Roadtrip

17/09/2024

A Musing:

As I prepare to head off into the wilderness once more and leave the heady world of local politics behind me, I have been musing on what a privilege it has been to run with four amazing women who stood up for a better world for everyone in Byron Shire.

Sarah Ndiaye was Deputy Mayor for the past four years and may still be Mayor this term as counting continues. We sing together in the Big Voices Choir led by new Labor Councillor Janet Swain who I adore (and who used to be a member of the Byron Greens)

Elia Hauge is a 28 year-old super star. She's a water engineer who, among other things, will take on the Byron wetlands project over the next four years. And she is the youngest Councillor ever to be elected to Byron Shire Council.

Delta Kay is beyond deadly. She is the first Arakwal Councillor representing the Native Title group responsible for our area. She also runs a thriving small business called Explore Byron Bay which educates visitors about the traditional ways of Country.

Proud local Bundjalung woman Michelle Lowe is adored by her students at Byron High School and stands with the . We're still waiting to see if she becomes the fourth Greens Councillor but whatever the outcome, our womance will continue.

As for me, as the fifth on the ticket it looks highly unlikely that I will get a seat. But I'm used to backing the good folk in. I was fifth on Lord Mayor Clover Moore 's ticket in 2012 and lost out to Tony Abbott's sister Christine Forster. Number 6 was the amazing Alex Greenwich with whom I door knocked every door in the electorate. I worked in the Office of the Lord Mayor on Keep It Local and other local government issues and represented Clover on the board of the Sydney Festival and handed out how to vote cards for Clover and Alex on many subsequent campaigns including Australian Marriage Equality.

Now I'm working with Mandy Nolan - Greens for Richmond which is about the most fun one can have on the hustings.

It's such an honour to wave the flags and beat the drums for champions like these. I'll be in wings for Mandy leading up to the next Federal election and supporting our new Greens Councillors every step of the way.

But for now, there's a radio show to prepare for! Tonight's Roadtrip on Bay FM 99.9 - Byron Bay Australia we have a special Salon de Refuse including Max Foggon - Musician who ran second on Michael Lyon's ticket, and Lucy Vader the only ungrouped candidate. And Meredith Wray will also join us to talk about her campaign with Bright Future Byron.

It's a wild ride but someone's gotta do it!

29/07/2024

I'm a massive fan girl of author Richard Flanagan. He's coming to the Byron Writers Festival Aug 9 - 11 and I interviewed him about his latest book Chapter 7 for tonight's Roadtrip
Turn on tune in and dig deep into the very fabric of our interwoven lives.

Bay FM 99.9 - Byron Bay Australia

In order to answer it I read the book twice and listened to Flanagan read the audio version of it too. But I still couldn’t find an answer.

28/05/2024

Trouble has been brewing in Myanmar ever since 1948 when the British colonisers left the country. Conflict between the government and opposing armed ethnic groups has been intensifying over the past 70 years, and is now regarded as the world's longest ongoing civil war.
Many protestors have been jailed over those 7 decades of struggle between the pro-independence movement and the military Junta. Australian Professor Sean Turnell, the former economic policy advisor to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, and Burmese author, activist and intellectual, Ma Thida are two of them.

Ma Thida and Sean Turnell are coming to Byron as guests of Byron Writers Festival to give a talk this Thursday at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall facilitated by Mick O'Reagan.

Bay FM 99.9 - Byron Bay Australia Access Now Nell Schofield

Nell Schofield interviews Ma Thida, one of Myanmar’s leading activists, and Sean Turnell, former economic policy advisor to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Both of them spent time in the notorious

27/05/2024

This arvo on Roadtrip we'll meet two freedom fighters from Myanmar who are coming to Mullumbimby as guests of the Byron Writers Festival- Ma Thida is an author and "voice of the voiceless", and Sean Turnell was Aung San Suu Kyi's former economic policy advisor. Both of them spent time in the notorious Insein Prison and survived to bring hope to the pro-independence movement in that beleaguered but beautiful country.
We'll also hear from Knitting Nannas Against Gas and other protectors of Bentley at their 10th anniversary celebrations.
And Mark Swivelwill join us to talk Green Futures - that's all after Community Newsroom Byron Bay at 4pm.
Nell Schofield

30/03/2024

Day 3 of Bluesfest Byron Bay and the amazing acts keep rolling out.