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"Absolute disappointment": Home and Away fans slam season finale

<p>Fans of <em>Home and Away</em> have been left outraged after the finale of the 2024 season, with many claiming it was "boring and predictable".</p> <p>Viewers of the long-running Aussie soap were disappointed by the feature-length episode that  promised "bloodshed" and "deadly consequences" and while it ended with two lives hanging in the balance.</p> <p>The show is set to return on January 13th and pick up where it left off, leading to the resolution that will see fans waiting almost two months for answers.</p> <p>After Thursday night's finale, hundreds of fans flocked to social media to share their annoyance over all the drama being crammed into the last 10 minutes of the episode, despite its 90-minute runtime. </p> <p>"Found the last episode so boring and predictable," one fan said. "How many more coppers are going to end up in jail?"</p> <p>"I have to say, that was ridiculously s**t for a season finale," another complained. "The best bit was the last 15 seconds."</p> <p>"That was the worst ending," someone else said, with another agreeing. "What an absolute disappointment for this year's final episode. Love Home and Away, but this was by far the worst final episode of the season ever."</p> <p>"I was so disappointed with the ending," another fan said. "I expected it to be more drama/suspense but it was quite boring in my opinion. Now an almost 2 month wait for the show to return."</p> <p>While many were disappointed, others were excited to see how the dramatic storyline is set to be resolved in the new year. </p> <p>"I'm so excited for the new season," one fan said. "What am l going to do without this lol it’s pretty sad when you so look forward to it at 7pm," another lamented. "I can't believe I've got to wait till next year, it's already killing me," someone else agreed.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Home and Away </em></p> <p> </p>

TV

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AFL star ties the knot in stunning wedding

<p>AFL star Darcy Fort is married!</p> <p>The Brisbane Lions player, 31, has tied the knot with partner Jasmine Weiss. </p> <p>The club shared the happy news on their official Instagram page, with the caption:  "Congratulations to @darcyfort and his partner Jasmine on tying the knot over the break! 👩🏼‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻."</p> <p>Jasmine, who has since taken on her husband's surname Fort, looked stunning in an off-the-shoulder wedding dress, with her hair flowing as the pair took pictures during the sunset. </p> <p>The AFL star looked dapper in a classic black and white tuxedo and bow tie. </p> <p>The couple's wedding had some AFL stars in attendance, including Geelong star Gryan Miers and partner Gemma Creighton, who also shared some sweet snaps from the day on Instagram.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCiZgddTKZv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCiZgddTKZv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Brisbane Lions 🦁 (@brisbanelions)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Celebrating the Forts 🥳🥂," she captioned her post, looking chic in a green cocktail dress.</p> <p>She shared a picture of the newlyweds at their reception surrounded by their loved ones who held sparklers up for the married couple. </p> <p>Jasmine changed outfits for the reception, this time wearing a silky halter neck dress for the celebrations. </p> <p>Jasmine and Darcy got engaged in October last year, with Darcy proposing while the couple were on a romantic holiday in Italy. </p> <p>They have been dating since at least 2019. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Prince Philip's final phone call to King Charles revealed

<p>Prince Philip was known for his quick wit and sense of humour, and now his family have shared their favourite moments with him in the BBC documentary <em>Prince Philip: The Family Remembers</em>. </p> <p>In the documentary, King Charles revealed the cheeky remarks the Duke made in their final phone call just hours before his passing on April 9, 2021 at the age of 99. </p> <p>Charles recalled discussing the Duke's upcoming 100th birthday celebrations and having to raise his voice so his father could hear him better, saying: “We’re talking about your birthday! And whether there’s going to be a reception!” </p> <p>The Duke quipped: “Well, I’ve got to be alive for it, haven’t I?”</p> <p>King Charles fondly shared what he said to his father's cheeky remark, “I told him ‘I knew you’d say that!'”.</p> <p>In another part of the documentary, the monarch recalled the benefits of having young parents. </p> <p>“He was marvellous at arranging silly games. I mean, the fun of having obviously young parents was… there were lots of chasing around and mad things," he said.</p> <p>Prince William also shared some of his fond memories with his late grandfather, recalling the pranks they used to pull together, and one of them being squirting mustard all over the ceiling - much to the Queen’s annoyance.</p> <p> “He used to take the lid off [the tube] and put it in your hands … and then he’d squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling," William said. </p> <p>“He used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother,” he added.</p> <p>William’s cousins, Princess Anne’s children Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, also remembered the same prank. </p> <p>“He gets you to hold it in your hands and I can’t remember exactly what he says — but he ends up slamming your hands together… it goes all over the ceiling,” Zara said.</p> <p>Her brother Peter added: “I actually think the marks are still there.”</p> <p><em>Image: Canadian Press/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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Court views footage of final moments before Clare Nowland was tasered

<p>A registered nurse with nearly 50 years of experience has expressed her deep concern regarding the tasering of 95-year-old Clare Nowland, a resident at Yallambee Lodge nursing home in Cooma, New South Wales.</p> <p>The incident occurred in the early hours of May 17, 2023, and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/clare-nowland-dies-officer-charged" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resulted in Nowland's death</a>, a great-grandmother suffering from dementia.</p> <p>Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White, 34, is currently on trial in the NSW Supreme Court facing manslaughter charges related to the incident. He has pleaded not guilty, asserting that he acted lawfully under his duties as a police officer.</p> <p>During her testimony, Nurse Rosaline Baker recounted her alarm when she called triple-0 after Nowland had grabbed two steak knives and a jug of prunes from the kitchen. Following her call for help, White and Acting Sergeant Rachel Pank arrived on the scene after two paramedics. Together with Baker, they located Nowland in a treatment room. When White pulled out his taser, Baker admitted she was unfamiliar with the device and felt "kind of curious". However, her curiosity turned to horror when she heard a loud noise and witnessed Nowland being struck by the stun gun. "I was very, very concerned when she was falling to the ground," Baker stated in court.</p> <p>The trial has revealed troubling details about Nowland's condition and behaviour leading up to that fateful night. Expert testimony indicated that her behaviour had escalated over the three months prior to her death. She exhibited increasingly anti-social behaviour, such as taking food from other residents, attempting to undress in public areas, and refusing assistance from staff. CCTV footage presented during the trial showed Nowland physically lashing out at staff members and even getting stuck in a tree, as well as footage showing the final moments of Nowland's life as she hid from emergency service staff – including Senior Constable White.</p> <p>Nowland had been admitted to the hospital on April 16 and prescribed the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal to manage her aggressive behaviour after incidents involving punching and biting staff. Under questioning by defence barrister Troy Edwards SC, an expert acknowledged that Nowland's behaviour just before she was tasered could have been influenced by a recent reduction in her medication dosage.</p> <p>The trial continues.</p> <p><em>Images: 7 News</em></p>

Caring

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Queen Elizabeth's final diary entry revealed

<p>The final dairy entry of Queen Elizabeth, written in the days before her death, has been revealed for the first time. </p> <p>Featuring in Robert Hardman’s biography on King Charles, <em>Charles III: New King, New Court</em>, the final entry in Her Majesty's personal diary delves into the last days of her life. </p> <p>During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth kept a private diary to record key events: a tradition she upheld until her final days.</p> <p>The passage, which was penned on September 6th, was made at Balmoral just two days before she died at age 96. </p> <p>She wrote that her private secretary, Edward Young, had visited her, and shared some highlights about swearing in new Privy Council members.</p> <p>“It transpires that she was still writing it at Balmoral two days before her death,” Hardman wrote. </p> <p>“Her last entry was as factual and practical as ever. It could have been describing another normal working day starting in the usual way — ‘Edward came to see me’ — as she noted the arrangements which her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, had made for the swearing-in of the new ministers of the Truss administration.”</p> <p>The Queen’s final engagement was asking Liz Truss to form a government after the resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.</p> <p>According to <em>The Telegraph UK</em>, Queen Elizabeth's diary-writing habit is one she passed on to King Charles, with a senior courtier revealing that Charles “doesn’t write great narrative diaries like she used to,” but he does “scribble down his recollections and reflections”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Caring

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Bondi Junction attack victim's family reveals final phone call

<p>Heartbreaking details have emerged of the final video call hero security guard Faraz Tahir made hours before the tragedy. </p> <p>Tahir, was one of six victims killed during the Bondi Junction stabbing attack on April 13, and the only male victim to die in the attacks as he confronted knifeman Joel Cauchi.</p> <p>His loved ones have shared details of the final video call he made before going to work on that tragic day, ahead of a coronial inquest into the massacre beginning on Tuesday. </p> <p>Tahir's family said he was very excited to be starting his new life in a country he described as safe and "very peaceful". </p> <p>"That day ... he was talking to the whole family on a video call in Pakistan, and he was dressed up, and he told us that he was preparing to go to a job," the family told <em>Seven News</em>. </p> <p>"He said it's my first shift in Bondi Junction ... and he was really excited.</p> <p>"He finally felt safe in Australia … he said 'Australia is very beautiful, Australia is very exciting and very peaceful.'"</p> <p>Tahir and colleague Muhammad Taha ran to help when they heard people screaming and shouting.</p> <p>His family said they were proud of the courage Tahir showed during the horrific event. </p> <p>"He was serving as a security guard, and he went above and beyond ... we definitely consider him a hero," they told <em>Seven News</em>. </p> <p>“He did what he was meant to do to protect humanity." </p> <p>“And his sacrifice will make things better in future... to prevent these sorts of incidents happening again.”</p> <p>The inquest is set to go over evidence and hear from a handful of witnesses, which the family said will bring back painful memories. </p> <p>“It is an emotional time... to be going through it again,” they said.</p> <p>"The memories will come back."</p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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AFL star's surprise wedding

<p>AFL star Jacob Weitering has tied the knot with his partner Isabel Khan in a surprise wedding on Friday. </p> <p>The pair went public with the news two days after the biggest celebration of their lives at Quat Quatta in Melbourne. </p> <p>Isabel posted several photos and videos on Instagram, with the caption "The best day of my life." </p> <p>Weitering's team-mate Sam Docherty and his partner Natalie played a big role in the day, with Natalie posting several videos on her Instagram story of the newlyweds after the ceremony. </p> <p>In a separate post, Docherty wrote: "Celebrating the Weiterings.</p> <p>"Congratulations on pulling off the surprise of the year honoured to share in your special day." </p> <p>Isabel replied "Couldn't have done it without you."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCNQ9oSzvGP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCNQ9oSzvGP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Isabel Weitering (@isabelweitering)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The surprise wedding took place five months after the couple got engaged. </p> <p>The bride looked stunning as she walked down the aisle in a flowy gown with a sweetheart neckline detail. </p> <p>The couple were also filmed delivering their vows, sharing a kiss and posing for pictures and they walked back down the aisle together for the first time as husband and wife. </p> <p>In another clip the pair posed with their two puppies, with Isabel unable to contain her joy. </p> <p>Fellow AFL players were in attendance, including Zac Fisher and his wife Bella, who also tied the knot earlier this year. </p> <p>The milestone comes after the footy star signed a six-year contract extension with the Blues last month. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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New details about Queen Elizabeth's final hours revealed

<p>The final hours of Queen Elizabeth's life have been shared in a tell-all new book about the royals, detailing how Her Majesty was forced to pull out of an important meeting before she died. </p> <p>In his book, <em>Charles III: New King, New Court</em>, author Robert Hardman shared that the day before her death, Queen Elizabeth had met the departing British prime minister, Boris Johnson, and his replacement, Liz Truss, at Balmoral and attended a drinks party that same evening. </p> <p>Hardman wrote that the Queen felt "buzzy" at the event, but her health quickly took a turn for the worst. </p> <p>“She was quite buzzy over pre-dinner drinks,” one guest at the party told Hardman. </p> <p>“But then she said she was going upstairs to have dinner alone.”</p> <p>The monarch then spent the next day in bed, but reportedly arranged with the Privy Council to dial in via video link for an important meeting. </p> <p>As her health deteriorated throughout the day, that was changed to allow for her to call from her bedroom in an audio-only capacity, according to Hardman.</p> <p>But just moments before the meeting was set to get underway, the Queen reportedly made the difficult decision to cancel entirely on “medical advice”.</p> <p>It was that evening that then-Prince Charles was advised by Princess Anne and his private secretary to make his way urgently to his mother’s bedside, with fears that the end was near.</p> <p>Hardman writes that the following day, Charles was told his mother had died over the phone, having briefly left her bedside to have a moment to himself outside.</p> <p>Sadly, most of the royal family didn't make it to Balmoral in time to see the Queen before she passed, with Prince William, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie all landing 40 minutes later.</p> <p>Prince Harry shared in his own memoir <em>Spare</em> that he learned of his grandmother’s death by reading it in a BBC breaking news alert, moments after his own flight landed.</p> <p>The Queen died at 3:10pm on September 8th 2022, after more than 70 years on the throne.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Caring

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Hugh Grant finally reveals his children's names

<p>Hugh Grant has revealed the names of his two youngest daughters for the first time in a candid interview moment. </p> <p>The English actor and father-of-five has never announced the names of two of his children or the gender of his youngest offspring.</p> <p>Now, during an interview with talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, the 64-year-old finally shared that his youngest child was a girl and shared her name with viewers.</p> <p>During a conversation about his own unusual middle name, Mungo, he said, "I was in a bit of a panic with my wife on the day we named [our daughter]."</p> <p>Sharing the hilarious inspiration behind the name, he said, "We thought it might be nice for her when she was older if she could say in bars that her middle name is Danger. So, her name is Lulu Danger Grant. Austin Powers, you know?"</p> <p>Hugh, who also has a son named John Mungo, went on to reveal that his youngest isn't the only child in the family with a fun name. </p> <p>He went on to say that he and his wife Anna were stressed when naming their first daughter, and decided to ask their son for advice. </p> <p>"We asked her elder brother when she was on the way, 'there's a new baby coming along, what shall we call her?'", Hugh explained. "And he said 'Kevin', because that was his favourite Minion."</p> <p>"And we did think about calling her Kevin, but then we said, 'you'd better think of something else', and he said 'Blue', because that was his favourite colour."</p> <p>The announcement was out of character for Hugh, who despite being a huge Hollywood name, tends to keep his personal life out of the spotlight.</p> <p><em>Image credits: YouTube</em></p>

Family & Pets

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From cheeky thrill to grande dame – the Moulin Rouge celebrates 135 years of scandal and success

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/will-visconti-805914">Will Visconti</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>When the Moulin Rouge first opened on October 6 1889, it drew audiences from across classes and countries.</p> <p>The Moulin offered an array of <em>fin-de-siècle</em> (end-of-the-century) entertainments to Paris locals and visitors. Located in <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mont/hd_mont.htm">Montmartre</a>, its name, the “red windmill”, alluded to Montmartre’s history as a rural idyll. The neighbourhood was also associated with artistic bohemia, crime, and revolutionary spirit. This setting added a certain thrill for bourgeois audiences.</p> <p>From irreverent newcomer to a French institution, the Moulin Rouge has survived scandal, an inferno and found new ways to connect with audiences.</p> <h2>Red and electric</h2> <p>In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was not the only red landmark to open in Paris. The <a href="https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/news/history-and-culture/133-years-and-1083-feet#:%7E:text=The%20Tower%20would%20open%20to,Eiffel%20workshop%20in%20Levallois%2DPerret.">Eiffel Tower</a>, built as part of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/worlds-fair#ref1122093">Universal Exhibition</a> and originally painted red, had opened earlier that same year. What set them apart, however, was their popularity.</p> <p>The Moulin Rouge was an instant hit, capitalising on the global popularity of a dance called <a href="https://www.moulinrouge.fr/en/french-cancan-2/">the cancan</a>. Dancers like Moulin Rouge headliner <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_de_la_danseuse_de_cancan_Louise_Weber_(1866-1929)_dite_la_Goulue_(%C3%A0_gauche)_et_de_Grille_d%27%C3%A9gout_(%C3%A0_droite),_da,_PH41845.jpg"><em>La Goulue</em> </a>(“The Glutton”, real name Louise Weber) were seen as more appropriate emblems for the city than the Tower, which many <a href="https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/news/130-years/artists-who-protested-eiffel-tower">considered an eyesore</a>.</p> <p>In an illustration from <em>Le Courrier Français</em> newspaper, a dancer modelled on a photograph of La Goulue holds her leg aloft, flashing her underwear with the caption “<a href="https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1070090h/f1.image">Greetings to the provinces and abroad!</a>”.</p> <p>Every aspect of the Moulin spoke to the zeitgeist, from its design to the performances, the use of electric lights that adorned its façade, and its advertising.</p> <p>Its managers, the impresario team of <a href="https://www.moulinrouge.fr/en/the-great-periods/#:%7E:text=The%20masters%20of%20the%20place%20were%20Joseph%20Oller%20and%20Charles%20Zidler">Joseph Oller and Charles Harold Zidler</a>, had a string of successful venues and businesses to their names. They recognised the importance of modern marketing, using print media, publicity photographs, and <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cheret_Bal_au_moulin_rouge.jpg">posters</a> to spark public interest.</p> <p>Among the most iconic images of the Moulin is <a href="http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.339766">Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1891 poster</a>. At its centre is La Goulue, kicking her legs amid swirling petticoats.</p> <h2>She certainly can cancan</h2> <p>Found primarily in working-class dance halls from as early as the 1820s, the cancan became a staple of popular entertainment the world over.</p> <p>Part of the dance’s thrill lay in the dancers’ <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Goulue_y_Valentin_le_D%C3%A9soss%C3%A9_bailando_en_el_Moulin_Rouge,_Th%C3%A9ophile_Steinlen.jpg">freedom of movement</a> and titillation of spectators, as well as its anti-establishment energy. Women used the cancan to thumb their nose at authority via steps like the <em>coup de cul</em> (“arse flash”) or <em>coup du chapeau</em> (removing men’s hats with a high kick).</p> <p>The cancan was not the only attraction at the Moulin. There were themed spaces, sideshows, and variety performances ranging from belly dancers and conjoined twins to <a href="https://www.weirdhistorian.com/le-petomane/">Le Pétomane</a> (“The Fartomaniac”) who was a flatulist and the highest-paid performer. People watching was equally popular.</p> <h2>Scandals, riots, and royalty</h2> <p>Over the years, the Moulin has been no stranger to controversy.</p> <p>In its early years, it cultivated an air of misbehaviour and featured in pleasure guides for visiting sex tourists.</p> <p>In 1893 it hosted the <a href="https://read.dukeupress.edu/french-historical-studies/article-abstract/33/1/69/9638/The-Art-of-Posing-Nude-Models-Moralists-and-the?redirectedFrom=PDF">Bal des Quat’z’Arts</a> (Four-Arts Ball) held by students from local studios. Accusations of public indecency were made against the models and dancers in attendance, and violent protests followed after the women were arrested.</p> <p>In 1907 the writer Colette appeared onstage at the Moulin in an Egyptian-inspired pantomime with her then-lover, <a href="https://daily.jstor.org/the-cross-dressing-superstar-of-the-belle-epoque/">Missy, the Marquise de Belbeuf</a>. When the act culminated in a passionate kiss, a riot broke out.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7N_dvUptKX8?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Historical footage shows the Moulin Rouge as it was.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Kicking on and on</h2> <p>Over time, the Moulin Rouge shows changed their format to keep pace with public taste, though the cancan remained. The venue hosted revues and operettas, and various stars including Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli.</p> <p>Famous guests have included British royalty: from Edward VII (while Prince of Wales) to his great-granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, and her son, Prince Edward.</p> <p>Since its opening, the Moulin’s fortunes have waxed and waned.</p> <p>In 1915 the Moulin Rouge <a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/iht-retrospective.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/1915-fire-destroys-moulin-rouge/">burned down</a> but was rebuilt in 1921. Its famous windmill sails <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68895836">fell off overnight</a> earlier this year but were swiftly repaired.</p> <p>In the 1930s, it survived the Depression and rise of cinema (also <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019186/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4">capturing the attention</a> of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025520/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3">several filmakers</a>). It also survived the <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/article/i-took-nazis-to-the-moulin-rouge-they-sent-me-to-auschwitz-s3lzxcwwn8q">Nazi occupation</a> of Paris in the 1940s.</p> <p>By the early 1960s, <a href="https://www.moulinrouge.fr/en/the-moulin-rouge/history/the-great-periods/#:%7E:text=Charles%20Trenet-,F%20FOR%20FORMIDABLE,-In%201962%2C%20Jacki">Jacki Clerico</a> was managing the Moulin’s show after his father had revamped the venue as a dinner theatre destination. The younger Clérico oversaw additions like a giant aquarium where dancers swam with snakes, and its now-famous “nude line” – a chorus of topless dancers – in its shows.</p> <p>In 1963, the Moulin Rouge struck upon a winning formula: revues, all named by Clérico with titles beginning with the letter “F” – from <em>Frou Frou</em> to <em>Fantastique</em> and <em>Formidable</em>. Since 1999, the revue <em>Féerie</em> (“Fairy”, also a <a href="https://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/383977/Feeries.pdf?sequence=1">French genre</a> of stage extravaganza) has been performed almost without interruption.</p> <p>Ticket sales were boosted thanks to Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203009/">Moulin Rouge!</a> and more recently <a href="https://moulinrougemusical.com/new-york/home/">Moulin Rouge! The Musical</a>.</p> <p>Since COVID, the Moulin Rouge management have diversified. The windmill’s interior has been <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/the-iconic-moulin-rouge-windmill-reveals-a-secret-room-for-an-overnight-stay-with-airbnb/">rented out via AirBnB</a> and the Moulin’s <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/moulin-rouge-yes-we-can-can">dance troupe</a> has performed on France’s televised New Year’s Eve celebrations. This year, the Moulin Rouge and its dancers were part of the <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@saskyacnn/video/7398138810984320288?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7384693687676749320">Paris Olympics celebrations</a>, dancing in heavy rain.</p> <p>Though people have come to appreciate the Eiffel Tower too, the Moulin Rouge can still argue its status as the pinnacle of live entertainment in the French capital: immediately recognisable, internationally visible, and quintessentially Parisian.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239849/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/will-visconti-805914">Will Visconti</a>, Teacher and researcher, Art History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-cheeky-thrill-to-grande-dame-the-moulin-rouge-celebrates-135-years-of-scandal-and-success-239849">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

International Travel

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World’s longest treasure hunt ends as Golden Owl finally unearthed in France

<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">After more than three decades of mystery and intrigue, the world’s longest-running treasure hunt has come to a thrilling conclusion with the discovery of the elusive Golden Owl. Valued at approximately $240,000, the treasure had captivated the imaginations of thousands since it was first buried in France in the early 1990s.</span></p> <p>The hunt began with the publication of the now-famous book, <em>On the Trail of the Golden Owl</em>, written by communications expert Régis Hauser under the pseudonym “Max Valentin” and illustrated by artist Michel Becker. The 1993 book challenged readers to solve a series of intricate riddles and clues, which, when deciphered, would reveal the owl’s secret location.</p> <p>Despite years of painstaking attempts to crack the mystery, the Golden Owl remained hidden for decades, surviving even its creator. Hauser passed away in 2009, leaving the prize still buried. Michel Becker, who took over the management of the hunt, delivered the long-awaited news on October 3 via an online announcement that sparked a frenzy among treasure hunters: “A potential winning solution is currently being verified.”</p> <p>Two hours later, he confirmed: “Don’t go digging! We confirm that the Golden Owl countermark was unearthed last night.”</p> <p>The treasure hunt’s <a href="https://goldenowlhunt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official website was also updated with the announcement</a>, bringing an end to a search that has been both thrilling and, for some, overwhelming.</p> <p><strong>The obsession and madness behind the search</strong></p> <p>For over 30 years, the Golden Owl hunt transcended being just a hobby for many treasure hunters and became an all-consuming obsession. While some enjoyed it as a leisurely pursuit, others were driven to extreme lengths – financially, emotionally and mentally. The search for the owl has been linked to personal crises, including financial ruin and broken marriages. At least one individual reportedly ended up in an asylum due to their fixation on solving the hunt’s riddles.</p> <p>The toll wasn’t limited to individuals. Searchers caused considerable disruption across France, digging unauthorised holes in public and private lands. In one eastern French village, the local mayor was forced to plead with hunters to stop digging around its chapel, while in other cases, searchers brought power tools to banks and even considered destroying structures in the hopes of unearthing the treasure.</p> <p><strong>The Golden Owl’s elusive clues</strong></p> <p><em>On the Trail of the Golden Owl</em> contained a complex series of 11 riddles, each paired with a painting by Becker. The riddles, combined with maps, colours and hidden details, challenged readers to work out the owl’s hidden location.</p> <p>Before his death, Hauser revealed three crucial elements to solving the puzzle:</p> <p>The use of maps: Hunters needed to work with maps to narrow down the search area and use a specific map to pinpoint the final zone.</p> <p>A “mega trick”: This was the key to using the sequence of riddles to locate the final area where the owl was hidden.</p> <p>A final hidden riddle: Once in the final zone, hunters had to uncover one last riddle to lead them to the exact spot of the treasure.</p> <p><strong>Joyous celebration among treasure hunters</strong></p> <p>The treasure-hunting community was overjoyed when the news broke, with many expressing their disbelief and excitement. “Finally – liberated!” exclaimed one fan on the hunt’s Discord forum. Another added, “I didn’t think I’d live to see the day.”</p> <p>As of now, the exact location of the owl’s discovery and the identity of the finder remain undisclosed. However, Becker hinted at the complexity involved in concluding this monumental hunt. “Tons of emotions to manage for all those who are responsible for managing the end of this episode and complex logistics to put in place,” he said in a statement on October 6.</p> <p>For now, the Golden Owl, a treasure that has held a generation of sleuths in its grasp, has been unearthed. Yet, the fascination with its story will undoubtedly linger for years to come.</p> <p><em>Images/Illustrations: Michel Becker</em></p>

International Travel

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Why Sam Newman could be banned from the MCG

<p>Sam Newman could face a two-year ban from the MCG over this one simple act. </p> <p>The former AFL player, who has been a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club for more than 50 years, could be banned from next year's Grand Final after he revealed that he had "transferred a ticket" to his son's friend earlier this week. </p> <p>“My son said ‘have you got any tickets?’ I said ‘No, but I get a ticket from the MCG because I am a member’,” he explained on his <em>You Cannot Be Serious</em> podcast.</p> <p>“I said ‘why don’t you get one from the MCG’?</p> <p>“So he applied and got one and he had a friend in Perth who he gave the ticket to.</p> <p>“Then he called me on the day and said his friend couldn’t get in because ‘they said he was trying to impersonate you’ (Newman) and ‘that the other bit of bad news is you have been suspended from going to next year’s grand final because you have tried to sneak someone in on your ticket’.</p> <p>“I had no intention of trying to sneak anyone in. I just thought if I get issued a ticket I can give it to someone," he continued.</p> <p>Despite the suspension, the former footy star said he "couldn't care less" about the potential suspension.</p> <p>“Ignorance is bliss. I don’t care if they ban me from every Grand Final because while they go on with that pompous, arrogant, nonsense beforehand (the Welcome to Country), I just won’t go.”</p> <p>In a statement shared to the <em>Herald Sun</em>, the MCC noted that all members were advised of the restrictions around tickets for the Brisbane Lions vs Sydney Swans grand final ahead of the game. </p> <p>“The Melbourne Cricket Club does not make comment in relation to disciplinary matters and all members must adhere to the Club’s Code of Conduct,” a spokesperson said.</p> <p>“Eligible members of the Melbourne Cricket Club were able to access the 2024 AFL Grand Final subject to membership restrictions which were communicated to members in advance of the event.”</p> <p>Newman will wait to see whether he will receive any punishment, which would range from a membership suspension or restrictions between six months and two years.</p> <p><em>Images: X</em></p>

Legal

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Heartbreaking final message from beloved TV icon

<p>Australian TV icon Fiona MacDonald has died after a "very tough battle" with motor neurone disease, announcing her own death on social media. </p> <p>Fiona died with her sister Kylie and sons by her side, writing in her final post she had “left the building” in an emotional message shared by her sister. </p> <p>“Last night brought an end to a very tough few months,” she said.</p> <p>“Was very peaceful, the boys and Kylie stayed with me to say goodbye. While I’ve never wanted to die, the thought of leaving my tortured body was a relief.”</p> <p>She went on to detail how she had been struggling in her final months, saying she was "slowly starving, growing weaker and weaker," but even at the very end, always kept her "black humour that served me well through the first years of this journey".</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DApP3VWz0b9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DApP3VWz0b9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by fionafinewines (@fionafinewines)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She ended her post writing, "So let’s not call it goodbye as I hope to see you again on the other side. I carry your love and laughter with me and hope you’ll remember mine."</p> <p>MacDonald was a television regular during the 1980s as the host of popular children’s program <em>Wombat</em> alongside a puppet called Agro, and also the host of the gameshow <em>It’s A Knockout</em>.</p> <p>Fiona was first diagnose with motor neurone disease in 2021, and had been keeping her fans updated on there health journey on Instagram. </p> <p>Tributes have flooded MacDonald’s post, with friend and sculptor Cybele Rowe commenting, “What a spectacular human you were here on this planet! I’m sure there is something fabulously entertaining on the other side and you’re just joining in the groove.”</p> <p>“Shine on Sista, Like the moon, the stars and the Sun. Big love to all your loving family.”</p> <p>"Oh Fiona what a shining light you have been," added TV Chef Lyndey Milan. "So brave, strong, courageous and magnificent in cruel adversity. Sending love to your family and your incredible, supportive friends."</p> <p>"Time to rest beautiful Fi," wrote journalist and TV host Melissa Hoyer. "You will be missed. Thinking of you, the boys &amp; your family."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Terminally ill 23-year-old's final request

<p>Liam Bulman was working a shift at The Illawarra Hotel in Wollongong last month when he asked to leave early, as he felt unwell. </p> <p>The following week he found himself in "crippling pain" and was rushed to hospital by his friend. After days of intensive testing, the 23-year-old was diagnosed with stage-four High Grade Neuroendocrine Carcinoma — a "rare" cancer that had spread. </p> <p>Now, his family and friends are doing everything they can to raise funds so he can have a "chance to make memories" through ticking off items on his bucket list in this  "scary, sad and unknown" time. </p> <p>"He's smart and kind. He's been raised to work hard and contribute to people's lives, and our community. He's incredible," Liam's colleagues from The Illawarra Hotel wrote on the<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/youre-friendly-local-bartender-bulmans-bucket-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> GoFundMe</a> page.</p> <p>So far they have raised over $28,000 of their $50,000 goal, with most of the money raised going towards his medical costs, medical trial attendance and palliative care, and any remaining money will help fund his bucket list. </p> <p>His bucket list includes activities like attending the F1 in Melbourne, going for a joyride in a helicopter, learning to surf and taking a family photo session. </p> <p>Liam's mum, Emily Bulman, revealed his cancer is "incurable" and he has since started a bout of chemotherapy in hope it will "buy him more time" as the cancer has spread to his  lymph nodes and lower digestive tract.</p> <p>"This will assist us to aim for longevity, quality of life, a chance to make memories, and receive the care and comfort that suits Liam best," she said on the fundraising page.</p> <p>"Anything we can raise to help take the burden off Liam, we would be incredibly grateful for."</p> <p><em>Images: GoFundMe/Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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High-speed rail plans may finally end Australia’s 40-year wait to get on board

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philip-laird-3503">Philip Laird</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p>Australia has debated and studied high-speed rail for four decades. The High Speed Rail Authority has begun <a href="https://www.hsra.gov.au/project">work on a project</a> that could finally deliver some high-speed rail in the 2030s.</p> <p>The Albanese government set up the authority in 2022. It also committed A$500 million to plan and protect a high-speed rail corridor between Sydney and Newcastle. This corridor was prioritised due to significant capacity constraints on the existing line, among other reasons.</p> <p>The ultimate plan is for a high-speed rail network to connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and regional communities across the east coast. The network would help Australia in its urgent task to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport. These <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/towards-net-zero-transport-and-infrastructure">continue to increase</a> even as emissions from other sectors fall.</p> <p>The authority has now publicly outlined plans for the first stage of this east coast network. After a history of failed proposals dating back to 1984, the new plans provide some cause for optimism that Australia could have some high-speed rail by 2037.</p> <h2>What is high-speed rail and why do we need it?</h2> <p>The International Rail Union of Railways <a href="https://uic.org/passenger/highspeed">defines high-speed rail</a> as new lines designed for speeds of 250km/h or more and upgraded lines for speeds of at least 200km/h.</p> <p>High-speed rail could greatly reduce transport emissions by replacing <a href="https://theconversation.com/wondering-how-to-get-from-brisbane-to-melbourne-without-wrecking-the-climate-our-transport-choices-make-a-huge-difference-237396">air travel in particular</a>.</p> <p>For example, the <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/domestic_airline_activity-monthly_publications">7.92 million passengers</a> flying between Melbourne and Sydney in 2023-24 produced about 1.5 million tonnes of emissions. Including <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-air-travellers-can-cut-their-door-to-door-emissions-right-now-by-as-much-as-13-on-the-sydney-melbourne-route-211099">travel to and from airports</a> and other flight routes along the corridor (Sydney or Melbourne to Canberra, Albury etc), this adds up to about 2% of <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/strategies/annual-climate-change-statement-2023">annual domestic transport emissions</a>.</p> <p>A Sydney–Melbourne high-speed rail link could cut emissions to a fraction of those from <a href="https://theconversation.com/wondering-how-to-get-from-brisbane-to-melbourne-without-wrecking-the-climate-our-transport-choices-make-a-huge-difference-237396">air</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-compared-land-transport-options-for-getting-to-net-zero-hands-down-electric-rail-is-the-best-234092">road</a> transport. If Australia is to achieve <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction/net-zero">net zero by 2050</a>, a <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-compared-land-transport-options-for-getting-to-net-zero-hands-down-electric-rail-is-the-best-234092">shift to rail will be essential</a>.</p> <p>High-speed city-to-city rail services will be needed to become an attractive alternative to air travel.</p> <h2>What is the authority working on?</h2> <p>Early this year the High Speed Rail Authority gained a new CEO, Tim Parker, with extensive experience in delivering mega-projects. In late August, the authority outlined its plans at an industry briefing in Newcastle.</p> <p>The authority has commissioned eight studies, including a business case for a Sydney–Newcastle line. Significantly, it will include the cost of future highway upgrades if high-speed rail does not proceed. This study, along with a report on how high-speed rail will proceed along Australia’s east coast, is due by the end of this year.</p> <p>Also under way is a <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/all-aboard-high-speed-rail-accelerates-first-investigation-works">geotechnical study</a> that includes drilling 27 boreholes. It will help determine the proposed depths of two long rail tunnels and guide decisions on crossing the Hawkesbury River and the route to the Central Coast and on to Newcastle.</p> <p>All going well, including land acquisition and agreements with the New South Wales government (which could include funding), work could <a href="https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8743698/newcastle-high-speed-rail-possible-by-2037-as-tunnel-plan-emerges">start in 2027 and be completed by 2037</a>.</p> <h2>Many questions remain</h2> <p>Given the time and money required to deliver a Sydney–Newcastle line, bipartisan support will be needed. However, the federal opposition is yet to make a clear commitment to high-speed rail.</p> <p>There are other uncertainties too. Will the trains be operated by the public or private sector? The latter was the intention for projects that were scrapped decades ago, such as the CSIRO-proposed Very Fast Train (<a href="http://www.repositoryofideas.com/VFT_information.html">VFT</a>) linking Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, and the Sydney–Canberra <a href="https://trid.trb.org/View/1203853">Speedrail</a>.</p> <p>And how will the engineering projects be delivered? The new authority must learn from the project management <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media/news/independent-review-inland-rail-released">problems in delivering the Inland Rail</a> freight line. The project is running late and costs have blown out.</p> <p>Some major federally funded government projects have worked well. These include upgrades of the national highway system (by state road authorities and contractors) and the new <a href="https://www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au/">Western Sydney International Airport</a>, which is nearing completion.</p> <h2>And what about a full Sydney–Melbourne line?</h2> <p>The big question is when work will start on a Sydney–Melbourne high-speed rail service. In 2019, International High-Speed Rail Association chairman <a href="https://ara.net.au/media-release/ausrailplus-2019-conference-exhibition-3-5-december-2019-in-sydney/">Masafumi Shukuri estimated</a> building this line could take 20 years.</p> <p>The present line is 60km longer than it should be as the route dates back to the steam age. It also has far too many tight curves. This means train travel on this line is slower than cars and trucks.</p> <p>As former NSW State Rail chief Len Harper <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-ever-its-time-to-upgrade-the-sydney-melbourne-railway-187169">said</a> in 1995, this railway was already “inadequate for current and future needs” even back then.</p> <p>When the VFT was proposed in 1984, questions were raised as to whether our population was big enough for such a project. Now, more than 15.5 million people live in NSW, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. Melbourne–Sydney is the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/travel-news/the-world-s-busiest-flight-routes-and-airports-revealed-20231222-p5et7n.html">world’s fifth-busiest flight route</a>.</p> <p>Advocacy group Fastrack Australia <a href="https://www.fastrackaustralia.net/hsr-implementation-plan">has called</a> for a Sydney–Melbourne track built to high-speed standards and able to carry freight. The estimated travel time is four hours.</p> <p>This group and the <a href="https://www.railfutures.org.au/category/submissions/%20July%202024%20reducing%20emissions%20in%20freight">Rail Futures Institute</a> propose the line be built in stages, with priority given to the section from near Macarthur to Mittagong in NSW. This would reduce the current line’s length by about 18km and allow for better Sydney–Canberra train services.</p> <p>Urgent action is needed to protect the rail corridor from encroaching urban development.</p> <h2>Australia needs to catch up</h2> <p>In June 2023, when the new authority started work, I <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-the-new-high-speed-rail-authority-deliver-after-4-decades-of-costly-studies-206287">observed</a> that Australia must surely hold the world record for studies into high-speed rail with no construction.</p> <p>In stark contrast, this October marks the 60th anniversary of the world’s first dedicated high-speed rail line, the Tokaido Shinkansen in Japan linking Tokyo to Shin-Osaka. The network has since grown in stages to about 3,000km of lines.</p> <p>Today, high-speed rail <a href="https://uic.org/passenger/highspeed/article/high-speed-data-and-atlas">operates in 21 countries</a> over about 60,000km of lines – China has about 40,000km. Indonesia’s high-speed rail service between Jakarta and Bandung started running last year. India and Thailand are in the advanced stages of delivering high-speed rail. It’s also under construction in another 11 countries.</p> <p>Australia could finally join them in the next few years if it starts building the Sydney–Newcastle line.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/238232/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philip-laird-3503">Philip Laird</a>, Honorary Principal Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/high-speed-rail-plans-may-finally-end-australias-40-year-wait-to-get-on-board-238232">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Domestic Travel

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Fresh claims about Queen Elizabeth's health in her final days

<p>Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has shared a sad claim about Queen Elizabeth and her secret health battle that she was going through before her death in 2022. </p> <p>Johnson reflected on his relationship with the former monarch in his upcoming memoir, <em>Unleashed</em>, detailing his final meeting with the Queen at Balmoral Castle just days before she died.</p> <p>In the book, he explained that the Queen had been battling bone cancer and was worried about the deterioration of her condition.</p> <p>“I had known for a year or more that she had a form of bone cancer, and her doctors were worried that at any time she could enter a sharp decline,” Johnson wrote in an excerpt obtained by the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13901877/BORIS-JOHNSON-meeting-Queen-inspirational-words-wisdom.html">Daily Mail</a></em>.</p> <p>Before their meeting, Johnson claimed the Queen’s private secretary, Edward Young, warned him that her health had “gone down quite a bit over the summer.”</p> <p>“She seemed pale and more stooped, and she had dark ­bruising on her hands and wrists, probably from drips or injections,” Johnson wrote.</p> <p>He continued, “But her mind – as Edward had also said – was completely ­unimpaired by her illness, and from time to time in our ­conversation she still flashed that great white smile in its sudden mood-lifting beauty.”</p> <p>Queen Elizabeth died just two days after their final meeting. </p> <p>According to Johnson, the Queen “had known all ­summer that she was going, but was determined to hang on and do her last duty” by overseeing the “peaceful and orderly transition” of power from him to his successor Liz Truss.</p> <p>Johnson isn’t the first person to have claimed the late monarch was diagnosed with cancer during her final years, as royal author Gyles Brandreth wrote about rumours Her Majesty had a rare form of myeloma, a bone marrow cancer, in his book, <em>Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait</em>.</p> <p>He explained that the diagnosis “would explain her tiredness and weight loss and those ‘mobility issues’ we were often told about during the last year or so of her life.”</p> <p>However, the Queen’s official cause of death was listed as “old age” and the palace has never disclosed any other medical records.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/UPI/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

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"Absolutely heartbroken": Son of AFL legend tragically dies at age 24

<p><em><strong>Warning: This article contains discussions about suicide that some readers may find distressing. </strong></em></p> <p>The son of a premiership-winning AFL has tragically taken his own life, with his grieving family paying tribute to the "affectionate and cheeky" young man. </p> <p>Kye Hart, son of former West Coast Eagles player David Hart, died on Saturday at the age of 24. </p> <p>“On 21st September our family lost Kye who is a son, brother, uncle, nephew and grandchild. We are absolutely heartbroken and devastated,” a family member has written on a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/kye-david-hart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> fundraiser that has been established to help Mr Hart’s family with funeral expenses.</p> <p>“There aren’t enough words to describe how much we love Kye and how much we will miss him,” the fundraiser reads.</p> <p>“Kye’s love and affection was contagious, his cheeky beautiful smile would light up any room. Kye had the biggest heart and only wanted to give and help others."</p> <p>“In this incredibly difficult time we are reaching out for your support to navigate through the challenging times ahead. The funds raised will go towards covering immediate expenses and funeral costs."</p> <p>“We are grateful for your kindness, prayers and support through this tragedy.”</p> <p>Other friends and family paid tribute to Kye on social media, with one family friend writing, “His name was Kye Hart. Just 24 freaking years old for god’s sake. Enough! When are we going to sort mental health out in this world!”</p> <p>Another added, “Sorry for your loss and his family too. A life cut too short.”</p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kye leaves behind his parents Linda and David Hart, who represented the West Coast Eagles in the 1980s and 1990s, helping them claim their victory in the premierships.<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p> <p><em><strong>Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. </strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>SANE: 1800 187 263; saneforums.org</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Mensline Australia: 1300 78 99 78</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p> <div class="media image" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px; align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: column; width: 705.202209px; max-width: 100%;"> </div>

Caring

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Katy Perry's massive AFL payday revealed

<p>Katy Perry is reportedly set to take home a huge sum for her AFL grand final performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. </p> <p>The AFL secured the <em>Wide Awake </em>singer as their headline pre-game entertainment act in July. </p> <p>Since then, there have been rumours of disagreements between Katy's team and organisers on the set list, but the pop star is still set to be paid $1 million for each song she performs. </p> <p>According to <em>The Herald Sun</em>, Katy will be paid $5 million for the event, as she will perform five songs on the night. She is also set to share the stage briefly with an Aussie female pop star, that is yet to be named, but is someone she "looks up to". </p> <p>During an appearance on Channel 10's <em>The Project</em>, Katy hinted that the mystery guest is a Scorpio, which could point to Delta Goodrem or Tina Arena. </p> <p>“She’s a Scorpio, that’s another hint for your digging,” she said when probed by<em> The Project</em> host Sarah Harris. </p> <p>Perry reportedly only recently settled the drama about which five songs she'll be performing according to footy journalist Tom Morris. </p> <p>Morris told <em>SEN Breakfast</em> on Monday that the AFL requested that she performed her popular hits from her older albums, but Katy's team was reported to have pushed back, as they wanted to perform two new songs from her comeback album <em>143</em>. </p> <p>They eventually reached an agreement for Katy to perform just one new song.</p> <p><em>Image: The Project</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Another Channel 7 star quits in AFL shake-up

<p>Just last month Kane Cornes confirmed his move from the Nine Network to Channel 7 for the 2025 season, with colleague and veteran journalist Caroline Wilson doing the same. </p> <p>Now it has emerged that Channel 7 and Triple M commentator Luke Darcy has reportedly decided to walk away from the media industry all together, in the latest AFL shake-up. </p> <p>Darcy, a former ruckman who played 226 games with the Western Bulldogs, joined the media industry in 2007. He was initially with Network Ten before he moved to Channel 7 in 2011 and has since filled a variety of hosting and commentary roles. </p> <p>He also had a long-running breakfast show on Triple M with Eddie McGuire before that ended in 2020.</p> <p>Darcy got attention for his interview during the 2013 Essendon peptide saga and his repetition of the phrase, “say that again”. </p> <p>Now, he is choosing to walk away from the media to focus on his family's varied business ventures, according to the <em>Herald Sun</em>. </p> <p>A few of their business interests include a wellness spa in Bali, pubs and venues in Victoria, as well as a podcast on leadership. </p> <p>The news comes following a series of controversies involving Darcy, who on April this  year, confronted Cornes during a live Triple M radio segment, labelling the former  Port Adelaide midfielder “more mean spirited and nasty to people than anyone in the history of our industry”.</p> <p>The two have since cleared the air, to some extent, with Cornes saying that just last week he had crossed paths with Darcy during a footy game, and Darcy happily passed him some milk for a cup of tea. </p> <p>Wilson was among those that defended Cornes and called Darcy out for being out of line.</p> <p>It is unclear whether the controversy had any impact on Darcy's decision to leave the industry. </p> <p>A few footy fans were having a field day with the news, with one writing on Reddit: “Thank f**k. Insufferable that guy." </p> <p>“Nice bloke probably. But he’s the only actual voice I can’t stand listening to,” added another.</p> <p>“To give some credit he does sound genuinely excited/passionate for the game in much of his commentary," one defended. </p> <p><em>Image: news.com.au</em></p>

TV

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Flying to a footy final? Watch your wallet. Here’s why airfares soar

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871">Doug Drury</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p>Planning a flight to an AFL final is like trying to decide when and how to hop on an amusement park ride that hasn’t stopped.</p> <p>You don’t know where you need to be until the very last minute, and by then, it seems everyone else wants to be there too.</p> <p>This annual dilemma is now in sharp focus, with preliminary finals coming up this weekend. Sydney will face Port Adelaide at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday night, then Geelong will take on Brisbane in Melbourne on Saturday.</p> <p>Getting to these locations on the right dates can be no mean feat, and some fans have already been stung by surging prices. For those who tried to book over the weekend, prices to fly from Adelaide to Sydney in time for Friday’s game <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/port-adelaide-fans-will-have-to-pay-a-hefty-price-for-airfare-tickets-to-sydney-for-prelim-final-at-scg/news-story/e549e292c50eb9798f6735d2270aafc3">reportedly ranged</a> from $597 to an eye-watering $1,723.</p> <p>Australia’s airline duopoly is already under intense scrutiny. According to government <a href="https://australianaviation.com.au/2024/09/domestic-airfares-rise-after-rexs-demise/">data</a> released this week, domestic airfares have risen by more than 10% since Rex shut down its capital city services.</p> <p>So how exactly do airlines price their fares today, and then again once the teams are decided? Why are they allowed to charge so much?</p> <h2>How are airfares priced?</h2> <p>Airfares are set through a process called revenue management. Airlines use <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969699714000556">mathematical modelling</a> to help determine what we as consumers are willing to pay.</p> <p>Airlines plan out their entire year based on what services they predict will be needed at certain times – such as travel for school breaks, winter skiing, or summers in Hawaii.</p> <p>In economics, this is known as seasonal supply and demand. Airlines have the supply, planes, and we as consumers provide the demand.</p> <p>The cost of flights to cities hosting footy finals might seem outrageous. But these games are one-off events that happen at the same time each year.</p> <p>Using historical data, airlines have determined that enough people are willing to pay these fares to justify charging them.</p> <h2>Two types of traveller</h2> <p>Airlines base their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksuci.2019.02.001">pricing strategies</a> on the assumption that we as travellers fall into two groups: elastic and inelastic. Here, elasticity simply describes how sensitive demand is to a change in price.</p> <p>Vacationers with a flexible calendar are an example of elastic travellers, who are able to change their flight dates to get the lowest airfare.</p> <p>Inelastic travellers, on the other hand, include business travellers who need to be somewhere specific on a particular date, and aren’t paying fares out of their own pocket.</p> <p>Airlines factor in both of these groups to determine <a href="https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/hms_fac_pubs/27">demand-based pricing</a>.</p> <p>Footy finals create huge amounts of inelastic demand, allowing airlines to push up their prices.</p> <h2>Does the price actually reflect the value?</h2> <p><a href="https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/hms_fac_pubs/27">Transactional utility</a> is a theory based upon the assumption that the price we pay for a product or service should reflect the value we receive. In this case – how much fans are willing to pay to be there to watch the game live.</p> <p>But individually, this depends on who you barrack for, as well as whether you have the disposable income to pay a premium for the experience. Last year, some airfares to the grand final soared <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/travel-tsunami-2300-grand-final-flights-for-diehard-brisbane-footy-fans/news-story/270a34ad89d49cc68f1e7202b0d22e59">above the $2,000 mark</a>.</p> <p>So how are the airlines able to set these prices? Are they not regulated by the government? It all comes back to what we as consumers are collectively willing to pay for a diminished supply during high demand. The government does not regulate airfares on that level.</p> <p>Airlines will not want to sell discounted seats if they know enough of us are willing to pay. They might run more flights, but that doesn’t necessarily mean airfares will come down.</p> <p>Our decision to buy a seat is based on the perception of its fairness. Getting into the final is costly enough – does the price charged to fly there also <a href="https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/hms_fac_pubs/27">seem fair</a>?</p> <p>Airlines know the psychology of fairness is what will fill the seat. So they will continue to test our perception of fairness on last minute purchases.</p> <h2>Less competition makes it worse</h2> <p>These types of pricing strategies are not unique to Australia. Airlines all around the globe understand the passion associated with championship sporting events and position themselves to take advantage of such moments.</p> <p>But we also know that here, airlines are pricing what they can in part due to very low competition, only worsened by the recent demise of Bonza and Rex.</p> <p>We can <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/by-industry/travel-and-airports/domestic-airline-monitoring">voice our displeasure</a> about this situation with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, but in the short term, many of us simply continue to pay the airfares.</p> <p>This is because the other methods of travel either don’t exist, such as high speed rail, or aren’t reasonable, such as driving for multiple days.</p> <p>Remember, airlines see this as an opportunity to increase their bottom line as part of their revenue management system.</p> <p>So what should you do if your team makes the grand final? Sell your car or house? Take out a second mortgage?</p> <p>What if you book now while it’s still relatively cheap and your team doesn’t make the final? Well, there is plenty to do in Melbourne in September!</p> <p>I, for one, will be watching from the comfort of my lounge room.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239104/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/doug-drury-1277871"><em>Doug Drury</em></a><em>, Professor/Head of Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/flying-to-a-footy-final-watch-your-wallet-heres-why-airfares-soar-239104">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Domestic Travel

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