Richmond Valley Notes

with Therese Schier

Riverbank Project

The Casino Boolangle Aboriginal Land Council has received a $45,000 grant from the state government's Protecting Our Places program for a riverbank project that will re-create a message track used by the Junbung people.

The Junbung Walkway and Richmond River Rehabilitation Project will see a low impact track built on the southern bank of the Richmond River from the footbridge to Grey's Falls. Workers on the project will receive training and the Jambama indigenous artists will create artwork along the track telling the Junbung history.

Community support officer at Boolangle, Brendon Torrens, said that the area has important cultural significance to the Junbung Aboriginal community.

"The Walkway will give our people access to the river and will also be used by the whole community and tourists," Brendon said.

Boolangle Land Council developed the project in partnership with the Casino Walking Together Community Economic Development program's Social Development Team, Richmond Valley Council and Richmond Landcare.

Casino Walking Together spokesperson Clinton Parker said the project will benefit the whole community and is in the true spirit of reconciliation with both black and white people working together on the project.

"This project puts real meaning into 'Casino Walking Together'," he said.

People wishing to be involved in the project can contact Brendon Torrens on 6662 1308.

BAG Costs

The Broadwater Action Group (BAG) has lodged an appeal against the Land and Environment Court's decision to award costs against the group following their unsuccessful appeal against the proposed co-generation plant at the Broadwater sugar mill.

President of BAG, Tony Gleeson, is worried that community groups will be discouraged from taking legal action if Richmond Valley Council pursues the group for costs and have lodged an appeal against the ruling.

"We are concerned that council is pursuing costs against a community group acting in the public interest," he said. "Council is effectively pursuing costs against their own ratepayers."

Director Environmental Development Services at Richmond Valley Council, Ken Exley, defended council's action and pointed to Justice Lloyd's comments, which noted that the appeal was "a hopeless application."

"According to the judgment these issues should not have been pursued through the court," Mr Exley said. "Council has to be responsible to ratepayers as a whole."

Mr Exley added that it is very unusual for the Land and Environment court to award costs against a community group.

Mr Gleeson also questioned media reports that the NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative had agreed to waive its cost claim against BAG.

"We haven't heard from the Mill," Mr Gleeson said. "We wonder that if their aim (in waiving costs) is to unite the community, a press release is the best way to announce this? We actually understood they didn't intend to pursue costs anyway."

CEO for the Mill, Mr Greg Messiter, was unavailable for comment.