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Tender to build rail trail from M’bah to Crabbes Creek awarded
The debate over the tender for the building of the rail trail between Murwillumbh and Crabbes Creek was ultimately...
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Cartoon of the week – 16 June, 2021
We love to receive letters, but not every letter will be published; the publication of letters is at the discretion of the online and print letters editors.
COVID-19 vaccination clinic opens at Tweed Mall
Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) has announced that a new location for getting the COVID -19 vaccination has opened today in Tweed Heads.
Nurses and midwives rally during Health Inquiry in Lismore
Nurses and midwives will be holding lunchtime rallies across the Northern Rivers calling for nurse-to-patient ratios and highlighting widespread issues being exposed at the rural health inquiry, which is due to hear submissions today in Lismore.
Gambian: ‘State budget must encourage uptake of electric vehicles’
The Nature Conservation Council has launched a campaign to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles in NSW, with a video and a petition.
Dunoon Dam from a Rocky Creek perspective
R Musgrave, Rocky Creek
Here’s a simple question about the proposed new Dunoon Dam and some local observations from a long-time...
Police withdraw charge against protester
The police case against a Byron local arrested at a ‘My body, my choice’ protest has been dropped, according to rally organiser Dean Jefferys.
Stories about "Fast Buck$":
Respect cuts both ways
The council elections will be taking place on September 4 this year. As a community we have a choice on how we head into those debates around policy and local government issues and how we choose to conduct ourselves.
Simon Richardson steps down as Byron Shire Mayor
In an eventful day for Byron Shire Council, pot-stirrer Fast Buck$ was ejected from the council chambers yesterday and later Cr Simon Richardson announced that he will be stepping down as mayor from the end of next week.
Where’s my gong?
Fast Buck$, Coorabell
Another Australia Day has come and gone and still I've received no gong! After more than eight years attending nearly every Council...
Byron Council moves to censor critic
After many years of inconvenience to the local government establishment, Council’s general manager Mark Arnold is now considering whether to refuse public access to...
The danger of delegated authority as The Echo gambles its reputation on a town planner
When in February 1996 Fast Buck$ obtained a file that described a developer in Byron Bay obtaining preferential treatment from Council, he published an advertisement in The Echo headed, ‘Something stinks at Hog’s Breath’.
Re-zoning back on the agenda: Beating off the Academy rort
During the 1987–91 term of Council an application was made to develop a large site at Broken Head as an ‘academy’.
Illegal development: it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission
In the early 90s ICAC made some findings in relation to north coast councils that certain arrangements were ‘conducive to corruption’. This term was discontinued after the extremist pro-development lobby loudly complained
GM’s delegation powers questioned
A councillor decision at the September 21, 2017 meeting that updated the general manager’s (GM) delegated powers has been questioned by longtime council critic Fast Buck$ aka John Anderson.
Free reign
Fast Buck$, Coorabell
I think it was the October Council meeting. I was complaining yet again that staff were concealing important matters by hiding them in...
Byron council screwed over hospital sewerage
Fast Buck$, Coorabell. I refer to Echo story concerning the decision to connect the new hospital’s sewerage to the central system rather than construct an onsite disposal system. I am concerned that council staff are reported as saying ‘The decision to connect to the sewer line was a Health Department decision’.
Local News
Massive multi-dwelling Paterson Street DA before Planning Panel
The Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP), an unelected consent authority that overrides Council decision making, will be considering a 14 townhouse DA for Paterson...
Local News
Backsliders coming to Lennox
Australian music legends the Backsliders are coming to Lennox Head for the first time, to play at the Lennox Head Cultural Centre on Saturday 26 June 2021.
Byron Echo
Youth stage features at Byron Music Festival
Byron Youth Service says it is proud to be partnering with Byron Music to host the first ever Youth Stage event at the Byron Music Festival, to be held around the CBD and beachfront from June 18 to 20.
Byron Echo
Echo ad leads to AVO arrest of Council activist
Vocal Council critic and longtime activist, John Anderson, aka Fast Buck$, was arrested last Friday night for allegedly breaching his Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) by an Echo ad.
