‘I think people are ready to realise we have to find alternatives. ‘I think it is really good to try and change the mentality and if we need to mandate it to do that, I think it is something the community is ready for,’ said Mayor Cherry. ‘Lets just take another month or so, put it in public exhibition, advise the public on what we are going to do, when we are going to do it and then we can enforce the actions required.’Ĭrs Brinsmead and Owen chose not to take on that suggestion pointing out that ‘This NOM is more about targeted education and awareness and not punitive measures and that is in the NOM itself.’Ĭouncillors Mayor Chris Cherry (Independent) and Dr Nola Firth both spoke in favour of the NoM. I don’t think that is the right way to go, it puts people off with council, saying big brother is going to slam us with this. And here we are taking a more heavy handed approach by saying this policy becomes effective immediately. That’s normally our policy as a council, community engagement, I’ve heard people talk about it time and time again. ‘We should have at least a month or so advising in the local papers that we are going to have this process and allow some community engagement. It is rather drastic to bring it in effective immediately when we haven’t advised the community that it is going to happen. ‘Surely we would have a public engagement policy as a council to be able to tell people we this is going to be put forward. ‘So if there is a group of people at Jack Evans Boat Harbour having a birthday party and they are playing around with these balloons, council rangers can come along and say there is a law to say you can’t do it. That means tomorrow,’ Cr Polglase explained. ‘It says prohibit the release of helium balloons is “effective immediately”.
While Cr Polglase said he supported ‘the sentiments put forward’ he believed it was ‘rather heavily handed’. Seabirds strangled by wads of balloons, ribbons and strings. I think it is everyone’s responsibility to try and protect our environment.’ ‘I thought that was quite contradictory and I think that it’s a good opportunity for the state government to do more about this type of pollution. ‘NSW is the only state in Australia where releasing up to 20 helium balloons at a time is still legal,’ she said. Even released into the environment for a short period of time tends to have pretty devastating effects.’Ĭr Binsmead also highlighted the fact that the NSW State government had banned the supply of lightweight plastic bags from 1 June and that from November 1 single use plastic straws, stirrers and cutlery, single use plastic bowls and plates, expanded polystyrene, food service items and single use plastic cotton buds and micro-beads in certain personal care products will also be banned. Which is actually misleading, while natural latex may be biodegradable the addition of chemicals and dyes in the balloon manufacturing process make the balloons persistent for many months in the environment. ‘I did have someone approach me once these papers were published, to tell me that balloons are biodegradable.
Helium balloons archive#
Byron Echo Print Archive (previous volume)Ĭr Rhiannon Brinsmead (Liberal) Tweed Shire Council.