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The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 37 #15 • September 21, 2022 • www.echo.net.au
ëĈĕƆǽ ëōō Ķŕ ĎĶǔĕſĕŕƐ żōëĈĕƆ
Thousands gathered in Mullum on Saturday for the rare chance to walk or run to the top of Mount Chincogan. This year’s winner of the Chinny Charge was Nathan Powell, who made the round trip in 30 minutes and 42 seconds. Liam McKenzie was just 17 seconds behind him. Photo Jeff ‘Chinny Up’ Dawson
It was nothing but glorious spring weather for the return of the Bangalow Billycart Derby, held last Sunday. The event was organised by Bangalow Lions Club and had the entire town on board. The main downhill drag was blocked off for the race day and Bangalow School held a fair. Photo Jeff ‘Billy Down’ Dawson
Resilience NSW żſşưĶĎĕƆ ſĕĎëĈƐĕĎǽ ĶŕëĈĈƖſëƐĕ ĎşĈƆ Hans Lovejoy Heavily redacted documents have been supplied in response to a freedom of information request by a Mullumbimby resident, who sought information that Resilience NSW relied upon to justify creating emergency housing on flood-prone land in Prince Street. The affected resident, who doesn’t want to be identified as they are fearful of reprisals, sought the information via a Government Information Public Access (GIPA) request. They told The Echo they were astonished at the secrecy and inaccurate information supplied.
The Echo has previously reported that Council supplied suggested locations in a secret agreement with Resilience NSW. Major concerns were raised by Prince Street residents around the lack of any consultation or proof that the development won’t increase flooding. Large amounts of fill have already been imported, and this week the ‘pods’ have started to arrive onsite. The resident told The Echo, ‘Apparently they refused to release some flood documents as they were of a technical nature, and they said it could be misinterpreted’. ‘They claimed it is not in the
Richard Jones asks will degrowth be forced upon us? ▶ p10
Letters printed with ink and paper! ▶ p11
public interest! I have explained to them that this is patronising and offensive, as we have a flood hydrologist to consult with. ‘I have asked for my GIPA request to be reviewed’. While plans supplied in the GIPA reply indicate pod housing next to the disused railway station, works there were recently removed without explanation. Seventy-seven two-bedroom units will be tightly packed along the strip of railway land for up to five years – originally Resilience NSW and Council said two years. Parking will be provided for each unit ‘within 3m separation’ while
there will be communal toilets and laundry facilities. Greens councillor and flood hydrologist, Duncan Dey, raised his concerns with the resident, and said that the ‘Site Selection Evaluation’ document ‘illustrates a huge flaw’. ‘On page 11, “Site 5” [Prince Street] gets a green tick, meaning it didn’t flood in 2022, and doesn’t flood in the 1 per cent Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) flood (ie the 1 in 100 year). ‘Both propositions are in error’. ‘The document doesn’t show how they got this info,, nor its date ▶ Continued on pagee 3
The forgotten women of science and academia ▶ p18
Things that make you goo OMMM ▶ p211
Page 1 from Site Selection Evaluation – Station Street, Mullumbimby_Redacted. Mullumbimb
School holiday h fun for f all ▶ p22
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