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"Finally a celebrity fighting back": Cardi B hurls mic at concert goer

<p>The latest celebrity to be hit with something on stage has fought back, as Cardi B took revenge on the concert goer who threw a drink over her during a performance. </p> <p>The rapper, 30, was performing in Las Vegas on Saturday, as she sang her 2018 song, <em>Bodak Yellow</em>, that propelled her to global fame. </p> <p>During the song, a member of the audience threw their drink on stage, splashing the singer in the liquid. </p> <p>Cardi B immediately retaliated by lobbing her microphone into the crowd, targeting the audience member. </p> <p>The fan was led out of the crowd by security, while the performer took the time to casually fix up her hair before continuing her performance. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cardi B throws microphone at audience member who threw a drink at her. <a href="https://t.co/alLgHMFshb">pic.twitter.com/alLgHMFshb</a></p> <p>— Pop Base (@PopBase) <a href="https://twitter.com/PopBase/status/1685461526646525952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>The confrontation, which was filmed by many fellow concert goers, has since gone viral, with many commending the artist for fighting back. </p> <p>"Finally a celebrity fighting back," said one.</p> <p>"Exactly, it's about time a performer retaliated to this 'trend'," another agreed.</p> <p>"She did what needed to be done! People need to stop throwing stuff at performers," added another fan.</p> <p>The incident in Vegas was the second time in just 24 hours that the singer was captured on video hurling a microphone at inconsiderate fans. </p> <p>The singer was performing at another club in Las Vegas the night before, when the DJ in control of her music kept cutting out the track as she was trying to sing. </p> <p>After the song stopping and starting abruptly several times, Cardi B yelled out her own name before spinning around and aiming the microphone at the DJ before storming off the stage.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Twitter</em></p>

Music

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Kochie’s emotional farewell on Sunrise

<p><em>Sunrise </em>host David Koch bid an emotional farewell to the show in his final episode on Friday morning.</p> <p>After 21 years on the job and hosting over 5,300 episodes, Kochie received a hero’s welcome when he entered the studio at 7am that morning.</p> <p>The veteran host teared up as co-host Natalie Barr, newsreader Edwina Bartholomew and sports presenter Mark Beretta greeted him at the desk.</p> <p>“Thank you for everything. Thank you. Oh dear. Quick, I’ve got to [read] the news,” Koch said, while he wiped away his tears.</p> <p>Not long after, Kochie confessed that he was distracted by the text messages sent by <em>Nine’s Today Show</em> host, Karl Stefanovic and shared their banter.</p> <p>“I asked him if he had a Sportsbet booked on me crying on the show, and he said, ‘No, my missus closed my account last year when I bet on the camel races in Dubai,’” he said.</p> <p>To which co-host Nat Barr quipped: “Well, as we walked in, you were already crying, so someone won some money.”</p> <p>Later on in the show, former co-host Sam Armytage, who left the show in 2021, made a surprise guest appearance and shared her well-wishes for Kochie.</p> <p>“This job is so incredibly difficult, and you can’t say it when you’re in the job, because no one wants to hear you complaining. But when you’re not in the job anymore, you can say how hard this is,” she said.</p> <p>Armytage recalled her own experiences of working at the breakfast TV show before commending Kochie for his resilience and drive.</p> <p>“There is so much scrutiny. To get up day after day and do this: the resilience, the drive, the ability, the energy to just keep coming in here every day and do that is extraordinary.</p> <p>“I absolutely salute you. After eight years, I couldn’t do it anymore. 21 I just think it’s extraordinary.”</p> <p>Both Kochie and Barr sat on the sofa across from Armytage, and her appearance comes days after Kochie <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/kochie-addresses-feud-rumours-with-sam-armytage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">addressed the rumours of a feud</a> between him and Armytage.</p> <p>Mel Doyle, who was Kochie’s co-host from 2002-2013 also made a surprise appearance and shared stories about their humble beginnings.</p> <p>“Remember when we bet our boss to take us to lunch if we hit 40,000 viewers?” she asked about the program’s early days. Kochie added that when their show first began their office was “a demountable in the car park.”</p> <p>Kochie and Barr also sat down for an emotional final interview where they reminisced the highlights of his career.</p> <p>“Really, thanks for everything,” Barr told Kochie, while tearing up.</p> <p><em>Images: Channel Seven/ Sunrise</em></p>

TV

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Beloved Channel 7 host opens up about “horrendous” family tragedy

<p dir="ltr"><em>Sydney Weekender</em>’s Mel Symons has opened up about losing her mother, Robyn, as she strives to raise awareness for fall prevention during April Falls Month.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mel’s mother lost her life to a sudden and tragic fall while staying with Mel’s family six years ago, after moving in to help Mel with her then-six-month-old daughter, Alexandra.</p> <p dir="ltr">And it was while speaking to <em>7Life</em> that the TV presenter shed new light on what transpired, as well as how life had been for the devastated family in the wake of their loss. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We had a really lovely dinner together, and a big chat,” Mel explained, before going on to describe how everyone had then made their way to the home’s top storey to wind down for the night and get ready for bed. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We were saying our goodnights and cleaning our teeth,” she said, “and then I just heard this terrible noise.”</p> <p dir="ltr">From there, the unimaginable had played out for the family, with Mel finding her mother at the bottom of the stairs. They had rushed Robyn to hospital in search of help, but unfortunately, she passed away.</p> <p dir="ltr">Following the tragedy, the family did not return to the home. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The next couple of years actually were a succession of moving around trying to find somewhere to live while trying to deal with losing mum, the PTSD from the accident, [and] looking after a baby while paying respect to mum’s possessions,” Mel noted. </p> <p dir="ltr">And it’s that same baby - now-six-year-old Alexandria - who gives Mel some comfort, with the host explaining that she sees a lot of the late Robyn in her daughter. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My daughter is really connected to my mum,” Mel says, before mentioning that Alexandira had even had her middle name changed to ‘Robyn’ in honour of her grandmother. “She says things sometimes and I feel like my mum is talking to me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So she’s genuinely like my mum in some ways, which is beautiful. That keeps the memory alive because I see my mum in her.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She even wanted to celebrate her grandma’s birthday and make it a special occasion, rather than something that we would be upset about.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The 48-year-old noted that it was actually Alexandria who gave her the push she needed to talk about her mother, detailing how it was Alexandria who told her to “focus on how you can help other people, mum, because that’s what we want to do so that they don’t lose their mum or grandma.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mel added that in her years of reflection, she has come to the realisation that people can’t live in the past, as it’ll “ruin or destroy” them, and that it’s important to find the good things in life and to focus on them instead. </p> <p dir="ltr">And now, she spends her time following her mother’s footsteps to spread her message as an advocate, describing how “she [Robyn] devoted her life to working for charities as her career, as a fundraising manager for the Hear and Say Centre, who raise funds for cochlear implants for hearing-impaired children.”</p> <p dir="ltr">For now, however, Mel wants to raise as much awareness as she can for fall prevention and to ​​“try to make some positive changes for the future” - something that she believes Robyn would have wanted. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m hoping that out of this horrendous situation that happened with my mum, and certainly years of grief, trauma and PTSD, that we can potentially make a difference,” she explained. </p> <p dir="ltr">“There is also a focus on exercising regularly and improving balance,” Mel added, while stressing that falls do not only impact the elderly, despite common misconceptions. “So, just with regular exercise, there is a 23 per cent reduction in falls.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think a lot of younger people don’t realise that it’s so prevalent and it’s not older people that just fall down, it can happen to anyone. Ever since mum died, I can’t believe the amount of times I’ve heard of people falling.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Falls are Australia’s number one cause of injuries, hospitalisations and deaths, representing 42 per cent of injury hospitalisations and 40 per cent of injury deaths.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>To learn more about April Falls Month, <a href="https://fallsnetwork.neura.edu.au/aprilfalls/">head to their website</a>. </em></p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Fat Bear Winner: ‘747’ lays b-ruin to rivals despite fishy voting

<p>After eating lots of tasty fish in preparation for the northern hemisphere’s winter, Brown bear 747 has been crowned the winner of the annual Fat Bear Week.</p> <p>The initiative, run by the US National Parks Service and multimedia organisation <em>explore</em>, gives the public a chance to vote for the biggest brown bear in Alaska’s Katmai National Park.</p> <p>Over one week, people cast their votes for eight nominated bears that have been gorging on river salmon in the lead up to their hibernation.</p> <p>After a summer of catching and eating fish – usually salmon – in the Brooks River, the bears reach peak size in early to mid-October.</p> <p>Shortly, they’ll go into a five-to-eight-month slumber, emerging after the coldest part of the Alaskan winter.</p> <p>The initiative shines a light on the behaviours and survival methods of the species which resides across northern hemisphere continents towards the Arctic Circle.</p> <p>Although brown bears are now extinct in much of central and southern Europe, some still persist in Romania and the Balkan states, and they remain across Russia, Alaska, Canada, the Himalayas and Tibetan plateau.</p> <p>It is also an important indicator species for other wildlife due to their wide habitat range, and play important ecological roles as seed dispersers, and lower-level species managers through predation.</p> <p><strong>Get stuffed! Cheating claims in lead up to Fat Bear final</strong></p> <p>Prior to the grand final between 747 and brown bear 901, a shocking case of voting fraud left organisers decidedly grizzly.</p> <p>A spam attack of votes during the semi-finals threatened to derail 747’s quest for a second Fat Bear crown.</p> <p>Fortunately, organisers were hot onto the bogus bruin ballots.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p218507-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/nature/fat-bear-voting-winner/#wpcf7-f6-p218507-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <p style="display: none !important;"><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap referer-page"><input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" aria-invalid="false" /></span></p> <p><!-- Chimpmail extension by Renzo Johnson --></form> </div> </div> <p>“Like bears stuff their face with fish, your ballot box, too, has been stuffed,” Katmai organisers said on Monday.</p> <p>“It appears someone has decided to spam the Fat Bear Week poll, but fortunately it is easy for us to tell which votes are fraudulent. We have discarded the fake votes.”</p> <p>Publicly voted animal awareness competitions are notoriously prone to phony voting.</p> <p>The Guardian Australia Bird of the Year competition infamously saw a case of dodgy democracy in 2019 when a case of automated voting was detected by the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2019/nov/11/voter-detected-in-guardians-australian-bird-of-the-year-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">avian electoral commission.</a></p> <p><em>Cosmos’</em> own Australian Mammal of the Year competition <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/amoty/too-much-love-for-the-mammals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was this year hit</a> by a bout of egregious electioneering when hundreds of spam votes were cast for some animals vying for the crown.</p> <p>Fortunately, as with Fat Bear Week, spotting and omitting a bad ballot is a straightforward task of, usually, spotting unusual voting patterns.</p> <p><em><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/fat-bear-2022-1.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="675" /></em></p> <p><em>2022 Fat Bear Week winner ‘747’ hunts for a tasty fish. Image: Courtesy L. Law via Katmai National Park.</em></p> <p><strong>747 does it again</strong></p> <p>Brown bear 747 – aptly named after a jumbo jet – claimed victory with 68,105 votes to rival 901’s 56,875.</p> <p>It was 747’s second premiership, having previously claimed the title in 2020. ‘480 Otis’ holds the record of four titles – exactly half the number of Fat Bear Weeks held.</p> <p>“Though he may be blissfully unaware of his two titles, the gains are real,” say the Fat Bear Week organisers.</p> <p>“In the bear world, fat is fit and these chunky contenders have been working tirelessly to pack on the pounds necessary for survival.”</p> <p>A record 1.027 million votes were cast in the 2022 edition of the event.</p> <p><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --></p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=218507&amp;title=Fat+Bear+Winner%3A+%26%238216%3B747%26%238217%3B+lays+b-ruin+to+rivals+despite+fishy+voting" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><!-- End of tracking content syndication --></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/fat-bear-voting-winner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by Cosmos. </em></p> <p><em>Image: Courtesy L. Law via Katmai National Park.</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

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Get out your glitter and head down the Atlanta Highway – the B-52s are setting out on their final dance party!

<p>After 45 years together the B-52’s have announced they are unplugging and de-wigging for their final US tour. “No one likes to throw a party more than we do, but after almost a half-century on the road, it’s time for one last blowout with our friends and family… our fans,” <a href="https://ultimateclassicrock.com/b-52s-farewell-tour-2022/?utm_source=tsmclip&amp;utm_medium=referra">said Fred Schneider</a>.</p> <p>Who was to know that an impromptu jam session in 1976 in the American college town of Athens, Georgia, would be the foundation of a 45-year career?</p> <p>The innovative band that formed in 1976 originally consisted of Cindy Wilson (vocals and guitar), Kate Pierson (vocals and keyboards), Fred Schneider (vocals), Ricky Wilson (guitar) and Keith Strickland (drums). </p> <p>The world’s introduction to the B-52’s was the almost seven-minute song <em>Rock Lobster</em>. An unexpected hit, this uplifting musical concoction is comprised of a baritone-tuned Mosrite electric guitar riff, interspersed with stabbing Farfisa organ accents, and an array of vocal interplay with jazz-esque backing vocal parts.</p> <p>These are interspersed with Pierson’s dolphin like vocal sounds while Schneider’s unique lead vocal spoken delivery offers lyrics about a crustacean. The accompanying video presented a mixture of pop culture’s past with 1950’s cartoonist hair styles, surf culture, combined with uniquely erratic choreography, but musically there are elements that serve as a disruption to pop music.</p> <p><em>Rock Lobster</em> reached number one in Canada, three in Australia, 37 on the UK singles charts and 56 on the US Billboard Hot 100.</p> <h2>Influences and scene</h2> <p>The band’s influences draw from diverse sources across pop culture, such as B-grade movies, Captain Beefheart, 60’s dance moves, Dusty Springfield, comic books, animated cartoons, the composer Nino Rota (Fellini films), pulp science-fiction and Yoko Ono. </p> <p>This is perhaps best illustrated in the song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VujxeH8uK_Q"><em>Planet Clair</em>e</a> (1978) which opens instrumentally with intermittent radio frequencies that fade to a central guitar riff derived from Mancini’s Peter Gunn theme, then bongos and keyboards stabs, and Pierson’s mesmerising unison singing (chromatic long notes) with the DX7 keyboard part. This is followed by witty, farcical lyrics with an abundance of sci-fi references: satellites, speed of light, Mars.</p> <p>The B-52’s emerged from the 1970’s New Wave (rock) scene with their own combination of non-threatening post-punk and alternative surf rock musical aesthetics. Subversion was in the form of less musical dissonance and less density, more freedom, more harmonies, more play. Less aggressive, more diva, with an infectious enthusiasm.</p> <p>They created their own niche that was unquestionably southern, and importantly broke new ground as LGBTIQ+ icons, by infusing an uncompromisingly camp and queer sensibility into pop culture. </p> <p>From 1979 to 1986, the band recorded four studio albums that were best known for dance grooves, featuring the distinctive vocals of Schneider using sprechgesang(a spoken singing style credited to Humperdinck in 1897 and Schoenberg in 1912), the highly experimental vocal approaches of Pierson, growls and harmonies by Wilson, and Strickland’s surf guitar riffs. </p> <p>They made novel instrumentation choices: toy pianos, walkie talkies, glockenspiels, and bongos, coupled with the innovative use of up-cycled fashion and costumes evoking individuality and liberation. </p> <p>The exception was the EP <em>Mesopotamia</em> (1982) produced by David Byrne, a significant departure from their previous song production. Most noticeable is the slower tempo of <em>Mesopotamia</em>, 119 beats per minute (BPM) compared with <em>Rock Lobster’s</em> (1978) 179 BPM and <em>Private Idaho’s</em> (1980) driving 166 BPM tempo. <em>Mesopotamia</em> features additional synthesizer parts, poly-rhythmic beats (the combination of two or more different rhythms following the same pulse) and world beat influences.</p> <p>On the surface the B-52s lyrics could be misconstrued as merely comedic, or nonsensical, however there are deeper underlining lyrical meanings that speak for the marginalised, referencing the band’s political ideology: environmental causes, feminism, LGBTIQ+ rights, and AIDS activism.</p> <h2>Late 1980s and early 1990s</h2> <p><em>Bouncing Off The Satellites</em> took three years to complete and was released in 1986. Sadly, Ricky Wilson died from HIV/AIDS related illness in 1985 just after the recording sessions were complete. The B-52s reshaped the band with Strickland switching from drums to lead guitar. Later, the band also added touring members for studio albums and live performances. </p> <p>The B-52s album with the greatest commercial success was <em>Cosmic Thing</em> (1989) co-produced by Don Was and Nile Rodgers. The single <em>Love Shack</em>, went double platinum, reached number 1 for eight weeks, and sold 5 million copies. </p> <p>The song opens with engaging drum sounds at an infectious dance tempo of 133 BPM (beats per minute). Schneider’s distinctive vocal enters, then the bass and guitar parts. The arrangement places the hooks at the front in the song, with chorus vocal parts in 4ths. </p> <p>Adding to the infectious groove is the live band sound featuring real brass section, and bass guitar and a bluesy guitar riff with crowd noises in the background. The alluring backing vocal parts on the lyrics “bang, bang, bang, on the door baby” are clearly reminiscent of the <em>Batman</em> television theme music.</p> <h2>Into the 21st century</h2> <p>In 2008 the band re-emerged from a 16-year recording absence with the 11-track album <em>Funplex</em>. There are notable modifications to the B-52s signature sound. <em>Funplex</em> is not the frenetic and spontaneous party music of previous albums. There are a few adaptations vocally too, with a change of roles with spoken word from Wilson and Pierson.</p> <p>The band has toured every summer, with a variety of other bands on the circuit, the Tubes, Go-Go’s, Psychedelic Furs and KC &amp; The Sunshine Band building new audiences.</p> <p>Their appeal is still broad. In 2020, <em>Rock Lobster</em> was used in Australia for an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-VHByOdHmg">Optus ad</a>. The farewell tour billed as “their final tour ever of planet Earth” commences in August this year in Seattle.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/get-out-your-glitter-and-head-down-the-atlanta-highway-the-b-52s-are-setting-out-on-their-final-dance-party-182934" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Music

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Sydney icon to be returned to Aboriginal owners

<p dir="ltr">A historic decision has been made to return one of Sydney harbour's iconic landmarks to its Indigenous custodians.</p> <p dir="ltr">The NSW government has begun the official transfer process for Me-Mel Island - also known as Goat Island - which will be accompanied by a nearly $43 million ($NZ 47m) revitalisation of the island.</p> <p dir="ltr">NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet described the achievement as a “personal priority”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Returning Me-Mel to the Aboriginal community is the right thing to do, and it helps deliver on my commitment of improving outcomes and opportunities for Aboriginal people across all parts of Government,” he said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-884d2a08-7fff-393c-0609-2d285d9a3db1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“A big part of my commitment is ensuring the island is remediated before it’s transferred to the Aboriginal community.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Me-mel (Eora): Bennelong's island; little green space in the sea. <a href="https://t.co/HZFslBCkyH">pic.twitter.com/HZFslBCkyH</a></p> <p>— Carolyn R Galbraith (@CarolynRGalb) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarolynRGalb/status/1530773156536852481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">This remediation, included in the $42.9 million package spread over the next four years, will cover various works such as repairing seawalls and buildings, improving water and sewer services, adn removing contaminants like asbestos, according to <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/43m-move-to-return-memel-island-to-aboriginal-hands/news-story/b28de6cc4bc21003aec0e5a801c362b9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Me-Mel Island is the biggest in Sydney Harbour and lies north-west of the CBD.</p> <p dir="ltr">The State Heritage-listed island is known for its rich Aboriginal heritage, as well as being home to more than 30 buildings and structures from the 1830s to 1960s.</p> <p dir="ltr">Once inhabited by Wangal man Bennelong and Cammeraigal woman Barangaroo, Bennelong said he inherited it from his father who was born on Me-Mel according to colonial documents.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9e769c3e-7fff-5f05-09d0-f67c7b488a4d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The transfer was first promised during the 2015 election by the NSW Labor Party - who lost to the Liberal Party that year - before officially commencing under the Liberals seven years later.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I welcome the announcement today by <a href="https://twitter.com/Dom_Perrottet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dom_Perrottet</a> of $43m for restoration work on ME-MEL <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/goatisland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#goatisland</a> prior to this historic land being returned to the Aboriginal community in 2026 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/alwayswasalwayswillbeaboriginalland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#alwayswasalwayswillbeaboriginalland</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xe3ySXOINf">pic.twitter.com/Xe3ySXOINf</a></p> <p>— Councillor Yvonne Weldon (@ypweldon) <a href="https://twitter.com/ypweldon/status/1530860098515783682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Though it has been a long time coming, the decision has been welcomed by Yvonne Weldon, the Deputy Chair of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, who said the transfer will help heal and progress Indigenous issues.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Me-Mel is a place where we can go to be within our culture, pass culture on to our younger generations and share with other people,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Until the transfer, the island will continue to be managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which is calling for <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-management/community-engagement/sydney-harbour-national-park/me-mel-goat-island" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressions of interest</a> for the Me-Mel Transfer Committee.</p> <p dir="ltr">Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Franklin said this committee, with advice from legal, heritage, planning and governance experts, will develop a business case and plan for future ownership and management of the island.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Me-Mel Transfer Committee includes Aboriginal people and NSW government representatives, and importantly, its establishment is supported by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council,” Mr Franklin said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nominations for this committee are open until close of business on June 27.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4bd3246b-7fff-8211-0ee4-0e09959bc419"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Office of Environment and Heritage (Flickr)</em></p>

Real Estate

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Mel Gibson called out by West Wing star in scathing op-ed

<p><em>West Wing</em> actor Joshua Malina has called out Mel Gibson and his employment in show business amid the controversial scandals surrounding the actor. </p> <p>Malina, who plays Will Bailey on the political drama, has questioned why Gibson is still employed in Hollywood despite his long history of alleged anti-Semitism, homophobia and bigotry. </p> <p>In a recent op-ed for The Atlantic titled <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/12/mel-gibson-anti-semitism/620873/" target="_blank">Cancel Mel Gibson</a>, Malina wondered why Hollywood's 'cancel culture' seemingly doesn't apply to Gibson. </p> <p><span>"Gibson is a well-known Jew-hater (anti-Semite is too mild). His prejudices are well documented," Malina wrote. </span></p> <p><span>"So my question is, what does a guy have to do these days to get put on Hollywood's no-fly list? I'm a character actor. I tend to take the jobs that come my way. But — and this hurts to write — you couldn't pay me enough to work with Mel Gibson." </span></p> <p><span>Mel Gibson has reportedly been cast in the upcoming John Wick prequel spin-off series titled <em>The Continental</em>, and is also rumoured to be in talks to direct <em>Lethal Weapon 5</em>. </span></p> <p><span>Malina continued, wondering when someone's ignorance and hatred outweighs their impressive resume. </span></p> <p><span>"Now, I love the <em>Lethal Weapon</em> movies (at least the first few). And Danny Glover's a gem," Malina continued. </span></p> <p><span>"But Gibson? Yes, he's a talented man. Many horrible people produce wonderful art. Put me down as an ardent fan of Roald Dahl, Pablo Picasso, and Edith Wharton; can't get enough of what they're selling." </span></p> <p><span>"But these three had the good taste to die. That makes it a lot easier to enjoy their output. Gibson lives. And Tinseltown need not employ him further."</span></p> <p><span>Joshua Malina goes on to say that the point of 'cancel culture' is to hold people accountable for their actions, but those in Hollywood often get a free pass because of their celebrity status. </span></p> <p><span>"If Gibson is welcomed back to direct the latest instalment of this beloved franchise, it may be time to stop publishing think pieces about the power of 'cancel culture,'" Malina wrote. </span></p> <p><span>"Because if he can continue to find big bucks and approbation in Hollywood, cancel culture simply does not exist."</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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"Bloody hard": Mel Doyle's surprising confession

<p>Beloved former Sunrise host Melissa Doyle has gotten surprisingly candid in a new podcast called <em>And We're Rolling with Stephanie Hunt.</em></p> <p>Doyle spoke about how difficult it was to juggle filming breakfast television while still supporting her family as a new mother.</p> <p>“What was it like when you were juggling work and babies and not getting much sleep?” asked Stephanie.</p> <p>“It was bloody hard,” Doyle said.</p> <p>“You know, I won’t lie and maybe that’s why I do want to check in with others because I wish I’d probably had a bit more.</p> <p>“You know Kochie (David Koch) was fantastic. We're doing Sunrise together and he was a dad of four and was very aware to a degree of some of the things I was going through.</p> <p>“I started at Sunrise when Nick was six-months-old, I just finished maternity leave. And then I had Talia while I was doing the program I only took a few weeks off to have her and then I came back and we had to go on the road every Friday for the first month of me coming back.</p> <p>“Our wonderful boss at the time thought that it would be great to take the show around the country. And you know, I’ve got a three-week-old baby at home and I was still breastfeeding and everything still hurts, and everything was still leaking.</p> <p>It was just, it was really, really hard.”</p> <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/BxW9KHsAl4J/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/BxW9KHsAl4J/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Melissa Doyle (@melissadoyleofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She's since reflected on her time on the show, saying that she wish she had "the guts to say no at the time".</p> <p>"But obviously I didn’t. And you think you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. But now I look back and I probably should have said no. But it was really, it was hard," Doyle said.</p> <p>“I’d get up at two o’clock in the morning and feed her and then go to work and do the job and get home. And it meant that while my kids were in primary school, I could pick them up every day while they were toddlers, I could spend the day with them.</p> <p>“I always remind myself that it was my choice to do it. But I do feel very much that you know, as a as a mum in that newsroom, 20 years ago, you know, I’m not saying I was the first by any means, but there wasn’t too many other mums around.</p> <p>“Let’s be honest, it can be quite a competitive industry, so sometimes the last thing you ever want to do is admit a weakness or a chink in the armour. You just you become this stoic person that says, ‘I’ll keep on doing it, I’ll find a way I’ll manage’, which is dumb, really, but I don’t know what how I would have done it differently.”</p> <p>She said that her routine at the time was "gruelling".</p> <p>“But I do know for probably a good decade of my life, it was just, you get up early, go to work, you come home, you do your home job, you get up and you go into your paid job, and you come back into your home job and I wouldn’t swap it for anything.</p> <p>“But it was really gruelling. So I feel for any mum who is trying to juggle the two that sometimes we don’t actually have enough compassion and tenderness and support.”</p>

Beauty & Style

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Uproar after Mel Gibson spotted saluting Donald Trump

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Footage of Mel Gibson saluting Donald Trump when they briefly crossed paths at Saturday’s MMA fight has emerged, causing the actor to trend on social media.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gibson appeared to be a few metres away from the former president and gave a distinct salute as Trump walked by and waved at the crowd at UFC 24.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Lmao mel gibson saluted trump at ufc and got completely ignored <a href="https://t.co/VFf42FQJqb">pic.twitter.com/VFf42FQJqb</a></p> — Adam (@petsh0pboy) <a href="https://twitter.com/petsh0pboy/status/1414113562981715970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The moment occurred at Saturday’s UFC fight between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor which resulted in McGregor breaking his leg in the first round after his left leg buckled underneath him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some praised Gibson for the act, dubbing him a “patriot”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Yoooooo!!! Is that Mel Gibson saluting President Trump?” one person tweeted.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The Patriot Saluting President Trump,” they later added, alongside a video of the interaction captured by another user.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gibson was videoed at other points during the fight.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hey, I want to see the rematch, you know best out of three,” Gibson said. “I don’t care who wins. I just want to see a good match, and I’m sure it will be.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other users criticised the interaction as another controversial move by the actor.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Mel Gibson is who we thought he was,” one person said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There is no such thing as cancel culture if Mel Gibson isn’t cancelled by now,” another added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The star of </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lethal Weapon </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Braveheart</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has become controversial in Hollywood due to antisemitic comments he has made over several decades and allegations he was physically abusive to his former girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @petsh0pboy / Twitter</span></em></p>

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Mel Doyle weighs in on Samantha Armytage’s swift Sunrise exit

<p><span>Mel Doyle has weighed in on Samantha Armytage's surprise announcement that she was to leave <em>Sunrise</em>.</span><br /><br /><span>The star also revealed what the biggest plus in store for the newly-married journalist will be.</span><br /><br /><span>Mel co-hosted <em>Sunrise</em> for over ten years alongside David 'Kochie' Koch before she departed in 2013.</span><br /><br /><span>She says that what Sam should look forward to is not the sleep-ins, but the late nights.</span><br /><br /><span>Mel told <em>Nova's Fitzy &amp; Wippa</em> that she loved having a normal weeknight routine after leaving the Channel 7 program.</span><br /><br /><span>"For me, it was the nights, it was having my nights back," Mel said.</span><br /><br /><span>“It was not having to eat dinner at 5 pm and go to bed at 7:30, I could watch TV at like 8pm!”</span><br /><br /><span>“So that will be a big shock for Sam on Friday won’t it?” Fitzy asked.</span><br /><br /><span>“Oh my goodness, it will probably take a little while to get out of the rhythm, as you guys know it’s a pretty tough gig getting up," Mel replied.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840268/unrise.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/144f7cf831194550a39a669708cb8ef3" /><br /><br /><span>The star also tactfully avoided answer any questions about Sam’s replacement.</span><br /><br /><span>"Would you go back?" Sarah asked her. "I mean there’s an empty seat.”</span><br /><br /><span>"So you’ve said yes to the gig?” Wippa joked.</span><br /><br /><span>“The way I’m looking at it if I had a dollar for every time I’m asked that this week I’m gonna be so rich!” Mel responded.</span><br /><br /><span>Samantha Armytage shocked <em>Sunrise</em> fans when she announced that was leaving the popular breakfast show after eight years.</span><br /><br /><span>Just three days later, she was saying her goodbyes to her co-hosts and the nation.</span></p>

TV

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Mel Gibson axed from Chicken Run sequel over anti-Semitism claim

<p><span>Mel Gibson has said that renewed allegations of anti-Semitic comments levelled against him by actress Winona Ryder are “100% untrue”.</span></p> <p><span>In a recent interview with the </span><em>Sunday Times</em><span>, Ryder claimed that the </span><em>Braveheart</em><span> star had asked her if she was an “oven dodger” at a party close to 25 years ago, in an apparent reference to her Jewish background.</span></p> <p><span>She told the publication: "We were at a crowded party with one of my good friends, and Mel Gibson was smoking a cigar, and we're all talking and he said to my friend, who's gay, 'Oh wait, am I gonna get Aids?'</span><br /><span>"And then something came up about Jews, and he said, 'You're not an oven dodger, are you?'"</span></p> <p><span>The 48-year-old then revealed that Gibson attempted to reach out later on to apologise.</span></p> <p><span>A representative of Gibson said: "This is 100% untrue. She lied about it over a decade ago, when she talked to the press, and she's lying about it now.</span></p> <p><span>"Also, she lied about him trying to apologise to her back then. He did reach out to her, many years ago, to confront her about her lies and she refused to address it with him."</span></p> <p><span>After Gibson vehemently denied the accusations against him, Ryder mentioned she was with the late makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin at the time, and said the altercation remains a “painful and vivid memory”.</span></p> <p><span>She said: "I believe in redemption and forgiveness and hope that Mr Gibson has found a healthy way to deal with his demons, but I am not one of them.</span></p> <p><span>"Around 1996, my friend Kevyn Aucoin and I were on the receiving end of his hateful words. It is a painful and vivid memory for me. Only by accepting responsibility for our behaviour in this life, can we make amends and truly respect each other, and I wish him well on this lifelong journey."</span></p> <p><span>Ryder first accused Gibson in 2010 when she gave an interview to </span><em>GQ</em><span> magazine, suggesting Gibson was referencing the gas chambers used by Nazis during the holocaust.</span></p> <p><span>In 2006, Gibson was recorded delivering a controversial anti-Semitic rant after a drink-driving arrest.</span></p> <p><span>After the recent allegations, the 64-year-old has been axed from his upcoming film, the sequel to </span><em>Chicken Run</em><span>.</span></p>

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Jacqui Lambie shares her plan B amid toilet paper ‘emergency’

<p>Jacqui Lambie has shared some toilet paper alternatives as supermarkets began applying restrictions on the sales of the coveted item.</p> <p>Coles has joined Woolworths and Costco in establishing limits to toilet paper purchases as stocks are dwindling amid fears of coronavirus quarantine.</p> <p>Speaking on the <em>Today </em>show on Thursday, the Tasmanian senator was asked if she had stocked up.</p> <p>“I noticed you guys have got a box of Kleenex, I’ll be taking that with me,” Lambie said.</p> <p>She said she had another alternative if she ran out of tissues.</p> <p>“I did come up with a Plan B. I thought because when we first got up here back in Parliament we had no toilet paper, and the thing I had sitting on my desk there was <em>The Australian</em> newspaper,” she said.</p> <p>“I get that daily and I thought the worst thing I can do is cut strips off that as a Plan B and use that if necessary.”</p> <p>On Thursday, the <em>NT News </em>printed an eight-page pullout for readers to use as “toilet paper in case [they] can’t find any at the shops”.</p> <div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/TheNTNews/videos/1683394665135207/"> <blockquote class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheNTNews/videos/1683394665135207/"></a> <p>Yes. We really did print it #toiletpapercrisis</p> Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheNTNews/">The NT News</a> on Wednesday, March 4, 2020</blockquote> </div> <p>Authorities and experts have advised Australians that stockpiling goods is not necessary.</p> <p>“I’m involved in the middle of all of this,” said NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard. “I’m certainly not out buying up. I think we should be quite calm about the issue.”</p> <p>Infectious disease expert and former adviser to the World Health Organization Professor Peter Collignon said people are “really overreacting”.</p> <p>“Of course, it’s hard to predict how the supply chain around the world will cope,” Collignon told <em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/03/people-are-overreacting-experts-warn-australians-against-coronavirus-panic-buying">The Guardian</a></em>.</p> <p>“But people are really overreacting to this. We need to restore some balance here. In Australia we produce more food than we can eat because we are a net exporter of food. You’re not going to run out of food, you might not have same choice of foods but you won’t be left without.”</p>

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The one thing you didn’t know about Dr Chris Brown

<p>When Dr Chris Brown first graced our TV screens in <em>Bondi Vet</em>, Australia was immediately smitten.</p> <p>Over the years, he’s continued to be a presence on our screens, with <em>I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! </em>taking off, as well as his regular co-hosting gig on<span> </span><em>The Living Room</em>.</p> <p>However, what you might not know about the former <em>Bondi Vet</em><span> </span>is that he’s got a keen eye for photography. He’s even an ambassador for Canon!</p> <p>His love of photography has been as much of a part of his life as his love of animals. He told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.canon.com.au/explore/dr-chris-brown-ambassador" target="_blank">Canon</a>:</p> <p>“Photography has always been a bit of a secret pleasure for me. I’ll often grab a camera before or after work to escape for some ‘me’ time, and you’ll find me with one of my eyes wedged up against the viewfinder, trying to capture that elusive shot.</p> <p>“Right from when I was a little kid, I found the camera to be this magical tool and I couldn’t wait to unleash my photographic potential.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/-7gQthsxtf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/-7gQthsxtf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dr. Chris Brown Pets (@dcbpets)</a> on Dec 5, 2015 at 4:10pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Dr Chris also manages to incorporate his love for animals in the shots he takes.</p> <p>“Clearly I love to shoot animals, and I’ve been lucky enough to travel and meet and photograph so many of them. I also love water, and landscapes, so if I can get all three elements in one image, then I’m a pretty happy guy.”</p> <p>Dr Chris has also launched new website <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.drool.pet/?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=native-article-20190226&amp;utm_campaign=drool-launch" target="_blank">Drool</a>, which is a “daily drip of pet news, tips, tricks and need-to-know information”.</p> <p>"Your pet's health and happiness is at the heart of everything we do," Dr Chris explains on the new site.</p> <p>“I created Drool to ensure that you and your passion for pets has a home."</p> <p>Click here to sign up to <a href="https://www.drool.pet/?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=native-article-20190226&amp;utm_campaign=drool-launch/">Drool</a> and s<span>croll through the gallery above </span><span>to see some of Dr Chris's incredible photography. </span></p> <p><em>Photo credits: Dr Chris Brown, <a href="https://www.drool.pet/?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=native-article-20190226&amp;utm_campaign=drool-launch/">www.drool.pet</a></em></p>

Art

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Jenny Craig fined $37,800 for misleading ads

<p>Jenny Craig has been fined AU$37,800 in Australia for misleading consumers in television advertisements featuring Mel B.</p> <p>The former Spice Girl singer featured in a series of ads for Jenny Craig as an ambassador to the program.</p> <p>The adverts, which ran from December 2017 to February 2018, promoted the line that people could lose up to 10kg of weight for a $10 program fee.  </p> <p>But the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued three infringement notices, noting that the weight loss firm failed to disclose customers also had to purchase food at an additional cost.</p> <p>ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said they were “concerned” the ads may have misled consumers into thinking they could lose 10kg for just $10. </p> <p>“In reality customers would have had to spend far more than that,” she said.</p> <p>The ad also featured someone employed by the business, not an independent reviewer.</p> <p>“Businesses need to be transparent about any relationships with people providing a testimonial,” Ms Court said. </p> <p>“Consumers must be informed when a testimonial is given by someone who is employed by the business, and is not an independent reviewer.”</p> <p>Mel B is promoted as a success story on Jenny Craig, after she lost 16kg in five months. </p> <p>“After various attempts at different fad diets Mel B joined Jenny Craig,” the ad promotes.</p> <p>“In the five months that she was on the Jenny Craig Program she successfully lost 16kgs and reached her goal weight.”  </p>

Legal

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Good news for shoppers: Millers, Katies and Rivers given last minute lifeline

<p>Fans of Australian clothing outlets Millers, Katies and Rivers have woken up to some good news this morning, with confirmation fashion retailer Noni B will be purchasing the long-suffering chains from Speciality Fashion Group.</p> <p><a href="https://finance.nine.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>9news.com.au reports</strong></em></span></a> the $31 million cash deal will add 823 stores to Noni B’s already busy portfolio of brands including Rockmans, W.Lane and BeMe.</p> <p>Speciality Fashion Group will also lose control of Crossroads and Autograph as part of the deal, but will retail ownership over its last remaining brand, City Chic.</p> <p>Noni B CEO Scott Evans was bullish about the acquisition, saying the five brands had the potential to treble the group’s total annual sales to around $1 billion.</p> <p>"This is another exciting step forward for Noni B Group and represents the acquisition of five well-known and established, iconic Australian brands that are both complementary and highly synergistic to our existing portfolio," said Mr Evans.</p> <p>"With the acquisition of the Specialty Assets, Noni B Group will become one of the pre-eminent woman's apparel retailers in Australia, whilst retaining our solid, focussed market position."</p> <p>The brands purchased by Noni B posted a loss of $6.2 million for the 2017 calendar year, but Mr Evans believes the Noni B Group has the means to turn the brands around.</p> <p>"The businesses we're acquiring are underperforming for a number of reasons. However, we believe our disciplined approach to costs of doing business, combined with our customer focus, will ensure a successful turnaround," said Evans.</p> <p>"One of the key benefits of this merger is that we will be able to quickly achieve a number of savings and efficiencies that we anticipate will result in the acquired portfolio of assets breaking even on an EBITDA basis in FY2019, whilst we work to improve their overall operating performance."</p> <p>Specialty Fashion Group chair Anne McDonald said this deal will give the Group more time to concentrate on developing the City Chic brand.</p> <p>"In a challenging and rapidly changing retail environment, SFH has been successful in building City Chic into a market leader in the attractive plus-size segment of the women's apparel market," said McDonald.</p> <p>"The business has strong cash flow generation and significant future earnings growth potential.</p> <p>"The transaction will provide the funding flexibility, corporate structure and management focus required to realise City Chic's longer term full potential."</p> <p>What are your thoughts?</p>

Beauty & Style

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"She’s embarrassed": Meghan Markle's half-brother Thomas opens up to Mel Doyle

<p>Meghan Markle’s half brother has shed some light on what her family is really like in an interview with Channel 7’s Sunday Night.</p> <p>Speaking to Melissa Doyle, Thomas Markle Jr said that he would like to one day be an uncle to her children.</p> <p>When asked about getting an invitation to her wedding, he said: “No. I don’t know. When do they go out? Nobody has my address anyway. I’m pretty hard to get hold of.”</p> <p>He said however he would like to see her again and hopes she would like him to get to know her future children.</p> <p>“I think an uncle is a pretty important role,” he said. “I didn’t even know that we had a falling-out, so I would like to see her again, yeah. I want to give her a hug and tell her how proud I am of her, but, you know, I really have to travel a really long way to do that.”</p> <p>When asked if she was “embarrassed” by her family, Markle Jr said it would be a fair conclusion to make.</p> <p>“She’s probably embarrassed at some of the stories and accusations and, you know ...” he said, before Doyle asked him if their family was “fractured”.</p> <p>“I think my family’s always been fractured,” he said.</p> <p>“I think now, more than ever, it should be the time for everybody to put their differences aside and just, you know, be a family. We have a small family. It may be broken up, but it’s still a family.”</p> <p>“She can’t forget about her family, because ... we’re never gonna go away. We’re always gonna be her family,” he said.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F7sundaynight%2Fvideos%2F2276260469051521%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>Markle Jr also spoke about the effect the family fighting would be having on Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle.</p> <p>“You know, my dad bent over backwards and really, really just paved the way for her and gave her every single thing she needed to get where she’s at today. It would hurt. It wouldn’t irritate me, but it would just hurt,” he said.</p> <p>When asked by Doyle how their father would be coping with all their dirty laundry being aired publicly, Markle Jr replied: “He’s probably not happy. Well, you see the look on his face in those pictures that they finally got of him. So doesn’t look very happy. And he’s a really private person, so ...”</p> <p>Markle Jr also said he was not sure if her father would walk Meghan down the aisle, but thought he should do it.</p> <p>“My dad just wants to be left alone. He doesn’t like spotlight. He doesn’t like anything ... interviews. You know, and that’s why he moved down there, to just be alone. But he’s gotta come out now, though,” he said.</p> <p>“I mean, he’s gotta step up to the plate... and walk his daughter down that aisle.”</p>

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Mel Doyle reveals brutal rejection from Channel Seven bosses

<p>She co-hosted Sunrise for a decade and was credited with transforming the show into Australia’s highest-rating breakfast show, but Melissa Doyle has revealed just how difficult it is for women to climb up the ranks of the TV industry.</p> <p>Before she landed the coveted Sunrise role, Doyle has for the first time revealed that she was bluntly told by a news director at Channel Seven that she didn’t have what it took to make it to the top.</p> <p>The executive advised her to stick to being an “ordinary journalist” and give up on her dreams of becoming a presenter because she didn’t have the “looks” or “voice” to become a TV host.</p> <p>Speaking on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.acast.com/inherownwords/meldoyle" target="_blank">Nova Entertainment’s new podcast series, </a><a href="https://www.acast.com/inherownwords/meldoyle" target="_blank">In Her Own Words</a></strong></span>, Doyle revealed the unnamed exec said to her, “You just don’t have it. You don’t have the looks, you don’t have the voice, just stick to being an on-the-road journalist and be happy with that.”</p> <p>“I've got a manilla folder somewhere up in the roof full of letters from all the news directors around the country saying, ‘No, we haven't got anything [for you]’,” she added.</p> <p>Doyle, 48, co-hosted Sunrise alongside David Koch from 2002 until 2013.</p> <p>She currently hosts Seven’s Sunday Night program and is also a presenter on SmoothFM.</p> <p> </p>

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