Sun, Moon & Tides Chart for 2023
F R O M T H E P E A N U T G A L L E R Y O F S T A T L E R A N D W A L D O R F, I T ’ S … The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 37 #27 • December 14, 2022 • www.echo.net.au
dëſīĕ ƖǔşōŊ ĎĕưĕōşżŔĕŕƐ IJĕëĎƆ Ɛş ĈşƖſƐ
ÏşƖſ ſĶīIJƐ Ɛş żſşƐĕƆƐ – where do your local politicians stand?
Hans Lovejoy
Hans Lovejoy With the public’s right to protest under the spotlight, where do those who represent us at the state level (or aspire to), stand with the current law that sent activist Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco to jail for 15 months? Coco stopped a lane of traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in April to highlight the government’s inaction on climate change. The laws that sent Coco to jail were amendments to the Road and Crimes Act in The Roads And Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill 2022. It was rushed through both houses on March 30 and 31 this year by the NSW Liberal-Nationals government, with the support of NSW Labor, just as the north coast was being hammered by catastrophic floods. A Lismore group who gathered to protest Saturday, along with the NSW Greens, are calling to reverse the draconian anti-protest laws. Local Ballina MP Tamara Smith told The Echo, ‘In the Legislative Assembly (lower house), which is where I am elected, the MPs against the bill were Alex Greenwich (independent), Jenny Leong, Jamie Parker, and myself (all Greens)’. In the Legislative Council (upper house), locally-based Nationals MLC and failed local candidate, Ben Franklin, spoke extensively in favour of the bill on March 31. Echo questions to Franklin ▶ Continued on page 4
Sail on over to the centre pages
Eōşćëō Ķżżōĕ ſĕIJşŔĕĎ ëĪƐĕſ Ǖſĕ From left: Chrissy Clemens, Jacqui Boyett (founding director and manager), with Jenni Scarpella. Photo Jeff ‘Burnt Out and Rebirthed Since 1066’ Dawson Paul Bibby One week after the Global Ripple OpShop was devastated by fire, the much-loved charity is rising from the ashes on a wave of support from the local community. With the shop’s premises in the Byron Industrial Estate lying in smouldering ruins last Tuesday, founder Jacqui Boyett and her team were left without a shred of stock and nowhere to go. Now they have secured a 12-month lease for a new space that is, literally, just down the road. ‘We’re alive again,’ Ms Boyett told The Echo. ‘To go from how we were feeling at the beginning of last week after the fire, to being where we are
Sula-Mae wins Jits world title ▶ p6
now… I really feel that we’re being held by the community and looked after by someone upstairs.’
Now next to Bunnings The charity’s new home is in a warehouse at 2 Grevillea Street, right next to Bunnings. The space will be open to begin receiving donations of pre-loved items at their new home by this Thursday, with an eye to being fully up and running in the new year. They have already received incredible support from the community, including financial donations to their GoFundMe campaign, in-kind donations from across the Shire, and a mountain of messages and support. ‘The biggest thing has been the
support from everyone…it’s picked me up,’ Ms Boyett says. ‘Just to give you an example, we‘ve had other op shops in the Shire offering to provide us with racks and hangers. I mean they could be looked at as our competitors. It just shows the spirit in this community.’ Global Ripple’s phoenix-like rise also means that they will be able to continue supporting the local and international charities that rely on their help to continue operating. ‘Some people don’t realise that Global Ripple isn’t a church-run op shop, but actually a private charity that raises money for a whole range of other charities,’ says another member of the Global Ripple team, Chrissie Klements. ▶ Continued on page 3
The Suffolk Park Progress Association (SPPA) say they will request that elected councillors retain a decisionmaking role in a large mixed-use complex proposed for Clifford Street, after the Sydney-based developer commenced court proceedings against Council for refusal. In a presentation to be given at this Thursday’s Council meeting, SPPA president, Donald Maughan, says that given the major concerns from the community, ‘We want community views to be represented, and we want the community be kept informed by our councillors throughout the case’.
Let down by West Byron representation His speech reads, ‘Our Suffolk Park community’s concerns relating to the Land and Environment Court cases are validated by the way the West Byron development went in that same court’. ‘Decisions were made by staff on advice from Council’s external solicitors, with none of our elected Councillors at the table. That outcome left community with a feeling of capitulation and no representation in the process. ‘We, the Suffolk Park community, ask Council to urgently resolve today to retain their role as the decision makers in the court process and select a sub-group of councillors to have authority to make these decisions’. ▶ Continued on page 4
Young people with specific North Coast Old man Shop local Surely there learning disabilities need news shouts at and win! is a better better assistance ▶ p8 cloud ▶ p18 ▶ p26 ▶ p10 way ▶ p50
NOW SERVING BREAKFAST! FRI, SAT & SUN 8AM–10:30AM
BYRON BURGERS. WAHLBERG STYLE.
OPEN 7 DAYS TILL LATE LOCATED UPSTAIRS AT MERCATO ON BYRON
WWW.WAHLBURGERS.COM.AU