The Northern Rivers Echo Main News

Don't blame us says Council

An aerial shot of Salty Lagoon after it was drained following a storm; Evans Head resident Tony Gleeson with a dead duck at Salty Lagoon; and fish killed at the lagoon. Photos by Richard Gates.

• Lagoon poisoned
• Massive fish and bird kill at Evans Head
• Sewage plant under cloud

By Eve Sinton

Australian Seabird Rescue founder Lance Ferris says this week's massive fish and bird kill at Salty Lagoon in Evans Head was the worst situation he had ever seen.

An estimated 25,000 fish and more than 100 birds, including pelicans, swans, ducks and gulls, died when the lagoon turned into a toxic soup following a storm and heatwave. Many locals have pointed the finger of blame at Richmond Valley Council and its sewage treatment plant, which discharges into the lagoon.

"This has lifted the shutters on the lagoon and brought to light one of the region's worst examples of environmental vandalism," Mr Ferris said. "A once-pristine, crystal-clear lagoon is now a putrid, rotting, disease-ridden, sludge-filled apology for a sewer. For an irresponsible Council, that is a very satisfactory arrangement, especially if they have what seems to be a disastrous 'licence to pollute'."

The disaster began last Thursday when a storm breached the sand barrier between Salty Lagoon and the ocean. The lagoon's water level dropped rapidly as it flowed out through the breach.

Fish began to die in the thousands. By the weekend, birds were dying too.

Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) spokesman John Dengate said the deaths were caused by a combination of natural processes and the impact of the sewage treatment plant. The DEC is investigating.

"December 6 and 7 were some of the hottest days on record and there were fish kills in two other places around the state," Mr Dengate said. "The death of the birds was unusual - birds like ducks, which are not fish eaters, were probably affected by something like botulism. That does happen in hot weather when there is rotting vegetation in the water."

Tests revealed faecal coliforms of 440,000 parts per million in the lagoon. The acceptable limit is 600.

Volunteers said they were traumatised by the scale of the disaster as they raced to save dying birds. Marnie Bonner waded through half a metre of black sludge, surrounded by dead trees, to rescue pelicans.

"You had to see it to believe it," she said. "There were rivulets of iridescent cream, orange and blue. We spent eight hours in the baking sun, and we didn't see anyone from the Council. Two locals brought us food - nobody who earns a living in state or local government even gave us a drink of water."

The Total Environment Centre's spokeswoman Fran Kelly said years of pleading to improve the lagoon's health had been met with excuses, brush-offs and denials.

"It has taken the death of almost all aquatic life in and around the lake to draw attention to its dire state and even then the Council is trying to shift the blame to natural causes," she said. "That is the most pathetic response and absolutely untrue. You never see other intermittently opening and closing lakes and lagoons killing all in their path when they open following heavy rain."

Ms Kelly said both Richmond Valley Council and the DEC deserved to have action taken against them.

Mr Dengate said the Department had been putting pressure on Richmond Valley Council for some years.

"We hope Council is now intent on doing long-term upgrades to the sewage treatment plant, but there will always be some fish kills in very hot weather."

Council general manager Brian Wilkinson said that lagoon systems were subject to this kind of natural event. The lagoon system is now being tested and sewage treatment plant records are being checked to try and find out why the fish died.

"Although all test results have not been finalised, there is no indication at this time that any abnormal operation of the Evans Head Sewage Treatment Plant has contributed to the event. In addition, Council is not aware that there is any ongoing public health issues associated with the matter," he said.

"Council has recently committed to the letting of tenders for the upgrade of the Plant in order that work can commence next year. In the interim, Council is assessing effluent reuse options (in conjunction with the DEC) to minimise discharges that are made to Salty Lagoon."

Mr Wilkinson denied suggestions that raw effluent had been pumped into the lagoon following a lightning strike the day after the breach.

Sizzling summer reading for kids

Brandon Wilson, Chris McKinnon, Jayden Wilson and Kyle and Jason Bell find Lismore Library a cool place to catch up on their reading. Lismore and Goonellabah libraries are hosting 'Read Around Oz' activities through January.

Kids will have plenty to keep them interested at the 'Read Around Oz' summer reading club, which runs from January 3 to 31 at Lismore and Goonellabah libraries.

'Read Around Oz' includes reading, games, craft and storytelling. Drop into the Lismore or Gonellabah libraries to join up and get a reading club kit with the opportunity to win some great prizes donated by Lismore businesses.

'Read Around Oz' has a live online site all summer at www.summerreadingclub.org.au with games, online chats and information about the program.

Welcome to the Gates of Heaven

Celebrating Janet Gates' (front) recent appointment as the chaplain of UnitingCare Ageing were (rear l-r) Reverend Dr Leslie Underwood from the Uniting Care Ageing NSW/ACT Chaplains Network, UnitingCare Ageing North Coast regional director Anne Leeson, Lismore MP Thomas George, UnitingCare Ageing chairperson Mollie Strong and deputy chairperson of the Far North Coast Presbytery of the Uniting Church, Rev. Bob Rutherford.

A decade of listening and supporting people in their darkest hour has led McLeans Ridges resident, Janet Gates, into a job that was "meant to be".

After almost 10 years as the director of Lifeline Northern Rivers, Janet is now the new chaplain of UnitingCare Ageing - a role in which she will work closely with residents of the Caroona Aged Care Facility in Goonellabah.

"I feel like I was chosen for this position," Janet said. "Being a chaplain can at times be heartbreaking, but it can also be very rewarding. To meet people and listen and share in their life stories is a very humbling experience."

Janet says the knowledge she gained at Lifeline and her study in grief will be invaluable.

"In this position you meet people at a stage where their spiritual connection is deeper than ever and you try and bring a sense of peace into lives," Janet said. "It's about helping people feel content within themselves and with God."

Decide LINC TV's future

Local community television station LINC TV will decide whether it has a future at its AGM and Christmas drinks this Sunday, December 18, at Mary Gilhooley's Pub in Lismore. Members will vote on whether LINC TV becomes a company to apply for a five-year license or whether to wind up things due to lack of community interest.

Members and interested people are encouraged to attend. The AGM starts at 5pm.

Uni faces uncertain future

By Eve Sinton

Page MP Ian Causley is under fire for his support of the Government's voluntary student unionism (VSU) laws, passed by the Senate last Friday.

Southern Cross University (SCU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Clarke and students are united in their view that VSU will kill off services, wipe out around 150 jobs, and take millions out of Lismore's economy when it comes into effect on July 1, 2006.

They also believe it threatens the long-term future of SCU.

Student Union acting general manager, Ruth Harrison, said she feared the union would lose all its funding. When it was trialled in Western Australia, only one-in-10 students opted to pay the annual $350 fee.

"We have to have everybody or nobody," Ms Harrison said. "We would have very little to offer the 10 per cent who pay. It would be like trying to run a city where only 10 per cent of people pay their rates."

Currently, the union fees provide subsidised services such as the gym, bar, sports clubs, accident insurance, subsidised childcare, and a bulk-billing doctor.

"What we really offer is a heart," she said. "A place to come, to be involved."

Ms Harrison said students were angry that, unlike Queensland National senator Barnaby Joyce who crossed the floor, Ian Causley ignored the university's pleas to vote against the legislation.

"Over time, universities like ours will be poor cousins left to rot. It will impact on student numbers, and the university will end up having to cut courses," she said.

"The university has given Lismore a life and a spirit it would never have developed without it. Ian Causley has got it all wrong. VSU is all about dumbing down Australia."

Student Representative Council manager, Damian Cooper, said its future would depend on what support the university could offer.

"We look forward to continue working with Vice-Chancellor Paul Clark," he said. "If the university is unable to provide support, the SRC will lose 90 per cent of services."

Mr Cooper said the metropolitan universities would provide better services through their economy of scale, while regional universities would be unable to maintain their students.

"Students will be struggling with the realities of an unsupported learning environment and the quality of education will suffer," he said.

Professor Clark said the VSU legislation would have a negative impact on the Lismore economy.

"We have been working with the student organisations, and will continue to do so, to map out the most important services and amenities and look for ways in which they can be sustained at least in part," he said. "But the government has left us little room to move. It is vital to us to provide vibrant campuses which support our student body. We are now taking a new look at how best we can achieve this."

Ian Causley said he didn't believe all the doom and gloom, but was saturnine about the challenges they face.

"We haven't abolished the union - it's up to them, the ball's in their court," he said. "We don't believe in compulsion, we don't believe in some students being forced to subsidise others. They will have to convince students to pay, convince them the union provides necessary services. If some choose not to pay, they will have to cut their cloth to suit their budget. That's the real world."

Hill bends kill truckie

A truck driver was killed when his prime mover and milk tanker rolled after it failed to take a left hand bend on a notorious section of the Kyogle Road on Monday.

Allen Frederick Carbis, 47, of Piora, was killed in the accident, at Leycester, west of Lismore. The road was closed for six hours while the wreckage was cleared. Police are preparing a report for the coroner.

This latest in a string of accidents on the bends led Lismore councillor Peter Graham to put forward an urgency motion at Tuesday night's Council meeting calling on the state and federal governments to deliver immediate funding to improve the alignment of the road and fix the bends, where a number of trucks have overturned.

An emotional Cr Graham said it was time for action. He was backed unanimously by Council.

German Police visit over Strobel case

German tourist Simone Strobel, pictured with boyfriend Tobias Suckfuell, who is now a suspect in her killing.

The mysterious death of German tourist Simone Strobel in Lismore last February has brought a contingent of German investigators to town. They believe Ms Strobel's travelling companions - her boyfriend Tobias Suckfuell, his sister Katrin and their friend Jens Martin - are the prime suspects in her killing.

German State Prosecutor Erik Ohlenschlager, Chief Inspector Hans-Juergen Kaemmer and an interpreter, Detective Sergeant Susanne Grimm, held a media conference on Monday at the site where Ms Strobel's body was discovered on February 17, six days after she was reported missing from a nearby caravan park.

Local police have declined to label Ms Strobel's death a murder, although Richmond Local Area Commander, Superintendent Bruce Lyons, said it was being treated as a suspicious death.

"We are looking at this inquiry in the same way we would look at an inquiry as if we had the evidence that someone was murdered," he said.

Prosecutor Ohlenschlager, however, said a "horrible crime' had been committed and praised the work of Lismore police.

"We are already conducting our own investigation against three German suspects during which new questions have arisen and we believe the answers are in Australia," he said. "[The suspects] have been lying from the beginning to the Australian authorities and the German authorities about important facts of the investigation. And they also have, according to what we think, a motive. But if they are really the people who did it, further investigations will have to proceed."

He declined to answer further questions.

On Tuesday the Lismore Continental Club was screened off and guarded by local police while the German investigators examined the scene. A local police spokesman said yesterday that no further information about the case would be released.

Ballina resident fears more riots

Julian Ryan

Beach Front Parade resident Robyn Driscoll has welcomed a decision by Ballina Shire Council to look at ways to addressing anti-social behaviour in the Angels Beach area, but admits she isn't looking forward to New Years Eve.

Ms Driscoll's neighbourhood was terrorised by a drunken mob of around 300 people last month. One resident was assaulted and houses and police cars were pelted with missiles.

Ms Driscoll fears there could be a repeat performance on New Years Eve after parts of Lennox Head and Byron Bay were declared alcohol free zones. She believes it may attract loutish revellers back to her neighbourhood.

"I don't want to stop young people from having a good time, but if parents are happy to have their children drinking underage they should do it at home where they can be supervised," Robyn said.

"Last month when the trouble happened I was too frightened to go outside and although I praise the efforts of the police who have had a high presence in the area since, I don't want this to happen again."

Hospital care unit work gets underway

An artist's impression of the new transitional care unit at Ballina Hospital

Work on a new $4.8 million transitional care unit at Ballina Hospital begins tomorrow with the NSW parliamentary secretary for health, Paul McLeay, visiting the region to turn the first sod.

The new 18-bed unit for aged care rehabilitation will help elderly people who need assistance to move from hospital or rehabilitation to independent living at home.

"The services provided at the Transitional Care Unit will include mobility and falls prevention support, physical rehabilitation and practical training in living skills that may have been lost because of injury or impairment," Mr McLeay said.

The NSW Government is contributing $2.8 million and the Commonwealth Government $2 million towards the project.

Mr McLeay said the unit is the first stage of a larger health services plan for Ballina, which may also incorporate enhanced rehabilitation and ambulatory (out-patient) care.

The construction is expected to be completed around mid-2006 and will be used by patients from across the region.

Human rights campaigners speak at forum

Leading QC, author and human rights campaigner Julian Burnside (pictured), independent film-maker Kate Durham and UK human rights barrister Dr Angela Ward will be key panel members at a community forum on asylum seekers this Saturday, December 17.

The public forum will be hosted by Southern Cross University at Byron Bay Community Centre at 7pm and will include a screening of Durham's BBC documentary Australia's Pacific Solution, which has not been seen in Australia.

Entry is by a gold coin donation, with any profit going to Rural Australians for Refugees.

For more details, contact Helen Walsh at SCU on 6620 3848 or email helen.walsh@scu.edu.au.

Mayor pushes new bypass solution

Ballina mayor Phillip Silver has written to the federal and state governments, putting forward an alternative proposal to build the Alstonville bypass.

Cr Silver wants the feds to double their funding commitment to $24 million and wants the NSW Government to cover the cost of buying the land.

He's proposing that Ballina Shire Council manage the construction of the project and finance any funding shortfall, then be reimbursed by the NSW Government at a later date.

Cr Silver said since writing last week he hasn't received any feedback.

"The purpose of this proposal is to generate dialogue on the Alstonville bypass and I will be following up on the matter by making phone calls and engaging the assistance of our state and federal representatives," Cr Silver said.

Lobby group vows to save free lake pool

The possible closure of the Lismore Lake pool has led to concerned residents mounting a campaign to save it. They have started a petition asking Lismore Council to keep the free facility open.

"There is a great deal of concern in the community that Council will close the Lismore Lake pool," said the group's spokesperson, Vicki Findlay. "Comments made in Council meetings indicate that not all councillors and staff support the Lake Pool remaining open. We believe it is important to act now to let the Council know the opinion of the community and to sign the petition."

Ms Findlay said that despite spending $9.75 million on the new Memorial Baths it had no water where children aged between two and 10 could touch the bottom. The Lismore Lake pool allows parents and carers to supervise children of different ages safely.

Petitions to keep the Lismore Lake pool open are located at Caddies Coffee Shop, Noahs Arc Bookshop, Traditional Medicinals and the Lismore Neighbourhood Centre.

Anyone who would like to become involved should phone Vicki Findlay on 6622 0712 or email vfindlay@bigpond.net.au.

One plus one equals the best

Alstonville Public School year five-six students won the prestigious Australian Mathematical Trust Olympiad.

They may have only won by a fraction, but the brainy kids from Alstonville Public School continue to make it into the academic record books, more recently for beating more than 1000 other schools to win Australia's top maths competition.

When the class took part in the Australian Mathematical Trust Maths Olympiad, 10 students had a perfect score of 250, while another 17 ranked in the top 10 per cent. Alstonville tied with a Sydney school, so in a first, they went head to head in a tie-breaker. Alstonville were declared the winners by just point one of a per cent.

Year six student Nic Horowitz was thrilled to get a perfect score.

"But to win the competition overall is even better," he said. "It's a totally awesome group achievement that we're all really proud of."

The other nine students with a perfect score were: Tim Ellis, Amanda Maxwell, Cassidy Warner, Josh Chapman, Danny Hayter, Justyn Keir, James McHugh, Lachlan McLennan and Tim O'Neil.

Homes plan for Wollongbar drive-in

A Ballina Shire Council plan to develop the former drive-in theatre site at Rifle Range Road, Wollongbar, was endorsed by the Council last week.

Three options were developed for the site in the wake of Council abandoning plans for a third village on the Plateau.

The 4.6 hectares of Council-owned land includes 1.1 hectare set aside for housing development plus a range of community and sports facilities including six netball courts, a hall and childcare centre, a skate park, playgrounds and picnic areas.

Cr David Wright said it will be the last major development on the Plateau.

"This is what the people of Wollongbar have asked for and when it's finished it will be a unique development and something that will properly serve the needs of the growing population," Cr Wright said. "Some people might complain that there is housing on part of the site, but funds derived from the sale of the blocks will be used to finance additional recreational and sporting grounds in the area.

"In the meantime Council will work closely with Wollongbar TAFE to develop two full-sized rugby fields plus amenities and lighting to satisfy the requirements of this development."

The proposal will now be included in a draft development control plan to be exhibited for public comment in early 2006.

Council backs 'broke' Lismore Showground

In a last-ditch bid to stop the Lismore Showground closing its gates at the end of the year, Lismore Council has intervened with support and advice it hopes will turn around the loss-making Showground Trust and put it back in the black.

While all councillors we eager to show their support (mayor Merv King excused himself with a conflict of interest), some expressed concern for general manager Paul O'Sullivan's plan, which includes a $50,000 guarantee for an organisation that has been losing up to $130,000 a year. Mr O'Sullivan believes it can be turned around, although he offered councillors no clear plan for the showground beyond cutting costs and increasing income. He said the financial records on the Trust were unclear.

Council will provide 12 months of management advice and run the booking service for the showground, as well as looking after the building and grounds maintenance.

Mr O'Sullivan says the support is "in-kind" and will not cost ratepayers money, although he said the Trust will start the new year with no money in the bank after it is split from the profitable annual Lismore Show. Three employees will lose their jobs.

Flagging a new, tougher regime, Trust spokesman Ron Chittick said the Trust had been "soft" on community groups when it came to renting the showground. Some paid less that it cost to clean the toilets.

"I'm afraid that's finished," he said, adding that rents had not increased for 20 years in some instances.

"You could afford to be charitable to these not-for-profit organisations - things flowed along quite easily in those days. But it's really crunch time now."

Mr Chittick hinted at big increases.

"We're going to have to determine a more commercial value that's going to provide an income, plus a profit. Maybe some organisations will say they can't afford it, but we will have to say sorry, we can't afford to have you here because it's costing us money," he said.

In a mea culpa to Council, Mr Chittick said "It's been our fault and our problem - we understand that". He said that Council will be "like a big brother you can lean on for a bit of advice. With Council help, we're hoping we can turn it around with commercial decisions."

But Cr Ros Irwin raised concerns about Council offering the $50,000 guarantee, saying there was no business plan or clear decisions on the showground's future.

"I can't imagine us guaranteeing $50k to anyone without knowing where they are going," she said.

But Mr O'Sullivan remained upbeat, despite saying he only became aware of the problem at a meeting on November 23. The Trust will make all decisions with Council offering support.

"Some hard decisions need to be made by the Trust," he said.

Cr Barry Crimmins was also concerned saying the site had "been run without enough management kudos and understanding" for some time.

Deputy mayor John Chant said he was surprised to learn that the annual North Coast National show actually made a profit, which had been used to prop up the showground.

"We were told the Show was always losing money," he said.

In 2004, the Show posted a $75,000 profit.

Council rejected a proposal by Cr Irwin to defer the matter for further investigation and voted to back the general manager's plan 7/4 (Crs Swientek, Irwin, Tomlinson, Ekins against).

Lismore Showground:

What the stakeholders think

Is Ballina the new Byron?

Ballina MP Don Page turns the first sod of the Ramada International Hotel Ballina last week with (l-r) Slipway Properties director Elton Stone, chairman Chris Condon, Ballina Shire councillor Alan Brown and Slipway Properties managing director Glen Stotter.

The $39 million Ramada International Hotel Ballina is expected to inject millions in tourism dollars into the local economy when takes its first guests in 2007.

Work on the riverfront project on the old slipway site off Martin Street began last week and is being developed by a consortium of 12 local families.

The construction is expected to generate more than 100 jobs and the finished complex is expected to employ between 30 and 40 staff.

The six-level, 110-room development includes five function areas, an eating precinct with a cafe and six restaurants, a free outdoor cinema, a lap and children's pool plus a gymnasium.

Slipway Properties managing director Glen Stotter said the hotel is designed to lure family visitors away from Byron Bay to stay in Ballina.

"We are particularly excited about the cinema and will be regularly screening films and broadcasting events that can be enjoyed by the locals as well as the guests," Mr Stotter said.

This development is the second Ramada in Ballina following the Ramada Riverside in Fawcett Street, which opened two years ago.

Family fun helps water park make a splash

Santa (aka Ben Muldoon) and Summerland House With No Steps nursery employees (l-r) Leanne Smith, Lachlan Smith and Peter Irwin with some of the plants that will be on sale at the Charity Family Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, which is a fundraiser for the planned shaded water theme park.

The Summerland House With No Steps is hoping to build an $80,000 water theme park at their Alstonville site, and is looking for public support to kick-start the project.

They're holding a Charity Family Weekend fundraiser this Saturday and Sunday, December 17-18, at the Summerland House With No Steps.

The event runs from 9am to 4pm, with $5 plants and gifts, as well as a BBQ, a bungee trampoline, a Shrek jumping castle (10am-2pm), a visit from Santa (1-2pm), a puppet show (2pm) and face painting.

Manager Brett Lacey is encouraging families to come and have a picnic this weekend, enjoy coffee roasting demonstrations and tastings, explore the grounds and learn more about the new water park.

"This will be a safe, shaded and stimulating water park with fountains, a small water slide and interactive features and games such a pop-up water squirts - we think it will be a fantastic asset," Brett said. "Not only will it provide parents with a place to bring their kids to cool off during summer, it will also generate further employment.

"We're also hoping businesses will come forward and contribute towards the park."

Entry to the Charity Family Weekend is free. For more information phone Mr Lacey on 6628 0610.

Council honours stayers

Ballina Shire Council employees received certificates of recognition for 15 and 25 years long service before sharing morning tea with the councillors last week.

Pictured are recipients (rear l-r) Peter Girvan, Robert Joblin, Earl Vincent, Greg Anderson, Norm Lane, Paul Henderson and (front) Andrew Weir, Judy Butson, Mark Newsham, Graham Brown, David Kelly and Phil Donoghoe. John Jameson and Geoff Davey were also recognised.

Spend a penny and save a drop

Elizabeth Seidl, Rous Water's demand management expert, says you can save water in your home and garden with water savings pack for just $20.

Water Saving packs worth over $100 are a bargain at Rous Water and local councils, where they are being sold for just $20 to kick off holiday season water conservation consciousness.

Rous Water general manager Paul Muldoon said that the water level in Rocky Creel Dam, the region's main water supply, is now 77 per cent.

"We all have to make every drop count," he said. "This is even more important as the hot weather continues and thousands of holiday season visitors are coming to our region."

The packs include a mulch brick, flow test cup, dual flush converter, water storing crystals, a four-minute shower timer, rain gauge, water flow restrictors, waterless car cleaners, irrigation spikes, a water bottle, magnet, water drop 'stress' ball and a water saving booklet.