A FRESH VOICE FOR BYRON SHIRE
BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024
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Bright Future Byron is an independent group
of candidates free from party politics, giving voters an alternative to Greens or Labor.
As experienced professionals, we aim to bring balance and fresh insights to Council.
We promise to be responsible and focussed on the efficient delivery of outcomes that benefit our community. Our vision is of a Byron Shire connected by cycleways with the rail trail as the backbone. We advocate for pedestrian-friendly towns, world class place-making, and improved sustainable public transport. We will establish more affordable housing, and a greater diversity of housing types that young families and key workers can afford. We support making our tourism industry more sustainable, strengthening our education services with the establishment of a new secondary college, and delivering better general health and mental health services across Byron Shire.
BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024
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THE TEAM
Byron SHIRE Council, 2024
DR MEREDITH WRAY
JACK DODS
DAVID MICHIE
DR NIAMH DOVE
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Jack Dods
Jack is a passionate designer dedicated to enhancing Byron Shire's built environment. Born and raised in Bangalow, Jack brings local expertise and a deep understanding of urban design, masterplanning, and development management. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Design in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from the University of Sydney, as well as an Urban Design Specialisation from Columbia University. Since 2018, Jack has served on numerous Byron Shire Council advisory committees, gaining valuable insight into Council functions. He believes in focusing on local issues, free from federal party politics, maximising Council's limited time and resources. Having extensive experience with development applications, rezoning, and town planning, Jack is well-equipped to address Byron Shire's growing needs. He envisions affordable, diverse, and sustainable housing with design principles like walkability, green transport, and world class place-making. Jack is the Northern NSW Chapter Lead for Street Level Australia, an association promoting urbanism and architecture that maximises human flourishing. As a Board Director of Thinking Positive Australia, Jack also promotes youth mental health and wellbeing. He wants Byron Shire to be a fun, vibrant, affordable place for young people.
He hopes to bring intelligent, incisive, and collaborative leadership to Council.
Jack lives in Ewingsdale with his wife Elisa, who works as a doctor and GP registrar in Byron Bay. With his expertise, passion, and commitment, Jack is dedicated to creating a vibrant, brighter future for Byron Shire.
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We believe in local leadership for local people.
Not party politics.
BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024
Dr Meredith Wray
Meredith has been a resident of Byron Shire for 38 years, and lives in Byron Bay. She loves this place, its people and values.
Meredith is keen to contribute to good planning and decision-making as part of Byron Shire Council. She is regarded as an expert in best practice destination management planning and has a strong history working with state and local governments and regional and local tourism organisations. Her understanding and interest in tourism is founded on her PhD studies in sustainable tourism policy and planning. She wants to apply this knowledge to lead Council through a process to achieve Sustainable Destination Accreditation that includes auditing and establishing sustainability benchmarking objectives for the Shire.
Meredith is a regional leader and is currently Co-Chair of the Byron Masterplan Guidance Group, a Board Director of Destination North Coast and Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA). She also recently completed the Northern Rivers Leadership Australian Resilient Communities program offered by the Australian Regional Leadership Foundation.
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BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024
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"I want to live in a Byron Shire where my kids will be able to afford a home one day”
- David Michie
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David Michie
David Michie has lived in Byron Shire for 18 years with his wife and family. He currently lives in South Golden Beach and is passionate about giving the north of Byron Shire a voice on Council.
From 2016–2021 he sat on the Byron Bay Master Plan Committee and the Byron Shire Council Transport Committee. With this experience and his background in technology, he advocates for active transport, walkable town centres, and better urban design. Driven by his interest in a sustainably connected Byron Shire, he is one of the leading advocates for Byron Shire’s Rail Trail and has walked, mapped, and photographed almost all of the rail corridor.
David is also passionate about addressing the housing crisis by building more affordable and diverse housing. Like many locals, his kids grew up here and attended Byron Shire schools, and he wants to live in a Byron Shire where they will be able to afford a home one day.
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“I love Byron Shire,
its people, and its values.
I want to nurture the creativity, innovation, and beauty that makes our
home special”
- Jack Dods
BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024
Dr Niamh Dove
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Dr. Niamh Dove, a family practice doctor and new mum, is dedicated to enhancing the Byron community where her children will grow up. Believing 'your health is your wealth,' Niamh is passionate about improving local health services, housing, childcare, and education. With a background in medical teaching, mentorship, research, and health advocacy, she aims to utilise her skills to create a brighter Byron Shire.
Originally from the Central Coast, Niamh worked in rural and remote Australia before joining Lismore Base Hospital.
Drawn to Byron's sense of community, progressive values, and sustainability, she and her husband chose to raise their family here. A resident of Eureka, she understands the needs and challenges facing of our rural and hinterland communities. She is dedicated to listening to our community’s concerns and has a strong commitment to collaborative action. Niamh is passionate to help build a bright, healthy, thriving community for future generations.
BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024
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Our built and natural
environments should express
our highest values.
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OUR PRIORITIES
SUSTAINABLE
TRANSPORT
& TOURISM
EDUCATION
& HEALTH
LIVEABLE
COMMUNITIES
LOCAL FOCUS,
NO PARTY
POLITICS
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT
SUPPORTING
LOCAL
BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENTAL
STEWARDSHIP &
FLOOD MITIGATION
BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024
THE DETAILS:
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LOCAL FOCUS, NO PARTY POLITICS
- Dedicated to addressing local issues, free from national party politics
- Focused 100% on Byron Shire's unique issues and needs
AFFORDABLE & DIVERSE HOUSING
- Support the implementation of the Residential Strategy and the Affordable Housing Scheme
- Build more diverse housing types to help young couples and families enter the housing market
- Support well designed and appropriately located medium-density housing for key workers
- Support the establishment of Community Land Trusts to help deliver more affordable housing for all
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT & TOURISM
- Develop our rail trails, cycleways, and walkways for sustainable transport and improve public transport to better connect our towns and villages.
- Improved destination management planning for all our destinations and achieving Sustainable Destination Accreditation that meet Global Sustainable Tourism Council Destination Criteria.
SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS
- Support small businesses, entrepreneurs, and creative industries to grow and thrive.
- Support the release of new business and industrial lands in line with the BILS Strategy.
Support the implementation of the Residential Strategy & the Affordable Housing Scheme.
- Support the establishment of Community Land
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
& FLOOD MITIGATION
- Preserve and enhance our natural environment.
- Protect farmland and promote small-scale local farming for food security
- Review Significant Farmland mapping to better balance agriculture and supply of affordable housing
- Advance flood/natural disaster preparedness
EDUCATION & HEALTH
- Secure funding for expanded school and childcare facilities.
- Establish a much needed new secondary college for Byron Shire.
- Improving local healthcare, including a new centre for sexual health, and a Medicare Mental Health Centre for Byron Shire.
LIVEABLE COMMUNITIES
- Revitalising Byron Bay foreshore for community enjoyment.
- Upgraded, safer beach access across the Shire.
- Safe, separated walkways and cycleways for all. Shared spaces and place-making to make our towns and villages thrive.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
- Better public engagement on development proposals and Masterplan actions.
- Proactive oversight and improvements of development proposals - fixing bad development before it gets built.
- Supporting a Byron Nighttime Economy policy for youth and community benefit
BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024
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DONATE TO OUR CAMPAIGN:
All donations to this campaign must comply with the NSW Electoral Commission's rules for political donations. Please note that certain groups are prohibited from donating, and the maximum any donor can donate in a single financial year is capped at $3,300. You can find the full details on the NSW Electoral Commission website.
Also note that if you donate $1,000 or more to this campaign in any financial year, you are required to declare this to the NSW Electoral Commission annually in the following July.
We sincerely appreciate any support provided, if you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch
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VOLUNTEER ON OUR CAMPAIGN:
We sincerely appreciate any support provided, if you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch
BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR VISION,
COME TALK WITH US
The Bright Future Byron Team acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the country on which we stand on today, and country throughout Australia. We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.
Website is authorised by Jack Dods, 42 Bay Vista Ln, Ewingsdale NSW 2481