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Political Comment
Political Comment
Youth crime is increasing – what to do?
There is something strange going on with youth crime in rural and regional Australia. Normally, I treat hysterical rising delinquency claims with a pinch of salt – explicable by an increase in police numbers, or a headline-chasing tabloid, or a right-wing politician.
Political Comment
Some spending cannot be questioned
David Lowe - 4
The euphemisms were flying when Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles announced last week that an extra $50 billion would be spent on our military over the next decade, and that $72.8 billion of already announced spending would be redirected.
Political Comment
Who is our next GG?
David Lowe - 47
Sam Mostyn has been announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as Australia's next governor-general. So what sort of woman is she, and why has her appointment sent the right wing media into a tizz?
Political Comment
Valuing the lives of others
David Lowe - 19
The language of the Australian government about the war in Gaza has hardened since the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, along with six other people working for the World Central Kitchen charity, when their vehicles were hit by three Israeli missiles.
Political Comment
Putting infrastructure into focus
Is there anything more boring in the realms of public spending than infrastructure? Infrastructure spending does nothing to increase teacher salaries or accelerate elective surgery.
Political Comment
The politics of live music
David Lowe - 7
The collapse of Splendour in the Grass before it reached the starting gates has been blamed on a lot of things, including the cost of living, Taylor Swift, the weather, ticket prices, millennial laziness, Kylie Minogue and inadequate government support. The event joins a growing list of major music events to be cancelled. So what do taxpayers owe music festival culture in Australia, if anything?
Political Comment
A health check as Medicare turns 40
If you’ll forgive the earnest tone, I’d like to propose a toast. To a friend who’s almost always there when you need them most. To a system that aims to treat people fairly and respectfully.
Political Comment
Democracy on the ropes?
David Lowe - 17
The ancient idea of democracy is under threat around the world. Today, there are only 63 democracies compared to 74 autocracies, and many of these democracies are highly problematic.
Political Comment
The power of the people is much stronger than the people in power
‘I feel so powerless,’ a friend said. It’s an understandable sentiment in the face of tragic situations out of our individual control, but there are things people can do to effect change, especially when we come together as a community.
Political Comment
State of destruction
David Lowe - 21
Tasmanians go to the polls next weekend, in an early election brought on by Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockcliff, whose party has fractured during its ten years in office but is currently warning voters not to elect a Labor minority government, which he's been calling a 'Coalition of Chaos'.
Political Comment
The case for natural parks
Between One Mile Beach and Big Rocky Island, just south of Nelson Bay, lies the stunning Samurai Beach, a part of the Tomaree National Park.
Political Comment
What’s so controversial about vehicle efficiency?
David Lowe - 14
Thanks to years of political inaction, Australia is one of the few countries in the world not to have a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. The European Union, New Zealand and China have one. Even the United States has a standard, which means new cars in Australia use 20 per cent more fuel and create 20 per cent more pollution than their American counterparts. With the Albanese Government about to introduce legislation to correct this situation, the Coalition is busily dusting off the 'war on utes/the weekend' rhetoric.
Political Comment
Spies like them
David Lowe - 51
The Dunkley by-election is done and dusted, with Advance's fear campaign failing to fire, and Labor's primary vote actually increasing. The swing to the Liberals on preferences came from right wing voters not having anyone crazier to vote for this time, with UAP and One Nation out of the race. Meanwhile another question continues to be raised; which Australian politician was secretly working for a hostile foreign power, and when?
Political Comment
Hijacking feminism, harming women
Surely the success of feminist activism is one of the most positive stories of our times. Just think of the limited options of our mothers, compared to young women today.
Political Comment
Doing it for Dunkley
David Lowe - 28
The eyes of Australia turn this week to the electorate of Dunkley in Victoria, historically the site of the Frankston riot and just down the road from where Harold Holt disappeared. Now it's the location of an all important federal by-election.
Political Comment
Last chance for Julian Assange?
David Lowe - 2
This week the Australian journalist Julian Assange will find out whether he will be extradited from the United Kingdom to the USA, where he faces 175 years in solitary confinement for his role in revealing the truth about war crimes and the inner workings of empire, or conducting 'espionage', as America calls it.
Political Comment
Frogs, fertility, toads and drugs
My mother inculcated me with a love of science, which somehow survived a run of sadistic chemistry teachers who staggeringly discouraged creative experiments in the lab. Like making LSD, and smallish explosive devices.
Political Comment
Raging against renewables in Canberra
David Lowe - 31
Parliament returned to Canberra last week to be greeted by the Rally Against Reckless Renewables on the front lawn; a protest against net zero policies, wind turbines, the United Nations, COVID vaccinations, China and chemtrails, amongst other things.
Political Comment
Stereotypes and labels are so 2023
As the first ever female Young Liberal State President, I drew gasps from the Liberal Women’s Council by telling them I was a ‘feminist’.
Political Comment
The price of political influence
David Lowe - 7
Despite promises of reform when the Albanese Government was elected, Australia’s political donation laws remain unchanged, which is why it took until last week to find out who was donating in the last financial year, via the AEC's Transparency Register.
Political Comment
Tassie salmon under the microscope
If you, like me, eat salmon, perhaps it’s time for us to finally face facts. In the words of celebrated Tasmanian writer Richard Flanagan, we’re eating horror, and we’re dining on destruction.
Political Comment
Without a legacy to stand on?
David Lowe - 11
In what's been a busy week in Australian federal politics, ScoMo finally announced he would be leaving the parliamentary building, just as Albo undid one of his predecessor's signature policies (or land mines) by reworking the Stage 3 tax cuts, creating hysteria among Liberals and the mainstream media, and some relief for those Australians earning less than $200,000 a year.
Political Comment
Expensive card habits versus cash
How many of us use our cards routinely to buy just about everything, while barely giving it a thought? Once we were seduced by being offered frequent flyer points and receiving rewards for our customer loyalty.
Political Comment
Beetaloo Basin or bust
David Lowe - 17
The Albanese Government is currently considering whether billions of extra taxpayers' dollars should go to prop up the Middle Arm gas hub in the Northern Territory, which will facilitate the fracking of the Beetaloo Basin shale gas reserve, one of the world's great carbon bombs.
Political Comment
As if Chris Minns wrote it
This is Chris Minns here, Premier and top dog for all of NSW. I have been reading some criticisms of the government I lead in your ever-popular and most influential newspaper, so I am writing to set the record straight.
Political Comment
Make Australia America Again
David Lowe - 88
Peter Dutton's ongoing quest to bring the worst elements of American politics to Australia reached a new low this week with his social media post urging Woolworths to stop 'peddling woke agendas'. This was in response to the supermarket giant saying it would no longer be selling Australia Day merchandise, along with Kmart and Aldi, due to declining sales.
Political Comment
Seeing the forest and the trees
David Lowe - 3
The chainsaws were finally ordered to stop in what remains of the native forests in Western Australia and eastern Victoria on New Year's Day, throwing into sharp relief the absence of any similar policy in NSW or federally, despite unambiguous economic and scientific arguments.
Political Comment
Trashing Westminster traditions
As an eager Young Liberal in the 1980s, I was schooled by a generation of older Australians whose values were forged during World War II.
Political Comment
Big parties freezing out the independents?
David Lowe - 38
Electoral reform sounds boring, which is probably why the government hoped to squeeze a substantial change to the way Australian politics works in amongst some positive-sounding modifications late last year, without too many people noticing. After independents raised the alarm, this legislation was delayed, and is now likely to be presented in the new year.
Political Comment
Who is Steven Miles?
David Lowe - 7
Queensland's new premier Steven Miles has arrived in the big chair at a dramatic time. One week into the job, he's already faced one of the worst natural disasters in the state's history, and taken on the fossil fuel industry. The bloke clearly doesn't lack guts, or ambition.
Political Comment
Where have all the Christmas beetles gone?
Do you remember when we were inundated with Christmas beetles at this time of year? What happened to them, and can we revive the Christmas beetle spirit?
Political Comment
Dutton takes the nuclear option
David Lowe - 9
The Coalition has produced a policy! Don't get too excited – this policy is recycled, and not in a good way – in fact it's radioactive. Like Robert Menzies, John Howard and Tony Abbott before him, Peter Dutton wants to legalise nuclear electricity generation in Australia.
Political Comment
Dance, sing and play more in 2024
As a fierce sun finally fades, hundreds of people dance in the darkness, stars swirling above. This is not the Burning Man festival but an outdoor end of year school concert in Byron Bay last week.
Political Comment
Pat Dodson hangs up his hat
David Lowe - 15
As a torrid year in Australian politics draws to a close, it's a good time to look back at the life and career of the man known as the father of reconciliation, who recently announced he's permanently departing the federal arena.
Political Comment
The test of sisterhood
In 2003, when I introduced myself as an MP with my maiden speech in parliament, I articulated my centralist, small ‘l’ liberal principles. I argued that values are not something to be on display in the morning and forgotten in the afternoon.
Political Comment
Labor’s hypocrisy on climate undimmed
David Lowe - 47
Last week the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, delivered the Albanese Government's second annual Climate Change Statement, claiming major progress in emissions reduction while the numbers continue to scream that the opposite is true.
Political Comment
Erring on the side of kindness
There is one thing we can all do in these wretched times of powerlessness and overwhelming sorrow. Give.
Local News
Housing not industrial precinct say Lismore locals
Aslan Shand - 0
Locals from Goonellabah and Lindendale have called out the proposed Goonellabah industrial precinct at 1055A Bruxner Hwy and 245 Oliver Ave as being the wrong use of the site.
Byron Echo
A fond farewell to Mungo’s crosswords
This week we sadly publish the last of Mungo MacCallum’s puzzles. Before he died in 2020 Mungo compiled a large archive of crosswords for The Echo.
Local News
Tugun tunnel work at Tweed Heads – road diversion
Motorists are advised of changed overnight traffic conditions from Sunday on the Pacific Motorway, Tweed Heads.
Local News
Driver charged following Coffs Harbour fatal crash
A driver has been charged following a fatal crash in the Coffs Harbour area yesterday.
