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Byron Shire
September 21, 2023

Labor forever

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Tweed Council seeks businesses to join it’s rail trail ‘Connect Program’ 

Paying for the maintenance and providing an engaging visitor experience for the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail is a key aspect of Tweed Shire Council’s (TSC) Connect Program. 

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Council to discuss use of consultants at closed-door workshop

Byron councillors will explore the amount Council spends on external consultants and potential conflicts of interest, following a long and, at times, spiteful debate last week.

Cycling race in Lismore this weekend to raise money for Westpac Rescue Helicopter

Whether it is getting on the track or watching the cyclists there are plenty of ways to get on board with the Lismore 2023 – Byron Bay Cycle Club Road Race this Sunday 24, September in Lismore’s CBD.

Cartoon of the week – 20 September 2023

The Echo loves your letters and is proud to provide a community forum on the issues that matter most to our readers and the people of the NSW north coast. So don’t be a passive reader, send us your epistles.

Spring Equinox Spirit Fest 

Come to Murwillumbah for a magical day of harmony and joy at the Spring Equinox Spirit Fest. Organisers say ‘As the sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the beginning of a new season, we gather to celebrate the spirit of renewal, growth, and togetherness. This enchanting family-friendly event is on Saturday where all ages are invited to partake in a day filled with music, art, and shared experiences.

Mr Duncan, judging from your last rant, would you be a rusted-on Labor supporter? Sorry for pointing out the obvious. You spruik Labor’s mighty achievement of obtaining a surplus, but do you know the truth of how this eventuated? Maybe not, so I will enlighten you. Sneaky grim Jim Chalmers added the interest accrued from the Australian future fund, which helped them fall over the line. The coalition has never, and would never, stoop to this low. If they had they would have recorded a much greater surplus four years previously. 

Good old honest Labor, you have been caught out being sneaky and unforgivably stupid. The travesty resulting from all of this is the fact no major media outlets reported this unforgivable act. How long will the voting public support this novice government?

How long will they condone Albo’s dishonest rabble?

G MacDonald, Pimlico

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25 COMMENTS

  1. Well at least The LNP and the ALP are on a unity ticket with PovertyKeeper / JobSeeker – they really just don’t care.

    That ex-PM Scotty, in his prime as PM and Minister for Everything he could lay his hands on, found a $50pf increase to JobSeeker and that PM Albo could recently only find a $40pf increase – which basically thumbed its nose at the recent Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee Report – is rather jarring from the dude who keeps reminding us of his upbringing and latterly loves to tell Australia….” No one held back, no one left behind”.
    Best bank that $’s4billions Budget Surplus, that will soothe the angst of those trying to make ends meet on their PovertyKeeper / JobSeeker allowance.
    A JobSeeker payment that is dignified living in one of the richest countries in the world….”If not now, when”.

    • How nice to once again hear from old mate Joachim, still pushing the old Green line, still criticizing the ALP, Albo and anyone else from Labor who is trying hard to fix 10 years of Conservative mismanagement, it must be so traumatic watching a rival political party getting the job done and getting all the credit. One would expect it from the likes of G MacDonald who is an avid climate denier and right wing fanatic, if the Greens had any sense of shame, which they don’t, they would stop the popularist grandstanding and start behaving rationally, but the official Greens local media dude who seems to suffer from some form ADHD is showing no sign of improvement. The way the federal Greens are currently behaving they are making the National Party look intelligent and competent.

      • Keith, all very entertaining reading but as usual you avoided the issue.

        PovertyKeeper, is alive and well with your ALP mob taking over control of the tiller.
        With your ALP creating the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee people rightly would have expected a result that properly addressed the Committee’s report.
        But alas, no, an insulting $40pf increase.
        Who does that after telling the nation, “No one left behind, no one held back”.
        Shame Labor Shame!

        Keith, isn’t it wonderful to see PM Albanese fixing previous Conservative mismanagement by setting up this ‘RoboDebt Rewards Scheme’ – Kathryn Campbell being the first rewardee!
        You just couldn’t make it up if you tried, the pissing on RoboDebt victims, but the ALP gone and done it anyways.

        Whether it LNP or ALP, its just delivering the same old bollocks.

    • Hey Joachim…was it not your greens that
      Were in unison regarding the most recent
      9% politicians payrise ? and even if some
      May have rejected the rise ..they still get it right ?
      You know the party for equality/ empathy
      Compassion with the downtrodden and
      Defenceless.. also 25k per year for flights
      Well your Guru sure needs those coupons
      Circumnavigating Around Australia
      In the pointy end all the trimmings
      Joachim.. climate emergency ?
      only when it suits..

  2. I’m a bit confused here GMc

    You write that “The coalition has never, and would never, stoop to this low”.

    But Phil Coorey in the Financial Revue on May 10, covering this same issue, stated: “That is because since the 2020-21 budget and onwards, the net earnings from the Future Fund have been counted towards the budget bottom line.”

    Now if my memory serves me correctly, the 2020-21 budget was during the Dark Ages of scoMos time? No?

    • Lizardbreath and G Macdonald, for your information this ‘change’ with respect to the application of some of the Future Fund earnings, goes back to 2012 when Penelope Wong was then Finance Minister –

      A partial take from, AFR newspaper 29/4/2019 story headline – ‘Future Fund props up budget surpluses’,
      “Under a budget accounting shake-up by Labor’s then-finance minister Penny Wong in 2012, from July 2020 onwards the Future Fund’s net earnings will top up the federal budget’s underlying cash balance for the first time.”

      The LNP Coalition adopted the change as well.

  3. Nice try reptile, you had better re visit that AFR article and actually read it. The article says, if the coalition had used today’s methodology to calculate the bottom line they would have had a larger surplus four years earlier. That indicates to me they did not add the AFF interest at any time.

      • That first one was for Barrow – ignore (comment that is, not my friend Barrow)

        Don’t worry, I read the whole article. I have no idea why the LNP didn’t take up the opportunity – it would seem logical to me that’s it’s income and should be in the budget.

        What they did four years ago to me doesn’t necessarily contradict my interpretation that “ 2020-21 budget and onwards” includes the 2020-22 budget. It does suggest however that the LNP did it first rather than “ has never, and would never, stoop to this low.”

        Now I could be wrong in my interpretation which is why I said I was confused rather than “I’M RIGHT AND YOURE WRONG‼️”.

        Is the preoccupation with lizards meant to be a put down? I think lizards are wonderful creatures, especially those fabulous water dragons that grace our summers 🦖

  4. Joachim, at the risk of dishing out tough love I suggest the jobseeker recipients finding it hard to survive on that handout, go out into the big scary hard world and get a job. There should be no unemployment in this country. Jobseeker is a hand up, not a lifestyle choice or a means to finance free time to become professional protesters. I find it infuriating when these people refer to the dole as their pay. No not pay, one has to get out of bed each day and go to work to get pay. Jobseeker is provided by the tax payers of this country, money we are taxed on, have worked for and don’t receive in our pay. It galls me to see governments give our money away like lollies.

    • Agree greg ..governments don’t have any money !
      The only money they have is we give them ..
      Some welfare recipients are still unaware that
      Taxpayer’s are funding the lifestyles they have..
      How good is Australia !

      • Please explain their lifestyle, oh they are privileged to be on the poverty line. So you could live it up with those dole bludges on what $45 a day, give them a break.
        Oh what happened to the back in black mugs?

        • Rod, those mugs, I think Treasurer Jim has got them now, as he supping on his just announced $’s4billions Budget Surplus. Ha, ha, ha.

          • Barrow, please tell us more.
            How many families have made the ‘Lifestyle choice’; how much are they pocketing on this ‘Lifestyle choice’; how long have they been living the highlife… ‘Lifestyle choice’?

    • Greg, I doubt anyone being on PovertyKeeper is choosing it as a lifestyle choice.
      Your scattergun aimed at “…..professional protestors” draws another long bow.
      And it isn’t just unemployed citizens that can receive JobSeeker either.

      • Tell you one thing Joachim. Iam not well
        Not well at all ..and iam working 18 / 10
        Roster ..up 4.15am every morning for 18days
        Go to work in the dark ..back in the dark ..
        My choice..yes however if you want a job
        You will get one Joachim.. !! No excuses..
        You know this? ..my dad worked 3 jobs
        To get us a roof over our head’s..
        My wife worked double shifts..18 hour days
        For years .. shall i keep going ?

  5. I think lizards are great too, however their breath may be a little how do you do. No put down just trying to lighten the contribution a little.

  6. The truth hurts sometimes, however the lilly livered need to tuffen up some and carry their part of the load which would be a very new experience for some.

  7. Oh the bleeding hearts. People on jobseeker hold their destiny in their own hands. Either go out and get a job or go down the poor little me road. Take control of your life, step up and have a go. Take any job available, work creates work. The opportunities are there if you apply yourself.

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