←Volume 35
February 3, 2021
In this Issue:
Hard shoes to fill
Herbert Kinzl, Suffolk Park Thanks for finding the best replacements for Mungo... David Heilpern is absolutely fabulous. David’s article on a Vaccine Damages Payment Scheme is absolutely brilliant, what a great mind he is and has been for so long!
January 26
Margaret Louise, Lismore On this day, of all days, the excruciating vulgarity of Ocker culture is hard to take. Don’t get me wrong – I love the lucky country. I can live with the Bottle-O, the servo, the smoko and the...
Surf abuse
Dave Lisle, Goonengerry Paul Bibby’s front page story suggested an abusive surf culture was more a factor in surf rage than overcrowding and inexperience. I couldn’t agree more. Chest thumping is to blame, not kooks. Our hyper-masculine surf culture is...
Indigenous cricketers took to the field on Survival Day
Indigenous cricketers from Lismore and Ballina took to the field on January 26 in a 20x20 game organisers hope will not only become a regular annual fixture.
A true heart
Bronwyn Sindel, Mullumbimby I want to thank Mandy for her marvellous column on Mr Sol Bellear last week, especially as January 26 – known to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People as Survival Day or Invasion Day – is here...
Drum beats roll
Jason van Tol, Myocum Regarding Patricia Warren’s letter (27 January). I’m sympathetic to noise complaints – I too don’t enjoy listening to loud music throughout the night. The drumming often finishes a couple hours after nightfall and becomes quieter as...
Byron canals
Sapoty Brook, Wilsons Creek Matthew Hartley’s concern about the Belongil Estuary (Letters, 20 January) is nothing more than a symbolic gesture to a doomed ecosystem. Ecosystems are only relevant in the context of ten-thousand years or more. The Belongil Estuary has...
Determined and caring sports enthusiasts receive acknowledgement on Oz Day
Sailor Clare Southwell and tennis coach Gemma Eaton have won Australia Day sporting achievement awards around the region this year.
Labor shuffles itself around not governing
Unlike the sociopaths in the Coalition party who represent the one per cent, Labor’s problem will always be trying to be a party for all seasons. And those seasons are becoming more chaotic and extreme owing to climate change.
Byron High closing the gap for Indigenous students
Three past and present Indigenous Byron Bay High School students have been successful in this year’s Australia Day awards.
Death of veteran cyclist closes Cavanbah circuit
The Byron Bay Cycling Club has not returned to competitive racing on the Cavanbah Centre criterium circuit since the death of former Olympic cyclist and veteran athlete, Cliff Burvill, in mid-January.
Coexistence needed at Suffolk Park
Dr Ray Moynihan, Suffolk Park Inspired by my six year old, I’d like to echo his wish that the new bike track and the Suffolk Community Garden can happily coexist (Echo, 27 January). My son’s visits to the Community Garden...
Holiday park hypocrisy
Sean O’Meara, Brunswick Heads Reflections Holiday Parks is by far the biggest lawbreaker in Brunswick Heads and possibly the Shire when it comes to land use. The group of local drummers that Reflections paid the police to harass and threaten...
Byron Shire Mayor, staff mute over Council court loss
Byron Mayor, Simon Richardson (Greens), is again remaining mute over questions around Council’s court loss, this time over a fencing dispute in Suffolk Park.
Thanks Turning Point Talks
El’Tara Mahatma, Main Arm I gratefully appreciate the diversity of speakers presenting at both Ngara and now Turning Point Talks. Max Igan’s opinions on the harmful effects of vaccines and 5G are shared by many doctors and informed people across...
Thanks Council’s Joanne
Duncan Dey, Durrumbul Council staff do an amazing job, and some even better. One of those is Joanne McMurtry, now departed from her role in assisting committees to manage our many community halls. She’ll remain a local in this area....
Eat Street Bangalow launches this Friday
After announcing a new Bangalow market three weeks ago, Eat Street Bangalow organisers say they have been overwhelmed with applications from local chefs and artisan food and drink makers.
Writers Festival launch membership drive
Byron Writers Festival’s 2021 membership drive will run throughout the month of February, with prizes from some of the region’s most-loved businesses.
It’s never the wrong time to do right
Australia is a country of boundless possibilities, but it will never achieve its true destiny until the soft unspoken murmur in the souls of many, if not most, non-Aboriginal Australians is answered through a dignified truth telling and just reconciliation process.
First Fleet troubles
Mark Riddell, New Brighton On reading The Echo’s Backlash column on 27 January, it appears it has set itself up as an expert source of information in regard to Australian history. It shows several errors in the PM’s comments, and then...
Turning Point talks invigorating
Brian Dean, Tyagarah Regarding the Turning Point Talks, I am a middle-of-the-road citizen who doesn’t seem to be able to please either the left or the right adequately, as I find both points of view have their pluses and minuses. The...
Mature surfers need to call out abuse
Paul Taylor, Murwillumbah The mature male surfers present in the line-up when these serial germs go about bullying and assaulting others are themselves a part of the overall problem. How can they turn a blind eye, paddle into another wave and...
Council is killing heritage
June Grant, Mullumbimby I am inspired by your article of last week (27 January) to write, with a scintilla of irrepressible hope, about the failure of this Council and its planning department to adequately ensure the standard of the built...
Resilience and diversity needed, not perpetual growth
The Byron Shire Resilience and Regeneration Roadshow hosted by Renew Fest and Resilient Byron, is kicking off on February 13 with a series of neighbourhood events.
Just good intentions
Dr Liz Elliott, Turning Point Talks Since October, Turning Point Talks has aired the views of Assange’s father John Shipton, of Aidan Ricketts (speaking against conspiracy theories), of world-class public bank advocate Ellen Brown and of wonderful David Holmgren, founder of...
