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Byron Shire
March 29, 2024

Submarine blunder

Latest News

Retired local professor launches book on grief

A leading international thinker and researcher in the development of innovative sport coaching and physical education teaching has returned home to Byron Bay and is launching his first non-academic book, 'Grief and Growth', on April 4 at The Book Room in Byron. 

Other News

Caper Byron Bay Food & Culture Festival

Caper Byron Bay Food & Culture Festival returns to Byron Bay in May, and this year ‘locals favourite’ pub...

Lismore Labor MP called out over native forest logging

More than five hundred people marched in the rain through Lismore to the local state member’s office in protest against government sanctioned native forest logging on Sunday.

Byron Council staff baulk at councillors’ promise of free parking for locals

Will Byron Council deliver on its pledge to make parking permits free for locals across the Shire when paid parking comes into force in Brunswick Heads?

Murwillumbah’s Rebecca Whan recognised for tireless work post 2022 floods

Murwillumbah was severely impacted by the 2022 floods and it was a huge community effort to support, rescue and inspire everyone to move forward. 

The Picture House is turning 8

It feels like we were only just ringing in the new year days ago and here we are approaching Easter weekend at The Brunswick Picture House. It’s already been a whirlwind start to 2024 with their biggest and busiest program so far, bringing an eclectic mix of some of the hottest stand-up comedy, music gigs, film screenings and cabaret – and that was just last week!

Records galore!

Byron Bay Easter Record Fair returns again to Ewingsdale Hall. Now in its 15th year, the Byron Bay Easter Record Fair is one of the biggest and best in this country. Matt the Vinyl Junkie has spent years on buying trips to the US and Japan scouring dusty warehouses, shops, flea markets and private collections. He can offer an astounding 30,000 records in one place covering most genres.

Well chalk up another monumental policy failure by the rapidly decomposing Morrison government. This time the hollow man has managed to insult one of Australia’s longest serving allies, with his jingoistic nonsense. The brutal diplomatic snub with the sudden dumping of the submarine contract with France is wasteful, contemptible arrogance.

When the contract was first signed in 2016 by the Turnbull government there was always going to be a problem converting the French nuclear designed propulsion to diesel-electric, and the fact that nuclear propulsion is far superior was as obvious then as it is now.

The wasteful incompetent bungling of this coalition government is mind-blowing. Eight lost years of dithering; $2.5 billion lost, plus whatever the French will now sue us for, for breach of contract; and still no replacement subs until 2040, and only then if we get real lucky. China must be laughing at us.

The bizarre thing is that even with all the previous appalling corruption riddled monetary decisions including the $13 billion failure to properly monitor JobKeeper, the coalition still has the audacity to claim they are the better economic managers and that Labor is the party for wasting taxpayer dollars. Seriously, it’s little wonder that this corrupt government is fighting so hard to oppose a federal ICAC.

Keith Duncan, Pimlico


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4 COMMENTS

  1. to be fair, we have had problems since the collins class program, an off-the-shelf german sub could be purchased for 500m… why spend 90b for a propriety model?

  2. It’s not just about subs but about Australia’s Morrison-forged destiny to become the US’s land based aircraft carrier. We are reassured that our subs will not carry N-weapons but US warships? They never confirm or deny whether their ships are nuclear armed but now under AUKUS we can assume they will be in our city centres!

  3. Many of the problems associated with the Collins class subs were politically amplified by the Conservatives. We did build all of them in Australia with a new inexperienced industry, and this led to many of the problems. The biggest problem was excessively noisy propellers and with help from the US, was eventually rectified. The Collins class subs are still a very efficient and capable diesel-electric submarine and will continue to be for years to come. The problem with the Conservatives is that they are so self-centered they never learn from past mistakes.

    • In joint exercises with the US navy the Collins Class subs had the drop on their nuclear subs and aircraft carriers several times without detection. Soon after that the anti-Collins propaganda started. I wonder why.

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Resilient Lismore’s ‘Repair to Return’ funding

On the eve of the second anniversary of the second devastating flood in 2022, Resilient Lismore has welcomed the finalisation of its funding deed with the NSW Reconstruction Authority, which will enable the continuation of its ‘Repair to Return’ program.

Editorial – Joyous propaganda! 

The NSW Labor government marked its one year in office this week with a jubilant statement of achievements issued from Macquarie Street HQ.

Man charged over domestic violence and pursuit offences – Tweed Heads

A man has been charged following a pursuit near Tweed Heads on Monday.

Where should affordable housing go in Tweed Shire?

Should affordable and social housing in the Tweed Shire be tucked away in a few discreet corners? Perhaps it should be on the block next to where you live?