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Beloved MasterChef star dies aged 64

Tributes have poured in for well-known Australian chef Greg Malouf, who has passed away at the age of 64. The Melbourne cook, who has been dubbed Australia’s godfather of Middle Eastern cuisine, appeared on MasterChef Australia throughout his career. His tragic death was announced on Saturday and the news has rocked the culinary industry, with friends, family and chefs alike taking to social media to pay tribute. Former MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris shared a heartbreaking post to Instagram, saying the world has lost a “beautiful man”. “Along with so many today is a sad day for us all,” Mr Calombaris captioned a picture of the star. “We lost a giant of a human @gregmaloufchef. A beautiful man. Yes an amazing chef. I send love to his family and strength." “I will miss the banter of all things Greek v Lebanese food. RIP great man. See you on the other side. Gc xxx.” Many of Greg's celebrity friends quickly took to the comment section to share their sadness at his passing. "One of the giants," wrote fellow celebrity chef Miguel Maestre, while The Great Australian Bake Off star Matt Moran posted a crying emoji. Greg was well-known to lovers of Australian food for his frequent guest appearances on reality TV, including stints of MasterChef Australia and Food Safari. Image credits: Instagram

Caring

Why Greg Lynn could walk free from prison

Greg Lynn has applied to be freed from jail until his sentencing hearing over the murder of Carol Clay. The former Jetstar pilot, who was found guilty of murdering the 73-year-old while she was camping with her secret partner Russell Hill in March 2020, is appealing the guilty verdict which the jury came to after a weeks-long trial in June. The 57-year old appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Friday where Justice Michael Croucher heard the convicted killer had been the victim of prison attacks during his six-week trial. The court heard Lynn's barrister Dermot Dann KC is in the process of compiling submissions calling on Justice Croucher to hold of on sentencing his client until an appeal over his conviction can be heard by the Court of Appeal. If granted, the "stay" of sentence could allow Lynn to apply for bail while his appeal goes through the court. The court also heard that Lynn had been placed in isolation within the Metropolitan Remand Prison for his own safety since the guilty verdict was read, but now fears he will be targeted by inmates at whatever prison he ultimately ends up in. Mr Dann said a successful appeal could result in Lynn being set free altogether without the possibility of a re-trial, due to doubts over whether he could obtain a fair trial because of the significant publicity surrounding the case and the murder conviction. "The chances of a fair re-trial are non-existent," Mr Dann said. The experienced barrister said any potential jurors would have been "polluted or poisoned" by the "inadmissible evidence" that has "flooded" news sites since the guilty verdict was delivered. The court heard Mr Dann believed his client had multiple reasons to push for an appeal over his verdict, including the "unfair" way in which he claimed the Office of Public Prosecutions carried out the trial. Mr Dann reiterated to the court that his client has always maintained his innocence, saying, "He maintains that he's never killed any person at any time, at any place, anywhere, ever." <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> "The long-term future of that guilty verdict must be seen as being in grave doubt." The case was adjourned until a pre-sentence hearing on September 12th. Image credits: Facebook </div>

Legal

Russell Hill's daughter shares her outrage over Greg Lynn's sentence

Russell Hill's daughter has expressed her anger over the jury's verdict of former pilot Greg Lynn, who was found not guilty for Hill's murder. Greg Lynn faced a lengthy trial over the deaths of campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay, but after a week of jury deliberations, was only <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/shocking-verdict-in-trial-of-murdered-campers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found guilty</a> for the murder of Carol and was cleared of charges relating to Russell's death. Following the shock verdict, Hill's daughter Debbi, said she was “angry” at the jury and that she felt her father didn’t get the justice he deserved. “It’s new, we’ve only just found out, but the more I think about it, the more angry I get at the fact that it didn’t have to be this way,” Ms Hill told 60 Minutes on Sunday. “My dad was not a violent person in any way. He wouldn’t have provoked anything.” Ms Hill went on to say that she thinks about what happened to her father every day. “I’m just really angry that he went camping that day, that time, that he is the person he is and he happened to be right there with my dad and Carol, and this is what happened,” she said. “I think it was just really bad luck for Dad and Carol that they were there at the time, but it wouldn’t have happened if he [Lynn] wasn’t such an awful person.” After the trial concluded, more information has come to light about Lynn's past after non-publication orders were lifted. His first wife Lisa Lynn, 34, was found dead in the front yard of her home in 1999, with a coroner’s report indicating a blood-alcohol level of 0.21 and high levels of anti-depression medication present in her system at the time of her death. No suicide note was ever found and Lynn was never charged over her death, however detectives are now looking to have the Victorian coroner conduct a full inquest into the 1999 death. Ms Hill said it was quite concerning to learn about Lynn’s history, saying, “I hope he doesn’t get away with this, but I’ve lost a bit of faith in the whole system.” “I’m not trusting of it now. We’ll have to wait and see. He’s just such a terrible person.” Image credits: Facebook / Victoria Police

Legal

Families of murdered campers finally break silence after Greg Lynn verdict

The families of Russell Hill and Carol Clay have issued an emotional statement following the shocking <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/shocking-verdict-in-trial-of-murdered-campers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">verdict</a> in the murder trial against former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn. On Tuesday, the jury found Lynn guilty of murdering Carol Clay in March 2020, but was found innocent on charges of murdering Russell Hill. The jury came to their shocking split decision after seven days of deliberation following the five-week trial. After the jury made their decision, the families of the two late campers issued an emotional statement. “Russell Hill and Carol Clay’s families are both relieved and devastated at the verdicts in the trial of Gregory Lynn,” a joint statement from the pair’s loved ones said. “We thank the jury for their verdict of guilty in the murder of Carol Clay. It was an extremely difficult task given that the accused destroyed so much evidence." “The verdict of not guilty in relation to the murder Russell Hill is devastating. There was not enough evidence to be sure of how he died.” The families said they understood the prosecution had an “enormous job putting a case together with limited evidence”. “The accused was the only person who saw and experienced what happened,” loved one said. “He was also the only person who emerged alive.” The statement thanked Victoria Police and its missing persons squad for their hard work in the case, volunteers who spent weeks searching for their loved ones, and Hill and Clay’s friends and family for their “support throughout this harrowing experience”. “We are heartbroken at the loss of our loved ones. It will take time to absorb the verdicts, put this behind us and set about healing and getting on with our lives,” the family said. Victoria police assistant commissioner Martin O’Brien said the Hill and Clay families had endured a difficult four years. “Their courage and resilience in the face of their grief, amidst enormous public attention, has been nothing short of extraordinary,” O’Brien said. “We will continue to support them in every way possible following this decision.” Throughout the trial, Lynn maintained his innocence, saying he did not kill the two campers, but admitted <span style="caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">to destroying their bodies and the crime scene. <span style="font-size: 16px; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; background-color: #ffffff;">However, both prosecutors said he killed both of the campers intentionally and then tried to cover up his crimes. Following the jury's verdict on Tuesday,<span style="caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"> Lynn was taken back to prison where he awaits his sentence. <span style="caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Image credits: Victoria Police

Caring

Shocking verdict in trial of murdered campers

The jury have been split during Greg Lynn's trial, where he was accused of murdering campers Carol Clay and Russell Hill in March 2020. The 57-year-old faced a five-week trial in the Supreme Court, in which he pleaded not guilty to both counts of murder. During the trial, Lynn said the deaths were accidental, and admitted to destroying their bodies and the crime scene. However, both prosecutors said he killed both of the campers intentionally and then tried to cover up his crimes. The 12 jurors began their deliberation on June 17th and emerged seven days later with a shocking verdict. Lynn was found guilty of the murder of Carol Clay but found innocent of killing Russell Hill in a startling decision. When asked for a verdict on Hill's murder, the jury's foreperson told the court today "not guilty", and when asked about the murder of Clay, the foreperson replied "guilty". Lynn was physically shocked by the verdict, raising his eyebrows and remaining silent after the two verdicts were read aloud. Justice Michael Croucher dismissed the jury before Lynn was taken back to prison, where he will await his sentence. Image credits: Nine

Legal

Former pilot accused of murder shares his version of events

Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn has shared his version of events from the day Russell Hill and Carol Clay were allegedly murdered. Mr Lynn, who is on trial for the murders of the elderly campers, claimed Mr Hill, 74, knifed himself in a struggle after he accidentally shot his childhood sweetheart Ms Clay, 73, in the head. Police allege Mr Hill and Ms Clay were murdered while camping in the remote Wonnangatta Valley in Victoria's Alpine region more than four years ago, with Crown prosecutor Daniel Porceddu telling the jury at the opening of the trial exactly how and why Lynn allegedly killed the couple. "The precise circumstances of the killing are unknown, nor is the motivation," he said. The jury heard it was most likely a dispute over the use Mr Hill's drone, as Mr Porceddu said, "There might have been an argument or confrontation between the men. It is not known how Mr Hill was killed." But in providing a brief defence, Lynn's barrister Dermot Dann KC, claimed Mr Hill and Ms Clay's death was the result of a tragic accident, telling the jury, "We say not a case of murder, this is a case of two accidental, tragic deaths." "Tragic accidental deaths in circumstances that were not of Mr Lynn's making and not of his choosing." Mr Dann told the jury that Mr Hill allegedly stole Lynn's shotgun after he became enraged about Lynn playing loud music on the night he was killed. The barrister then detailed how a fight over the gun ensued, which resulted in Mr Hill accidentally shooting Ms Clay in the head, as Mr Lynn tried to disarm him. Mr Dann said Lynn picked up the gun and fired its remaining ammunition into the air before being set upon by an enraged Mr Hill. "The next thing is Mr Hill's advancing towards him with a knife screaming at him 'she's dead'," Mr Dann said. "A struggle developed over the knife. Mr Lynn trying to defend himself - they're locked in this struggle - and as part of that struggle the two men fall to the ground and the knife goes through the chest of Mr Hill." Upon his arrest, Mr Dann claimed Lynn co-operated with detectives, telling them where to find the bodies of the campers, and once again telling the jury that Mr Lynn is not guilty of murder or manslaughter. Image credits: Supplied / Facebook

Legal

Cricket legend Greg Chappell's dire situation sparks rally of support

Australian cricket has seen its fair share of legends, but few have left a mark as indelible as Greg Chappell. The former Australian cricket captain, who graced the pitch during the 1970s and early 80s, has fallen upon challenging times, leaving his friends, teammates and fans deeply concerned about his well-being. At the time of writing, the cricketing community has rallied to support him in a bid to provide the assistance he so desperately needs. Chappell, a figure synonymous with the sport, recently organised a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/gc-tribute-lunch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe page </a>with the ambitious goal of raising $250,000. The campaign has garnered almost $90,000 in donations, with a substantial contribution of $25,000 from high-profile businessman and cricket enthusiast, Greg Boorer. This heartwarming response signifies the deep respect and admiration that people have for the cricketing icon. Chappell's plight came to the forefront when a testimonial lunch was held in his honour at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last Monday. The GoFundMe initiative was launched after it became apparent that arranging donation facilities at the event would be logistically challenging. The driving force behind the lunch, businessman and close friend Peter Maloney, expressed his concerns for Chappell's well-being, stating, "Greg is a very proud man. He's doing it tougher than what he says." It is worth noting that Greg Chappell is also the face of the Chappell Foundation, which has raised an impressive $1 million this year for homeless youths. However, Maloney emphasised that Chappell has never taken a cent out of the foundation, despite being entitled to do so. This selflessness exemplifies Chappell's commitment to making a positive impact on society, even during his personal hardships. During the 1970s and '80s, Chappell was a cricketing sensation, sharing the field with other greats like Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh and Jeff Thomson. As a member of the illustrious Chappell family, which includes brothers Ian and Trevor, he is part of a dynasty that holds a revered place in Australia's rich sporting history. However, unlike many of today's athletes, Chappell's era did not offer the financial rewards that modern sports stars enjoy. Even after retiring, he chose to maintain a low profile and never fully embraced the spotlight of full-time commentary roles or media engagements. Instead, Chappell worked behind the scenes on cricket boards, undertook selector roles, and had a brief stint as a coach for the Indian cricket team. Chappell, displaying his characteristic humility, stated, "I'm not on the bones of my arse. I certainly don't want it to sound like we're in desperate straits, because we're not... but we're not living in luxury either. I think most people assume that because we played cricket, we are all living in the lap of luxury. While I'm certainly not crying poor, we're not reaping in the benefits that today's players are." The initiative to organise the testimonial lunch for Chappell came from Peter Maloney, who recognised his friend's health issues and financial difficulties. Maloney's suggestion that Chappell deserved a testimonial dinner finally saw the light of day after a heartfelt conversation with Greg and his wife. The outpouring of support for the Australian cricketing legend on the GoFundMe platform is nothing short of heartwarming. People from all walks of life have come forward to express their admiration and appreciation for Chappell's contributions to the sport and society: "Greg Chappell is a cricket great, an inspiration for all aspiring players. He certainly deserves our support, in whatever small way we can," wrote one supporter. "Dear Greg, What a phenomenal cricketer you were! It is still a treat to watch your batting videos on YouTube. Wishing you all the best..." wrote another. "You're a true Australian sporting legend. I remember doing a school project on you back in high school. Enjoy your retirement Greg, you deserve it," wrote a third. It's evident that Greg Chappell holds a special place in the hearts of cricket fans and Australians alike. As he faces his current challenges, the cricketing community is rallying together to ensure that this iconic figure receives the support he needs during this difficult phase of his life. It's a reminder of the enduring impact and admiration he has garnered throughout his remarkable career. Image: GoFundMe

Retirement Income

Secret Shakespeare library turns the page

The State Library of NSW has delighted booklovers and avid library-goers across Australia - and beyond - with a long-awaited announcement: their secret library celebrating the late playwright William Shakespeare is throwing its doors open again, and welcoming visitors. The news comes ahead of Shakespeare’s birthday on World Book Day - April 23 - and promises seven days of fun each week, a move that serves as an historic first for the establishment. As State Librarian John Vallance explained, “The Shakespeare Room is one of Sydney’s true hidden gems. After being closed for three years due to COVID, we are pleased to be able to again welcome Shakespeare fans and visitors alike to this unique slice of Tudor England.” “Inside you’ll find hundreds of books by and about Shakespeare, as well as stained-glass windows that depict the seven ages of man from his play As You Like It. The intricate design of the plaster ceiling is modelled on Cardinal Wolsey’s closet at Hampton Court Palace.” Once known as The Shakespeare Memorial Library, the room was built to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the renowned bard’s passing. To raise funds for the endeavour, the Shakespeare of NSW held a ball in 1916, with the intention of building the room on the State Library’s Mitchell wing’s ground floor. From there, the First World War saw work delayed, and it wasn’t until the 1940s that the project was brought to completion. Now, the room boasts hundreds of books by - and about - Shakespeare, and stunning stained-glass windows depicting the seven ages of man from As You Like It. And for those who happen to look up, visitors have the honour of checking out the intricately designed plaster ceiling, one modelled on Cardinal Wolsey’s closet at Hampton Court Palace.” “The Shakespeare Room, along with the Mitchell Reading Room of course, will no doubt become a popular attraction for ‘library tourists’ as we prepare for global celebrations to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio,” Vallance noted. The library is in possession of the only known copy - in Australia - of the 1623 First Folio, otherwise known as Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories, & tragedies. It’s the book in which 18 of the bard’s original plays were first published, and will be part of the library’s For All Time: Shakespeare in Print exhibition alongside the Second, Third, and Fourth folios. “There are no original manuscripts in the Bard’s hand,” the library’s rare book expert Maggie Patton explained, “so this volume [the First Folio] is the closest a reader can get to the original source of many of Shakespeare’s most loved plays.” Thousands have had the opportunity to admire all that the room has had to offer over the years, from the general public to Shakespeare fanatics, and even some well-known faces - the likes of Nick Cave, Kasey Chambers, Thelma Scott, Paul Kelly, and Sir Laurence Olivier have all stopped by for a visit. And thousands more are set to, with the Shakespeare Room opening on Monday 24 April 2023, inviting guests seven days a week to explore, to learn, and to reflect. To find out more, and to check out the opening hours to plan your next visit, head on over to the State Library’s website: <a href="http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/">www.sl.nsw.gov.au</a> Images: State Library [supplied]

Books

Lynette Dawson's family responds to guilty verdict

Lynette Dawson’s family have called for one final request from Chris Dawson after he was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/stunning-chris-dawson-verdict-handed-down" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found guilty of murdering his wife</a> after she “disappeared” 40 years ago. Justice Ian Harrison found Chris Dawson guilty of Lynette’s murder - 40 years after she went missing from the family home in Sydney's Northern Beaches in January 1982. The trial, which gained worldwide traction thanks to the podcast Teacher’s Pet, saw the incredible decision handed down following a seven week trial and a marathon four hour ruling. Lynette’s brother, Greg Simms has said justice has finally been served after she was murdered by someone who loved her. “I’m a little emotional - after 40 years, my sister has been vindicated,” he said. “This verdict is for Lyn. Today her name has been cleared. “The court has found what we believed to be true for so many years: Chris Dawson took the life of our beloved Lyn back in 1982.” Unfortunately, Lynette’s parents and other brother passed away in the years following her murder, not knowing what would come out of the case. Mr Simms has since called on Dawson to do the right thing and reveal where he buried Lynette so she can finally rest in peace. “We would also love to remember those who loved Lyn who are not here to see this judgement,” he said. “She is still missing, we still need to bring her home. “We would ask Chris Dawson to find it in himself to finally do the decent thing and allow us to bring Lyn home to a peaceful rest, finally show her the dignity she deserves.” When the case reopened, Dawson requested a judge-only trial due to the popularity of the Teacher’s Pet podcast, stating that the jury would have their decisions impacted by it. This required Justice Harrison to outline the reasons behind his decision also saying that the prosecution had to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Lynette was dead, that Dawson had killed her with the possible involvement of assistance of others, and that he disposed of her body. The Supreme Court justice shared several findings to support his decision and weighed in on evidence presented during the trial, including ruling that Lynette had died on the date alleged by the prosecution and dismissing claims from Dawson that he contacted his wife as “lies”. Justice Harrison said it was “simply absurd” and defied “common sense” that Lynette would be in contact with the person “who was the reason for her departure” from her home. He also ruled that Lynette didn’t leave home voluntarily, with the prosecution providing multiple reasons that were “strongly persuasive” when considered together, including that she adored her children, hadn’t taken any clothing or personal items with her, was mentally stable, and was dependent on her husband to drive her everywhere. “Lynette Dawson is dead … she died on or about 8 January 1982 and she did not voluntarily abandon her home,” he told the court. Justice Harrison dismissed claims from the defence that Lynette was spotted after January 8. He found that Dawson told JC, “Lyn’s gone, she’s not coming back, come back to Sydney and help look after the kids and live with me”, when he picked her up from a camping trip at South West Rocks with friends between January 10 and 12. However, he said that he disagreed with claims that Dawson was motivated to kill his wife because of financial reasons, nor that he had in his mind that he would kill her when he left with JC. “That decision was made following their return and after the teen had left for South-West Rocks,” Justice Harrison said. He said that he was “satisfied” that Dawson resolved to kill Lynette while JC was camping. Following the verdict, Dawson was taken into custody, with his lawyer, Greg Walsh, telling Justice Harrison that Dawson would likely apply for bail before his sentencing hearing, a date for which hasn’t been set yet.

News

Speculation swirls around the new James Bond

With Daniel Craig sipping his last shaken-not-stirred martini, the identity of the next James Bond continues to be one of Hollywood’s greatest mysteries. After years of rumours and speculation, top candidate Idris Elba is out of the running, with Hollywood sources revealing he is prioritising other roles. As a result, the new top contender is 26-year-old Spiderman star Tom Holland - with Ladbrokes placing odds of 40/1 on him - though it’s unclear whether he will take on the challenge. “Tom Holland might not be the traditional Bond type, but the odds suggest he has a slight chance of replacing Daniel Craig, and plenty of punters seem to think the same,” Ladbrokes’ Alex Aparti told <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/1655037/next-james-bond-tom-holland-spider-man-daniel-craig-007-odds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Express UK</a>. Though Ladbrokes are still placing Superman star Henry Cavill as the favourite for the next Bond, helped by the fact he auditioned for the role back in 2005 and lost out to Craig, recent reports have revealed that producers are looking to cast an actor who is under 5’10” (178cm) and looks younger than previous Bonds, per <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/celebrity-photos/producers-have-strengthened-rumours-tom-holland-next-007/news-story/7b99d27f81c29f50dad395ed95180993" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>. Despite these new reports, bookies have rounded out the list of likely picks for the next 007 with former Bridgerton heartthrob Regé-Jean Page, Tom Hardy of Mad Max and Venom fame, and Scottish Game of Thrones star Richard Madden. “The race to replace Daniel Craig is firmly on,” Apati said. According to the franchise’s producers, the next Bond film is unlikely to be in cinemas until 2025, with the eighth Bond actor to be announced in the next year. Image: Getty Images

Movies

"So hurtful": Greg Norman in hot water over "seriously misguided remarks"

The fiancée of a journalist murdered in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul has slammed Australian entrepreneur Greg Norman’s comments on the incident, describing his comments as “so hurtful”. Last year, a classified intelligence report from the United States government concluded that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was responsible for the murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Norman, who is the head of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series set to rival the PGA Tour per <a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/golf/wealth-and-lies-furious-fiancee-of-murdered-journalist-slams-greg-norman/news-story/8d4cf5ae2252dacfbcc0ffeea00f0d04" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, caused a stir when he weighed in on the involvement of the Crown Prince in Khashoggi’s death, saying that “we’ve all made mistakes”. “The whole thing about Saudi Arabia and Khashoggi and human rights, talk about it, but also talk about the good that the country is doing in changing its culture,” Norman said of the murder on Thursday, as reported by the New York Post. “Look, we’ve all made mistakes and you just want to learn by those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward.” Norman was the subject of widespread criticism online and from Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi’s fiancée, who told the UK Telegraph that those responsible should be held accountable. “Would you say that if it was your loved one? How can we go forward when those who ordered the murder are still unpunished, and continue to try and buy back their legitimacy?” she said. “We should not fall for their wealth and lies, and lose our morals and common humanity. We should all be insisting on the truth and justice; only then can we look forward with hope and dignity.” Amnesty International also criticised the entrepreneur for his “wrong and seriously misguided” remarks, while Felix Jakens, the organisation’s UK head of campaigns said Norman’s rival golf tour was an example of “sportswashing”. “Greg Norman’s remarks that the Saudi government’s brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi and its attempted cover-up were a ‘mistake’ are wrong and seriously misguided,” Mr Jakens said. “Far from trying to ‘move on’, the Saudi authorities have attempted to sweep their crimes under the carpet, avoiding justice and accountability at every turn. “The regime’s human rights record is an abomination - from its murder of Khashoggi to recent mass executions and the situation for LGBTI+ people, which continues to be dire. “The LIV Golf Invitational Series is yet one more event in a series of sportswashing exercises that the Saudi authorities are using to clean its blood-soaked image.” Mr Norman’s comments also come after he slammed the PGA Tour the day prior for “perpetuating its illegal monopoly” after it emerged that officials won’t grant releases for players to compete in the opening event of the LIV Tour in London. Images: Getty Images

Legal

Stuff-up or conspiracy? Whistleblowers claim Facebook deliberately let important non-news pages go down in news blackout

On Friday, the Wall Street Journal published information from Facebook whistleblowers, alleging Facebook (which is owned by Meta) deliberately caused havoc in Australia last year <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-deliberately-caused-havoc-in-australia-to-influence-new-law-whistleblowers-say-11651768302">to influence the News Media Bargaining Code</a> before it was passed as law. During Facebook’s news blackout in February 2021, thousands of non-news pages were also blocked – including important emergency, health, charity and government pages. Meta has continued to argue the takedown of not-for-profit and government pages was a technical error. It remains to be seen whether the whistleblower revelations will lead to Facebook being taken to court. The effects of Facebook’s “error” The <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-a-world-first-australia-plans-to-force-facebook-and-google-to-pay-for-news-but-abc-and-sbs-miss-out-143740">News Media Bargaining Code</a> was first published in July 2020, with a goal to have Facebook and Google pay Australian news publishers for the content they provide to the platforms. It was passed by the House of Representatives (Australia’s lower house) on February 17 2021. That same day, Facebook retaliated by issuing a <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2021/02/changes-to-sharing-and-viewing-news-on-facebook-in-australia/">statement</a> saying it would remove access to news media business pages on its platform – a threat it had first made in August 2020. It was arguably a reasonable threat of capital strike by a foreign direct investor, in respect to new regulation it regarded as “harmful” – and which it believed fundamentally “misunderstands the relationship between [its] platform and publishers who use it to share news content”. However, the range of pages blocked was extensive. Facebook has a label called the “News Page Index” which can be applied to its pages. News media pages, such as those of the ABC and SBS, are included in the index. All Australian pages on this index were taken down during Facebook’s news blackout. But Facebook also blocked access to other pages, such as the page of the satirical website <a href="https://www.betootaadvocate.com">The Betoota Advocate</a>. The broadness of Facebook’s approach was also evidenced by the blocking of its own corporate page. The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/feb/18/time-to-reactivate-myspace-the-day-australia-woke-up-to-a-facebook-news-blackout">most major harm</a>, however, came from blocks to not-for-profit pages, including cancer charities, the Bureau of Meteorology and a variety of state health department pages – at a time when they were delivering crucial information about COVID-19 and vaccines. Whistleblowers emerge The whistleblower material published by the Wall Street Journal, which was also filed to the US Department of Justice and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), includes several email chains that show Facebook decided to implement its blocking threat through a broad strategy. The argument for its broad approach was based on an anti-avoidance clause in the News Media Bargaining Code. The effect of the clause was to ensure Facebook didn’t attempt to avoid the rules of the code by simply substituting Australian news with international news for Australian users. In other words, it would have to be all or nothing. As a consequence, Facebook did not use its News Page Index. It instead classified a domain as “news” if “60% [or] more of a domain’s content shared on Facebook is classified as news”. One product manager wrote: <blockquote> Hey everyone – the [proposed Australian law] we are responding to is extremely broad, so guidance from the policy and legal team has been to be over-inclusive and refine as we get more information. </blockquote> The blocking approach was algorithmic and based on these rules. There were some exceptions, that included not blocking “.gov” – but no such exclusion for “.gov.au”. The effect of this was the taking down of many charity and government pages. The whistleblower material makes it clear a number of Facebook employees offered solutions to the perceived overreach. This included one employee proposal that Facebook should “proactively find all the affected pages and restore them”. However, the documents show these calls were ignored. According to the Wall Street Journal: <blockquote> The whistleblower documents show Facebook did attempt to exclude government and education pages. But people familiar with Facebook’s response said some of these lists malfunctioned at rollout, while other whitelists didn’t cover enough pages to avoid widespread improper blocking. </blockquote> Amendments following the blackout Following Facebook’s news blackout, there were last-minute amendments to the draft legislation before it was passed through the Senate. The main change was that the News Media Bargaining Code would only apply to Facebook if deals were not struck with a range of key news businesses (which so far has not included SBS or <a href="https://twitter.com/ConversationEDU/status/1440562209206128653?s=20&t=FsviAWBLX7mKumr80Qiwzg">The Conversation</a>). It’s not clear whether the amendment was as a result of Facebook’s actions, or if it would have been introduced in the Senate anyway. In either case, Facebook said it was “<a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2021/02/changes-to-sharing-and-viewing-news-on-facebook-in-australia/">satisfied</a>” with the outcome, and ended its news blackout. Facebook denies the accusations The definitions of “core news content” and “news source” in the News Media Bargaining Code were reasonably narrow. So Facebook’s decision to block pages so broadly seems problematic – especially from the perspective of reputational risk. But as soon as that risk crystallised, Facebook denied intent to cause any harm. A Meta spokesperson said the removal of non-news pages was a “mistake” and “any suggestion to the contrary is categorically and obviously false”. Referring to the whistleblower documents, the spokesperson said: <blockquote> The documents in question clearly show that we intended to exempt Australian government pages from restrictions in an effort to minimise the impact of this misguided and harmful legislation. When we were unable to do so as intended due to a technical error, we apologised and worked to correct it. </blockquote> Possible legal action In the immediate aftermath of Facebook’s broad news takedown, former ACCC chair Allan Fels <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/facebook-could-face-lawsuits-for-unconscionable-conduct-over-nonnews-wipe-out/news-story/b312cef33b8e2261e8b5743f9bf87ca6">suggested</a> there could be a series of class actions against Facebook. His basis was that Facebook’s action was unconscionable under the <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/caca2010265/toc-sch2.html">Australian Consumer Law</a>. We have not seen these actions taken. It’s not clear whether the whistleblower material changes the likelihood of legal action against Facebook. If legal action is taken, it’s more likely to be a civil case taken by an organisation that has been harmed, rather than a criminal case. On the other hand, one reading of the material is Facebook did indeed overreach out of caution, and then reduced the scope of its blocking over a short period. Facebook suffered reputational harm as a result of its actions and apologised. However, if it engaged in similar actions in other countries, the balance between its actions being a stuff up, versus conspiracy, changes. The Wall Street Journal described Facebook’s approach as an “overly broad and sloppy process”. Such a process isn’t good practice, but done once, it’s unlikely to be criminal. On the other hand, repeating it would create a completely different set of potential liabilities and causes of action. <hr /> Disclosure: Facebook has refused to negotiate a deal with The Conversation under the News Media Bargaining Code. In response, The Conversation has called for Facebook to be “designated” by the Treasurer under the Code. This means Facebook would be forced to pay for content published by The Conversation on its platform.<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/182673/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rob-nicholls-91073" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rob Nicholls</a>, Associate professor in regulation and governance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNSW Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/stuff-up-or-conspiracy-whistleblowers-claim-facebook-deliberately-let-important-non-news-pages-go-down-in-news-blackout-182673" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

NSW Labor branch deletes Facebook page over memes

The official Facebook page for a NSW branch of the Labor Party has come under fire after posting memes featuring prominent Liberal Party figures, references to Nazis, and offensive language. Balmain Labor, the “official” Facebook page for the Balmain Branch of the Labor Party, has posted several memes over the last several months that have targeted Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Pentecostal faith, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, and Tony Abbott’s former chief of staff. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/scomo-meme.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> A meme about Mr Morrison’s Pentecostal faith, screen grabbed by the Daily Telegraph. Image: The Daily Telegraph The first post, dated January 16, was a picture of Mr Morrison from a Pentecostal service with the text, “Help me sky daddy, I f***ed up again” superimposed over the image. Another, posted in March 4 that depicts Mr Frydenberg in a Nazi uniform under the text “Bogan’s Heroes”, has caused particular ire due to the fact his mother was a Holocaust survivor and that serveral of his relatives died in Nazi concentration camps. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/fry5.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="1024" /> Josh Frydenberg was Photoshopped into a Nazi uniform in the meme. Image: The Daily Telegraph A third post from April 3 has been criticised for alluding to Peta Credlin, Mr Abbott’s former chief of staff, as being a witch. Other posts on the page have included official ALP posts and inoffensive memes created by Labor supporters. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/meme1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> A screengrab of the meme referencing Peta Credlin from Balmain Labor. Image: The Daily Telegraph The offensive posts emerged several hours after the Sky News debate between Mr Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese, which was criticised for being “biased” against Mr Albanese by audience members, per <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10734965/Sky-News-slammed-live-air-bias-against-Anthony-Albanese-leaders-debate.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Mail</a>. “I thought it was a little bit unfair that Sky News gave Scott Morrison more time to speak, and kept cutting off Anthony. So yeah, I’m a little bit disappointed with that,” one woman told debate host Paul Murray. Meanwhile, Labor officials have said the Balmain Facebook page wasn’t an official party page and that individual branches often run their own social media without oversight, as reported by <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>. “This is not an official Australian Labor Party page and its content is not authorised or endorsed by Labor,” a NSW Labor spokesman said. “The images should not have been posted.” At the time of publication, the Balmain Labor Facebook page has been deleted. Images: The Daily Telegraph

News

Something remarkable has happened to Australia’s book pages: gender equality has become the norm

For the first time in the nine-year history of the Stella Count, and perhaps in the entire history of Australian book reviewing, gender equality has become the norm in Australia’s books pages. Our new research for the Count reveals 55% of books reviewed in Australian publications in 2020 were by women. The Stella Count surveys 12 Australian publications – including national, metropolitan, and regional newspapers, journals and magazines – collecting data on the gender of authors and reviewers, length of review and genre of books reviewed. <a href="https://stella.org.au/initiatives/research/the-stella-count/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In 2012 when the Count began</a>, ten of the 13 publications then surveyed reviewed more books written by men. In 2020, only three of the 12 publications currently surveyed review more books by male rather than female authors. All bar one of these publications improved the gender balance of books reviewed significantly over this period. Some publications have dramatically transformed their pages to better represent women authors between 2011 and 2020. The Age has increased its representation of books written by women from 38% to 55%; The Monthly, from 26% to 56%; and Brisbane’s Courier-Mail, from 43% to 54%. The Saturday Paper entered the Count in 2014 with 37% of books reviewed written by women; it hit 61% women authors reviewed in 2020. Likewise, the Sydney Review of Books has increased its percentage from 36% in 2015 to 70% in 2020. These significant gains do not mean gender bias has been eliminated from the Australian book reviewing field. Some publications continue to find the gender parity line a hard one to cross – and in general, books written by men still attract longer reviews. After several years of stasis, The Australian has inched closer to parity with 45% of its reviews now of books by women. Australian Book Review, however, is the only publication in our study that has not significantly improved representation of women authors over the nine years: indeed, the percentage of reviewed books by women dropped from 47% in 2019 to 43% in 2020. <h2>Why does this matter?</h2> About 22,500 new book titles <a href="https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2020/09/30/157402/publishing-and-the-pandemic-the-australian-book-market-in-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are published each year in Australia</a>. In a crowded marketplace, any opportunity to get a book discussed in the public eye is worth its weight in gold. Book reviews are a longstanding means of bringing attention and, possibly, acclaim to new titles. Our surveyed publications published 2,344 reviews in 2020. Some books received multiple reviews, meaning authors of new books have a less than 10% chance of being reviewed in one of Australia’s major book pages. When you look at the demographics, you would not expect Australia’s literary scene to be a place of gender bias. Women make up <a href="https://australiacouncil.gov.au/advocacy-and-research/making-art-work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">65% of Australian writers</a>, <a href="https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2018/11/21/118475/for-love-or-money-analysing-the-employment-survey/#:%7E:text=Show%20me%20the%20money,2013%20to%20%2460%2C207%20in%202018." target="_blank" rel="noopener">77% of employees in Australian publishing</a>, and <a href="http://www.businessandeconomics.mq.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/528030/FinalFinalReaders-Report-24-05-17-final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">61% of “frequent readers”</a>. But until very recently, book reviewing – like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/may/04/australian-version-orange-prize" target="_blank" rel="noopener">literary prizes</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/old-white-men-dominate-school-english-booklists-its-time-more-australian-schools-taught-australian-books-127110" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school syllabuses</a> – appeared to have a gender problem. There was, however, no comprehensive quantitative evidence to prove it. Newly-formed feminist nonprofit organisation, The Stella Prize, set out to do something about this in 2012. Inspired by <a href="https://www.vidaweb.org/the-count/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similar counts happening overseas</a>, Stella began collecting statistics about the gender of authors whose books were reviewed. We began working with Stella in 2014 when it expanded the data collection in order to understand how gender bias was operating when it came to the size of reviews, the genre of books reviewed and the gender of reviewers. Over the ensuing years we have seen something remarkable happen: real change. Literary editors, when asked, were often surprised by the statistics, when presented with them. Or they made excuses for them: men pitch more or write books on important subjects that deserve reviewing, they said. These biases are no longer unconscious. <h2>Gender disparities persist</h2> While this is cause for celebration, there is still some way to go. While women writers now receive their fair share of reviews in terms of the overall number published, this does not mean they receive equal access to the actual space devoted to public literary criticism. Books written by women are still more likely to receive shorter or capsule reviews. Long reviews – those of 1000 words or more – continue to be largely the precinct of men, either as reviewers or as authors of books reviewed. Women authors receive 55% of all reviews, but only 45% of long reviews. Long reviews are the most conspicuous and prestigious, not just because of their size and prominence but because they are often written by prominent critics and accompanied by images such as book covers and author photos, which lead to market recognition. <h2>Gender assumptions continue</h2> Long-held assumptions about gender and reading are evident in the Stella Count data. Key among these is the idea that men are interested in books by men, and women are interested in books by women. Australian book reviews are highly partitioned by gender: female reviewers are much more likely to review books by women, and male reviewers books by men. Fiction reviews skew towards women as authors and reviewers (especially those written for children and young adults), and non-fiction skews towards men. This supports broader findings in relation to <a href="https://www.wlia.org.au/women-for-media-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the representation of women in Australian media</a>: that women are less likely to be called upon to offer expert commentary on topics such as politics and sport. Our research also offers a snapshot of the state of book reviewing in Australia. It shows the number of reviews published in our surveyed publications dropped by 15% between 2019 and 2020, when the pandemic arrived here. The Stella Count is now the longest-running yearly count of a nation’s book pages conducted anywhere in the world. Next year will be the Stella Count’s ten-year anniversary. The real impact of COVID-19 on the gender make up of authors and reviewers – and on Australia’s literary sector more broadly – is yet to be seen, but data collection such as the Stella Count is key to understanding it. This article originally appeared on The Conversation. Image: Shutterstock

Books

Dan Andrews lashes out at Greg Hunt

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/coronavirus-vic/daniel-andrews-cant-mask-fury-over-greg-hunts-school-vaccination-program-comments-c-5832371" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called out</a> Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt for “lecturing” Victorians on how to get more kids to get the jab. From 11.59pm on Friday, Victorians will no longer need to wear masks in most indoor settings for the first time in 65 days. But, this rule doesn’t extend to primary schools, with students in Year 3 to 6 and teachers required to stay masked-up. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> From 11.59pm on Friday, masks can come off in most indoor settings, and the recommendation to work from home will go. You'll still need to wear a mask in some workplaces, rideshares, public transport, hospitals, and a few other circumstances. — Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1495907952095801347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></blockquote> After the decision prompted backlash, Mr Hunt suggested the “fastest way” to end the mask requirement was to have a school-based vaccination program. Mr Andrews quickly hit back at the federal minister “who forgot to place an order for vaccines” for thinking he could lecture the state “on how to get that job done”. “We’ve got arrangements in schools, we’ve run vaccination hubs and pop-ups in schools. I’ve got a Whatsapp message from the prime minister the day after I made those announcements saying it was one of the best things he’d ever heard,” Mr Andrews said. “I’ve got the prime minister saying it’s the greatest thing we’ve ever done and I’ve got Greg Hunt out there … and frankly, Victorians don’t take orders from Greg Hunt, the bloke who forgot to place an order for vaccines. Like, seriously. “We’re out there doing the commonwealth government’s work for them. The least they could do is not be lecturing us on how to get that job done.” Following Tuesday’s announcement on mask requirements, Mr Andrews said the vaccination rate among five to 11-year-olds, which had just passed 50 percent, needed to be higher. “I’d like to see them higher and whilst they grow every day, they’re perhaps lower than we thought they would be,” he said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> We've still got 7,000 cases a day, and children aged 5 to 11 currently have the lowest vaccination coverage. So this is a proportionate measure, for their protection and for ours. It won't be forever. My primary school-aged kids have worked masks into their usual routine. 1/2 — Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) <a href="https://twitter.com/VictorianCHO/status/1496272188269543424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2022</a></blockquote> On Wednesday, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer explained the decision on Twitter, saying the rules wouldn’t “be forever”. “We’ve still got 7000 cases a day, and children aged 5 to 11 currently have the lowest vaccination coverage,” Brett Sutton wrote. “My primary-school-aged kids have worked masks into their usual routine. “They may not always wear them perfectly every day (and some children can’t wear them at all) but overall, this is going to put downward pressure on transmission.” However, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy criticised the continuing mask mandate for children, saying it “doesn’t make any sense” and accusing Mr Andrews of “playing Covid politics” with kids. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Masks being kept for grades 3-6 is ridiculous and unfair on kids. The Andrews Govt needs to stop playing Covid politics with our kids. Priority should be catching up on two years of lost learning. <a href="https://t.co/lBpus2vmuc">https://t.co/lBpus2vmuc</a> — Matthew Guy MP (@MatthewGuyMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/MatthewGuyMP/status/1496236597318402048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2022</a></blockquote> “Masks being kept for grades 3-6 is ridiculous and unfair on kids,” he wrote on Twitter. “The Andrews Govt needs to stop playing Covid politics with our kids. Priority should be catching up on two years of lost learning.” Image: Getty Images

Body

Damning full-page ad slams Ardern’s border policy

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jacinda-ardern-popularity-plunges-as-kiwis-struggle-to-return-home/e350bbd6-907c-4bd9-be82-63037dc52269" target="_blank" rel="noopener">openly criticised</a> in a full-page ad regarding the country’s strict border policy, after news emerged of a pregnant New Zealand journalist fighting to return home to give birth.The advertisement, taken out by prominent businessman Michael Horton in one of New Zealand’s most widely-read magazines, claimed that New Zealand was one of the few countries not allowing its citizens to return home.Under the headline, “The following countries do not ban their own citizens from returning to their home country”, the ad listed dozens of countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This ad, sponsored by Michael Horton, appears in the January 29 <a href="https://twitter.com/nzlistener?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nzlistener</a>. Thank you Michael. <a href="https://twitter.com/nzgovt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nzgovt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/govtnz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@govtnz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jacindaardern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jacindaardern</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZGTW2iFHUr">pic.twitter.com/ZGTW2iFHUr</a>— Graeme Jennings (@Graeme_rj) <a href="https://twitter.com/Graeme_rj/status/1484343384357494786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2022</a></blockquote>Above it, another headline read, “The following countries effectively ban their own citizens from returning to their home country”, with New Zealand as the only country listed.The ad comes as Charlotte Bell, a 35-year-old journalist who was working in Qatar for Al Jazeera until recently, remains stranded in Afghanistan, despite being triple-vaccinated and ready to isolate upon her return to her home country.Kiwis looking to return home are required to secure a place in government-run quarantine, through a system called Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ).According to the MIQ website, travellers are advised to book their place in MIQ - with spots gradually released in the months prior to flight arrivals - before booking their flights.“In periods of high demand, some people will miss out on securing an MIQ voucher, regardless of the system that is used,” the website reads.As a result of the high demand for the 4500 available spots, thousands of New Zealanders have been unable to return home in time to be with dying family members or be present for milestone moments.The system, which used a weekly lottery system to allocate vouchers until early January, has been fully booked out for months in advance which has also meant that impromptu travel or returning for emergencies - such as in Ms Bell’s case - remains virtually impossible. Ms Bell published an open letter in <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-charlotte-bellis-an-open-letter-on-miq/U4WQGYTJHUP36AGVOBN3F6PJSE/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New Zealand Herald</a> over the weekend detailing how she was forced to seek refuge in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul, after she was no longer able to work in Qatar because it is illegal to be pregnant and unmarried there.<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;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/CZSRlVysIQF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="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="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="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="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;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"> </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"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="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><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/CZSRlVysIQF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Charlotte Bellis (@charlottebellis)</a></div></blockquote>“This is ridiculous. It is my legal right to go to New Zealand, where I have healthcare, where I have family. All my support is there,” she <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/from-kabul-pregnant-reporter-fights-nz-govt-to-come-home/94ed99be-8bbf-4ed0-a0f3-10a77e52ff84" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.Ms Bell first attempted to secure residency in Belgium - where her partner is from - but said the length of the process meant she would have been left in the country with an expired visa.With the option to either hop from country to country on tourist visas or attempt to secure a more long-term stay while she fought to return home, Ms Bell and her partner returned to Afghanistan because they had a visa, felt welcome, and could continue their battle there.Critics like Mr Horton have claimed the lottery system is a needlessly punishing process as more than 90 percent of the country’s population have been fully vaccinated and boosters continue to be administered.Meanwhile, Ms Ardern’s approval ratings have taken a hit, with a recent 1 News Kantor poll indicating that her current approval rate sits at just 35 percent, the lowest it’s been since she became Prime Minister in 2017.Image: @charlottebellis (Instagram)

Travel Trouble

Government announces shortened booster window

The federal government has announced that the timeframe between the second COVID-19 vaccine and the booster shot has been shortened, from five months to four. The change will come into effect on January 4. This is an additional reduction, following an initial interval of six months in between shots. Furthermore, on January 31, the gap between shots will be reduced to just three months. These changes will enable millions of Australians to receive their booster shots, which are increasingly being seen as necessary to resist the Omicron strain and maintain immunity amidst rising cases across the country, far sooner. This includes over 60s, many of whom were not fully vaccinated until late in the year due to eligibility criteria. Tony Blakeley, an epidemiologist from the University of Melbourne, described the five-month gap between the second and third shots as “bordering on unethical”, particularly for older Australians who received the AstraZeneca vaccine. “AstraZeneca recipients are often 60-plus, they're often more vulnerable, yet they had a vaccine where they had to wait three months between the first and second dose and now they're not eligible,” he explained. The change follows advice from expert vaccination group ATAGI and is in response to the recent spike in cases as the Omicron variant spreads throughout the community. On Friday, Victoria recorded 2095 new cases and eight deaths, while NSW recorded 5612 and one death. Health Minister Greg Hunt explained that cutting the interval down would ensure roughly 7.5 million Australians would be eligible to receive a booster shot by early January, whereas as of Friday, only 3.2 million were eligible. Once the interval is reduced further at the end of January, about 16 million Australians will be eligible to receive their third vaccine. In a press conference on Friday, Mr Hunt said, “These dates have been set out of an abundance of caution to give Australians early continued protection.” Image: Rohan Thomson/Getty Images

News

First pics from Greg Norman’s son’s wedding

Greg Norman’s son has married Michelle Thomson in a picturesque ceremony in Florida surrounded by their family and friends. Greg Norman Jr and his real estate agent partner tied the knot under an archway of fresh orchids on December 4th, with all their guests sticking to the white dress code. The golfing legend was in attendance with Kirsten Kutner, his wife of 11 years. Gregory Jr is the elder of Norman’s two children with his first wife, American flight attendant Laura Andrassy. In a tribute to his new bride, the entrepreneur and Jupiter Group and Shark Wake park co-founder and CEO wrote their marriage was the “best decision I have and will ever make”. “Such a beautiful wedding and party. Thank you all for coming and sharing this experience with us! I am a lucky man,” the 36-year-old wrote. Michelle also shared snaps from the day, saying “I wish I could have slowed down every moment of this night. Could not have felt more perfect.” <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CXRNxIeFSki/?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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CXRNxIeFSki/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by MICHELLE THOMSON NORMAN (@michellethomson)</a> </div> </blockquote> Greg paid tribute to his son and new daughter-in-law, saying “Welcome to the newest Mrs and Mr Norman.” “This day was always going to happen from the first moment my son laid eyes on Michelle.” “Now this beautiful couple embarks on their new journey in life together. As a father I am so proud and happy for both. Congratulations and welcome to the Norman clan Michelle. I Love you both.” Image credits: Instagram

Relationships

Bridgerton heartthrob to star in new heist movie

Though Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page shocked fans when he announced his departure from the show, the actor has gone on to star in a new, untitled heist film. Written and directed by TV writer Noah Hawley, the film will be produced by Joe and Anthony Russo, the duo behind several Avengers and Captain America films. As for the film’s plot, those involved have remained tight-lipped regarding the details beyond the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/rege-jean-page-starring-in-heist-film-from-noah-hawley-and-the-russo-brothers/" target="_blank">idea</a> that one or more items will be stolen over the course of the movie. Page will be working with the Russo brothers for the second time, after starring alongside Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling in the brothers’ upcoming film The Gray Man. <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMfF9ubJUrY/?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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMfF9ubJUrY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Russo Brothers (@therussobrothers)</a> </div> </blockquote> Following <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/why-bridgerton-s-hottest-property-said-no-to-season-two?fbclid=IwAR1TnfmpZI9HUiSs65vuJL44GOSwSWQepIDXA_31bR2gXRAxn056FL5z0us" target="_blank">his departure</a> from Netflix’s Bridgerton ahead of the second season, Page has been involved in a number of projects, including a role in Paramount’s upcoming Dungeons & Dragons movie, and a starring role in the studio’s reboot of The Saint. Page has also lent his voice to an audio play of Nail Gaiman’s The Sandman, with fans swooning over an excerpt of him singing in Greek. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Anyone else get goosebumps when they hear <a href="https://twitter.com/regejean?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@regejean</a> sing in Act II? Dirk Maggs and <a href="https://twitter.com/neilhimself?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@neilhimself</a> share more behind the scenes gems from making the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SandmanxAudible?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SandmanxAudible</a>: <a href="https://t.co/FENe8HpJR3">https://t.co/FENe8HpJR3</a> <a href="https://t.co/lUHJdBwKk9">pic.twitter.com/lUHJdBwKk9</a> — Audible (@audible_com) <a href="https://twitter.com/audible_com/status/1446158444990451713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2021</a></blockquote> Dirk Maggs, the co-executive producer and director, also made an appearance in the clip praising Page’s musical talent. “We have Regé-Jean Page as Orpheus, and it turns out that Regé-Jean Page is not only an excellent actor and an outrageously good-looking chap. He also sings like an angel,” Maggs <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/hollywood-news/bridgerton-star-rege-jean-page-sings-like-an-angel-for-the-sandman-audiobook-watch.html" target="_blank">said</a> in the video. “I’ve been, and I’ve got to say, it still sends shivers up my spine.” Image: @regejean / Instagram

Movies

"Extraordinary" rejection of Greg Hunt's aged care claim

Health Minister Greg Hunt lost face after his claim that 100 percent of aged care residents have been vaccinated has been challenged by one woman who said her grandmother’s facility had not even administered the first dose. Though Mr Hunt initially said 100 percent of Victorian residential aged care facilities have been vaccinated, he later backtracked, saying a “lack of uptake was down to residents refusing the jab”. Now, a woman appearing on The Project has challenged his claims. Kate Howard says her family has been desperate for her 95-year-old grandmother to be vaccinated for months, but no one in the facility where she lives has yet to receive their first dose. “She, like the rest of our family, is incredibly keen and we have been keen since the phase 1A rollout was announced in February and we’ve done all that we can to try and make sure she is vaccinated,” Ms Howard told host Carrie Bickmore. “We’ve been emailing since the start of March to try and get some understanding about who’s responsible and, you know, I’m over the politicking of this - I just want my grandmother vaccinated.” Ms Howard said that despite her family signing a consent form for her grandmother’s vaccination on March 22, no residents in the home had been vaccinated. She called out Mr Hunt’s claims last week that around 97 percent of aged care facilities across all of Australia have already been vaccinated. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Do you have a family member currently in a Victorian aged care facility? Let us know in the comments if they've had their first vaccine dose, and if not, why not? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/CfPXZdVpDa">pic.twitter.com/CfPXZdVpDa</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1399292884076183555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2021</a></blockquote> On Monday, he said vaccinations in aged care facilities were being brought forward “for those residents who did not receive first vaccinations, did not have consent of their families or provide it themselves”. Project host Waleed Aly interjected, saying: “You said something that could potentially be a big story, if I’ve got this right - you are saying in your grandmother’s home no-one has been vaccinated?” “No, they’ve not received one jab yet,” she replied. “I believe less than half of the aged care workers have, off their own bat, gone and got vaccinations but the others are still remaining,” Ms Howard added. When asked how recent her information was, Ms Howard confirmed she had received the information on Monday afternoon after getting in touch with her grandmother’s home. Aly described the revelation as “extraordinary”. “This makes me so angry,” Bickmore said. “We’ve got family in aged care as well waiting for their second doses and it’s taking far too long,” she said. “Especially given what we saw happen last year.” Image credit: Channel 10

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