Local civil contractor, J&M Bashforth & Sons, has withdrawn from its contract to construct infrastructure for the Wallum urban estate, located on low lying land next to Simpsons Creek in Brunswick Heads.
Ah local governance. It’s the Constitutionally unrecognised arm of the state government, and is responsible for local planning and developments (Unless the development is over $20m, in which case an unelected independent panel called the JRPP decides).
Local Councils are known for the three Rs – rates, roads and rubbish. While the state government oversees its freedoms (and continues to diminish them), there is still scope within the Local Government Act 1993 and Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to represent communities such as Byron, that are under enormous pressure to develop.
How it works:
Councillors are elected to create policy (if a majority vote is reached) and Council staff enact that policy.
The general manager (GM) is responsible for the entire operation, which is the biggest employer in the Shire.
The current councillors were elected in September 2016 and their four-year term expires in 2020.
In an effort to get a delegation of First Peoples and activists to Sydney and Canberra to lobby politicians to save Wallum from being bulldozed, Save Wallum will be holding a film night on Sunday, May 5 at the Picture House in Brunswick Heads.
Australia’s peak environment groups have slammed a Federal Court decision which allows mining company Santos to pursue environment groups that were not directly involved in a recent court case against them.
Say ‘No’ to domestic violence this Sunday, May 5 at 4pm in Ballina and stand in solidarity, honouring those who have lost their lives to domestic violence.
Local residents and Wilson Nature Reserve Landcare Group have said they are ‘dumbfounded’ at the lack of scrutiny of the ongoing development application at 37 City View Drive, East Lismore.