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"If it's not broken, don't fix it": Majority of Australians favour current flag

<p>The majority of Australians want to keep the current design of the national flag, according to a survey by Roy Morgan. </p> <p>The survey asked 1312 Australians whether they thought Australia should have a new design for the national flag, and a majority (61 per cent) said they wanted to keep the current flag featuring the Union Jack, Southern Cross and Commonwealth Star. </p> <p>While many Australians believe that, "If it's not broken don't fix it" according to the survey, the majority support for the current national flag has gone down 5 per cent since 2010. </p> <p>One of the other reasons why respondents backed the current national flag was because of the historical importance and heritage of the flag. </p> <p>"Our ANZACS fought and died under this flag," one respondent to the survey said.</p> <p>Other reasons why people wanted to keep the flag the same include scepticism about alternative flags and concerns about costs of changing the designs. </p> <p>For those who wanted to change the flag, Roy Morgan said there was strong support for removing the Union Jack from the flag because of its colonial symbolism.</p> <p>"Colonial ties to the UK are an embarrassment," one respondent said.</p> <p>"We are no longer part of the empire," another wrote.</p> <p>Australians were also asked if they thought Australia should keep the Monarchy, with 57 per cent saying we should keep it, three per cent less than in 2022. </p> <p>When asked if we should become a republic, 43 per cent agreed, up three per cent since 2022. </p> <p>"Australians are even more attached to the National Flag than the Constitutional Monarchy," Roy Morgan Chief Executive Michele Levine said.</p> <p>"The results of this Roy Morgan SMS Poll on attitudes towards the current Australian National Flag and whether it should be re-designed show a clear split along political lines with the Coalition on one side, the Greens on the other side, and ALP supporters straddling the centre line with large segments advocating for a change and almost as many wanting to retain the current design," she added. </p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Australians are reading less than other countries, a new report shows. Why?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katya-johanson-425719">Katya Johanson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p>Recent international research shows Australians are buying and reading fewer books than people in many other countries. But why?</p> <p>A <a href="https://risebookselling.eu/consumer-behaviour">report</a> by the European and International Book Federation found that only 64% of Australians bought a book in the past year, compared to an average 72% of people across 19 countries.</p> <p>Similarly, 80% of Australians read a book in the past year, slightly below the international average of 85%. These differences are slim, but as book buyers and readers, we are among the lowest in the sample, alongside Aotearoa New Zealand, Finland, Latvia and the United States.</p> <p>The number of people who had read a book in the past year in Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Ireland all came in at over 90%.</p> <p>Local research also suggests reading rates in Australia are falling. Back in 2017, a Macquarie University study found 92% of us read books at least once in the previous year. By 2021, in the <a href="https://australiareads.org.au/research/the-national-reading-survey/">Australia Reads national survey</a> that figure had dropped to 75%.</p> <p>What’s behind these numbers?</p> <p>Price might be less of a factor than we often assume – and surprisingly, Australia’s dependence on cars could play a role. International examples showing how other countries protect and value their book cultures –  from government policies to counter the strength of Amazon to public holidays for poets – suggest measures to actively boost our own could help.</p> <h2>The price myth</h2> <p>There’s a general perception that books cost too much in Australia. But they’re not necessarily more expensive here than elsewhere. Competition from online retailers like Amazon and increases in production costs globally <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/book-publishing/171/">have levelled prices internationally</a>.</p> <p>In fact, Australians often pay similar or less for books than readers in Canada, New Zealand and the US.</p> <p>Tim Winton’s new novel, <a href="https://theconversation.com/tim-winton-goes-cli-fi-his-dystopian-novel-juice-breaks-new-ground-to-face-the-climate-emergency-238769">Juice</a>, for example, has an Australian recommended retail price of A$49.99. It’s almost exactly the same price in Aotearoa New Zealand (A$49.81) and costs more in Canada (A$54.59). In the US, Juice is A$44.02, and in the UK, it’s A$43.07.</p> <p>While UK book prices are lower, this is mainly because books there don’t attract sales tax. The UK <a href="https://www.accountingfirms.co.uk/blog/are-books-vat-exempt/#:%7E:text=In%20the%20UK%2C%20books%20are,to%20most%20goods%20and%20services">made books exempt</a> from its value-added tax (VAT) applied to most goods and services – a deliberate decision to make reading more affordable.</p> <p>Pauline MacLeod, the children’s and young adult literature specialist at Brisbane’s Riverbend Books, told me children’s publishers are “trying hard to keep local books priced between $22.99 and $25.99”. Still, <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-australian-workers-true-cost-of-living-has-climbed-far-faster-than-weve-been-told-221590">in the current cost of living squeeze</a> books are a discretionary spend some cannot afford.</p> <h2>Public transport is good for reading</h2> <p>Interestingly, countries where <a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/8282/rail-passenger-transport-in-europe/#statisticChapter">more people use public transport</a> – like the UK, France, Germany and Spain – tend to have higher reading rates. It’s easier to read a book on a train than in a car, and these countries often have bookshops in train stations, creating a culture of reading while commuting.</p> <p>In contrast, car-dependent countries like Australia, the US and Aotearoa New Zealand show lower reading rates. Our reliance on cars might explain why audiobooks are more popular in Australia than in many other countries.</p> <h2>A holiday for a poet</h2> <p>In Ireland, where 91% of people have read a book in the past 12 months, there is a strong cultural history of storytelling. Reading is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/aug/20/we-all-read-like-hell-how-ireland-became-the-worlds-literary-powerhouse">supported by</a> an arts council providing grants and bursaries, and a healthy ecosystem of literary festivals and magazines, public libraries and bookshops.</p> <p>Australia has many of these things, but Ireland also significantly supports writers, with a tax exemption on artists’ income up to €50,000 (approximately A$81,500) and a basic-income pilot scheme granting 2,000 artists €325 (approximately A$530) a week.</p> <p>In France, where the government <a href="https://www.culture.gouv.fr/en/regions/drac-grand-est/services/idc/reading-book/Support-for-the-book-economy">actively protects its reading culture</a>, 88% of people have read a book in the past 12 months. In 2022, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/23/france-minimum-book-delivery-fee-amazon">France introduced a law</a> to make French bookshops more competitive with online retailers like Amazon which often offer free delivery of books. By setting a minimum delivery fee for all online book orders of less than €35 (around A$57), the government aims to level the playing field for local booksellers.</p> <p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, only 5% of French people buy all their books online (as opposed to 12% in Australia).</p> <p>Australia has public holidays dedicated to sports, like the Melbourne Cup and the AFL Grand Final (both in Victoria). In Portugal, a national holiday, Portugal Day, commemorates the death of poet <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Luis-de-Camoes">Luís de Camões</a>, considered Portugal’s greatest.</p> <p>While 85% of Portuguese people have read a book in the past 12 months (exactly the international average), they consider reading as one of their hobbies (37%) and have bought a book in the past year (76%) at rates above the international average.</p> <p>Interestingly, just 32% of Australians said they consider reading a hobby, compared to 44% in Spain and 42% in the UK.</p> <p>Families, the education system and the media are also all key to inculcating this culture of reading, as is a strong local publishing industry.</p> <h2>The way forward</h2> <p>Local booksellers report declining reading rates in Australia, too. Robbie Egan, CEO of Australia’s peak bookselling industry body, BookPeople, told me: “The competition for eyeballs is real and it is fierce, and consumer discretionary dollars are scarce”. Industry leaders like Egan suggest we need a national campaign to promote the benefit of reading.</p> <p>We know from local research that <a href="https://www.bookpeople.org.au/images/BookPeople_Papers_Imagination.pdf">Australians value books and storytelling</a>. With increasing competition from other forms of entertainment and tighter household budgets, encouraging a stronger reading culture may be more important than ever.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/243272/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katya-johanson-425719">Katya Johanson</a>, Professor of Publishing and Audience Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image </em><em>credits: Shutterstock </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/australians-are-reading-less-than-other-countries-a-new-report-shows-why-243272">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Australian Word of the Year announced

<p>Cost-of-living pressures and anger at the nation-wide supermarket duopoly have influenced the Australian Word of the Year for 2024.</p> <p>The Australian National Dictionary Centre, based at the Australian National University, has chosen "Colesworth": a blended word referencing the country's largest supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths.</p> <p>Senior Researcher Mark Gwynn said the word is almost exclusively used in negative contexts, with many calling out the power held by both supermarket giants. </p> <p>Although the word itself has been circulated for several years, its use has skyrocketed over the past 12 months, according to Gwynn.</p> <p>"Aussies walk out of the supermarket with less after paying more, but then hear news of massive profits in the supermarket sector. And with official investigations into some of the pricing practices at Australia's two largest supermarkets, it's no wonder that ordinary shoppers have become cynical," he said.</p> <p>"The blend of the supermarket names Coles and Woolworths into Colesworth provides a succinct way of referring to both supermarkets while at the same time hinting at the negative aspects of what is perceived as an unfair duopoly."</p> <p>Other shortlisted words include a mix of terms referencing politics, tax, and climate change.</p> <p>"Breaking" also made the shortlist, following the iconic performance by Australian artist RayGun at the Paris Olympic Games, with words included "climate trigger," "ute tax," and "YIMBY" (Yes In My Backyard).</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Books

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Dwayne Johnson's emotional moment with cancer-stricken fan

<p>A heartfelt moment between Hollywood actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and a fan battling stage 4 cancer has gone viral. </p> <p>While on a trip to Target in New Jersey, Johnson met a woman who shared candidly that she was facing stage 4 pancreatic cancer. </p> <p>Johnson greeted her warmly in the shop, “Good to see you, how are you feeling?”</p> <p>With a smile, the woman replied: “Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Can’t do anything about it.”</p> <p>Johnson then offered to take a photo with her, to which she responded, “I would love to.”</p> <p>As they posed together, the woman proudly declared, “I’m a warrior,” prompting Johnson to affirm, “You are a warrior,” before the woman joked that they looked alike since they both had no hair.</p> <p>Before he parted, she told Johnson: “We gotta keep fighting, fight fight fight.”</p> <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCTEM7ixvm1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCTEM7ixvm1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The Rock then posted a video of the sweet moment to his Instagram, reflecting on the moment with the caption, "As frenzied, and chaotic as all this was - it hit me here just how unpredictable, yet beautiful life truly is."</p> <p>The video quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, with many commenting words of support for the fan. </p> <p>"The Rock is the most humble guy ever," one person wrote, while another added, "You made that woman's day!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Caring

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Menopause is having a moment. How a new generation of women are shaping cultural attitudes

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bridgette-glover-2232638">Bridgette Glover</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-new-england-919">University of New England</a></em></p> <p>From hot flashes to hysteria, <a href="https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739170007/Periods-in-Pop-Culture-Menstruation-in-Film-and-Television">film and TV</a> have long represented menopause as scary, emotional and messy.</p> <p>Recently, celebrities have been sharing their personal menopause experiences on social media, helping to re-frame the conversation in popular culture.</p> <p>We are also seeing more stories about menopause on television, with real stories and depictions that show greater empathy for the person going through it.</p> <p>Menopause is having a moment. But will it help women?</p> <h2>The change onscreen</h2> <p>This is not what we’re used to seeing on our screens. Countless sitcoms, from All in the Family (1971–79) to Two and a Half Men (2003–15) have used the menopause madness trope for laughs.</p> <p>Retro sitcom That ‘70s Show (1998–2006) used mom Kitty’s menopause journey as comedic fodder for multiple episodes. When she mistakes a missed period for pregnancy, Kitty’s surprise menopause diagnosis results in an identity crisis alongside mood swings, hot flashes and irritability.</p> <p>But the audience is not meant to empathise. Instead, the focus is on how Kitty’s menopause impacts the men in her family. Having to navigate Kitty’s symptoms, her veteran husband likens the experience to war: “I haven’t been this frosty since Korea”.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mPLJBZiKV4U?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Even when male characters are not directly involved, women are determined to reject menopause because they see it as a marker of age that signals a loss of desirability and social worth. In Sex and the City (1998–2004), Samantha describes herself as “day-old bread” when she presumes her late period signifies menopause.</p> <p>This is a popular framing of menopause in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2018.1409969">post-feminist TV</a> of the 1990s and early 2000s. While the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2012.712373#d1e783">menstruating body</a> is constructed as uncontrollable and in need of management, the menopausal body requires management and maintenance to reject signals of collapse.</p> <p>These storylines erase the genuine experiences of confusion, discomfort and transformation that come with menopause.</p> <h2>A cultural moment arrives</h2> <p><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/12/31/460726461/why-2015-was-the-year-of-the-period-and-we-dont-mean-punctuation">Since 2015</a>, stories of menstruation have increased in popular culture.</p> <p>Series like comedy Broad City (2014–19) and comedy-drama Better Things (2016–22) directly call out the lack of menopause representations. When Abbi in Broad City admits she “totally forgot about menopause”, a woman responds “Menopause isn’t represented in mainstream media. Like, no one wants to talk about it”.</p> <p>Similarly, in Better Things, while watching her three daughters stare at the TV Sam laments: “No one wants to hear about it, which is why nobody ever prepared you for it”.</p> <p>And lack of preparation becomes a key theme for perimenopausal Charlotte in the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That … (2021–) when she has a “flash period”.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9AmwXuHo-2w?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Fleabag (2016–19) included a groundbreaking monologue about menopause delivered by Kristen Scott-Thomas, playing a successful businesswoman. She describes menopause as “horrendous, but then it’s magnificent”.</p> <blockquote> <p>[…] your entire pelvic floor crumbles, and you get fucking hot, and no one cares. But then you’re free. No longer a slave. No longer a machine with parts.</p> </blockquote> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RZrnHnASRV8?wmode=transparent&amp;start=13" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Scripted by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-menopause-20190524-story.html">celebrated</a> monologue critiques the post-feminist notion of striving to be the “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2012.712373#d1e783">idealised feminine body</a>”. Through this new feminist lens, menopause is acknowledged as both painful – physically and emotionally – and necessary for liberation.</p> <h2>Today’s menopause on screen</h2> <p>Alongside more recent series like The Change (2023), multiple documentaries including <a href="https://www.tamsenfadal.com/the-m-factor">The (M) Factor</a> (2024), and <a href="https://theconversation.com/there-is-no-future-for-ageing-women-how-the-substance-uses-body-horror-in-a-feminist-critique-239729">arguably</a> even films like The Substance (2024), social media has become a prolific space for raising awareness about menopause.</p> <p>Celebrities use social media to share tales of perimenopause and menopause, often in real time.</p> <p>Last year, actor Drew Barrymore experienced her “first perimenopausal hot flash” during her talk show.</p> <p>And ABC News Breakfast guest host, Imogen Crump, had to pause her news segment, saying</p> <blockquote> <p>I could keep stumbling through, but I’m having such a perimenopausal hot flush right now, live on air.</p> </blockquote> <p>Both Barrymore and Crump shared clips of their live segments to their social media pages, to challenge stigma and create conversations. Crump even posted to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/imogen-crump-6b74b726_perimenopause-activity-7127788484861300736-mhHh/">LinkedIn</a> to raise awareness in a professional setting.</p> <p>In a podcast interview clip shared to Instagram, writer and skincare founder, Zoë Foster Blake describes perimenopause as a “real mental health thing”, because of the lack of awareness. Recalling conversations with other perimenopausal women, Foster Blake says “We all think we’re crazy. We don’t know what the fuck is going on”.</p> <p>Feeling “crazy” is a constant theme in these conversations. As actor and <a href="https://stripesbeauty.com/pages/founder-story">menopause awareness advocate</a> Naomi Watts points out, this is largely thanks to Hollywood. Despite the stigmatising media stereotype of “crazy lady that shouts”, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ3BN9rS_7g">Watts argues</a> that with “support and community”, women experiencing perimenopause and menopause “can thrive”.</p> <p>In fact, Watts believes menopause should be celebrated: “we know ourselves better, we’re wiser for our cumulative experiences”.</p> <p>Medical professionals like American doctors <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBUCPW5OUTf/">Marie Clare Haver</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7IfaHDgXMY/">Corinne Menn</a> have been well-positioned to share their expertise and experiences via social media. They are catching and helping fuel a wave of advocacy and awareness for midlife women’s health.</p> <h2>Building community</h2> <p>After watching the menopause madness trope on our screens for decades, we are now seeing perimenopause and menopause depicted with more empathy. These depictions allow viewers – those who menstruate, who have menstruated, and who know menstruators – to feel seen and be informed.</p> <p>By sharing their experiences on social media and adding to these new screen stories, celebrities are building a community that makes the menopausal journey less lonely and helps those on it remember their worth.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/241784/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bridgette-glover-2232638">Bridgette Glover</a>, PhD Candidate in Media and Communications, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-new-england-919">University of New England</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </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/menopause-is-having-a-moment-how-a-new-generation-of-women-are-shaping-cultural-attitudes-241784">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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How should Australian media cover the next federal election? Lessons from the US presidential race

<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>Media coverage in Australia of the US presidential election and of the Voice referendum in October 2023 offer some pointers to what we might expect during next year’s federal election campaign.</p> <p>They also suggest some ways in which the professional mass media might better respond to the challenges thrown up by the combination of disinformation, harmful speech and hyper-partisanship that disfigured those two campaigns.</p> <p>The ideological contours of the Australian professional media, in particular its newspapers, have become delineated with increasing clarity over the past 15 years. In part this is a response to the polarising effects of social media, and in part it is a reflection of the increased stridency of political debate.</p> <p>The right is dominated by News Corporation, with commercial radio shock jocks playing a supporting role. The left is more diffuse and less given to propagandising. It includes the old Fairfax papers, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, now owned by the Nine Entertainment Company, and Guardian Australia.</p> <p>These contours are unlikely to change much, if at all, between now and the 2025 election.</p> <h2>Impartiality versus ‘bothsidesism’</h2> <p>Under these conditions, how might Australian journalism practice be adapted to better serve democracy under the pressures of an election campaign? The objective would be to contribute to the creation of a political culture in which people can argue constructively, disagree respectfully and work towards consensus.</p> <p>In pursuing that objective, a central issue is whether and how the media are committed to the principle of impartiality in news reports. This principle is under sustained pressure, as was seen in both the presidential election and the Voice referendum.</p> <p>We know from the words of its own editorial code of conduct that News Corp Australia does not accept the principle of impartiality in news reports. Paragraph 1.3 of that code states:</p> <blockquote> <p>Publications should ensure factual material in news reports is distinguishable from other material such as commentary and opinion. Comment, conjecture and opinion are acceptable as part of coverage to provide perspective on an issue, or explain the significance of an issue, or to allow readers to recognise what the publication’s or author’s standpoint is on a matter.</p> </blockquote> <p>This policy authorises journalists to write their news reports in ways that promote the newspaper’s or the journalist’s own views. This runs directly counter to the conventional separation of news from opinion accepted by most major media companies. This is exemplified by <a href="https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2023/07/27/GNM_editorial_code_of_practice_and_guidance_2023.pdf">the policy</a> of The Guardian, including Guardian Australia:</p> <blockquote> <p>While free to editorialise and campaign, a publication must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.</p> </blockquote> <p>Appended to The Guardian’s code is the essay written in 1921 by C. P. Scott, first the editor and then the owner-editor of the Manchester Guardian, to mark the newspaper’s centenary. It includes these words: “Comment is free, but facts are sacred”. Referring to a newspaper’s public duty, he added: “Propaganda […] is hateful.”</p> <p>In the present overheated atmosphere of public debate, impartiality has come to be confused with a discredited type of journalism known as “bothsidesism”.</p> <p>“Bothsidesism” presents “both sides” of an issue without any regard for their relative evidentiary merits. It allows for the ventilation of lies, hate speech and conspiracy theories on the spurious ground that these represent another, equally valid, side of the story.</p> <p>Impartiality is emphatically not “bothsidesism”. What particularly distinguishes impartiality is that it follows the weight of evidence. However, a recurring problem in the current environment is that the fair and sober presentation of evidence can be obliterated by the force of political rhetoric. As a result, impartiality can fall victim to its own detached passivity.</p> <p>Yet impartiality does not have to be passive: it can be proactive.</p> <p>During the presidential campaign, in the face of Trump’s egregious lying, some media organisations took this proactive approach.</p> <p>When Trump claimed during his televised debate with Kamala Harris that Haitian immigrants were eating people’s pets in the town of Springfield, Ohio, the host broadcaster, the American Broadcasting Company, fact-checked him in real time. It found, during the broadcast, that there was no evidence to support his claim.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nlCe8iOCJlQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>And for four years before that, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/24/trumps-false-or-misleading-claims-total-30573-over-four-years/">chronicled</a> Trump’s lies while in office, arriving at a total of 30,573.</p> <h2>Challenging misinformation</h2> <p>During the Voice referendum, many lies were told about what the Voice to Parliament would be empowered to do: advise on the date of Anzac Day, change the flag, set interest rates, and introduce a race-based element into the Constitution, advantaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over others.</p> <p>These were rebutted by the relevant authorities but by then the lies had been swept up in the daily tide of mis- or disinformation that was a feature of the campaign. At that point, rebuttals merely oxygenate the original falsehoods.</p> <p>More damaging still to the democratic process was the baseless allegation by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton that the Australian Electoral Commission had “rigged” the vote by accepting a tick as indicating “yes” but not accepting a cross as indicating “no”.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y_4H1IQID_M?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Opposition Senate leader, Simon Birmingham, also said allowing ticks but not crosses undermined the integrity of the process.</p> <p>The electoral commissioner, Tom Rogers, was reported as repudiating these claims, but by then these lies had acquired currency and momentum.</p> <p>A proactive approach to impartiality requires establishing the truthful position before or at the time of initial publication, then calling out falsehoods for what they are and providing supporting evidence. Neither the principle of impartiality nor any other ethical principle in journalism requires journalists to publish lies as if they might be true.</p> <p>It would not have been a failure of impartiality to say in a news report that Dutton’s claims about a rigged referendum were baseless, with the supporting evidence.</p> <p>That evidence, set out in an <a href="https://antonygreen.com.au/how-many-voters-mark-referendum-ballot-papers-with-a-cross-not-many-based-on-evidence/">excellent example</a> of proactive impartiality by the ABC’s election analyst Antony Green at the time, was that the ticks and crosses rule had been in place since 1988.</p> <h2>‘Proactive impartiality’ is the key to reporting the 2025 election</h2> <p>The question is, do Australia’s main media organisations as a whole have the resources and the will to invest in real-time fact-checking? The record is not encouraging.</p> <p>In March 2024, the ABC dissolved its fact-checking arrangement with RMIT University, replacing it with an in-house fact-checking unit called ABC News Verify.</p> <p>In 2023, a team led by Andrea Carson of La Trobe University published a <a href="https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/21078">study</a> tracking the fate of fact-checking operations in Australia. Its findings were summarised by her in The Conversation.</p> <p>In the absence of a fact-checking capability, it is hard to see how journalists can perform the kind of proactive impartiality that current circumstances demand.</p> <p>On top of that, the shift from advertising-based mass media to subscription-based niche media is creating its own logic, which is antithetical to impartiality.</p> <p>Mass-directed advertising was generally aimed at as broad an audience as possible. It encouraged impartiality in the accompanying editorial content as part of an appeal to the broad middle of society.</p> <p>Since a lot of this advertising has gone online, the media have begun to rely increasingly on subscriptions. In a hyper-partisan world, ideological branding, or alternatively freedom from ideological branding, has become part of the sales pitch.</p> <p>Where subscribers do expect to find ideological comfort, readership and ratings are at put risk when their expectations are disappointed.</p> <p>Rupert Murdoch <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-trump-2020-0ac71f75acfacc52ea80b3e747fb0afe">learned this</a> when his Fox News channel in the US called the 2020 election for Joe Biden, driving down ratings and causing him to reverse that position in order to claw back the losses.</p> <p>These are unpalatable developments for those who believe that fair, accurate news reporting untainted by the ideological preferences of proprietors or journalists is a vital ingredient in making a healthy democracy work. But that is the world we live in as we approach the federal election of 2025.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/243267/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865">Denis Muller</a>, 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: DEAN LEWINS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial - LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </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/how-should-australian-media-cover-the-next-federal-election-lessons-from-the-us-presidential-race-243267">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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These 12 things can reduce your dementia risk – but many Australians don’t know them all

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joyce-siette-1377445">Joyce Siette</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-dodds-1378067">Laura Dodds</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p>Dementia is a <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/provisional-mortality-statistics/jan-may-2022">leading</a> cause of death in Australia.</p> <p>Although dementia mainly affects older people, it is an avoidable part of ageing. In fact, we all have the power to reduce our risk of developing dementia, no matter your age.</p> <p>Research shows your risk of developing dementia could be <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext">reduced by up to 40%</a> (and even higher if you live in a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(19)30074-9/fulltext">low or middle-income country</a>) by addressing lifestyle factors such as healthy diet, exercise and alcohol consumption.</p> <p>But the first step to reducing population-wide dementia risk is to understand how well people understand the risk factors and the barriers they may face to making lifestyle changes.</p> <p>Our new <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9259/2/4/21/htm">paper</a>, published this week in the <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9259/2/4/21/htm">Journal of Ageing and Longevity</a>, found most older people are aware that dementia is a modifiable condition and that they have the power to change their dementia risk.</p> <p>We also found the key barrier to making brain healthy lifestyle choices was a lack of knowledge, which suggests a public awareness campaign is urgently needed.</p> <h2>What we did</h2> <p>We began by <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9259/2/4/21/htm">reviewing</a> the published research to identify 12 factors shown to reduce dementia risk. We surveyed 834 older Australians about their awareness of the 12 factors, which were:</p> <ol> <li>having a mentally active lifestyle</li> <li>doing physical activity</li> <li>having a healthy diet</li> <li>having strong mental health</li> <li>not smoking</li> <li>not consuming alcohol</li> <li>controlling high blood pressure</li> <li>maintaining a healthy weight</li> <li>managing high cholesterol</li> <li>preventing heart disease</li> <li>not having kidney disease</li> <li>not having diabetes</li> </ol> <p><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext">The Lancet</a> subsequently published its own list of factors that help reduce dementia risk, which covered much the same territory (but included a few others, such as reducing air pollution, treating hearing impairment and being socially engaged).</p> <p>Of course, there is no way to cut your dementia risk to zero. Some people do all the “right” things and still get dementia. But there is <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext">good evidence</a> managing lifestyle factors help make it <em>less likely</em> you will get dementia over your lifetime.</p> <p>Our study shows many older Australians are quite aware, with over 75% able to correctly identify more than four of the factors in our list of 12.</p> <p>However, few were able to name the less well-known risk factors, such as preventing heart disease and health conditions like kidney disease.</p> <p>The good news is that close to half of the sample correctly identified more than six of the 12 protective factors, with mentally active lifestyle, physical activity and healthy diet in the top three spots.</p> <h2>Two key issues</h2> <p>Two things stood out as strongly linked with the ability to identify factors influencing dementia risk.</p> <p>Education was key. People who received more than 12 years of formal schooling were more likely to agree that dementia was a modifiable condition. We are first exposed to health management in our school years and thus more likely to form healthier habits.</p> <p>Age was the other key factor. Younger respondents (less than 75 years old) were able to accurately identify more protective factors compared to older respondents. This is why health promotion initiatives and public education efforts about dementia are vital (such as Dementia Awareness Month and <a href="https://www.memorywalk.com.au/">Memory, Walk and Jog initiatives</a>).</p> <h2>How can these findings be used in practice?</h2> <p>Our findings suggest we need to target education across the different age groups, from children to older Australians.</p> <p>This could involve a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ajag.13049">whole system approach</a>, from programs targeted at <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5858574/#:%7E:text=Family%20Coaching%20has%20specific%20goals,to%20problem%20solve%20challenging%20situations.">families</a>, to educational sessions for school-aged children, to involving GPs in awareness promotion.</p> <p>We also need to tackle barriers that hinder dementia risk reduction. This means doing activities that motivate you, finding programs that suit your needs and schedule, and are accessible.</p> <h2>What does this mean for you?</h2> <p>Reducing your dementia risk means recognising change starts with you.</p> <p>We are all familiar with the everyday challenges that stop us from starting an exercise program or sticking to a meal plan.</p> <p>There are simple and easy changes we can begin with. Our team has developed a program that can help. We are offering limited <a href="https://www.brainbootcamp.com.au/">free brain health boxes</a>, which include information resources and physical items such as a pedometer. These boxes aim to help rural Australians aged 55 years and over to adopt lifestyle changes that support healthy brain ageing. If you’re interested in signing up, visit our <a href="https://www.brainbootcamp.com.au">website</a>.</p> <p>Now is the time to think about your brain health. Let’s start now.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/191504/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joyce-siette-1377445">Joyce Siette</a>, Research Theme Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-dodds-1378067">Laura Dodds</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </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/these-12-things-can-reduce-your-dementia-risk-but-many-australians-dont-know-them-all-191504">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Mind

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Give the gift of festive KINDness this Christmas

<p dir="ltr">A little kindness goes a long way, and with the festive season right around the corner, you can share the love, kindness and beauty to treat the makeup-obsessed people in your life.  </p> <p dir="ltr">The KIND Collective’s Christmas collection has something for everyone, with gifts to accommodate every budget, so you don’t need to break the bank to share small indulgences with your loved ones.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lynda Chapman, The KIND Collective founder, said of the festive launch, “The holiday season can be a stressful time regardless of economic health. We have been listening to the concerns of our community and focusing on how we can offer a beautiful gifting collection that is of high quality, cruelty free and vegan at an accessible price point.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“In 2024, we have doubled the range while maintaining the budget friendly prices. Choosing gifts for our loved ones should be about kindness, finding something they’ll love and cherish, while also being kind to ourselves by relieving the pressure to find items that are both high quality and affordable.”</p> <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DB2obVqRBm7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DB2obVqRBm7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The KIND Collective (@thekindcollectiveaustralia)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The range features stocking stuffers for under just $10, with lip gloss trios for $9 and What a Cracker trios available for $10, making the perfect addition to any gift.  </p> <p dir="ltr">Other gift sets feature mascaras, blushes, lip glosses and nail polishes for under $20 each, and palettes and brush sets available for under $30. </p> <p dir="ltr">For those looking to really splash out on their loved ones, the One of a KIND Beauty Bag features a bit of everything to complete an entire makeup look, and a selection of accessories, for just $39. </p> <p dir="ltr">So when you’re doing your Christmas shopping, make sure to pick up some of the gorgeous gifts from KIND to share love, beauty and kindness with the special people in your life this festive season.</p> <p dir="ltr">The KIND Collective Christmas gifting range is available at <a href="https://www.bigw.com.au/brands/kind-collective?srsltid=AfmBOoqKPWXD5U_UluIDPOJCclKIDIB2TNhw70GUo86ksiAMXxm__uMo">Big W</a>, <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/brand/kind-collective?srsltid=AfmBOooEDo0ZjQ_c8GWSTyltAsil8WjocCew2h9uafSdBPlriVDp57vP">Priceline</a> and KIND’s official <a href="https://www.thekindcollectiveaustralia.com/">website</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram / Shutterstock </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Jamie Oliver's book pulled from shelves over Indigenous Australian subplot

<p>Jamie Oliver has had his new children's book pulled from shelves after a subplot about Indigenous Australians was deemed "disrespectful" and "damaging".</p> <p>The celebrity chef and author released his second children’s book in May, titled <em>Billy and the Epic Escape</em>, in which the protagonist takes a brief detour from England to Alice Springs, where the villain of the story abducts a young Indigenous girl living in foster care in an Indigenous community.</p> <p>The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Commission (NATSIEC) led the calls for the book to be withdrawn, accusing Oliver of perpetuating harmful stereotypes and “trivialising complex and painful histories”.</p> <p>NATSIEC chief executive Sharon Davis told <em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/nov/10/jamie-oliver-pulls-childrens-book-from-shelves-after-criticism-for-stereotyping-indigenous-australians-ntwnfb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian</a></em> that the book implied Indigenous families “are easily swayed by money and neglect the safety of their children”, adding, “[It] perpetuates a racist stereotype that has been used to justify child removals for over a century.”</p> <p>“This portrayal is not only offensive but also reinforces damaging biases.”</p> <p>Oliver, who is currently in Australia promoting his latest cookbook, said in a statement, “I am devastated to have caused offence and apologise wholeheartedly. It was never my intention to misinterpret this deeply painful issue. Together with my publishers we have decided to withdraw the book from sale.”</p> <p>Penguin Random House UK also released a statement on the book, conceding, “It is clear that our publishing standards fell short on this occasion, and we must learn from that and take decisive action. With that in mind, we have agreed with our author, Jamie Oliver, that we will be withdrawing the book from sale.”</p> <p>Both Oliver and Penguin Random House UK revealed that during the writing of the book, no consultation with Indigenous Australian individuals or organisations had taken place. </p> <p>Indigenous children’s author Cheryl Leavy told <em>The Guardian</em> the decision to pull the book from shelves was the right one, saying, “It makes it possible for Penguin Random House to build relationships with First Nations communities and tell better stories.”</p> <p>“It’s time now for Penguin Random House to work with First Nations advisers to put structural measures in place that prevent this from ever happening again.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Penguin Random House UK/Ken McKay/ITV</em></p>

Books

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The Block winners revealed after nail-biting auction

<p>The winners of the 2024 season of <em>The Block</em> have been crowned, after the nail-biting auction came to a dramatic end on Sunday night. </p> <p>In a break from tradition, it was the last house sold that made the most money, with sisters Maddy and Charlotte making a huge $1,550,00 profit from their house, as well as the $100,000 prize money.</p> <p>The sisters, aged just 25 and 22, were in disbelief at how quickly it was all over. </p> <div id="paragraph-9"> <div> <p>“It took us a second to be like, ‘No, no. Like, you just won <em>The Block</em>.’ And I think I was a bit of a stunned mullet,” Maddy said.</p> </div> </div> <div id="paragraph-10"> <div> <p>“I was expecting anticipation and to be, like, ‘Oh, what’s gonna happen next?’ It was like, ‘Well, you’ve won.’ It’s like … time to go. It was the quickest auction of the day; it was over so quickly.”</p> </div> </div> <p>Coming in second were Courtney and Grant with $1,300,050 profit, followed by Kristian and Mimi in third place with $1,030,000.</p> <p>Fourth were Haydn and Ricky who made $750,000 and coming in last, but still smiling, were Kylie and Brad who made $650,000. </p> <p>Kylie, who was embroiled in much on-screen drama this season, said all the hardships of the show were worth it, and they were happy with their result. </p> <p>"It was worth it," she said. "Unfortunately. Because I was a different person here. But… we made it. We're very grateful."</p> <p>Millionaire "Lambo guy" Adrian Portelli made a splash at what he said would be his final <em>Block</em> auction, as he ended up spending $15,030,000 in one day and breaking a Block record by purchasing every single house.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p>

TV

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Jelena Dokic's teary admission about 2001 Australian Open controversy

<p>Jelena Dokic has shared that she would endure "100 years of abuse" to go back in time and represent Australia at the 2001 Australian Open. </p> <p>During an emotional interview with Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little, the tennis champion recalled the earlier years of her career, and the abuse she faced at the hands of her father, who was also her coach. </p> <p>At 17 years old, Jelena was booed off Rod Laver Arena at the 2001 Australian Open after losing to Lindsay Davenport, after she announced plans to turn her back on Australia and represent her native Yugoslavia instead. </p> <p>The decision not to represent Australia was made by her father, and at that point in her career, he had been banned from attending her matches. </p> <p>“I would take 100 years of abuse if I could take back not playing for Australia for a few years,” an emotional Dokic told the <em>Carrie & Tommy Show</em>.</p> <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCBcdwFPDVE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCBcdwFPDVE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Carrie and Tommy (@carrietommyshow)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“He took away from me, something that I loved so much."</p> <p>“He took that away from me in that moment. He’s sitting in a hotel room watching this while I’m getting booed by 15,000 people. I just wanted to kind of drop into the ground and disappear and never come back."</p> <p>“I would take any abuse, anything in this world to not even just go through that personally, but that it didn’t take my people, Australians and my fans and everyone that always cheered for me, that it didn’t take 10 or 15 years until my book came out for them to know the truth and just how much I really love Australia.”</p> <p>Jelena switched allegiances back to Australia in 2005 and went on to represent Australia in the 2009 Fed Cup, winning several matches.</p> <p>Dokic said getting booed by the Australian crowd was a low point of her career, given there was nothing she loved more than representing Australia.</p> <p>“I came to this country as an 11-year-old and I really accepted it and loved Australia,” she said, </p> <p>“I loved representing Australia. I loved team events. Everything that had to do with team events, I always won. I had like a 99 per cent win rate. There’s a reason for that."</p> <p>“He (Damir Dokic) took that away from me for those few years. I wanted to come back earlier but I was worried about people’s reaction, even though I did come back three, four years later."</p> <p>“Everyone did embrace me when I did come back but people still had doubts. They didn’t look at me as someone who was this patriotic Australian, and it hurt me because I was."</p> <p>“I really accepted this country. I always say, I was born in a different country but I am Australian. I always looked at myself that way. I love Australia. I love my fans so much."</p> <p>“It doesn’t matter what match it was, every time you would hear from the crowd,’ Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi’ when I was playing, I would literally get goosebumps.”"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Sad end in search for young boy swept out to sea

<p>A body has been recovered in the search for a young boy swept out to sea in front of his family while on a fishing trip at The Entrance, NSW over the weekend.</p> <p>Laith Alaid, 11, was crossing a channel about 5pm on Sunday when he was caught in the outgoing tide. </p> <p>His father managed to save his other three sons aged, three, seven and nine, but he could not reach Laith in time.</p> <p>Bystanders looked after the three children while Laith's father tried to reach him. </p> <p>“(The father) came here by himself and with his four beautiful boys ... and he tried to save them all, he saved three and by the time he turned around (Laith) was gone ... in a split second,” family member Zeid Alhirz said. </p> <p>The family were visiting the Central Coast from Sydney and had been fishing when it is understood they took a shortcut across the channel between an estuary and the ocean. </p> <p>Relatives said they had visited and fished at the popular tourist spot for years and had crossed the channel at least three times before tragedy struck. </p> <p>An extensive multi-agency search was conducted and on Wednesday police were called back to The Entrance after a body was found in the water. </p> <p>“While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing boy,” NSW Police said.</p> <p>Inspector David Piddington said “lots of people try to move across that channel” but he advised against it.</p> <p>A report will be prepared for the coroner.</p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Caring

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Australian beachgoers are told to always ‘swim between the flags’ – but what if there aren’t any?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rob-brander-111027">Rob Brander</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p>This summer, millions of people will flock to Australia’s beaches – and tragically, not all will survive. Last summer, 54 people <a href="https://issuu.com/surflifesavingaustralia/docs/slsa_summerdrowningreport_2022.23">drowned</a> along the Australian coast. This included 28 people in New South Wales – the highest number in the state’s recorded history.</p> <p>About 80% of the drownings occurred at beaches and almost half were due to people caught in offshore flowing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825216303117">rip currents</a>.</p> <p>Crucially, all of these drownings occurred in locations not patrolled by professional lifeguards or volunteer surf lifesavers. That is a stark statistic.</p> <p>The core safety message promoted to beachgoers is to always “swim between the flags” on patrolled beaches. But clearly, unpatrolled beaches represent the major beach safety challenge in Australia – and this must be addressed.</p> <h2>All drownings are preventable</h2> <p>A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023000961">recent study</a> showed coastal drowning rates in Australia did not change between 2004 and 2021. This was despite significant financial investment into coastal safety by all levels of government during this time.</p> <p>And in 2023, the NSW government <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/splash-for-surf-life-saving-as-patrol-season-begins">announced</a> the biggest ever funding commitment to Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) – A$23 million over four years.</p> <p>This raises important questions for both beach safety providers and their funding bodies. Are we doing enough to address the issue of drowning on unpatrolled beaches? Why aren’t we seeing a decrease in the number and rate of beach drowning? Is the current approach working? Are we doing enough evaluation?</p> <p>These questions need to be answered because beach drowning, like all types of drowning, is preventable.</p> <h2>The ‘swim between the flags’ message is not enough</h2> <p>The safest place to swim on Australian beaches is between the red and yellow flags, under the supervision of trained lifeguards and surf lifesavers. This is the core safety message promoted to beachgoers, and should always take precedent.</p> <p>But it’s unrealistic to assume beachgoers will always adhere to the message – in part, because the flags and lifeguards aren’t everywhere at all times.</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/02/ai-rip-detection-technology-australia-beach-safety-drownings#:%7E:text=Fewer%20than%205%25%20of%20Australia%27s,is%20unpatrolled%20or%20temporarily%20unpatrolled.">Less than 5%</a> of Australia’s 11,000 beaches are patrolled, and most of those are patrolled only seasonally. Patrols rarely cover early mornings and evenings when many people choose to swim, and the supervised flagged area may only cover a tiny percentage of the length of the beach.</p> <p>A <a href="https://nhess.copernicus.org/articles/22/909/2022/">recent study</a> documented why beachgoers swim at unpatrolled beaches. The reasons included proximity to their holiday accommodation and because the location is quieter and less crowded than patrolled beaches.</p> <p>So while most Australians know they should swim between the flags, many choose not to, or simply don’t have the option. This can have fatal consequences. Surf Life Saving Australia’s latest National Coastal Safety Report <a href="https://issuu.com/surflifesavingaustralia/docs/ncsr23?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ">report</a> reported that 75% of the 902 coastal drowning deaths over the previous decade occurred more than 1km from a surf lifesaving service.</p> <h2>Getting it right</h2> <p>There’s an obvious need in Australia for a beach safety campaign that directly addresses safety on unpatrolled beaches. But we have to get it right – and taking an evidence-based approach is crucial.</p> <p>For example, it seems logical to teach beachgoers how to identify dangerous rip currents. But <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278434322000760?casa_token=pYdktxnHyagAAAAA:mBxg-eaXyKJUNDOCJWFSntEcDV7jE6uDEg0bRxugetG7rHelw-_v8zuEXPwUKoGxkL-DNYI">research has shown</a> that people armed with this knowledge might become emboldened to swim at unpatrolled beaches.</p> <p>In 2018, Surf Life Saving Australia launched the “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j47ML57SPyk">Think Line</a>” campaign, which encourages beachgoers to spend a few minutes thinking about beach safety when they arrive at the beach. It’s a simple concept that could become generational over time. But it requires more promotion, more collaboration between beach safety providers, and more research into whether the message is changing beachgoer behaviour in a positive way.</p> <p>Other efforts to improve safety on unpatrolled beaches include investment in technology such as <a href="https://www.surflifesaving.com.au/emergency-response-beacons/#:%7E:text=The%20ERB%20uses%20the%20latest,reassurance%20in%20an%20emergency%20situation.">emergency response beacons</a>. However, to date there’s been little to no evidence-based evaluation of their effectiveness.</p> <p>Research into beach safety is a powerful tool. It provides evidence that can identify which educational approaches are working and which are not. Yet, funding of beach safety research pales in comparison to the amounts invested in untested safety interventions, or upgrades to existing surf club facilities and equipment.</p> <p>It’s globally accepted that lifeguards are the best beach safety intervention. So why aren’t we directing more funding into increasing the presence of local government lifeguard services?</p> <p>This expansion should involve extending lifeguard patrol hours during the summer on patrolled beaches and adding seasonal lifeguards on popular but hazardous unpatrolled beaches.</p> <h2>Staying safe this summer</h2> <p>Preventing drownings on our beaches requires a new approach – and some serious questions about where funding should be best directed. Otherwise, the terrible drowning death toll will continue.</p> <p>In the meantime, you might find yourself wanting to swim at an unpatrolled beach this summer, or to swim early in the morning before lifeguards start duty. To help you understand the hazards and stay safe, UNSW Sydney has developed a new <a href="https://news.unsw.edu.au/en/if-in-doubt--don-t-go-out">educational resource</a>, including a <a href="https://youtu.be/3qXDBvO8mdc">video</a>. They are both worth a look; in fact, they may just save a life.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/220043/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3qXDBvO8mdc?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rob-brander-111027">R<em>ob Brander</em></a><em>, Professor, UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </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/australian-beachgoers-are-told-to-always-swim-between-the-flags-but-what-if-there-arent-any-220043">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Lessons we can all learn from the "Forgotten Women"

<p>“The greatest underutilised resource in our economy is mothers in their childbearing years,” lawyer <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/soapbox/time-forgotten-women-australia-rise/">Kate Asher wrote in this publication</a> in 2017.</p> <p>“We have told them since they were little girls that they can achieve anything in life. But after they become mothers, they discover the cruel truth: the system is rigged against them. We all know these women. Many of us are these women – the Forgotten Women.”</p> <p>Sadly, things haven’t changed much in the years since. </p> <p>The Forgotten Women sacrifice so much financially to raise their children – often while also caring for elderly parents or in-laws. The full cost of these sacrifices don’t become apparent until years later. </p> <p><strong>Compounding effects </strong></p> <p>Time away from work means no contributions going into superannuation and inappropriate investments eat away at what they did have. Coming on top of the gender pay gap, it leaves a massive retirement shortfall. </p> <p>Many women returning to paid employment struggle to resume their previous career or full-time work, instead forced into less secure, lower paid part-time and casual jobs. </p> <p>If student loans weren’t repaid before leaving work, those debts have ballooned under years of indexation. </p> <p>We know women bear the brunt of domestic violence. Many marriages end in divorce once grown children leave home. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/deaths-australia/latest-release#:~:text=There%2520were%2520183%252C131%2520registered%2520deaths,by%252047%2520deaths%2520to%2520911.">far more men die in their 50s and 60s</a> – their pre-retirement years – than women, leaving many young widows. All these factors see women unexpectedly find their partner is no longer the source of income they had counted on. No wonder women over 55 are <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/politics/local/advocates-call-on-support-for-older-women-and-dv-survivors-this-world-homelessness-day/">the fastest-growing demographic for homelessness</a> in Australia.</p> <p><strong>What can we learn from this?</strong></p> <p>There are many things we can take away from the traumatic experiences of these much-maligned women. Chief among them: don’t be complacent.  Maintain visibility of finances, and take action.</p> <p>As a financial adviser, I have met lots of women; many who only sought advice after finding themselves in a financial black hole. I’m also passionately involved with various causes that support disadvantaged women and those fleeing violence. What strikes me about these women is that they almost unanimously say “I never thought this could happen to me”.  And for many it can be preventable.</p> <p>We must be proactive in looking after ourselves – our current AND future selves – which means developing our own financial independence. Simply leaving money matters up to our husband or partner is not an option.</p> <p>We also need to get the message to friends, sisters, colleagues….</p> <p><strong>Breaking the cycle</strong></p> <p>Too many women have sadly come unstuck because they relied on weak financial foundations. Just like the foundations of a house, you need strong foundations on which to build financial independence:</p> <ul> <li>Emergency fund: a ‘get out’ fund should you ever need to flee danger (violence, natural disaster) or your household finances take an unexpected hit (redundancy, illness, another pandemic…). Not having readily available cash in an emergency can leave you stuck or forced to dip into investments or home equity, costing you dearly longer term.</li> <li>Spending and investment plan: more comprehensive than a budget, this plan offers visibility over your incomings, outgoings and assets. Visibility is key to cutting wasteful spending, staying on top of bills, and keeping you aligned on your money goals.  Avoid sexually transmitted debt.</li> <li>Insurances: a valuable back-up plan to offset losses and help you recover financially from a disaster – personal and home. For women who are stay-home mums or carers, of particular importance is that your partner has life and income protection insurance, ensuring you can keep a roof over your head should they die or become unable to work, and possibly trauma insurance for yourself.</li> <li>Superannuation: Knowing up-front that you will have nothing going into super while you are not working means you can minimise the shortfall. For instance, consider ‘pre-paying’ extra contributions while you are still earning and/or have your partner make spousal contributions during your time out of work (and have them claim the associated tax benefit), and consider spouse splitting.  But know what is happening in his super too, and if in your own business ensure contributions are made for both of you. </li> <li>Estate planning: Ensure your wishes are documented and your children are protected, both after you are gone and in the event you are ever incapacitated. Consider wills, guardianship, power of attorney, superannuation beneficiaries, and tax planning.</li> </ul> <p>With good foundations in place, you can then look to other ways to build your independence.</p> <p>Invest early. Savings and investments you make in your early working years can offset your lack of income once you leave the workforce and continue growing in value for your retirement.</p> <p>Consider upskilling. Distance education allows stay-home parents to obtain new skills and qualifications, enhancing their future employability and earning potential.</p> <p>Stay level-headed in a separation. I’ve seen many women forgo money and investments in favour of keeping the family home, only to realise down the track they can’t afford its upkeep on their own. Or they sign on the dotted line without advice.  Remember too that super is part of the joint assets – you could claim part of your ex’s super in the settlement, offsetting your time away from paid work.</p> <p>Finally, consider your approach to parenting. This is 2024: women don’t need to be the sole caregivers. Some couples now both go part-time, allowing them both to maintain a foot in the workforce (and continue earning income and super) while also enjoying time with their youngsters!</p> <p><em><strong>Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women. Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754.</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Image credits: Shutterstock </strong></em></p>

Money & Banking

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The Voice 2025 coaches line-up leaked

<p><em>The Voice Australia</em> appears set to have a major cast shake up, following Guy Sebastian's shock <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/guy-sebastian-drops-bombshell-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">departure</a> from the show after six years. </p> <p>An insider told <em>Yahoo Lifestyle</em> that current coaches Kate Miller-Heidke and Adam Lambert are also saying goodbye to the show. </p> <p>Channel Seven is said to be in the final stages of locking their new line-up, which includes former fan favourites like Keith Urban. </p> <p>“The line-up that Channel Seven wants is Keith Urban, Jessica Mauboy, Ronan Keating and LeAnn Rimes,” the source told <em>Yahoo Lifestyle.</em> </p> <p>“They’ve all been on the show before and conversations had started a few months back.”</p> <p>Urban last appeared on the singing competition as coach in 2022, and fans were overjoyed when he appeared as a guest earlier this year. </p> <p>"Keith was asked about returning when he recorded a performance for the grand finale and he sounded open to the idea - as long as it works with his wife Nicole Kidman's plans to be back in Australia at the same time," the insider said. </p> <p>The source also said that US singer Rimes is likely to return as well. </p> <p>"In the lead-up to this year’s finale, LeAnn's management kept talking about the next series and what she plans to do differently," they said. </p> <p> “LeAnn was clear about her ambition to return next year and Channel Seven are keen to have her back after her artist won.”</p> <p>Jessica Mauboy, who was coach for the show from 2021 to 2023, left the series this year to focus on her music and go on tour, but Channel Seven are also keen to welcome her back. </p> <p>“There were always plans to bring Jess back at some point and viewers really missed her contribution this season," the insider said. </p> <p>“The conversation about Jess had been on the cards with or without Guy. It seemed the network was already looking at flipping Kate Miller-Heidke, who seemed a little out of place on the show."</p> <p>As for Ronan Keating, who was last seen on the show in 2016, the source said he was keen to appear on the Australian version of the show again. </p> <p>Channel Seven is expected to officially announce the 2025 lineup for <em>The Voice Australia</em> at their upcoming Upfront event this month.</p> <p>“One thing is for sure <em>The Voice Australia </em>will go on without Guy Sebastian and 2025 looks set to have one of the best line-ups without him." </p> <p><em>Images: Channel Seven</em></p> <p> </p>

TV

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Guy Sebastian drops bombshell news

<p>Guy Sebastian has shocked fans after announcing he would be taking a step back from his coaching role on <em>The Voice </em>after six years in the red chair. </p> <p>In a statement shared to Instagram, the Aussie singer revealed that he is having a break from the show to focus on his other musical pursuits, such as a new album and upcoming tour. </p> <p>“I have made the decision to take a break from the best red chair on the planet. It’s been six amazing years as a coach and it’s honestly been the best gig ever!” he said.</p> <p>“I have nothing but good things to say about the show itself, and sharing the panel with such amazing coaches has been a pleasure."</p> <p>“The best thing about the show is how positive it is and how much care and passion goes into making it a safe place for artists.”</p> <p>“For me right now, it’s time to focus more on my core, which is writing and performing new music,” he added.“I am busy planning shows in Australia and worldwide and I am really looking forward to getting out and connecting with you all there."</p> <p>"For too long now, I have been reading comments from you asking when I will be visiting your town/country and it’s high time I come and visit!”</p> <p>Sebastian revealed he had been working his new album on and off for years, and is hoping he will now be able to give the new record his undivided attention.</p> <p>“I’ve worked on this upcoming album for four years and I’ve poured everything I have into it, so I need to pay respect to that effort and the art I’ve created,” he wrote.</p> <p>Signing off from the statement, Sebastian revealed he is planning to return to <em>The Voice</em> at a later date, while issuing a word of warning for his temporary replacement. </p> <p>He said, “Whoever has the audacity to take my chair, don’t get too comfortable ... I will wrestle for it back with zero dignity when I’m ready to return.”</p> <p>“Thank you everyone, it’s been a blast and let’s keep supporting fresh Aussie talent – it’s some of the best in the world!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: The Voice</em></p>

Music

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Hunt for Australia's first Golden Bachelor begins

<p>While former <em>Sunrise </em>host Samantha Armytage has been confirmed to host Nine's new reality series <em>The Golden Bachelor,</em> there are still a few major roles to fill. </p> <p>The bachelor and all the women needed for the series are yet to be found, but one well-known businessman is believed to be a leading contender for the show. </p> <p>“We are looking for Australia’s first Golden Bachelor and many incredible women who want to find love again,” read the official casting website. </p> <p>Nine are looking for people aged between 60 and 75 years old who are “looking for the last great love” of their life, live in Australia and are single. </p> <p>“Do you know someone in their golden years who deserves one more shot at their happily ever after?” the casting notice read. </p> <p>According to TV Blackbox expert Steve Molk, “Mark Bouris is being touted as their guy.” </p> <p>Bouris, 68, is a podcaster for <em>Straight Talk</em> and a former host of Nine's <em>The Celebrity Apprentice</em>. </p> <p>Molk added that it's not uncommon for a network to create buzz with the announcement “in the hope it will help shake the trees for prospective applicants to flock and submit their audition”.</p> <p>Although Nine has yet to confirm their broadcast date, Molk believes that it's likely to air mid next year. </p> <p>“This gives them time to cast and film while still showing partners why they would want to drop their cash with Nine."</p> <p>Armytage said the Australian version of the show has “got a different spin”. </p> <p>“This is for people who are looking for love again, who’ve got some miles on their tyres and are ready to fall in love again,” she told Nine's <em>Today</em> on October 29. </p> <p>“These are people with life experience. There’s going to be some great stories here, some kind of sad stories in some.</p> <p>“We’re looking for a happy fairytale ending.”</p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

TV

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Exploring The Lost Recipes by Ross Dobson

<p><em>In his quest to unearth Australia’s forgotten culinary treasures, Ross Dobson has dredged up everything from the delicate to the downright curious – recipes that had slipped into obscurity like an old record player and are now ready for a comeback.</em></p> <p>During the Covid pandemic I embalmed myself in nostalgia. There was loss on a global scale and, for many of us, it was also a time of great personal loss. Within a few short years, just prior to and during the pandemic, I lost both my parents. I found peace and comfort (and joy in spades) in reading old Australian recipes. </p> <p>I devoured recipes in old books, newspapers, magazines – anything I could get my hands on. Simple and even not-so-simple recipes. Shared or sought. I became interested in (nay, obsessed with) the forgotten: recipes that have been overlooked or disregarded, or were barely noticed in the first place. These are the lost recipes. </p> <p>We found a culinary oasis that was the beginning of the end of our ‘meat-and-two veg’ diet: a rival more exotic and delicious. </p> <p>The original idea for this book was to limit it to baking recipes: cakes, slices, biscuits and puddings. Surely we have all heard of, eaten or made a lamington, custard kiss, finger bun, passionfruit sponge or pav. These have all received top billing in any production of Australian classics. But what about a whimsy, fluffy dick, Napoleon cake, Australian shortbread or cream lily? These delicious things have been waiting in the wings for far too long. I am nudging them into the limelight. </p> <p>But as I perused an article in a magazine or newspaper, it was not uncommon to see a cake or slice recipe incongruously sandwiched between recipes for braised breast of lamb and devilled whitebait, or turmeric duck and farmhouse casserole (rabbit with inside-out stuffing). How could I possibly resist including these? And so, the scope of the book fell into place. </p> <p>I was drawn to the recipes that were popular at one point in time. A good recipe would be printed in newspapers again and again. Today, we would say it has ‘gone viral’. But, like a whispered game of ‘pass it on’, some good recipes would lose something or become something else over time. </p> <p>In researching for a previous book, <em>Australia: The Cookbook</em>, I noticed a recurring lack of nuance. There seemed to be little room for movement or deviation from a recipe. A lamington recipe was just that. There are, to this day, slight variations. Some recipes might call for a filling of jam, cream, buttercream or even panna cotta, a contemporary take. And if this was the case, it wasn’t a regional thing. It was shared and enjoyed on a national level. Much like a recipe for pavlova, meat pie or a hamburger with the lot. </p> <p>Nigella Lawson says of Australian food: ‘These [recipes] demonstrate that peculiar mixture of macho and camp that is a feature of a certain kind of Australian cooking tradition.’ </p> <p>I agree. I feel like much of our food tradition is binary: the meat and the sweet. The brown of a beef stew and the garish pink of coconut ice. Of course, this is reducing Australian recipes to a simple notion. </p> <p>There are exceptions to the rule, not as rare as one might think. It is these exceptions that I went in search of. In doing so, I inadvertently discovered that some Australians did cook with ingredients such as garlic, ginger, coconut milk and chilli. A simple roast lamb with garlic (page 110) and a chicken curry (page 96) laden with ginger and green chilli are testament to that. Capers, anchovies and lentils are also used in recipes that went under the radar. </p> <p>Looking at our past offers insight into who we are now. Through this culinary looking glass we can also see the opposite of what we might expect or what we might think is the norm. What we choose to cook and consume can be a revelation of our identity, of who we are. </p> <p>Our Indigenous culture is the oldest in the world, yet many of us are unfamiliar with native ingredients; Europeans brought cuisines and cultures to these shores, yet we are not European; Asia is our nearest neighbour and the origin of some of our favourite dishes, but we are not Asian. </p> <p>We are unique. In all this, there is wonder to be had, and wonder I do.</p> <p><em>To learn more about </em>The Lost Recipes<em> and other exciting upcoming publications from Echo Publishing, you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook, or visit our website at <a href="https://www.echopublishing.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.echopublishing.com.au/</a></em></p> <p><em>Images: Echo Publishing </em></p> <p><em>Brought to you by Echo Publishing</em></p>

Food & Wine

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"You are incredible": The Voice 2024 winner revealed

<p>In a thrilling conclusion to <em>The Voice's</em> 13th season, Reuben de Melo from Team LeAnn emerged as the winner after the public votes wrapped up on Sunday night. </p> <p>The finale saw  Annie Jones, Skÿe, Reuben and Jaedyn Randell each perform a duet with their coach and then a solo number.</p> <p>Reuben sang a stirring rendition of the Coldplay ballad <em>Fix You</em> with his coach. He then performed <em>House of the Rising Sun</em> by The Animals, a rendition which his coach described as "insane". </p> <p>The FIFO worker and father of three has previously said that winning <em>The Voice</em> and taking home the 100k grand prize would allow him to get out of the minds and spend more time with his family. </p> <p>“I never thought I’d get this far, this is crazy," Reuben said of his win, which also comes with a music masterclass and industry recording development package. </p> <p>“I’m so proud," LeAnn said. "You deserve every bit of this moment and I’m so honoured that I could be on this journey with you. You are incredible."</p> <p>LeAnne also explained why she'd taken to Reuben since his first blind audition, even using her "Ultimate Block" tool to stop the other coaches from snagging him for their teams. </p> <p>“I knew as soon as he opened his mouth, and I heard him sing. There was just so much feeling there. There was no way I was letting any of the other coaches get to him before I did,” she said.</p> <p>Earlier in the night, Skÿe from Team Guy, who was another strong contender, hit the stage with the Goo Goo Dolls' iconic song<em> Iris</em> and then sang <em>Against All Odds</em> by Phil Collins as his duet with Guy Sebastian.</p> <p>Annie Jones sang <em>Youngblood</em> by 5SOS as her solo and <em>Barracuda by Heart </em>for her duet with Adam Lambert, while Jaedyn performed Empire of the Sun's <em>Walking on a Dream </em>as a duet with Kate-Miller Heidke and then <em>Snow Angel </em>by Renee Rapp.</p> <p><em>Image: Seven</em></p>

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