Echo Property Magazine – first issue inside
HERE’S ANOTHER HUGELY IMPORTANT POINT The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 38 #08 • August 2, 2023 • www.echo.net.au
Homelessness service faces funding shortfall Paul Bibby
ÉşſōĎ champ ĎſşżƆ Ķŕ Jarjumirr Park, Byron’s new skate park located near the library, courthouse and Byron Youth Centre, was officially opened last Saturday by Mayor Michael Lyon. He said in his speech, ‘Jarjumirr Park is much more than a skate park; with beautiful artwork by local Arakwal artists Nickolla Clark and Kaitlyn Clark, it recognises the cultural significance of this land as a place for the entire community.’ Pictured is Arisa Trew, fresh from her win at California’s X games. At just 13 years old, Arisa became the first female to successfully land a 720 aerial – that’s two full aerial rotations. Photo Jeff ‘Not Falling Off Is My Best Trick’ Dawson
ÉIJĕſĕȜƆ ƐIJĕ ëĈĈşƖŕƐëćĶōĶƐƷ ƱĶƐIJ ǖşşĎ ĪƖŕĎĶŕīȃ Hans Lovejoy Can the public have confidence that federal flood recovery and resilience programs will actually deliver, given the state government’s botched roll-out of flood assistance via the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC)? A funding announcement by the federal Labor government was made on Friday, spruiking ‘millions more invested in Northern Rivers flood resilience’ for the $150 million Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program. Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt, was in Coraki
last Friday to make the announcement of tranche 2, yet tranche 1 is yet to be completed, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) website. There are just three small projects listed for Byron Shire across both tranches, considerably fewer projects than on surrounding floodaffected shires. They are: ‘SGB Flood Pump Generator to provide protection from power failures’ (tranche 1); and from tranche 2, ‘Investigate Options for South Golden Beach Flood Gate Upgrades; Upgrade Coogera Circuit Detention, Preferred Byron Drainage Strategy Construction’.
IQ Inc board challenged – again ▶ p4
Brunswick Surf Lifesaving Club needs you! ▶ p5
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The Echo asked the NEMA, who administrate the programs with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSRIO), whether any of the tranche 1 projects have been completed for Byron Shire. A NEMA spokesperson replied, ‘A significant amount of work has been completed over the last few months to finalise funding agreements and due diligence works for more than 30 tranche 1 and 2 projects’. ‘Successful project applicants have now received letters from the NSW government allowing them to begin works across the region in accordance with the ▶ Continued on page 3
Richard Jones looks at the plastic problem and AI ▶ p10
A vital homelessness service in the heart of Byron Bay could be forced to cut services without additional donations from the community. Fletcher Street Cottage has provided thousands of breakfasts, showers and support appointments to the Shire’s ballooning homeless population since it opened in April last year. But without any on-going government funding, and with community support dwindling, the service is struggling to keep up the flow of support. ‘Having any of the services cut at Fletcher Street Cottage would be a devastating loss,’ said Mathew Broster, who was sleeping rough on the streets of Byron before receiving help from the staff and volunteers at Fletcher Street. ‘I’m one of the lucky ones… going from being a rough sleeper to finding emergency accommodation.’
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Operating costs at $1m As a result, the service’s annual operating costs have increased to $1 million. Louise O’Connell, the General Manager of the Byron Community Centre, which runs the cottage, said so far community contributions had made up around 20 per cent of what was required. ‘We’ve already been forced to cut services and may have to cut more,’ Ms O’Connell said. ‘We urgently need sustained and increased support.’ With no ongoing government funding, the Byron Community Centre is calling on the community ▶ Continued on page 3
Fletcher Street Cottage service users. Photo supplied
What’s happening in the local arts scene ▶ p20
Music, theatre, cinema and more! ▶ p22-26
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With Byron’s population of rough sleepers growing to become the largest of any local government area in NSW, including the City of Sydney, the demand for the services at Fletcher Street has increased significantly.
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