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Alan Jones once seemed unassailable. What ended it was a peculiarly Sydney story of media, politics and power

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865">Denis Muller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>For decades it seemed Alan Jones was unassailable.</p> <p>A finding against him of professional misconduct by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (2000); a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/tribunal-upholds-that-jones-incited-hatred-20121002-26x8h.html">finding</a> that he incited hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule of Lebanese Muslims (2009); propositions of violence against two women prime ministers (<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-20/alan-jones-says-gillard-remark-best-left-unsaid/3579658">2011</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-21/alan-jones-breached-rules-in-jacinda-ardern-comment/12271476">2019</a>); verdicts against him and his employer amounting to millions of dollars in defamation actions (most notably <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-12/alan-jones-defamed-wagners-court-decision-brisbane-qld/10230384">one for $3.75 million</a> in 2018): none of these ended his career.</p> <p>Quite the reverse. Only weeks after the Australian Broadcasting Authority found in its “cash for comments” inquiry that Jones and others had misled their listeners by presenting paid endorsements as editorial opinion, he was hosting an event for then prime minister John Howard.</p> <p>Howard was to become a fixture on the Jones program throughout the 11 years of his prime ministership.</p> <p>The day after the Australian Communications and Media Authority found Jones was likely to have encouraged violence and vilification of Australians of Lebanese and Middle Eastern background, Howard <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/jones-wins-friends-in-high-places-20070412-ge4n4f.html">described him</a> as “an outstanding broadcaster”. “I don’t think he’s a person who encourages prejudice in the Australian community, not for one moment, but he is a person who articulates what a lot of people think.”</p> <p>By 2001, Jones had become a kind of on-air policy-maker for the New South Wales government. In November that year, he dined with the then Labor premier, Bob Carr. They discussed a range of government policies, particularly policing. At that time, Jones was a relentless critic of the NSW police.</p> <p>The following week, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-01/newton-alan-jones/4288824">Carr dispatched</a> his police minister-designate, Michael Costa, to Jones’s home to discuss policing policy.</p> <p>In 2011 he said Julia Gillard, then Australia’s prime minister, should be taken out to sea and dumped in a chaff bag. In August 2019 he said Scott Morrison, who was then Australia’s prime minister, should “shove a sock” down the throat of his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern.</p> <p>He was an outspoken climate-change denier, and these grotesqueries were part of his campaign against political recognition of this reality.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Od6I1YbrBoM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Jones’s power, which made him so apparently untouchable, came from his weaponising of the microphone for conservative political ends in ways that resonated with his vast and rusted-on audience of largely working-class older people across Sydney’s sprawling western suburbs.</p> <p>These suburbs contain many marginal state and federal electorates where the fates of governments can be decided. Their populations provide fertile ground for seeding by right-wing radio shock jocks, of whom Jones and his rival John Laws were pre-eminent examples.</p> <p>In Australia, this is a peculiarly Sydney phenomenon. It is not seen to the same degree in any other capital city, even though they too have large areas of socioeconomic disadvantage like western Sydney.</p> <p>Why that should be so is a complex question, but there are aspects of Sydney life that mark it out as different. It is really two cities. One is the largely prosperous and scenically dazzling east and north. The other, much larger, consists of dreary tracts of increasingly crowded housing stretching for many kilometres to the west and southwest.</p> <p>In Sydney argot, the inhabitants of these respective worlds are called “silvertails” and “fibros”, the latter referring to the cladding of the homes that proliferated in western Sydney between and after the two world wars.</p> <p>This two-cities effect makes the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” highly visible in a way that has no parallel in other Australian capitals. It engenders deep-seated grievance and cynicism, which the likes of Jones, who lives in a multimillion-dollar apartment on Circular Quay, have relentlessly exploited.</p> <p>Jones coined the term “Struggle Street” to encapsulate the hardships of his listeners’ lives.</p> <p>To these powerless people, Jones and Laws gave a voice, and as their audiences grew, prime ministers and premiers courted and feared them.</p> <p>In the end, Jones’s impregnability was breached by not the power elite turning on one of their own, but by the journalism of a redoubtably tenacious Sydney Morning Herald investigative reporter, Kate McClymont.</p> <p>In December 2023, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/he-d-go-the-grope-alan-jones-accused-of-indecently-assaulting-young-men-20231205-p5epai.html">she claimed</a> Jones had used his position of power, first as a teacher and later as the country’s top-rating radio broadcaster, to allegedly prey on a number of young men.</p> <p>In response to McClymont’s work, the NSW police set up Strike Force Bonnefin, run by the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse Squad, to conduct an investigation into Jones.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0ExkpCtfmA8?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>On November 18 2024, Jones was arrested at his Circular Quay home and charged initially with 24 sexual offences against eight males. The following day, two <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-19/alan-jones-charged-with-additional-offences-nsw-police/104617680">additional charges</a> were laid involving a ninth male.</p> <p>Through his lawyers, Jones has denied the charges and was bailed to appear in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on December 18. He <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/alan-jones-arrested-over-allegations-he-indecently-assaulted-young-men-20241118-p5krdu.html">was ordered</a> to surrender his passport and not to contact or harass the alleged victims.</p> <p>The charges relate to offences alleged to have been committed by Jones between 2001 and 2019, the youngest alleged victim being 17 at the time.</p> <p>Those dates coincide almost exactly with Jones’s most influential years, from 2002 to 2020.</p> <p>McClymont <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-stunning-development-kate-mcclymont-on-alan-jones-arrest-and-what-s-next-20241118-p5krln.html">has spoken</a> about the reluctance of some of her interviewees to speak, for fear of what Jones might do: "People were too afraid to take on Alan Jones. Once a couple of people came forward, and some people were happy to be publicly named, that gave confidence for other people to come forward.<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/243942/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />"</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865"><em>Denis Muller</em></a><em>, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>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/alan-jones-once-seemed-unassailable-what-ended-it-was-a-peculiarly-sydney-story-of-media-politics-and-power-243942">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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How hip pain led Sydney karate master to life-changing weight loss journey

<div> <p>Sydney-based karate instructor and personal trainer Glenn Stephenson knows the toll that joint pain and extra weight can take on physical activity. Despite decades of experience as a martial arts coach, Glenn found himself increasingly limited by severe hip pain and unwanted weight gain.</p> </div> <div> <p>In 2021, at 95 kilograms, the 64-year-old’s arthritis and reduced mobility affected not only his work but also his confidence. “I couldn’t move around like I wanted to, and as a master instructor, it felt wrong to be teaching students while carrying so much extra weight,” he admits.</p> </div> <div> <p>Glenn’s pain and discomfort prompted him to make a drastic change. Instead of resorting to extreme dieting, he adopted a more sustainable approach to weight loss to reduce joint and liver inflammation, and regain his mobility. He shed 20 kilograms and now walks four kilometres daily. “I can move better, my mental health has improved, and I feel more capable of guiding my students,” he says.</p> </div> <div> <p>Today, Glenn encourages others struggling with weight to take a balanced approach to fitness and health. “I look the part now, which gives me confidence as a master instructor to show my students that staying active is achievable at any age.”</p> </div> <div> <p>Dietitian Kirby Sorenson, from health platform <a title="https://www.getmosh.com.au/?utm_term=mosh&amp;utm_campaign=Cross_Search_Brand_Mosh&amp;utm_source=paid-search&amp;utm_medium=adwords&amp;utm_content=100740202037&amp;hsa_acc=5792635568&amp;hsa_cam=1701000406&amp;hsa_grp=100740202037&amp;hsa_ad=697110582898&amp;hsa_src=g&amp;hsa_tgt=kwd-295213997936&amp;hsa_kw=mosh&amp;hsa_mt=p&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAxKy5BhBbEiwAYiW--5qfGzQVQBG-CmA6baVMEeP5Zmk_oB_GOstA1n2vabFrLzbeDrEEnxoCM4YQAvD_BwE" href="https://www.getmosh.com.au/?utm_term=mosh&amp;utm_campaign=Cross_Search_Brand_Mosh&amp;utm_source=paid-search&amp;utm_medium=adwords&amp;utm_content=100740202037&amp;hsa_acc=5792635568&amp;hsa_cam=1701000406&amp;hsa_grp=100740202037&amp;hsa_ad=697110582898&amp;hsa_src=g&amp;hsa_tgt=kwd-295213997936&amp;hsa_kw=mosh&amp;hsa_mt=p&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAxKy5BhBbEiwAYiW--5qfGzQVQBG-CmA6baVMEeP5Zmk_oB_GOstA1n2vabFrLzbeDrEEnxoCM4YQAvD_BwE" data-outlook-id="bc4b923a-a4a3-4af0-80db-e837cd64b4c7">Mosh</a>, is encouraging Australians to ditch the Body Mass Index (BMI) in favour of more modern diagnostics to determine the risk of disease linked to higher body fat, declaring it’s unfairly categorising people as being overweight.</p> </div> <div> <p>Ms Sorenson says knowing your Body Roundness Index (BRI) as well as your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) can more accurately predict the risk of diseases like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease because it works out body fat levels based on height and waist circumference, rather than the BMI method which relies on height and weight.</p> </div> <div> <p>“BMI has long been criticised for inaccurately categorising people as overweight or obese because it doesn’t differentiate between those who carry a lot of muscle and individuals with fat in the wrong places,” Ms Sorenson says.</p> </div> <div> <p>“The problem is that it only looks at overall weight, while the BRI focuses on fat held around the abdomen which is the riskiest fat in terms of overall health.</p> </div> <div> <p>Once the BRI is determined, Ms Sorenson says it can help to know your Basal Metabolic Rate, which is largely determined by your total lean mass to help determine a healthy path to maintaining a healthy weight range.</p> </div> <div> <p>“The basal metabolic rate or BMR gives you an idea of how many calories your body burns doing the bare minimum; breathing, blood circulation, brain and nerve function. It can vary greatly from person to person, which explains why individual weight loss journeys can be so different,” Ms Sorenson said.</p> </div> <div> <p>For more information visit Moshy’s online <a title="https://www.getmoshy.com.au/weight-loss/basal-metabolic-rate-calculator?srsltid=AfmBOoobS-PiI_4sJn2ykpEG6vzq6qkvQXammfLv4Rm-mS5nwll6EN0m" href="https://www.getmoshy.com.au/weight-loss/basal-metabolic-rate-calculator?srsltid=AfmBOoobS-PiI_4sJn2ykpEG6vzq6qkvQXammfLv4Rm-mS5nwll6EN0m" data-outlook-id="800f9af2-0a34-4ac4-801b-d16714c7ec2e">BMR calculator</a>.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Supplied</em></p> </div>

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Father breaks silence after wife and two children die in tragic drowning

<p>Hoai Nguyen, 32, and her two children, Mitchell, 7, and Hazel, 5, were enjoying a day out at Shearer Park in south-west Sydney, and were walking down to a small pier on the waterfront before they were spotted <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/unimaginable-sorrow-mother-and-two-children-drown-during-family-outing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struggling in the Georges River</a> about 10.15am on Saturday. </p> <p>Hoai was pulled to shore shortly afterwards, but despite desperate attempts by rescuers and bystanders she could not be revived. </p> <p>The bodies of the two children were recovered a few hours later, metres from a jetty. </p> <p>The children's father, Dinh Nguyen, had been at work during the incident and only found out about the tragedy when police showed up at his house. </p> <p>He has since broken his silence, and told <em>The Sydney Morning Herald</em> that his wife was navigating a mental illness prior to her death. </p> <p>“She has bipolar disorder, and she has some ups and some downs,” he told the publication. </p> <p>“She takes medicine. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”</p> <p>He also recalled one of the last conversations the couple had, the night prior to the tragedy. </p> <p>“She told me the last night she didn’t sleep so she wanted to stay at home,” he said.</p> <p>According to <em>The Daily Telegraph</em>, detectives are now probing whether the incident was premeditated as they continue their investigations into the tragedy. </p> <p>The southwest Sydney community has since rallied around the family's loved ones, with bouquets of flowers and tributes seen at the riverbank as part of a growing memorial. </p> <p>A close friend of the family, Sarah Vu, has also organised a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/hoai-mitchell-and-hazel-nguyen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page for the family which has since raised over $60,600 of their $40,000 goal. </p> <p>“I sincerely thank the entire community for their contributions,” she wrote in a social media tribute on Monday.</p> <p>“The family have decided to bring Hoai and the kids back to Vietnam.</p> <p>“The fund has currently exceeded my expectations, but I will keep the link open for anyone who still wants to donate.”</p> <p>"All we can do now is pray for you and the little ones to depart peacefully,” she added with a video of two young kids holding hands and skipping down a street together. </p> <p><em><strong>Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone.</strong></em></p> <p><em>Lifeline: <strong>13 11 14</strong>, <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lifeline.org.au </a></em></p> <p><em>SANE Support line and Forums: <strong>1800 187 263,</strong> <a href="https://saneforums.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saneforums.org</a></em></p> <p><em>Headspace: <strong>1800 650 890,</strong> <a href="https://headspace.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headspace.org.au</a></em></p> <p><em>Beyond Blue: <strong>1300 224 635</strong>, <a href="beyondblue.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beyondblue.org.au </a></em></p> <p><em>Images: Facebook/ GoFundMe</em></p>

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"Unimaginable sorrow": Mother and two children drown during family outing

<p>A mother and two children have died after struggling to swim in a Sydney waterway, with tributes and donations flowing in to support the grieving father.</p> <p>Hoai Nguyen, 32, and her two children, Mitchell, seven, and Hazel, five, were enjoying a day out at Shearer Park in south-west Sydney on Sunday, when they were spotted in distress in the waters of the Georges River. </p> <p>Hoai was pulled from the river, but despite the best efforts of bystanders and paramedics, she was unable to be revived. </p> <p>Police and volunteers from the State Emergency Service launched a large search and rescue operation for the two children, with divers locating their bodies in the water hours later, metres from a jetty.</p> <p>According to <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-news-georges-river-mother-hoai-nguyen-and-children-drown-lansvale/c8601ec9-47a1-4a79-8a12-67c3ff18f3ea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>, the children's father and Hoai's husband had been at work during the incident and was only alerted to the tragedy when police showed up at his house. </p> <p>A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/hoai-mitchell-and-hazel-nguyen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been set up by a family friend to support the children's father, Hoai's husband, and their one-year-old brother during the "time of unimaginable sorrow".</p> <p>"A beloved mother and her two young children tragically drowned... leaving behind a profound void in our hearts and a father and baby who is only 1 years old," the fundraiser reads.</p> <p>An investigation into how the mother and her children ended up in the water is ongoing, as NSW Police acting superintendent Luke Scott yesterday described the tragedy as "beyond words".</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

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Father reveals alarming details after young model found dead in Sydney brewery

<p>Savana Calvo, 27, was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tragedy-as-young-model-dies-in-popular-brewery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found dead</a> in the bathroom of Young Henry's brewery in Newtown, at around 11.30pm on Wednesday. </p> <p>As tributes pour in for the young model, her father, Daniel Paul Calvo has revealed that she allegedly received death threats in the week prior to her death. </p> <p>“As her father, I knew very well that she was being harassed and stalked, and I tried to intervene. Although we were very close, daughters only tell their parents so much,” he told <em>The Daily Telegraph</em>. </p> <p>“There’s more and more coming out, she was involved with some dodgy young guys, owed money, and leading up to last week she was getting multiple death threats.”</p> <p>The death threats that were allegedly sent to her will form part of an ongoing investigation into her death, NSW Police have confirmed. </p> <p>Friends and family have paid tribute to the fallen model, and started a GoFundMe page to cover her funeral costs. They said that “those who knew her best, knew that she went through some trying times." </p> <p>“She was a cherished daughter, sister and friend who brought so much love and light into all of our lives.</p> <p>She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.”</p> <p>The fundraiser has since raised over $30,000 for the model. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ Google Maps</em></p>

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Tragedy as young model dies in popular brewery

<p>A young woman has died suddenly at a popular Sydney brewery. </p> <p>Savana Calvo, 27 tragically passed away at the Young Henry's brewery in Newtown at about 11.30pm last Wednesday. </p> <p>Her death is not being treated as suspicious, but her loved ones have revealed she had been going through "trying times" before her death. </p> <p>“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Savana, 27,” the model's friend Adam St John-Foti wrote online. </p> <p>“She was a cherished daughter, sister and friend who brought so much love and light into all of our lives.</p> <p>“She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.</p> <p>“Those who knew her best, knew that she was went through some trying time these past in recent times that led to her tragic passing.”</p> <p>Friends have rallied around her family, with St John-Foti setting up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/savana-calvo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page, which has so far raised over $28,000 to help her family cope with funeral costs. </p> <p>He added that he family were "spellbound" by the outpouring of support. </p> <p>“Your generosity will make a meaningful difference in ensuring that Savana is laid to rest with the dignity, respect, and celebration she deserves,” the page read. </p> <p>“We also appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and messages of support during this difficult time.</p> <p>“Your kindness means the world to Savana’s family as we navigate through our grief.”</p> <p>Another friend of the model has remembered her as a  “smiling and a kind gentle soul” who would  “be missed so much". </p> <p>“Fly high beautiful angel. I haven’t stopped thinking of you since I found out about your passing ... I will miss you Savvy.”</p> <p>Coopers Hotel, another Newtown institution has also paid tribute to Calvo, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that Newtown grieves the loss of a beloved member of its community Savana C." </p> <p>“Sav’s family has started a go fund me to help with funeral costs, please donate if you can.”</p> <p>Young Henrys was closed to the public on Thursday with police spotted on the outside. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the brewery. </p> <p><em>Images: GoFundMe/ Instagram</em></p>

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"Green cordial" water in Sydney harbour baffles residents

<p>A bay in Sydney Harbour has turned neon green, with authorities currently investigating the cause. </p> <p>Locals were baffled when they saw the bay along Hipwood Street in Kirribilli, near Milsons Park, turn bright green at about 3pm on Wednesday, with many calling the incident "unusual". </p> <p>Firefighters said they were  "alerted to a large spill of fluorescent green material flowing into the harbour".</p> <p>One local described the water as "green cordial" and said it resembled "radioactive stuff you see in superhero movies".</p> <p>NSW Fire and Rescue then conducted several tests and said the water is not toxic and is currently not harming the environment. </p> <p>The Fire and Rescue team are now trying to flush out the green substance, and said that the incoming rain should help turn the water colour back to normal. </p> <p>Another resident told 9News that they had seen green water in a stormwater drain at Anderson Park, along Clark Road, on Tuesday, before the green colour spread to the bay on Wednesday.</p> <p>Later in the afternoon, a North Sydney Council spokeswoman confirmed that were no major pollutants in the green water: “At this stage our engineers believe the substance is likely to be fluorescein, which is used as a dye for plumbing works. Fluorescein is a non-toxic substance and breaks down with UV light. The green colour is a feature that makes it easy to trace.” </p> <p>Green water was also spotted in Neutral Bay on Wednesday according to another local. </p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

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Hero cop breaks silence on Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing

<p>Amy Scott, the hero police officer who shot Joel Cauchi during his stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction in April, has spoken about her brave act. </p> <p>On Sunday, the Sydney Roosters publicly recognised all emergency services during the NRL match against Canberra, in what will become an annual event. </p> <p>There were  tributes for NSW Police, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue, VRA Rescue NSW, SES, Rural Fire Service, Marine Rescue, Surf Life Saving Australia and St John Ambulance.</p> <p>Scott was the star of the event arriving in a PolAir helicopter to present the game ball to Roosters captain, James Tedesco.</p> <p>She was given a standing ovation from the NRL crowd, as she spoke about her brave act. </p> <p>“I was just doing my job that day, absolutely” she said. </p> <p>“It was a job I hoped the community would expect from us. I know any of my colleagues would have done exactly the same. I’m grateful that we were able to get there and do what we did as quickly as we did.</p> <p>“Look, I’m a very big believer in taking the support that is ­offered to you. I had done that significantly prior to anything that happened at Bondi.</p> <p>“The people you go home to, your family and friends, are key. For me, it’s my wife Emma because they deal with trauma you deal with in a different light and she has been incredible. We got married in February and we have two young boys. I’m excellent, I’m doing really well," Scott continued. </p> <p>“I’m enjoying being back at work. I actually just had some annual leave, which was nice. I love my job, I love where I work and I love my team. I’m grateful to be there with them doing day-to-day stuff again. It is (a thankless task) at times, absolutely.</p> <p>“It’s a wonderful day to recognise so many different emergence services and I’m incredibly grateful to the Roosters and NRL for making this happen because there are so many unsung heroes out there, not just with the NSW Police Force, but with all other emergence services, so it’s so nice to have a wonderful, positive, light shed on us all.</p> <p>“It was unreal, a fantastic experience. It’s a privilege.”</p> <p>When asked who she supported in the NRL, the hero police said: “Today I’m a Roosters fan," but she will always remain a Knights fan as she is a "one-town, one-team kind of girl." </p> <p>NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley and NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb also attended the match and praised her for her actions. </p> <p>“What courage Amy Scott has shown this year. She really epitomises policing in NSW. She is very humble,”  Catley said. </p> <p>“This is an opportunity for us to say to her: ‘Thank you so much for her courage’. Without her actions, we could have ended up with a different situation that day in Bondi.</p> <p>“She (Scott) is an amazing officer every day of the week,” Webb said. </p> <p><em>Images: Nine</em></p> <p> </p>

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"So Australian": Local trust praised for response to illegal tree cutting

<p>A resident's decision to cut down a tree for a better view of Sydney Harbour has backfired after a sign was erected where the tree once stood, to condemn tree vandalism. </p> <p>Following multiple reports of resident carrying out tree vandalism along affluent streets, the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust has called out the behaviour by setting up the sign in the Sydney lower North Shore suburb of Woolwich. </p> <p>"Tree vandalism has occurred in this area," the sign read. </p> <p>"The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust protects and manages this land for the enjoyment of the public.</p> <p>"Acts of vandalism like this deprive all of us of the natural environment."</p> <p>The sign also warned that offenders could be subject to fines and/or prosecution as punishment, and urged those who notice any suspicious activity to contact 8969 2100. </p> <p>After an image of the sign was shared to a Sydney group on social media, the local trust's actions have been praised, with many saying they "loved how petty this is" and one even declaring the response  "so Australian". </p> <p>"I hope they keep this sign, as a reminder to anyone contemplating doing something similar," one commented.</p> <p>"We're petty but we have a right to be. You don't f**n poison or cut down trees. F**n unacceptable behaviour," another added. </p> <p>Others accused the person who cut down the tree of being "entitled". </p> <p>In last November alone, over 300 native trees and shrubs vanished in front of multi-million dollar homes along the Sydney Harbour waterfront strip.</p> <p>Lane Cove Council believe that hand tools were used to silently cut down the trees, which impacts plants, and local wildlife including wallabies, possums and dozens of other species. </p> <p>On Monday, the council put out a statement saying its "pursuit of justice" is now ramping up, referring to the incident as "the largest tree vandalism case in Lane Cove’s recent history".</p> <p>They are trying to obtain permission to put up a sign to block "the harbour view of the property which would most benefit from the mass clearing of the trees." </p> <p>"As the area is classified as a Threatened Ecological Community and contains some items of Aboriginal Heritage, it was important the appropriate approvals were in place before installing the signage," the council added.</p> <p>"The legal case and banner installation are important steps in our commitment to seeking the strongest possible recourse response to send a message that we stand tall against tree vandalism."</p> <p><em>Images: Reddit</em></p>

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Brave bystanders praised after mass Sydney stabbing

<p>New details have emerged after multiple people were stabbed following a car crash in Sydney's south, on Sunday. </p> <p>Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Princes Highway and Old Bush Road at about 9am after receiving several triple zero calls about a crash. </p> <p>A 58-year-old man, who was known to police for "a number of matters" and suspected of carrying out the wild attacks, was allegedly found running from the scene by officers. </p> <p>He was later pursued on foot, tasered and taken into custody, and remains in Liverpool Hospital in serious condition, as he appeared to have inflicted a number of injuries to himself before the police arrived. </p> <p>A policeman was also injured during the arrest after the alleged offender stabbed him on his arm. </p> <p>A woman in her 40s, was allegedly being assaulted by the man as he drove, and is believed to be the partner of the alleged offender. </p> <p>“They were in a domestic relationship, there is no history that we are aware of, there is no apprehended violence orders between the two but definitely domestic related,” Superintendent Donald Faulds told a press conference on Sunday afternoon. </p> <p>“We believe the female was being assaulted in the car while the male was driving the vehicle at the same time.</p> <p>“A number of witnesses mentioned the car was driving quite erratically at the time and we believe that’s when the assault was occurring in the car and as result they then collided with another vehicle.”</p> <p>The female passenger was transported to hospital and is in a critical condition. </p> <p>Three other people were also injured, after they had rushed over to the accident to help. </p> <p>It is alleged that he had a box-cutter. </p> <p>“A number of members of the community stopped to assist occupants from both those vehicles,” the Superintendent said. </p> <p>“As community members were assisting one of the females out of one vehicle, a male got out of that vehicle. He was armed with what we believe to be a box cutter.”</p> <p>One witness reportedly told radio station 2GB that he saw a man get out of the car appearing to be armed with a box cutter, yelling “I’m going to kill you”.</p> <p>A NSW spokesman said of those injured, one male patient had sustained slash wounds to his arms and his neck and has been taken to Liverpool Hospital and is now in a serious but stable condition. </p> <p>A woman in her 40s was taken to St George Hospital with multiple stab wounds and is in critical condition. Another woman was hospitalised in a serious condition with a stab wound to the abdomen. </p> <p>The police officer sustained a large laceration to his arm and is in a stable condition. </p> <p>Superintendent Faulds praised the brave bystanders who went to assist those in the crash, without knowing what was about to unfold. </p> <p>“Amazing work, they’ve just turned up thinking it was a normal motor vehicle accident so they’ve obviously have gone to render assistance to both people and then they were faced with a male armed with a box cutter, quite frightening but very brave on those peoples’ behalf,” he said. </p> <p>He has asked the community to reach out to Crime Stoppers or Sutherland Police if they have any information about the incident. </p> <p><em>Images: Nine News</em></p>

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Hero security guard tears up while speaking about girl he saved

<p>Laila Johnson, 11, and her mother Samantha, 34, from Candelo near Bega in regional NSW, were sightseeing in London when the young girl was stabbed in a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/11-year-old-australian-girl-identified-as-london-stabbing-victim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">random attack</a> in Leicester Square. </p> <p>Abdullah, a security who was working nearby during the random attack, had jumped into action and saved her life  by holding down the alleged attacker, Ioan Pintaru, until police arrived. </p> <p>On Thursday, Laila and her mum talked about the terrifying incident on <em>Sunrise</em>, and spoke about the incredible bond they had formed with the hero security guard. </p> <p>When shown the clip of Laila and her mum on <em>Sunrise </em>the day after, Abdullah was moved to tears by the heartfelt interview. </p> <p>“I will try to be in contact with them all my life,” Abdullah said, wiping away tears from his eyes.</p> <p>“She is just like my little sister now.”</p> <p>Abdullah was hailed as a hero for his bravery, and recognised at the Pakistan High Commission in London as part of their Independence Day celebrations on the 14th of August. </p> <p>Samantha had told <em>Sunrise</em> that Abdullah “is an absolutely gorgeous human”.</p> <p>“He’s just been checking in on Laila and myself and, yeah, we’ve just been keeping in contact,” she said.</p> <p>“He’s quickly taken Laila in as a little sister, and I think that he will continue to check in on her for a very long time." </p> <p>Pintaru  — a Romanian citizen with no fixed address —  was not asked to enter any pleas and was remanded in custody before his next hearing on September 10.</p> <p>He was charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.</p> <p><em>Images: Seven</em></p>

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London stabbing victim's incredible bond with hero security guard

<p>The identity of the NSW schoolgirl who was stabbed in<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/11-year-old-australian-girl-identified-as-london-stabbing-victim" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> a random attack</a> in London’s Leicester Square has been revealed. </p> <p>Laila Johnson, 11, and her mum Samantha, 34, from Candelo NSW, were on holiday when the horrific incident occurred on August 12. </p> <p>Abdullah, a security who was working nearby during the random attack, immediately jumped into action and saved her life by holding down the alleged attacker, Ioan Pintaru, until police arrived. </p> <p>“I saw outside there was a guy who was stabbing a girl, so as I saw him stabbing the girl, I started to run towards the guy,” he said shortly after the attack. </p> <p>“I jumped on the guy and grabbed his hand in which he was carrying a knife. I tackled him down on the floor and kicked the knife away from him.</p> <p>“There was only one thought — to save the kid and save her mum, nothing else.”</p> <p>Laila was taken to hospital where she had plastic surgery for serious but non-life-threatening injuries to her face, shoulder, wrist, and neck and was out of hospital the day after the incident. </p> <p>On Thursday, Laila and her mum talked about the terrifying incident on <em>Sunrise</em> and paid tribute to Abdullah. </p> <p>“He is an absolutely gorgeous human,” mother Sam, said.</p> <p>“He’s just been checking in on Laila and myself and, yeah, we’ve just been keeping in contact.</p> <p>“He’s quickly taken Laila in as a little sister, and I think that he will continue to check in on her for a very long time.”</p> <p>Sam recalled the moment Abdullah saved her daughter's life. </p> <p>“He didn’t hesitate. He’s exactly who you want around in a time like that,” she said.</p> <p>She also praised daughter Laila for her optimism, and the day after the incident, the pair were escorted to Wembley Stadium, with the two police officers who came to her aid last week, where she sat in a VIP box to watch her favourite superstar, Taylor Swift. </p> <p>“She was still very sore, but she was getting up and dancing,” Laila’s mum told <em>The Daily Telegraph</em>. </p> <p>“She has always been the most optimistic and determined child in the world. Yeah, I was a bit worried that that might stop her from Taylor Swift, but I shouldn’t have worried,” Sam said on <em>Sunrise</em>. </p> <p>Laila is now back at school and will be he lead in the school's performance of Alice in Wonderland. </p> <p>Pintaru — a Romanian citizen of no fixed address — fronted Westminster Magistrates Court last week charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.</p> <p>He was asked not to enter any pleas and was remanded in custody before his next hearing on September 10.</p> <p><em>Images: Seven</em></p>

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11-year-old Australian girl identified as London stabbing victim

<p>The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has confirmed that the 11-year-old girl stabbed in Leicester Square in London on Monday is Australian.</p> <p>“Owing to our privacy obligations we cannot provide further comment,” a DFAT spokesperson said.</p> <p>The girl's mother, 34, was initially believed to have also been hurt, but UK police have confirmed that blood from her daughter's injuries had been mistaken for injuries of her own. </p> <p>The young girl was taken to hospital with serious but not life threatening injuries to the face, shoulder, wrist and neck area, and will require plastic surgery for the injuries she sustained. </p> <p>The DFAT are providing consular assistance to the pair reportedly from NSW, according to the <em>ABC</em>. </p> <p>A 32-year-old man, Ioan Pintaru, was arrested and appeared in court on Tuesday charged with the attempted murder. </p> <p>The girl and her mother were visiting the busy tourist area at the time of the random attack. </p> <p>Pintaru is a Romanian citizen with no fixed address, and spoke through a translator during the court hearing. </p> <p>Prosecutor David Burns told the court: "the defendant has approached the 11-year-old girl, placed her into a headlock and he has then stabbed her eight times to the body." </p> <p>Pintaru was detained by members of the public and allegedly found with a steak knife. </p> <p>Abdullah, a security who was working nearby during the random attack said he “heard a scream” before tackling the alleged offender to the ground.</p> <p>“I just saw a kid getting stabbed and I just tried to save her. It’s my duty to just save them,” he told the <em>Press Association</em>.</p> <p>“I jumped on him, held the hand in which he was [carrying] a knife, and just put him down on the floor and just held him and took the knife away from him.”</p> <p>He performed CPR on the child before emergency services arrived at the scene. </p> <p>Police have said that Pintaru did not know the girl or her mother and do not believe the stabbing was terror-related. </p> <p>Pintaru was remanded in custody and is due to appear in court again on September 10. </p> <p><em>Images: 9News</em></p>

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"More good in this world": Bondi stabbing victim's partner shares update

<p>The partner of Ashlee Good, who was one of six people who tragically died in the Bondi Junction Westfield stabbing rampage in April, have shared an update on how he and their baby daughter are coping after their loss. </p> <p>Ashlee Good, 38, died in the attack at the hands of Joel Cauchi but managed to hand off her nine-month-old daughter Harriet to good Samaritans in an act that saved the baby’s life.</p> <p>Harriet sustained stab wounds during the attack and was taken to Sydney Children's Hospital in critical condition, but made a full recovery and was able to go home.</p> <p>In the wake of the tragedy, a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/Ash-Good" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page was set up to help support Good's partner Dan Flanagan and Harriet, with the fundraising page now reaching nearly $850,000.</p> <p>Flanagan posted on the fundraising page on Monday, thanking the thousands of donors, as well as medical staff, friends and family for their “overwhelming support, kindness, and generosity” in the wake of his “unimaginable loss”.</p> <p>“Nothing will ever dull the pain of losing Ash, but reading your messages and seeing what an impact Ash has had on so many people has provided a lot of comfort,” he wrote.</p> <p>“The day our family of three became a family of two will never make sense to me, but countless people – including every single one of you who wrote messages and donated through this page – have shown me that while tragic things do unfortunately happen, there is more good in this world, than bad."</p> <p>“While Harriet and I do our best to navigate our new world privately, I want to make one public promise to each of you: that the kindness and generosity you’ve shown us will never be forgotten. From the bottom of my heart – thank you.”</p> <p>Ms Good was one of six people killed in the attack, with the lives of Cheng Yixuan, 27, Pikria Darchia, 55, Dawn Singleton, 25, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, 30, and Jade Young, 47, also lost.</p> <p>Mr Flanagan also shared his condolences to the other families torn apart by the horrific event. </p> <p>“Our lives will never be the same, and I wish every one of you your own strength and hope you’re getting the support required to navigate such incomprehensible and difficult times,” Mr Flanagan wrote.</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

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Australia rallies behind grieving mum after Carlton train tragedy

<p>Australians have rallied together to raise money for the wife of a hero father who died along with his daughter after they were <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/father-remembered-for-instinctive-act-of-bravery-before-train-tragedy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tragically struck</a> by a train. </p> <p>Anand Runwal, 40, and his two-year-old daughter were killed at Sydney's Carlton train station on July 21 after a pram carrying the twin girls fell onto the train tracks. </p> <p>One of the twins miraculously survived and was rescued by police who crawled under the train when they heard her crying. </p> <p>Now, nearly $140,000 has been raised for his wife, Poonam, who reportedly flew back to India to be with family and bury her husband, according to the <em>Daily Mail</em>. </p> <p>“In the face of this unimaginable loss and grief, we come together as family, friends and colleagues to support the family of Anand Runwal, a hero who sacrificed everything to try and save his twin daughters during the Carlton Train Station tragedy,” the fundraiser read.</p> <p>“Anand was a calm, humble and friendly person who was liked by everyone he associated with.</p> <p>“Let’s surround the Runwal family with love, kindness, and generosity. Every donation, share, and message of support brings comfort and hope to those affected by this tragedy.”</p> <p>The fundraiser has exceeded its initial goal of $20,000 and has now been closed. </p> <p>Nadeen Ahmed, who runs the <em>Indians in Sydney</em> Facebook group has shared Poonam's reaction to the generosity of everyone who donated. </p> <p>“They initially wanted to raise $20,000 to help her with her immediate expenses but they were overwhelmed by the response and people’s generosity,” Ahmed told the<em> Daily Mail</em>.</p> <p>"They ended up raising almost $140,000 in just a couple of days, which they never expected.</p> <p>"They raised so much they decided to close the fundraiser and that money has now all been transferred to Mrs Runwal," she continued.</p> <p>“It’s a very hard situation for her, knowing what to do. She’s heading back to India to be with family because it is going to take months and months for her to deal with this tragedy.”</p> <p>NSW Police Superintendent Paul Dunstan was one of many who praised Runwal’s "brave and heroic" act. </p> <p>NSW Premier Chris Minns, who lives close to the station, also praised the father's "instinctive act of bravery", adding “that’s not going to bring him or his little daughter back, but it shouldn’t go unremarked upon in the face of a terrible, terrible accident.</p> <p>“He gave his life to try and save his children.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

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Cause of death revealed after eight-year-old dies mid-flight

<p>The cause of death of an eight-year-old girl who died suddenly mid-flight has been revealed. </p> <p>Sydney Weston was travelling with her family from their home state of Missouri to Chicago on June 13th when she suddenly fell ill on the flight and died. </p> <p>Now, according to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood, Sydney was suffering from at least five different illnesses at the time of her death. </p> <p>The eight-year-old reportedly died from complications of chronic primary adrenalitis coupled with several infections, including enterovirus and strep, as well as inflammation of the small intestines known as duodenitis and the thyroid gland inflammation commonly known as thyroiditis. </p> <p>Harwood found that the long list of conditions suggests Sydney may have suffered from an autoimmune disorder which left her body attacking its own healthy cells and harming organ operation. </p> <p>Sydney suffered a medical emergency onboard the flight, causing the plane to divert to Peoria, Illinois, for an emergency landing, but Sydney died after being rushed to a nearby hospital.</p> <p>Results from a previously released preliminary autopsy were inconclusive but found that her body showed no signs of abuse, neglect or foul play.</p> <p>At the time of her sudden and tragic death, Sydney was just a week away from celebrating her ninth birthday.</p> <p>“She will forever be remembered for the happiness she brought to every single person she encountered. Our hearts are heavy. She was our baby girl and we celebrate her beautiful life,” her obituary read.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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Teenager charged with murdering school girls at dance class identified

<p dir="ltr">A court in the UK has identified the 17-year-old boy accused of going on a stabbing rampage at a <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/taylor-swift-in-shock-after-three-young-girls-killed-at-dance-class" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dance class </a>and killing three young girls. </p> <p dir="ltr">The court released the information on Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, a 17-year-old born in Cardiff, in order to stem the flow of misinformation about the suspect that ignited riots around the UK. </p> <p dir="ltr">The court said that while Rudakubana would not normally have been publicly named due to the fact that he is still a minor, they made an exception to quash the riots, while also taking into account that he is just days away from his 18th birthday. </p> <p dir="ltr">Unrest has been seen outside mosques as protesters target Muslims in the wake of the tragedy, causing police to again confirm that the teen was born in the UK. </p> <p dir="ltr">Police said his family are of Rwandan descent where 92 per cent of people identify as Christian, while only 2 per cent of Rwandans are Muslim.</p> <p dir="ltr">The horror began at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on Monday in Southport, just north of Liverpool in England’s north west, when Rudakubana targeted the young girls and their families. </p> <p>Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar died after the knife rampage, while eight other children suffered stab wounds and five were in fighting for their life, alongside two adults who were critically injured.</p> <p>Following the tragedy, large crowds fought with police in the town close to where the tragedy had happened including outside a mosque after false reports emerged that the attacker was Muslim. </p> <p>Rudakubana, who was born in Cardiff in Wales but lived in the town of Banks in Lancashire, close to Southport, has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder and a knife possession charged.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Merseyside Police</em></p>

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Sydney Olympics icon opens up on domestic violence abuse

<p>In a rare and candid interview, former child star Nikki Webster has spoken about her challenging journey of recovery from domestic violence.</p> <p>The 37-year-old, known for her iconic performance at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the hit song "Strawberry Kisses", shared her experiences on KIIS FM’s The Kyle and Jackie O Show.</p> <p>Webster, now a mother of two and the owner of a dance school, opened up about her struggles during a segment of the show. When co-host Kyle Sandilands inquired about her dating life, he seemed unaware of her much-publicised marriage breakdown in 2019, where her ex-husband was charged with a domestic violence offence.</p> <p>“I’m single,” Webster replied, prompting Sandilands to ask, “Why? Where’s your bloke?” She described the situation as “a long story” and “not a very happy story", revealing she had faced “a pretty hard few years”.</p> <p>Webster was previously married to Qantas flight attendant Matthew McMah. The couple, who married in 2012, separated eight years later. In November 2019, it was revealed that McMah had been convicted of assaulting Webster earlier that year. He received an $880 fine at the Downing Centre Local Court.</p> <p>Encouraged by Sandilands' lighthearted questions, Webster chose to share more about her past, mentioning her challenging experiences with domestic violence. “I come from quite a bad background of some domestic violence and stuff. So, I’m happy to be on the other side of that and, you know, focusing on life and kids,” she said. Webster confirmed she is doing "great" now, focusing on her children and her life.</p> <p>In a previous interview with <em>Woman’s Day</em>, Webster expressed hope for future love while reaffirming her commitment to her children. "I hope one day the right person will come along and it will just happen," she said, adding, "But I’m really happy with being a mum; it’s my favourite job in the world."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram / KIISFM</em></p>

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Father remembered for "instinctive act of bravery" before train tragedy

<p>A family outing has ended in tragedy when a pram carrying twin girls rolled onto the train tracks at Carlton railway station in Sydney.</p> <p>CCTV footage showed the family heading off on their outing just several minutes before tragedy struck.</p> <p>They were walking down the footpath, with the father holding the pram and the mother pulling a trolley bag, before waiting to cross the road to the train station. </p> <p> The parents had arrived on the platform via an elevator and taken their hands off the pram for a "very, very short period of time" when it began to roll, according to NSW Police Superintendent Paul Dunstan. </p> <p>The 40-year-old father is being remembered for his bravery, after he jumped onto the tracks to try and save his twin daughters.</p> <p>Horrified witnesses also tried to flag the train down, but unfortunately it was too late. Emergency services were called to the station at around 12:25 pm.</p> <p>The father and one of the two-year-old girls were killed, and the girls' mother who witnessed the accident unfold was left "incredibly traumatised" according to the Superintendent.</p> <p>Dunstan told reporters several hours after the tragedy that responding officers could hear crying from underneath the train.</p> <p>“Police climbed under the train and rescued one of the children, who was thankfully unharmed, and reunited her with the mother," Dunstan said.</p> <p>“Sadly, the other child, a two-year-old female, and her father who attempted to save the child, have passed away as a result of this incident.”</p> <p>“Whether it’s a gust of wind ... we’re not quite sure. But it appears that the pram has instantly started to roll in the direction of the train lines.”</p> <p>The father has been praised for his "brave and heroic" act. </p> <p>“He’s gone into parent mode and tried to save his two young daughters that have fallen onto the tracks and in doing so it’s cost his life, but it’s an incredibly brave and heroic act,” Dunstan said.</p> <p>The other daughter, who had survived, had fallen between the tracks and was "lucky" to have escaped injury, Dunstan added.</p> <p>The train was heading from Cronulla to the City and wasn't due to stop at Carlton.</p> <p>A police investigation is underway and the National Rail Safety Regulator had also been informed.</p> <p>Premier Chris Minns described the incident as a “terrible, terrible tragedy”.</p> <p>“This is a very confronting and sad day for the St George community,” he said.</p> <p>“I hope over time they can gain some small solace knowing that the father died from an extraordinary, instinctive act of bravery.</p> <p>“That’s not going to bring him or his little daughter back. But it shouldn’t go unremarked upon in the face of a terrible, terrible accident, he gave his own life to try and save his children.”</p> <p><em>Images: Channel 9</em></p>

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From lettuce fields to opera stages – the brilliant journey of Helen Sherman

<p>How does a young girl growing up on a lettuce farm in rural New South Wales, surrounded by the quiet rustle of leaves and the hum of daily farm life, go on to become such a powerful voice on the operatic scene? This is the unlikely beginning of Helen Sherman, the Australian-British mezzo-soprano who has taken the world of opera by storm. </p> <p>Sherman’s musical journey began at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where her extraordinary voice started to attract attention. It wasn't long before her ambition led her to the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in the UK. There, she honed her craft, setting the stage for a remarkable career that would see her representing Australia at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition and the Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition.</p> <p>Sherman's rise to operatic fame has been nothing short of meteoric. Her versatility and talent have seen her perform a wide range of roles across the globe. Recent highlights include Flora in <em>La traviata</em> at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Octavian in <em>Der Rosenkavalier</em> and Cherubino in <em>Le nozze di Figaro</em> with Opera North. Her portrayal of Tamiri in <em>Farnace</em> with Pinchgut Opera and Dorabella in <em>Così fan tutte</em> at Teatru Manoel in Malta further cemented her reputation as a mezzo-soprano of extraordinary range and depth.</p> <p>One of Sherman’s standout performances was her interpretation of the title role in <em>Carmen</em> with the State Opera South Australia. Her embodiment of Carmen’s fiery spirit and complex emotions captivated audiences and critics alike. Equally compelling was her portrayal of Giulio Cesare with Bury Court Opera, a role that showcased her ability to navigate the demanding vocal and dramatic challenges of baroque opera.</p> <p>In 2024, Sherman’s calendar is as busy as ever, as she will be singing Dorabella in <em>Così fan tutte</em> and Mistress of the Novices in <em>Suor Angelica</em> for Opera Australia, roles that promise to highlight her versatility and emotional depth. </p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Over60 was lucky enough to be able to interview Sherman in the lead-up to her Sydney performances of <span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/il-trittico-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Il Trittico</a> </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;">and <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/cosi-fan-tutte-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Così fan tutte</a></span>: </p> <p><em><strong>O60: How did you become an opera singer after growing up on a lettuce farm in rural NSW? </strong></em></p> <p>“It was quite a journey. My father was an incredible piano accordionist (think Flight of the Bumblebee, Malagueña etc). In the 1970s his teaching studio in Bathurst peaked at about 40 accordion students, which I think is quite remarkable. After his father died, Dad stepped back from his teaching to take over the family farm, though he still plays to this day. </p> <p>“My mother is a music lover, and wanted her children to have the opportunity to explore creative outlets that she wasn't fortunate enough to explore in her youth, so my brother, sister and I all had lessons in piano accordion, piano, dancing, drama and singing. We were fortunate to live in a town that had many thriving arts organisations, such as the Dolly McKinnon School of Dance, Bathurst Eisteddfod Society and Mitchell Conservatorium of Music. </p> <p>“Bathurst's Carillon Theatrical Society (for which my dad's cousin, the late, great, Carole Eastment, was choreographer) afforded us the opportunity to be part of full-scale classic musical productions. I was also fortunate to attend MacKillop College, a local Catholic high school of humble proportions, that had a very passionate and resourceful music teacher, Mr David Eyles. Thanks to him, students like me were able to star in wittily re-written and orchestrated G&amp;S productions. With such a plethora of opportunities at my feet, my love of the stage was pretty much pre-determined.</p> <p>“Upon graduating high school, aged seventeen, I moved to Sydney to take up a place at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where I completed a Bachelor of Music and a post graduate diploma in opera. At this stage, I wasn't really in love with opera, that came later, when I found myself covering third novice in OA's 2007 production of Suor Angelica.</p> <p>“During the last studio run of the show, mere metres away from me, star soprano Cheryl Barker was singing the final solo notes of the title role: ‘Madonna! Madonna! Salva me! Salva me!’, tears streaming down her face, and the most incredible voice soaring out; I had chills all over my body and in my soul, and I have loved opera ever since.” </p> <p><em><strong style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">O60: </strong><strong>You were based in London for years; how did you find the opera world overseas versus in Australia – in both your studies and performing? </strong></em></p> <p>“I guess the main differences are that the UK scene is a bigger one with more companies and more music schools; a more international one, that students and professionals from around the world flock to, and one with – historically – more financial backing and patronage. However, the scene in the UK has suffered dramatically in the last few years, particularly with the effects of Brexit compounded by COVID, cost-of-living crisis and embarrassingly ignorant cuts made by the Arts Council. </p> <p>“Generally, abroad, there are many more opportunities for musicians, but many, many more musicians competing for them. It is an awe-inspiring thing to meet and work with musical idols like Roger Vignols, Julius Drake, Yvonne Kenny etcetera, to sing a piece of music in the venue in which it premiered or was composed for; to tread the same cobblestones that the likes of Mozart and Handel trod and to delight in the discovery that the shoes or trousers you're wearing in a production bear the name of the likes of Dame Sarah Connolly.” </p> <p>“However, I would say that there is plenty of exciting stuff going on in Australia and an optimism and openness in the Australian people, which is impactful on our industry and its creative output. </p> <p>“More needs to be done in our country to insure all children are given creative learning outlets for the benefit of their development, their communities and for the future of our industry.” </p> <p><em><strong style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">O60: </strong><strong>Why did you return to Sydney and how are you enjoying it? Any future plans to head back overseas? </strong></em></p> <p>“After a health scare in 2022 that forced me to cancel all my work, my husband received a job offer to relocate to Sydney. It felt like the universe was opening a door for us, so we gladly walked through it, and onto a flight to Sydney in mid 2023. I have felt welcomed (back!) with open arms both personally and professionally and I have no imminent plans to return abroad, at this stage.” </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">O60: </span>You’ve appeared in many staged productions as well as concerts. What do you like about these two types of performances? </em></strong></p> <p>“Concert performances are a chance to home in on the music and the words without worrying about physical action. Staged productions afford the performer the luxury of inhabiting and exploring a character, physically, right down to their shoes and petticoats. Both are wonderful ways of working and some works naturally lend themselves to one or the other – though, I think for opera, context is key, and can be a challenge to properly manufacture on the concert platform.” </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">O60: </span>Tell us about your two characters and how do you prepare for performing two roles in different operas in the same season? </em></strong></p> <p>“I've been playing the role of Mistress of Novices in Suor Angelica and am currently preparing the role of Dorabella in Così fan Tutte. One is a senior nun and the other an excitable teenage girl, so they are rather disparate. </p> <p>“The big challenge is in the early days of learning and memorising the role. Once you have a grasp of the music, the libretto and who you are, it's about showing up and reacting to your world. Preparing disparate roles concurrently can be a vocal challenge, since tessitura and vocal gesture have a big impact on how one might approach a score. I like to keep in touch, daily, with technical exercises that encourage economy and flexibility in my voice, especially when I'm working on contrasting roles. Thankfully, the human voice is a very sensitive instrument and responds intuitively to intention and emotion, so developing the character arc and subtext helps a lot with that. </p> <p><strong><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">O60: </span>What should audiences be watching and/or listening out for Il Trittico versus in Così fan tutte? </em></strong></p> <p>“There's so much to enjoy so let it wash over you in broad, beautiful, very human brushstrokes!! Or, if you love little details, in Il Trittico see if you can spot which singers appear in all three operas and watch out for Frugola's bag of strange objects in Il Tabarro. You'll learn a lot from the body language and small glances between characters in the world of Suor Angelica, and in Gianni Schicchi, well, I am told there is a very interesting door stop!</p> <p>“In Così fan Tutte, listen out for the way Mozart creates subtext for his characters; tiny details, like Dorabella needing to sing a third higher than Fiordiligi (because she is the competitive younger sister!) when emotionally fraught in some of their act one recitatives! Mozart is a genius of musical detail!” </p> <p><em><strong style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">O60: </strong><strong>Do you have any dream roles you’re yet to perform? </strong></em></p> <p>“There are too many to list, but I adore the role of Octavian in der Rosenkavalier by Strauss (a role I have sung, but would love to revisit) and I would love to sing Ariodante by Händel.”</p> <p>---</p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px;">Click here for more information on </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/il-trittico-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Il Trittico</a> </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;">and <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/cosi-fan-tutte-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Così fan tutte</a>. </span></p>

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