←Volume 35
September 16, 2020
In this Issue:
Too many councillors?
For years some close to Tweed Shire Council (TSC) have tried to lower councillor numbers. Why? Say you have five councillors. Then, as long as you own three, you will control any council. With seven as current in TSC,...
Yes, Commissioner – again
Simon Alderton, Murwillumbah We continue the trials and tribulations of the NSW Cross Border Commissioner. This week, the commissioner investigates a mysterious multi-coloured bubble growing on the border with Queensland. Commissioner: Mavis… that was Gladys on the phone and she wants...
Kollective overdevelopment
Annette Radermacher, Brunswick Heads The Kollective group of developers have purchased a parcel of land behind the Lilly Pilly Preschool at Bayside, Brunswick Heads. The land size in 2018 would have allowed approximately six house lots. Today, apparently it is able...
Mount Chincogan: the father of Mullumbimby’s twin peaks
Did you know that Mt Chincogan was the Byron Shire’s original phallic symbol, well before any sculptures were constructed, and decommissioned, by the local Council.
Skills offered in disruption management
In the past year, we have witnessed unprecedented disruption. Bushfires, the COVID-19 pandemic and global protests against racial injustice all point to a pressing need for societal renewal. How will we lead ourselves to a sustainable future?
Rams finish regular season with strong win ahead of semi-final
Byron Bay FC have completed the regular season with a strong win over rivals Richmond Rovers to finish in second places heading into the semi-finals.
Atttacking hippies
Name withheld In the 1970s Byron Council made their first attack on the alternative (hippy) newcomers to Main Arm who had built dwellings with little money. They were saved by hippy-friendly Councillor Frank Mills who, whilst agreeing to Council’s policy...
Corrections
David Pont, Indonesia It’s no secret to Echo readers that Alan Dickens has been a thorn in Council’s side for a while, but while thorns can be irritating, well-argued criticisms and probing questions are a bulwark of democracy. In the current...
Mullum Masterplan projects to roll out
$660,000 worth of reconstruction and resurfacing work is set to commence March/April next year for a ‘green spine’, which will run the length of Stuart Street, Mullumbimby.
Cartoon of the week – 9 September, 2020
We love to receive letters, but not every letter will be published; the publication of letters is at the discretion of the online and print letters editors.
Local netball survives COVID-19
A restricted, but nonetheless successful, 2020 netball season is coming to an end – but without a finals series for the Byron Brunswick Netball Association Incorporated.
NSW govt splashes cash at food tourism
The Minister for Tourism, Stuart Ayres MP (Liberal Party), met with local food producers to announce a $240,000 Destination NSW Funding package.
Sailing is back on at Ballina
Ballina’s Richmond River club opened its season on Sunday, 6 September in a perfect 12-knot sou-easter.
Byron ShireGreens councillor goes independent
Failing to gain enough support from the Byron Greens membership at their May 2020 preselection vote, Cr Michael Lyon says he will now continue as an independent councillor.
Catastrophic US Assange trial continues at London’s Old Bailey
‘It’s becoming catastrophic. I’m fighting for his life.’ So said lawyer Stella Morris as she tried to deliver a freedom petition for her 49-year-old partner, and father of their two young sons, Gabriel and Max
Local netball survives COVID-19
A restricted, but nonetheless successful, 2020 netball season is coming to an end – but without a finals series for the Byron Brunswick Netball Association Incorporated. ‘Owing to COVID-19 restrictions we will not have the traditional award ceremony, or be...
Sailing is back on at Ballina
Duncan Dey Ballina’s Richmond River club opened its season on Sunday, 6 September in a perfect 12-knot sou-easter. Four fleets started their hour-plus races, with each fleet containing a variety of boat types, so race times are adjusted to achieve results...
Rams finish regular season with strong win
Christian Layland Byron Bay FC have completed the regular season with a strong win over rivals Richmond Rovers to finish in second place heading into the semi-finals. The Rams were in the hunt for first place and a second-straight Pointscore Championship...
Lennox Lions Club prepares for annual charity golf day
Ross Kendall This year the John Mitchell annual charity golf day, which attracts up to 110 players, will be raising funds for Orange Sky Australia. ‘This year has been a very hard year for our fundraising efforts, but the need for...
Arts and Entertainment for the Byron Shire and beyond for the...
It’s been a tough time for musicians with very few live gigs happening, and when they do, they are to much smaller and more intimate rooms. While many performers have gone online, there is nothing like the thrill of a live show. With COVID regulations expected to be a feature in the industry for some time, performers have had to adapt and innovate how they step out. And so Safe Sets was born.
Interview with Jennifer Parenteau of The Loveys
Local band The Loveys have been rehearsing their newest and most ambitious show to date – Loveys Actually; Stories and Confessions. Taking a step from one-off gigs to a more theatrically styled show is something the band has been contemplating for a while, but have never really had time to develop. And then came the strange era of COVID-19. With all gigs cancelled, like every other performer, the band now had some time to work on new ideas, songs and stories. Jennifer Parenteau spoke with Seven…
Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Monsters are Real
Earlier this year some legislation slipped through in Victoria making it a crime for victims of a sexual assault or rape to speak to the media, publish autobiographies or do any advocacy work, under their real identities, once a guilty verdict is in place. So who does this protect? And why are we silencing the important stories of victims?
Sisters are doing it for the markets
While the agricultural industry has been dominated by men for decades, women, who have traditionally not been the face of farming, are slowly changing the way we see farmers. At Byron Farmers Market alone, there is a new generation of young...
Twenty years at markets for the love of coffee
Story & photo Kate O’Neill He may be 70, but local coffee grower Bob James isn’t thinking of retirement any time soon. The Myocum farmer, who has been part of the local farmers markets for almost 20 years, says he looks...
A sweet love affair in Byron Bay
In a match made in chocolate, two of Byron Bay’s much loved treat shops have combined forces to create a superpower of sweet treats. David Tetu of L’ultime French Patisserie was born in Poitiers France, and after many adventures in...
