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The Echo - October 27, 2026

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Letters

Ain’t easy being green

Mike Balson, Upper Wilsons Creek - October 30, 2026 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...

Letters

Clifford Street DA

Hayley Devlin, Suffolk Park - October 30, 2026 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...

Letters

Clifford St koalas

Lynne Richardson, Suffolk Park - October 29, 2026 0

Trawling through voluminous documentation to get abreast of the current DA for 9-15 Clifford Street is not how I want to spend my time....

Letters

Wheelchair-accessible buses?

Basil Cameron, Goonengerry - October 29, 2026 0

Why in 2026 are buses, including school buses, not wheelchair-accessible? Why has Byron Council banned local buses, that bring local people to town to shop...

Letters

No SRV

H Rowland, Ocean Shores - October 29, 2026 0

Proposing another Special Rate Variation (SRV) during a financial, and affordable housing, crisis portrays a local council willing to cause further financial distress to...

Letters

Council: efficient, benchmarked?

Jan Barham, Broken Head - October 29, 2026 0

Despite lots of information about the rate rise, there are no options, ideas for increasing revenue, or organisational efficiencies provided by Byron Shire Council...

Letters

Ballina Hospital

Scott Hyams, Mullumbimby - October 29, 2026 0

After recently suffering a stroke I have been extremely fortunate to be doing my rehabilitation at the Ballina Hospital rehabilitation unit. I cannot speak highly...

Letters

Hospital action!

Jamie Hoile, Lennox Head - October 28, 2026 0

In the past I have pushed against agencies that denied the avenues to pursue a positive outcome. In the case of the essential new Lennox...

Letters

Ballina to Atlantis

C & C Quick, Rous - October 28, 2026 0

Regarding Ballina Hospital emergency/Ballina Shire Council (Echo, 14 October): Jamie Hoile, what a great letter. A couple of additional points: • Government grant to help...

Letters

Cheques exist?

Larry Hoofs - October 28, 2026 0

I received a cheque in the mail (I didn’t know they still existed) from Medicare. It is payment to a specialist doctor for services...

Letters

Concerns missed

Paul Cholakos, Montecollum - October 28, 2026 0

At Monday’s (19 October) NRPP meeting on 57 Station Street, only three people, including current Cr Swain and Cr Ndiaye, spoke in favour of...

Cartoons

Cartoon of the week – 28 October, 2026

The Echo - October 27, 2026 0

The Echo loves your letters and is proud to provide a community forum on the issues that matter most to our readers and the people...

Letters

Clifford Street DA conflicts

Kellly Minahan, President, SPCA - October 23, 2026 0

On the question of ‘perceived’ conflicts of interest of the president and secretary of the Suffolk Park Community Association (SPCA) (Letters, 14 October), these...

Letters

Removal of Medicare rebate

Frank Lynch, Mullumbimby - October 23, 2026 0

Many citizens have long held private health insurance and would be alarmed by the proposal, currently before the parliament, to remove the Medicare surcharge...

Byron Echo

What say on SRV?

Alistair Bell, Byron Bay - October 22, 2026 0

I went online to yoursay.byron.nsw.gov.au/srv to have my say about the looming SRV . If implemented this (35 per cent) rates increase will flow through...

Byron Echo

Pacific and climate

Sandra Heilpern, Ballina - October 22, 2026 0

Now that the focus on climate change is shifting from prevention, to containment, to hopefully adaption, our neighbours in the Pacific, with their feet...

Byron Echo

Preserve the green

Catherine Lane, Ocean Shores - October 21, 2026 0

Ocean Shores is a residential suburb bound by nature reserves. Billinudgel, Marshalls Creek, Jinangong, and North Head Reserve all have higher conservation values than...

Byron Echo

Don’t smoke

Phoebe Havyatt, Byron Bay - October 21, 2026 0

Will whomever is responsible for the remaining heritage railway cottage in Railway Park please get it occupied, used, and loved before it too, goes...

Byron Echo

Data centres

Karen Wagner, Myocum - October 21, 2026 0

I have just read a report from National Public Radio in the US that huge tech companies are aggressively developing data projects in Australia...

Byron Echo

A post-apocalyptic landscape

Karen Harborow, Myocum - October 21, 2026 0

Recently, my mother made the long trek from the big smoke to visit Mullum. She likes to check in on younger family members every...

Cartoons

Cartoon of the week – 21 October, 2026

The Echo - October 21, 2026 0

The Echo loves your letters 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, send us your epistles.

Byron Echo

Deputy mayor

Sarah Ndiaye, Mayor, Byron Shire Council - October 16, 2026 0

I read Asren Pugh’s and Pam Brook’s letters regarding the deputy mayor decision. If my comments in the chamber gave the impression that I...

Byron Echo

Domestic violence: Lismore

Dee Mould, Lismore - October 16, 2026 0

I witnessed the aftermath of a serious assault on a woman in Conway Street, Lismore in broad daylight. This was not a minor incident. There...

Byron Echo

BSC insolvency

Sharon Kelly, Ocean Shores - October 16, 2026 0

After numerous warnings, some more than a decade ago, why haven’t our two longest standing public servants Ndiaye and Lyon made the necessary decision...

Byron Echo

Have you visited our local hospital lately?

Jamie Hoile, Lennox Head - October 16, 2026 0

Has anyone had experience of visiting outpatients in one of our local public hospitals lately? What were your impressions? Positive or negative? This commentary...

Byron Echo

Nuclear hypocrisy

John Scrivener, Main Arm - October 16, 2026 0

Nothing illustrates Western hypocrisy quite like the double standards applied to nuclear weapons. Trump insists the US-Israeli aggression against Iran is all about preventing...

Byron Echo

AI growing up quick

Peter Olson, Goonegerry - October 15, 2026 0

We are exactly at the point where we lose control of the AI, and it will try to hide that from us. Studies show,...

Byron Echo

No short-term solutions

Annie Radermacher, Brunswick Heads - October 15, 2026 0

Here we are, put into the very precarious situation of funding Byron Shire Council’s (BSC) infrastructure shortfalls. By no means will the proposed solution...

Byron Echo

Let’s not sell the only CBD carpark

Vee Hunt, Mullumbimby - October 15, 2026 0

The ongoing logistics disaster that is the ‘affordable’ housing proposed to be built on the public carpark at 57 Station Street is becoming a...

Byron Echo

Restricted mobility

Basil Cameron, Goonengerry - October 15, 2026 0

Our mobility choices are an expression of our freedom of movement. Yet, not everyone in our community is able to move as freely, or...

Byron Echo

Dear Brunswick

Vinnie, Teagan, Odette, Marlon, and Monty, Brunswick Heads Post Office - October 15, 2026 0

After 11 wonderful years, the time has come for our family to say farewell as owners of the Brunswick Heads Post Office. Our final...

Byron Echo

The price of ignorance

Mike Balson, Upper Wilsons Creek - October 15, 2026 0

What often gets described as ‘racism’ in Australia is often based on plain old ignorance. People lacking the interest or curiosity to enquire more...

Byron Echo

E-bikes on the beach

Wally Hueneke , Byron Bay - October 14, 2026 0

Why are e-bikes or any bikes allowed on the beach between Belongil and The Pass? It’s one of the few places where we used...

Byron Echo

Good governance

Liz Levy, Suffolk Park - October 14, 2026 0

Thank you Kelly Minahan, President Suffolk Park Community Association (SPCA), for your focus on transparency, trust, and good governance. We know the value you...

Byron Echo

Clifford St DA, Suffolk Park

Karin Kolbe, Suffolk Park - October 14, 2026 0

Once again there is a DA for 9-15 Clifford St Suffolk Park (adjacent to the existing shops). The current nine, very affordable dwellings, will be...

Byron Echo

Thank you

Lorraine Reynolds and Penny Mangan, Brunswick Heads - October 14, 2026 0

Thank you Deputy Mayor Elia Hauge, Cr David Warth, and Mandy Nolan for taking the time and making the effort to hear and sight...

Byron Echo

Reflections and style

Patricia Warren, Brunswick Heads - October 14, 2026 0

Reflections Holiday Park’s CEO, Nick Baker, places value on community engagement. The website says it welcomes respectful community consultation. I thought that went both ways? Immediately...

Byron Echo

Ridiculous

Larry Hoofs, The Pocket - October 14, 2026 0

How long is this stupid 57 Station Street discussion going to continue? The laneway is already barely accessible especially when IGA trucks are delivering...

Cartoons

Tiny gnome home of the week

The Echo - October 13, 2026 0

Send to the Letters Editor, email: [email protected], or mail to The Letters Editor, The Echo, 6 Village Way, Mullumbimby, 2482, NSW, Australia.

Byron Echo

Reports missing

Annie Radermacher, Brunswick Heads - October 9, 2026 0

I am furious, my ongoing battle to get the stormwater collapse at Bayside fixed has now shown that the necessary reporting and reports are...

Byron Echo

Parenthood and political balance

Pam Brook, McLeods Shoot - October 9, 2026 0

I was disappointed to read about the circumstances surrounding the election of Byron Shire’s new deputy mayor. Mayor Sarah Ndiaye raised concerns about Councillor Jack...

Byron Echo

Building trust

Kelly Minahan, Suffolk Park - October 8, 2026 0

Liz Levy’s letter about the Clifford Street and Broken Head Road intersection raises important questions about the money spen on designs and investigations. But there...

Local News

Rescue helicopter service promises reform after harassment findings

The Echo - October 30, 2026 0

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service has apologised and committed to workplace reforms after an independent review found inadequate disciplinary responses to substantiated sexual harassment and bullying complaints.

Local News

Michael Cook turns the tables in Tweed exhibition

The Echo - October 30, 2026 0

A bus full of passengers, a city street, a railway tunnel. The settings are familiar. Look at the people, though, and a different picture of Australia emerges.

Local News

Northern Rivers flood experience informs school disaster lessons

The Echo - October 30, 2026 0

The Northern Rivers disaster experience has helped shape a new classroom resource aimed at preparing young people for floods, fires and storms.

Local News

Super Halloween fun returns to Brunswick Heads Primary

The Echo - October 30, 2026 0

It is time to get spooky, and perhaps a little bit kooky at Brunswick Heads Primary School’s Fairtastic this Saturday.