Pubdate: Thu, 28 Aug 2008
Source: Lismore Northern Star (Australia)
Copyright: APN News & Media Ltd 2008
Contact:  http://www.northernstar.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4156
Author: Andy Parks

POLICE DRUG CRACKDOWN CLAIMS ICONS

NIMBIN'S Hemp Bar will close its doors on August 29 and  the future 
of the Nimbin Museum is unclear after police  issued a letter to the 
land owners of both buildings  requesting they evict their tenants.

The letters were issued from the NSW Crown Solicitor's  Office and 
evoke powers under the NSW Restricted  Premises Act, 1943.

"The application is based on Detective Sergeant Smith's  reasonable 
grounds to suspect that a drug is unlawfully  sold or supplied on or 
from the premises ... and is  likely to be sold again," the letter said.

One letter was presented to Judy Hales who is a member  of the Nimbin 
Community School cooperative. The  cooperative owns what is locally 
known as the 'tomato  sauce building' and is home to the HEMP Embassy 
and the  Hemp Bar.

Mrs Hales told The Northern Star a community school  meeting was held 
that was open to members of the  public, and it was decided they 
would act upon the  letter.

"People were concerned about the fate of the building  and didn't 
like to be placed under that threat," she  said.

"People were also concerned about what would happen to  the community 
sschool and its assets."

Mrs Hales said the people who ran the Hemp Bar agreed  to vacate the 
building, saying it was 'in the best  interests of the community, not 
just the community  school'.

A similar letter is believed to have been served on the  owner of the 
Nimbin Museum building.

The building is owned by a company associated with  Sydney man, 
Richard Andary, who has never even been to  Nimbin, according to 
museum founder Michael  Balderstone.

The Northern Star contacted Mr Andary who declined to  comment beyond 
saying the matter was with his  solicitors.

At another meeting at Nimbin yesterday, Mr Balderstone  said he would 
step aside if there was a way the  community could take 
responsibility for the museum.

"I'm happy to leave if the museum can survive," he  said. "I've had a 
lot of criticism for not stopping it  (the dealing in the museum). A 
lot of people have said  I'm too soft because I don't like seeing 
young boys  locked up in jail.

"Since the MardiGrass we have really worked our butts  off, and in 
the Hemp Bar I know for a fact there has  been no dealing in there, 
and still they've done this,  which is very disappointing. What 
happened to community  policing?"

Nimbin resident Neil Pike said the museum was 'the  heart of Nimbin'.

"It would be a tragedy if the museum didn't survive as  a cultural 
icon and centre," he said.

"There is a certain amount of illegal activity  happening, there is 
no doubt about it, but most of the  crime in this town comes from alcohol."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart