the tab for infrastructure while developers move in, make their profits, and then head to the next town.
Crown reserves should be for the public to enjoy, not fenced off and developed to generate revenue for the state government.
Jeff Johnson, Ballina shire councillor and Independent candidate for the seat of Ballina
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. 
