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Beloved Neighbours star passes away

Janet Andrewartha, best known for her role as Lyn Scully on Neighbours has passed away aged 72. Social media accounts for the show confirmed her death on Sunday night. "Everyone at Neighbours is deeply saddened by the passing of Janet Andrewartha," they said in the statement. "Janet will be fondly remembered. Our thoughts are with Janet’s family and loved ones at this time." Andrewartha started her career as a music teacher before rising to prominence in the early 198-s after starring in Aussie TV and theatre productions. Tributes have poured in from former cast members, with fellow actress Jackie Woodburne, who plays Susan Kennedy on Neighbours, describing her as "one of the finest actors of her generation", saying that she will miss Andrewartha "every day". "She was an extraordinary woman," said. “Passionate, political, curious, delightfully eccentric, generous and fun. To me she was a steadfast friend for over 45 years. I will miss her every day.” Stefan Dennis, known for playing Paul Robinson on Neighbours, shared a similar sentiment. “So very upset to lose the lovely Janet. As Jackie said, she truly was an exceptional actress who was a pleasure work with and to be around. We will all miss you dear girl,” he wrote on the social media post. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Everyone at Neighbours is deeply saddened by the passing of Janet Andrewartha. Beloved by viewers for her role as Ramsay Street’s Lyn Scully, Janet will be fondly remembered. Our thoughts are with Janet’s family and loved ones at this time. <a href="https://t.co/tBWlE8iTZ5">pic.twitter.com/tBWlE8iTZ5</a> — Neighbours (@neighbours) <a href="https://twitter.com/neighbours/status/1817444180072780019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2024</a></blockquote> Lucinda Cowden, who plays Melanie Pearson on the show, said: “I remember when I first saw her on Prisoner... she lit up the screen, and continued to grace us with her exceptional talent in so many interesting and unique characters. Vale Janet." “So very sad to hear this news, such a memorable actress who performed her role effortlessly,” Candice Leask, who plays Wendy Rodwell said. Former Neighbours casting director Jan Russ also shared his devastation. “I had cast Janet in the role of Reb Kean in Prisoner having been a fan of her work and confident she would take in that role and make it her own,” he began on social media. “(I) also cast her as Lyn Scully in Neighbours where once again she excelled in her role. Of course her theatre successes were also superb and many theatre goers will remember her work at the MTC," he continued. “It was devastating to hear this news (of her passing). She was such a vibrant, serene person and she will be greatly missed in the industry. “RIP dearest Janet. Forever in our hearts and great memories.” Andrewartha reportedly died peacefully surrounded by family in Melbourne on Friday, according to The Herald Sun. Image: X

Caring

Leigh Sales' cheeky swipe at Karl Stefanovic

Leigh Sales has taken a light-hearted swipe at Karl Stefanovic on Channel Ten's media review show The Cheap Seats. Leigh appeared on the show to talk about her upcoming book Storytellers, which details the craft of journalism and her experience in the industry, as well as how to apply those skills to everyday life. The Cheap Seats hosts Melanie Bracewell and Tim McDonald asked Sales about the media professionals she interviewed for the book, as she took the opportunity for the playful jab against Karl. McDonald began his question saying, "You spoke to some incredible names in Australian journalism, such as Annabel Crabb, Karl Stefanovic, Tracy Grimshaw, David Speers... Who surprised you the most?" Leigh cheekily responded, "I thought you were going to say, 'You spoke to some incredible names in journalism AND Karl Stefanovic!" After the audience and the show hosts burst out laughing, Leigh quickly defended the Today host, saying, "But he is amazing at what he does, let the records show." Sales went on to say that when she spoke to Stefanovic for her book, she was shocked when he admitted how nervous he used to get at the start of his career. "You know Karl actually did surprise me a bit because he talked about how nervous he used to get when he was first starting out and he said he used to sweat absolute buckets," she explained. Elsewhere in the interview, Leigh

Jamie Lee Curtis on ageing in Hollywood

Hollywood star Jamie Lee Curtis has taken a swipe at society’s emphasis on youth, no more apparent than in her own industry. The 59-year-old, visiting Sydney to promote new movie Halloween, the sequel to the 1978 horror classic of the same name, spoke of her dislike of the term “anti-ageing”. “The term anti-ageing makes me crazy, the amount of marketing towards anti-ageing and making it a pejorative,” Curtis told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/actor-jamie-lee-curtis-on-why-the-term-antiageing-makes-her-angry/news-story/eec877ecef45fbb08670b1d872d2f8d5">The Daily Telegraph</a>. “(Ageing) cannot be the pejorative because it happens to everybody. It is like everything else, it is an evolution,” said the actor. Curtis’ comments come at an apt time in her career. She has reprised her iconic role as Laurie Strode, who took on serial killer Michael Myers 40 years ago on Halloween. Decades on, her character, now a grandmother, is still deeply affected by their battle but is as strong as ever and more than ready for the next round. The actress too, seems at the top of her game. The sequel is raking it in at the US box office, and not only is she a formidable performer in the film, but it was really Curtis doing many of the fight scenes too. “I am sitting here in my very nice red suit but this movie was obviously not a glamorous job and I am grateful that I get that opportunity,” she admitted to the publication. “Every fight is me.” “I am fit but I am not a gym rat. It is just what we do. It is the nature of the beast — it is physical and it is painful. I cracked a rib, that is what happens.” But Curtis, the daughter of Janet Leigh – who memorably starred in another iconic horror Psycho – and matinee idol Tony Curtis, has previously acknowledged her “struggle with my own self-esteem” when it comes to her body. She says she’s found a way to deal with it. “So I have a big secret: I don’t look in the mirror,” Curtis told <a href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/a22993869/jamie-lee-curtis-confidence-secrets/">Good Housekeeping</a> in a recent interview. “I’m a 60-year-old woman. I am not going to look the same as I used to, and I don’t want to be confronted by that every day! When I get out of the shower, I have a choice: I can dry myself off looking in the mirror, or I can dry myself off with my back to it. I turn my back to the mirror and I feel great!” The actress, who also counts children’s author, entrepreneur and budding screenwriter on her resume, has an inspiring message about chasing and realising creative passions saying she has “no time to waste”. “On the very clear passage of 50s to 60s, I have no time to waste,” said Curtis. “None. If you have creative ideas and you don’t bring them out into the world in some way before you go, that is a tragedy.” Images: Getty

Movies

"I'm so lucky": Leigh Sales shares exciting career update

Leigh Sales has revealed she will be returning to Australian TV screens next year as the anchor of Australian Story. The ABC journalist will be just the second person to host the show in its history, after its long-term host Caroline Jones died earlier this year. “Australian Story is one of the most beloved programs in the country and I am so excited and humbled to be invited to front it. I can’t wait to be involved in the production process of such a talented team.” Sales said. Her new role comes after Sales wrapped up 12 years as the host of 7.30 following the federal election, and was announced as part of ABC’s virtual showcase of programming plans for next year. The national broadcaster will also reboot Mother and Son, with Matt Okine and Denise Scott taking over the comedy’s starring roles. Other shows slated for next year include scripted comedy Gold Diggers, which follows two sisters searching for rich, dumb husbands in the 1850s goldfields, as well as Limbo and a new season of Utopia. In the wake of the announcement, Sales took to social media to share the news and an update on how she’s been spending her time since leaving 7.30. <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/ClVFcl5qAAh/?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/reel/ClVFcl5qAAh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Leigh Sales (@leigh_sales)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Hello everybody, long time no see,” she began in a clip of herself at home, dressed in a white t-shirt and pants. “I have been so massively enjoying my long service leave and my break from the news - I’ve gone completely cold turkey, I’ve switched off the news - and I pretty much barely change out of, let’s face it, pyjamas. “I’ve really let myself go, and I know that ‘letting yourself go’ is said as an insult … but is there really anything that sounds more luxurious to you than letting yourself go? “Anyway, I’ve got some news to share. “I am going to be, next year, anchoring the Australian Story program for the ABC. “I’m so thrilled and excited about that, because, as you would all know, because it’s one of the most popular shows on the network, it is such a brilliant program with such a history of making the most brilliant shows and telling the most moving stories. “I’m just so lucky to get to go and work with and learn from the people who pull that show together and hopefully contribute some of my own ideas. “It’s also very humbling to be invited to front that show because it’s only had one anchor in its 25-year history, and that of course is the late, great Caroline Jones, so it’s really quite overwhelming actually, to be following on from such a legend. “I just feel like I’m so lucky.” Sales received a flood of congratulatory messages from fans and fellow TV stars, including Dr Chris Brown and Lisa Wilkinson. “This is the best news. But I’m even more excited about the cello introduction you’re going to give every feature story in 2023. That’s entertainment,” Brown commented. “Such fabulous news Leigh. Congrats, adn so deserved. Looks like we have something else to celebrate on our margarita date!! 👏👏👏 xxxx,” Wilkinson wrote. “Woooooot! Great news. Congratulations on letting yourself go so luxuriously and let’s hope they’ve got a great team on board to put you back together 😆 can’t wait to watch 👏,” Leila McKinnon said. Image: Twitter

Replacement for Leigh Sales revealed

Two months after veteran journalist Leigh Sales announced she would be leaving the ABC, her replacement has been announced. Taking over the current affairs show 7.30 will be Sarah Ferguson, current host of Four Corners. The 56-year-old multi-award-winning journalist will take over the program when Leigh Sales steps down in June after the federal election. “I’m delighted to take on the presenter role at 7.30,” Ferguson said in a statement. She added, “Led by Leigh Sales and chief political correspondent Laura Tingle, the 7.30 team has created a powerhouse program, making superb current affairs journalism on the cutting edge of the genre. Working in collaboration with the inimitable Laura is irresistible. Adding myself into that mix sounds tremendously rewarding at a time when scrutiny of power is essential, when our social structures are undergoing profound change." “On Leigh’s departure, I’d like to say that her diligence and skill have made an enormous contribution to Australian journalism. What you don’t see in her calm studio presence is the huge amount of work she does in preparation. It will be a pleasure to take over from such a pro.' “Public service journalism has to deliver for the Australian audience, all day, every day. No one in Australia should ever feel they have no voice. It‘s our job to show how public broadcasting can create a place for everyone to come and debate, think deeply, be thrilled, entertained and sometimes provoked. This is the opposite of seeking to polarise in ways we are seeing in media worldwide.” Leigh Sales announced she would be leaving 7.30 in <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/leigh-sales-emotional-on-air-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">February</a> to spend more time with her family, and feeling drawn to "pass the baton to the next runner in the race". Sarah Ferguson will move back to Australia from Washington, and will be in the 7.30 presenter’s chair from July 4th. Image credits: ABC

Leigh Sales' emotional on-air announcement

In an emotional on-air message to her loyal viewership, Leigh Sales has announced she will be stepping down from her role hosting the ABC's 7.30 after the next federal election. The veteran journalist has anchored the current affairs program for 12 years, and said she believes it's time to "pass the baton" to the next reporter to fill the role. Leigh shared some of her favourite memories in her announcement, such as interviewing Paul McCartney, and talking with Matthew Lowe: a widow who lost his wife in the 2016 Dreamworld accident.Through all her interviews will high-profile political figures, Leigh said she interviewed them in a way that any ordinary Australian would talk to their government members if given the chance. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">An announcement from <a href="https://twitter.com/leighsales?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@leighsales</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc730?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc730</a> <a href="https://t.co/hy01mUsYyD">pic.twitter.com/hy01mUsYyD</a>— abc730 (@abc730) <a href="https://twitter.com/abc730/status/1491697651926331392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>She said, “I've tried to shut down and call out bulls**t, hold powerful people to account, expose lies, incompetence and exaggeration in all political parties and all issues and present facts even when they're unpopular or inconvenient.”“I have truly tried my absolute hardest on behalf of you at home to do that every single time I've sat at the desk. Anchoring 7.30 has been the most amazing job and I'll never stop being grateful for the opportunities it's given me.”Upon her shock announcement, online speculation into who would replace Sales was rife with suggestions. Many are calling for ABC's political reporter Laura Tingle to take up the job, with a belief that another powerful woman should be the one to fill the position. Others online have said they would also put forward ABC News journalist Jeremy Fernandez for the job, as well as throwing One Plus One host Stan Grant's name in the mix. Leigh has said she will stay in the 7.30 chair until the upcoming federal election, which has yet to be officially called. Image credits: ABC - 7.30

Janet Jackson debunks decades-old rumour

Janet Jackson has debunked rumours that she had a secret child with James DeBarge in the 1980s in a preview clip for her upcoming documentary, Janet. The rumour that the 55-year-old singer, who has a 4-year-old son Eissa with ex-husband Wissam Al Amana, had a secret child in the 1980s has followed her for years, and the performer and member of the legendary Jackson family has finally put it to bed. Allegedly, Jackson had a child with then-husband James DeBarge, but gave it to her brother Jackie to raise. In addition, there were rumours that her nieces Brandy and Stevanna were actually her daughters because they look like her. In a clip from the documentary, Janet said, "Back in the day they were saying that I had a child and I kept it secret. I could never keep a child away from James. How could I keep a child from their father? I could never do that, that's not right." Jackson believes the rumours stemmed from her weight gain as a result of taking birth control pills while filming the TV show Fame, saying, "A lot of the kids thought I was pregnant, 'cause I had gained weight, and I had started taking birth control pills. And back then, you could pick up weight taking them, and that's what happened to me. So that rumour started going around." Jackson was just 18 when she married DeBarge in 1984, and though he was a “sweet guy”, she blamed his drug use for their marriage being annulled after just one year. SHe said of their wedding night, “When we got married and came back to the hotel he said, 'OK, I'll be right back. And I'm sitting in the hotel room in Grand Rapids, Michigan by myself, just 18, and for three hours, he never came back. “I don't know, maybe it's this person in me that wants to help people subconsciously. When it comes to relationships, somehow I'm attracted to people that use drugs." Jackson described spending many nights searching the streets for DeBarge and trying to help by flushing his pills, but ultimately, she couldn’t give him the help he needed. In the documentary, she opens up, saying, "We would be rolling on the floor fighting for them. And that's not a life for anyone. I sit and I say, 'Were you stupid, were you dumb?' But it wasn't that. I cared so much for him, and I saw the good in him as well and I just wanted that to take precedence as opposed to this ugliness. 'Cause I knew that he needed help. But I wasn't the help that he needed. "I was just incredibly innocent. That's the thing, is the innocence. And it's just hurtful for someone to see that and just try to take advantage of it ... It's still painful." Image: Gabriel Olsen/FilmMagic

Family & Pets

Leigh Sales slams Josh Frydenberg over Budget "assumptions"

<div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in element-type-p"> ABC's 7:30 host Leigh Sales wasn't thrilled with the current Federal Budget and grilled Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday night about the range of "assumptions". “The budget is based on a series of assumptions, and they are that the whole Australian population will be vaccinated by the end of the year, that there’ll be no sustained state border closures this year and no major COVID outbreaks, and that international borders will start to operate reasonably normally by the middle of next year,” Sales said. “Those are very uncertain and heroic assumptions, aren’t they?” Frydenberg said that the government is staying cautious due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We’re in the middle of a pandemic, and making assumptions during normal times is difficult – to make them during the middle of a pandemic is even more so,” he said. “Those assumptions are based on the best available evidence to us. “We know that more than 10 per cent of the Australian population has now received their first dose. “We’ve seen 30 per cent of those aged over 70 or above receive a dose. “We saw more than 400,000 doses rolled out over the course of the last week. More supply is coming online. So that is the assumption about vaccines. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> WATCH: Treasurer <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshFrydenberg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoshFrydenberg</a> joins <a href="https://twitter.com/leighsales?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@leighsales</a> for his first post-budget interview, after he declared Australia's economic engine is "roaring back to life" and unveiled tens of billions in new spending. <a href="https://t.co/Hny0pkGhKf">https://t.co/Hny0pkGhKf</a> — abc730 (@abc730) <a href="https://twitter.com/abc730/status/1392085762472960001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2021</a></blockquote> “With respect to international borders, it’s quite a conservative, cautious assumption that international borders will gradually reopen from the middle of next year.” It's been a slow start to the national vaccination program, with numbers trailing behind what's required. “The mass vaccination centre will be able to administer up to 30,000 vaccines per week once it is up and running, that means around 5000 vaccinations per day,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said. “The centre, combined with the more than 100 NSW Health run clinics and hubs, means NSW Health can administer around 60,000 vaccines each week across the state.” 50 million doses are required to vaccinate everyone over the age of 16 in Australia, but authorities have managed to deliver 2.7 million doses. </div>

News

Leigh Sales slams slow vaccine roll out: “Amateur hour”

Australia’s vaccine rollout has been slow and on Tuesday, Leigh Sales grilled Professor Brendan Murphy while the government struggles to keep up with distribution. Mr Murphy said he “rejected” the idea Australia was failing in its COVID-19 vaccination program. His comments followed just hours after Scott Morrison failed to disclose how many vaccines doses were produced and being delivered each week. The federal government has ordered more than 53 million doses of the jab. 50 million of the vaccines are currently being manufactured onshore. It was predicted that four million Aussies would be vaccinated by the end of March. Drug manufacturer CSL said it expected to “hit a run rate of well over” a million doses per week by the end of the month. However around 830 local doses were delivered in the first week of the program. Since then, it has not been made clear how many have been released. Just 854,983 Australians have been vaccinated against coronavirus — 280,943 through GP and GP respiratory clinics and the other federal agencies. People vaccinated through age and disability facilities sits 112,830. Dr Murphy said “the vast majority of GPs are incredibly happy with the rollout,” when grilled on why only two per cent of Australians have been vaccinated. He went on to “completely” reject Sales’ accusation that the nation sees the rollout as “anything other than amateur hour”. He said Australia didn’t need to use emergency protocols “unlike other countries” to get access to vaccines earlier. “We are still on track to hit our target of every adult getting their first dose by the end of October,” he said. Dr Murphy said that the increased domestic vaccine supply was a “strategy” to help push the process along, but failed to predict when at least 75 per cent of the nation would be vaccinated. “Like other countries we have been constrained by international supply, which is why the wonderful starting up of the local production of CSL is what is now accelerating our program,” he said. On Tuesday afternoon, the Prime Minister said there was “no holdup” on Australia’s coronavirus vaccine rollout. He went on to say Australia was doing better than other countries including Germany, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan, during this stage of the rollout. The Prime Minister did not reveal how many domestically produced COVID-19 doses are being produced and delivered every week. “Well, it varies from week to week,” he said. “We are still in the early phases so it would be misleading, I think, to give you an average at this point. “We know what we are hoping to achieve. But at this point, we are hoping to achieve the figures that have already been realised to some extent and that is around the 800,000 mark. “That is achievable and we want to be able to try and keep achieving that, and if we can do better than that, then we will.” Dr Murphy told ABC’s 7.30 that production had “quadrupled” over the last few weeks and “is ramping up significantly at the moment”. “We have not been in a position where we’ve had to do things in a hurry,” he said. Mr Morrison went on to say on Tuesday that experts were taking their time to make sure the domestically produced vaccine support were safe. “There is no holdup. The release of vaccines has always been based on them completing those processes, so the fact that they actually have to get approved by the relevant authorities and do the batch testing is not a holdup,” he said. “It is a necessary part of the process to guarantee Australian safety, so to describe it as a holdup would be incorrect.”

Body

Julie Bishop slams "failed" Canberra culture in politics

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has slammed Canberra's culture in politics, saying that a group of male Liberal MPs who called themselves the "big swinging dicks" tried to ruin her career. She made the claims in an interesting interview with Leigh Sales on ABC's 7:30. Sales directly asked Bishop about claims that a group of Liberal MPs tried to block her career progression. “It was actually big swinging dicks,’’ Ms Bishop said. “No-one self-identified to me. My ambition was to be the foreign minister of Australia, and I served in that role for five years. And likewise I was deputy leader of the party for 11 years. “If their ambition was to thwart my aspirations, then they failed.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Former Liberal minister <a href="https://twitter.com/SharmanStone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SharmanStone</a> recently said a group of male politicians who called themselves the 'swinging dicks' sought to block <a href="https://twitter.com/HonJulieBishop?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HonJulieBishop</a>'s career aspirations: "If their ambition was to thwart my aspirations, then they failed." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc730?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc730</a> <a href="https://t.co/ON5zC8xApH">pic.twitter.com/ON5zC8xApH</a> — abc730 (@abc730) <a href="https://twitter.com/abc730/status/1368853839642644480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2021</a></blockquote> Bishop also said that a coronial inquest into the rape claims against Attorney-General Christian Porter was a "logical step" despite having a longstanding professional relationship with Porter. “This is such a difficult area and I feel so unspeakably sad for everyone involved,’’ she said. “And there are families and friends who are still suffering and there will be trauma for some time. The challenge of course is that the allegations are historic, that the woman who made the allegations took her own life, and now a serving cabinet minister has been informed that the police investigation is at an end. So, there are no answers. “I do know, however, that the South Australian coroner is considering an inquest and to me that is the next logical step. “It’s within the criminal justice system. There are checks and balances and there are statutory powers. It has legal standing. “And so, that is the next step and I understand from media reporting that’s what the family would welcome. “I think the mainstream media have been taking very careful legal advice and are ensuring they don’t publish evidence, they don’t cross in the areas of contempt and defamation, although I note the Attorney-General has got a defamation lawyer. “I knew him when he was a young lawyer in Perth. He was a highly intelligent young man. He had a bright future ahead of him. People spoke of Christian Porter as someone who would go on to better things. “I didn’t work closely with him. No-one made complaints to me. The first I heard about these particular allegations was about six months ago from an informal source. So, people hadn’t raised these issues with me.” </div> </div> </div>

Legal

Leigh Sales attacked by Dan Andrews fan after press conference

Leigh Sales made a surprise appearance at Victorian Premier Dan Andrews' press conference Monday, but his online fans weren't happy with the way the confrontation between the pair occurred. Sales got "caught in lockdown" and attended the press conference, where she pressed Andrews on the need for a five-day lockdown and if he lacked confidence in his state's hotel quarantine system. Despite appearing uncomfortable at times during Sales' questioning, Andrews still provided answers to her questions. However, Andrews' devoted online followers known as "Dan Stans" have slammed Sales on Twitter for her questions to the premier. “I watch these every day to keep my community informed. The way you hijacked it today to get an interview that you felt entitled to was incredibly rude and disrespectful not just to those you interrogated, but to those who have to watch it to be informed,” one woman <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/samemniktom/status/1361126366050021377" target="_blank">tweeted </a>to Sales. “This was not your show, or your interview, it was their forum to inform the public, us. And you made it incredibly uncomfortable for us to watch just so you could get your scoop or gotcha. You have a profile and a voice and you could use it to help us, but you made things worse.” “Did you advise @DanielAndrewsMP that @abc730 would be high jacking (sic) the press conference, which is primarily held to inform Victorian public of updates to COVID restrictions and how to stay safe?” a different woman <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/mallottk/status/1361131696289157121" target="_blank">said</a>. “Was your ego so bruised that Andrews couldn’t accommodate your request for interview?” “Leigh Sales was rejecting expert health advice which the Premier is following. This is offensive to the vulnerable that need to be protected,” another man tweeted. It's not the first time "Dan Stans" have been unhappy with questioning from Sales, as they accused her of making "cheap jibes" after she covered Victoria's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Why do you do this, Leigh, don’t you realise this confrontational manner is uncalled for and offensive to us Victorians,” one Victorian wrote to Sales on Twitter. “Cut out the loaded questions and cheap jibes.” Sales hit back in response, arguing it was her job to ask the tough questions. “I view my job as asking questions that help Victorians learn about the decisions made about their lives and livelihoods, by people in power, whom Victorians elect and pay for with their tax dollars,” Sales tweeted.

News

Dan Andrews and Leigh Sales cross swords over lockdown

Leigh Sales, host of popular ABC show 7:30, has slammed Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews over the state's 5-day lockdown after she made a surprise appearance at his press conference. He appeared uncomfortable at times during the tense 10-minute exchange as Sales accused him of lacking faith in Victoria's quarantine system. “How is it the case the government still lacks such confidence in the hotel quarantine systems and contact tracing that you currently can’t manage two or three cases a day?” Sales asked. “If you have confidence in the system, which your own bureaucrat said was working quite well, why do you need a lockdown?” Andrews tried to back down, saying that Sales was making claims that were "not accurate". “You just put it to me that there is a lack of confidence,” Mr Andrews said. “I am more than confident in the team we have and in the Victorian community that they can get through this. “So with the greatest of respect, you have put a number of things to me that are not accurate.” Sales asked the question on most Victorian's minds: Why was there a lockdown if cases were being properly traced? “Lockdown imposes a real cost and Victorians have already paid a big price for lockdown. Cases are actually very well traced, so why the lockdown?” she asked. Andrews said that the measures were "necessary". “Despite the amazing efforts of all of our contact traces and testers and lab workers and the work of so many genuine hardworking Victorians, we had a situation where at the same time as we are becoming aware of the primary case, they have already infected their close contact,” he responded. “That is not something we’ve seen before. “The speed at which this has moved saw our public health team make the very difficult decisions based on the best of science and the best understanding you can possibly have on any outbreak. “This was a difficult but proportionate and necessary thing to do.” Andrews also pointed out that the response is intense due to the UK coronavirus strain posing different challenges than the 2020 strain of COVID-19. “This is a very different virus. If you want to look at systems that can’t handle things, have a look at Europe, have a look at so many parts of the world with … what happens when this UK strain runs.” Sales then asked if this would be the case every time a UK strain was found in Victoria. “That’s quite an assurance to make that two to three cases a day and the system might not be able to handle it, and if that’s on the table then you might have a five-day lockdown every time,” she said. Andrews said that Victoria will try to avoid having any statewide measures. “But we will try to avoid having any statewide measures or any extra rules,” he said. “Just like epidemiologists, public health experts and political leaders across the globe, you have to assume there are more cases out there then you know about. “Because if you assume otherwise, and you are proven wrong, then there is no going back. “You don’t get to go, ‘well, I just get to rewind these few weeks and make the decision officials told me to make, that I refused to make.” Eagle-eyed fans of Sales noticed that she was at the presser before it was made public. "A few people on here noticed I was at Dan Andrews' presser. FYI I'm only in Melbourne because I came for a friend's bday & got caught in lockdown. I didn't come here just for DA presser. <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/abc730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1361125633342902274%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.com.au%2Flifestyle%2Fhealth%2Fhealth-problems%2Fcurrent-affairs-host-grills-dan%2Fnews-story%2Ff68eb4dc1926887a9f3c4181da8de6fb" target="_blank">@abc730</a> had an interview bid in for today he said no - attending presser next best option," she tweeted.

News

"Men are responsible": Leigh Sales fires up at Prime Minister Scott Morrison

<div class="body_text "> Prime Minister Scott Morrison's failure to tackle the rising cost of childcare in the Budget has been slammed by ABC's Leigh Sales. She challenged Morrison to explain "who will look after the children?" Anthony Albanese is preparing to pledge a Labor government that will slash the cost of childcare for families, but the Prime Minister has ruled out offering "free" childcare. In a tense interview on 7:30, the Prime Minister insisted he had not forgotten about families while trying to create one million new jobs. “Who do you think is going to look after the children of the new workers?’’ Sales asked. Morrison noted that record spending on childcare was good for women's workforce participation, but Sales was quick to point out that childcare should be 50/50. “Why do you assume I’m talking about women. Men are responsible,’’ Sales interjected. “Men are responsible for childcare as well, you have pivoted to talking about women but men should be 50 per cent responsible for childcare, too.” Morrison said he as "not disagreeing with that". “If you are suggesting we should have free childcare for everybody, that is not something we are proposing,’’ he said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "If you are suggesting we should have free <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/childcare?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#childcare</a> for everybody, that is not something we are proposing." <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottMorrisonMP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc730?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc730</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Budget2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Budget2020</a> — abc730 (@abc730) <a href="https://twitter.com/abc730/status/1313762707993063426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote> "Free" childcare was something that was offered by the Morrison Government as a temporary option during the COVID-19 pandemic but has since been axed. Labor is proposing a plan to cover 90 to 95 per cent of the cost of childcare for low-income earners with a small co-payment to boost attendance rates. This new policy ties in with the Grattan Institute's push for a childcare co-payment for as little as $20 for most parents. “Under this scheme, 60 per cent of families would pay less than $20 per day per child for childcare, and no family would be worse off,’’ the Grattan report states. “The childcare subsidy for low-income families should be raised from 85 per cent to 95 per cent, gradually tapering for households with income above $68,000.” Labor's treasury spokesman confirmed on The Project that making childcare more affordable would be a big part of Labor's budget-in-reply speech. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Caught up with <a href="https://twitter.com/BickmoreCarrie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BickmoreCarrie</a> and Waleed Aly about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Budget2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Budget2020</a>, childcare, hiring subsidies and more on <a href="https://twitter.com/Channel10AU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Channel10AU</a>'s <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theprojecttv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://t.co/akVjxEhTiL">pic.twitter.com/akVjxEhTiL</a> — Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) <a href="https://twitter.com/JEChalmers/status/1313764840037511168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote> “One of the key omissions from the budget, one of the things that a lot of Australians are scratching their heads about is why they couldn’t do something about childcare in particular,’’ Dr Chalmers told The Project. “We don’t want a lot of working parents, often mums, to have to make a decision about going to work when almost all of their salary goes into paying for childcare. We’ll have more to say about childcare but that’s one of the obvious omissions from the budget.” </div>

News

David Attenborough’s “blunt” advice for climate change deniers

David Attenborough may be 94 but the world-famous naturalist isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, Sir David is busier than ever, convincing the world to take action on climate change. Appearing on ABC’s 7.30, the British broadcaster and environmentalist told host Leigh Sales the global population was “heading for disaster”. “More of us are living more comfortably than ever in history … Humanity by and large has taken what it wants from the natural world and taken its own construct, its own surroundings, which we tend to think of our world and now we are realising that it isn’t our world, actually, we don’t control as much as we think we do, and we are heading for disaster,” he said. Attenborough was on the current affairs program to promote the release of his latest film, A Life On Our Planet, on Netflix from October 4. Attenborough said the melting of the polar ice caps was the most pressing threat and admitted it was “anybody’s guess” what the consequences would be. “For the first time now you can sail from the Pacific into the Atlantic and across the North Pole in the summer and before long it looks as though you are going to be able to do that the year round. “If you are going to have all of those thousands of tonnes of freshwater in the icecaps, melting and going into the sea, rising the sea level, changing the salinity, changing the climate and the way the winds circulate around the world, you are interrupting and changing a fundamental rhythm that our world has lived with for centuries – millennia – and what the consequences will be is anybody’s guess.” But as Attenborough fights for action on climate change, Sales admitted that even his fame may not be enough. “To be blunt, messages like yours have so far failed – political leaders have failed to act decisively, the public is insufficiently motivated to force them to do so. Why do you think that is, and what‘s the answer?” Sales asked. “Why it hasn‘t happened is because it’s not going to happen tomorrow. It’s going to happen the day after tomorrow,” Attenborough said. “We ourselves are concerned with what happens tomorrow, that what seems urgent and if someone says, ‘look a little farther down the road, oh, yes, we ought to be doing something about that’. Then, something else happens, and we need to deal with that tomorrow, and this problem has been delayed again, and yet again, and yet again, and if we deal with it tomorrow it will be too late.” Attenborough also created an Instagram late last week to urge action on climate change, quickly gaining more than a million followers if his first few hours.

Travel Trouble

Dying woman's desperate plea in 70-year search for family

Janet Buttel has been on a life-long search for her younger brothers, who she still doesn’t know what happened to when they lost contact almost 70 years ago. Ms Buttel says she is racing to find her two boys, Maxwell Phillip Turner and Lawrence Alexander Turner, after being informed she had just months, if not weeks, to live when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. "I'm hoping someone might know something, but maybe I've left it too late," the 73-year-old told <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-27/dying-janet-buttel-search-for-missing-brothers/12002328?pfmredir=sm" target="_blank">ABC news.</a> "[The doctors] said they can't really do much about it, maybe just hold [the cancer] back, maybe a bit of extra time and that's it.” Ms Buttel lost contact with her two siblings when she just four-years-old in 1951 and living in the Victoria town of Ballarat. She lived with her parents and her four siblings; her big brother, her twin brother, and her two younger brothers. Sadly, in the same year her mother, Vera Grace Turner, passed away from a perforated bowel while lying on the operating table. It was a life altering situation that turned her family the wrong way up. Ms Buttel's father was unable to look after all four children and moved with his only daughter to Western Australia. "I was getting pneumonia all the time, so [my father] was told to bring me out here health wise, and my [two older] brothers went to my aunty's," she said. "But where the other two [brothers] went we don't know. "All I remember is they were just babies. I don't remember much about them. "My father just walked out. He didn't want any of them. He's never seen his sons or spoken to them." Thankfully, Ms Buttel had been able to find and connect with her twin and older brother while they were adults but has been left in the dark on the whereabouts of her two younger brothers, now 69 and 72, for almost seven decades. The 73-year-old says she got a “feeling” her brothers might still be in the Ballarat region when she visited her mother’s grave three years ago. In Smythesdale, near Ballarat, Ms Buttell recalls finding “flowers” on the grave site where her dear mum had been laid to rest. "I think they are [close by]— I've got a feeling," Ms Buttel said. "I've been to my mother's grave site and somebody's been there to put flowers down, so somebody must know something. "I can see next to her grave my grandparents are buried, so they're all connected around there." Ms Buttel's friend from childhood in Western Australia, Gloria Underwood, is also assisting in looking for the missing siblings. "My parents were going to adopt her at one stage," Ms Underwood said. "She's been very self-sufficient her whole life, but that little girl way back then, I've learned what the tragic story really is." Ms Buttel said she has a simple message for her brothers, as she waits on further information from Victoria's Department of Justice and Community Safety. "I'd like to know they're well," she said. "And I'd like them to know they had a sister, and mum, and dad, and two brothers. "[And] let them know I was always thinking about them and never knowing where they were."

Caring

5 minutes with author Janet Gover

In 5 minutes with author, Over60 asks book writers about their literary habits and preferences. Next in this series is Janet Gover, a writer and former television journalist based in London, England. Her 2016 outback novel Little Girl Lost won the Epic Romantic Novel of the Year Award presented by the Romantic Novelists' Association in the UK. Her latest book, The Lawson Sisters is out on January 20. Over60 talked with Gover about Dr Seuss, Terry Pratchett and outback Australia. Over60: What is your best writing tip? Janet Gover: Allow yourself to write badly sometimes. Seriously. When I’m doing the first draft of a book, I’m still discovering the characters and their story. Sometimes I’ll write a chapter that I know is not good, but I write it, go past it and continue my voyage of discovery. I then come back and fix the bad bits later, when I know what I was really trying to say. What book do you think more people should read? Any book. Just read. Reading is so much more than just a pleasure, it opens your mind to new ideas and places and people. Read fiction, non-fiction, kids’ books, graphic novels… whatever appeals to you. And if you haven’t already, read The Lorax by Dr Seuss. I keep coming back to this book that has wisdom well beyond the years of its intended readers. How has outback Australia influenced your writing? When I left Australia to travel, I started to realise how unique outback Australia really is. Things we see every day and often take for granted don’t exist anywhere else in the world. That’s why so many of my books are rural stories. As someone once said to me… You can take the girl out of the bush, but you can’t take the bush out of the girl. What was the last book that made you cry? I am a huge fan of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series. I recently reread the first book – and, yes, I got all misty. That’s why her books have such a prominent place on my shelves. What does your writing routine look like? I try to be at my desk by 9 every morning, although sometimes I cheat and linger in bed with a cup of tea, a book and my cat. I spend my mornings doing emails, and paperwork and chatting to friends online. I grab a bite of lunch around midday and that’s when I start writing. I bury myself in the book until my husband calls to say he’s leaving work. That call gives me time to finish what I’m doing – and quickly do the breakfast dishes before he gets home. Do you deal with writer’s block? If so, how do you overcome it? I don’t really get writer’s block, but when I am struggling, that’s when [the advice] above becomes important. I just write through it. I know what I am writing is bad, but that doesn’t matter because at some point my Writer Brain kicks in and tells me what I really should be doing. What romance trope can’t you get enough of? Alternatively, what cliché do you wish romance novels would stop using? I love a second chance story. The Lawson Sisters is one of those. We all make mistakes in our lives, and I like to think we will get the chance to put things right. I am not a huge fan of the ‘forced marriage’ trope. This may have worked in the past, when women had so little power, but I think that as writers in the 21st century, we should be telling our readers that they are strong and able to take charge of their own lives. That’s a theme that reoccurs a lot in my stories. Which author, deceased or living, would you most like to have dinner with? This is a tough one. I get terribly nervous around authors I admire and am afraid I’ll say something silly and embarrass myself. I would love to have dinner with the wonderful Terry Pratchett. No author has ever made me laugh or cry as much as he has. I would like to say thank you and I miss you.

Books

“Intolerable”: Leigh Sales speaks up about unwanted onstage kiss

ABC journalist Leigh Sales has spoken up after receiving an unwanted kiss on the lips from a retired businessman in front of a charity dinner crowd. According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/02/leigh-sales-angered-unwanted-kiss-crowd-charity-dinner?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&utm_content=buffer58594&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer">The Guardian Australia</a>, Sales was about to host the black tie dinner at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney on Saturday when she was introduced by Phil Newman, a retired businessman and a board director for the multiple sclerosis charity The Trish Foundation. Newman offered his cheek for Sales to peck but turned his head to connect his lips with Sales’ mouth. The 7.30 host reportedly screamed in shock and said “hashtag me too” on the microphone before continuing to host the dinner. An audible gasp could be heard in the room, where the 200 guests included the former Liberal minister Brendan Nelson and the former premier of New South Wales Barry O’Farrell as the foundation’s joint patrons. “I was offended and angered by the incident on Saturday night,” Sales told The Guardian Australia. “I had strong words to the man involved, he apologised and I accepted that apology. That should be the end of it as far as I’m concerned. “The only reason I am commenting publicly is that given how many people witnessed the incident, I feel it would be gutless not to stand up and say that kind of behaviour is intolerable and the time for women being subject to it or having to tolerate it is long gone.” Newman said the kiss was “an attempt at humour and light entertainment” to start the event. “I apologised on the night profusely and she accepted,” he said. “I am upset my judgment wasn’t better. I am embarrassed I brought any disrespect on the foundation and on Leigh.” The chair of the Trish Foundation, Carol Langsford also apologised to Sales. “We are incredibly honoured that Leigh gives her valuable time and great professional skills to the Trish MS Research Foundation year after year,” Langsford said. “We are terribly upset that Leigh was embarrassed by one of our volunteers and of course, our volunteer and the Trish Foundation apologise sincerely and unreservedly.”

News

“Crocodile tears”: Viewers enraged as George Calombaris pleads for public’s support

George Calombaris broke down as he pleaded with the public to not abandon his restaurants, after many diners decided to boycott his business after the wage theft scandal. Sitting down with Leigh Sales on ABC’s 7.30, the former MasterChef Australia judge begged customers to continue visiting for the sake of his staff. “I love the people that have worked for me and I don’t want them to suffer right now,” he told Sales as his voice cracked. “Great restaurants are voted by bums on seats and obviously … don’t punish my people. “Just know that when you come into one of your restaurants, know when you pay the bill, that those, my people, are getting paid and paid correctly.” Although, that wasn’t always the case, as the celebrity chef was ordered by court to pay a $200,000 “contrition payment” after he back paid 515 staff members $7.83 million in underpaid wages. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> Don’t miss <a href="https://twitter.com/leighsales?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@leighsales</a>’s exclusive interview with George Calombaris tonight on 7.30. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc730?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc730</a> <a href="https://t.co/In6B3n6pny">pic.twitter.com/In6B3n6pny</a> — abc730 (@abc730) <a href="https://twitter.com/abc730/status/1156347532303196160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">30 July 2019</a></blockquote> Since news broke, Calombaris’ restaurants – Hellenic Republic, Gazi and Elektra – have been visibly empty. But his tears didn’t seem to win over those watching at home, as people took to Twitter to complain about the stars “crocodile tears”. “Don’t believe a word you’re saying, Calombaris,” said one person, while another wrote, “Celebrity crook Calombaris’ mea culpa means zip.” “George Calombaris has the audacity,” a third said, “$8 mil for 524 is not a mistake. He acts like we all don’t have jobs and know how it works.” When asked to explain how things led to this moment, Calombaris said he was more focused on the “creative” process, by coming up with innovative food ideas rather than focusing on the back end of the business. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> I don’t care what the toll on Calombaris has been. What has the toll been on the workers he underpaid? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc730?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc730</a> — Darren Lewin-Hill (@NorthcoteWalker) <a href="https://twitter.com/NorthcoteWalker/status/1156501198024790017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">31 July 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> Oh poor George colombaris. Crocodile tears. So his accountants never wondered where the profits were coming from? Please. — Elizabeth Terzon (@lizbit24854) <a href="https://twitter.com/lizbit24854/status/1156501375691284480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">31 July 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> Was george Colombaris emotional for his staff or because he and his businesses are suffering because he got pinned? — Craig Gabriel (@crosscourt1) <a href="https://twitter.com/crosscourt1/status/1156673174093701120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">31 July 2019</a></blockquote> However, he accepts full responsibility for the error, saying there was “no excuse” for his actions. “I’m not here to blame anyone,” he said. “I take full responsibility for this. I’m sorry.”

Legal

Man assaults Leigh Sales with tub of yoghurt during speech

An audience member has been removed for throwing a tub of yoghurt at ABC journalist Leigh Sales during a speech she was making in Perth on Sunday. The 7:30 host was making a speech for the Disrupted Festival of Ideas at the State Library of Western Australia when the 49-year-old threw the tub of yoghurt. Sales was shocked as a tub of yoghurt struck the lectern in front of her. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fnews%2Fnsw%2Fabc-journalist-leigh-sales-continues-speech-after-man-throws-tub-of-yoghurt-at-her%2Fnews-story%2F20cb240d9a63117a370658578ffdc4bf&memtype=registered&mode=premium&v21suffix=57-a#command-form" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph</a> reported the contents of the tub “sprayed her legs, the stage and the curtains behind her”. However, Sales has reported that she is “totally fine!” in a tweet. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> Oh dear, have just landed from the Perth-Syd flight to a kerfuffle over something minor - thanks for the concern, I'm totally fine! Just relieved everyone at the festival was okay and thank you to security, police, audience etc. — Leigh Sales (@leighsales) <a href="https://twitter.com/leighsales/status/1155425339914350592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">28 July 2019</a></blockquote> She also spoke to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/man-charged-after-throwing-yogurt-at-abc-s-leigh-sales-20190728-p52bjy.html" target="_blank">Sydney Morning Herald</a> about the incident. "It's all fine, I'm relieved it was nothing more sinister than yoghurt and that nobody in the audience was hurt," Sales said. A spokesman for The State Library of Western Australia said that security and police were on the scene. “We can confirm that a member of the public threw a small tub of yoghurt in Leigh Sales’ direction," the spokesman said. "She reacted remarkably professionally and the show went on.” The incident was recorded on the State Library of Western Australia’s Facebook page as they were live streaming the event. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FStateLibraryWA%2Fvideos%2F571304376734454%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>

News

Glittering in gold! Kerri-Anne Kennerley sparkles on the red carpet

On Thursday night, the opinionated and colourful Studio 10 co-host Kerri-Anne Kennerley glistened on the red carpet for the opening of Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical in Sydney. The veteran TV presenter decided to don a gold sequinned blouse for the big night with tailored black trousers and pointed heels. To accessorise the already bold look, the 65-year-old added a chunky black necklace and a sequinned Chanel handbag. The media icon was not the only TV journalist to lead the red carpet on Thursday evening with Sunrisepresenter Melissa Doyle also stepping out to watch the beloved movie-turned musical Muriel’s Wedding alongside her daughter, Natalia. Keeping it classy, the breakfast show host went for a simple black blouse and added some glamour with sleek nude heels and a maroon clutch. Followed closely behind was veteran Australian journalist, 7.30 host and author Leigh Sales, who recently made headlines for her grilling of Prime Minister Scott Morrison about <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/do-you-see-any-problem-with-that-situation-leigh-sales-grills-scott-morrison" target="_blank">his thoughts on the controversial ex-rugby player Israel Folau and his fight against Rugby Australia.</a> However, on Thursday evening, Monday’s intense events could not been have further from the journalist’s mind as she stepped onto the red carpet with a bold, colourful ensemble paired with a pair of black heeled boots. Also, in attendance was Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan who decided to rock an all-black look for the special night, which consisted of a black silk camisole, trousers, double-breasted blazer and classy brogues. Scroll through the gallery above to see the star-studded celebs on the red carpet on Thursday evening.

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David Attenborough’s “blunt” advice for climate change deniers

Dying woman's desperate plea in 70-year search for family

5 minutes with author Janet Gover

“Intolerable”: Leigh Sales speaks up about unwanted onstage kiss

“Crocodile tears”: Viewers enraged as George Calombaris pleads for public’s support

Man assaults Leigh Sales with tub of yoghurt during speech

Glittering in gold! Kerri-Anne Kennerley sparkles on the red carpet

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