The Byron Central Hospital (BCH) branch of the New South Wales Nurses & Midwives Association (NSWNMA) has members who have had the unfortunate experience of working on night duty for many New Year’s Eve ‘celebrations’ that put the original Byron District Hospital (BDH) nursing staff, the present BCH, and the town in general, under great stress.
We wonder at the decision of a Byron special entertainment precinct (SEP) and have some questions, particularly to the Byron Shire Mayor, Sarah Ndiaye.
Sarah has made many comments regarding the positive nature of the SEP. The branch would like to know whether if she and the Byron Shire councillors considered:
1. The infrastructure impost, particularly for the staff at Byron Central Hospital and other public services like police and ambulance
2. Analysing the history of the New Year’s Eve debacles of the past and the reasons reform was sought.
The Echo (April 23, 2025) mentions the 2013 NYE as a low point and the reforms required to address the obvious problems. Given the fact the consumption of alcohol is a key factor of the SEP, has the Byron Shire Council sought guarantees from the NSW government to increase staffing for BCH, police, and ambulance during the trial period?
It is concerning that our Mayor Ndiaye believes increasing the availability of alcohol, and the possible increase of alcohol consumption associated with this SEP to be ‘the essence of Byron’. Really, Sarah? History tells us that increased availability of alcohol has led, in the past, to an increased need for health-related assistance.
Historically, BCH NSWNMA branch has had to fight tooth and nail every year for increased staffing during the ‘schoolies’ and holiday periods as visitor numbers have never been included when funding is allocated to the hospital. If this SEP is to be all year round, it is imperative that these factors be considered, particularly in light of the present NSW Labor government’s attitude to safe staffing of these public services.
We look forward to the public consultation on this ill-advised idea.
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