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Letters
New work health and safety
laws in 2012
NSW is working towards new work health and safety
(WHS) laws to take effect from 1 January 2012.
The new work health and safety laws will replace the
occupational health and safety laws in NSW.
These new laws will be consistent across Australia
making it easier for you to operate in different parts of
the country.
While many parts of the new laws will remain the same
or similar to current arrangements, it is important that
businesses, industry and workers know what the
differences are.
WorkCover is here to help you get ready, providing
information, advice and regular updates.
For the latest on the new laws, what they mean for
your business and events in your area visit
workcover.nsw.gov.au/newlegislation2012
For specific advice, call us on 13 10 50.
The Biodiversity Fund
Applications now open
802737V3
Th e bits about Byron that suck
Having spent the last two years
travelling fi rst Australia then
the world, I look back whimsically
at Byron Bay and refl ect
on the beautiful place and admit,
I miss it. Most of it anyway.
Th e beaches, the markets,
the community, most of the
weather…
I don’t miss the shitty parks.
Th ere is not a tourist town in
Australia that does not have
a better main park. Not one.
Seriously. In a year travelling
Australia, Byron Bay beachfront
park came last in terms
of amenities. Plenty of nontourist
towns do as well. And
they all have skate parks.
I don’t miss the high rents.
A three-bedroom furnished
inner city apartment here in
Berlin city centre, with a view,
costs $AU250 a week.
AG56682
I don’t miss the lack of public
transport. OK, not fair to compare
BB to a large city, but Berlin
compared to Sydney? It has
fi ve times as many suburban
stations with an underground
that crisscrosses the city with a
train every three minutes. And
above-ground trains, trams
and buses. Sydney has one line,
choked roads.
I don’t miss the paid parking.
OK, you do have to pay
sometimes; the most we have
paid is $2 an hour in central
Berlin (same as Byron Car
Park) and once we got a parking
fi ne – $15. I am tempted
not to even bother paying for
parking any more since that’s
the fi ne amount.
I don’t miss the grocery prices.
500ml bottle of beer from
the supermarket? – 45 euro
cents. Broccoli 59 euro cents
a kilo, lamb chops 6.99 euros
continued from page 15
In its wake sandmining has
degraded hundred of miles
of coastal dunes in Australia
and continues unabated world
wide. It now remains this generation’s
duty to give nature a
chance and continue this process
of sustainable regeneration.
Our kids are worth it.
The next working bee will
be Saturday January 7. Come
along for a day in the bush
down by the seaside.
Terry Hamill
Brunswick Heads
Satellite city?
To all in the north of the Shire,
please for your own understanding
of the North Byron Parklands
recommendation from
the Dept of Planning go http://
majorprojects.planning.nsw.
gov.au/index.pl?action=view_
job&job_id=3210 and have a
look at the Satellite City that
the developers may be given
permission for.
If you think West Byron is an
overkill for traffi c, etc, then here
is this in their own words. Th e
Department’s recommendation
for ‘the site to carry out three
major events of 30,000; 25,000;
and 15,000 patrons respectively
over a single calendar year for
a kilo, milk 60 euro cents a litre,
nice large loaves of bread
79 cents. Even mangoes here
in winter are cheaper than in
Byron Bay in summer. Within
1km of our home are six competing
supermarkets of varying
prices and quality so instead of
being held hostage by a duopoly,
there is real competition.
I can fill a shopping trolley
for 70 euros. Seriously. Fill it.
Would have cost me over $300
in Byron Bay.
I don’t miss the high movie
prices. Friday night, one adult,
two kids 15 euros. Even the junk
at the counter is not overpriced.
I don’t miss the clothes and
shoes prices. New stylish winter
boots, wool inside, leather
exterior, good quality soles 69
euros. I don’t miss the high
prices for electronics. I am
looking at my new 24 inch,
LED backlit screen which has
the fi rst year of operation (over
a maximum of ten event days)’.
Th is is only for one year.
Then how about this as a
statement? ‘A single event of
30,000 patrons may be carried
out in perpetuity should the
proponent meet all KPIs (key
performance indicators) aft er
the fi rst year of operation.
‘Should the proponent seek
to increase the size of events,
this will be at the discretion
of the Director-General following
consideration of a KPI
Report, and any other matters
the Director-General considers
relevant.
‘Th e recommendation to increase
the size of events of no
more than 5,000 patrons per
event, per calendar year will
ensure that any intensifi cation
of site usage is gradual, with
suffi cient time for monitoring
and reporting of any residual
impacts; and for the implementation
of further management
measures.’
Council has no say over this
horrendous situation. And the
fi nal blow of the sword to cut
off our heads is ‘Th e maximum
site usage will comprise four
major events, with the maximum
sized event capped at
50,000 patrons.’
400 Tweed Valley Way Murwillumbah
www.duraplas.com.au
Aft er the fi rst year, then look
out, folks: every day when they
aren’t having major events they
can have a gig for 300 people.
I hope you get as angry as I
am as this is an invasion. If you
do nothing else before you set
out for your Christmas holidays
you must have a look at this recommendation
and keep an eye
out for the PAC (Planning and
Assessment Panel) notifi cation
of a public consultation meeting
where you will have to book
to speak so you can have a say.
Th is is Byron Bay twice over in
the north of the Shire.
Kathy Norley
South Golden Beach
Terrace developments
In response to tree lopper Ben
Finlayson’s response about the
fallen gum in Brunswick (Letters,
December 6). Ben, you obviously
can’t see the wood for
the trees. Th e real point that was
being made in Luis Feliu’s article
is the ongoing destruction of
the sensitive foreshore environment
in the beautiful Terrace
Reserve due to inappropriate
and unlawful development.
Th e Terrace Nature Reserve
was set aside for the protection
of native fl ora and fauna and
continued on page 20
ATTENTION HOME OWNERS, FARMERS,
GARDENERS, POOL OWNERS AND
LAWN LOVERS
NSW state rebate has ended, however
for best prices contact Duraplas.
a TV tuner and speakers which
cost 155 euros.
Monthly gym membership
that allows me to go to any
one of 134 gyms in Germany,
20 euros a month. My unlimited
download internet is $30
a month. And I get download
speed of 3gigps, about 8 times
faster than I got in Byron Bay.
Oh, there are some downsides.
It’s cold for one, though
it’s kind of novel. Th ere seems
to be an ice skating rink on
every city corner. Fuel is slightly
more but the cars are more
fuel-effi cient and the upside is
I can legally drive 300km/h on
the freeway if I want.
Yes, I miss Australia, Byron
Bay especially, but gee whiz, I
had not expected Berlin of all
places to be about three times
cheaper to live in.
Richard McLachlan
Berlin
02 6672 6977
18 December 13, 2011 The Byron Shire Echo www.echo.net.au