THE BYRON SHIRE
Byron Bay International Film Festival Program inserted in this week’s Echo!
Volume 27 #36 Tuesday, February 19, 2013 Phone 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
Inside this week
M AY B E Y O U ’ V E B E E N B R A I N WA S H E D T O O ?
CAB AUDIT
Helena NorbergHodge on globalisation – p9
OMG The Libs have a policy paper! – p10
Ten things you should know about CSG – p14
CSG-free feds
The best cinema reviews the world has ever seen – p25
Byron Shire Council Notices Pages 40
Flashing it for V-day
Nats candidate joins MP Elliot in opposing north coast CSG Hans Lovejoy
Both federal candidates for the upcoming September election have now gone renegade against their own parties over coal-seam gas (CSG). National’s hopeful for the seat of Richmond and Hungry Jack’s operator Matthew Fraser told The Echo he agrees with sitting Labor MP Justine Elliot that CSG should not be mined in the northern rivers region. Meanwhile, Ms Elliot and fellow MP Janelle Saffin (Page) stepped up the campaign by launching a petition, which, if 10,000 signatures are reached, will be tabled in state parliament. The petition, found at http://bit.ly/XFd0GB, requires it be printed out for signing. And although the decision to frack and mine NSW lies with the state government, The Echo understands that the federal government could intervene by amending the Corporations Act. But so far, both candidates have not given any indication that this is an avenue they would pursue.
CSG free petition
Additionally, a position on CSG by a Tony Abbott-led federal government, aligned with the Nationals, remains unclear. Little exists of CSG policy on the Liberals’ website. One press release, dated April 4, 2012, blasted a Greens inquiry into coal-seam gas as ‘politically motivated and counterproductive.’ And an address to the West Australian Leadership Matters breakfast in late 2012, Mr Abbott was critical of the red tape holding up a CSG project in central QLD.
Capitalise the outrage When asked what is the difference between both candidates, Mr Fraser said, ‘The only difference is I have never change my position and I’m not using the CSG agenda to hoodwink voters. ‘I think it is obvious to most people: the election is called then she’s taking a stand against CSG. Where was she on this issue for the past two years? ‘At the same time her Labor party has stated they wish to reduce obstacles and impediments to fast-track CSG operations.’ While both candidates scramble to capitalise on public outrage, it remains unclear as to what influence Ms Elliott has, and potentially Mr Fraser would have, in stopping it. Their respective parties at both state and federal level are planning to expand CSG and general mining. Federal Labor environment MP Tony Burke gave conditional approval for 110 CSG wells at Gloucester last week, while the state Nat/Lib government failed in a bid to push CSG on suburban areas of southwestern Sydney in early February. QLD federal independent Bob Katter put forward legislation to stop CSG but it failed last week. ‘It’s his second attempt to stop the practice,’ reports www.news.com.au, ‘after his previous bid was voted down by the major parties last year.’
Mr Fraser told The Echo, ‘I do not believe that it is possible for CSG operations in Richmond to meet [The Nationals] criteria and I will not be supporting any such proposal.’ According to Mr Fraser, the federal National’s criteria includes that no CSG ‘development should occur unless it is proven safe for the environment’ and that prime agricultural land ‘must be protected from activities that destroy its capacity to deliver food security.’ Additionally, CSG, ‘must not occur close to existing residential areas.’ But Ms Elliot condemned Mr Fraser’s stance, claiming that, ‘he can support CSG operations when it meets his guidelines.’ She says that unlike Mr Fraser, she doesn’t support CSG mining in our community, ‘no ifs, no buts, Q See Ten things you should know about CSG page 14 no conditions.’
Nurse Perverse, along with around 150 women and a few blokes, gathered for an early morning ‘flash mob’ dance at Byron’s Main Beach on Thursday. The event was part of V-Day, a call to action based on the appalling statistic that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during their lifetime. Photo Jeff ‘Flash And Panned’ Dawson
State and feds refuse CCTV funding Hans Lovejoy
Funding to install CCTV for Byron’s CBD has not only been refused by the state, but now by the federal government. Despite in-principle support from Council and with urging from police and the business community, it appears the only option left is for CCTV to be installed and run privately. President of Byron’s chamber of commerce (Byron United), Paul Waters, said that after the state government refused to assist, local MP Don Page approached the federal attorney general’s office who delegated the request to the federal minister for home affairs, Jason Clare. That request was declined last week. When The Echo asked Richmond Labor MP Justine Elliot if she was able to make representations, she said she
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had also spoken to the home affairs minister about the need for CCTV, but again was not given any commitment. ‘It takes a suite of measures to address the complex issue of alcohol related crime,’ she said. ‘Police numbers are vitally important to this. Community education and resources are also important. CCTV can also play a role.’ She also blamed the current state government for lack of police presence. ‘I know there are many great community groups working with the police to try to address these problems. While the police do a great job in difficult circumstances, the fact is, if there aren’t enough resources, the whole community suffers. ‘As Don Page has been unable to deliver a CCTV grant for the area I would urge him as minister for the north coast to get his government to deliver more police and resources
to areas like Byron to help curb the alcohol-related violence. ‘We constantly see his government giving more police resources to Sydney, while our police numbers are cut on the north coast.’ Meanwhile Mr Waters has says he has taken on loan ‘portable high-tech mobile CCTV units,’ which he will trial in the next month. ‘We’ll look at sponsorship if the government doesn’t end up contributing,’ he says.
Byron CSG meeting A coal-seam gas (CSG) information meeting will be held Saturday February 23 at the Byron Regional Sport and Cultural Complex at 2pm. Drew Hutton from Lock the Gate Alliance will speak and all are invited to assist in ways to help with the street surveys.