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Articles & Columns

Looking for Richard – the Marles conundrum

David Lowe - April 20, 2026 0

Last week, while Albo flew around the world trying to secure emergency fuel and fertiliser supplies for Australia, as a result of the international crisis caused by the United States, Acting PM and Defence Minister Richard Marles was in Canberra talking about defence.

Editorial

Balancing safety and individual rights

Aslan Shand - April 17, 2026 0

ASIO (the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) plays a key role in keeping all Australians safe in a troubled world. But, according to their governments,...

Byron Echo

Sentencing must reflect society’s values

David Heilpern - April 16, 2026 0

I don’t usually start my columns with a warning, but in this case I will. Not just a trigger caution for those, like me, who are traumatised by descriptions of sexual assault, but also a ‘how long do I have to keep protesting this shit?’ anger, frustration, disgust, and alarm as well.

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: How to Live Car Free

Mandy Nolan - April 15, 2026 0

I am in Melbourne, and as I write this, public transport is free for April. That’s statewide. It’s a small but powerful way to make an impact on the cost-of-living pressures on a community now also facing high fuel prices. The same happened in the Byron Shire over Easter – with free buses running to take the pressure off the roads.

Articles & Columns

Matt Canavan shows what he’s made of

David Lowe - April 13, 2026 0

The latest federal leader of the Nationals, Matt Canavan, appeared at the National Press Club last week, but anyone hoping for some substance behind the spin left disappointed.

Editorial

Approving the uninsurable

Aslan Shand - April 9, 2026 0

Speaking at the Northern Rivers NSW Business Economic Breakfast recently, Alan Kohler AM noted that the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has questioned the...

Byron Echo

We need to exit this abusive relationship

Jo Immig - April 9, 2026 0

The whole world is experiencing what it’s like to be the victim of a coercive control relationship. Even here in Byron Bay our lives are being psychologically shaped, and materially impacted by the dementing malignant narcissist and his sadistic sidekick, with a pattern of abuse all too familiar, particularly to women.

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Fast Fascism and the Radical Kindness Solution

Mandy Nolan - April 8, 2026 0

Be kind. Two simple words. Profound in their simplicity. I have been thinking about kindness a lot lately. The sharp edges of a world where fast fashion and fast fascism are imploding is not a space where kindness abounds. Kindness is on its knees begging at your feet, but I don’t see her. I’m too angry to care. There is yelling. Finger-pointing. Blame. Anger. Violence. Coercion. Alienation. Othering.

Articles & Columns

Gambling on half measures

David Lowe - April 6, 2026 0

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese finally announced some gambling advertising reform this week, tucked into the end of a speech to the National Press Club with a principal focus on Australia's response to the fallout from the war in Iran, the day after he appeared on national television networks telling Australians not to panic.

Editorial

Change comes from connection and hope

Aslan Shand - April 3, 2026 0

On Monday night, it was standing room only at the Top Pub in Mullumbimby as the community came together to hear the top-five short...

Articles & Columns

Let’s have fixed parliamentary two-term limits

Sunil Badami - April 2, 2026 0

For all the chaos he’s causing in the Persian Gulf and the global economy, one consolation is that despite all his attempts to contravene the US Constitution, Donald Trump is limited by the 22nd Amendment to two fixed four-year terms in office.

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: The Fuel on the Hill: Grandpa Wars, Gas, Groceries and You

Mandy Nolan - April 1, 2026 0

‘Be cheaper to fill up with cocaine’. That’s what a bloke says to me while I pump petrol. I laugh. It’s funny because it’s true. It’s also my joke being repeated back to me which makes it funnier. Or maybe it’s not my joke. Maybe it’s something people say, and I just said it, so I think I made it up.

Articles & Columns

Who should decide when Australia goes to war?

David Lowe - March 30, 2026 0

As Australia acquiesces in the United States' latest disastrous, illegal war, the Greens last week introduced a bill which would require both houses of parliament to vote before our troops can be sent overseas to engage in conflict. After one hour's debate, this was squashed by the Labor and Liberal parties, despite polls showing 90 per cent of Australians support war powers reform.

Byron Echo

How to manage in the coming crisis

Richard Jones - March 27, 2026 0

As the Middle East tragedy unfolded, I asked several friends how this was impacting them emotionally. Each one was seriously affected, with a range of emotions from rage to despair, sadness, grief, and helplessness.

Editorial

Electrify and tax gas profits

Aslan Shand - March 26, 2026 0

While Trump may deny climate change and be pushing for greater fossil fuel extraction, the result of his actions of attacking Iran with Israel, without consulting the UN or any other countries he has since called on for help, is that he is creating the conditions for Australia to take decisive action on electrification, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and the call for greater tax on gas corporations.

Local News

Thank you Jenny Dowell – you’re a bloody legend!

Eve Jeffery - March 25, 2026 0

I first met Jenny Dowell OAM when she was the mayor of Lismore, and I was sent by The Echo to take photos, of...

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Rhoda

Mandy Nolan - March 25, 2026 0

Today I write to honour Rhoda Roberts. Widjabul Wieybal woman of the Bundjalung nation, cultural powerhouse, storyteller, knowledge holder, activist, arts executive, performer, advocate, and SBS Elder in Residence.

Articles & Columns

Polls, trolls and lols in South Australia

David Lowe - March 23, 2026 0

At the time of publication, the final numbers from South Australia's state election aren't yet finalised, which hasn't stopped various people from claiming they've made history, and making sweeping predictions for the political future of the nation.

Byron Echo

When businesses benefit everyone, with purpose and profit

Anne Stuartw - March 20, 2026 0

Never one to miss an opportunity to meet over coffee, I eagerly accepted an invitation to celebrate B Corp Month in March. Eagerly. Then...

Editorial

Marching to save our future

Aslan Shand - March 20, 2026 0

This Sunday is the national March in March for Forests day where thousands of people come together across Australia to demand an end to...

Articles & Columns

The future with Matt Canavan

Catherine Cusack - March 19, 2026 0

Last Tuesday, AusPoll released their survey of Farrer voters showing voter intention: One Nation (28.7 per cent); Independent (23.3 per cent); Libs (19.1 per cent); ALP (9 per cent); Undecided (8.6 per cent); Nationals (5.2 per cent); Greens (3.9 per cent); Other (2.2 per cent).

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Bluesfest Has Died

Mandy Nolan - March 18, 2026 0

And the grief is big. Anger. Sadness. Blame. Finger-pointing. Before you start pointing the finger at Bluesfest maybe it’s time to point the finger at...

Articles & Columns

Nothing to be proud of

David Lowe - March 16, 2026 0

In line with their dysfunctional Coalition partner, The Nationals have just lurched even further to the right, elevating Queensland senator Matt Canavan to party leader following the sudden departure of David Littleproud.

Editorial

Drip, drip, drip

Hans Lovejoy - March 13, 2026 0

With the US and Israel’s war on Iran unlikely to end soon, Australia’s lack of fuel security is worth a closer look.

Byron Echo

Knee-jerk, evidence-free legislating

David Heilpern - March 12, 2026 0

When there is a mooted new medication for a disease, there is a detailed process for approval which has developed over centuries. There are...

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: The Right to Be Forgotten

Mandy Nolan - March 11, 2026 0

It seems ironic, that in a life where so many of us have strived to be remembered, the real challenge, the greater subversion, is in fact the opposite: the right to be forgotten. And here in Australia, we don’t have the statutory right to erasure like they do in the EU, which means it’s pretty standard for private information about you to be easily found by third parties through search engines.

Articles & Columns

Net zero intelligence

David Lowe - March 9, 2026 0

As the USA-Israel war machine kills and injures more people in Iran and beyond, driving the world towards recession, or more likely depression, Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago mate Pauline Hanson has been doing what she does best, fear-mongering and lying to the Australian public.

Byron Echo

Byron Writers Festival: symbol of our vibrant, unique culture

Aslan Shand - March 6, 2026 0

Who knows how many terrific ideas have wafted and dissolved after long literary lunches? This one didn’t – a shared idea took root, and after a lot of hard work the Northern Rivers Writers Centre, based in Lismore, was born and its first Byron Writers Festival took place in 1997.

Editorial

Editorial: Stop landbanking our homes

Aslan Shand - March 6, 2026 0

The NSW government keeps harping on about the length development applications (DAs) take to be processed by councils, and recently it announced it is removing the DA approval process from councils’ hands

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: We Are All We Have

Mandy Nolan - March 4, 2026 0

Are these end days? It certainly seems like it.

Articles & Columns

War with Iran, and between humans and machines?

David Lowe - March 2, 2026 0

Desperate to distract attention from the Epstein files, and retain his faltering grip on domestic power, US 'Peace President' Donald Trump has attacked another sovereign country, and murdered its leader, along with numerous others, and Australia's prime minister is apparently fine with that.

Editorial

Driving our own path forward

Aslan Shand - February 27, 2026 0

Whether you agree with the community members who are listened to or not, it’s a powerful vote of confidence in democracy when community voices are heard, and policy is changed, even at the local government level.

Articles & Columns

Where to now after Bondi?

Jeffrey and Belinda Lewis - February 26, 2026 0

Let's not pretend. Australia is experiencing a significant crisis of identity and culture. The multicultural mantra – 'many in one' – is being sorely tested by events like the politically motivated attacks in Bondi and Perth.

Byron Echo

Hooked on Roundup

Jo Immig - February 26, 2026 0

It is hard to imagine that a shortage of the world’s most widely used herbicide, glyphosate aka Roundup, could be a national defence emergency, but here we are with Trump’s Executive Order (18 February, 2026): ‘Promoting the National Defence by Ensuring an Adequate Supply of Elemental Phosphorous and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides’.

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Wondering about Wuthering?

Mandy Nolan - February 25, 2026 0

I loved Wuthering Heights. The book, and Fennell & Robbie’s film. I don’t write film reviews, in fact, never, but after observing some of the negativity slamming this contemporary reimagining of the Emily Bronte classic, I wanted to share my view, as someone who watched it with the fresh eyes of my 16-year-old daughter.

Articles & Columns

Come for the racism, stay for the stupidity

David Lowe - February 23, 2026 0

The Senate Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy saw some remarkable public exchanges last week, with the propagators of planet-threatening fossil fuel misinformation confronting scientists in Canberra.

Editorial

All creatures great and small

Aslan Shand - February 20, 2026 0

The lack of a place to live because of the pressure on land, droughts, fires, and floods, are all increasing as a result of the impacts of climate change and continue to affect lives, and the future, yet the NSW state government still refuses to take decisive action.

Byron Echo

Is it game over for the Liberals?

Richard Jones - February 19, 2026 0

The boys are back in charge. Sussan Ley was handed a poisoned chalice after the worst election defeat ever, and given the impossible task of rebuilding the Liberal party.

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Rise

The Echo - February 18, 2026 0

It is one thing not to be believed. It is quite another to be believed but not get justice. That is another form of abuse. A brutal public shaming, where your pain is used as clickbait for media platforms. Headlines about torture. About trafficking. About stolen girlhood. About women who were treated as sexual commodities, and traded like cattle for the slaughter.

Articles & Columns

What will happen in Farrer, and does it matter?

David Lowe - February 16, 2026 0

The unceremonious dumping of Sussan Ley as leader of the Liberal Party is about to lead to an interesting by-election in her old seat of Farrer. As Sussan leaves politics to enjoy her parliamentary pension, what happens in this traditionally stodgy seat is likely to provide some real-time pointers on where conservative Australia is heading.

Articles & Columns

State funerals for sex and favours

David Heilpern - February 12, 2026 0

From a legal perspective, it is much safer to defame the dead than the living because luckily they cannot sue from the grave.

Byron Echo

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Why Pauline?

Mandy Nolan - February 11, 2026 0

A few weeks ago a trans woman told me she was a big Pauline Hanson supporter. WTF. How can a trans woman feel she is anyway represented, or safe, with One Nation? The same woman who teamed up with Holly Valance to release a parody version of Valances’ previous ‘hit’ (can we even call it that?) that mocks poor people, LGBTQ+ youth, women and the trans community.

Entertainment News

Cinema: The Drama

The Echo - April 21, 2026 0

Save the date – written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself, Dream Scenario) and from indie powerhouse A24 comes The Drama, a sharp, off-kilter comedy starring the powerhouse match made in acting heaven, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

Entertainment News

Introducing Syzygy@Embody

The Echo - April 21, 2026 0

This Sunday at 7pm, and every Sunday following, Nyck Jeanes will host a series of evening events. This week, Syzygy@Embody presents Luke Bennett, fine local singer/songwriter, exceptional guitarist and wonderful human.

Entertainment News

This event is going to be a ball!

The Echo - April 21, 2026 0

Get ready to sparkle, mingle and get your disco on at The Disco Ball – All Abilities Event. A vibrant, new all-abilities event is coming to Haven, Byron Bay on Wednesday, 29 April, bringing music, connection, and celebration to our community.

Entertainment News

For one night only

The Echo - April 21, 2026 0

A sold out season. Two awards. A 5-star review... Kuramanunya is coming to Byron Theatre after a standout Adelaide Fringe run. A ceremony for those who...

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