15.9 C
Byron Shire
June 5, 2026

Stagflation and warflation

Latest News

Council tightens ‘affordable housing’ rules

Byron Council has tightened its definition of ‘affordable housing’ in a bid to make access to housing more equitable on major projects like the former Mullumbimby Hospital site and 57 Station Street.

Other News

Roadworks an upgrade?

I hope that Council kept their receipt for the Mullumbimby Road upgrade. Not even a year old and falling...

Australian classic comes to Byron Theatre

A major new stage adaptation of Jessica Anderson’s Miles Franklin Award-winning novel Tirra Lirra by the River will come to Byron Theatre in a limited season from 5 to 13 June.

Return Mullum hospital to Bundjalung

‘Public land should serve the public vision,’ Greens councillor Elia Hauge is quoted as saying in The Echo (May...

Protest march

Byron Shire’s infrastructure has become beyond repair. Reports of new overflow of sewage. Reports of decades of no maintenance...

Interview with Pacific Avenue

South Coast rockers, Pacific Avenue, have left an indelible mark on the music industry, their debut studio album Flowers secured a spot as a number one Australian album earning two ARIA nominations. Now, their recently released second studio album, Lovesick Sentimental, looks to be heading in the same direction.

Eclectic Selection for the week beginning 3 June 2026

Eclectic Selection: What’s on this week is a taste of some of the events that can be found in the Byron Shire and beyond this coming week.

This new crisis, emerging on the horizon, appears to be more inconvenient than the pandemic crisis.

The type of global economic suffering now emerging, is called stagflation: inflation and stagnation. The degree of stagflation this time next year, will be greater than it currently is.

Food price and availability become issues, when one reduces availability of nitrogen fertiliser, which is made from natural gas, while also reducing fuel supplies needed to harvest and transport the food.

Oops, and by the way, Trump did not believe Iran would close the straits, even though advisors told him they would.

When the energy index rises in price, all the  components of the energy index rise, meaning electricity also rises in price.

When everything rises in price, the Reserve Bank raises the interest rates, thinking that is helpful to dampen demand.

But these price rises are not demand driven and therefore, it’s not appropriate to raise interest rates, as they do, when prices go up. That simply maximises consumer’s suffering.

Today every thing is fine, but for how long?

Peter Olson, Goonengerry

Previous articleComplicit in war
Next articleAlgae bloom


For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling.

If you are a local business owner help us and in turn we help you. All The Echo asks for is advertising, not a free ride. It is every advert in The Echo and on www.echo.net.au, which creates the space for all the stories and coverage of community events, happenings and concerns.

If you are a reader you can become a sponsor of The Echo. Your support keeps the us independent.

Even a small one-off or regular donation from you will help keep the echo’s independent voice alive and strong.

Support Us

Become one of the supporters who helps keep independent, local journalism alive in the Byron Shire by contributing anything from as little as the cost of a coffee each month.

You're Wonderful, Thank you for supporting independent journalism in the Byron Shire

You’re supporting The Echo, thank you

Your contribution is keeping independent, local journalism alive in the Northern Rivers.

Because of supporters like you, we can keep every story free for everyone — no paywall, no exceptions. Your money goes directly to funding our newsroom of 40-odd local workers covering the stories that matter to this community.

Tell us what you think, give us your opinion

The Echo loves your letters and comments 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, email us your epistles at editor@echo.net.au.

The letters deadline for The Echo is noon Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. The publication of letters is at the discretion of the letters editor. Please remember to include your full name, address and telephone number.

Online comments are no longer available.

Push to slow traffic outside Coorabell Hall

The campaign to slow traffic on the short stretch of Coolamon Scenic Drive outside Coorabell Hall is gradually gathering momentum, with Byron Council supporting a lower speed limit despite advice the road may not meet state criteria.

Temporary home for Queer Family after heated debate

Byron Shire Council has voted to provide struggling local LGBTQIA+ support service Queer Family Inc with temporary access to a Council-owned property at peppercorn rent, following an impassioned plea from the organisation and a lengthy debate over governance and fairness.

Naturism

For decades, naturism has struggled with a strange communication barrier. Most naturist educational material contains nudity, which means it is often automatically classified as NSFW...

Invisible elderly women

The 2026 Federal Budget has sent a clear, heartbreaking message to the senior women of the Tweed: you are invisible. While the treasurer boasted about...