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Alan Jones once seemed unassailable. What ended it was a peculiarly Sydney story of media, politics and power

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865">Denis Muller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>For decades it seemed Alan Jones was unassailable.</p> <p>A finding against him of professional misconduct by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (2000); a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/tribunal-upholds-that-jones-incited-hatred-20121002-26x8h.html">finding</a> that he incited hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule of Lebanese Muslims (2009); propositions of violence against two women prime ministers (<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-20/alan-jones-says-gillard-remark-best-left-unsaid/3579658">2011</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-21/alan-jones-breached-rules-in-jacinda-ardern-comment/12271476">2019</a>); verdicts against him and his employer amounting to millions of dollars in defamation actions (most notably <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-12/alan-jones-defamed-wagners-court-decision-brisbane-qld/10230384">one for $3.75 million</a> in 2018): none of these ended his career.</p> <p>Quite the reverse. Only weeks after the Australian Broadcasting Authority found in its “cash for comments” inquiry that Jones and others had misled their listeners by presenting paid endorsements as editorial opinion, he was hosting an event for then prime minister John Howard.</p> <p>Howard was to become a fixture on the Jones program throughout the 11 years of his prime ministership.</p> <p>The day after the Australian Communications and Media Authority found Jones was likely to have encouraged violence and vilification of Australians of Lebanese and Middle Eastern background, Howard <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/jones-wins-friends-in-high-places-20070412-ge4n4f.html">described him</a> as “an outstanding broadcaster”. “I don’t think he’s a person who encourages prejudice in the Australian community, not for one moment, but he is a person who articulates what a lot of people think.”</p> <p>By 2001, Jones had become a kind of on-air policy-maker for the New South Wales government. In November that year, he dined with the then Labor premier, Bob Carr. They discussed a range of government policies, particularly policing. At that time, Jones was a relentless critic of the NSW police.</p> <p>The following week, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-01/newton-alan-jones/4288824">Carr dispatched</a> his police minister-designate, Michael Costa, to Jones’s home to discuss policing policy.</p> <p>In 2011 he said Julia Gillard, then Australia’s prime minister, should be taken out to sea and dumped in a chaff bag. In August 2019 he said Scott Morrison, who was then Australia’s prime minister, should “shove a sock” down the throat of his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern.</p> <p>He was an outspoken climate-change denier, and these grotesqueries were part of his campaign against political recognition of this reality.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Od6I1YbrBoM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Jones’s power, which made him so apparently untouchable, came from his weaponising of the microphone for conservative political ends in ways that resonated with his vast and rusted-on audience of largely working-class older people across Sydney’s sprawling western suburbs.</p> <p>These suburbs contain many marginal state and federal electorates where the fates of governments can be decided. Their populations provide fertile ground for seeding by right-wing radio shock jocks, of whom Jones and his rival John Laws were pre-eminent examples.</p> <p>In Australia, this is a peculiarly Sydney phenomenon. It is not seen to the same degree in any other capital city, even though they too have large areas of socioeconomic disadvantage like western Sydney.</p> <p>Why that should be so is a complex question, but there are aspects of Sydney life that mark it out as different. It is really two cities. One is the largely prosperous and scenically dazzling east and north. The other, much larger, consists of dreary tracts of increasingly crowded housing stretching for many kilometres to the west and southwest.</p> <p>In Sydney argot, the inhabitants of these respective worlds are called “silvertails” and “fibros”, the latter referring to the cladding of the homes that proliferated in western Sydney between and after the two world wars.</p> <p>This two-cities effect makes the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” highly visible in a way that has no parallel in other Australian capitals. It engenders deep-seated grievance and cynicism, which the likes of Jones, who lives in a multimillion-dollar apartment on Circular Quay, have relentlessly exploited.</p> <p>Jones coined the term “Struggle Street” to encapsulate the hardships of his listeners’ lives.</p> <p>To these powerless people, Jones and Laws gave a voice, and as their audiences grew, prime ministers and premiers courted and feared them.</p> <p>In the end, Jones’s impregnability was breached by not the power elite turning on one of their own, but by the journalism of a redoubtably tenacious Sydney Morning Herald investigative reporter, Kate McClymont.</p> <p>In December 2023, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/he-d-go-the-grope-alan-jones-accused-of-indecently-assaulting-young-men-20231205-p5epai.html">she claimed</a> Jones had used his position of power, first as a teacher and later as the country’s top-rating radio broadcaster, to allegedly prey on a number of young men.</p> <p>In response to McClymont’s work, the NSW police set up Strike Force Bonnefin, run by the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse Squad, to conduct an investigation into Jones.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0ExkpCtfmA8?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>On November 18 2024, Jones was arrested at his Circular Quay home and charged initially with 24 sexual offences against eight males. The following day, two <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-19/alan-jones-charged-with-additional-offences-nsw-police/104617680">additional charges</a> were laid involving a ninth male.</p> <p>Through his lawyers, Jones has denied the charges and was bailed to appear in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on December 18. He <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/alan-jones-arrested-over-allegations-he-indecently-assaulted-young-men-20241118-p5krdu.html">was ordered</a> to surrender his passport and not to contact or harass the alleged victims.</p> <p>The charges relate to offences alleged to have been committed by Jones between 2001 and 2019, the youngest alleged victim being 17 at the time.</p> <p>Those dates coincide almost exactly with Jones’s most influential years, from 2002 to 2020.</p> <p>McClymont <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-stunning-development-kate-mcclymont-on-alan-jones-arrest-and-what-s-next-20241118-p5krln.html">has spoken</a> about the reluctance of some of her interviewees to speak, for fear of what Jones might do: "People were too afraid to take on Alan Jones. Once a couple of people came forward, and some people were happy to be publicly named, that gave confidence for other people to come forward.<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/243942/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />"</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865"><em>Denis Muller</em></a><em>, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</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/alan-jones-once-seemed-unassailable-what-ended-it-was-a-peculiarly-sydney-story-of-media-politics-and-power-243942">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas celebrate 24th anniversary

<p>Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary. </p> <p>The Hollywood couple, who've been together since 1998, took a trip down memory lane and shared photos from their nuptials as well as loving tributes to each other. </p> <p>Zeta-Jones shared three photos of their wedding day and the moment they officially became husband and wife. </p> <p>"24 years ago, I said, I do," she began in the caption.</p> <p>"Happy Anniversary darling Michael. Our love is like a hole in one…. You have to see it to believe it. Love you," she added with a series of red heart emojis. </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/DCgehPtsXt2/?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/DCgehPtsXt2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Catherine Zeta-Jones (@catherinezetajones)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Douglas shared one photo of their wedding day, showing the two cheek-to-cheek as they smiled for the camera, with Zeta-Jones' showing off her stunning ring. </p> <p>"24 years ago my darling," wrote Douglas. "Wow was I a lucky guy! Happy Anniversary Catherine!" </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/DCgB47hs8kA/?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/DCgB47hs8kA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Michael Douglas (@michaelkirkdouglas)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The couple first met in 1998, after Douglas said he fell in love at first sight and arranged a meeting with her through his publicist. They began dating shortly after. </p> <p>They got engaged the following year and had their first child together in 2000. </p> <p>Zeta-Jones and Douglas share two kids together, Dylan, 24 and Carys, 21, who are both following in their parents footsteps and pursuing careers in acting. </p> <p>Douglas also has a son from a previous relationship, named Cameron Douglas, 45.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

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Alan Jones hit with 24 charges of indecent assault

<p>Alan Jones has been changed over allegations of indecent assault and sexual touching offences.</p> <p>The former radio host is accused of 24 offences against eight victims, with the youngest aged 17 at the time the alleged crime took place. </p> <p>The charges include 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault where the alleged victim was under his authority, nine counts of indecent assault, two of unwanted sexual touching and two common assault charges.</p> <p>NSW Police announced they had charged Jones, 83, on Monday following an investigation into claims spanning two decades.</p> <p>The months-long investigation into the allegations culminated on Monday morning when Jones was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/alan-jones-arrested-over-sexual-assault-allegations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> in his Circular Quay home and taken to the police station, where officers made a statement on his arrest. </p> <p>“In March 2024, State Crime Command’s Child Abuse Squad established Strike Force Bonnefin to investigate a number of alleged indecent assaults and sexual touching incidents between 2001 and 2019,” police said in a statement.</p> <p>“Following extensive inquiries, about 7.45am (Monday), strike force detectives executed a search warrant at a unit in Circular Quay where they arrested an 83-year-old man.”</p> <p>NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said the work of the task force was still ongoing. </p> <p>"We believe that we will have more people coming forward with information," Mr Fitzgerald said on Monday.</p> <p>"(Investigators) are currently talking to people, and will continue talking to people," he said.</p> <p>“We will allege the accused knew some of them personally, some of them professionally, and we will also allege that some of the victims when the alleged offence took place, was the first time they ever met the accused,” the Assistant Commissioner added. </p> <p>Jones was granted conditional bail and disputes the allegations against him, his representative said, with his lawyer Christopher Murphy saying, “Alan Jones will assert his innocence appropriately in the courtroom. He denies any misconduct.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: DEAN LEWINS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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Dolly Parton struck by family tragedy

<p>Dolly Parton's older brother David Wilburn Parton has passed away at the age of 82. </p> <p>The news was shared by their sister, Stella Parton, on social media. </p> <p>"My brother David Passed away peacefully this morning. It's never easy to say goodbye to a loved one but he got his angel wings and is now at peace," she initially wrote on X, formerly Twitter. </p> <p>She shared another post on Facebook on Friday November 15 (Saturday November 16 in Australia),  "It's never easy to lose a loved one. My wonderful brother David Parton passed in the early hours of the morning."</p> <p>The following day, she thanked everyone for their thoughts and prayers in a follow-up post, "Thank you for all your kind thoughts to my family as we continue to grieve the loss of our much loved and cherished oldest brother David."</p> <p>While a specific cause of death has not been revealed, David's obituary, posted online by Farrar Funeral Home in White Pine, Tennessee, confirmed that he passed away at his home.</p> <p>"The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. David McNabney, Smoky Mountain Home Health &amp; Hospice, his Cornerstone caregiver, Aubrie Smith &amp; caregiver, Robin Schmidt," the obituary read. </p> <p>Dolly has yet to comment on the death. </p> <p>David is the oldest son among Dolly's 11 siblings, which include six brothers and five sisters. Among them, those remaining include Willadeene, 84, Coy, 81, Robert Jr., 76, Stella, Cassie, 73, Frieda, 67, Rachel, 65.</p> <p>Unlike his famous siblings, David stayed out of the spotlight and had a thriving career as a bridge builder superintendent, working on many of the bridges in Tennessee.</p> <p>He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Kay Parton, as well as three children and a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

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Alan Jones arrested over sexual assault allegations

<p>Veteran radio host Alan Jones has been arrested in his luxury apartment over allegations he indecently assaulted, groped or inappropriately touched multiple young men. </p> <p>According to the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/alan-jones-arrested-over-allegations-he-indecently-assaulted-young-men-20241118-p5krdu.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Sydney Morning Herald</em></a>, Jones was arrested at his Circular Quay apartment on Monday morning and taken to Day Street Police Station, where officers issued a statement about the arrest. </p> <p>"Following extensive inquiries, about 7.45am today, strike force detectives executed a search warrant at a unit in Circular Quay where they arrested an 83-year-old man," the statement said. </p> <p>"The search warrant is underway."</p> <p>The allegations against Jones surfaced over one year ago, when Nine newspapers first claimed that Jones inappropriately kissed and groped a 17-year-old schoolboy who visited his sprawling Southern Highlands estate in 2017.</p> <p>The allegations relate almost exclusively to his time at Sydney's leading talkback station, 2GB, where he hosted his talkback radio show for almost 20 years. </p> <p>Jones has long <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/alan-jones-vehemently-denies-bombshell-allegations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denied</a> the allegations, with his lawyers describing the claims against him as "demonstrably false and defamatory". </p> <p>Breaking his silence in a five-minute clip in March, Jones said he "refuted" the allegations against him "entirely and the inferences associated with them". </p> <p>Jones said he had "every intention of returning to broadcasting eventually", despite many close sources saying he would stay on "indefinite" leave, and had no plans on returning to the spotlight.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty</em></p>

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"An incredible loss": Quincy Jones dies at age 91

<p>Legendary music producer Quincy Jones, who worked with the likes of Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra throughout his career, has died at the age of 91. </p> <p>According to a statement from his family, he died on Sunday night at his home in Bel Air surrounded by friends and family. </p> <p>“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” the statement read. </p> <p>“And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”</p> <p>“He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.”</p> <p>A pioneer in the music industry, Jones arranged records for Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, composed the soundtracks for <em>Roots</em> and <em>In the Heat of the Night</em>, produced Michael Jackson's iconic album <em>Thriller</em>, and oversaw the all-star recording of <em>We Are the World</em>: the 1985 charity record for famine relief in Africa.</p> <p>Dozens of movie and music stars have paid tribute to Jones, such as American singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr., who said that Jones was his "hero".</p> <p>“My hero. truly one of the greatest minds the music world has ever known. he was so kind to me, so wonderful, such an influence. his legacy and his music will live forever. thank you for everything, Q. you were the dude,” he wrote on Instagram.</p> <p>Acting icon Morgan Freeman said the producer had "left an enduring legacy" behind.</p> <p>"Today, we say goodbye to the legendary Quincy Jones – a musical giant whose genius reshaped our world and left an enduring legacy. Rest well, Quincy."</p> <p>Actor Colman Domingo recalled meeting Jones in a personal message, writing, “He asked, where are you from? Philly I replied, his eyes twinkled and he talked about the Uptown Theatre. I was so thrilled to meet Mr. American Music himself. I literally kneeled because he was a King. Thank you Mr. Quincy Jones for giving us all the sound."</p> <p><em>Image credits: John Salangsang/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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"So precious!" Kochie celebrates arrival of his 9th grandchild

<p>David Koch has shared the happy news that his tribe of grandchildren has grown by one, posting a photo of his 9th grandchild.</p> <p>Kochie announced the safe arrival of baby girl Heidi, who is the first child of his daughter Georgie and her husband Alex. </p> <p>The former <em>Sunrise</em> host posted a photo of the moment his wife Libby met the new arrival for the first time in London, as his friends and colleagues shared their congratulations. </p> <p>“When Libby meets Heidi… grandchild #9… in London for the first time. First child for Georgie and Alex,” he wrote alongside the image. </p> <p>Former colleague Melissa Doyle commented, "Just gorgeous 😍", while Seven sports reporter Mark Beretta added, "Congratulations and what a beautiful moment!!👏".</p> <p>Fans also shared their congratulations to Kochie, celebrating the happy news of his latest grandchild’s arrival.</p> <p>“Congratulations to you all,” one wrote, while another said, “Gorgeous photo. So precious!”</p> <p>Kochie first shared the news of his growing family when Georgie was halfway through her pregnancy with Heidi, telling <em>The Morning Show</em> hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies that he and Libby were planning a trip to London to partake in a family tradition. </p> <p>"We have a family tradition, we buy the first pram for each of the families. (We're) very excited. It's number nine for us," he said in April.</p> <p>Heidi is David's ninth grandchild, as his three eldest children have eight kids between them.</p> <p>His son AJ welcomed his first child - a daughter called Catalina May - with his wife Carolina in 2021.</p> <p>The little one was born weeks after Samantha welcomed a daughter called Florence May with her partner Toby. They also share three other children - Lila, Oscar, and Matilda.</p> <p>David's other daughter Brianna, who lives in Perth, also has three children - Jax, Teddy and Ella - with her partner CJ Jayasinghe.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Sunrise</em></p>

Family & Pets

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David Campbell's tearful acceptance of heartwarming award

<p>David Campbell was unable to hold back his tears as he delivered an emotional speech after he and his father Jimmy Barnes jointly won the 2024 Australian Father of the Year Award. </p> <p>The <em>Today Extra</em> host became emotional when he accepted the award on Thursday, reflecting on what being a father means to him. </p> <p>“I can honestly tell you we won the lottery, we really did,” Campbell said, slowly tearing up.</p> <p>“They teach us how to parent them as individuals for all their own needs, their talents and their unbelievable zest for life, I am the father that I am today - of the year - because I fathered them.”</p> <p>“So to Leo, Billy and Betty, thank you for being patient, I had no idea what I was doing, but you make me laugh and the most part you listen to your mum and I when we try to guide you through this fantastical life that you’re going to live,” he added, wiping the tears from his eyes and trying to retain his composure.</p> <p>David Campbell's own father Jimmy Barnes was unable to be at the award ceremony after undergoing emergency surgery to his hip, but that didn't stop Campbell paying tribute to his famous dad. </p> <p>“He takes fatherhood really, really personally, he had a very traumatic childhood growing up and it was really, really difficult for him,” Campbell explained.</p> <p>“He had a lot of trauma, a lot of abuse, which he’s written about and he’s had to overcome all of that and of course, he had a lot of problems in his life."</p> <p>“But the fact that he then became a parent with Jane, to my brothers and sisters and to me, has been the thing that he’s been able to improve his past and change the future by raising us and giving us the tools that we needed to be better.” </p> <p>“And for me, no matter what, he’s been my North Star, even with his mistakes, because I watch him improve on that all the time and he’s an incredible grandfather to not only my kids, but the 127 grandkids he has."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Today Extra</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Stop the blame game": Kochie slams young Aussie homebuyers

<p>David Koch has called on young Aussies to stop blaming baby boomers for their financial woes in his latest newsletter for finance website Compare The Market. </p> <p>The former <em>Sunrise</em> host and current economic director for the finance company said that young Aussies need to “stop the blame game” in regards to the housing crisis, arguing that baby boomers should be called the "scapegoats" instead. </p> <p>He explained that young homebuyers believe that his generation has “put them on the chopping block” despite the “Bank of Mum and Dad” sitting sixth largest home lenders.</p> <p>“Not enough houses? Boomers are hoarding them. Not enough home units? Boomers throw down cash before first-time buyers can say boo!” he wrote.</p> <p>He said that while he understood that young Aussies are struggling to buy a home, as the median price of one in Australia is currently 14 times the average annual income, in 1990 it was five times the average annual income. </p> <p>“When we bought our homes, prices were more accessible, and while interest rates were sky-high, our wages were aligned with housing costs.”</p> <p>“Housing markets have inflated, wages have stagnated, and opportunities for younger generations are considerably diminished.”</p> <p>He added that government policy is largely to blame for the dire housing situation, and that the rise in property costs was not because they wanted to hang younger Aussies out to dry, but because the economy favoured real estate as a safe, long-term investment. </p> <p>“Governments have simply not planned for either the generational housing change or the big increase in migration to ensure enough properties have been built to meet demand,” he wrote.</p> <p>He then referenced the State of the Housing System report which found that Australia will fall 40,000 units short of its 2029 new home construction target of 1.2m million.</p> <p>Kochie defended the boomers, saying that not many of them could be considered as the "wealthy, elite stereotype we often see in the news”, as many of them had to work hard to become a homeowner. </p> <p>“It's essential to recognise this diversity and avoid vilifying the entire generation,” he wrote.</p> <p>Kochie called on young Australians to "stop the blame game" and instead of "pointing fingers" they should focus on  “how we can work together” to make housing affordable again. </p> <p>“A bit of compassion and creative thinking could go a long way. Otherwise, the scapegoats and sacrificial lambs of the world will continue their bleating,” he wrote.</p> <p><em>Images: Realestate.com.au</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Devastated wife reveals croc attack victim's heroic final act

<p>The grieving wife of the 40-year-old doctor who was killed by a crocodile in Far North Queensland has spoken out about her husband's heroic actions in the moments before his tragic death. </p> <p>David Hogbin, a general practitioner from Newcastle, was holidaying near Cooktown with his wife Jane and their three young sons when he was attacked by a crocodile. </p> <p>The family of five were walking along an established path on a riverbank when it is believed part of the bank gave way, causing Hogbin to fall into the river below.</p> <p>“Jane, who was nearby but not walking with Dave at the time, heard the splash and slid down to desperately try to pull him out,” family friend Alex Ward wrote on <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-dave-hogbins-family-after-tragic-crocodile-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">GoFundMe</a>.</p> <p>“Due to the steepness and slipperiness of the bank, Jane was able to grab his arm but began slipping into the river herself.”</p> <p>Jane said her husband was "doing everything right" during the frantic incident, reflecting on his selflessness in his final moments. </p> <p>“He saved me — his last act was to not pull me in with him,” she told <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/news/dads-selfless-final-act-before-fatal-crocodile-attack-in-queensland/news-story/72a7140759ca5f22bb263ad1b0a390eb" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p>Hogbin let go of his wife’s arm during the attack, which meant she was able to find safety on the riverbank as he was taken by the crocodile.</p> <p>“I’m glad I’m still here, because it could have been a million-fold worse for everyone involved, not just the boys,” Jane said.</p> <p>“I have a lot of comfort in knowing there’s nothing that I’m frustrated or angry about — he was just walking around a corner on a well-worn path.”</p> <p>Ward said it was a “small consolation” Hogbin’s three young sons did not directly see him being taken by the crocodile.</p> <p>Jane is now focused on helping her kids get through the tragedy while being determined to keep memories of their father alive.</p> <p>“I want them to know how dedicated he was as a father — he always jokingly offered to be a stay-at-home dad and never work again, because they were his number one priority,” she said.</p> <p>“David touched so many people’s lives that everyone deserves to know who he was and how it all ended for him."</p> <p>“I want to put a face to this tragedy — someone didn’t just get killed by a crocodile, we have lost a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, friend and doctor.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

Caring

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Daughters of slain Aussie tourists break silence

<p>The daughters of the Australian man who was killed in The Philippines alongside his partner have broken their silence after their family's "cruel" deaths. </p> <p>On Wednesday last week, the bodies of David James Fisk, 57, his wife Lucita Barquin Cortez, 55, and Ms Cortez’s daughter-in-law Mary Jane Cortez, 30, were found dead inside their Lake Hotel room in Tagaytay, south of Manila. </p> <p>Authorities have since confirmed that a man has <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/huge-breakthrough-after-aussie-couple-murdered-on-overseas-holiday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">handed himself in</a> to police in connection to the alleged murders. </p> <p>It is understood the man accused of killing the trio was a former employee of the hotel who wanted to “get back at the hotel management” for his dismissal.</p> <p>Mr Fisk’s daughters, Lucinda and Brittany Fisk, said they have been afraid and confused ever since learning their father had been killed. </p> <p>“We have been living and continuing to live a nightmare until any of this makes sense,” Lucinda told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/david-fisk-lucinda-cortez-suspected-killer-surrenders-to-police-philippines/e2f70137-af63-4b60-9f05-0e1981618d7f" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>9News</em></a>.</p> <p>“For someone to take our father away from us so cruelly... it just doesn’t make sense."</p> <p>“We won’t stop fighting until we find out why, and we won’t stop fighting until we have justice for our father and Lucita.”</p> <p>Brittany said she hoped nobody else will ever have to go through the nightmare her family are enduring.</p> <p>“I’m angry, I’m really angry, and I’m scared... I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” she said.</p> <p>A hotel worker found the victims’ bodies with their hands and feet bound and packaging tape covering their mouths on Wednesday last week, according to a police statement.</p> <p>Police located the main suspect in the killings using CCTV footage from the hotel, and when they arrived at his house for questioning, the man surrendered himself to police. </p> <p>Capagcuan and Tagatay City Mayor Abraham Tolentino said the deaths had been a “wake-up call” after decades without similar incidents.</p> <p>“Tagaytay City is a tourist-driven local economy,” he said. “We are a safe place, we are a peaceful place, and for the last 30 years there’s no crime like this in the area.”</p> <p>After hearing the news of the couple's sudden and tragic passing, Mr Fisk’s family released a statement sharing their grief and pleading for answers.</p> <p>“The love we have for our Father and Lucita is so dear and this situation is like living a nightmare,” the statement read.</p> <p>“We pray for answers and the truth in this horrific matter and just pray for their safe return to Australian shores.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe / 9News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Huge breakthrough after Aussie couple murdered on overseas holiday

<p>Just days after Australian couple David Fisk and Lucita Cortez were <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/australian-couple-killed-in-the-philippines-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed</a> in a luxury hotel in the Philippines, the suspected killer has reportedly turned himself in to police. </p> <p>The bodies of 54-year-old David Fisk and his de-facto partner Lucita Barquin Cortez, 55, were found with their hands and feet tied by hotel staff at the Lake Hotel in Tagaytay city, south of Manila, on Wednesday. </p> <p>The body of another woman, Cortez's  30-year-old daughter-in-law Mary who lives in the Philippines, was also found in the room. </p> <p>A week on from their deaths, Tagaytay Police Chief Charles Daven Capagcuan told the Associated Press that police had a breakthrough in the case when a suspect was identified by three hotel staff from CCTV footage. </p> <p>The identification of the suspect eventually led to his home where he decided to surrender, Capagcuan said.</p> <p>On Wednesday, Sunrise reporter Ben Downie shared the new developments.</p> <p>“Philippines police say this morning a man handed himself in over the hotel homicide where the killer carried out an execution-style attack binding his victims, slashing and suffocating them,” Downie said.</p> <p>“Hotel security footage showed the suspect leaving the room, but didn’t capture him entering, leading to the theory the killer had gained access from a window."</p> <p>“This certainly counts as a breakthrough with the surrendered suspect and closure for loved ones.”</p> <p>After hearing the news of the couple's sudden and tragic passing, Fisk's family, based in NSW's Sutherland Shire, issued a statement saying they "pray for answers and the truth in this horrific matter".</p> <p>"The love we have for our Father and Lucita is so dear and this situation is like living a nightmare," the family said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe / Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"My little Spice Girl": Victoria Beckham's sweet tribute as daughter turns 13

<p>David and Victoria Beckham's daughter has turned 13. </p> <p>On Wednesday July 10, the couple marked Harper's milestone birthday with a cute throwback video shared on Instagram. </p> <p>The sweet video — set to Bruno Mars’ <em>Just The Way You Are </em> — featured a compilation of footage of Harper through the years, from her taking her first steps to playing soccer with her dad. </p> <p>"Happy 13th Birthday to my beautiful little girl," David began in the caption. </p> <p>"Daddy is so proud of you, you have grown up to be a kind, generous &amp; a beautiful young lady with the most amazing heart &amp; the most amazing smile that we all love so so much," he continued.</p> <p>"Always be the beautiful person that you are. Harper Seven you're my world."</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/reel/C9Prtgjo_IN/?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/reel/C9Prtgjo_IN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Victoria also shared a special tribute to her daughter, with the caption: “Happy Birthday to my best friend. You are sweet and kind and your smile warms our hearts every day 😊"</p> <p>"You really are our everything Harper Seven and we are so proud of the happy, beautiful, talented young lady you are becoming. We love you so so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ "</p> <p>Victoria's celebrity friends took to the comments to share their birthday wishes. </p> <p>“Happy birthday beautiful Harper! We love you so much! ❤️,” wrote Victoria’s best friend Eva Longoria. </p> <p>“Happy birthday Harper, we love you to bits. Xx,” added Spice Girl bandmate Emma Bunton.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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David and Victoria Beckham recreate iconic purple wedding look

<p>David and Victoria Beckham have slipped back into the infamous purple wedding outfits to mark their 25th anniversary. </p> <p>The pair have shared a bunch of photos on social media from the lead up to their wedding in July 1999, giving fans a more detailed insight into the big day. </p> <p>"Looking back on the days leading up to our wedding 25 years ago brings back so many amazing memories… I love you so much," Victoria captioned one of the posts, before tagging David. </p> <p>The photos included a picture of the pair testing their iconic thrones for size when they were first delivered, Victoria's final fitting for her wedding dress and David fully concentrating while writing his vows among a few other special moments. </p> <p>In another post, the couple released a series of shots of them sitting on the reupholstered thrones, wearing their iconic Antonio Berardi wedding reception outfits. </p> <p>"Yep, still got it! 🤣 Can’t believe it’s been 25 years and they still fit!" Victoria captioned the photo before tagging all of their kids on social media. </p> <p>It wasn't an easy process getting into clothes from 25 years ago, and the pair even documented the former Manchester United player struggling to get into the suit, as their 12-year-old daughter Harper was heard giggling in the background.</p> <p>In the Instagram story David can be heard saying "I'm in!" before hearing a pop as he put on the waistcoat making everyone burst into laughter.</p> <p>Fans were thrilled to see the post and loved the Beckhams' sense of humour. </p> <p>"This is the only monarchy I recognise. 👑 Happy anniversary, kids," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"Why does this still look as iconic as the first time!!!" added another. </p> <p>"Going to tell my kids these are the Queen and King of England," joked a third. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Relationships

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David Campbell and Jimmy Barnes open up on "complicated" relationship

<p>Jimmy Barnes and David Campbell have opened up on their unconventional father-son bond in the latest episode of <em>The Apple & The Tree</em> podcast. </p> <p>The podcast hosted by Richard and Christian Wilkins aims to get under the hood of famous Aussie families, discussing the good, the bad and everything else. </p> <p>In the podcast, Jimmy revealed that he was just a teen when David was left in the care of his maternal grandmother, and he didn't know that his dad was the most famous rock star in the country until he was 10 years old. </p> <p>When asked how David felt when he realised who his dad was, he replied: "He was 30 ... and a 10-year-old just lands in his lap ... it's a really complicated situation." </p> <p>"I had lot of anxiety ... a lot of 'I don't belong here' but also 'I want to belong here'."</p> <p>Jimmy agreed, and said, "He tried to escape from it." </p> <p>The singer recalled what a tricky time it was for his son. </p> <p>"David got a bit sick when he started to realise who I was, it was overwhelming, he got migraines and stuff.</p> <p>"I was like, 'I'm sorry I'm your father ... have you seen Star Wars?'" he joked.</p> <p>Despite the rough start, Jimmy's wife Jane had hope that the new family dynamic was a positive change, and she was right. </p> <p>"We can both safely say that there was one factor that made this work quickly, it was Jane," Jimmy shared.</p> <p>"Even now, David is probably closer to Jane than he is to me," he continued.</p> <p>David also grew a close bond with his half-sister Mahalia Barnes, who was really young when they first met. </p> <p>They now have the strongest bond, both on and off stage. </p> <p>Speaking about his relationship with Mahalia, David said: "The joy of singing with Mahalia on stage, it reminds me of the time I just got there, and she was my first sister ... I trust her with secrets in my life, implicitly." </p> <p>Over time the family dynamic has developed into something that Jimmy said he cherishes dearly. </p> <p>"I can't regret anything I've done, because everything I've done has brought me to this space, with this family," he said.</p> <p>"I don't take any of this for granted, but I used to medicate, I now just meditate."</p> <p>Now that David is a parent himself he added that there are some perks for his kids for having a world-famous rocker as their 'Pa'.</p> <p>"When Grandparent Day happens, all of a sudden every parent turns up really dressed well ... asking for selfies," he said.</p> <p><em>Image: X/ Nine</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“He tried to kill me": Shock claims against former TV presenter

<p>Former Channel Seven presenter Liam David Cox has appeared via audiovisual link in Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Monday, following claims that he forcefully strangled a woman during a domestic dispute. </p> <p>The woman told police that Cox had wrestled her to the ground, straddled her, and proceeded to forcefully strangle her until she lost consciousness.</p> <p>“He tried to kill me,” she told police. </p> <p>The court heard that police found the woman bleeding from her nose and coughing up blood, when they attended the scene. </p> <p>They also found blood splattered on the bedsheets and pillows, and on tissues in the toilet. She was treated by paramedics before being hospitalised for her injuries. </p> <p>The alleged incident occurred at a house in Vaucluse, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, on the night of May 4, and Cox was arrested at a hotel in Bondi Beach the following day. </p> <p>Cox has spent nearly a month behind bars, and was applying for bail during the court hearing on Monday. </p> <p>The court heard that the altercation occurred after he had attended a charity fundraiser with the woman where he had a few drinks before they became embroiled in a heated argument. </p> <p>Magistrate Greg Grogin said the facts stated that the woman had been “the instigator” and “quite aggressive”, adding that he wasn't "victim blaming" but adding context to the “extremely serious allegations” where Cox allegedly lashed out  after an “ongoing” argument. </p> <p>Cox's lawyer Ben Barrack told the court the couple had clashed three times that night, and the woman had punched and kicked him in the lead up to the alleged assault. </p> <p>The former TV presenter also claimed that he was acting in self-defence, but admitted that he had not used reasonable force. </p> <p>His lawyer added that the woman’s allegations were “highly problematic” and emphasised she had not yet provided a statement to police about the alleged assault.</p> <p>Police prosecutor Nellia Ng argued that Cox should not be granted bail because there was a risk that he would further endangered the alleged victim commit further offences, or fail to appear in court.</p> <p>However, the Magistrate determined that the risks could be mitigated if Cox resided in Queensland and was barred from contacting his alleged victim.</p> <p>He granted bail with strict conditions including having to surrender his passport, report to police, and abstain from contacting the woman.</p> <p>“Domestic violence should not occur anywhere at any time with anybody for any reason,” Magistrate Grogin said.</p> <p>“Any temptation to contact (the woman) will be a short-course way to come back before the court via AVL wearing green. You don’t need to do that.”</p> <p><em>Image: YouTube</em></p>

Legal

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"A bit weird": David Koch's new career move

<p>Former Sunrise co-host David Koch has revealed a new career move a year after resigning from the breakfast TV show. </p> <p>On Thursday, Koch was announced as the new chair of the South Australian Tourism Commission, the peak body promoting tourism to SA. </p> <p>Koch is replacing Andrew Bullock, who has been the chair of the commission since 2019. </p> <p>“A passionate South Australian and media professional, Kochie is a leading advocate for small business and a high-profile finance commentator,” the SATC said in a statement. </p> <p>Koch, who was born in Adelaide but has been living in Sydney, said he won't be moving back to SA for the role. </p> <p>Some South Australians questioned his high-profile appointment, as they believe that a local should've been chosen for the job. </p> <p>"It's a little bit weird that he doesn't live in SA - that he's not living here but being the head of it," one said.</p> <p>"It would be nice to have someone embedded in SA, living in SA, part of the community in SA as well," another added. </p> <p>However, Premier Peter Malinauskas has defended the decision,  citing Koch's national profile and financial expertise as a valuable aspect in advertising  smaller businesses in the tourism sector.</p> <p>"We as a state have punched above our weight in regards to tourism and hospitality but there is a lot more growth to be had," Malinauskas said.</p> <p>As the chair, Koch will work alongside the SATC board to  “set the strategic agenda for the commission”.</p> <p>He will hold the role for three years from July 2. </p> <p>“We do the best food and wine in the nation, and we have some of the nation’s most spectacular regions,”  he said after his new role was announced. </p> <p>“We also retain a reputation for delivering first class major events and festivals.</p> <p>“More recently, the perceptions of Adelaide and South Australia have shifted significantly on the east coast – and we have an opportunity to capitalise on this momentum to grow our tourism sector even further.”</p> <p><em style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;">Image: Nine</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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David Beckham's incredible offer for 'stealing' couple's wedding venue

<p>David Beckham has reportedly made a huge offer to a couple in a bid to steal the venue from them. </p> <p>The couple had booked the luxury resort Gleneagles in Scotland, UK for their dream wedding, but the football legend - who has reportedly been busy hunting for the perfect location to celebrate his 50th birthday - also wanted to book the venue to mark the milestone birthday. </p> <p>According to <em><a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/david-beckham-steals-couples-wedding-32864115" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mirror</a>,</em> Beckham has apparently convinced the couple to move their wedding date and venue by helping them pay off their wedding and a few other special offers. </p> <p>A “friend of a friend” took to X, to share the claim this week. </p> <p>“A friend of a friend is getting married at Gleneagles next year but David Beckham wants the date for his 50th, so to get the friend to move it so he can have the hotel, Gleneagles are paying for their new wedding date, honeymoon AND paying off their mortgage … the power of Becks," user Ollienarrator wrote in a tweet. </p> <p>Fans of Beckham praised the football legend for being so generous. </p> <p>“OMG!!!! That’s absolutely wild! Ah but so worth it,” wrote one person. </p> <p>“What a wedding present!” added another, to which the original poster responded:  “I bet Beckham won’t have to pay either! But yeah, mortgage paid off will do!” </p> <p><em>The Mirror</em> reported that they have contacted Beckham's representatives for a comment. </p> <p><em>Image: Ryan Browne/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Money & Banking

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Kochie's thoughtful act for scam victim

<p>David Koch has given back to a hard-working Aussie who lost her life savings to a convincing scam. </p> <p>For many years, scammers have been using the likeness of Australian celebrities to con people out of their money. </p> <p>Kochie is just one of many high-profile personalities who have had their identities used to run convincing scams, that thousands of people have fallen victim to. </p> <p>The former <em>Sunrise</em> host has often taken to social media to warn people of the illegitimate ads, but it hasn't been enough to stop the scammers in their tracks. </p> <p>In a special <em>7News Spotlight</em> investigation, Kochie joined the team to lift the lid on the multi-billion-dollar scam industry in which fake advertisements featuring well-known celebrities have been used to con more than 600,000 Aussies.</p> <p>“It’s devastating because it’s my reputation on the line,” says Koch.</p> <p>“And these scams are so good, they’re so believable that people who trust me look at me and say, ‘Wow, I’m getting some comfort out of what this bloke is saying,’ and then are ripped off by some scammer from overseas.”</p> <p>Koch is desperately trying to stop this criminal act, saying, “I’ve reported it to the ACCC and ASIC. I’m part of an ACCC case against Meta at the moment surrounding these scam ads.”</p> <p>As part of the investigation, Kochie met Allison, who lost $250,000 when she invested her money in what she thought was a reputable company, fronted by who she believed to be the former <em>Sunrise</em> host.</p> <p>As an avid Port Adelaide supporter, she trusts Koch, who is also the Chairman of the football club.</p> <p>“Port Adelaide members are all part of a big family,” says Koch. “And the fact that these scammers use my association with the club to prey on members is just abhorrent.”</p> <p>After losing her savings, Allison has been struggling to make ends meet, and is on a payment plan so she can stay as a member of the AFL club she loves.</p> <p>After learning of her story, Koch himself has stepped in and ensured she has lifelong membership.</p> <p>“It’s the least we can do,” says Koch to Allison. “Because, football has got to be your haven.”</p> <p>Allison is just one of the many victims of complex scams in Australia, with reporter Sarah Greenhalgh believes millions of dollars have been illegally stolen.</p> <p>“The scammers successfully prey on these people’s unique vulnerabilities and the victims’ lives have changed forever as a result,” she says.</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News Spotlight</em></p>

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