Byron Shire Councillor Rose Wanchap has hit back at critics of the Council’s rock wall at the Belongil.
In a full-page advertisement in this week’s Byron Shire News Cr Wanchap slams critics, particularly the Greens. She also attacks local media, accusing them of not wanting to publish the “good news” that the Belongil wall was a success.
“It is all too easy to twist facts to make a person look sinister,” she says in the advertisement.
Byron Shire Council’s CZMP is shaping up to be a torrid subject for some time to come.
The risk factors associated with the Belongil Spit have been known pre-European settlement. Other than for the gentrification of the spit those risks remain, albeit predicted to increase with changing sea levels and more erratic weather conditions.
Insurance companies will not insure against coastal surges, so why are ratepayers and the public expected to be the default insurer? Selling the notion of the rock wall as not only for the benefit of private assets/landowners is duplicitous given the ongoing costs to the taxpayer. It also means that the operational budget for the Shire’s capital works programme will be immediately impacted upon for the 2016/17 year and subsequent years.
I share others disgust with the recently exhibited CZMP:
(i) ignores the science of coastal hydraulics
(ii) dismisses concerns expressed by the Office of Environment and Heritage
(iii) concentrates on a 15 year time frame
(iv) dismisses options
Better is expected from those who hold public office.
Yes. This wall held up well, despite misreporting by local and social media and is still intact and the sand is rebuilding on the beach right now. With a few intelligent passive sand harvesting additions we can have a secure and effective beach and safe housing for all of Byron bay to enjoy for along time to come.
Rose needs to listen to the costal, erosion / global warming scientists,
She looks like an uneducated ,greedy , developer type.
BYRON is world famous, BUT NOT FOR LONG , if Rose is in charge !!
God help us.
Stop the Gang of 5 on the Byron council PLEASE