No-one would tolerate killing six teenagers with methanol-laced alcohol in Australia, as occurred recently in Laos. But in Australia, you can’t check your drugs to see if they’re safe.

My beloved Lynda Dean was the rock and the heart that held in place not only me and our family, but an extraordinary network of friends and communities throughout the Byron Shire and far beyond.

Urgent questions are being raised about Byron Bay’s future as the NSW government increasingly uses fast-tracked planning pathways that can allow major developments to bypass or vary local planning controls, including height limits, raising concerns about how Byron’s unique character, built environment, and community expectations will be protected.

The Mullumbimby Country Women’s Association has played a pivotal role in the local community for the last 100 years.