Sacrifice Zone tells the story of the massive threat that coal seam gas mining (CSG) poses to our magnificent region out here in north-west NSW, and especially to our precious groundwater – the Great Artesian Basin.

NORTH EAST FOREST ALLIANCE Upton Media. (Click Here)

Call-out for NRG writers…help us get our op-ed campaign underway! (Click Here)

Big win for renewable energy! Small win for no water mining. (Click Here)

2 WEEKS OF ACTION (Click Here)

Rail Trail Funded (Click Here)

Rail trail – Rail transport -options (Click Here)

RE:Rail trail – ABC Poll (Click Here)

I was most impressed by the work done by Katie Milne, Chris Cherry , Troy Green and David Oxenham at last nite’s Council meeting.

You are each to be congratulated for persisting to seek a reasonable solution to a contentious issue…and for saving the railway transport corridor… for now at least.

Lesser beings may have just let it go, but you 4 did not. Well done!

My heartfelt thanks ,

Sledge

Dear Railway Supporters,

Can you please support the cause of retaining our rail tracks in the Northern Rivers by calling relevant politicians today or as soon as possible as we believe some early calls to them already have them on alert and more could mean the reversal of the decision to introduce bike trails and pulling up our tracks!

Please call the Federal Minister, John McVeigh, who was directly responsible for Federal funding of this proposed ‘rail trail’ on (02) 62777990 and local member Kevin Hogan on (02) 66214044 saying whatever you feel but including statements like:

“I am angry and want some answers and I smell a rat!

This is a perversion of democracy when we have never been asked if we would prefer rail services or a bike track, by any level of government!

The rail trail mob have stolen the narrative of economic development and greater employment in our region when trains would bring so many more jobs and economic stability to our region.

There are 47,000 residents in Lismore – why don’t we have a rail service?!

Rail trails may be good in remote Victorian towns but not in a high population, aging demographic, high tourism area like ours!

We believe that if we can bombard these ministers with concerned calls they will consider reversing their decision to pull up the tracks, starting with the Tweed section, which will give us a chance to bring rail services back to the Casino – Murwillumbah line, for the benefit of all.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Northern Rivers Railway Action Group

**Act now: NRG launches our letter of the month campaign
with an appeal to members to write a brief email or preferably hard copy letter saying something like:**

“I object to the trial site for festivals at North Byron Parklands being made permanent as the area is quiet with few access roads. The residents and wildlife in the area suffer from noisy invasive events, while other venues are more suitable, like the Blues Fest site at Tyagarah. “

North Byron Parklands is seeking to become a State Significant Development with permanent approval from the state government to stage outdoor music festivals and develop the site for other tourism purposes. NB: Parklands has declared the Bluesfest site near Byron Bay to be inadequate for their needs. The developers will not consider it, and want to continue expanding in the Yelgun area in the future. They’re counting on the state government pushing this through by making Parklands a state significant development rather than turning control back to Byron Council, as the current approval now directs.

NRG objects and urges members to send a submission to the NSW Department of Planning by 16 February: http://www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=8169.

Submissions are like a poll to gauge public opinion. They do not have to be long or detailed.
Key points to make:

> Byron Shire Council should be in control as the decision-maker in consultation with Tweed Council. The state should not impose this development on the Byron/Tweed area. In fact, the state should be helping the promoters find a more suitable location for a festival site.

> Trial approval has brought tens of thousands of festival-goers to an area without safe evacuation prospects, causing problems with noise, traffic, illegal camping, pollution, and increased fire and flood risks. Permanent approval will make these issues permanent and more serious as the size, number, and duration of festivals increase.

> The ecological impacts on the nearby Nature Reserve and Wildlife Corridor have not been properly assessed by the developers, the state, or local council. Wildlife has nowhere to go.

> The key events staged at Parklands (Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival) are now 51% owned by Live Nation, a U.S. conglomerate known for its aggressive expansion in the entertainment industry. Approval of this development will profit Live Nation, whilst local residents put up with the inconveniences and risks.

PS : It is hard to get people in today’s hedonistic society to object to festivals . Many of us like music festivals and think of these as relatively harmless, but they should be contained and restricted to areas where the amenities/roads are suitable. This proposal continues the “Profit before all else” mantra. Please help.

Scott Sledge
NRG President

Conflict of Interest
There is no place in Local Govt for Federal Political parties.
No need for, Green,Labour,Liberal or Nationals in the TSC.
Only independent candidates should contest the local elections. They alone stand on the issues that are of a concern to the Shire. With no allegiance to any Party. Shire first and nothing else. So why do we have these Party controlled people in the Council? I believe the answer is you. It’s your fault! Voter apathy, voter fatigue and the grind of every day life leads us to taking the easy way out. Come election time we do not scrutinise the candidates and what they stand for but just grab the how to vote card of the party we vote for federally and get it over with. This leads us to the scenario that we face in the TSC today. Faction opposing faction based on Federal Party ideology. Often not what is good for the Shire but an adherence to a particular party. So how do we know that any vote that they make is Shire first or Party first? The answer is we can’t! This is going to become more evident in a soon to be vote on a water extraction application near Uki. The applicant is a life member of the Labour Party, an ex Minister of the NSW Govt. Unfortunate for the Labour Councillor as he is going to have to vote on a very contentious issue of approving a very, very lucrative application for one of his mentors. An elder statesman of his party. A no vote like he recently made for a similar application has the chance to curtail his ambitions for advancement in his party. A yes vote could be regarded as putting Party first. If he abstains and the vote is lost, he again faces scrutiny from his party. Not a good position to be in for an inexperienced councillor. This dilemma has been brought about by the unfortunate fact that a prominent member of a political party is having his application voted on by a member of his party. If we did not have Federal sponsored candidates in local councils then Cr Byrnes would not be in this position. I rest my case!
Gwyn Hooper
Uki.

WELCOME! Join us in our work for a sustainable Northern Rivers.

NRG Monthly meeting this Saturday 16th 12.00 noon – 2.00 pm. At Mavis’s Kitchen Mount Warning. Forests and Elections main topics.

Act now: NRG launches our letter of the month campaign with an appeal to members to write a brief email or preferably hard copy letter saying something like:

NRG News 2015-2016 The News Letter will be emailed to financial members only.

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**Act now: NRG launches our letter of the month campaign
with an appeal to members to write a brief email or preferably hard copy letter saying something like:**

NRG News 2015-2016
The News Letter will be emailed to financial members only.