I am manager and founder of theatre company Public Act Theatre, we are a Social Arts Theatre Company based at the Byron Community Centre. We engage directly with marginalised and disadvantaged community groups within the Byron Shire.
Throughout these engagements we often deal with political representatives and government departments across all states at and all levels.
It continues to astound me that government representatives can so boldly attempt to sabotage opposing parties through jibes and rumours.
Do they not think the public and the lay community can see what they are doing? It is simply embarrassing.
I’m referring to several occasions we have witnessed over the years, but right now one in particular has got my goat – NSW Liberal MLC Catherine Cusack and her attack on Cr Paul Spooner and the Byron Community Centre.
The Byron Bay Community Centre has a list of credible acts of kindness, charity and community building initiatives that would leave any member of society (if they bothered to look) in awe of their achievements.
Public Act Theatre for the past three years has been supported directly by Cr Paul Spooner who embrace the idea of Theatre in Community and shared the ethos of liberating community members through open engagement and a place of welcome and belonging.
Paul and the Community Centre staff are consistently respectful to all individuals and go above and beyond to make sure people are heard and supported in their endeavours, this approach is witnessed and celebrated across all areas of the Community Centre’s activities.
Catherine Cusack has made an attempt to deconstruct the credibility of Cr Paul Spooner and the Byron Community Centre by using a disgruntled market stallholder to pitch her own campaign agendas.
We see you and we hear you, and I hope you Ms Cusack withdraw your cheap accusations made under parliamentary privilege, cast your focus away from loose political pitches and get about doing your job, servicing the community with integrity.
Jo Franklin, Bogangar
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