Media Release
7 March 2018
Member for Ballina Tamara Smith MP today asked the Planning Minister Anthony Roberts during Question Time if his government would act on the concerns of the Byron Bay community about the social, environmental and economic impacts of the mega development application for West Byron.
“Having previously raised with the Minister our community’s concern about the detrimental impacts of the West Byron proposal on the Belongil estuary and Cape Byron Marine Park, to the threatened koala and Wallum froglet species on the site and the known horrendous traffic impact of the development on residents and tourists; I asked the Minister on the floor of Parliament today to act on those concerns,” said Ms Smith.
“I was able to secure a commitment from the Planning Minister to monitor the developments but the message I got loud and clear is that we as a community need to make sure we express our concerns formally if we stand any chance of reining in this mega development.”
“While I was asking this question in the Legislative Assembly, the National-Liberal coalition in the Upper House failed to act on a Greens’ motion against the West Byron mega development, with debate postponed to a later date.”
“One of those who was part of the coalition that voted down the motion was the National’s Northern NSW spokesperson who on 2 March was quoted in the media saying he had ‘serious and genuine concerns about the development - particularly with regard to its size and scale.’
“I was informed that the Parliamentary Secretary for Northern NSW has never raised any concerns about the West Byron development with the Planning Minister. As they say: actions speak louder than words,” said Ms Smith.
Submissions on the West Byron developments can be made until the end of March, visit Tamara Smith’s website to make a submission: