Given the apparent cosy working relationship and voting patterns between current mayor Michael Lyon, Cr Sarah Ndiaye and Labor’s Asren Pugh, The Echo asked Cr Pugh and Ndiaye to outline what their points of difference are from the current mayor. Independent mayoral candidate and political outsider, David Warth, also outlines his point of difference and how he would govern if elected.
Cr Asren Pugh
Cr Pugh replied, ‘There have been a lot of things that I have disagreed with many councillors over, including Mayor Michael Lyon’.
‘The first thing is that both Michael and Cr Sarah Ndiaye were part of delaying the rail trail for over a decade, with the fanciful idea that you could have dual use.
‘I came into Council and pushed hard to change that policy. In the end, they both voted for my motion on it, but only after I worked hard to change their position (and it became politically untenable).
‘After the floods, I pushed through a lot of flood response stuff for Ocean Shores that Michael was not too keen on.
‘I got the Beacon Laundry through, again, in the end they voted for it, but only just and after some compromise.
‘Again, I pushed hard to make the Byron Music Festival happen – which it did. Both Michael and Sarah voted against that.
‘I pushed to get the height limits at Wategos reduced to 8m. Michael voted against that. I got the heights of proposed developments on Marvell Street reduced, which Michael was not too keen on.
‘I didn’t support using the Bangalow Cemetery as an access point to a new wedding venue.
‘I, along with Cr Duncan Dey, wanted the minimum rate level frozen to help lower-income earners, but this was not supported by Michael.
‘[At the previous Council meeting], we had different opinions on the way forward for nude bathing.
‘Voting in Council is only the tip of the iceberg on the work that I have done.
‘Quite often it might come to a vote, or it might sail through on the block vote, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been extensive work in getting agreement.
‘You don’t get much done by yourself in a council of nine, you need to work with other people.
‘I am not interested in grandstanding, I’m interested in outcomes, so I don’t push motions forward that are bound to lose, just so I can hear myself speak’.
Cr Sarah Ndiaye
Cr Sarah Ndiaye told The Echo, ‘As a mayoral candidate, my approach to leadership is distinctively collaborative and community-focused’.
‘My goal is to move away from ego-driven politics and support a more unified, effective Council.
‘In terms of policy differences between my approach and the current mayor there are obviously some distinct examples like my approach to both Wallum and the future of Mullumbimby’s water supply. In essence, I think it’s more about a culture shift – more transparency, more community engagement and a desire to harness the skills of our elected reps and the incredible people in our community.
‘This term, my focus has been on strategic, long-term recovery and support rather than individual projects. I had moved many motions in the previous term in relation to housing like restricting Airbnb, having a lands trust and other initiatives that were still active.
‘After the devastating February 2022 floods, which caused over $300 million in damage in one day, our immediate priority had to be recovery. The situation demanded that we, as a council, shift our focus from routine motions to urgent, community-centred initiatives.
‘As an organisation, Council was still struggling from the impacts of Covid and staff shortages.
‘I didn’t think we should be detracting resources or focus from that overall objective of recovery.
‘Others have taken a different approach and that’s okay. I respect that. Prior to that, I initiated the Arts and Creative Industries Committee and the Affordable Housing Committee to address long-term needs and enhance community resilience. During this challenging period, I chose to support our staff and community by focusing on recovery efforts.
‘I also advocated for practical improvements like heating the Mullumbimby pool, securing the public land in Tallowood, and adapting to the changing circumstances around the rail trail. While important, our personal and community projects had to be secondary to our primary recovery objectives.
‘Over the past two years, my approach has been less about the volume of motions and more about the impact of the ones I have supported.
‘By prioritising recovery and strategic development, I aimed to ensure that our community’s most pressing needs were met effectively.
‘Moving forward, my vision is to continue building on this collaborative foundation, leveraging the strengths of our elected team and focusing on projects that resonate with our community’s values and needs. I’m really excited about what is possible’.
David Warth
Mayoral candidate, David Warth, told The Echo, ‘I strongly feel that the mayor should be the very public face of Byron Shire’.
‘As mayor, I would introduce initiatives to reclaim the Byron Shire’s iconic appeal while balancing liveability with viability.
‘I am a wildlife filmmaker and environmentalist, but I have also been heavily involved in tourism and business promotion. I also spent many years in primary production.
‘I am a truly independent candidate with no connection or affiliation to any political party.
‘I am able to make decisions that are unaffected by party policies.
‘I have a very broad experience of life, having travelled extensively among many cultures, and in all levels of society. I love our wonderful part of the world, and I consider living in our community to be a great privilege. I am committed to open and engaged local government.
‘We have many challenges to face as a community. It is time for a fresh approach’.
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