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Radio presenter resigns after cancer diagnosis

MIX FM radio presenter Ali Clarke has make the emotional announcement that she is stepping back from her hosting role following her battle with breast cancer. Clarke delivered the news to shocked fans live on air after teasing a big announcement on social media. "So here's the big announcement MIX family," she began. "This will be my last week on air with MIX 102.3 doing brekky." "It's really hard to say now and probably even harder to accept it as well but I was offered the opportunity to continue on and it's really hard to say no to something like that because I love this," she said. "I love nothing more than connecting with people and I love radio so much, and I understand the privilege it is to be invited in to someone's home or their car or their lives." She said she'd "miss our listeners terribly and can't thank them enough for their support of not just me, but my family." "Man I love radio and will miss this incredibly hardworking local team, but I know they'll keep bringing the laughs and will go from strength to strength," she continued. When asked by co-host Max Burford if she "was sad" she said "don't ask me that" before fighting back tears in a heartwarming moment. In July, Clarke revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, sharing details of her health battle with her loyal listeners. She took some time off after being diagnosed but returned to the airwaves in August, reminding women to check their breasts for early signs of breast cancer. Clarke said at the time, "Book in to get checked if you need to or give someone in your life a little nudge if you think they need it … this isn't about scaring people and doing things unnecessarily, it's just making you aware that 'checking your breasts' isn't just a slogan and that you only start mammograms at 50." Image credits: Instagram

Caring

Waleed Aly and Steve Price clash over damning Voice letter

Waleed Aly and Steve Price have clashed over an anonymous letter from Yes campaigners, condemning those who opposed the Voice to Parliament. On Sunday night, a lengthy and unsigned letter was shared by activists associated with the Uluru Dialogue group, as the letter slammed No voters for committing "a shameful act" by contributing to the Voice defeat. On The Project, Price was quick to slam the author of the letter, who addressed the message to the Prime Minister and all federal members of parliament, saying they did not have "the guts" to sign it. "It seems to me the Yes campaign hasn't learned anything about the result that happened Saturday two weeks ago," he said on Monday night. "The public voted 60 (per cent) No, 40 (per cent) Yes and yet, they pen a letter that they then send to the Cabinet and Prime Minister calling people who voted No as doing a shameful act, suggesting No voters are racists." "If you are going to do that, at least have the courage to put your name to it." Aly then leapt to the defence of those who wrote the anonymous letter, saying, "I don't think they said all No voters were racist." "They said racism was a big part of the campaign and the vote, they are inextricably bound up." Aly admitted that while he did not agree with everything in the letter, it was "hard to have a simple response to it". "They must be so hurting. I can't deny them that. Whether we agree or not," he said. The open letter claims to be "the collective insights and views of a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, community members and organisations who supported Yes". The published letter said, "The truth is that the majority of Australians have committed a shameful act whether knowingly or not, and there is nothing positive to be interpreted from it. We needed truth to be told to the Australian people." Image credits: The Project

Legal

Waleed Aly defends pro-Palestine rally

In the wake of a recent pro-Palestine rally in Sydney that turned violent, Waleed Aly, host of The Project, has taken to his platform to urge authorities not to ban such protests. The controversy erupted following the decision to light up the Sydney Opera House in the colours of the Israeli flag. What began as a peaceful demonstration soon escalated as protesters clashed with the police. Amidst the chaos, a group chanted inflammatory slogans and burned an Israeli flag, sparking a divisive debate about the right to protest and its limits. During a recent episode of The Project, Waleed Aly and his co-hosts discussed the incident, with Aly expressing his concern about the potential consequences of shutting down future protests. He acknowledged the government's position in trying to maintain order but cautioned that doing so might have unintended repercussions. "I understand what the NSW government’s position is on trying to shut down the protests, but I just think it’s a very dangerous path to walk," he shared. Aly empathised with the pro-Palestinian demonstrators, pointing out that their actions were motivated by the Opera House being illuminated in the colours of the Israeli flag. He emphasised the need for recognition of their pain, suffering, and the lives lost over the years. "[If you say] 'Sorry, you cannot protest' because there was a group of people who said something they absolutely shouldn't have, then I think that will only increase resentment among all those protesters who had nothing to do with that, right?" Aly pointed out. He also highlighted that the organisers of the rally had condemned the actions of a few individuals who engaged in incendiary behaviour, emphasising that they were fewer than 20 in number and their actions were swiftly curtailed. Aly stressed that those who break the law and attempt to incite violence instead of promoting peace should be held accountable. "We've got endless laws to deal with this," he noted. "If people end up doing that, throw the book at them. I've absolutely no problem with that. We've got hate speech laws and incitement to violence laws, and some of that was straight up incitement to violence, right?" The TV host underlined that these laws exist to protect freedom of speech and representation but voiced his concerns about politicians getting involved in the debate. He worried that the balance between maintaining order and preserving the right to protest could be compromised. Aly concluded by stating that the right to protest is a fundamental component of any democracy, and it is possible to feel sympathy for victims on both sides of the ongoing conflict. He advocated for a nuanced approach that respects the rights of demonstrators while holding accountable those who engage in illegal and harmful actions. Prior to Aly's comments, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had called for the protest to be cancelled out of respect for those killed in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Furthermore, the New South Wales Police had declined the pro-Palestinian activists' request for an authorised protest, citing their failure to provide adequate notice. In this ongoing debate, Waleed Aly's call for a balanced and thoughtful approach to protests echoes a wider conversation about the importance of preserving the right to demonstrate while ensuring that such demonstrations remain peaceful and respectful. Balancing freedom of expression with the need to maintain order is a delicate tightrope to walk in any democratic society. Image: The Project

Albo and Waleed Aly descend into shouting match

In a fiery live TV interview, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese engaged in a clash with Waleed Aly from The Project, as he faced tough questions regarding a contentious housing policy related to rent caps. During the interview, Mr Albanese found himself caught in the middle of a political dispute between the Labor party and the Greens. The minor party was holding a significant housing policy, which proposes rent caps, as a bargaining chip for the passage of the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) in the senate. Refusing to rule out the possibility of an early election should the Greens block the bill, the Prime Minister faced Aly's scrutiny about the Greens' demands. Aly pointed out that the Greens were requesting the government to allocate $2.5 billion to incentivise rent caps rather than enforce legislative changes, as certain aspects, like rent caps, fall within the jurisdiction of state governments. “The problem with that Waleed is that we put $2bn on the table for states and territories in June,” countered Mr Albanese. The pair then went back and forth shouting over each other for 20 seconds before Aly cut in with his question: “Are you philosophically opposed to the rent caps and the idea of capping rent increases … and therefore won’t use your megaphone for it?” Mr Albanese began to answer before he turned on the host. “Waleed, that’s not the question. The question here is states and territories will look at measures for renters and renters rights” he said. “I want to see increased renters rights, if that’s what you’re asking me, but there are six states and two territories, all whom have different systems in place.” Despite Aly's persistence, a clear answer regarding the Prime Minister's stance on rent caps remained elusive, and the conversation shifted to another contentious topic – the recent deaths of four Australian soldiers in a helicopter accident in Queensland. Aly probed whether Australia had a habit of paying a premium for subpar military equipment, to which Mr Albanese redirected the discussion by emphasising the importance of respecting the families who had lost their loved ones that day. When Aly pressed further, suggesting that the families of defence force members deserved answers, Mr Albanese reassured that an appropriate investigation would take place, and necessary actions would be taken but stated that it was not the day for speculation on the matter. “Today’s the day we’ll leave with respect where we’re dealing with four families who’ve lost loved ones. Today’s a day to think of those families ... there‘ll be an appropriate investigation on that, and appropriate responses... today’s not the day for me to speculate about what has occurred.” The interview concluded with several important questions left unanswered, leaving viewers with lingering uncertainties about the Prime Minister's stance on rent caps and the issue of military equipment quality. Images: The Project

Money & Banking

"I don't want to talk about it": John Cleese shuts down Waleed Aly

John Cleese has butted heads with Waleed Aly in an awkward interview on The Project, with the Monty Python star refusing to answer a question and mocking Waleed's name. The 83-year-old comedic legend appeared on the show to promote his new Australian tour, An Evening with the Late John Cleese, when Waleed asked him what had brought him Down Under for the show. Cleese simply quipped, "Money." The interview turned sour when Waleed began to ask Cleese about his iconic 1970s sitcom Fawlty Towers, before he was shut down. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> .<a href="https://twitter.com/JohnCleese?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JohnCleese</a> is 83 years old, but he doesn't fear death; in fact, he says he's already dead. <a href="https://t.co/2uHTp1w1oX">pic.twitter.com/2uHTp1w1oX</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1681961238731825152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2023</a></blockquote> “We can’t let you go without talking about Fawlty Towers – at least I can’t, because I think it’s one of the greatest shows …” Aly began, before Cleese interjected. “I don’t want to talk about Fawlty Towers,” he said. “Yeah but, you know what – it’s not all about you, is it? I mean, I can ask you about Fawlty Towers?” Aly asked. “You can talk about Fawlty Towers,” Cleese told him, before turning his back and facing away from his hosts to take a sip of water, which earned him a round of applause from the panel. After making his point, Cleese turned back to the hosts, and asked: “What kind of a name is Waleed, anyway? Is it an anagram?” “No. It’s just Arabic. I take it your Arabic’s not great?” Waleed replied. “No. I tried to learn it once. There’s about four h’s and two k’s or something.” “Do you know what John is in Arabic? Yahya. I bet you can’t say that either,” said Aly. Cleese remarked that it was a “more interesting” topic to discuss than Fawlty Towers, but Aly persisted, asking whether he could see the show’s imprint in any recent comedy series. Despite his reluctance to talk about the show, Cleese conceded that it was, in fact, “a very interesting question.” As the interview wrapped, Cleese joked that as his original family surname is actually Cheese, he could be known as “Yahya Cheese.” Image credits: The Project <div class="AV62af35d851923c62777207b4" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto; width: 712.1875px; background-color: white; height: 1px;"> </div>

Waleed Aly halts co-host Kate Langbroek’s wild conspiracy take

Waleed Aly is no stranger to making headlines for his work on The Project, but a debate with co-host Kate Langbroek has brought him back for perhaps the most bizarre reason yet. On Tuesday night, Langbroek argued the merits of those who believe that walkable 15-minute cities are, as described by those deepest in the conspiracy, “a cynical ploy by climate obsessed autocracies bent on control”. Conspiracy theorists are under the impression that the concept of a 15-minute city is actually a ploy for government control, and though that couldn’t be further from the truth, Kate Langbroek had plenty to say about it. As RMIT’s Associate Professional in International Planning Marco Amati explained, “the 15 minute city is actually about getting people to - or enabling basically - walking and active travel to shops, schools, and basically places that they want to go. “Many Australian cities face a challenge of how to create community, how to build walkable suburbs really quickly, so that they are as liveable and as enjoyable as inner-city areas.” As the show’s summary on the topic came to an end, Langbroek mused, “mm, you know I love a conspiracy.” When asked if the panel believed in this one, she said “I don’t know about you, but I have been locked down by governments recently.” Langbroek was likely referencing the COVID-19 lockdowns across Australia in recent years, something that experts worldwide may have something to do with the traction this particular conspiracy has gained across the globe. “So, I’m like, it’s kind of an easy thing to go ‘oh, conspiracy theorists’, however, let us just remember that in the 16 hundreds, a guy called Galileo was put in jail and I think died in jail because he said the Earth went around the sun,” she went on. “Oh, well, that’s that then!” Aly responded. “Okay,” Langbroek said, “well, because that at the time was considered to be heresy, and now we know it to be the truth.” “That’s not a conspiracy,” Waleed pointed out. “It was then, Waleed!” Langbroek argued. “What was the conspiracy?” “The conspiracy was that what he believed was wrong, what he was telling people was wrong.” While Aly acknowledged that he heard what she was saying and could see where she was coming from with that point, Langbroek had more to say on the matter, cutting him off before he could finish his thought. “I just feel increasingly like there’s a battle for control of people,” she said. “Clearly. Everywhere you go, there are cameras. Everywhere you go. “I just don’t think that conspiracy theorists in some cases are that crazy.” In a desperate bid to defuse the situation, co-host Sarah Harris tried to inject some humour, saying, “but that bird thing’s pretty crazy, right? All birds are robots?” “I don’t know about all of them, Sarah,” Langbroek powered on, “but I do know birds have got tiny little brains capable of anything.” “Easily influenced like the sheep,” she said, before emitting an uncanny bleat. “I guess the case has been made,” Aly answered, before Langbroek went on to ask the panel if they understood why conspiracy theorists are feeling the way they are. “I get the idea that people are losing trust in the government,” Aly allowed, striving to bring an end to the bizarre conversation. “But the problem is, the logical extension of that, is that any time someone comes up with something that might be a good idea, we’ll just want to kill it because we’ll decide it’s a conspiracy somehow.” “You agree with me then?” Langbroek asked. “No,” Aly didn’t miss a beat in stating, “I don’t.” Images: Network Ten

Waleed Aly goes head-to-head with mayor calling for IS brides’ citizenships to be revoked

Waleed Aly has gone head-to-head with a mayor from western Sydney who slammed the government’s decision to resettle the repatriated brides and their children in the area. The Project co-host was speaking to disappointed Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone, who questioned why western Sydney was the “dumping ground” for the women and their children. Mr Carbone explained that members of the community have gotten in touch with him expressing deep concerns over the decision, particularly those who escaped Syria from the terrorist IS group. “I don't think he [the prime minister] has taken into account the tens of thousands of refugees that fled their home, had their homes burnt back in Syria, have lost their loved ones, have watched a lot of their families be beheaded and burnt, and have come and resettled in Western Sydney,” Mr Carbone began. He argued that Syrians who helped the Australian army fight IS terrorists were more “Australian citizens than anyone else” before he was cut off by Waleed. “Legally they're not, Australian citizens are a different category. We have obligations to Australian citizens that we don't have to refugees,” he pointed out. Mr Carbone did not accept the excuse, saying the IS brides committed treason under the “Commonwealth criminal code section 80” and should have their citizenships revoked. “Treason is when you leave your country and you aide and abet, doesn't matter if you're baking a cake or scones and assisting ISIS, you're committing treason,” he said. “Under that act, you can have your citizenship revoked.” Waleed then pointed out that the brides would have to be convicted first to have their citizenship revoked and “that hasn’t happened”. “You're talking a lot about kids here, in fact mostly about kids. Would you leave kids in camps overseas when they are Australian citizens?” he asked. Mr Carbone did not hesitate when he continued addressing the people’s concerns as to why Western Sydney was the dumping ground. “Why is it Western Sydney? Why is it Western Sydney when we have tens of thousands of people that fled ISIS?” he said. “Australia is a big country, they [ISIS families] don't necessarily have to be in Western Sydney.” His comments come just a day after Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun, and Campbelltown Mayor George Greiss made the same accusation about their area being the dumping ground. Australia repatriated four women and their 13 children after being stuck in al-Hol and al-Roj camps in the northeastern Syria region since 2019. It is expected more women and children will follow in the next few weeks. Images: The Project

Waleed Aly’s suggestion for Aussie replacement to King Charles III

Waleed Aly has suggested that Australia to replace the monarchy with an Indigenous elder as head of state, saying the change could capture the nation’s “unique and charming” character. The Project co-host outlined his suggestion in a lengthy segment on Thursday night’s show, three days after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/final-farewell-for-longest-reigning-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral</a> and on the same day as Australians enjoyed a public holiday to mourn her. Aly noted that swapping the monarchy for a president wouldn’t be the same, and that installing an Indigenous elder as head of state would draw on Australia’s existing traditions and ceremonies. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> As the official mourning period for the Queen comes to an end, talk is turning to Australia's monarchy vs republic debate. But what if there was another way? Waleed Aly explains.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/8KVYIk8GQ0">pic.twitter.com/8KVYIk8GQ0</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1572875641300701185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2022</a></blockquote> “An Australian President doesn’t offer the sense of constancy, history or ritual we’ll be replacing,” Aly said. “If we’re going to do this, we need to draw on our own sources of tradition, ceremony and spirituality. “In short, monarchy becomes a kind of foil to government. It works specifically because it’s undemocratic and imposes relatively little on citizens. “It’s powerful precisely because it has no real power. The Queen was loved because she was so frequently silent, so often a blank canvas.” He added that the pomp and ceremony associated with the royals could also continue, though it would be in a different way. “One of the great things about some indigenous ceremonies like Welcome to Country, is they’re often informal,” Aly continued. “This extraordinary mix of ceremony and informality capture something unique and charming about the Australian character. “We could even call our elder Uncle or Aunty and when our Aunty dies, deep rituals of mourning would already exist, ready for us to embrace as a nation.” Acknowledging that the office would be “racially closed”, Aly added that the monarchy was essentially the same since it is “always going to be white” and Catholics are prevented from becoming king or queen. “It’s also undemocratic which replicates precisely one of the monarchy’s virtues,” Aly said. “Sure, I can see problems. For example, how would the elder be chosen from among the hundreds of First Nations we have? Does it rotate in a predetermined way? “Our head of state has to be an apolitical figure, confining itself to speaking on areas of mere total agreement. Would the elder face too much pressure to become an activist? “I admit it’s rough but it captures something of the richness and magic of monarchy while being indisputably ours.” Co-host Carrie Bickmore disagreed with Aly’s proposal, saying it was “too soon” after Her Majesty’s death to be debating Australia’s future as a republic or constitutional monarchy. “We’ve had a Queen for 70 years so all the words of dignity and consistency and all that, it’s all about her for a lot of people,” she said. It comes after the Queen’s death <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/national-day-of-mourning-brings-anti-monarchy-activists-to-the-streets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sparked renewed debate</a> over whether Australia, along with other constitutional monarchies around the world, should continue to be attached to the monarchy or vote to become a republic. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is also a republican, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/pm-responds-to-republic-referendum-question" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously said</a> he wouldn’t be holding a referendum to ask Australians to vote on the matter during his term, while Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he wants the country to continue as a constitutional monarchy. “We need a King as much as we did a Queen, because we have a stability in our system that served us well and I don’t believe in disrupting that,” he said. Image: @theprojecttv

“Just awful”: Waleed Aly shares emotional plea for Buxton crash survivor

Waleed Aly has called for empathy to be directed towards Tyrell Edwards, the 18-year-old sole survivor of a car crash that killed five teens in Sydney’s southwest. As the local community of Picton and Buxton mourn the five victims, all aged between 14 and 16 and students at the local Picton High School, Aly said Edwards also deserved compassion. “We shouldn’t forget the survivor and I’m not at all commenting on the criminal side,” he said on Wednesday’s episode of The Project. “Imagine what he will have to live with and in a small community as well. Every aspect of this in every direction is just awful.” Fellow Project panellist Rachel Corbett said the crash showed how important conversations around safe driving were for parents to have with their children. “Nobody wants to go through this,” she said. Lisa Wilkinson acknowledged the heartbreak of the families and friends of the teens and thanked the police and paramedics who attended the scene. “To all of those first responders who would have seen this, our continued thanks for what they do every day and especially in moments like this,” Wilkinson said. “I don’t know what to say, five families are heartbroken and there’s groups of schoolkids who won’t get over this.” Edwards, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash, has since been <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/new-details-emerge-as-driver-charged-in-tragic-buxton-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged with five counts of dangerous driving occasioning death.</a> After being taken to Narellan Police Station, Edwards was refused bail. He is due to appear in local court on Thursday. “As investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash continue, police are appealing for anyone with dashcam or social media footage to come forward,” police said in a statement. Picton High School has offered additional counselling for students and staff, offering its “deepest condolences” to the families affected. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and friends of the young people who lost their lives,” the school said in a statement. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet also acknowledged the families, taking the time at the start of a session of budget estimates on Wednesday. “Just acknowledging the tragedy that occurred overnight, and on behalf of the people of NSW, my condolences to all the families and friends of the five children who passed away,” Mr Perrottet said. “Our hearts go out to them at this very difficult time, and I’m sure I share with all members today our thoughts and prayers.” Images: The Project / Facebook

Caring

Kate Langbroek apologises to Waleed Aly over insult

Australian broadcaster Kate Langbroek has apologised to Waleed Aly after a joke went wrong. The Project host appeared on Langbroek’s KIIS Network radio show 3pm Pick-Up with co-host Monty Dimond when she tried a joke on him. Langbroek explained that she wanted to tell Aly a joke that she shared earlier with her son Jannie which she then revealed “didn’t seem to go over so well”. She thought the pair were “having a high-spirited, fun conversation”, but the joke insulted the TV host. “As a lawyer, your personality is an asset. If you weren’t a lawyer, your personality would be a liability,” is what Langbroek told Aly. Aly had in fact trained and worked as a lawyer before his career in the media which has since seen him step aside from the law. He claimed that the incident occurred while he was in the make-up chair which Langbroek disputed saying he would “tease out the details”. “You know what he’s like with his ‘fine mind’, he’s always got to tease out details and find the hole in the colander!” she continued. “Waleed and I were having a conversation about something I had not quite thought through, and he was acting intrigued by my train of thought. “He was asking me so many questions, and I said – ‘I’m going to say to you what I said to Jannie’.” Langbroek confessed that she thought her joke was an “adorable thing to say” but didn’t realise that Aly would be offended by it. “I remember immediately conveying that I was offended because I just thought, hang on, you are saying that in most contexts that people live and the context in which I currently live, my personality is a liability,” Aly said. He also reminded Langbroek that he hadn’t practised law in years to which she responded, “Well mate, I’ve got some bad news for your personality”. This led to Langbroek offering a full apology to Aly on air, reiterating her respect for him. “I’d be devastated if you thought I had anything other than a very hard-won respect and love for you. I am extremely sorry,” she said. “The obvious meaning to be attributed to your words was offensive. There was no mental gymnastics to get to that point,” he told her. “Anyway, the love is entirely mutual and I want you to know, I would not regard your personality as a liability under any circumstance.” Image: KIIS

Waleed Aly defends Scott Morrison’s church speech

Waleed Aly has defended former prime minister Scott Morrison’s speech which he says has been misinterpreted. Morrison delivered a sermon to Margaret Court’s Victory Life Centre church in Perth where he urged people to put their faith in God and not the government. "We trust in Him. We don't trust in governments. We don't trust in the United Nations, thank goodness,” he said. "We don't trust in all these things, fine as they may be and as important as the role that they play. Believe me, I've worked in it and they are important." The Project co-host however said that the speech was misinterpreted and that what Morrison meant is to trust God and not “earthly institutions”. “The criticism here is that he’s saying ‘don’t trust the government’. I think that’s a bad faith reading of what he’s saying. That’s a misinterpretation,” he said on Thursday’s episode. “All he’s saying is ‘we don’t trust earthly institutions the way that we trust God’. “If you’re a Christian, and not just a Christian by the way, I reckon just about any mainstream perspective from any mainstream faith would say the same thing. “That’s a completely uncontroversial thing to say. What’s controversial is the way that it’s been taken out of that context, the context of a sermon, and placed in the context of a news cycle and then turned into a comment about the government like he’s whipping up some kind of anti-government movement. “That’s just not what he’s doing”. The controversial speech also caught the attention of current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who called out Morrison saying he was surprised that he was in a position of leading the country. “I just thought, wow. This guy was the prime minister of Australia and had the great honour of leading the government. I found it quite astonishing,” he told ABC radio. “It provides some explanation perhaps of why, in my view, he clearly didn’t lead a government that was worthy of the Australian people – he said he doesn’t believe in government.” Images: Instagram/The Project

Waleed Aly mocked live on air

Waleed Aly has been mocked on live television for supporting the prime minister’s suggestion to allow first home buyers to take money out of their super to enter the property market. Scott Morrison announced that first home buyers will be allowed to take up to $50,000 out of their super to be able to buy a house. Labor labelled the scheme as an election stunt but The Project co-host Waleed Aly stood short of criticising. Speaking to guest economics journalist Shane Wright, Waleed said it was surprising that it was claimed the housing market did better than the share market. Waleed pointed out a massive 16 per cent increase in the past year for the housing market and said the prime minister's initiative made sense. “Ten years ago I’d much rather have had my money in housing than on the stock market,” Waleed said. To which Wright immediately snapped back: “That's why you are a TV personality and not in the property market. “That is why you are not a real estate economist,” fellow co-host Steve Price piped in. “Very good point. That is why I am asking the question,” a laughing Waleed replied. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Scott Morrison announced the Coalition's plan to allow first home buyers access to part of their super to buy a house. Economics journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/swrighteconomy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@swrighteconomy</a> explains what this will mean for house prices and your retirement.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/kL4zjciknu">pic.twitter.com/kL4zjciknu</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1526120191985389569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote> Waleed had tried to explain his reasoning to Wright and to the panel saying that the housing market would be a lot more reliable than shares. “One thing that is interesting about this policy is that if you were to take your money out to spend on a house and you sell that house, you have to put the money back with the relevant proportion of capital gains,” he said. “So once you think about it that way, couldn’t you look at this as just another investment, instead of putting money aside for superannuation that gets invested in the share market, it’s being invested in the property market. “And so it’s the same as shares except it has the benefit that you could live on your investment but you are not throwing your money away, you’re not losing the investment. “If you’re in a superannuation with a growth fund, you have made 9.5 per cent over the last 10 years. You have outperformed the property market by about $200,000,” he said. “People think that house prices never go down. We are actually experiencing that right now.” Image: The Project

News

Waleed Aly stunned over guest's transgender comments

A former Chief of Staff to John Howard has turned heads after publicly supporting controversial Liberal politician Katherine Deves. Ms Deves, a candidate for Sydney's Warringah electorate, has faced a recent tidal wave of scrutiny after her past comments about transgender children were unearthed online. In an appearance on The Project to discuss the current election campaign, Grahame Morris addressed the controversy surrounding Ms Deves, and believes she should not be unendorsed by her party. “Some of the things she said were beyond the pale and she has apologised but if you come back to what she’s really on about, it is saving women’s sport and that is really important,” he said. “We have feeder clubs for Aussie Rules clubs in Sydney where you’ve got big, muscly, fast, strong women who used to be blokes up against 16-year-old girls - is that fair? And just imagine what the Russians or the Chinese will do if that little chink opens up.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Should the Liberal pick in Warringah Katherine Deves be disendorsed over her views? We ask John Howard's former chief of staff, Grahame Morris and we got an answer we didn't expect. <a href="https://t.co/3CACUfN5XM">pic.twitter.com/3CACUfN5XM</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1516343809206099969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2022</a></blockquote> Host Waleed Aly was visibly taken aback by these out of pocket comments, as their discussion up until that point was discussing campaign strategies for both parties. “Are you really running this argument on the basis of a comment that a candidate on Warringah is making?” Waleed asked. “That, if she doesn‘t run this, the Chinese and the Russians are coming for us and they’re going to take our medals? I mean, this seems a little overwrought doesn’t it, Grahame?” Mr Morris doubled down on his controversial stance, continuing to warn against softening the rules for transgender athletes over fears rival countries would exploit them. “Look at what they’re doing now when there are different rules,” he said. “We have seen what they will do. Do we really want to open up that little niche where we’ve got people against our swimming team.” Waleed struggled with the sudden pivot of the conversation and ended the talking point there. “Congratulations, Grahame, you have successfully made this a national security story and I didn‘t think that was possible, but you’ve carried it off very, very impressively,” he said. Scott Morrison, John Howard and Tony Abbott have all publicly backed the rookie Liberal candidate, despite her views causing a stir in the election campaign. Image credits: The Project

News

Waleed Aly’s big TV future confirmed

After being tipped to replace former 7.30 host Leigh Sales, Waleed Aly is no longer a potential candidate after signing a new perk-filled deal to continue on channel Ten. Although Aly has been hosting The Project since 2015, <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/clive-palmer-was-touch-and-go-in-fight-against-covid-and-pneumonia/news-story/6d48e147497b1dddb4833d6bbf38cbbc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Australian’s Media Diary</a> reported he has been out of contract, opening up the possibility that he could switch to the ABC. But, Media Diary reported on Monday that Aly has signed a new “seven-figure, multi-year” deal with Ten in recent weeks, which means he will be staying on The Project until at least the “mid-2020s”. According to the publication, Aly’s new contract includes some attractive “sweeteners” that will see him appearing on more than just The Project. He has the right to appear on ABC panel shows such as Insiders and Q+A, and he will be able to pursue his own projects at Ten. It comes as good news for the network, after fellow Project stalwart and Gold Logie-winner Carrie Bickmore announced she would be <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/the-truth-behind-carrie-bickmore-s-shock-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">off the air</a> for several months while on a family trip abroad. Bickmore’s temporary replacements - Project regulars Chrissie Swan and George Tunny - were <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/carrie-bickmore-s-replacements-named" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> late last week ahead of her departure in April. As for who will replace Sales, who left the show after more than 11 years behind the desk, it’s <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/waleed-aly-inks-new-sevenfigure-deal-with-ten/news-story/522b2981060dd641a2e464e6ef47226c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">widely speculated</a> that political correspondent Laura Tingle - who filled in as the host over the summer break - or Q+A host David Speers could take the reins. According to Media Diary, reporter Sarah Ferguson is the most likely choice, having taken over as the show’s host for six months in 2014 while Sales was on maternity leave. Image: Getty Images

"Decade late": Waleed Aly slams PM's flood response

The Project host Waleed Aly has condemned Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his response to the devastating New South Wales and Queensland floods. Writing in the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-s-most-fatal-flaw-on-show-in-flood-response-20220310-p5a3ax.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Morning Herald</a>, Waleed said ScoMo's comment while touring flood-ravaged Lismore that it was “just an obvious fact that Australia is getting hard to live in because of these disasters” was an “astonishing admission”. “It glosses over the decades we’ve wasted in this country disputing the reality of climate change,” Aly wrote. “Here, Morrison is speaking an important truth. It’s just that it has come a decade late, and only once political realities had nudged the Coalition sufficiently that it felt compelled to adopt a net zero target.” Aly argued that the comment captures the “most confounding quirk” of this government, which is not that “it is almost always wrong”. “It’s that it is often right, but only after refusing to be for so long, and for no apparent reason,” he wrote. Waleed believes the government's actions over the past two years have exposed this trait, citing the slowness to build dedicated Covid-19 quarantine facilities and delays with the vaccine rollout. “Now, Morrison’s big announcement is to declare the current floods in NSW and Queensland a national emergency, but to do it some nine days into the catastrophe,” he said. “The Australian assumption is that when something’s important, government will be there to do what’s necessary. And what could be more important than a natural disaster? In a country like that, and in a moment like this, the things a government cannot be is sluggish or absent.” During a tour of flood-ravaged Lismore, Scott Morrison was forced to defend his actions and the government's lacklustre response. He said, “What we’re dealing with here is an extraordinary event. Australia’s becoming a harder country to live in because of these natural disasters. It’s just an obvious fact.” He added that the government recognises the impact of climate change on disasters and pointed to actions taken to address it. Meanwhile, outside the press conference venue, protesters lined the street with placards calling for further climate action. Image credits: Getty Images / The Project

Travel Trouble

"The scariest answer I've heard this year": Waleed Aly's Omicron shock

Image: The Project Leading US epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding has issued a dire warning to those unconcerned about the new Omicron variant, saying that the notion that this strain is a milder version of the disease is a “sweet little lie”. Appearing on Monday’s episode of The Project, Feigl-Ding’s worrying predictions clearly rattled host Waleed Aly, who dubbed one of the public health scientist’s responses “the scariest answer I’ve heard this year.” Feigl-Ding told The Project hosts that with a new variant circulating, Australians should be vaccinating children “as soon as possible”. “There’s been a lot of misinformation last year that kids can’t be infected, kids are immune – that’s not true. If anything, the Delta variant is much more severe in children, hospitalisation rates are much higher, and that’s before Omicron,” he said. “Kids do get sick, kids do get hospitalised and they do die. Please protect them against Omicron – vaccinating them is of the highest urgency.” The Project panellist Peter Helliar then asked where we might be in the life of this pandemic, prompting a dispiriting answer from Feigl-Ding, who says it is “far from over,” pointing to what he called a “vaccine apartheid” in regions like southern Africa, where new variants are able to emerge in populations with low vaccination rates. Feigl-Ding noted that the WHO had already announced they may switch to using stars and constellations if they run out of Greek letters to name Covid variants – a fact that left host Aly stunned. “I am petrified that the thing they went to after the Greek alphabet was the universe," he said, referring to the new variant's name. "As though we needed something that infinite to capture what might happen in the pandemic. That is the scariest answer I think I’ve heard this year.” Not all medical experts share Feigl-Ding’s views on Omicron – one leading voice even believes Omicron could, counterintuitively, spell “the end of Covid”. “I actually think there is a silver lining here, and this may signal the end of Covid-19, with it attenuating itself to such an extent that it is highly contagious but does not cause severe disease. That’s what happened with Spanish flu,” says Dr Richard Friedland, CEO of the Netcare Group, which operates more than 50 hospitals in South Africa.

Caring

Waleed Aly defends cricketers refusal to support Black Lives Matter

Waleed Aly has jumped to the defence of South African cricketer Quinton de Kock, who refused to take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The world-famous wicketkeeper made international headlines when he refused to kneel at the T20 World Cup during a show of support for the global anti-racism movement. His refusal sparked outrage around the world, as ABC Breakfast host Tony Armstrong says he "saw red" and blasted the cricketer's actions on air. In the days following, Quinton de Kock, who comes from a mixed race family, issued an apology, saying he felt like his rights were "taken away" as players were instructed just hours before the commencement of the game to take a knee. The Project host leapt to his defence, saying he understood the cricketer's reluctance to participate. "Especially when it came out that he was just told on the way to the ground and all of that sort of stuff," Aly told the program on Thursday night. "I think that there's a thing that sport has to think about here, which is, it's one thing for sport to take a stand... It's another thing when you compel every player to take the same stand, especially when you compel them a couple of hours before a game." Despite saying "if I was in his position, I'm taking the knee", Waleed said he thought it was unfair for Cricket South Africa to spring the action on unsuspecting players. "There was no conversation and suddenly he's meant to process this and take on something that the game or Cricket South Africa and a statement that they want to make as his own personal one," Aly continued. "It's a really weird situation for a player to be in." Guest host on The Project Tony Armstrong accepted the cricketer's apology and explanation, and admitted he may have made a mistake calling the player a racist. "I'm so glad that he's come out and said what he said. Because I think what he might not have realised in the moment was - just what it means to so many people," he said. You can check out the whole discussion here: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kl9qOKx_JYY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Image credits: The Project

Muhammad Ali’s artworks turn a huge profit at auction

Muhammad Ali’s artworks have sold for almost $1 million at an exclusive auction in New York. The boxer’s little-known passion for art saw him create a collection of works that were sold by Bonhams Auction House recently. The collection included 26 drawings and paintings that Ali created throughout the 1970s, and sold for a collective $945,000. His biggest work, titled Sting Like A Bee, set a record for the athlete’s art as it was sold to a British collector for $425,000. The artwork depicts one of Ali’s boxing ring victories, and was made while he was filming the 1979 movie Freedom Road in Mississippi. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844805/ali-art.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b103d95a1de7494e89c6e99c83a7704e" /> Image credit: Bonhams Auction House The selling price was 10 times higher than the low estimated price of $40,000, showing the works to be in higher demand than previously thought. Also in the sale was a 1979 painting on canvas reading “I Love You America” that sold for $150,000, and a 1967 pen sketch that alludes to Ali’s faith, which sold for $24,000. The works originally came from a private collection belonging to Ali’s confidante Rodney Hilton Brown. Brown was the publisher of a series of editions by Ali based on serigraphs commissioned by the World Federation of United Nations Associations. As part of the World Federation series, Ali created a politically-charged drawing titled Let My People Go, which depicted an enchained African-American man being whipped. The artwork was subsequently censored by the government agency for its graphic depiction of racial violence. The controversial artwork sold for $72,800 at Bonhams, after being estimated at just $40,000. Image credits: Getty Images / Bonhams Auction House

Art

Waleed Aly defends Gladys

The Project co-host Waleed Aly has come out in defence of former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, saying the state’s corruption watchdog is “getting rid of” competent leaders. Aly said the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) may “erode confidence” of the public in politicians. Ms Berejiklian stepped down as Premier last week following the announcement from ICAC that she was being investigated in relation to former MP Daryl Maguire, who was found to have abused his position as a politician. Previously, ICAC launched an inquiry into former Liberal premier Barry O’Farrell over his decision to accept a $3000 bottle of wine without declaring it, prompting his resignation. “One of the interesting elements of this is ICAC is there … to give the public confidence in politicians and in the political system,” Aly <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/politics/waleed-aly-defends-gladys-berejiklian-on-the-project-amid-icac-investigation/news-story/2a6de7dc6696085a694d5e029f673531" target="_blank">said</a>. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> There are growing calls for a NSW-style corruption watchdog to be implemented at a federal level. But how it would work is becoming a contentious issue. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/NgeH4ndyKz">pic.twitter.com/NgeH4ndyKz</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1445655716144898056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote> “But is there a danger though that it can do the opposite and ICAC may have done that by getting rid of premiers that are widely respected, seen as competent, and people who have been of integrity, seeing a premier in NSW disappear over a bottle of wine. It erodes confidence in the political system unnecessarily.” Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus rejected the idea, arguing that ICAC wasn’t the one that “got rid of” Ms Berejiklian. “I think that all politicians and all commentators need to be very careful not to attack these anti-corruption commissions simply because they don’t like what they’ve discovered or because they don’t like outcomes,” he said. “Bear in mind the former premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian, resigned of her own volition. No-one forced her to resign. “Nothing about the ICAC scheme required her to resign. So it’s wrong those people that are blaming ICAC because Ms Berejiklian’s no longer the Premier of NSW.” “It was her choice to resign. A quite different course of action was available to her. She could have simply stood aside. Or she could have decided not to stand aside at all and undergo the investigation that’s now underway. “We don’t yet know the outcome of the inquiry.” A public inquiry into the issue is due to commence on October 18, and is expected to last for about 10 days. Ms Bereijiklian has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Mr Maguire’s actions. Image: The Project

Waleed Aly defends Guy Sebastian on The Project

Waleed Aly has come out in defence of Guy Sebastian, after the singer received backlash for an <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/i-m-so-sorry-guy-sebastian-apologises-for-pro-vax-video" target="_blank">apology video</a> about encouraging everyone to get vaccinated. In a segment on Tuesday night’s episode of The Project, guest Dr Vyom Sharma said Sebastian’s comments showed a “lack of understanding” about the issue. The 39-year-old singer said he would “never, ever tell people what to do when it comes to their personal health choices” in his apology video, prompted by a post his team shared on social media urging Australians to get vaccinated. The criticisms kept pouring in after Sebastian <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/i-m-very-disappointed-in-you-ray-hadley-s-terse-advice-for-guy" target="_blank">called into Ray Hadley’s 2GB program</a> that ended on a sour note. Aly said that he “really, really feels for Guy” as he faces the severe backlash. “He seems to me a lovely guy who is being beset upon by people who are not that, and waded into an issue where I don’t think he quite understood the polarisation it faces,” he said. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843865/project.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/faabeafb8de2417cae75c6f4686fdcdb" /> Image: Channel 10 Co-host Carrie Bickmore also shared her sympathy for The Voice judge, saying, “The pile on … The whole thing gets so ugly.” But, Dr Sharma said Sebastian’s position towards making people get vaccinated who can’t for medical reasons showed a “lack of understanding”. “He talked about the fact that he doesn’t want to tell people what they want to do if they have some medical conditions that may prohibit them from getting the vaccine,” Dr Sharma said. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843864/sharma.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7c6c6754948b43f99dd5ad0f83a54919" /> Image: Channel 10 “I can see his good intentions here, but unfortunately this shows a lack of understanding. If anything, if you’ve got lots of medical conditions, that should encourage you more than anyone to go get vaccinated. “You are exactly the person who is at risk from COVID-19, exactly the person we want to vaccinate first.” Dr Shama also clarified that the group of people who Sebastian is worried about is actually quite small. “We are talking about rare conditions that you barely ever see,” he explained. “It’s not the case that there are thousands of people out there who can’t get vaccinated - it’s just a few.” Image: Channel 10, Guy Sebastian / Instagram

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Radio presenter resigns after cancer diagnosis