Mullumbimby Community Action Network

Originally published 11Aug2009

mullum-zine

BAYFM response, the COMMONS & other issues

Greetings

After our message re: Bluesfest proposal at Tyagarah last week, we received the following response from Bay FM:

Dear Tyagarah Tyagarah and Mullumbimby Newsletter emailer,

I am responding regarding the mention of BayFM Community Radio Inc. not giving coverage to the issue of the passage through BSC of the Blues Festival DA for a new site being due to "visits (to BayFM) by the Blues Fest's owners and lawyers after coverage of the acquisition of the site."

This is totally incorrect. No such visits have occurred, no correspondence to this effect has been received, nor any directions regarding coverage of this issue have ever been promulgated within BayFM by the Management Committee nor to our knowledge directly to individual presenters by the DA proponents.

As the email below states " While everyone has been sitting back relaxing and thinking the Blues Fest site at Tyagarah has been forgotten". This is indeed the case with all community members , including volunteer BayFM presenters. The issues that have been aired on BayFM have been current issues that are of concern to community and information readily available, or individual community members contacting presenters to gain access to the air waves. Our presenters are volunteers who have no special connection to the internal workings of BSC. Our presenters are community members who try to cover topics of current concern to our community. No one has been requesting community access to discuss this issue.

There is no cause for speculation regarding the independence of programming on BayFM. Our Mission Statement of which we are very proud and which directs our radio station is: " Independent Community Responsive Radio; Informs and Entertains, Locally and Globally"

Please understand that BayFM has received this email and are greatly concerned by your reference to our organization in that it has the ability of lower our reputation for independence in the eyes of ordinary community members.

Please do not hesitate to contact your radio station on 66807999, if there are issues of concern for you.

President BayFM Community Radio Inc.
Ros Elliott
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Thank you Ros, for your perspective. The independent and original thinkers at Bay FM have inspired me over the years and have no doubt stimulated the green ethos of Byron Shire.
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Yet another independent perspective arrived in my in-box today:

(MCAN) apologises for ever implying that the property aspirations of Peter Noble ever put any pressure on Bay FM to suppress news of his desire to move the Blues Festival from the frolicking tourist town of Byron Bay to the hitherto peaceful but flood-prone locality of Tyagarah. The lack of amenities at Tyagarah will not put pressure on the surrounding environment and villages when Byron Shire's population is doubled by events like the Blues Festival. And development of the property will not lead to more, longer or bigger events in the future. In a nutshell, the community of Tyagarah and its surrounds love being squeezed like this. It's a sort of no-bull hippie hug.

Yet another perspective:


"THE COMMONS" What is this? It is the air we breathe, the air that carries sound, the open spaces, the non-human world, the roads, the oceans, the water table, etc.

From Wiki: "The Tragedy of the Commons" is an influential article written by Garrett Hardin first published in the journal Science 1968. The article describes a dilemma in which multiple individuals acting independently in their own self-interest can ultimately destroy a shared limited resource even when it is clear that it is not in anyone's long term interest for this to happen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons)


SEA EAGLES: I would just like to speak for the sea eagles that live at Tyagarah Nature Reserve. They"re the boss of the wildlife there, wheeling around, keeping a watchful eye and maintaining the delicate balance of the ecosystem. They nest in the same place all their lives. Have you heard the birdsong there? It is so fine, intricate and sensitive. How would the Sea Eagles and creatures that live in Tyagarah Nature Reserve respond to five days of Blues mega-blast and 20,000 per day party animals? Does the non-human environment matter? What does matter? There is a prevailing belief that tourist dollars account for our survival in Byron Shire, and the costs to the wellbeing and quality of life in the community and of the commons is discounted. Is ecotourism an option?


SUBMISSIONS closed last year for the Tyagarah site. However, elected councillors will soon be voting whether to allow a 5 year trial period for the Bluesfest at Tyagarah in a council meeting coming up soon, probably 10 September. If you feel strongly, your only hope is to contact councillors http://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/council/councillors Council staff (different beings from councillors) have recommended a "yes" vote and an enormous amount of work, paid for by taxpayers plus applicant, have gone into the assessment and consent conditions. However, perhaps the Bluesfest could be accommodated in another festival setting with already established infrastructure.


OPTUS TOWER – another assault on the commons: our view of Chinny and electro magnet radiation too close to residents. Submissions end this Wed 19 August quote: DA 2009.300.1 and parcel no. 12480.


TALLOWOOD RIDGE ESTATE proposal: 200 houses. Locals upset with the sewage arrangements which could further pollute the Brunswick River, increased traffic, etc. DA 10.2009.314.1 Coral Avenue, Mullumbimby


SAMFORD – the town that beat Woolies http://www.vivasamford.org.au/
Face to face advocacy was one of their core strategies. I am organizing a meeting with our GM when he returns next month re: Woolworths: the next step. Please let me know if anyone wants to come.


SUSTAINABLE RETAILING – Creating a new story. What"s the alternative to Wws food model? How green are your choices? Free ACE course to be held in Mullumbimby four Saturdays starting this week 12.30-4.30 contact Katrina Shields or Richard Vinycomb 66843374



STATELINE transcript of last week"s programme dealing with Slushfunds: political funding and Influence http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/nsw/default.htm


RIGHT TO HOMEBIRTH: tour adventure circus: will be Friday 14 August at The Channon. Contact: adventurecircus(at)live.com.au


BREASTFEEDING; ENQUIRY INTO THE HEALTH BENEFITS please answer the questions on http://www.allenconsult.com.au/news.php?id=119 and make a submission by 14 August. Submissions help fund the breastfeeding helpline.


KULCHAJAM FOOD COOP starting up soon. Contact Mullumaction.org for info.


NASA website: check this!! V. interesting. http://climate.nasa.gov/ClimateTimeMachine/climateTimeMachine.cfm
You can also check out potential sea level rise in your street with NASA flood map/satellite pics
http://flood.firetree.net/?ll=-27.8390,138.1640&z=13&m=7
Just click on "Australia" top right, wait for it to download, and keep clicking on the Australia map until you eventually zero in to your street, and select your sea level rise.


WOW!! Whatever inspired feminists to get political? This probably did! From Government archives. This was written 1963. Note: there are 2 pages to the document. http://www.naa.gov.au/whats-on/online/find-of-the-month/past-years/2005/march-01.aspx

And one more reminder to watch The Prime Minister and the Frog short clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anetSXEHuu8 and take action at: http://stillwildstillthreatened.org/form/please-protect-southern-forests-tasmania


QUOTE: "Virtually all development strategies are based on the explicit or implicit assumption that the model of ‘the good life" is that prevailing in the affluent societies of the North: the USA, Europe and Japan. Maria Mies: "Ecofeminism" .
Cheers
Deb