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Byron Shire
October 30, 2026
Letters

Ain’t easy being green

By Mike Balson, Upper Wilsons Creek

Latest News

Local NewsThe Echo - 0

Building healthier waterways and slowing floodwaters

There are increasing examples of ways that natural flood management can help waterways recover, slow flooding waters, and improve the waterways and catchments.
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Other News

Local NewsThe Echo - 0

Residents urged to respond before Byron rate-rise consultation closes

Mullumbimby Residents Association is urging residents to have their say on Byron Shire Council’s proposed 35.03 per cent rate rise before consultation closes tomorrow (Friday, October 30), saying important evidence supporting the increase remains unavailable.
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Byron EchoThe Echo - 0

How regenerative farming and ecological restoration are rebuilding resilience

Recent ecological surveys of formerly ‘lifeless paddocks’ at Banyula farm. near Clunes recorded an astonishing 121 bird species and sightings of threatened species, including koalas, which now make the property home.
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LettersHayley Devlin, Suffolk Park - 0

Clifford Street DA

Clifford Street: Three affordable homes and a bigger housing question. The Clifford Street DA has divided Suffolk Park, but I...
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Local NewsDavid Lowe - 0

Ballina debates regional arts funding, missing people and live music

Ballina Council's October meeting opened with Mayor Sharon Cadwallader acknowledging the attack on Dr Helen Haynes and calling for respectful public service. She said, 'Democracy depends on people being able to participate freely, respectfully, and without fear'.
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Local NewsThe Echo - 0

Where’s the funding for critical community help?

Neighbourhood and community centres are struggling to keep their doors open and are cutting services because they don’t have ongoing core funding to cover staffing and operating costs.
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Articles & ColumnsDavid Lowe - 0

Can independents save democracy?

Senator David Pocock was already booked for the National Press Club when Helen Haines was attacked outside her office, but this shocking event put a sombre spotlight on his speech, which focused on the role and responsibility of independents in the Australian parliament.
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What the hell is David Shoebridge doing? No sooner had he become the new leader of the Greens than he is attacking the Labor party, his natural political ally, saying the Greens are not here to support Labor – they are here to replace Labor.

Does this mean the Greens will no longer exchange preferences with Labor?

Both the Greens and Labor rely on each other’s preferences to get elected.

This is no time for the Greens to go to war with Labor. The Libs, Nats, and One Nation, aided by the Murdoch shock-jocks, are relentlessly slagging the Labor government – and it sticks, even when it’s based on exaggerations, distortions, and lies. All this at a time when we need as many well-informed people on deck to defeat this mindless ‘protest’ swing toward One Nation.

For the past 33 years my partner and I, along with many thousands of others, have given our primary vote to the Greens and first preference to Labor. If Shoebridge wants a war with Labor, let the Greens be the first casualty. In the next election I will be giving my primary vote to Labor.

I looked forward to the day when the Greens form a coalition with Labor, to become a winning team – a very progressive and environmentally engaged net-zero government.

But it won’t happen under Shoebridge.

Mike Balson, Upper Wilsons Creek

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Letters

Ain’t easy being green

Mike Balson, Upper Wilsons Creek - 0
What the hell is David Shoebridge doing? No sooner had he become the new leader of the Greens than he is attacking the Labor...
Read more
Letters

Clifford Street DA

Hayley Devlin, Suffolk Park - 0
Clifford Street: Three affordable homes and a bigger housing question. The Clifford Street DA has divided Suffolk Park, but I don’t believe this has to...
Read more
Byron Echo

Rejecting the politics of hate

Richard Jones - 0
Have you ever lived in such turbulent times? We really don’t know what to expect from one day to the next. With such uncertainty it is difficult to plan ahead.
Read more
Local News

Gary Opit invites Byron to explore what moves after dark

The Echo - 0
Most of us notice nocturnal wildlife when it darts across the road. Gary Opit has spent decades listening to people who reckon they have seen something rather harder to identify.
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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