Missed our Byron Shire Meet the Candidates live community q and a forum? Don’t worry, we saved it for you.

Part Four: public land, Main Beach car park, wildlife and a council hydraulogist

Official NSW local government Election Day is on the 14th of September, which gives you plenty of time to catch up on some of what Byron’s candidates reckon they will and won’t do if they’re elected.

Bay FM has teamed up again with Echo Publications to bring you this chance to hear from those vying for your vote as they introduce their campaigns and answer questions from their diverse community.

Hear from all four 2024 Byron Shire Mayoral candidates, a fifth group leader and the shire’s only ungrouped candidate, as well as a few other candidates listed in groups.

Six candidates are given one minute each to answer questions from community representatives ranging from youth to business leaders, environmentalists and housing advocates.

In Part Four we hear from each of the six candidates on stage as they answer questions around public land, including the future of the car park overlooking Byron’s Main Beach, the timing of infrastructure upgrades, and whether the council should employ a permanent ecologist and hydraulogist.

Featuring (in order of speaking): Bay FM moderator and Community Newsroom EP Mia Armitage; House You founder Chels Hood Withey; Bright Future Byron group leader Jack Dods; The Greens group leader and mayoral candidate Sarah Ndiaye (incumbent councillor); Labor group leader and mayoral candidate Asren Pugh (incumbent councillor); ungrouped candidate Lucy Vader; Byron Shire Compass group leader David Warth; Byron Independents group leader and mayoral candidate Michael Lyon (incumbent mayor); Byron Bay Chamber of Commerce President Matt Williamson; WIRES Northern Rivers Branch Chair Drew Paice; Bay FM volunteer and Eco Futures co-host Michelle Michels.

Please note, this recording has been lightly edited to remove a small number of distracting sounds, references specific to the evening’s live event, some pauses and the last yes or no question from The Echo as it went slightly overtime. You had to be there! This may be updated in future. None of the candidates’ other words have been edited.

PIC: Some of the Byron Shire Meet the Candidates 2024 panel (L-R): Sarah Ndiaye; Michael Lyon; Mia Armitage; Aslan Shand (Jeff Dawson, Echo Publications)

Thanks to: all Byron Shire Council 2024 candidates; everyone who submitted a question, especially those who came to present one; Bay FM volunteers Mia Armitage, Kate Payne, Michelle Michels, Anny Reed, Monet Shortland, Danny Salfield, Jazz, Mae Soper, Isolde Kopping, Denise Prentice, DJ Cruizy, Ange Kent, Paulette McCosker, Matt Day, the rest of the management committee, the program team, the rest of the station volunteers and book-keeper Rebecca; The Echo team, especially Aslan Shand, Hans Lovejoy, Simon Haslam, Paul Bibby, Anna, Jeff Dawson, Ziggi Browning; The Byron Theatre team, especially Jon, Kristina, Han, Jamie and Peta. Very special thanks to volunteer candidates coordinator Joanne Langton. Special thanks also to the Community Broadcasting Foundation, which continues to support Bay FM’s Community Newsroom, helping make this event possible.