Betrayed by Council
Regarding short-term holiday rentals – residents of Alcorn Street in Suffolk Park have a right to feel betrayed by Byron Shire Council’s recommendation to allow short-term holiday rentals for 365 days/year. According to their language, we are a ‘precinct with high tourism appeal’. Apparently, we are no longer a community. They have put the short-term interests of affluent property investors who live outside the area over those of the local residents.
Council members may believe that this decision will bring economic benefits to the region from visiting families enjoying beaches and hinterland and supporting local businesses.
However, for a generation of Australians Byron Bay has become party central. Those of us who live here know that we will have no break from people who appear to come here for one purpose – to get noisily drunk. The main economic beneficiaries will be liquor stores. Airbnb is ruining communities around the world and our council is assisting them.
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. 
