Tom Tabart, Bangalow
Clearly stung by the 4 Corners report on dastardly deeds in the NSW waste disposal industry, Byron Council posted an article in the 16 Aug issue of the Echo. As a long-time exploiter of the discredited ‘dump it in Queensland’ rubbish-running scam they were feeling the heat.
They hastened to assure us that they only used ‘really nice’ dumps and then boasted about how much money they had saved.
A little research quickly revealed that the Ipswich recipients of our garbage did not share Byron’s cosy views and in fact had been vigorously opposing this dumping for many years – especially the burning New Chum operation shown on 4 Corners.
Of course I then expected a swift comment from our environmentally-aware, ‘green’ council through our crusading mayor. But nothing…
Accordingly I fronted the council meeting on the 24th and gave a dissertation on the evils of cross-border, rubbish-running suggesting that now the facts had become public they had a duty to formulate a policy on how they intended to deal with the issue, “if they condone it they should own it”.
Needing to give more information than the allowed 2 minutes afforded I awaited questions but was cut off by the mayor who believes (totally contrary to the Council Rules of Meeting Practice Schedule A) that questions are not permitted on submissions. The GM remained silent, presumably he didn’t know the rules either.
Meanwhile I live in hope that some councillor will be moved to address our rubbish bootlegging.
Thanks for bringing this out in the open, Tom. Council does have spare landfill space in one of the old quarries at Myocum to take Byron Shire waste. It should not be taken to Ipswich. This should be fixed.
A check on the 2015 latest version of the Code of Meeting Practice shows that Tom is correct. For the past 2 years the mayor should have given councillors the opportunity to ask questions to people making submissions and asking questions at Council meetings. This has not occurred. This needs to be rectified.
Council appears to be operating on an out dated version of the Code of Meeting Practice which still appears on the Council website. This needs to be changed.
Entering the Myocum tip we have numerous entrance options. Left to the quarry that’s barred to us, ahead to the Resource Recovery Centre and after that the stop sign to deposit rubbish, green waste in the Tip or recyclables into adjacent yellow bins. They now head to Ipswich. I leave usable items at the Recovery Centre then into recylable yellow bins area. Done.
In past the reasons we have been told that shifting waste to Ipswich was to maintain the viability of the Myocum gravel quarry. Rural roads need gravel?
I was told the only trucks allowed extract do so are registered with Byron Council.
Yet when I’d noticed numerous B double truck movements degrading Myocum Rd. heading to the PC’hwy upgrade last year thought otherwise. They were Holchim trucks very fastly trundling on said rural road.
Sad our roads will be further destroyed if the West Byron development needs that metre of gravel fill before they can go ahead with an inappropriate development.
J.J. Foley