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Latest 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.
Other News
Mullum Ex-Services Club unveils renos
After months of anticipation, Mullum Ex-Services ClubMullum Ex-Services Club says it is proud to announce the completion of an extensive $4.5 million renovation, which ‘combines modern amenities, comfort, and community spirit’.
Water meter outrage
The Echo’s article about the Rous County Council (RCC) water meter flowback prevention device was very timely. We are...
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.
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.
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.
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.
Stories about "cinema review":
Paper Towns
Reduced to the core ingredient, your typical teen flick is driven by the need to have its young protagonists, after trials and tribulations, finally...
Chappie
There is an ‘all that glitters is not gold’ moral here: Unheralded South African director Neill Blomkamp caught everyone’s eye with his confronting futuristic drama District 9 (2009).
Unfinished Business
This entirely forgettable movie is most notable for the physical appearance of Dave Franco – I had no idea he was so tiny.
Focus
As an offshoot of the anti-hero paradigm, the crim-as-good-guy is a relatively recent development.
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Indophiles will tell you that India is not really like this – but in the same breath they will concede that, well, yes it is. The country is an enigma, embracing at every minute the ancient past and the cutting edge of tomorrow.
Jupiter Ascending
My first mistake was to see this in 2D and not 3D, for without the visual skullduggery it has little to offer. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that my second mistake was to see it at all when I could have been at home clearing leaf-litter out of the guttering.
Fifty Shades Of Grey
Anna, a virginal college undergraduate, is whisked away by Christian in his helicopter to the young billionaire’s palatial penthouse in Seattle. After a minimal preamble, she asks, ‘Are you going to make love to me now?’
What We Did On Our Holiday
It was a throwaway line from Mister Turner that boomeranged back into my head while watching this altogether adorable film; 'no good deed goes unpunished'.
Selma
Martin Luther King’s 'I have a dream' speech was one of the greatest ever made. It was delivered in 1963, two years before he led the famous freedom march from Selma…
Mr. Turner
Mike Leigh ventured into the Victorian era with his stupendous Topsy Turvy, an account of George Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s creation of The Mikado.
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.