This area is sublimely beautiful. We simply CANNOT let a dam be built here! How many creeks in Australia still have crystal clear running water in their creeks or rivers?
How many areas have such a diversity of native fauna and flora as at Byrrill Creek?
On the northern coast of N.S.W. adjoining the Gold Coast and S.E.Queensland lies Tweed Shire, christened as the Green Caldera by once Environment Minister Peter Garrett. This area is famous for one of the highest biodiversity levels in Australia and infamous for the greatest level of biodiversity loss in N.S.W. thanks to the fact that the vast majority of Tweed councillors are pro-development.
Controversial Tweed Shire Council has a history of making poor environmental decisions that are hugely unpopular with the largely Green-oriented residents. It is the second most complained about council in New South Wales. However in November 2010 the councillors voted for the worst possible blunder which will be recorded as a major crime against Nature.
The monthly council meeting in February 2010 was one of the worst bullying sessions of our only Green councillor, Cr Milne I have so far witnessed. Cr Holdom moved that a limit of 5 questions, 3 minutes each for councillors. This motion arose due to the extreme meticulousness of Cr Milne in researching issues pertaining to environmental protection that some other 'green platform' councillors don't appear to take so seriously, making meetings longer than they wish.
An amendment to the Motor Sports (WRC) Bill 2009, Section 25, specifies that a Review be conducted to determine whether future rally events should be conducted in that region.
YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED FIRST!!!
Submission to the Review of the Northern Rivers round of the WRC, 2009 by Dr Fiona McCormick
A lot of questions need to be answered in relation to cancellation of the Byrill Ck stage and the media reporting. People need to calm down about this until the truth is established and the police do their job.
At the last council meeting Cr. Katie Milne, heroine of environmentally-minded local residents, moved a raft of motions to protect koalas, which were unanimously adopted. They were:-
1. The Recovery of the Tweed Coast Koalas is to be classed as an urgent and very high priority.
2. A review of Council’s Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) be undertaken to include identified Koala habitat:-
A new video has been uploaded to You Tube as part of our continuing campaign against Repco Rally Australia.
The video shows footage from the Byrrill Creek Special (RACING) Stage of the rally.
From the Tweed Daily News:
'Lame duck' mayor loses peer support
Peter Caton | 3rd July 2009
TWEED Mayor Joan van Lieshout's job is now in jeopardy as other councillors rally behind general manager Mike Rayner over his support for the controversial world championship car rally in September.
The moves come in the wake of revelations of a power struggle involving the mayor and Mr Rayner.
Local community groups in the Tweed Valley and Kyogle are outraged at their treatment by Repco Rally Australia and their consultants who prepared a crucial report supporting a planned car rally in the area in September.
In another embarrassing case of “foot in mouth disease” for the rally organisers it was revealed today that local community groups in the Tweed Valley and Kyogle are claiming that they have been misrepresented in a major report on the planned Repco Rally Australia.
The NSW state government has taken the decision about planning approval for the proposed Repco Rally Australia leg of the World Rally Championships away from local councils by announcing that it would prepare special events legislation to ensure the rally goes ahead despite growing local opposition.
In a sign of growing desperation the Minister for State Development, Ian MacDonald, made the announcement on Friday.
This blue-green jewel floating in space that we call planet Earth is dying. There are 16,000 species at risk of extinction in the world today. This mass extinction is caused by one species – us – and may well include us.
FEARS that the NSW Government is about to over
Concerned Tweed Valley residents will express their opposition on Thursday to the proposal to hold a leg of the World Rally Championships in the Tweed and Kyogle areas.
No Rally Group, set up by locals in February to fight plans to hold the rally, has organized a protest at Knox Park commencing at 2pm which will then proceed to the Council Chambers.
A short video highlighting some of the environmental concerns we have about Repco Rally Australia's plans to run a car rally through the Tweed and Kyogle areas.
I have posted it to You Tube. Here it is.
Repco Rally Australia spin merchants have outdone themselves in the last few days. Not only have they spun their web of deceit around the NSW state government and the Tweed Shire Council they have now caught themselves in their own web by posting comments from their "independent" ecological consultant that he did not say. They were caught out very publicly on ABC local radio yesterday.
This event is yet to have its development application approved by Tweed Shire Council and Kyogle Council. ... This does not seem to deter the organisers, who are promoting it regardless.
In August 2008 the Tweed Shire administrators, as one of their last decisions while running the Council, decided to provide financial and other support to Repco Rally Australia (RRA) for their proposed car rally in the Tweed Valley. Recently, the details of that decision are being rewritten by newly elected councillors and the General Manager.
The Administrators decided to provide support as follows:
Out of six councillors, only two voted against the DA in spite of massive opposition from local residents who had a long list of complaints. They were Councillor Katie Milne and Barry Longland. Over 500 submissions were received by council. In the Land and Environment Court hearing, 100 people spoke against it and only 1 for it.
After much delay (didn't they realise it rains here????) the Development Application for the planned car rally in the Tweed and Kyogle areas in September this year seems likely to be submitted to the councils in the next week (unless further delayed by acts of God or Brian).
When contacted, Tweed Shire indicated the DA would be available for public comment for a minimum of 14 days.
We have taken the promo video put on You Tube by the rally organisers and turned it into a more realistic rendition of what the rally really means for the Tweed Valley.
See also below: Local Resident decribes how World Rally will disrupt lives of quite coastal community.
Kingscliff residents outraged at plans to use Jack Baylis Park in Marine Parade Kingscliff as the "pits area" for the planned Repco Rally Australia in September have come out fighting.
Recent comments