Voice of Byron regulars, Geoff Bensley, David Michie and Corey Forsyth all got great shots at the Save Our Park rally at Suffolk Park yesterday.
MORE THAN 1000 Suffolk Park and Byron Bay locals turned up to a protest rally held on community land at Suffolk Park yesterday at 5.30 pm, (Wed 16 Nov).
The rally was held by the Suffolk Park Progress Association to protest the NSW Education Department’s attempt to sell off community land in Suffolk Park by auction. And there was no need to either “beef up the numbers for the press” or use rent-a-crowd attendees.
This rally was attended by local residents, angry at how they’ve been treated by the NSW Education Department.
Even though National Party MLC Ben Franklin had assured residents he’d done a deal with the NSW Education Minister to withdraw the land from public sale, Suffolk Park Progress Association Vice-President Patsy Brogan reminded residents the deal isn’t done until it’s done.
“This land will not be secured as community land until Byron Shire Council has put in an acceptable offer to buy the land, and it is declared community land. Land to held in perpetuity, as Gaggin Park is, never to be rezoned nor sold by future councils or state governments.”
A fair indication of the crowd can be seen in Geoff Bensley’s panorama shot taken at the rally.
Local mums, dads and kids turned out to let Mike Baird know how they felt about the NSW Education Department’s attempt to sell off their land. Photo: David Michie.
QUOTES FROM THE RALLY:
Corey Forsyth: “What a great turn out Suffolk Community! SAVE OUR PARK!”
Geoff Bensley: “Wow what a huge turnout for the Save Our Park at Suffolk Park.
“The Suffolk Park Progress Association and many other volunteers made this happen.
Mike Baird, get your hands off our village green.”
To which Keith Haines replied, “Even a peppercorn lease for starters might give some time for more pressure on a receptive Government.”