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Byron Shire
March 28, 2024

Editorial: Let’s all hold our noses and vote

Latest News

Man charged over domestic violence and pursuit offences – Tweed Heads

A man has been charged following a pursuit near Tweed Heads on Monday.

Other News

We just love him!

If you’re over 50 you might not be a fan of Tom Jones, but you can bet your mum is. If you’re under 40 you might not even know who he is, but your grandmother probably wet her pants at the mere mention of his name.

The Picture House is turning 8

It feels like we were only just ringing in the new year days ago and here we are approaching Easter weekend at The Brunswick Picture House. It’s already been a whirlwind start to 2024 with their biggest and busiest program so far, bringing an eclectic mix of some of the hottest stand-up comedy, music gigs, film screenings and cabaret – and that was just last week!

Mayoral casting vote gets Lismore’s Affordable Housing Strategy over the line

At the recent Lismore City Council meeting former Mayor Vanessa Ekins and councillor Elly Bird moved the motion to introduce an Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme and submit it to the state government for a gateway determination. 

Adaptive Surf Pro winds up in Byron

A week of mixed weather had seen almost 100 adaptive surfers take on the beaches of Byron Bay in the Byron first international adaptive surfing event to be held in Australia – the 2024 Australian Pro.

NORPA’s wild ride at Lismore Showgrounds

NORPA is taking audiences on an adventure outside the theatre once again, announcing it will stage its original work Wildskin in a warehouse space at the Lismore Showgrounds. A sensory, destination theatre experience, Wildskin inhabits an outrageous and unpredictable world that’s part bush-thriller, part road-trip and a whole lot of NORPA’s signature theatrical style.

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Why Being Seen is Beautiful

There is something profound about being seen. Being accepted and loved for exactly who you are. It’s life changing. It’s simple. It’s transformative. But some people don’t get to experience this. Nearly half of transgender Australians have attempted suicide.That data tells the very real impact of discrimination, stigma and lack of access to gender-affirming surgery. I write this as a woman who was born a woman, who identifies as a woman. I’ll admit, that even in that gender role, that fits within the societal binary, I’ve had my own challenges.

Hans Lovejoy & Aslan Shand

The Party Animals (oops, the Animal Justice Party) candidate Cathy Blasonato admitted at the meet the candidates forum on Monday that she didn’t really want to get elected.

What a relief, someone who is genuine! As was Keep Sydney Open candidate James Wright, who was philosophical about his chances. Sitting MP Tamara Smith (Greens) fired up the room with her re-election pitch, while a slightly more subdued Labor candidate Asren Pugh reasonably outlined his party’s polices which at least attempt to address climate change and the atrocious planning laws enacted by the current NSW Liberal National Party.

Yet it was the constant personal opinion of Nationals candidate Ben Franklin that highlighted how he is in total opposition to the policies of his own government.

Is he in the wrong party?

From supporting the Student Strike 4 Climate action, to recognising that we ‘need to do more’ to protect the environment, Mr Franklin repeatedly expressed that he could ‘work from within’ his party for change on both these more global issues, as well as gaining better outcomes for the electorate of Ballina.

It’s true, a lot of our taxes have been handed back to us of late (called pork barelling), so thanks for all that largesse.

Yet as we all know from the past experience of being a ‘safe National’ seat, as soon as the risk of losing this seat is off the table, all the money that we’ve seen rolling in will be off the table too.

Was Franklin effective in relation to the recently delivered regional forest agreements (RFA) by his Liberal National government? That delivered appalling environmental outcomes for land clearing and habitat destruction. He voted for those terrible laws.

Those who wish to live on a planet with a stable atmosphere might want to consider a report by The Guardian that annual clearing in NSW increased sharply under his government. Between mid-2013 and mid-2016, it went from 900 hectares to 7,390.

Was Franklin effective in preventing the destruction of the Murray-Darling by his party’s mismanagement? Nope. Locally, the Richmond River has diminished in health considerably under his government’s watch, too. Pity the vanishing koalas.

Franklin also voted for diminished civil rights with the Inclosed Lands, Crimes and Law Enforcement Legislation Amendment (Interference) Act 2016. It was damned by legal experts and radically extends police powers against opponents of mining projects with heavy fines for those who ‘lock on’ to mining equipment.

If that law existed at the Bentley Blockade near Lismore in 2014, neighbouring farmers and residents could have been arrested as they ‘locked on’ to the equipment.

Road side drug testing is not impairment based, and this will continue if Franklin’s government is re-elected, because his government thinks all drugs are the same and anyone who does them must be severely punished. At least Labor are on the fence with this.

And if his government is returned on March 23, there will be no ‘handing back control to councils on development decisions’ because that’s not how his party rolls.

Instead, they roll over communities – like ours.


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Where should affordable housing go in Tweed Shire?

Should affordable and social housing in the Tweed Shire be tucked away in a few discreet corners? Perhaps it should be on the block next to where you live?

Making Lismore Showground accessible to everyone

The Lismore Showground isn’t just a critical local community asset that plays host to a number of major events each year, but has also been used as an evacuation centre during past natural disasters in the region. 

Iconic Lennox beach shed upgraded –  not demolished

Lennox Park and the shelter shed has now been upgraded and reopened.

Govt cost-shifting ‘erodes financially sustainable local government’

Byron Shire Council looks set to add its voice to the growing chorus calling on the state government to stop shifting responsibilities and costs onto local government.