Byron Shire voters are about to face an unprecedented decision on Saturday, with the incumbent mayor seeking re-election while facing criminal domestic violence (DV) charges in March next year.
Some have said that by contesting the seat, Cr Michael Lyon has shown insufficient regard and respect to the women and children who are (mainly) affected by DV.
It has set an awkward tone for this election.
Everyone should be afforded the presumption of innocence, but the mayor’s response puts his character and integrity into question.
With only four mayoral candidates, the only one who is not part of the existing local governing body is wildlife filmmaker and businessman, David Warth.
He runs regular What’s On events, which question the prevailing narrative pushed by governments and corporations.
Warth’s election pitch appears to be improved public communications and participation, along with addressing core infrastructure/planning issues.
Political insiders, Labor’s Asren Pugh and (now) Mark Swivel, along with The Greens’ Sarah Ndiaye, have largely supported the current mayor over the last few years.
Has it been champagne governance?
Depends if you are flood-affected, or are a local business owner on Lawson Street, for example (see Eleventh hour plea from small biz in Byron’s CBD).
Cr Pugh’s message to the voter is that by electing an (inexperienced) Labor mayor, we will somehow be rewarded by our Sydney- and Canberra-based overlords, who fund Council for essential stuff.
Meanwhile, Cr Ndiaye leads an impressive all-women team, which could potentially bring much needed compassion to what has been a fairly closed door, cold and empathy-free leadership under Cr Lyon.
So who else is on the political buffet?
Just after the mayoral DV case became public, a late non-mayoral ticket emerged with a relative unknown, Jack Dods.
As an architect, he is generally well-regarded, articulate and knowledgeable of Council matters.
Who doesn’t want cycleways everywhere, with bespoke housing around ‘environmental regeneration’?
Yet his team’s platform around the ‘Europeanisation’ of our towns (ie removing cars) may be an issue for some, because we don’t have adequate public transport to replace the large cars we need to tackle the Third World roads.
And while his team opposes suburban sprawls, they call for ‘diverse developments’, which could fit any number of definitions around higher density and height limits.
Does it accord with the wishes of voters? Residents were mobilised during last year’s Residential Strategy, with councillors backing down from staff’s desire for a blanket 11.5m height limit with all new developments.
And finally, councillor candidate Lucy Vader, who was dramatically rescued from the 2022 floods in Lismore, has a keen interest in transparency and has experience with urban design. Like Dods, she comes to the candidate buffet with the potential to offer a much needed fresh perspective.
Good luck to all candidates on Saturday! And here’s to a better Council than the last one.
Hans Lovejoy, editor
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. 
