‘A L L T H I S H A P P E N E D , M O R E O R L E S S ’ – K U RT V O N N E G U T The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 37 #49 • May 17, 2023 • www.echo.net.au
NRRC lacks transparency over KPIs
dşĈëō ŔƖƆşƆ żƖŔżĕĎ Īşſ ĪĕƆƐ
Hans Lovejoy Despite The Echo asking repeatedly, the NSW government’s Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC) have yet to explain what key performance indicators (KPIs) they are required to achieve in relation to the rollout of their taxpayer funded programs for the flood-affected north coast. The programs are Resilient Homes, Resilient Lands and home buy-backs. Under the previous Liberals– National government, the NRRC reported to the Department of Regional NSW and the NSW Deputy Premier’s Office. The NRRC website only says the page is managed by the Department of Regional NSW. NRRC Chief Executive is career bureaucrat, David Witherdin. The question of NRRC accountability was also put repeatedly to NSW Minister for Housing and the North Coast, Rose Jackson. Her office is yet to reply, after The Echo was referred to her office by the NSW Deputy Premier’s Office.
Hans Lovejoy A successful request by Byron Shire Council to reclassify itself from ‘Regional Rural’ to ‘Regional Centre’ may well pave the way for an increase in pay for councillors and the mayor. All councillors have to do is vote for their own pay rise. The Local Government Remuneration Tribunal determines pay rates, and according to its April 2022 report, the maximum pay for a councillor in a Regional Rural Council (currently Byron Shire Council) is $21,100 pa, while the mayor can receive up to $46,040 pa. Byron Music Fest Director, Nick Sergi, with Groove Terminator, Simon Lewicki. The festival will be held in Dening Park, Byron Bay, on June 17. Simon says he can’t wait to play for everyone, including his kids. Photo Eve Jeffery understatement. He told The Echo, ‘I am excited – extremely excited – to be bringing the festival back. It is an amazing feeling!’ Performers Ally Palmer, Yazmindi, Emily Lubitz, Nathan Kay, Resin
After a successful event in 2021, and a missed year in 2022, to say that Byron Music Festival Director and Byron Music owner Nick Sergi is looking forward to the event coming back is a huge
Dogs and many more, all live in the area, and are happy for the opportunity to play for their home crowds. The Byron Music Festival is just one month away – for more info, visit: www.byronmusicfestival.com.au.
ĕǖĕĈƐĶşŕƆ țōëŕĎ īſëćȜ Ɛş ćĕ ƐëŊĕŕ Ɩż ƱĶƐIJ ŔĶŕĶƆƐĕſ Hans Lovejoy Residents are again up in arms over Reflections Holiday Parks blocking public access along Simpsons Creek in Brunswick Heads. The NSW government-run corporation operates the town’s Terrace Reserve Holiday Park, among others, and the issue has
Inquest continues into ayahuasca, kambo related deaths ▶ p4
Mayoral and councillor pay packets likely to get a boost
been ongoing for over a decade. Long-time resident, Sean O’Meara, provided The Echo a picture of the latest encroachment – see page 5. Local NSW MP, Tamara Smith told The Echo the issue has come about because ‘a privatised entity (Holiday Park Trust) that makes profit from the holiday parks is the
same entity that puts forward a so called “community map” of the footprint of their park’. ‘They set the boundaries of the holiday park and obviously have a vested interest in pushing the boundaries as far as possible.’ ‘When councils managed the parks, it was less of an issue because the parks could not be
Reconstruction Corp releases figures on its programs ▶ p6
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David Lowe’s budget take ▶ p14
sold off to private developers. ‘However, since the State took over jurisdiction of holiday parks on crown land and has shown a penchant for selling off crown land – the community has every right to be concerned about both the loss of public land and the windfall to a future developer in gaining a larger ▶ Continued on page 5
Mullum to Bruns Paddle ▶ p16
Extra perks Yet there are perks, benefits and extra allowances available. For example, a councillor who is a member of water utility Rous County Council can earn an extra $10,550 pa, while the mayor can receive an extra $17,330 pa as a member of Rous. Both Mayor Michael Lyon and councillor Sarah Ndiaye are Rous County Council members. The maximum a councillor can receive under the Regional Centre category is $25,310 pa, while the mayor can earn up to $62,510 pa. According to the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal – Determination 2023 document, the tribunal received four requests for recategorisation: Liverpool, Byron, Tweed and Burwood Councils. ▶ Continued on page 2
Bangalow Billycart Derby ▶ p18
Health & Healing feature ▶ p20
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