There were some positive outcomes from Ballina Shire Council’s latest meeting, with a new partnership endorsed with the Jali Aboriginal Land Council, majority approval of a motion to oppose the NSW government’s environmental planning and assessment reforms, support for a new community preschool next to the fire station in Lennox Head, and new impetus towards phasing out 4WDs on Seven Mile Beach, with a 50 per cent increase in vehicles on the beach in the last three years.
Cr Eva Ramsey wasn’t present at the October meeting.
Bridget Isichei from Northern Rivers Preschools made a passionate deputation about the need for a community preschool in Lennox, with only one preschool place currently available in Lennox Head for every four children of preschool age, and 400 under six year olds in Lennox without a spot in any childhood service.
‘We get phone calls every day from Lennox Head families who are extremely stressed by not being able to get preschool places. It really affects their ability to work. It affects their children’s ability to socialise, learn all those important skills,’ she said.
The vacant land near the new fire station at 9 Byron Bay Road has been recommended to be made available, with councillors voting unanimously to proceed with planning and support to provide a community preschool on the site.
A DA is expected within twelve months.
Partnership
In what was described by Cr Kiri Dicker as ‘an important step forward for reconciliation and collaborative decision-making’, Ballina’s councillors endorsed the new Partnership Agreement with Jali Aboriginal Land Council.
Cr Phil Meehan noted that the draft agreement includes a number of approaches to improve life outcomes, ‘for example, around Aboriginal employment within Council and other initiatives.
‘It’s very important that we continue to move down the pathway of engaging with our key Aboriginal community group, [that we] do that productively, and we do it in an atmosphere and space of agreement.’
Ballina Council also noted the passing of respected local elder Ricky Cook, acknowledging the significant contribution that he made to the protection, revitalisation and maintenance of Nyangbul Bundjalung culture throughout the shire, including input into council projects such as the Cultural Ways Signage and Lennox Head village centre renewal.
A site to be confirmed will be named in Mr Cook’s memory.
4WDs
On the ever-contentious issue of 4WDs on Seven Mile Beach, there was a discussion about the fact that higher permit prices has not led to a reduction in traffic on the beach, or the associated hooning behaviour, damage to the access route, wildlife risks, dumped rubbish and other issues.
As Cr Kiri Dicker put it, ‘Now, we’re making a really healthy amount of money through doing something that’s ultimately really destructive for the environment. I don’t want us to start relying on that income stream, you know, because the resolution is to phase it out.’
It was noted that the situation further south at Airforce Beach was also increasingly dire, with domestic dogs and native wildlife being killed by 4WDs on beaches.
Associated environmental issues, such as damage to dunes and the intertidal ecosystem, remain largely ignored, despite a growing amount of science illustrating the negative impacts of 4WDs on beaches.
Council’s Matthew Wood said staff would revamp and re-examine the permit system with a view to a full 4WD beach closure by 2028, as recommended by councillors.
Questioning NSW reforms
There was only one notice of motion at October’s meeting, brought by Cr Kiri Dicker with the support of Cr Erin Karsten, to make official representations to the NSW government over serious shortcomings in the proposed Environmental Planning and Assessment Act Reforms, which seek to:
- Further centralise planning powers and reduce or remove the role of councils, and therefore the voice of local communities, in decisions affecting their communities.
- Undermine safeguards recommended by the Independent Commission Against Corruption regarding accountability, transparency and probity in the planning system.
- Place an additional burden on the resources of local councils to assess certain developments within an unreasonable timeframe.
- Contribute to negative environmental and community outcomes by making it unlawful to consider the environmental impacts, site suitability or public interest of any development or class of development nominated by the Secretary of Planning.
Fundamental shift
Cr Simon Chate said, ‘At its core, this bill centralises enormous planning power in the hands of the planning minister and departmental secretary, and removes or reduces the input of all local councils, specialised agencies and even other ministers responsible for areas like the environment, biodiversity and marine protection.
‘That’s a fundamental shift, one that disempowers local communities who know their land, their environment and our unique challenges best.’
Nine members of Ballina Council voted to write to the NSW premier and other key stakeholders to outline their concerns about the local impacts of the proposed new state laws.
Cr Phil Meehan was the only councillor to vote against the motion, saying ‘I do not understand in detail enough of the Act and its proposed amendments to make a statement about it’, but saying that ‘in principle’ reform was necessary within the NSW planning legislation.
More stories about Ballina Shire Council:
The agenda for Thursday's meeting includes six notices of motion from four councillors, with issues including missing persons, volunteer recognition, and arts funding. Construction on a $4.35 million flood-resilience upgrade of Ross Lane at Lennox Head is due to begin today, ahead of a nine-week closure of the busy road later this month. With Ballina Shire Council General Manager Paul Hickey deciding to retire after almost twenty years in the role, and even longer as a staff member, the task of finding a replacement has begun. Cr Damien Loone was also returned as Deputy Mayor after Cr Simon Chate withdrew his nomination. September's meeting opened with a minute's silence for much-loved community member and Lennox Head restaurant owner Blake Rogers, who lost his life last week. Fresh from winning pre-selection as the Nationals candidate for the state seat of Ballina, the 'independent' first-term Ballina councillor Michelle Bailey has put forward a notice of motion asking Council to scrap its fixed 2030 net-zero target in favour of what she describes as a 'flexible sustainability strategy'.
Big meeting for Ballina Council this week
Ross Lane flood-resilience works begin ahead of nine-week closure
Ballina Council will be getting a new general manager
Ballina debates dog parks and net zero
Michelle Bailey targets net zero in Ballina
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