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See Inside FREAK ACCIDENT OF MATERIALISM SINCE 1986 The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 38 #51 • May 29, 2024 • www.echo.net.au

Thumbs down for Council’s plans for Mullum’s main St

Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! Push to heat

Mullum’s pool adopted

Hans Lovejoy Residents have sent a clear message to Council regarding its plans for Mullum’s main drag, with staff reporting over 500 submissions were received for the Burringbar Street Concept Design. Key concerns for the majority of the submissions, says staff, were the ‘proposed reduction in car parking spaces and the proposed replacement of existing palm trees with better shade trees’. As is standard Byron Shire Council practice – which is not legally required, and unlike other councils – all submissions were confidential.

Put on the backburner In response, councillors voted on Thursday to put the contentious plans on the backburner, and focus on ‘projects relating to car parking supply, future needs and management in Mullumbimby’. During morning access, Dr Anne Stuart from Zero Emissions Byron (ZEB) told councillors she did not fully support the plan, and referred to award-winning town designs. ‘First you repair, then you clean, and then beautify and maintain,’ she said. Later in the day, all councillors (except Cr Duncan Dey) voted for Mayor Michael Lyon’s motion to support staff’s recommendation. It also includes a list of ‘Design Directions’ to be ‘used to inform the drafting of a preliminary engineering design at a later date’. Cr Dey’s alternative motion was unsupported by all councillors, ▶ Continued on page 3

Why were jobseekers abandoned in the budget? ▶ p2

An impressive array of aquatic craft took to the Bruns River on Sunday with participants taking part in the annual Mullum2Bruns Paddle. There were also a range of new free activities after the event at Banner Park. Octogenarian surf champ, Rusty Miller, knee-paddled his surfboard the entire 10km in two-and-a-half hours. The Mullum2Bruns event is a fundraiser for the Brunswick Surf Club, Marine Rescue Brunswick and the Brunswick Heads Visitor Centre. Photo Jeff ‘Landlubbering’ Dawson

Kambo investigation referred to DPP David Lowe The coronial inquest examining the death of Jarrad Antonovich was abruptly concluded last week, as the case against the key figure involved was referred to the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) by Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan. As a result, the long-running inquest never heard testimony from either ayahuasca practitioner, Lore Solaris (the chief facilitator/ shaman of the event where Mr Antonovich died in October 2021), or Cameron Kite, who applied the

kambo, a poison derived from an Amazonian frog. Other witnesses who spoke during the week via video link spoke of warnings missed, and people too concerned with their own healing journeys, grief and business interests to look out adequately for the man.

Torn eosophagus Mr Antonovich died in their midst over the course of many hours, and no ambulance was called to the remote festival location, north of Kyogle, until it was far too late.

Byron High tops ASX schools sharemarket game ▶ p4

His cause of death was a torn eosophagus, likely the result of ingesting kambo and ayahuasca. Those present at Byron Bay Courthouse last Friday heard the legal reasons for, and against, referral of the case to the DPP, which were put eloquently by counsel representing each side. Under Section 76 of the NSW Coroners Act 2009, The Echo is not permitted to report what was said. Lore Solaris and Cameron Kite left the proceedings separately, and alone. ▶ Continued on page 2

MP pushes for social housing at hospital site ▶ p9

Mullum’s pool could be heated all year round within a year, after Cr Sarah Ndiaye (Greens) was successful in getting councillor support last Thursday to ‘urgently explore the option of installing a heating system’. This includes first checking to see if the electricity line could service a heat pump for the Petria Thomas Pool. Crs Pugh and Lyon voted against. At last Thursday’s meeting, Cr Ndiaye described it as an ‘interim solution’. She told councillors that after seven years, the community were no closer to an outcome, yet she said there was no blame on Council staff for the long delay. Other local councils had heated pools, she said, including Kyogle. Cr Asren Pugh said he was not against the sentiment, but wanted to wait a few weeks for staff’s Pool Options Paper. ‘We should wait for a broader conversation about all the pools’, he said. Malcolm Robertson, Manager Open Space and Facilities, Infrastructure Services, said that assuming plans fell into place, it could be in operation by winter next year. While unbudgeted, Mr Robertson wrote in his staff report that it is estimated to cost $10.2m, with ongoing annual costs of $80,000. While Cr Mark Swivel jubilantly told his social media followers about finding $200,000 for the project, he conceded, when asked by a follower, that there were no discussions around the impacts of its energy usage.

Teens and screen time – the push to regulate ▶ p16

If it’s on, it’s in Seven! ▶ p36

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