With Tweed councillor Kimberly Hone accusing her fellow councillors of negotiating preference deals with an unnamed Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP) member – and her subsequent expulsion from the chamber around her refusal to retract her remarks, The Echo was provided comment from the man The Echo believes Cr Hone was referring to – planning academic at Bond Uni, Ned Wales.

Tweed Shire councillor Kimberly Hone was removed by police from Council chambers yesterday after refusing to comply with a vote of her peers, sparking comments from Once Nation’s Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce.

In line with their dysfunctional Coalition partner, The Nationals have just lurched even further to the right, elevating Queensland senator Matt Canavan to party leader following the sudden departure of David Littleproud.

Tired of being out of the political spotlight, Barnaby Joyce has declared he won't re-contest his New England seat at the next election, supposedly due to dissatisfaction with his party's leadership, but he hasn't yet quit the Nationals, or responded definitively to speculation that he's joining Pauline Hanson's One Nation.

While Richmond obsesses over the tussle between three fiery female candidates, in neighbouring Page the Nationals' MP Kevin Hogan is coasting to almost certain victory over his outgunned Greens opponent Luke Robinson and a Labor candidate who's unknown in most of the electorate, Wendy Backhous.

A journalist told the truth in public. Shock! Horror! Of course Australia is a racist country, and always has been.

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.

After nine long years of being led by the least among us, Australia’s future feels optimistic. Thanks, Western Australia, you were instrumental in booting those numpties out! 

Last week, Acting PM Michael McCormack managed the tricky feat of making the absent Scott Morrison look good, at least by comparison. Perhaps that's now the Nationals' role in the Canberra circus?