Comment
-
Deferred democracy
Council elections would be occurring this week but it got caught up in the world series pandemic event. Instead, our benevolent NSW govcorp overlords have put it off for a year. Yet an election this week would have brought fresh new energy to local politics – it’s clearly needed.
10 days ago | Echonetdaily | 0 Byron Echo, Editorial, Articles & Columns, Comment -
Editorial – Ready for summer?
For the North Coast, fire season kicked off early on September 1, and if you are a rural dweller, it’s worth considering what fire plan you have.
17 days ago | Hans Lovejoy | % Byron Echo, Editorial, Articles & Columns, Comment -
Editorial – Value our volunteers
There have been no shortage of challenges in Australia in the last few years – drought, fire, flood, and now COVID-19. And we are already heading back into fire season with local crews currently on the ground in Duranbah and Stokers Siding.
20 days ago | Aslan Shand | 0 Byron Echo, Editorial, Articles & Columns, Comment -
Editorial – Defending Planet A
Over the weekend it was reported that Greenland’s ice sheet, the largest single contributor to ocean levels rising, has melted beyond the point of no return. This should be ringing alarm bells.
25 days ago | Aslan Shand | 6 Byron Echo, Editorial, Articles & Columns, Comment
-
Deferred democracy
Council elections would be occurring this week but it got caught up in the world series pandemic event. Instead, our benevolent NSW govcorp overlords have put it off for a year. Yet an election this week would have brought fresh new energy to local politics – it’s clearly needed.
10 days ago | Echonetdaily | 0 -
Editorial – Ready for summer?
For the North Coast, fire season kicked off early on September 1, and if you are a rural dweller, it’s worth considering what fire plan you have.
17 days ago | Hans Lovejoy | 1 -
Editorial – Value our volunteers
There have been no shortage of challenges in Australia in the last few years – drought, fire, flood, and now COVID-19. And we are already heading back into fire season with local crews currently on the ground in Duranbah and Stokers Siding.
20 days ago | Aslan Shand | 0 -
Editorial – Defending Planet A
Over the weekend it was reported that Greenland’s ice sheet, the largest single contributor to ocean levels rising, has melted beyond the point of no return. This should be ringing alarm bells.
25 days ago | Aslan Shand | 6 -
Editorial – How to clear a room
Want to clear a room? Say ‘economics!’ Except – there is an extraordinary modern economist named Mark Blyth.
August 18, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 3 -
Editorial – The rewards of being uncompromised
Happy birthday, James Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987). As one of the more obscure figures who championed human rights, his activism spanned race, sexuality, and class, which contributed to major political movements of the ’60s.
August 7, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 4 -
Editorial – Road funding announcement turns into a political dumpster fire
There was a terrific announcement of $2.28 million in road funding for some of Byron’s worst roads by two odd bedfellows last week – the non-elected local Nationals representative and the Greens mayor.
August 1, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 4 -
Editorial – Future food that doesn’t cost the Earth
‘Civilisation is in a race between education and catastrophe’, H. G. Wells once said. One ongoing catastrophe – and there are many – is the uncertainty of food supply for the planet’s seven billion odd humans.
July 24, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 2 -
No easy path with this virulent pathogen
While New Zealand declares itself COVID-19 free this week, Australia, particularly Victoria and now NSW residents, are bracing themselves for fresh cases of the virus.
July 17, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 6 -
Editorial: NIMBY whinger!
If you have never been affected by an inappropriate development, there’s not much chance you would have interest in what others in the Shire have gone through.
July 10, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 1 -
Climate wars – vested interests shape politics while Australia burns
In November 2007, with enormous enthusiasm, Australian voters elected a Kevin Rudd-led Labor government in a landslide, with a huge mandate to implement an emissions trading scheme (ETS) to deal with anthropogenic climate change.
July 3, 2020 | Echonetdaily | 9 -
Editorial – Tourism sector unsupportive of Mayor’s visitor fund
A Voluntary Visitor Fund (VVF) to entice the tourism sector to contribute funds to Council appears to have been a failure, according to a staff report in the June 25 Council agenda.
July 3, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 4 -
Greens-dominated council paves paradise – again…
It is one of the most beautiful, unspoilt, tranquil spots that is beloved by local people and visitors to the Byron Shire. Allowing a cafe to be built here is a tragedy made real by the greed of developers, and the failure of councillors and Council staff to protect the public interest in the face of these endless development challenges.
June 25, 2020 | Echonetdaily | 15 -
Editorial – Nonviolent activist of the week
The writings on civilian-based defence by US academic Gene Sharp (1928–2018) have been used around the globe, and not just by activists against tyrannical regimes.
June 19, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 1 -
Editorial – Civil liberties: good or bad?
With attention fixated on injustice, policing and black lives, the NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) is just one voice of sanity in a country awash with racism and bigotry.
June 12, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 4 -
Editorial – Galactic Imperial Empire dumps regional print
All Echo employees empathise with local News Corp employees who face an uncertain future.
June 5, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 1 -
Editorial: Ready for the upright position…
There wasn’t space in other parts of the paper to cover all the important planning decisions that were made last Thursday by our glorious and courageous councillors.
May 29, 2020 | Echonetdaily | 0 -
Editorial – Look, over there! A virus is a great distraction
Will the local governing class (Council) change their perception of ‘normal’ development? Presently, this community still faces the never-ending barrage of growth opportunities (ie strategies, plans and policies), which have been foisted upon us by the NSW government and Council planning staff.
May 22, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 2 -
Editorial: Not confused enough
What do bureaucrats do if they want to simplify complex planning laws? Create another one!
May 14, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 3 -
Editorial: Why power corrupts
What’s your relationship with power and authority?
May 7, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 6 -
Mordor foists Tower of Sauron on Mullum
Society really doesn’t do science well. Being outraged is an easier achievement.
April 30, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 7 -
Editorial – This is not COVID-19 related
While a virus sweeps across the planet and through humanity, this Thursday in the Mullum chambers you will find a dedicated bunch of Council staff and elected councillors thrashing over contentious local planning issues. In varying degrees of abilities.
April 16, 2020 | Hans Lovejoy | 0 -
After the plague
Not being able to socialise, or go to work, or be abroad for any but officially approved purposes certainly gives a body room to think.
April 10, 2020 | David Lovejoy | 3 -
Comment: Is isolation stupid?
Of course I wouldn't have the coronavirus! Right?
April 3, 2020 | Echonetdaily | 15 -
Editorial – Bring in a UBI for the crisis
Around the country we have people lining up down the streets outside Centrelink offices, attempting social distancing, to ensure they don’t starve and lose their homes as they lose their jobs. One key government response should be to bring in the universal basic income.
March 26, 2020 | Aslan Shand | 11
