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"Speaking up saved my life": Jelena Dokic's inspiring speech

Jelena Dokic delivered a heartfelt address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, the first tennis player to speak there since John Newcombe 40 years ago. The 41-year-old tennis great reflected on her journey from enduring the abuse at the hands of her father to inspiring others with her resilience. Dokic spoke from her heart, without using a teleprompter she recalled the story of her life, saying: “He took from me the time with my country, with my people, with my home." “Even when I came back a few years later, it was not the same. I was embraced but it was not the same up until my books and now the documentary where people can really see the power of it on screen. “But I don’t hate him. There is no hate, bitterness or resentment towards the media, even the trolls. I am not a hateful, bitter, resentful person. I went through what I went through, but I survived and I’m thriving today for a reason.” Dokic also revealed that after her tennis career ended, she hit rock bottom, battling severe depression and a lack of confidence. "Eleven years ago, I was in bed, unable to get up, deep in depression. I couldn’t string two sentences together. I couldn’t look people in the eye," she said. But with the help of a few people who believed in her, she managed to rebuild her life, writing her first book, Unbreakable, which gave her a platform to share her story. Over time, she built her confidence and transitioned to commentary, speaking engagements and now public advocacy. "Today, I can’t shut up," she joked. "At Channel 9, they say I can talk under water, and I’m proud of that because I couldn’t even form a sentence 11 years ago. Belief from others helped me get here, and now I want to be that person for someone else." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDbZT-bpILa/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDbZT-bpILa/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by JELENA DOKIC 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺 (@dokic_jelena)</a> </div> </blockquote> Dokic, who is now a tennis commentator, said she strives to remain positive saying: "You will never hear me say a bad word about a player who loses 6-0, 6-0. I’ll always find something constructive to say." “I’ll say, ‘Not their day, it didn’t work out, got to look forward’. Always something like that, never criticise," she added. Her authentic and kind approach has helped her master her craft and connect with her interviewees on a deeper level. Dokic then went on to explain that she contemplated holding back from sharing parts of her trauma, but decided against it, saying: “I want that you see a person who has gone from victim to survivor, most importantly thriver." "Maybe another 13-year-old girl will think, ‘She did it. I can do it too.’" “I stood in the face of fear from my father to society to media. To come out and tell my story. I want to leave a legacy behind that I turned something bad into good, negative into positive, pain into power. And not even just for myself. But the ability to maybe help someone else." She urged the audience to create safe spaces and reject shame, stigma, and judgment, adding, "Speaking out saved my life. No silence, no shame, no judgment." Dokic concluded with a powerful plea for Australians to combat domestic violence and foster support for vulnerable individuals. “Most importantly the day that we stop talking about the most important issues in our society and we turn our backs to them, that’s when our world and our society ends. “So, if I could leave you with one thing — sharing my story, telling the truth, not being silent, and speaking up saved my life. No shame, no judgement, no stigma, but also no silence.” Dokic received a standing ovation at the end of her hour-long speech. Images: Jelena Dokic/ Instagram

Mind

Missing woman found after 12 days in national park

Missing woman Lovisa 'Kiki' Sjoberg has been found alive after almost two weeks lost in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales. The 48-year-old photographer was last seen driving into the Kosciuszko National Park on October 15th and was reported missing six days later when she failed to return a hire car. After setting up a command post at the Kiandra Courthouse on the Snowy Mountains Hwy, police began an intensive search for the woman immediately. A wide-scale search was conducted involving the Mounted Unit, Dog Unit, SES, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Rural Fire Service, a Surf Life Saving Helicopter and members of the public. On Sunday afternoon, the woman was found injured on the Nungar Creek Trail at Kiandra. She was treated at the scene by paramedics for exposure and what appeared to be a snake bite before being taken to a local hospital in a stable condition. Worried friends of Ms Sjoberg have expressed their relief and joy on Facebook about the news of her discovery, thanking the community for their support. Image credits: NSW Police / llawarra Police Rescue Squad

Caring

Should King Charles apologise for the genocide of First Nations people when he visits Australia?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebe-taylor-1379975">Rebe Taylor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/greg-lehman-18970">Greg Lehman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit Australia from Friday <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/from-bbqs-to-the-csiro-king-charles-and-queen-camilla-s-australian-itinerary-revealed-20240910-p5k9gb.html">on a five-day tour</a> of Canberra and Sydney. The king will be the second ruling British monarch to visit Australia, after <a href="https://theconversation.com/16-visits-over-57-years-reflecting-on-queen-elizabeth-iis-long-relationship-with-australia-170945">Queen Elizabeth II’s 16 visits over 57 years</a>. These visits showcase Australians’ evolving relationship with the monarchy and our colonial past. <h2>Changing attitudes</h2> An estimated <a href="https://theconversation.com/16-visits-over-57-years-reflecting-on-queen-elizabeth-iis-long-relationship-with-australia-170945">75% of Australians</a> greeted Elizabeth on her first tour in 1954, at events that celebrated Australia’s growth as a prosperous nation. Historical milestones remained central to the queen’s subsequent visits. In 1970, she attended the re-enactment of Captain Cook’s arrival at Botany Bay. This included depictions of shooting at First Nations actors. The queen’s 1986 visit included <a href="https://www.naa.gov.au/students-and-teachers/student-research-portal/learning-resource-themes/government-and-democracy/prime-ministers-and-politicians/queen-elizabeth-ii-signs-proclamation-australia-act-cth-1986">signing the Australia Act</a> that severed Britain’s formal powers over Australia. Her 1988 visit coincided with the Australian bicentenary of <a href="https://www.royal.uk/queen-marks-australias-bicentenary">the arrival of the First Fleet</a> carrying convicts and officials from Britain. But by this time, many Australians had lost their royal fervour. Her final tour, in 2011, came 12 years after Australia had attempted <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/1999_referendum_reports_statistics/1999.htm">to become a republic</a> by referendum. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61585886">The queen’s death in 2022</a> not only reignited questions over the future of the monarchy in Australia, it instigated a public discussion over the monarchy’s role in imperial colonialism. <h2>Genocide in Australia?</h2> On the eve of <a href="https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9789/#:%7E:text=The%20Coronation%20of%20Their%20Majesties,Coronation%20in%20nearly%2070%20years.">Charles’ coronation in 2023</a>, Indigenous leaders from 12 settler states including Australia and New Zealand cosigned <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/indigenous-people-around-the-world-have-sent-kin/rbfzwoyav">a letter calling on the new monarch</a> to apologise for the genocides that British colonisation brought to their territories. Australia was settled in the name of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Did that settlement result in genocide? Recent research led by Ben Kiernan for <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/series/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/445A52F1E949DCB6CA8FC6BD09F04DE0">The Cambridge World History of Genocide</a> has investigated this question using the 1948 <a href="https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-1&chapter=4">United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide</a> as a framework. The convention defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”. The term “genocide” itself is modern; coined <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/general-editors-introduction-to-the-series/986A5AFB44203A21265FF31C96C0DE3B">by Raphael Lemkin in 1944</a>. The <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/genocide-in-van-diemens-land-tasmania-18031871/ED82A107B2C76801551EB3F51CA6179D">colonisation of Tasmania</a> by the British provided Lemkin with one of the clearest examples. The prosecution of crimes before 1951 is not permissible under the convention, but it provides a definitional framework to evaluate past events as constituent acts of genocide. The Cambridge World History of Genocide <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/the-cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/E60C05ADB875E63EE57B5D41EC4BA485">Volume II</a> and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/24002BE3CC6F69B96F0C21356E6D9282">Volume III</a> demonstrate how settlers and government agents committed acts of genocide against First Nations Australians from the beginning of settlement to the late 20th centuries. All parts of Australia are considered. Acts conforming to the convention’s clauses include killing, forcibly removing children and inflicting destructive conditions. Australian historian Lyndall Ryan’s chapter, <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/frontier-massacres-in-australia-17881928/D1B285AF2125CA9586DBB1AFAF0CF70E">Frontier Massacres in Australia</a>, draws on her research for a <a href="https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialmassacres/map.php">Massacre Map</a> showing how British troops and settlers committed more than 290 massacres across Australia between 1794 and 1928. These massacres killed more than 7,500 Aboriginal people. Ryan found the massacres were not sporadic and isolated – they were planned and sanctioned killings, integral to the aims of the Australian colonial project. Rebe Taylor’s <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/genocide-in-van-diemens-land-tasmania-18031871/ED82A107B2C76801551EB3F51CA6179D">chapter on genocide in Tasmania</a> details a pattern of government-sanctioned mass killings in a colony where an estimated 6,000 Palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) people were reduced to about 120 by 1835. <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/genocide-in-northern-australia-18241928/69106AF545B4C98486752DBA88575E05">Raymond Evans</a> shows how as colonisation moved northward in Australia, massacres increased in size. Evans documents killings that persisted into the 1940s, postdating <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/genocide-in-northern-australia-18241928/69106AF545B4C98486752DBA88575E05">the 1928 Coniston massacre</a> widely regarded as the last frontier slaughter. These findings are underscored by <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/very-british-genocide/78EB24782843ABFA05965F5E4C7562CA">Tony Barta’s insight</a> that colonists’ destructive actions constitute a record of genocidal intent “more powerful than any documented plot to destroy a people”. <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/australias-stolen-generations-19142021/9219A470B4665A643DC99CC5BBE699D0">Research by Anna Haebich</a> documents the taking of Indigenous children during the 19th century. <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-world-history-of-genocide/australias-stolen-generations-19142021/9219A470B4665A643DC99CC5BBE699D0">Joanna Cruikshank and Crystal Mckinnon</a> explain how these state-sanctioned removals in the 20th century were intended to eliminate First Nations people from Australia’s national life. The 1997 <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/projects/bringing-them-home-report-1997">Bringing Them Home</a> report, commissioned by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, <a href="https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/IndigLawB/1997/95.html">concluded</a> the “Australian practice of Indigenous child removal involved […] genocide as defined by international law”. <h2>A significant moment of resistance</h2> The colonial governor of Tasmania began to exile Palawa people from their land in 1829. More than 200 survivors of the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/tasmanias-black-war-a-tragic-case-of-lest-we-remember-25663">Black War</a>” were removed to Flinders Island and subjected to life-threateningly harsh conditions. High death rates were caused by ill-treatment, disease and insufficient care. In 1846, the Palawa <a href="https://indigenousrights.net.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/395794/f85.pdf">petitioned Queen Victoria</a> to honour the agreement made when they were removed: that in exchange for temporarily leaving their country, they would regain their freedom. In this bold petition, Tasmanian Aboriginal people initiated a historic appeal to the British monarchy. Aware of Queen Victoria’s sovereign authority across the vast British Empire, this action marked a significant moment in their continued resistance to genocide. <h2>An acknowledgement of wrongs</h2> British sovereignty over Australia was imposed without <a href="https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-did-34.html">the required consent</a> of its First Nations. The result has been continued dispossession and suffering. Despite the <a href="https://www.royal.uk/the-role-of-the-monarchy#:%7E:text=Monarchy%20is%20the%20oldest%20form,resides%20with%20an%20elected%20Parliament">Crown’s deferral of power</a> to its parliament, the call for an apology from the king has immense symbolic importance. It is rooted in the desire for acknowledgement of wrongs. These include genocide and the continuing destructive effects of colonisation across Australia.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239092/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebe-taylor-1379975">Rebe Taylor</a>, Associate Professor of History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/greg-lehman-18970">Greg Lehman</a>, Professorial Fellow, Indigenous Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-king-charles-apologise-for-the-genocide-of-first-nations-people-when-he-visits-australia-239092">original article</a>. </div>

International Travel

$22,000 fine imposed on Waratah thieves

A spate of thefts of one of Australia's most iconic native plants have prompted a furious warning from authorities. More than 20 Waratahs have "disappeared" from the Brisbane Water National Park on the Central Coast alone, according to NSW National Parks, and thieves can risk a potential fine of $22,000 for hacking the bright flower. “It is illegal to pick waratahs or any other plant in any area protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act,” an NPWS spokesperson told Yahoo News. Rangers can issue a $300 on-the-spot fine to those caught illegally picking the flower. “The maximum fine under the Biodiversity Conservation Act is $22,000. NPWS is keen to receive details of anyone illegally picking waratahs.” Over the long weekend, locals in the Blue Mountains have hit out at "selfish" tourists for "ripping" waratahs from their stems, with images of the act posted on social media. “Just went to check on a beautiful double header waratah in local bushland only to find someone, well prepared with their secateurs, has cut it clean off. Beyond disgusted!” environmental conservation organisation Wild Blue Mountains said. “This is just not on. They had been giving joy to everyone who passed them but now they’re gone due to one person’s selfish actions.” Last week, NSW National Parks had installed signage about “helping protect the Waratah” to deter culprits from taking them and they've even painted some of the stems with a “non-toxic blue paint”. “Waratahs need to go through their full lifecycle to produce seeds, so picking them deprives the ecosystem of a new generation of plants,” NSW National Parks said. “These flowers are more than just a pretty face, they also provide nectar for birds and other native animals. Please leave them be so we can all enjoy more of these beautiful flowers in years to come. “If you want to pick something in a national park, pick your nose instead!” Image: NSW National Parks/Instagram

Legal

Australia tops life expectancy among English-speaking nations

A recent study has revealed that Australians outlive their peers in five other high-income English-speaking countries, including the UK and US, by one to four years. The paper published in the medical journal BMJ Open last month, analysed the average life expectancies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States between 1990 and 2019. They found that Australians' life expectancy surpassed that of Canadians in the early 1990s - and it has remained in the top spot ever since. The average life expectancy for an Australian born in 2019 was 83.24 years, which is two years longer than the average Brit, and four years longer than the average American. "Australia is clearly the best-performing Anglophone country," the paper said. "While Australian men and women have lower mortality at nearly all ages, their mortality advantage at ages 45–84 accounts for the bulk of Australia's life expectancy advantage." The Irish came in second with an life expectancy of 82.39 years, followed by the Canadians with 82.28, and the Kiwis with 81.83. Australia's long life expectancy could be credited to it's high migrant population and low death rates from drug and alcohol misuse, screenable/treatable cancers, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The nation's "strong public health efforts", such as the 1996 gun law reforms and buyback programs following the Port Arthur massacre, and the creation of Headspace, the national youth mental healthcare service, could also play part in our longevity. Australia also had the lowest level of "geographic inequality", meaning that the gap in life expectancy between rich and poor regions was narrower than other countries. However, the life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continues to be significantly lower than the average Australian, with males born between 2020 and 2022 expected to live for just 71.9 years, and females for 75.6 years. Image: Shutterstock

Caring

"World's biggest" amber nugget worth over $1 million used as doorstop for decades

An elderly woman in Romania has unknowingly used one of the largest known amber nuggets in the world - worth over €1 million ($1.6 million) - as her doorstop for decades. The woman found the stone in the bed of a stream in Colti, a village in the southeast Romania, and used it as her doorstop for years without realising its value. Members of her family also reported that thieves had once broken into her home, but only stole a few pieces of gold jewelry, missing the seemingly insignificant rock. “In their frantic search for valuables, they overlooked the real treasure that was there before their eyes,” they said. It wasn't until after the woman died in 1991 that a relative who inherited her home suspected the doorstop might be more than meets the eye - and he was right. When he sold the amber to the Romanian state, experts at the Museum of History in Krakow, Poland appraised the rock and found that the amber is likely between around 38 and 70 million years old. “Its discovery represents a great significance both at a scientific level and at a museum level,” Daniel Costache, director of the Provincial Museum of Buzau, told local news outlet El Pais. The expert also claimed that the amber is one of the largest pieces in the world and the largest of its kind weighing a hefty 3.5-kilograms. It has now been classified as a national treasure of Romania, and can be found in the Provincial Museum of Buzau, where it has been since 2022. Romania is one of the countries with significant deposits of amber, with Buzau County being one of the areas where you can find these beautiful stones in abundance. The protected area also contains the old Stramba amber mine, which was very productive during the first half of the 21st century, before it was shut down by the communist regime as it was considered unprofitable. Image: Buzău County Museum

Home & Garden

Gina Rinehart demands for National Gallery to remove her portrait

Gina Rinehart has demanded that her portriat be removed from the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra because she doesn't like it. The portrait of Australia's richest woman appears alongside many others, including Queen Elizabeth and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, in an exhibition by acclaimed Archibald Prize-winning Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira. Namatjira's works are known for having cartoon-like qualities, as he often paints famous figures as caricatures. <a title="www.smh.com.au" href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/portrait-gina-rinehart-doesn-t-want-you-to-see-mogul-demands-national-gallery-remove-her-image-20240513-p5jd59.html">Nine Newspapers </a>have the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) have been flooded with a dozen complaints about the portrait of Rinehart, including some from athletes she sponsors through her company Hancock Prospecting. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, has demanded the National Gallery of Australia remove a portrait of her from an exhibition by Archibald Prize-winning Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira. THAT’S A GOOD REASON TO SHARE THE PORTRAIT WIDELY. <a href="https://t.co/pYoMh6vQcW">pic.twitter.com/pYoMh6vQcW</a> — Maurie Mulheron (@maurie_mulheron) <a href="https://twitter.com/maurie_mulheron/status/1790621641502036239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></blockquote> One complaint allegedly accused the NGA of “doing the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party” with the portrait of Ms Rinehart. On the NGA website, Ms Rinehart is listed as a “friend” of the gallery, as she historically has donated up to $9999. The NGA has refused to take the painting down, and the artwork will be on display until July 21st. “Since 1973, when the National Gallery acquired Jackson Pollack’s Blue Poles, there has been a dynamic discussion on the artistic merits of works in the national collection, and/or on display at the gallery,” the NGA said in a statement. “We present works of art to the Australian public to inspire people to explore, experience and learn about art.” In response to the demand to have the painting removed, Namatjira released a statement saying, “I paint the world as I see it. People don’t have to like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, ‘why has this Aboriginal bloke painted these powerful people? What is he trying to say?’" "I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.” Image credits: Getty Images / X (Twitter)

Art

50 years on, Advance Australia Fair no longer reflects the values of many. What could replace it?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wendy-hargreaves-1373285">Wendy Hargreaves</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> On April 8 1974, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam announced to parliament the nation’s new national anthem: <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/honours-and-symbols/australian-national-symbols/australian-national-anthem">Advance Australia Fair</a>. Australia was growing up. We could stop saving “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Save_the_King">our gracious Queen</a>” and rejoice in being “young” and “girt”. Finding a new anthem hadn’t been easy. There were unsuccessful <a href="https://www.naa.gov.au/help-your-research/fact-sheets/australias-national-anthem">songwriting competitions</a> and an unconvincing opinion poll. Finally, we landed on rebooting an Australian favourite from 1878. After Whitlam’s announcement, Australians argued, state officials declined the change and the next government reinstated the British anthem in part. It took another ten years, another poll and an official proclamation in 1984 to adopt the new anthem uniformly and get on with looking grown-up. Advance Australia Fair was never the ideal answer to “what shall we sing?”. The original lyrics ignored First Nations people and overlooked women. Like a grunting teenager, it both answered the question and left a lot out. On its 50th anniversary, it’s time to consider whether we got it right. Advance Australia Fair may have helped Australia transition through the 1970s, but in 2024, has it outstayed its welcome? <h2>How do you pick a national anthem?</h2> A national anthem is a government-authorised song performed at official occasions and celebrations. It unifies people and reinforces national identity. Often, governments nominate a tune by searching through historical patriotic songs to find a <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/golden-oldie">golden oldie</a> with known public appeal. For example, the lyrics of the Japanese anthem <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimigayo">Kimigayo</a> came from pre-10th-century poetry. Germany’s anthem <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Deutschlandlied">Deutschlandlied</a> adopted a 1797 melody from renowned composer <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Haydn">Joseph Haydn</a>. An enduring song or text offers star quality, proven popularity and the prestige of age. In the 1970s, Australia’s attempt at finding a golden oldie was flawed. In that era, many believed Australia’s birth occurred at the arrival of explorer <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Cook">James Cook</a> in 1770. Hence, we narrowed our search to hymns, marches and fanfares from our colonial history for possible anthems. With 2020s hindsight (pun intended), <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-national-anthem-is-non-inclusive-indigenous-australians-shouldnt-have-to-sing-it-118177">expecting First Nations</a> people to sing Advance Australia Fair was hypocritical. We wanted to raise Australia’s visibility internationally, yet the custodians of the lands and waterways were unseen by our country’s eyes. We championed “history’s page” with a 19th-century song that participated in racial discrimination. <h2>Changing anthems</h2> With a half-century on the scoreboard, are we locked in to singing Advance Australia Fair forever? No. Anthems can change. Just ask <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Morrison_(jazz_musician)">James Morrison</a>. In 2003, the Australian trumpeter played the Spanish national anthem beautifully at the <a href="https://www.daviscup.com/en/home.aspx">Davis Cup</a> tennis final. Unfortunately, he <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-11-28/spanish-angry-over-anthem-mix-up/1516684">played the old anthem</a> that heralded civil war. Morrison’s accidental performance incited a fist-shaking dignitary and an enraged Spanish team who temporarily refused to play. Morrison did, however, to his embarrassment, later receive some excited fan mail from Spanish revolutionists. If we want to change our anthem, where could we begin? We could start by revisiting the golden-oldie approach with a more inclusive ear. Perhaps there’s a song from contemporary First Nations musicians we could consider, or a song from their enduring oral tradition that they deem appropriate (and grant permission to use). If we have learnt anything from Australian history, it’s that we must include and ask – not exclude and take. We could also consider Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton’s 1987 song <a href="https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/asset/101146-i-am-australian-various">I Am Australian</a>, which reached golden-oldie status last year when the <a href="https://www.nfsa.gov.au/slip-slop-slap-i-am-australian-join-sounds-australia">National Film and Sound Archive</a> added it to their registry. The lyrics show the acknowledgement and respect of First Nations people that our current anthem lacks. The line “we are one, but we are many” captures the inclusivity with diversity we now value. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KrLTe1_9zso?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> I Am Australian wouldn’t be a problem-free choice. Musically, the style is a “light rock” song, not a grand “hymn”, which could be a plus or minus depending on your view. Lyrically, romanticising convicted killer <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kelly-edward-ned-3933">Ned Kelly</a> is controversial, and mispronouncing “Australians” could be considered inauthentic (fair dinkum Aussies say “Au-strail-yins”, not “Au-stray-lee-uhns”). That said, Australians are quite experienced at patching holes in our anthem. Advance Australia Fair required many adjustments. If the golden-oldie approach fails again, how about composing a new anthem? We could adopt <a href="https://nationalanthems.info/ke.htm">Kenya’s approach</a> of commissioning an anthem, or could revive the good ol’ songwriting competition. Our past competitions weren’t fruitful, but surely our many talented musicians and poets today can meet the challenge. <h2>It’s time to ask</h2> Fifty years on, we acknowledge Advance Australia Fair as the anthem that moved our nation forward. That was the first and hardest step. Today, if Australians choose, we can retire the song gracefully and try again with a clearer voice. Changing our anthem begins with asking whether the current song really declares who we are. Have our values, our perspectives and our identity changed in half a century? Australia, it’s your song. Are you happy to sing Advance Australia Fair for another 50 years? <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/226737/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wendy-hargreaves-1373285">Wendy Hargreaves</a>, Senior Learning Advisor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/50-years-on-advance-australia-fair-no-longer-reflects-the-values-of-many-what-could-replace-it-226737">original article</a>. Images: Shutterstock | Wikimedia Commons

Music

Pink spotted at Bondi ahead of national tour

In a dazzling spectacle of beach vibes and sun-soaked fun, pop sensation Pink has graced the shores of Bondi Beach ahead of her highly anticipated Australian tour. The iconic singer, known for her powerhouse performances and unapologetic personality, was spotted basking in the Aussie sun with her adorable children, making waves Down Under. The excitement was palpable as Pink, with her trademark pink hair, took to social media to express her joy at being back on Australian soil. "Bondi Beach, it's been too long!!!!!!! Bills was delicious, too. ️Soooooooo happy to be back on this side of the world! Thank you beautiful Australia for being our home away from home. Kids are stoked," she gushed alongside some envy-inducing beach pictures. It seems Bills, a popular eatery in Sydney, left quite the impression on the star. If Pink says it's delicious, it's practically a culinary endorsement for the ages. (Move over food critics; Pink's tastebuds have spoken.) But this isn't Pink's first love letter to the Land Down Under. The singer has long expressed her admiration for Australia and has been a staunch supporter during challenging times. In 2020, she pledged a generous $500,000 donation to the country's fire services during the devastating Black Summer bushfires, proving she not only rocks the stage but also has a heart of gold. As Pink gears up for her stadium tour in Australia, aptly named the Summer Carnival tour, fans are eagerly anticipating a spectacle that will undoubtedly leave them smiling and singing until their cheeks hurt. Kicking off at Sydney's Allianz Stadium on February 9, the tour will then take Pink and her musical carnival to various cities, including Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. It's been nearly six years since Pink's 2018 tour, Beautiful Trauma, which wowed almost 560,000 Australian and New Zealand fans. Eager to share the joy once again, Pink expressed her excitement, saying, "I can't wait to bring the Summer Carnival tour to my home away from home and smile and sing together until our cheeks hurt. Summer 2024 can't come soon enough!" The tour is not just a celebration of Pink's electrifying stage presence but also a nod to her ninth album, Trustfall, released in February the previous year. The anticipation is building, and fans can't wait to witness the magic unfold live on stage. Adding a touch of whimsy to the excitement, Pink <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/my-home-away-from-home-pink-s-dream-down-under" target="_blank" rel="noopener">teased the possibility</a> of making Australia her permanent home last year. In an interview with 60 Minutes, she revealed, "Last year, I was thinking about applying for citizenship; I am not even joking. I was like, 'If we're going somewhere Carey, [Australia] is where we're going'." Australia, get ready to welcome Pink with open arms – she might just become our newest citizen! So, as Pink readies to paint Australia with her musical colours and contagious energy, fans are counting down the days until the Summer Carnival kicks off, promising a tour de force that will linger in their memories long after the final note fades away. Bondi Beach, Bills, and a Summer Carnival – it's a Pink party, and everyone's invited. Images: Instagram

Domestic Travel

Jacqui Lambie fires up on Coles and Woolies

Jacqui Lambie has taken aim at Coles and Woolworths, after an inquiry has been launched against the supermarket giants. The supermarkets look set to be ordered to front up to a senate inquiry, to examine whether they are price gouging to get record profits amid a cost of living crisis. However, Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie said the supermarkets should face more than just an inquiry, and called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to take real action. “Let’s be honest, they are like a bloody cartel,” she told Sky News on Monday. “I think what I find really shameful … is that we’ve got to run another inquiry to tell us the same thing, when we know very well that if we bulked up the (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) and gave it more powers they could actually fix this." “Where is the prime minister? Where is he?” Before the inquiry can officially be launched, the competition watchdog requires a referral from the Treasurer. Senator Lambie's opinions come after the Agriculture Minister Murray Watt called on the supermarket chains to freeze the price of a leg of Christmas ham, as Aussies continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis. “We know families are doing it tough at the moment and the cost of a lot of things is going up,” the Queensland senator said. “Presents for the kids, fuel to get to the other side of town to see your parents, fresh seafood as well as drinks, the cost of Christmas can really add up.” “Anything that can be done to give families a hand during this time would really be beneficial.” Coles and Woolworths have both insisted they will not be looking to hike up prices as it gets closer to the silly season, as both supermarkets have committed to dropping prices of popular Christmas items. Image credits: Getty Images

Money & Banking

"Sorry about that, kids": Baby Boomers blamed AGAIN for national woes

Australia's ongoing battle against soaring inflation is taking a toll on ordinary households, particularly young Australians, while – according to a recent News.com.au analysis – "<a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/why-boomers-and-big-business-are-to-blame-for-australias-economic-woes/news-story/d6478109e7701ad4cef152f38956e6b7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cash-rich baby boomers and price-gouging corporations</a>" remain largely unscathed. This stark reality has been brought to light by financial experts and youth advocates, who point to the disproportionate impact of rising interest rates and living costs on younger generations. "Some interesting results from CBA's results presentation," observed ABC financial journalist Alan Kohler in a recent television appearance that has since gone viral. "They all highlight the great divide between generations." Kohler presented data showing that Millennials have the most debt and "baby boomers have most of the savings", with young people drawing down on their limited savings while boomers continue to grow their nest eggs. "And Gen Z and millennials are cutting back their spending and therefore doing all the hard work, helping the Reserve Bank get inflation down, but baby boomers are spending more and undermining that effort," Kohler explained. "So, sorry about that, kids." <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 580px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7267335675010141442&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40equitymates%2Fvideo%2F7267335675010141442&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FocNiGB6EkWBejOG1BH8DgQnwC2AVIM2QIebTQs%3Fx-expires%3D1699671600%26x-signature%3DSWclfroCkbHi55dgIg5%252FyW0Gf%252Bk%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> Kos Samaras, director of research firm RedBridge Australia, echoed Kohler's sentiment, noting that millions of Australians are now in negative cash flow, struggling to make ends meet. "It's a train wreck," Samaras asserted. "These households are not driving inflation. It's people like myself and much older. Spending from 50+ is up, savings are up, and higher interest rates equal higher earned interest on savings. It's also super profits and other international drivers." PropTrack economist Angus Moore offered a more nuanced view, explaining that inflation is "never driven by a single thing or a single group." "For the sake of simplifying it, the reason we're seeing high inflation is down to two things," Moore clarified. "One is supply-led inflation, which is things like petrol and energy prices, disrupted supply chains driving up import costs, growth in construction costs, and so on. "More recently in the past 18 months, we've seen the second cause emerge, which is demand-led inflation. Basically, the economy is broadly doing very well. Unemployment is the lowest it's been in five decades. That's helped to give people more money, which has supported spending – or demand-led inflation." Amidst widespread financial hardship, corporations are reaping record profits, further fuelling public resentment. Electricity prices surged by 4.2 per cent in September, reflecting higher wholesale costs being passed on to consumers. Origin Energy, one of the country's largest electricity suppliers, saw a staggering 83.5 per cent increase in profits in the 2022-23 financial year. "The public have been told that supply chain issues and inflation are to blame for the cost-of-living crisis," said Joseph Mitchell, assistant secretary of the ACTU. "But when you see the profits like those posted, it is legitimate to ask whether Australia's big supermarkets have used the cost-of-living crisis as a smokescreen to push up their profit margins, despite costs decreasing for themselves." Similarly, Australia's biggest insurer IAG, which owns NRMA and CGU among others, posted a net profit of $832 million in 2022-23, skyrocketing 140 per cent on the year prior. "Insurance is an essential," Mitchell emphasised. "To protect our homes and to get to work we all have to pay those premiums. It's beyond the pale to expect hard working Australians to continue cop increases to life's essentials just to have big business creaming from the top." The Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work is demanding price regulations across strategic sectors such as energy, housing and transport, as well as competition policy reform to restrain exploitative pricing practices. "The evidence couldn't be any clearer – enormous corporate profits fuelled the inflationary crisis and remain too high for workers to claw back wage losses," stated Dr Jim Stanford, the centre's director. "The usual suspects in the business community want to blame labour costs for inflation. That claim simply doesn't stack up under the weight of international and domestic evidence that shows corporate profits still account for the clear majority of excess inflation, despite inflation moderating from its peak last year." Image: TikTok

Money & Banking

Tragic news after camper missing for 12 days

Human remains believed to be that of missing camper Jessica Louise Stephens have been found by Northern Territory Police. The 35-year-old went camping at Kakadu National Park almost two weeks ago, and was reported missing by her mother on October 18. On Saturday afternoon police released a statement saying that they have recovered the remains on Nourlangie Rock, near where Stephens was believed to be travelling. Police also confirmed that the remains were located within the original search area. In an earlier statement, NT police reported that they found Stephen's belongings “a considerable distance from the walking track in harsh terrain”. It was reported that her vehicle was found in a car park near Nourlangie Rock. Acting Senior Sergeant Steven Langdon said that the search and rescue operation for Stephens, which commenced on the 24th of October, had covered around 140 square kilometres of the national park. Search efforts had been hampered by extreme heat, with temperatures reaching up to 48 degrees Celcius. Police have reported that they are in contact with Stephens' family and are preparing a report for the Coroner. Image: ABC News/ Karon Evans/ Getty

News

"Nat Bass gaff": Huge national anthem blunder at Bathurst 1000

They say "old habits die hard", and it seems not even celebrities are immune after Natalie Bassingthwaighte made an embarrassing mistake on the grid at the Bathurst 1000. On Sunday, thousand of race fans flocked to Mount Panorama in the Central West of NSW to watch the annual battle between Holden and Ford as the drivers prepared for 161 laps amount the mountain. Before the drivers set off, former Rogue Traders lead singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte stood on the grid to perform the Australian National Anthem. Unfortunately, she appeared to make one major mistake during her performance. On January 1st 2021, the national anthem made a change in the opening verse, with the second line changing from “For we are young and free” to “For we are one and free”. Bassingthwaighte, however, is seemingly a creature of habit as she appeared to sing the old version of the anthem ahead of the historic race. The mistake didn’t get past those watching on from home with several users online pointing out the error. “Oh no Nat Bass gaff during Bathurst national anthem ‘for we are young and free’ and so close to our Voice referendum,” one wrote. Another added, “She sung the old version, not the new one.” The anthem was changed under Scott Morrison's government, who said while announcing the change it was “only right” the anthem reflected and acknowledged First Nations people. “While Australia as a modern nation may be relatively young, our country’s story is ancient, as are the stories of the many First Nations peoples whose stewardship we rightly acknowledge and respect,” Mr Morrison said. “In the spirit of unity, it is only right that we ensure our national anthem reflects this truth and shared appreciation." “Changing ‘young and free’ to ‘one and free’ takes nothing away, but I believe it adds much. It recognises the distance we have travelled as a nation." Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Sapling planted at Sycamore Gap to "restore hope" removed by National Trust

UK resident Kieran Chapman, 27, is "absolutely gutted" after the sapling he planted in memory of the<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/you-can-t-forgive-that-teen-arrested-after-felling-of-iconic-200-year-old-tree" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> felled Sycamore Gap tree</a> was heartbreakingly removed by National Trust. The 27-year-old spent hours on Friday planting the sapling just metres away from the stump of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree, but his efforts were in vain, as the sapling had been dug up by the National Trust on Sunday morning. The conservation charity said that they had to remove the sapling because it is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. A National Trust spokesperson told the Newcastle Chronicle that while they understand “the strength of feeling following the events at Sycamore Gap” the site “is a scheduled ancient monument and a globally important archaeological setting, with UNESCO world heritage designation”. “Altering or adding to it can damage the archaeology, and is unlawful without prior consent from government.” But Chapman couldn't hide his disappointment: “It’s just devastating, isn’t it? It genuinely brought people a lot of joy and that’s been taken away," he told the publication. “I honestly thought if it got a good response they might end up keeping it.” Chapman planted the sapling because he wanted to “restore people’s faith in humanity, bring a smile back to people’s faces and just give them a bit of hope”. “I planned to go and take the dog for a walk next weekend there," he added. In a follow up post on Facebook, Chapman added that he was told by the National Trust that his tree will be replanted on another piece of land at the Housesteads Visitor Centre on Hadrian’s Wall. “Too many politics around all this for my liking, the top and bottom of it, it’s a tree, planted in soil. I understand the land is protected, but to protect a tree from being planted in the earth, where they’re designed to be, no matter where it’s location, is crazy,” he wrote. Two people were arrested over the incident, a 16-year-old boy and 69-year-old former lumberjack. Both have been released on bail, with the lumberjack insisting that he had no involvement in the felling. “You’ve got the wrong feller,” he told The Sun. “I’m a former lumberjack and I’ve just been kicked off my property so I can see why people have pointed the finger. “My brother came down to make sure I hadn’t been arrested as he had heard a rumour that I had cut it down. I didn’t do it," he added. Images: Getty/ Facebook

Travel Trouble

A COVID inquiry has been announced. But is COVID still a thing? Do I need a booster?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-toole-18259">Michael Toole</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/burnet-institute-992">Burnet Institute</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-drummer-1472642">Heidi Drummer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/burnet-institute-992">Burnet Institute</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/suman-majumdar-117988">Suman Majumdar</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/burnet-institute-992">Burnet Institute</a> Thursday’s <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-21/inquiry-to-be-announced-into-aus-government-covid-19-response/102882616">announcement</a> <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/improving-future-preparedness-inquiry-response-covid-19-pandemic">of an independent inquiry</a> into Australia’s COVID response will examine how we’ve handled the pandemic and how we could better prepare for the next one. But the pandemic is not just a once-in-a-lifetime event that’s over and needs to be analysed. It’s still with us. The Omicron variant <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-evasive-and-transmissible-is-the-newest-omicron-offshoot-ba-2-86-that-causes-covid-19-4-questions-answered-212453">continues to mutate</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-21/new-covid-strain-variant-pirola-ba-2-86-in-australia-symptoms/102873304">new sub-variants</a> emerge. For instance, the highly-mutated BA.2.86 (known as Pirola) has just been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-21/new-covid-strain-variant-pirola-ba-2-86-in-australia-symptoms/102873304">detected</a> in Australia. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID, then becomes more adept at evading immunity from infections and vaccines. COVID is not yet predictably seasonal and we expect waves every three to six months. The United States has seen a <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklyhospitaladmissions_select_00">threefold increase</a> in hospitalisations since mid-July due to waning immunity and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-who-has-declared-eris-a-variant-of-interest-how-is-it-different-from-other-omicron-variants-211276">EG.5 sub-variant</a> (known as Eris). The United Kingdom has also seen a <a href="https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1702790082749448202?t=FLc5f9FoMS6ksioFS8ATpA&s=09">significant increase</a> in adult and child hospitalisations due to COVID in the past month. In Australia, more than <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/australia/">5,000 people</a> have died due to COVID so far this year. Excess deaths from any cause are <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/provisional-mortality-statistics/latest-release">13% higher</a> than expected. We expect many of these are related to COVID. The median age of COVID deaths is <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/covid-19-mortality-australia-deaths-registered-until-31-july-2023">around 85 years old</a> in Australia. But there were 267 reported deaths in people under 50 until the end of July 2023; some may have had weaker immune systems. The impacts of <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/longandrepeatedcovid">long COVID and re-infections</a> are significant, which <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-20/younger-active-female-data-reveals-long-covid-profile/101251352">one study shows</a> mainly affects people of working age and most commonly women. <h2>I’ve had a booster. Does that still protect me?</h2> We know immunity from COVID vaccines wanes over time. In a paper published in May, a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2804451?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=050323">systematic review</a> of 40 studies showed by how much. Protection by the first two doses of the vaccine (known as the primary series) against symptomatic infection from Omicron waned from almost 53% one month after the second dose to just over 14% after six months. The same review found a booster (third or fourth dose) increased protective immunity to the same levels as the primary series. However, that immunity waned to just 30% nine months later. A number of studies have shown protection against severe disease and death from the Omicron variant also wanes over time. For example, <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(23)00365-1/fulltext#seccestitle10">a UK study</a> found a primary series plus a bivalent booster (targets two strains) provided 53% protection against hospitalisation four weeks after the booster among people aged 50 or over. Protection dropped to 36% at ten weeks. An <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4445191">Australian study</a>, yet to be independently verified by other researchers, suggests protection against death from COVID also wanes. Of 3.8 million adults over 65 years, protection of a third dose booster against death from COVID waned from an estimated 93% within three months to 56% after six months. So we believe a reasonable interpetation of the above data is to recommend a booster every six months in people aged 75 and older, and younger people with impaired immune systems. But in Australia, just over <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-09/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-update-15-september-2023.pdf">50%</a> of people aged 75 or older have received a booster in the past six months; only about 38% of people aged 65-74 and about 9% in those aged 18-64 years. <h2>I’ve had COVID recently. Surely that’s enough</h2> There is a widespread perception that if you’ve been infected with COVID and have had the primary series of the vaccine then you’re immune and, therefore, don’t need to get a booster. This is commonly described as having “hybrid immunity”. However, a very <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)02465-5/fulltext">large study</a> across 19 countries found infection conferred different levels of immunity, depending on the variant. While infection with COVID effectively protected against reinfection by the original, Alpha, Beta and Delta variants, this was much less effective against the Omicron BA.1 variant. Since BA.1, there have been many new sub-variants that are even more adept at evading immunity. <h2>Who can get a booster?</h2> Earlier this month, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/news/atagi-update-on-the-covid-19-vaccination-program">recommended</a> all adults aged 75 or older “should receive” an additional dose of the bivalent vaccine if six months have passed since their last dose. Additionally, people aged 65-74 and immunocompromised younger adults should “consider” an additional dose. ATAGI argues that the baseline risk of severe illness in people under 65 is low if they have already been vaccinated, and particularly if they have also been infected. So, a further 2023 dose for this group would offer little additional benefit, even if it has been more than six months since their last dose. The US has taken a different approach. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/p0912-COVID-19-Vaccine.html">recommended</a> all people over six months who have not received a COVID vaccine in the previous two months should get a dose of the newly approved monovalent (single strain) vaccines. These have been developed by Pfizer and Moderna to specifically <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-action-updated-mrna-covid-19-vaccines-better-protect-against-currently-circulating">target the XBB.1.5</a> sub-variant of Omicron. <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2023/09/health-canada-authorizes-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-targeting-the-omicron-xbb15-subvariant.html">Health Canada</a> has adopted similar recommendations. These new monovalent vaccines are expected <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/should-i-get-covid-19-booster">to be effective</a> in preventing infection by recently emerging Omicron sub-variants, such as EG.5 and FL.1.51 derived from the XBB.1.5 sub-variant, and the newer highly mutated <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigation-of-sars-cov-2-variants-of-concern-variant-risk-assessments/risk-assessment-for-sars-cov-2-variant-v-23aug-01-or-ba286">BA.2.86</a>, which arose from an earlier sub-variant and is a significant evolutionary leap. While Canada and the US move into the northern hemisphere winter, Australians should not believe they are at lower risk during the summer. After all, <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/australia/">two large COVID waves</a> in Australia were in the summers of 2021/22 and 2022/23. Monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccines are not yet available in Australia, but are being evaluated by the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/products/covid-19/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-vaccines-regulatory-status">Therapeutic Goods Administration</a>. So, in the future, Australia’s advice about who’s eligible for a booster, and which type of booster, may change. <h2>So, how do I decide if I need a booster now?</h2> There is evidence in Australia of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-21/new-covid-strain-variant-pirola-ba-2-86-in-australia-symptoms/102873304">growth of</a> the newer subvariants, including the detection of BA.2.86. So all Australians aged 75 and over who have not had a booster in the past six months should immediately have the currently available bivalent vaccine. Younger age groups may wait until further ATAGI advice about the new monovalent vaccines. <h2>COVID is not over</h2> While there is no need for alarm, Australians need to be aware of the ongoing significant impacts of COVID. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is still a formidable foe as it continues to mutate. COVID vaccines will be <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/improving-future-preparedness-inquiry-response-covid-19-pandemic">among the topics</a> the newly announced inquiry will investigate. But we cannot rely on vaccines alone. Avoiding (re)infection is also vital. Breathe <a href="https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/ventilation">clean indoor air</a>, wear <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/types-of-masks.html">high quality masks</a> and get tested so you can access <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/treatments/eligibility">antivirals</a> if eligible.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213469/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-toole-18259">Michael Toole</a>, Associate Principal Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/burnet-institute-992">Burnet Institute</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-drummer-1472642">Heidi Drummer</a>, Professor and Co-Program Director, Disease Elimination, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/burnet-institute-992">Burnet Institute</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/suman-majumdar-117988">Suman Majumdar</a>, Associate Professor and Chief Health Officer - COVID and Health Emergencies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/burnet-institute-992">Burnet Institute</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-covid-inquiry-has-been-announced-but-is-covid-still-a-thing-do-i-need-a-booster-213469">original article</a>.

Body

Autistic boy wins national golf title after only THREE games

In a heartwarming tale that's sure to make your day, a spirited 12-year-old schoolboy from a charming rural town nestled in the Bay of Plenty has ignited pure joy in New Zealand's golfing community – in a story that will warm your heart and put a smile on your face. Meet Bayleigh Teepa-Tarau, the newest sensation in the world of golf, hailing from the picturesque township of Tāneatua, a place so small it doesn't even have its own golf course. But that didn't deter this young prodigy as he set out to conquer the national Zespri AIMS Games held in the vibrant city of Tauranga. The Zespri AIMS Games is one of Australasia’s largest junior sporting events, held annually in Tauranga Moana. Celebrating diversity, the Games provides an opportunity for adolescents from all demographics and education contexts to compete in sporting competitions, to meet others from outside their normal peer group, and to learn and build on their social interaction skills. The Zespri AIMS Games is highly regarded by national education and sporting organisations and is considered a leader in its area. Now, here's the twist that's sure to make you leap with excitement: Bayleigh had played a grand total of just three rounds of golf in his entire life before this tournament! It's almost like a golfing fairytale in the making. Armed with borrowed clubs, a pair of basketball boots and a big beaming smile, our tee-master extraordinaire embarked on his golfing journey, leaving everyone in awe. You might wonder how a newcomer to the game fares in such a prestigious competition. Well, let us tell you, Bayleigh was given a scoring handicap to reflect his beginner status. And did he rise to the occasion! With booming drives and precision iron shots, he amassed a staggering 87 Stableford points over his three nine-hole rounds. A true underdog story. But Bayleigh's triumph doesn't stop there. Alongside his schoolmates Pedro Robinson and Lincoln Reritito, he clinched the team title, earning well-deserved glory for Tāneatua School. They faced off against students from schools all over New Zealand and came out on top. When asked about his love for golf, Bayleigh's face lit up with joy as he exclaimed, "The thing I love about golf is hitting my driver. I dreamed about coming here and finishing in first place. And I had a lot of fun." Thanks to the incredible support system behind this young golfing sensation, Bayleigh's journey to the top wouldn't have been possible without the unwavering support of his family, including his dad Hemi Tarau and Pare Teepa, his grandfather, and nan. Their pride in Bayleigh's accomplishments is immeasurable. What's even more inspiring is that Bayleigh has autism, and his journey has been one of transformation. From spending most of his time in class under his desk, not speaking, to becoming a golfing superstar, it's a testament to his determination and the incredible power of sports to boost confidence and bring joy. And here's another heartwarming twist – Bayleigh's path to golf was paved by his school's teacher-aide, Whetu Wiremu. He noticed Bayleigh's fascination with swinging a stick and decided to introduce him to golf. Wiremu's dedication and passion for the game not only changed Bayleigh's life but also the lives of other young students from Tāneatua School. For Wiremu, it's not just about golf but also about instilling life skills and values. He believes that golf, with its unique blend of competition and camaraderie, can offer these kids opportunities beyond their community, transcending boundaries and challenges. As for Bayleigh's future, he's setting his sights on competing in the Special Olympics. With a heart full of determination and a community that believes in him, there's no telling what incredible heights he'll reach. To that end, a <a href="https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/backing-bayleigh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Give A Little</a> fundraising account has been established to help support this inspiring youngster and help him on his way. In the end, Bayleigh's story reminds us all that joy, determination and unwavering support can overcome any obstacle. It's a testament to the power of dreams, the magic of sports, and the beauty of small communities coming together to celebrate their rising stars. Images: Jamie Troughton / Dscribe Media

Family & Pets

Princess Mary's touching tribute to late mother

Princess Mary has paid tribute to her late mother, Henrietta Donaldson, in an emotional act as she opened up the National Grief Centre in Vejle, Denmark. The Danish Princess, who lost her mother at only 25 years of age, opened the grief centre to provide a place for children and young people who have experienced loss, to come together and talk, share their stories and find support. After giving her opening speech on Wednesday, the royal placed a tribute to her mother on the centre’s Memorial Tree. Pictures of the touching moment were posted on the Danish royal family’s Instagram, with the caption: “Many children and young people feel lonely when parents become seriously ill or die." “Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess today inaugurated The National Grief Centre in Vejle, which gives children, young people and other citizens in the region the opportunity to share their grief with others. “After giving the opening speech, the Crown Princess placed a greeting for her mother on the centre’s Memorial Tree. “Here, visitors to the centre can remember and write a greeting to someone who is seriously ill - or someone they have lost," it concluded. In the series of pictures posted on Instagram, Princess Mary can be seen greeting people at the centre, giving her speech, and hanging her tribute on the tree. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwQH1udtR-c/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwQH1udtR-c/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a> </div> </blockquote> Fans have taken to the comments to share their support for the Princess. "Everyone is grieving and having a hard time, children of parents are always children, no matter how old!" wrote one follower. "Our sweet beautiful Mary," wrote another. "That’s truly heartfelt and beautiful. So important to feel supported," commented a third. The Princess' mother died suddenly after complications following a heart surgery in 1997. In a 2016 magazine interview with Women’s Weekly, the Danish royal opened up about her grief and how she lost her mother too early. “It’s so hard to see when it is so close and so personal, but as you get older, you learn to appreciate the time you had together as a gift,” she said. “And the loss offers something that you wouldn’t have otherwise. “It makes a strong person.” <em style="color: var(--primary-text-color); font-family: var(--font-family); font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;">Images: detdanskekongehus Instagram

Caring

From handing out their own flyers, to sell-out games: how the Matildas won over a nation

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-crawford-128832">Fiona Crawford</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> As the Matildas prepare for their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup sudden-death quarter final against France, they have become the hottest sporting property in the country. For example, formerly uninterested major media just days ago <a href="https://sport.optus.com.au/news/womens-world-cup-2023/os61076/matildas-record-shirt-sales-helicopter-fifa-womens-world-cup-2023">hired a helicopter</a> to spy on one of the team’s training sessions. The expensive, paparazzi-style move was designed to gather exclusive footage of the team, particularly of injured Matildas captain Sam Kerr. That conservative media was going to such lengths to gain footage of the team speaks volumes of the starkly different landscape the current Matildas are operating in, and the evolution of a team that’s gone from few resources and relatively anonymity to equal pay and national treasure status. <h2>No longer an afterthought</h2> More people watched the <a href="https://7news.com.au/sport/fifa-womens-world-cup/matildas-set-new-tv-ratings-record-while-sinking-denmark-in-fifa-womens-world-cup-c-11520596">Matildas’ Round of 16 match against Denmark</a> on Channel Seven, the highest rating show of the year to date, than watched the men’s NRL and AFL grand finals last year. Channel Seven is also <a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/channel-7s-extraordinary-matildas-decision-for-world-cup-quarterfinal/news-story/ddd00fa51e40971c940f720be2ad9f0d">delaying Saturday’s news bulletin</a> to broadcast the Matildas’ quarter final, while the AFL will be broadcasting the match in the stadium before the men’s West Coast Eagles versus Fremantle derby. This is all particularly interesting given <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-03/fifa-boss-threatens-women-world-cup-blackout/102295974">FIFA had to castigate broadcasters for undervaluing the broadcast rights</a> in the tournament lead-up. What’s more, Matildas jerseys are <a href="https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news/football-australia-celebrates-landmark-fifa-womens-world-cup-and-record-breaking-success">outselling the Socceroos’ jerseys by two to one</a>. It’s worth remembering they were unavailable to buy until recent years because manufacturers didn’t deem there to be a market for them. More than 1.7 million tickets have been sold, exceeding FIFA’s stretch target of 1.5 million. And the total crowd figure record of 1,353,506 set in 2015 <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/womens-world-cup-attendance-record-exceeded-last-16-2023-08-06">had been surpassed</a> with 12 games to spare. That’s a far cry from the Matildas’ early years, when players had to produce and hand out flyers to try to attract people to watch their games, or phone television stations and beg them to broadcast matches. When the team travelled to the 2003 world cup, not a single journalist turned up to the airport press conference. It’s also quite the contrast from the traditional media coverage approach that relegates women’s sport to an afterthought. A <a href="https://news.usc.edu/183765/womens-sports-tv-news-coverage-sportscenter-online-usc-study">30-year study</a> of women’s sports coverage, published in 2021, determined major media generally adopt a “one and done” approach: a box-ticking exercise, providing a token women’s sports story before a succession of in-depth men’s sports stories. <h2>So, how did we get here?</h2> It was 1988 when the intrepid Matildas ventured out to their inaugural “world cup” – a pilot tournament FIFA only staged after <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20190626-ellen-wille-mother-women-football-norway-fifa-world-cup-france">concerted pressure</a> from other organising bodies and women footballers themselves. There were some significant changes considered or implemented – ones that would not have been tabled for the men’s game. Matches were truncated from 90 to 80 minutes; there was some patronising discussion of whether women would play with a <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/fifa-women-s-world-cup-official-history-fifa/book/9781787393530.html">smaller ball</a>; and with the tournament absent any true FIFA badging, the players had to pay $850 each for the privilege of participating. They pulled that fee together by fundraising through lamington drives, car washes, and casino nights. Still, the Australian team quickly made history by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=466728760806708">defeating Brazil</a> in an upset victory in the tournament’s first match, setting the tone for an upwards trajectory. However, the 1995, 1999, and 2003 tournaments were not, by the Matildas’ own standards, considered breakout successes. A harsh red card for Sonia Gegenhuber in the team’s first group-stage match against Denmark in 1995 cruelled the team’s chances from the outset. And 1999 saw <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-26/meet-alicia-ferguson-cook-matilda-wwc-record-fastest-red-card/102272428">Alicia Ferguson awarded the fastest red card in history</a> for an ill-timed tackle two minutes into the game against China. The Matildas’ sustained upward course arguably began in 2007. The World Cup that year was the first womens’ tournament for which SBS broadcast all the games. It also became the first time the Matildas <a href="https://www.matildas.com.au/news/day-westfield-matildas-made-history-2007-fifa-womens-world-cup">progressed to the knockout rounds</a>. Although laundry and internet costs weren’t yet covered, that era also marked the beginning of the players receiving (albeit nominal) daily allowances and playing contracts of up to approximately A$10,000. Administrators were able to leverage that 2007 success into the establishment of the W-League (now renamed the A-League Women’s), the domestic semi-professional football league that helped the Matildas become the first Australian team (women’s or men’s) <a href="https://www.matildas.com.au/news/westfield-matildas-win-afc-asian-cup">to win the Asian Cup</a>. It’s also a development pathway for the current Matildas. 2011 marked the emergence of the Matildas’ “golden generation”, with then-youthful players Caitlin Foord and Sam Kerr attending their first Women’s World Cup. All the focus has been on Kerr in recent years, but at the time, Foord was tipped to be the player to watch, and was named the tournament’s best young player. <h2>Striking for pay parity</h2> To understand the groundbreaking success the Matildas are now experiencing, we must look at the lonely stand they took across the road from governing body Football Federation Australia’s office in 2015. They were off contract, unpaid, and without medical insurance. Now lapsed, they had been on contracts of around A$22,000 a year: in the ballpark of Australia’s poverty line. So the Matildas went on strike for two months to draw attention to the imperiled nature of their footballing careers, which demanded full-time, elite-athlete commitment and results, but with part-time, amateur pay. The headlines that followed encapsulated the exasperation many felt (and still feel) at the inequity women athletes experience. This included the <a href="https://junkee.com/the-matildas-have-gone-on-strike-because-oh-my-god-can-we-just-pay-them-properly/65061">Junkee headline "</a>The Matildas Have Gone on Strike Because, Oh My God Can We Just Pay Them Properly?" The Matildas achieved <a href="https://www.matildas.com.au/news/historic-cba-close-footballs-gender-pay-gap">pay parity</a> with the Socceroos in 2019, but the groundwork for that achievement was laid with that 2015 strike. The year 2017 also marked an important moment in the team’s evolution. It was when the team <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/sep/12/matildas-break-new-ground-as-fans-scramble-for-tickets-on-resale-market">sold out Penrith Stadium</a> with a then-record crowd of about 17,000. The crowd figure signalled there was an engaged audience and market there – it had just been under-catered for. Fast forward to 2019. Off-pitch distractions imperilled the Matildas’ group-stage world cup results. The team was steered through the tournament by temporarily installed coach Ante Milicic, after incumbent coach Alen Stajcic had been sacked for reasons still not entirely clear. With the rise of European nations that had invested heavily in women’s football, Australian football had stood still. The Matildas’ opening loss against debutantes Italy put the team under pressure. However, the players then produced the “Miracle of Montpellier”, winning 3-2 against superstars Brazil to salvage their tournament – before being bundled out by Norway on penalties in the round of 16. This year, the media’s initial focus was on Kerr’s troublesome calf and then late substitution decisions by coach Tony Gustavsson. Under pressure following a shock loss to minnows Nigeria, the Matildas recorded a resounding 4–0 victory over reigning Olympic champions Canada. Now, in a few pressure-filled hours, Australia’s most successful football team have the potential to make history: to progress to the semi finals for the first time ever. A win would see Matildas’ media coverage and fandom enter uncharted, euphoric territory. But with record crowds, viewership, and merchandise sales, and with several of their players now household names, in many ways the Matildas will already have won before they even set foot on the pitch.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211338/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-crawford-128832">Fiona Crawford</a>, Adjunct Lecturer at the Centre for Justice, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-handing-out-their-own-flyers-to-sell-out-games-how-the-matildas-won-over-a-nation-211338">original article</a>.

Bruce Lehrmann condemns damning inquiry and labels trial conduct as a "dark chapter"

Bruce Lehrmann has expressed his strong disapproval of a damning inquiry into his rape trial, referring to it as "a dark chapter" in the justice system. In response to the inquiry's findings, Bruce Lehrmann has criticised the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, for his conduct during the trial, stating that it was a troubling episode for the justice system. The former Liberal staffer, who intends to pursue a multimillion-dollar compensation claim over the trial's handling, commended his legal team, led by Steve Whybrow SC and Kamy Saeedi lawyers. Mr. Lehrmann stated to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/bruce-lehrmann-slams-damning-inquiry-describes-trial-conduct-as-dark-chapter/news-story/b5b6ec06d5b435f8870a1e7d5b9ae4b8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, "Much of what we are reading, my brilliant criminal defense team led by Steve Whybrow SC suspected all along. I owe everything to the lawyers who have surrounded me. This is overwhelming and alarming reading." He also acknowledged Mr. Sofronoff and his team for revealing the truth and shedding light on what he perceives as a dark chapter for the ACT Justice system. Mr. Lehrmann promised to share more details once the Chief Minister releases the full report to the public. The landmark inquiry found that the prosecution's legal initiation was appropriate, but it severely criticised Mr. Drumgold's actions during the trial. Walter Sofronoff KC, a former Supreme Court judge in Queensland, affirmed the lawfulness of the police's charges against Mr. Lehrmann and agreed that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was justified in prosecuting based on the available evidence. It is essential to note that this finding does not reflect Mr. Lehrmann's guilt or innocence but focuses on the conduct of the police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr. Lehrmann remains innocent under the law since he was never convicted, as the trial collapsed following an allegation of juror misconduct. However, the inquiry revealed damning evidence against Mr. Drumgold, accusing him of "knowingly lying" to the ACT Supreme Court regarding his alleged warning to Lisa Wilkinson concerning her Logies speech. The report uncovered unethical conduct by Mr. Drumgold, including his use of a note related to a discussion he had with Ms. Wilkinson just days before her speech. The Australian newspaper <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/sofronoff-report-reveals-shane-drumgold-lied-during-bruce-lehrmann-rape-case/news-story/07d25b9c79364a10473806e3df48dfa7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained a complete copy</a> of the extensive 600-page Sofronoff report, which confirmed the seriousness of the findings against Mr. Drumgold. This led Mr. Sofronoff to contemplate whether the DPP was suitable to continue holding the office. The inquiry was initiated after Mr. Drumgold wrote a letter to ACT Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan in November 2022, demanding an inquiry and making "scandalous allegations" about political interference. However, the inquiry revealed that these allegations were baseless and untrue. The report further criticised Mr. Drumgold for not disclosing crucial material to the defence, which is a significant violation of the principle of disclosure in criminal litigation. Chief Justice Lucy McCallum's stern criticism of Ms. Wilkinson's Logies speech led to a four-month delay in the trial and sparked a firestorm of adverse publicity. The report favoured Ms. Wilkinson's account over Mr. Drumgold's, suggesting that he had knowingly lied to Chief Justice McCallum about his warning to the broadcaster. Mr. Sofronoff stated that while Ms. Wilkinson should have exercised caution in making the speech given the trial's proximity, Mr. Drumgold had a responsibility to the court and failed to act appropriately. In conclusion, the Sofronoff inquiry found significant misconduct on the part of Mr. Drumgold and raised concerns about the fairness of the trial conduct in Bruce Lehrmann's case. Images: Getty

Legal

5 memorable locations from ‘80s films to check out

Everyone loves a good movie, and everyone loves a holiday, so what do you get when you combine the two? The time of your life! It’s widely known that the ‘80s spawned a whole host of films that went on to become cult classics - from the likes of Heathers to Footloose, Dirty Dancing, and The Terminator - and forged the way for cultural changes that ring true decades later. But did you also know that for many of these iconic films, real-life locations served as the inspiration for many memorable scenes? And while some may have changed slightly in the years since cast and crew flocked to them, some are like stepping into a time capsule - or a stage for you to re-enact the films as you see fit. Lake Lure, North Carolina - Dirty Dancing (1987) Anyone who’s seen Dirty Dancing can tell you that ‘the lift scene’ is one of the film’s most iconic moments. And it - along with a few others from the film - were filmed in North Carolina’s very own Lake Lure. And with the spot boasting its very own Lake Lure Inn & Spa - where, coincidentally, the movie’s stars stayed while working on the project - it could be the perfect getaway location for your next holiday. Guesthouse International Hotel, California - National Lampoon Vacation (1983) For those embarking on their very own National Lampoon Vacation, you’re in luck - the hexagonal pool is near exactly the same as it was when Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold enjoyed a nighttime swim with Christie Brinkley’s The Girl in the Ferrari. New York Public Library, New York - Ghostbusters (1984) The 1984 film sparked an entire host of sequels, games, parodies, and conventions for avid fans across the globe - as well as one incredibly catchy song. However, for those that would like to go above and beyond just calling their friendly neighbourhood ghostbusters, the New York Public Library’s flagship Stephen A Schwarzman building is the spot where the team had their very first encounter with the film’s ghosts. Griffith Observatory, California - The Terminator (1984) Fans of The Terminator should immediately recognise this site as the one where Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator arrived in the nude, and basked in the glory of LA at night. It’s a popular location, and while a must-see for fans of the film, it also makes for a good afternoon out - the observatory itself boasts free entry, stunning views, and a range of fascinating exhibits inside to entertain the keen mind. The Grand Hotel, Michigan - Somewhere in Time (1980) The Grand Hotel was the primary location for romantic drama Somewhere in Time, and they’re proud of it. In fact, a poster for the film is reportedly even still on display there, and hosts weekends of celebration for the 1980 hit, too. The island the hotel is set on doesn’t allow cars, so anyone hoping to throw themselves back in time and fully immerse themselves in a ‘different world’, this National Historic Landmark may be just the place to do it. Images: Getty, Booking.net

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Bruce Lehrmann condemns damning inquiry and labels trial conduct as a "dark chapter"

5 memorable locations from ‘80s films to check out

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