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One last chance for grandma on the brink of deportation

Mary Ellis, 74, who has lived in Australia for the last 40 years and is facing deportation, has made a last-ditch bid to stay Down Under. The grandmother recently appeared on <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/grandma-faces-deportation-after-40-years-in-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a> and begged the Department of Home Affairs to let her stay in the country. At the time, she refuted the Home Affairs' claim that she had misrepresented her continuous residence in the country, after they alleged that she left Australia three times under an alias between 1983 and 1986, and that her late husband Martin Ellis was actually called Trevor Warren. The crucial qualification for an absorbed citizenship is that she would only be eligible if she was in Australia from April 2, 1984, and had not left the country since. The grandmother claimed that she arrived in Australia in December 1981, and hasn't left since, saying that she had also paid taxes in Australia, held a Medicare card, pension card and an Australian driver's licence. She was also nominated for the NSW Volunteer of the Year award last year, for her charitable acts. The DailyMail reports that there are no "compassionate grounds" on which the Immigration Minister could intervene in her bid to attain an absorbed citizenship. However, under the Migration Act, the minister could decide to intervene in Ellis' case if he thinks "it is in the public interest." Now, Ellis and her migration agent Schneider have requested in writing for the minister to intervene. Requests for Federal Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to intervene must address specific grounds in doing so, and state why her staying would be in the public interest. Images: Instagram/ Nine

Legal

Grandma faces deportation after 40 years in Australia

Mary Ellis, 74, has lived in Australia for over 40 years, but now she faces deportation. The grandmother is known as a local hero in northern New South Wales, for her charitable acts including helping feed the homeless in Tweed Heads, raising money for the Salvation Army. She was even nominated for the NSW Volunteer of the Year award last year. Despite her tireless efforts to help out other Australians, the senior might soon have to leave the country she has called home since she was 31-years-old. "(I have a) Driver's License, ID card, Medicare Card, Pension card. Everything Australians have," Ellis told A Current Affair. "I thought well, I'm a permanent resident. "You know, I carry on doing my daily - what I do every day. Nobody said anything." Ellis, who was born in London and moved here with her partner in 1981, was told that her partner had already arranged permanent visas for them. But one day, the Department of Home Affairs suddenly decided she's got to go. "This is my home and I love Australia ... I want to stay here," the grandma tearfully said. "Just let me get Australian citizenship, please let me.. that's what I want." Ellis has a son and two granddaughters in Australia, who are all Australian Citizens. Migration agent Stanley Schneider has been helping Ellis pro-bono since she was asked to leave, said that she was an absorbed person under the Migration Act and should be allowed to stay. "She's always paid her taxes.. she's never even had a speeding ticket," Schneider said. "She's never infringed anything. She's never offended anyone." The Migration Act requires someone to have been in Australia since April 2, 1984 and not have left, but the Department of Home Affairs claims Mary left the country three times under different aliases. Ellis denies the allegations. "I love Australia. (I) didn't want to go anywhere else," she said. She also said that she has documents that prove she was in Australia during the timeframe in question, which includes a job reference from a Tasmanian restaurant that she worked at from 1983 to 1986, and a Medicare enrolment letter signed by then federal Health Minister Neal Blewett. Ellis' migration agent said that the documents would not have been sent to her had she not been in the country. "Mary Ellis is a decent person. A person we should be absolutely thrilled to have in Australia," Schneider said. "And she's an Australian, Let's face it." In a statement shared to A Current Affair, the Department of Home Affairs said that they do not comment on individual cases. "People who do not have the right to remain in Australia are expected to depart," a government spokesperson said. "Individuals who provide incorrect information may be liable to have their visa cancelled under the provisions of the Migration Act." Image: Nine/ A Current Affair

Legal

Queen Camilla meets . . . Princess Margaret?!

In a collision of regal proportions, the world witnessed an unforgettable convergence of the fictitious and the real, as the one and only Helena Bonham Carter, famous for her portrayal of the indomitable Princess Margaret in seasons three and four of The Crown, found herself in the splendid company of none other than the Queen Consort herself, Camilla, at Clarence House. The rendezvous occurred at a glitzy reception held to celebrate 30 years of the Forward Arts Foundation. The Foundation, on a mission to spread the love of poetry throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, decided to throw this soiree just as London was gearing up for another artistic extravaganza: Frieze Week. Clearly, this was a battle for the city's cultural heart, and poetry had the honour of setting the stage. The highlight of the evening, however, was the majestic meeting of the minds between Bonham Carter and the Queen Consort. As they locked eyes, it was hard to tell who was more starstruck. The actress executed a curtsey so profound it nearly reached the Earth's core before engaging the Queen in delightful conversation. In a refreshing break from her usual attire, which would make even the most extravagant peacock jealous, Bonham Carter sported a dress adorned with bright florals and black feathers, accented by pink ribbons in her hair. Camilla, on the other hand, stole the sartorial spotlight in an arresting peacock feather print shirt dress that must've made any nearby birds quite envious. But Bonham Carter wasn't content with merely being a guest; she also graced the audience with her talents by reciting a poem. Her choice was William Stafford's "Yes," a poem that would have moved Shakespeare himself to stand up, clap and stomp his booted feet. William Sieghart, the founder of the Forward Arts Foundation, expressed his immense pride in the work of the foundation and thanked the Queen for her involvement, calling it "proof of the pudding" that they were indeed making progress. Among the distinguished guests at this intimate soirée were previous winners of the Forward Prizes for Poetry, including the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, the actress Karen Bryson, and Bonham Carter’s former The Crown co-star, Natascha McElhone. Speaking of royalty, Netflix's juggernaut series, The Crown, has once again captured our attention. The recent announcement of the November and December release dates for the final season has ignited a whirlwind of excitement and speculation. The promotional artwork for this last hurrah features a moody and atmospheric image of the Queen, played by the talented Imelda Staunton, and a reimagining of the iconic photograph of Princess Diana poised on the diving board of a yacht in Portofino, just a week before her untimely departure from this world. While fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming season, it hasn't been without its controversies. Critics have <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/major-twist-in-store-for-final-season-of-the-crown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised their eyebrows at reports</a> suggesting that the show will include depictions of Princess Diana's "ghost". Bonham Carter herself, who graciously passed her fictitious tiara to Leslie Manville for the final seasons, has spoken out about the show's duty to distinguish between fact and artistic license. During a chat on the show's official podcast back in 2020, she insisted that The Crown carries a "moral responsibility" to remind viewers that this is a work of fiction inspired by facts, not an educational documentary. It's a reminder to us all that even the fanciest of crowns can come with a little disclaimer. So, as the final season of The Crown approaches, we can only wonder what other regal surprises are in store for us. In the meantime, let's raise a glass to the poetic evening at Clarence House, where fact met fiction, and where, for a brief moment, we were all kings and queens of our own whimsical kingdom. Images: Getty

Beauty & Style

UK family at risk of deportation for being "too old"

A family from the UK are at risk of being deported from Australia, after the immigration policy deemed them "too old" to stay. In 2015, Parents Glenn, 57, and Sheena Tunnicliff, 50, moved from the UK to Perth to start a new life with their two young daughters, Tazmin and Molly. The family settled in the city's north, where Glenn started working as a plasterer and Sheena opened a Helloworld franchise, where she employed three others. Their daughters are now starting their own careers, as Tazmin, 21, has started working as a nurse and Molly, 18, is studying Australian Sign Language (ASLAN). Despite living, studying and working in Australia for almost a decade, the entire family is now being faced with the reality of being deported back to their home country. Glenn and Sheena were ordered to leave the country by August 4th after they were unable to secure permanent residency due to various visa and job changes over the years. Permanent residency has an age limit of 45, meaning now, neither parent qualifies. “We don’t want to go back to the UK. We’ve made a life here,” Sheena previously told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/visa-exclusive-immigration-australia-perth-family-face-being-sent-back-to-uk-despite-in-demand-job/2d59c8eb-e720-48bc-8d74-7be5a883ebf4?ocid=Social-9News" target="_self" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="2d59c8eb-e720-48bc-8d74-7be5a883ebf4" data-tgev-label="national" data-tgev-metric="ev">Nine News</a>. “Now we are over that magic figure of 45 there is no route to PR for us. Australia classes us as too old [but] we are the ones with the experience and training.” Since moving to Australia, the family has spent over $80,000 in visas, and will now have to fork out more for a "temporary Band-Aid fix" hat will extend their visas until July 2024. However, the family are planning to relocate to New Zealand, where the age cut-off for permanent residency is 55, meaning Sheena would be eligible. Bizarrely, after five years across the Tasman, the Tunnicliffs could become New Zealand citizens which would allow them to return to Australia to live. “We’d take all our skills and we’d go to New Zealand,” Sheena said. “It’s crazy. Australia’s lost all our skills. In five years time we could walk back into Australia.” Image credits: Facebook

Legal

Minister steps in to stop deportation of family with Down syndrome son

A Perth family who were on the brink of deportation because of their son’s Down syndrome have been granted permanent residency after an intervention from Immigration Minister Andrew Giles. Last month, the family from India were told to leave because their 10-year-old son’s condition was viewed as a “burden” on the taxpayers. Parent’s Krishna Aneesh and Aneesh Kollikkara begged the Immigration Minister to intervene, as their bridging visa was set to expire on March 15 and they had exhausted all other legal options. The family had been living in Australia for seven years, and on Wednesday they received the happy news through a letter from Giles. The letter read: "[The minister] has personally considered your case and has decided to exercise his public interest power in your case to substitute the decision of the [Administrative Appeals] Tribunal”. Aneesh and her husband spoke to reporters after the decision came out, and said they were “over the moon” when they found out. "I literally went into tears we can stay here we can live in this community we can provide a very good environment for our kids,” she said. Both parents work in highly-skilled industries, with Aneesh as a cyber security expert and Kollikkara working in telecommunications. People with Disability Australia treasurer Suresh Rajan, the family representative, said that their contribution to the society was taken into consideration in the intervention. "That public interest criteria goes to the fact that Krishna and Aneesh are performing work in critical industries and the public wants them here," he said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Letter received from Minister Giles office granting Permanent Residency to Krishna and Aneesh. Hallelujah! <a href="https://t.co/iYnWHrAZ0C">pic.twitter.com/iYnWHrAZ0C</a> — Suresh Rajan (@SureshRajan6) <a href="https://twitter.com/SureshRajan6/status/1633340769493999617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2023</a></blockquote> Rajan also shared the development on the family’s case on Twitter. “Letter received from Minister Giles’ office granting permanent residency to Krishna and Aneesh. Hallelujah,” he captioned with a picture of the family. Image: Twitter

Caring

Musician divides audiences over controversial Margaret Court slating

Phoebe Bridgers has been both praised and condemned for her brutal slating of Margaret Court. The American musician was performing to a sold out crowd in Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena, when she took aim at the venue's namesake. The 28-year-old Los Angeles native condemned the 80-year-old tennis champion-turned-Christian pastor, who has in recent years become a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and transgender rights. Turning to the crowd during the concert on Wednesday , Bridgers declared: “So, Margaret Court. F*** that stupid***, dumb*** b****. F*** that stupid c***. Change your name!” She then encouraged the riled-up crowd to chant “F*** Margaret Court!” before continuing, “I think hate is undervalued. I think it’s like a f***ing weird, white supremacist idea that hate is bad, or something?" “You know what I mean? It’s like hate is like what moves things throughout history. I hate that stupid b****!" “Hate is like how you protect yourself. What, are you never supposed to be angry, ever?” Phoebe's full rant was posted to Twitter and can be viewed <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrystalChristi/status/1623323236800036864" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. The expletive-ridden tirade quickly went viral online, with Bridgers' fans and Court's critics hailing the move as "iconic". “It was the most beautiful moment of my life” one concertgoer raved, while another social media user posted: “Now I’m a fan!” as others called for the venue to be renamed Phoebe Bridgers Arena. While the reaction to the musician's protest was mostly supportive, a small group of Margaret Court sympathisers online slammed her on-stage chants. One person wrote, "Any clue why she’s saying f*** Margaret Court: a world famous tennis player who’s home was actually broken into this week?….. very vile." Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Margaret Court "praying" for the thieves that broke into her home

Margaret Court has said that she is "praying" for the thieves who broke into her home and stole from her. The tennis legend watched on through her home security system as a group of intruders entered her home in Perth on Australia Day while Margaret and her husband were away on holiday. The police were called, while the thieves were stopped by neighbours including cricketing legend and ex-Australian coach Justin Langer. Margaret told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/margaret-court-alleged-home-robbery-theft-perth-crime/f290ce6c-2b74-412c-832b-92cb2d9ccdbf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a> of the incident, "It's never comfortable, it's not nice." "I saw them right away on the little screen at the front door, police got right onto it, they were awesome." The former world No. 1, who became a Christian Pastor when she retired from tennis, added that all the items, except her husband's passport, have since been returned. "All is good, all is fine, I pray for the young guys, I pray they come to know Christ," she said. The recovered items were found in nearby bushland and gardens, a Western Australian police spokesperson said. Western Australia Police have charged two men for the break-in, after they stole Court's OABE, AO and OC miniature medals. The 33-year-old and 34-year-old men are expected to face court next month over the robbery. Image credits: Getty Images

News

Court short over Serena's final flourish

Margaret Court has called out Serena Williams following her retirement after losing against Aussie Alja Tomljanovic. The US tennis champion’s career came to an end after she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 in the third round of the US Open. This means Court will hold onto her grand slam record that Williams has tried besting for a long time. Despite the win for Court, she didn’t hold back when she called out the US player who she says should have spoken more about her opponent following her loss. “Serena, I’ve admired her as a player, but I don’t think she has ever admired me,” Court told The Telegraph UK. “I thought it was bad that Williams didn’t mention her opponent more when she spoke. “We were taught to be role models for the young, in how we behaved. We were taught to honour our opponent. You learned from your losses. We respected one another.” In her retirement speech, Williams mentioned Court and slammed those who said she doesn’t deserve to be the GOAT (greatest of all time) because of her loss. “There are people who say I’m not the GOAT because I didn’t pass Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles, which she achieved before the ‘open era’ that began in 1968,” Williams said. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that record. Obviously I do. But day to day, I’m really not thinking about her. If I’m in a grand slam final, then yes, I am thinking about that record. Maybe I thought about it too much, and that didn’t help. “The way I see it, I should have had 30-plus grand slams.” Court went on to single out tennis organisers who she claims completely ignored her at Wimbledon, and the lack of invitations for other big tennis events. “It’s very sad, because a lot of the press and television today, particularly in tennis, don’t want to mention my name,” she said. “It’s only when they have to, because I still hold so many records. In 2020, I was meant to be coming to Wimbledon for the 50th anniversary of my calendar grand slam. “But then Covid hit, so the honour never happened. The French Open didn’t invite me, the US Open didn’t invite me. Rod Laver had won the slam and I was going to be honoured in the same way, but no. “I didn’t lose any sleep over it. But the honour has not been there for what I did do. In my own nation, I have been given titles, but they would still rather not mention me.” Images: Getty

Retirement Life

“You left us way too soon”: Tributes flow for Margaret Ulrich

Margaret Ulrich, the New Zealand singer best known for her vocals on Daryl Braithwaite’s hit The Horses, has died aged 57 after battling breast cancer for two and a half years. The songstress passed away peacefully at her home in the NSW Southern Highlands on Monday, surrounded by her family. Tributes to Ulrich have since poured in from fans, artists, and TV stars from Australia and New Zealand. “RIP Margaret Ulrich. Such a beautiful singer. My heart goes out to George and her family. You left us way too soon,” Aussie icon Jimmy Barnes <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmyBarnes/status/1561866835938529280" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>. “One of the most beautiful voices to come out of New Zealand has fallen silent,” Project co-host Angela Bishop <a href="https://twitter.com/AngelaBishop/status/1561678245351018496" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The beautiful Margaret Urlich... one of the most unique vibratos and NZ voices. Will never forget her rendition of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" in Jesus Christ Superstar. "Escaping" is still one of the most iconic jams Saddest news but a life full of incredible achievements❤️❤️ <a href="https://t.co/acimbvx9xn">https://t.co/acimbvx9xn</a> — Indira Stewart (@Indiratweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/Indiratweets/status/1561781878566240256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 😢THAT Voice, THAT fashion style for a tom-boy like me. I got to do an Advert with other female artists for TVNZ.I was a 13 yr old nerdy kid. SHE was super gorgeous. 🕊Margaret Urlich an absolute icon from that beautiful melting pot of talent. Moe mai ra beautiful💔🎵 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Escaping?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Escaping</a> <a href="https://t.co/XW7O1FchxM">pic.twitter.com/XW7O1FchxM</a> — TheBlackSheep.com (@74MasterBlaster) <a href="https://twitter.com/74MasterBlaster/status/1561782621176270850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2022</a></blockquote> “The beautiful Margaret Ulrich… one of the most unique vibratos and NZ voices,” TVNZ journalist Indira Stewart <a href="https://twitter.com/Indiratweets/status/1561781878566240256" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a>. “Vale #margaretulrich Much love to George and the family … and immense respect for the beautiful and talented artist who blazed a trail. R.I.P. Margaret 💔,” Channel Nine’s Richard Wilkins <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardWilkins/status/1561671409231081472" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. “Margaret Ulrich, trailblazer & wonderful human. I was in awe of her as a kid. Aroha (love) to all hurting from this loss,” New Zealand singer-songwriter Hollie Smith <a href="https://twitter.com/holliejsmith/status/1561813545783701504" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. Ulrich began her career as the vocalist for the band Peking Man, before joining When The Cat’s Away, a Kiwi all-girl pop group. She later made history as the first solo female artist to take the number one spot in the official New Zealand Music Charts with her hit song Escaping, which came from her 1989 debut album Safety in Numbers. Her follow-up album, Chameleon Dreams (1992), spawned the hits Boy in the Moon and Burnt Sienna. But, Ulrich’s Aussie music fame came after she was a guest vocalist on Braithwaite’s 1991 hit, which spent 12 weeks in the Top 10 and 23 weeks in the Top 50 Australian charts and has since been recognised as a beloved national anthem. In 2016, Ulrich admitted she regrets not appearing in the music video, which was being filmed while she was recording an album in London. “I could have come back to do the video but I was doing my own thing by that stage,” she told News Corp. “A lot of people know it's my singing, but they don't put two and two together that it's not me in the video. “In retrospect, it was probably a little bit silly because the song was so huge. But at the time I was young and a bit stupid, I did what I thought was right. But it was absolutely no disrespect to Daryl.” That same year, Braithwaite claimed in an interview commemorating 25 years since The Horses was released that Ulrich pulled out of the video at the last minute. Image: Twitter

Caring

Waleed Aly defends Scott Morrison’s church speech

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

Aussie grandma deported for helping son cover up fiance's murder

Margaret Archer, the South Australian grandmother who was jailed for covering up the murder of her son’s fiancé, has finally been handed over to border force and will be deported. For the family of Jody Meyers, it is a moment to celebrate. Meyers' brother-in-law, Michael Bates, said the family is "happy" Archer is being sent to the United Kingdom. "We just don't want her around us," he said. "We don't want her in the community. We don't to have to be looking over our shoulder. We don't want to have to see that face." As police searched for Meyers in 2015, Archer was helping her son Neil to concoct a lie, claiming that Meyers had decided to leave her fiancé and their toddler and vanish from their Mannum home. Margaret sent a text message from Meyers' phone to support the story, however Neil Archer had strangled his partner to death and his mum helped him hide her body. The then 55-year-old used Meyers' own bank card to buy bags of cement, which were used to bury the victim's remains beneath the back shed of Archer's Mannum property. "You can support your child in many ways, but supporting someone to cover up a murder of the mother of your grandson is a whole new level," Bates said. Neil Archer was sentenced to at least 22 years in jail for the murder of Jody Meyers. His mother faced a six-and-a-half-year sentence, which she served in full. While Archer is free to continue living her life in the UK, Bates said their family is left grappling with her actions. The SA Corrections Department has confirmed Margaret Archer was released into the custody of border force, but did not specify when she will leave the country. Images: Nine Network / ABC

Legal

Australian government appeals ruling protecting Aboriginals from deportation

The Australian government has made an appeal against a High Court decision that Aboriginal Australians can’t be aliens, claiming the decision threatens to confer “political sovereignty on Aboriginal societies”.Lawyers for the government made the claim in an appeal against the Love and Thoms decision, which bars the deportation of Indigenous non-citizens. They claim that the ruling threatened the position that Aboriginal sovereignty did not survive the colonisation of Australia.<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2022/feb/01/aboriginal-spiritual-connection-to-land-no-bar-to-deportation-morrison-government-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian</a> reports that the submissions, lodged on Friday, also contain arguments that the spiritual connection Aboriginal Australians have with the land doesn’t create a “special relationship” to the commonwealth.What is the Love and Thoms decision?In February 2020, four out of the seven judges ruled that Aboriginal Australians were not aliens under the Australian constitution and couldn’t be deported, prompting the release of New Zealand-born man Brendan Thoms from detention.Thoms and Papua New Guinea-born Daniel Love, who both have one Indigenous parent, had their visas cancelled and faced deportation from Australia after serving time in prison.Lawyers for the two men, with support from the state of Victoria, argued that the government can’t deport Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders even if they don’t hold Australian citizenship.In separate judgements, justices Virginia Bell, Geoffrey Nettle, Michelle Gordon and James Edelman made the ruling based on the three-part test established by the Mabo native title cases that assess a person’s claim to be Aboriginal based on their biological descent, self-identification, and recognition by a traditional group.By April 2021, nine people were released from immigration detention as a result of the ruling, with Guardian Australia revealing the government was seeking to overturn the decision in October of the same year.Why is the government appealing the decision?In November 2021, the federal court ordered for the release of Shayne Montgomery, a New Zealand citizen whose visa was revoked by former home affairs minister Peter Dutton after he was convicted of a non-violent aggravated burglary in 2018. The court ruled that Mr Dutton “failed to give any degree of consideration” to Mr Montgomery’s claims of Aboriginality. Though he wasn’t biologically descended from an Aboriginal person, the court said it was “not reasonable” to conclude Mr Montgomery was not Aboriginal since he was culturally adopted by the Mununjali people in Queensland.In an appeal against that ruling, the federal government is now asking that the federal court overrule Love and Thoms.With the retirement of two of the four judges who originally made the decision, assistant attorney general Amanda Stoker has noted in a 2020 research paper that a challenge to the decision could see it get reconsidered by the new bench.In October, immigration minister Alex Hawke <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/19/judge-orders-new-zealand-man-who-had-visa-revoked-by-peter-dutton-to-be-freed-from-detention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the government had “no intent to deport an Aboriginal from Australia”, despite making an appeal alongside home affairs minister Karen Andrews to restore their power to do so.He said the case was about “a complex question of law, it’s not about an opinion of the government, and it has to be tested and resolved”.“That’s what the government is doing. Of course, there is no intent to deport an Aboriginal from Australia, ever.”Kristina Kenneally, the shadow home affairs minister, has said Labor “respects the decision of the high court” in Love and Thoms, and that the government should “abide by the ruling”.The matter is yet to be listed for a hearing.Image: Getty Images

Legal

More calls to rename Margaret Court Arena

Columnist Peter FitzSimons is once again <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10461501/Peter-FitzSimons-Rename-Margaret-Court-arena-tennis-legends-anti-gay-rights-stance.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leading calls</a> to rename Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena in response to the tennis star’s stance on gay marriage.In 2017, Margaret Court shared her “disappointment” in Qantas in a letter she penned to the airline over its support of the federal government’s plebiscite to legalise gay marriage. She also revealed she would no longer fly with the company as a result.“I am disappointed that Qantas has become an active promoter for same sex marriage,” she said in the letter published in the West Australian newspaper.“I believe in marriage as a union between a man and a woman as stated in the Bible. Your statement leaves me no option but to use other airlines where possible for my extensive travelling.”Fitzsimons, who has previously called on officials to change the stadium’s name, posted a poll to Twitter on Sunday night asking his followers whether they thought the name should be changed, with one option including naming the venue after First Nations icon Evonne Goolagong Cawley.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Margaret Court Arena should be— Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Peter_Fitz/status/1487380481641353216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2022</a></blockquote>After receiving 5382 votes, the results showed that 80 percent of voters thought Goolagong Cawley should receive the honour of having the stadium named after her, just over 14 percent thought the name should be unchanged, and about 5 percent said it should be named after someone else.Fitzsimons has previously spoken glowingly about Goolagong Cawley, describing the seventh-time grand slam winner as one of the “more generous” people he knows.“Personally, I know of no finer person, no more generous and inclusive than Evonne Gollagong Cawley,” he said.“I run into her about once a year in airports around Australia and she is always on her way to do something to help someone.“How ‘bout the Evonne Goolagong Arena, as a name that tennis can be proud to put up in lights?”The Melbourne Park arena was named after Court in 2003 “as a tribute to Australia’s most successful tennis player”, according to the venue’s <a href="https://margaretcourtarena.com.au/about/our-history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>.In a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/margaret-courts-antigay-rights-stance-deserves-a-boycott-of-its-own-20170525-gwda2w.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2017 column</a> for The Sydney Morning Herald, Fitzsimons said Tennis Australia should be doing more to separate themselves from the controversial player and that it was time that tennis ended its association with Court.“Tennis is an inclusive game, and ever more inclusive in the 21st century,” he wrote at the time.“Does Melbourne Park really want to have an arena named after someone who stands so firmly against such inclusiveness, who is becoming a byword for bigot?”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Wiradjuri legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley … Handing the Australian Open trophy to Ngarigo champion Ash Barty … On Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung land. How. Awesome.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ausopen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ausopen</a> (Pic: <a href="https://twitter.com/wwos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wwos</a>) <a href="https://t.co/o4XmtQ11tW">pic.twitter.com/o4XmtQ11tW</a>— Dan Conifer (@DanConifer) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanConifer/status/1487374968434298880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2022</a></blockquote>Meanwhile, others have taken to social media to petition the arena be renamed after Ash Barty following her stunning Australian Open win over the weekend.“She’s much more deserving of the honour. I mean, a dog turd bag is more deserving but anyway… bloody change it already,” one person wrote.“Ash Barty arena has a nicer ring than Margaret Court, don’t you think,” another said.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Wiradjuri legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley … Handing the Australian Open trophy to Ngarigo champion Ash Barty … On Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung land. How. Awesome.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ausopen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ausopen</a> (Pic: <a href="https://twitter.com/wwos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wwos</a>) <a href="https://t.co/o4XmtQ11tW">pic.twitter.com/o4XmtQ11tW</a>— Dan Conifer (@DanConifer) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanConifer/status/1487374968434298880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2022</a></blockquote>Others were quick to discourage the change, saying it was too early in her career for her to receive that kind of honour.“I love Barty but I don’t think it should be named after someone who is still active in the sport,” one person posted on Reddit.“Wait until she retires. I would love for them to rename it after Evonne Goolagong Cawley though!”Image: Don Arnold (Getty Images) / Morgan Hancock (Getty Images)

Domestic Travel

Has Novak's deportation ruined Australia's global reputation?

The world has turned its attention to the Australian government's handling of Novak Djokovic and his refusal to get vaccinated, in order to compete in the Australian Open. As the tennis champion was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/djokovic-escorted-out-of-australia">deported from Melbourne</a> on Monday morning, many spectators of the saga have drawn attention to the Morrison Government's strict border policies. Greg Barns from the Australian Lawyers Alliance said it was “dangerous” and “Orwellian” and “deeply troubling in a society supposedly committed to freedom of speech and freedom of thought”. However, despite the <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/serbia-s-reaction-to-djokovic-deportation" target="_blank">growing outrage</a> in Novak's native Serbia, the notion that the tennis player's deportation has harmed Australia's international reputation is a lie Aussie's should not have to face. Readers of international publications such as the New York Times, the BBC and NBC News have all celebrated the decision made by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to cancel Novak's visa and uphold the strong Australian borders. The Immigration Minister's decision to cancel the visa was supported by the Federal Court of Australia, preventing the tennis champion from competing in the Australian Open. “I am so glad this happened! Australia has worked very hard to keep its citizens safe! Kudos to them,” one commenter wrote on a Times story. “Australia has every single right to enforce their rules and laws, even on celebrities. Get vaccinated,” another wrote. When the BBC shared the news of his deportation on Facebook, the majority of the comments were in support of the government's decision. “Glad they stood their ground, in the end of the day Novak is just another human who should obey the rules,” one person wrote. <div id="ad-block-4x4-1" class="w_unruly ad-block ad-custom unruly_insert_native_ad_here" data-type="unruly" data-ad-size="4x4" data-device-type="web" data-ad-tar="pos=1" data-ad-pos="1" data-google-query-id="CMaTzZ31t_UCFflCnQkdIy4Mow"> <div id="ad-block-2x2-1" data-google-query-id="CLnHxqT1t_UCFZCNjwodfvoFlg"> <div id="" class="story-content tg-tlc-storybody"> Others agreed, writing, “Well done Australia for doing the right thing. You proved once again that you don’t pander to those who try to cheat and lie. “They’ve done the right thing by their citizens, who have had to live under restrictions (like many of us) for some time now. So someone blatantly lying to avoid the rules isn’t OK. He should’ve done the decent things and gone home days ago.” Australian journalist Quentin Dempster wrote that the Morrison Government had no choice to deport Novak, given Australia's rising case numbers and hospitalisations. “This is a public health crisis,” he wrote on Twitter. “In a democracy free speech also comes with an ethical responsibility not to mislead or incite mass harm. Anti-vaxxers are doing just that. ICUs are clogged, people are dying.” Djokovic left Australia on a flight to Dubai on Sunday night after the full bench of the Federal Court of Australia ruled unanimously to kick him out of the country. Due to the visa restrictions, the world number one champion is banned from entering Australia for three years. Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Ben Fordham on 2GB on Monday that Novak "didn't have" a valid exemption to enter Australia unvaccinated. “He was wrong,’’ Mr Morrison said. “As simple as that. “He didn’t have one and that is the bottom line to that. “But the idea that someone could come and not follow those rules was just not on.” Image credits: Getty Images </div> </div> </div>

News

Serbia's reaction to Djokovic deportation

Anger has grown in Serbia after Novak Djokovic’s visa was cancelled for a second time, with the country’s President claiming the Australian government has “humiliated” itself. Djokovic’s legal bid to overturn the cancellation of his visa once again was shot down on Sunday, after three federal judges upheld the decision on public order grounds. The World No.1 was <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/djokovic-escorted-out-of-australia" target="_blank">ordered to leave the country</a>, departing from Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport late on Sunday night with a retinue of aids and officials. The Emirates flight EK409 to Dubai took off at 10.51pm local time, according to an AFP reporter on board. Srdjan Djokovic, the tennis champion’s father, took to Instagram with claims Djokovic was subject to an “assassination attempt”. “The assassination attempt on the best sportsman in the world is over, 50 bullets to Novak’s chest. See you in Paris,” he wrote. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Meanwhile in Belgrade, Serbia 😍 Home country is waiting for its hero. Source: Srdjan Djokovic, IG <a href="https://twitter.com/NovakFanClub?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NovakFanClub</a> <a href="https://t.co/snC0ebfBPq">pic.twitter.com/snC0ebfBPq</a> — Yerik_nolefamkz 🇰🇿 (@yerikilyassov) <a href="https://twitter.com/yerikilyassov/status/1482802376549576708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2022</a></blockquote> Serbian President Aleksander Vučić also shared his criticism over Djokovic’s treatment, saying the latest hearing was “a farce with a lot of lies”. “They think that they humiliated Djokovic with this 10-day harassment, and they actually humiliated themselves,” he told reporters on Sunday. “Djokovic can return to his country with his head held high. “If you said that the one who was not vaccinated has no right to enter, Novak would not come or would be vaccinated.” Djokovic was granted a “medical exemption” by organisers of the Australian Open based on his positive PCR test results from December. However, organisers had previously been warned that infection with COVID-19 would be insufficient proof for a player to be unvaccinated and allowed in the country, prompting Djokovic’s visa to be cancelled the morning after he arrived in Melbourne on January 5. The decision saw Djokovic stay at a hotel housing immigrants in detention for several days, before his visa was returned to him following a successful appeal at the Federal Circuit Court. Despite his legal victory, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used his personal powers to cancel Djokovic’s visa for a second time, prompting the tennis star to appeal the decision again in federal court. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I welcome today’s unanimous decision by the Full Federal Court of Australia, upholding my decision to exercise my power under the Migration Act to cancel Mr Novak Djokovic’s visa in the public interest. I can confirm that Mr Djokovic has now departed Australia. <a href="https://t.co/8CapwFeDCS">pic.twitter.com/8CapwFeDCS</a> — Alex Hawke MP (@AlexHawkeMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexHawkeMP/status/1482683424720945152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2022</a></blockquote> Mr Vučić reportedly told the BBC that the relationship between Australia and Serbia would need work in order to improve, insisting that the saga was about “truth and justice, not just Djokovic”. “You were saying medical exemptions and medical exemptions and he came there with a medical exemption proposal and then you were mistreating him for 10 days,” he told the BBC. “Why did you do it? And then doing that witches’ hunt campaign against him, that is something that no one can understand.” Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić also weighed in, describing the decision as “scandalous”. “I am disappointed and I think it has shown how the rule of law functions in some other countries, i.e. how it doesn’t function,” she told Belgrade’s Beta News Agency, according to a CNN translation. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-deportation-sparks-outrage-around-the-world-as-his-father-slams-assassination-attempt/news-story/edcb04ad8f9b86ef4e1772b7ee052606" target="_blank">In a statement</a> posted online, the Serbian Olympic Committee said they believed “Novak came out as the winner again” despite his deportation. “We are proud of Novak Djokovic and the way he coped with these extremely difficult and unpleasant circumstances. Despite this scandalous decision, we believe Novak came out as the winner again,” they said. Djokovic’s family also spoke out, sharing their disappointment in a statement published by local media. “We are very disappointed by a federal court ruling and the fact that Novak has to leave Australia,” the family said in the statement. “These are difficult moments, notably for Novak, but what we all have to do - namely us, his family - is to give him support more than ever.” Image: Getty Images

News

Handsome young royal set to mark historic milestone

Arthur Chatto, 21, is about to become the first ever Royal to join the Marines – and of course he shared his exciting news with the Queen first, gaining her approval and making her proud. The young royal is the son of Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto, while his grandmother (Princess Margaret) is the Queen’s younger sister, making Arthur 29th in line for the throne. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843640/arthur-chatto-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ff51e3734579446488d99da9f7c07892" /> Image credit: Getty Chatto’s excitement for this new chapter of his life has seen him off into the wilds around Balmoral Castle on multiple camping trips and hiking long distances all throughout the Scottish Highlands while visiting his Royal Family. All of this done in preparation for commando training. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843641/arthur-chatto.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4667573b0f4649099822dd7e14504b51" /> Image credit: Instagram @artchatto After having gained serious popularity on social media it is obvious Arthur is super self-confident and takes a lot of pride in both his appearance on and offline. With the support of Prince Edward, he is no doubt going to achieve great things. Images: Getty Images / Instagram

Beauty & Style

"Cannot silence the truth": Katie Hopkins fires one last parting shot

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> British media personality Katie Hopkins has spoken out about being deported from Australia after boasting she was breaking quarantine rules on Instagram. Hopkins took to Instagram with a selfie writing, “See you in the morning, my lovelies. You may “deport” the Hopkins. But you cannot silence the truth. We will fight to TAKE BACK our freedoms.” However, this selfie appears to have been deleted at the time of writing and replaced with a different picture that describes how to survive a "media sh*tstorm". <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/CRg0IDHtRDT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CRg0IDHtRDT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Katie Hopkins (@_katie_hopkins_)</a> </div> </blockquote> It has rules, which include “Don’t read stuff about yourself. That’s just weird. You were there, you know what went down. It is unlikely the word ‘flouting’ was involved.” Her visa was cancelled on Monday after she was fined $1,000 by NSW Police for failing to wear a mask on Sunday as she was "taunting" hotel guards by answering her hotel door naked without a face mask. “NSW Police assisted Australian Border Force with the transfer of the woman to Sydney International Airport this afternoon (Monday 19 July 2021), following the cancellation of her visa, departing to the United Kingdom,” a statement said. Hopkins arrived in the country on a "critical skills" visa, which has angered many with loved ones who are stranded overseas and unable to get back into Australia. Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews released a statement about Hopkins statements, where she likened COVID-19 to the flu and compared migrants to cockroaches. <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/tv/CRXPMx7HkZq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CRXPMx7HkZq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Katie Hopkins (@_katie_hopkins_)</a> </div> </blockquote> “It is despicable that anyone would behave in such a way that puts our health officials and community at risk,” Andrews said. “The Morrison Government will always act swiftly to protect the health and safety of the Australian community. “All visa holders must abide by the health directions issued by our health officials – we won’t tolerate those who don’t. There’s no place in Australia for visa holders who would deliberately endanger others. “Entry to Australia brings responsibilities and the community rightly expects better. Those who don’t live up to the standards can expect to have their visas cancelled and to be removed.” Surprisingly, the video that caused Hopkins to be removed from Australia is still up on Instagram. </div> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

Weird Margaret Court twist at Wimbledon

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Twitter users were up in arms as they thought they spotted Margaret Court at the Wimbledon final, where Ash Barty ended up winning. Many were questioning why she was allowed to attend the match while Barty's parents and family were watching the match on TV in Australia. However, Court wasn't at Wimbledon, and the Twitter user to point it out claimed it was a joke. The user who originally posted the clip suggested King and Navratilova were saying: "How the hell did Margaret Court get here?" Unfortunately, others believed that the caption meant Court had attended the match. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> How the hell did Margaret Court get here?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIMBLEDON?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIMBLEDON</a> <a href="https://t.co/D8dOmzVyQy">pic.twitter.com/D8dOmzVyQy</a> — Pup Fiction (@jjjove) <a href="https://twitter.com/jjjove/status/1413858588049633293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2021</a></blockquote> The joke didn't land and resulted in a range of people being angry that Court was allowed to attend the match, despite her being home in Australia. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The hilarious part about Ash Barty & her brilliant Wimbledon win - the left were hysterical about Margaret Court sitting next to Martina. Um, no, that was Billie Jean King. They don’t even know what the person they hate looks like 🤦🏼‍♀️ — Catherine (@catherine___c) <a href="https://twitter.com/catherine___c/status/1413999372828700675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2021</a></blockquote> However, others pointed out the confusion. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Margaret Court was not in London. It's lies like this that cause harm. The pic is of Martina & Billie Jean King. <a href="https://t.co/zpu1cO4yal">https://t.co/zpu1cO4yal</a> — 💧Maggie Mae 🇦🇺🇦🇺Maggie300 #OzParler @Maggie30 (@MillyMolly300) <a href="https://twitter.com/MillyMolly300/status/1414017529509412864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote> </div> </div> </div> </div>

International Travel

The real reason Margaret Court received Australia's highest honour

Margaret Court reportedly received Australia's highest civilian honour because it was believed she deserved the same recognition as the country's greatest ever male tennis player. Rod Laver was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia in 2016 and the media reported the same honour will be bestowed upon Court, who has previously caused controversy for spouting her views on homosexuality. Members of the Council for the Order of Australia told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald that despite expecting backlash, Court's achievements in tennis warranted her to receive the same recognition as Laver, and her controversial views shouldn't exclude her from that. Court holds the all-time record for most grand slam singles titles with 24 while Laver won 11 majors, including all four in a calendar year twice - the only player to achieve such a feat. Criticism ensued after it was announced Court would be receiving the honour, with the former athlete hitting back saying it "was a long time coming". “I wasn’t one who looked for it, I didn’t know I was getting it, I was very honoured when I was told I was,” she told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell, speaking after receiving her honour on Australia Day. “No (I won’t give it back), because I loved representing my nation. When I got my AO it was for my community outreach area, where we put out 75 tonnes of food a week. “This was for my tennis and I think it was a long time coming and I’m very honoured ... We did nothing but play for our nation.” Court also defended her views, saying she has been misrepresented in the media. “I was used as a high profile person to get some opinions and views across — but I have nothing against homosexual people or transgender people,” she said. “I’ve always said what the bible says. And I don’t hate anybody. I love people. And I love gay people and I love transgender people.” Court has become a divisive figure for her outspoken views on homosexuality, conversion therapy, same-sex marriage and transgender people.

News

Margaret Court responds to Australia Day honour backlash

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Tennis legend Margaret Court has been slammed by politicians after the decision was made to honour Court on Australia despite her well-known views on the LGBTQIA community. Court will receive the AC - Companion in the General Decision from the Governor-General David Hurley and the Council for the Order of Australia. The decision that she's being honoured on Australia Day has angered many, including Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. “I do not support that. You know my views on a whole range of issues. I’m being honest with you, I do not support that,” he told reporters. “I don’t believe that she has views that accord with the vast majority of people across our nation that see people particularly from the LGBTIQ community as equal and deserving of dignity, respect and safety. “I don’t believe she shares those views and I don’t believe she should be honoured because of that.” The AC is awarded to individuals for “eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or to humanity at large”. Due to the backlash, Court has claimed she is being "bullied" for her views. “All I know is over the last few years, I’ve never had anybody out in community come to me and say ‘we don’t like you’, or ‘we don’t like your beliefs’. I’ve had thousands come to me and tap me on the shoulder and say ‘thank you, we really appreciate you,’” Court told The West Australian. “Over the years, I’ve taken a lot, and I think I’ve been bullied in one way, and I think, you know, it’s time to stop,” Court said. “Always remember I’m a minister of the gospel and have been for the last 30 years, I always say what the Bible says. “I love people, people come in from all backgrounds, I’m there to help, I’m not there to put people down in that way but I’ll always say what the Bible says.” Court also makes headlines every summer due to increasing pressure to rename the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne, but Daniels is tired of talking about it. “I’m quite sick of talking about that person every summer,” he said, refusing to address Court by name. “We finish up having this discussion in one form or another every single summer. I would prefer not to be giving oxygen to some of those views “Do we really have to do this every single summer? But apparently we do.” </div> </div> </div>

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