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Latest 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.
Other News
Cost shifting excluded in Byron council’s financial review
An independent review of the financial model applying to local government in NSW would seem at first glance to be a welcome opportunity for councils such as Byron.
Lights will always be on at Main Arm’s Kohinur Hall
After being badly damaged during the 2022 floods, the much-loved Kohinur Hall is once again starting to live up to its reputation for being the arts and cultural hub of the Main Arm community.
Tweed hospital and playgrounds welcomed
State Labor politicians have officially welcomed two upgraded playgrounds and a new hospital built in the Tweed Shire.
Big family Kaleido fun day May 5
Following the success of Blue on Burringbar Festival in Mullumbimby last year, the Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce and Creative Mullum are putting on a fun, interactive community event this year on Sunday, 5 May.
Lismore South Public School rebuild to withstand future floods
Following consultation with the local community and other stakeholders the Lismore South Public School and the Ngulliboo Jarjums Preschool will be rebuilt.
Editorial – Giving it a tick and flick
The rezoning of high-value agricultural land for future housing – some on floodplains – is likely to be rushed through at Thursday’s Council meeting with last-minute tinkering – see page 1.
Stories about "political donations":
The price of political influence
Despite promises of reform when the Albanese Government was elected, Australia’s political donation laws remain unchanged, which is why it took until last week to find out who was donating in the last financial year, via the AEC's Transparency Register.
Call to end political donations from fossil fuel companies
The Australian Electoral Commission has disclosed political donations for the 2020-2021 financial year showing that $959,155 was donated to the three major parties from...
Editorial – Fossil fools buy seats at leadership table
Conspiracy theories abound these days. Most of them are feeble balloons that can be popped with one or two sharp facts, but a few contain some truth.
Abolish business influence on government
Hayo van der Woude, Mullumbimby.
We saw the expressionless party mouthpiece, Julie Bishop, become more like her real self, speaking for women and more closely...
Thus Spake Mungo: Why Turnbull’s xenophobic new laws won’t work
Given that just about all our prime minister’s announcements proclaim the greatest reform since federation, or the most sweeping advance since the second world war, or at least the sexiest makeover since last week, you could be forgiven for not getting over-excited about these.
Fossil-fuel donations loom as Richmond poll issue
The Greens’ candidate for the federal seat of Richmond, Dawn Walker, has called on her Labor rival, sitting MP Justine Elliott, to back their...
Time for a Royal Commission into mining and govt corruption
Charles John Lincoln, Gulmarrad. There once was a saying, ‘all roads lead to Rome’. Now things have changed: now ‘all gifts and brown paper bags lead to the various political parties’ head offices from building developers and mining industries for favours rendered.’
Greens blast big party stance on political donations
Labor has voted with the Liberals and Nationals to block a Senate motion that detailed their failure to return all the political donations that they have received from the CSG company Santos. The motion also called for a ban on political donations from mining and coal seam gas companies.
Experts reject political donations ban
A complete ban on political donations in NSW would not be in the public interest, an expert panel has found.
Greens want coal, gas political donations banned
Following yesterday’s announcement from state Labor that it would end all CSG mining in the northern rivers if elected, the Greens have ratcheted up the debate by calling on political donations from mining and gas companies to be banned.
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.
Science Goes Viral
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.
Byron Echo
Disaster recovery needs to meet children’s needs: report
Paul Bibby - 0
Children and young people living in the region’s temporary emergency pod villages have been exposed to community and domestic violence, drug-affected residents, and arguments between neighbours, a year long study has found.