stuff up the shire for $2m!!

NEWSLETTER 25

Greetings MCANics

URGENT LOBBYING WANTED!!

What is the source of pollution in the Brunswick River? Is it the old Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), the ancient leaky pipes under Mullumbimby or upstream contamination? Please ask councilors to investigate this before voting on proposed new STP on 27.11.08. This is especially important for those impacted by sewerage smells in town, or had raw sewage bubbling up into your back garden or under your house.

Please ask councilors to investigate the source of pollution before voting for the behemoth. A new STP may not solve the problem of pollution in the Brunswick River.

Ask them to delay the decision to think this through -new councilors need time to consider the implications. There is some pressure to have the councilors vote “yes” (see ad in Byron Shire News 30.10.08 p5). A new STP will lift the 10-year building moratorium but will it fix the pollution problem???

A new STP may be the largest ever capital expenditure in the Shire. Even the $8m Council Chambers had us in the red for years, and the new STP may cost between $40m and $50m (they still don’t know the full cost). Who’s paying for it? Us!! Our rates may well have to rise to meet this. When might it be paid for?

A State Government grant for $2m has been offered to BSC and this may soon expire, causing more pressure on councilors. The grant may only cover about 4% of the total STP cost, which is as yet unknown. As Nadia Pietramale said “Stuff up the Shire for $2m???”

Richard Staples has proposed that reducing pressure on the STP by siphoning off liquid wastes to fertilise agricultural land would be a cheaper and greener alternative to a massive new chemical plant. This system is currently used successfully in Main Arm, and could be expanded.

Councillors addresses are: cr.patrick.morrisey@byron.nsw.gov.au; cr.tom.tabart@bigpond.com; cr.ross.tucker@bigpond.com; cr.basil.cameron@byron.nsw.gov.au; cr.richard.staples@byron.nsw.gov.au; cr.jan.barham@bigpond.com; cr.simon.richardson@byron.nsw.gov.au; cr.diane.woods@byron.nsw.gov.au; cr.tony.heeson@byron.nsw.gov.au also send to Don Page at don.page@parliament.nsw.gov.au and ray.darney@byron.nsw.gov.au

The Councillors are our vehicle of democracy. Democracy rests on an ideal of equality in which everyone has a voice. Barack Obama has shown the power of democracy, see his “YES WE CAN” speech on http://www.mathaba.net/rss/?x=610706.

Avaaz petition to Barack Obama on human rights, climate change and peace
http://www.avaaz.org/en/million_messages_to_obama

Powerlessness is passé, and our web network is our most powerful ally. Please forward this to your contacts. Our voices must be heard as all future capital works in the shire may be at stake for years to come. Peter Cundall (Gardening Aust) sent message to RAID Rally “If you don’t fight, you lose”.

Seen our website lately??? New movie of Bob Brown, and check out RAID rally movie. www.mullumaction.org Robert our webmaster has done brilliant work.

“Will your grandchildren thank you for this decision?” (Bob Brown).

Cheers
Deborah