BYRON BAY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ‘SERVING MY COUNTRY DOES NOT MEAN BLINDLY FOLLOWING OTHERS’ – PÉNÉLOPE BAGIEU The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 37 #19 • October 19, 2022 • www.echo.net.au
Collaery recognised for bravery
ACT lawyer, Bernard Collaery, has been appointed Honorary Legal Officer for the Australian Bravery Association, despite being charged by the former Liberal-Nationals federal government. Photo Eve Jeffery Hans Lovejoy We live in times when exposing crimes has become /# crime, and the illegal activities of elected politicians and unelected bureaucrats go largely without punishment. Despite the decline in democratic values and integrity in governments over decades, there are a few who are prepared to risk their livelihood to speak truth to power and do what is ethical. Persecuted ACT lawyer, Bernard Collaery, was appointed Honorary Legal Officer for the Australian Bravery Association at a black tie dinner held at the Ballina RSL last Saturday. According to www.forbravery.org. au, ‘The Australian Bravery and Gallantry Decorations in the Australian Honours System recognise distinguished acts of bravery or gallantry by members of the community
Grassroots political party launches ▶ p4
and uniformed services. Recipients have selflessly placed themselves in jeopardy to protect life, property or the environment’. Collaery found himself facing closed door courts after representing Witness K, a former Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) officer. Witness K was involved in, and then exposed, the illegal spying of Australian/Timorese oil and gas negotiations back in 2004. Collaery told # #* he is under orders not to discuss the case, despite it being in the public arena. The operation, carried out in a Timorese government building, was aimed at gaining commercial advantage for Australian gas and oil companies, and Woodside Petroleum has been inferred as a beneficiary. The operation was conducted while PM John Howard and MP Alexander Downer were
Ongoing large Wategos house builds could cause drainage issues ▶ p5
in office. Downer later went on to work for Woodside. In December 2013, Collaery’s home and offices – along with of Witness K – were raided and searched by ASIO and Australian Federal Police, with many legal documents being confiscated. While Witness K pleaded guilty, Collaery says he lives in limbo and is still without a passport. ‘There are strong grounds for his conviction to be expunged’, he said. And while the charges against Collaery were waived by AttorneyGeneral Mark Dreyfus in July 2022, Collaery says he is still prevented from practising law. ‘What’s needed is an inquiry into what happened in Dili in 2004, and for us to deal with the real people who were responsible… There has been a vast effort by the coalition government to cover this up’.
Lennox Lions Club celebrates 20 years of service ▶ p12
PROGRAM – CENTRE PAGES
Exclusive beach eco-tourist proposal not so eco-friendly Hans Lovejoy A locally-based respected ecologist says the developers behind a large exclusive eco village proposal in rare littoral rainforest along Broken Head beach frontage are avoiding environmental scrutiny through loopholes. Additionally, a scathing assessment of the development application by Council staff – released last week – recommends refusal in part owing to serious environmental concerns. The Linnaeus Estate is located south of Lennox Head, and has had neighbours concerned for some time that the unique biodiversity of the area will be under threat should wealthy developers gain DA approval to expand the existing footprint. DA 10.2021.170.1 will be determined at an upcoming Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP) meeting on October 19 (www.planningportal. nsw.gov.au/planning-panel/ mixed-use-development-206). The NRPP overrides Council’s decision making, as the NSW government deems it is a significant development. In the 1980s, an educational facility was proposed, and more recently in 2015, a community title (CT) rezoning was proposed.
ōëŕŕĶŕī ƆƐëǔ ĕſſşſ Yet after Council planning staff made a ‘fundamental error’ with its zone ‘label’, it has now morphed into a ‘Mixed use development comprising twenty-seven new eco tourist facility cabins, seven ancillary buildings including wellness facility, refuges, depot’, and associated
‘earthworks and vegetation removal’. In May 2021, resident and actor, Chris Hemsworth, publicly opposed the development at Seven Mile Beach on his Instagram account.
ÉĶōĎōĶĪĕ ĈşſſĶĎşſ The staff assessment that accompanies the DA says, ‘Almost the entirety of the site is mapped within BSC and NPWS wildlife corridors’, and contains threatened flora and fauna. Furthermore, staff say, ‘Much of the site is mapped as High Environmental Value, including the majority of mapped vegetation. There are a number of different native vegetation communities on the site, mostly in very good condition’. Additionally, staff say in their report, ‘It is understood that Nyangbul representatives have objected to the proposal, stating that the proposed development area is an important ceremonial, dreaming and massacre site. On this basis, and separate to any detailed ecological assessment, the proposal is fundamentally not supported’. Staff say the developer seeks a variation on the development control plan (DCP) around retaining ‘any listed ecologically significant areas on-site and incorporates ecological setbacks’. The staff report reads, ‘Not only does the proposal impact listed ecologically significant areas, but it also includes multiple encroachments within the required ecological setbacks’. The report’s author does not support the variation request, ‘given the high biodiversity values present on the ▶ Continued on page 3
Health & Healing feature ▶ p27
Where have all the GPs gone? ▶ p16
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