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National News
Many rental homes barely habitable due to heat
Rental homes had an average indoor temperature of 25°C and experienced two hours a day over 30°C according to a new report, 'Cruel Summers', from tenant advocacy organisation Better Renting.
National News
Australia’s Environment Report card not looking good
2023 was a 'year of opposites' for Australia’s environment, but despite conditions fluctuating between wet and dry, overall conditions remain stable following a bumper year in 2022, according to the latest Australia’s Environment Report, led by the Australian National University.
Local News
New tourism plan for Lismore region
In a move aimed at bolstering Lismore's visitor economy, Lismore City Council has greenlit a roadmap to navigate the region towards tourism growth.
Local News
New charitable funding round opens
Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation’s first funding round for 2024 opens today, Tuesday 19 March, with more than $500,000 available for local community groups and charities with new and existing projects.
National News
Tech companies grilled on how they are tackling terror and violent extremism
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has issued legal notices to Google, Meta, Twitter/X, WhatsApp, Telegram and Reddit requiring each company to report on steps they are taking to protect Australians from terrorist and violent extremist material and activity.
Local News
Ballina burnout workshops to support local community
The Northern Rivers community will have an opportunity to learn from leading burnout experts across March and April in a series of free workshops presented by Ballina Shire Council.
Science Goes Viral
How fungi and theatrical performance can tackle the problem of PFAS contamination
When scientists first discovered the chemistry of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, PFAS, in the 1930s, they didn’t know we’d be struggling to remove them from the environment and human bodies nearly a century later.
Byron Echo
Disaster recovery needs to meet children’s needs: report
Paul Bibby - 1
Children and young people living in the region’s temporary emergency pod villages have been exposed to community and domestic violence, drug-affected residents, and arguments between neighbours, a year long study has found.
National News
Nationwide marches for forests this weekend
On Sunday 24 March people from across Australia will march to call for an end to native forest logging. Bob Brown Foundation’s nationwide March for Forests is calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to end native forest logging and securely protect native forests.
Local News
Lights will always be on at Main Arm’s Kohinur Hall
After being badly damaged during the 2022 floods, the much-loved Kohinur Hall is once again starting to live up to its reputation for being the arts and cultural hub of the Main Arm community.
Byron Echo
2022 flood doco screening March 21
In March 2022, not-for-profits Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB) and Holding Hands Under Ground (HHUG) joined forces to respond to the catastrophic floods that devastated the Northern Rivers community.
Local News
Purple Day is coming, for epilepsy awareness
David Lowe - 1
More than 250,000 Australians are living with epilepsy. Lennox Head's Katie Gatland sat down with the Echo to help everyone better understand what Purple Day and epilepsy awareness is all about.
Local News
Man killed in car crash near Coffs Harbour
A 76-year-old man died when the car he was driving crashed about 35 kms northwest of Coffs Harbour last Friday afternoon, police said.
Local News
Tweed hospital and playgrounds welcomed
State Labor politicians have officially welcomed two upgraded playgrounds and a new hospital built in the Tweed Shire.
Local News
Surf’s up for World Pro Adaptive Titles in Byron
Favourable conditions are expected for the World Pro-Adaptive Surfing Titles 2024, to be held at Byron Bay’s Main Beach from today.
Local News
More calls for federal intervention in Wallum estate plans
Another ecologist has added their name to the community campaign against development on environmentally sensitive land in Brunswick Heads.
Local News
Body found near Byron in search for missing man
A body believed to be that of a man reported missing last week has been found, police on the weekend said.
Political Comment
State of destruction
David Lowe - 9
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'.
National News
NSW bans offshore mining and exploration for gas and oil
The NSW Labor government has now banned offshore mining and exploration for gas and oil in NSW waters. NSW is the first state to...
Byron Echo
Wallum Q&A with Clarence Property CEO
Will digging frog ponds and installing nest boxes really make a difference to the damage that large-scale development will have on the rare and endangered Wallum heathland in Bruns?
Local News
Nurses in shock as Murwillumbah surgical unit closes
Eve Jeffery - 5
Nursing staff at Murwillumbah Hospital were shocked and saddened earlier this week to find out that the surgical unit of the hospital will be closing and that they had just one week to decide what their future employment would be.
Local News
Preview screening of The Koalas at Federal Hall this Sunday
An insight into the lives of koalas is taking place this Sunday with the preview screening of The Koalas at Federal Hall.
Local News
Lismore South Public School rebuild to withstand future floods
Following consultation with the local community and other stakeholders the Lismore South Public School and the Ngulliboo Jarjums Preschool will be rebuilt.
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.
Science Goes Viral
COVID-19 pandemic has cut life expectancy globally
COVID-19 reversed earlier trends toward longer life expectancies. During the pandemic, life expectancies globally dropped by 1.6 years according to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal.
Byron Echo
Big family Kaleido fun day May 5
Aslan Shand - 0
Following the success of Blue on Burringbar Festival in Mullumbimby last year, the Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce and Creative Mullum are putting on a fun, interactive community event this year on Sunday, 5 May.
Byron Echo
Goonengerry residents still impacted by 2022 landslide
Residents awaiting the completion of the Federal Drive reconstruction have highlighted the impacts of losing connections to the hinterland village two years after the...
Byron Echo
Demands for increased housing in Byron Shire raise significant concerns for CABS
Aslan Shand - 3
Serious concerns have been raised over the Byron Shire Residential Strategy 2041 by the 12 Byron Shire-wide associations that make up Community Alliance for Byron Shire (CABS).
Local News
Prime agricultural land to be rezoned for development in Lismore
Aslan Shand - 2
Last night's Lismore Council meeting unanimously passed a voluntary planning agreement to rezone 70 hectares of prime agricultural land at 1055 Bruxner Highway.
Local News
Kylie to headline Splendour in the Grass for 2024
Taking to the Splendour stage Kylie Minouge will be the opening night headline while she makes a triumphant return home and stamps her name in the annals of Splendour lore.
Local News
Voices of those with memory loss to air in new Bay FM doco series
One in twelve Australians past the age of 65 are said to be living with dementia yet their stories are rarely heard.
Local News
Action needed on affordable housing and land banking say regional city Mayors
Aslan Shand - 5
Regional Cities NSW mayors have called on the state government to take action on the worsening housing crisis outside of Sydney as they call for affordable housing and a way to stop developers land banking.
Byron Echo
Byron Mayor backs down over floodplain development
Mayor Michael Lyon told Mullum residents that he has the numbers to remove floodplain development but will push through the Residential Strategy that aims for 4,522 homes by 2041.
Byron Echo
Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Reach Beyond
Mandy Nolan - 0
One in 12 people over 65 are living with dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease, but is a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interfere with doing everyday activities. It’s actually no longer called dementia, but Major Neurocognitive Disorder (MND).
Byron Echo
Cartoon of the week – 13 March, 2024
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.
National News
Minns Government to throw more kids in prison?
The Greens say the Minns Labor Government is pushing through changes to bail and criminal laws that will result in more children being trapped in the criminal justice system and sent to jail. This is in defiance of the views of civil society, the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and almost all contemporary evidence that shows sending young people to prison results in worse outcomes for both the child and society.
National News
A ‘horrific spate of domestic violence related murders’
Domestic Violence NSW says that three women have been murdered owing to domestic and family violence since International Women’s Day, last Friday.
Byron Echo
Pam’s chemical-free farming passion
Third-generation farmer Pam Morrow has been growing her own organic food for over 20 years. Her passion for farming without the use of chemicals...
National News
Many rental homes barely habitable due to heat
Rental homes had an average indoor temperature of 25°C and experienced two hours a day over 30°C according to a new report, 'Cruel Summers', from tenant advocacy organisation Better Renting.
Byron Echo
Stone and Wood’s new NRB beer
Stone and Wood have launched a new beer: Northern Rivers Beer (NRB). At a warm, and pretty laidback, night at the Billinudgel Hotel earlier...
Byron Echo
The Drongo: even more of them around these days
The team at Spangled Drongo Brewing officially fired up their brewhouse in June last year, but you may have heard their name prior to...