If you click on the NSW Government’s State Library website right now
you will find a schoolies week promotion for travel and accommodation
exclusively in Byron Bay.
The site is a joint initiative with NSW Health's Community Drug
Strategies Branch and the State Library of NSW. In between messages from
government departments about proof of age and alcohol consumption
appears a tab called ‘Schoolies at Byron Bay – Byron Schoolies’.
“The State Library and Reba Meagher’s health department have got some
explaining to do,” said Upper House Greens MP Ian Cohen.
“Although describing itself as a site that ‘provides up to date
information about alcohol and drugs’ in NSW’s public libraries, it
features an exclusive promotion of expensive properties in Byron Bay for
schoolies.
“I fail to see how advertising a 2 bedroom apartment in Byron Bay for
$3950 pw for wealthy schoolies fits into their mandate of providing drug
and alcohol information to the community.
“Is there a NSW Government policy that prohibits private companies
advertising on government websites? If so, then how have these pages
been included on the State Library’s official website?
“If NSW Health and the State Library have decided to promote schoolies
accommodation and airport transfers all of a sudden, then another
question needs to be asked: ‘Why are they exclusively promoting Byron
Bay as their only schoolies destination?’”
“The accommodation appears to be on offer via a company called Byron
Bay Accommodation Pty Ltd. Why this particular company has been able to
advertise their business through a NSW Government website that’s meant
to be about community education on drug and alcohol issues, I don’t
know,” said Mr Cohen.
Further Information: Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466 or Nic Clyde 0417 742 754
To find the site, go to: http://www.druginfo.sl.nsw.gov.au/
Click on the ‘Schoolies Week’ graphic and then click on ‘Schoolies at
Byron Bay – Byron Schoolies’
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