SURVIVING ON TIPS, MURMURS AND ADVERTISING SINCE 1986 The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 39 #17 • October 2, 2024 • www.echo.net.au
A closer look at Wallum’s enviro-accreditation Hans Lovejoy & Nick Hanlon
W
hat’s under the hood of the environmental certification that the Wallum Brunswick Heads greenfield development relies on for its environmental credentials? Like many developments across the nation, developer Clarence Property’s Wallum urban estate has been certified as an ‘EnviroDevelopment’. It is clearly marked on www. wallumbrunswick.com.au, and it has been awarded accreditation across all six of its categories – water, energy, waste, materials, community and ecosystems. A leaf is awarded for each category that has passed the technical standards.
Paid-for accreditation This paid-for accreditation is awarded by the Sustainability and Research division of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), based in Queensland. UDIA describes EnviroDevelopment certification (www. envirodevelopment.com.au) as ‘a scientifically-based branding system designed to make it easier for purchasers to recognise and, thereby, select more environmentally sustainable homes and lifestyles’. To be accredited with an EnviroDevelopment certification, developers need to, ‘demonstrate that an ecological net gain will be achieved for the project in relation to local native vegetation communities and fauna habitat resources.’ Yet throughout the Save Wallum campaign, ecologists, councillors,
What the world needs now is… more poets ▶ p12
MPs and residents have raised issue with the claims that the development will produce an ecological net gain, and say instead that threatened ecological communities (TEC) are in danger.
Frog habitat claims According to www.envirodevelopment.com.au/projects/wallum, ‘2.6ha of high-quality endangered wallum froglet habitat will be created as part of the early site works, which is monitored and protected during subdivision construction works to ensure success’. Yet ecologist and Save Wallum campaigner, James Barrie, says, ‘The expectation that the threatened species of “Wallum” tolerate the contentious offset arrangements such as the machine-dug ponds (that are well known to fail for these rare acid frogs), poses a very real risk of local extinction of these species’. ‘There has been considerable outcry from several notable ecologists since, with detailed reports about why this is misleading, and does not constitute a ‘ecological net gain’ in practice by any standards.’
Stormwater design The EnviroDevelopment website also claims of Wallum: ‘The site is also subject to an innovative stormwater design outcome which utilises the drainage characteristics of the existing sandy material on the site to treat stormwater without the need for extensive networks of underground concrete pipes and pits.’ Former Byron Shire Councillor, ▶ Continued on page 3
Australia’s coal future and climate change ▶ p18
Roll up, roll up… The circus is in town! The art nouveau grande dame of the 1920s, The Famous Spiegeltent, is just one of the many attractions at this weekends’s National Circus Festival, to be held at the Mullum Showground. The Famous Spiegeltent has hosted the world’s greatest cabaret artists and burlesque performers, including Marlene Dietrich in the 1930s. Pictured are Spaghetti Circus performance troupe members Finn, Jasmine, and Avalon, with Hannah Richards from YUCK Circus. In the background is festival director Alice Cadwell, and her partner and tent boss Richard Morrod. For more info, visit www.nationalcircusfestival.com. Photo Jeff ‘When Will I, Will I, Be Famous’ Dawson
New councillor lineup – who are they? Greens Cr Sarah Ndiaye is Byron Shire’s new mayor, with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) confirming the final mayoral count on Monday. With Mayor Ndiaye’s election to the role, her party’s ticket effectively receives another councillor position. The final tally for councillors was confirmed by the AEC on Tuesday, with Greens candidates Elia Hauge, Delta Kay and Michelle Lowe all being elected as councillors. The other councillors who will serve a four-year term are Labor’s Asren Pugh and Janet Swain, along with Independent candidates Jack Dods and David Warth. Former
Independent mayor, Michael Lyon, will return as a councillor.
Mayoral vote According to vtr.elections.nsw. gov.au, Cr Ndiaye won a tight mayoral race with Labor candidate Asren Pugh, with 51.81 per cent to 48.19 per cent, or 7,582 votes to 7,051. Incumbent/former mayor Michael Lyon (independent) was the first candidate excluded, with 3,128 first preference votes. Independent mayoral candidate David Warth achieved 4,010 first preference votes before being excluded. Byron Shire Council General Manager (GM), Mark Arnold,
Surf’s up at the Byron National Circus Bay Film Festival Festival program ▶ p24 liftout ▶ p25
congratulated Mayor Ndiaye on winning the election. ‘Sarah is no stranger to the local government arena, and I am looking forward to working with her and the new Council,’ Mr Arnold said. The Byron Greens said in a statement, ‘This result marks a historic moment for Byron Shire, reflecting the community’s strong support for the Greens’ vision of a thriving and sustainable future’. ‘The election also sees Elia Hauge become the youngest-ever Byron Shire councillor, and two Bundjalung women, Delta Kay and Michelle Lowe, join Council.’ Q See pages 6 and 12.
Get your arts and culture fix these holidays ▶ p30
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