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June 21, 2026
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The NT intervention laws that shape lives

This Sunday marks 19 years since the then Howard Government announced the Northern Territory Intervention laws – ‘The Intervention’ began with a media release by Mal Brough, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, on June 21, 2007.

Other News

A Church for All People

Celebrating its tenth year, the Brunswick Picture House personifies ‘A Church for All People’, in its packed, eclectic and biggest ever program. The next few weeks and months bring a throng of music superstars, a gang of Australia’s hottest comedians, and plenty of jaw-dropping burlesque beauties to blow your minds.

Dancing and fundraising for our children’s future

The recent premeditated killings of several children in Australia by their fathers has raised the issue of filicide (the deliberate act of a parent killing their own child) alongside the issue of domestic violence (DV) and femicide (the intentional murder of women or girls) as key areas that need research to help understand why these things happen.

Pups, people and police had a Dogly good time at Love Lennox

This year's Love Lennox Festival went off with a bang and a bark as the much anticipated Dogly Fun Show took over the main stage area for plenty of K9 fun.

The NT intervention laws that shape lives

local filmmaker Sinem Saban will be presenting back-to-back screenings in Murwillumbah of her two award-winning films that not only expose draconian Australian intervention policies, but also present the catastrophic fallout from these laws that have been unravelling in Aboriginal communities to this day.

Eclectic Selection for the week beginning 17 June 2026

Eclectic Selection: What’s on this week is a taste of some of the events that can be found in the Byron Shire and beyond this coming week.

Discovering Byron’s influence on Australian music

For a small regional area the Byron Shire and Northern Rivers have had an outsized impact on the culture and music in Australia.

Stories about "Ben Franklin MLC":

Future of Mullum Hospital site up in the air 

Eight years ago, the state government agreed to sell the old Mullumbimby Hospital site to Byron Shire Council (BSC) for $1 in a stunt by National Party member Ben Franklin. 

Old Byron Hospital gets new lease of life

It was a mid-week evening in June 2017 and The Echo was sitting alongside about 50 locals in a high-ceilinged room above the Byron Community Centre.

Byron CoLab opens on old Byron Bay Hospital site

Five years after community representatives and Byron Shire Council put a case to the NSW government to gift them the old Byron Bay Hospital site on the fringe of the CBD, the new Byron CoLab on Arakwal Country was officially opened this morning.

Missingham Park flood commemoration event

Despite free coffee and ice cream stalls, there was a very small turnout for the flood commemoration morning tea event at Missingham Park on the weekend.

Funding boost for Lennox and Ballina environment

The NSW Government this week announced new funding for environmental work in the Ballina region, as well as the certification of Ballina Shire Council’s Coastal Management Program for Lake Ainsworth.

Catching up with Ballina MP Tamara Smith

In the first of a two part series, the Greens MP for Ballina, Tamara Smith, talks about some of the big issues in her electorate.

Hemp industry given boost with development plan

A Hemp Industry Development Plan has been announced by the NSW government, which promises 'to unlock new opportunities for NSW businesses and add value to the state's low-THC hemp industry, which is forecast to become a $100 million Australian industry by 2032'.

Gambling harm recognised by Tweed Council, supported by Wesley Mission

Faith-based, not-for-profit organisation providing community services in NSW, Wesley Mission, has welcomed Tweed Shire Council’s decision to publicly recognise the impact of gambling harm and advocate for stronger harm-minimisation measures.

Winter Warmer fundraiser for homelessness

The annual Winter Warmer Homelessness Relief campaign, hosted by Dharma Care, will return for 2026 with cabaret at Salt, Kingscliff, on Thursday 2 July, headlined by comedian Mandy Nolan, interactive performance artist The Space Cowboy and the Kinship Doobai Dancers, with a Welcome to Country from Aunty Jackie.

Tweed Shire Council presents flood resilience series – part one

Over the coming weeks, Tweed Shire Council will present a flood resilience series, which looks at how 'Tweed's story is different from the standard flood recovery narrative and what happened next'.