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The eye-watering salaries of The Voice Australia judges revealed

<p><em>The Voice Australia</em> has revamped the lineup of the judges for the 2024 season, with American music icons Adam Lambert and LeAnn Rimes joining Aussies Guy Sebastian and Kate Miller-Heidke. </p> <p>As the new American talent joins the show, Seven are reportedly paying big buck for the international stars after their salaries were leaked by <a href="https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/exclusive-the-voice-australia-coaches-salaries-leaked-amid-pay-row-230921307.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Yahoo News</em></a>. </p> <p>According to the publication, an alleged source claims that Adam and LeAnn "are believed to be receiving between $750,000 and $1.2 million" for the single season of the show. </p> <p>Meanwhile, Kate Miller-Heidke "is believed to be receiving upwards of $500,000" for her first season on the show. </p> <p>Veteran judge Guy Sebastian allegedly started on $750,000 per season in 2019, "but this is believed to now be worth $1 million". </p> <p>These new judges are getting "considerably less" than outgoing coaches Rita Ora and Jason Derulo, <em>Yahoo</em> alleges.</p> <p>According to a production insider, the reason for the switch-up of judges was the star's pay cheques, and a desire from producers to keep costs down.</p> <p>The insider said the program has been wanting a change in judges lineup for a quite some time, adding that salary increases are necessary to keep returning stars on the show and the price tag for the former crop was "too expensive".</p> <p>"The company line was that Jessica, Rita and Jason were all too busy, but I don't think anyone is too busy to pick up these sorts of pay cheques. It certainly did have a lot to do with keeping the costs down."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven </em></p>

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"Unspeakably vicious": Judge hands down verdict to Justin Stein

<p>After a lengthy trial into the murder of nine-year-old Charlise Mutten, 33-year-old Justin Stein has had his fate read in court. </p> <p>At the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney on Monday, Stein was sentenced to life in jail without parole after he was found guilty of fatally shooting the schoolgirl in the face before dumping her body in a barrel.</p> <p>Justice Helen Wilson delivered the sentence and unleashed on Stein, saying he was "completely without remorse" and "without humanity or morality".</p> <p>Justice Wilson said the shooting that took place at Stein's lavish family home in the Blue Mountains in January 2022 was "unspeakably vicious and murderous", saying, "These were deliberate acts, and the second shot was an execution shot. He undertook these actions intending to kill her."</p> <p>"He sought to blame Charlise's mother for his own indecent conduct. Charlise was not just a child; she was a very young child at nine years and five months of age."</p> <p>"Charlise had come to refer to the offender as 'Daddy'. This crime represents an egregious breach of that trust."</p> <p>Wilson explained that Charlise was murdered after she was drugged with Stein's schizophrenia medication, as she said, "She would have been in a state of pronounced drowsiness; she had even less capacity to defend herself and flee from danger."</p> <p>Justice Wilson described Stein's supposedly tearful account of Charlise's death during the trial as "false" and said the tissue he used was dry.</p> <p>"From where I sat I could see very clearly, he was completely dry-eyed and did not shed a single tear," Justice Wilson said in disgust. "It might have been called theatre if it wasn't so calculated."</p> <p>"Some instances of murder are so grave that the maximum penalty is the only appropriate penalty."</p> <p>In a recent hearing, Charlise's mother Kallista Mutten broke down in tears and told her former fiancé, "I hate myself for trusting you."</p> <p>Ms Mutten read a victim's impact statement via audio video link as she told Stein. "[Charlise] just longed for you to be her dad. I just hate myself for being so wrong about you."</p> <p>"I am forced to live with fact I trusted someone and because of my trust I put my daughter in harm’s way."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / NSW Supreme Court</em></p>

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"Leave it to the judges!": Dancing With The Stars fans rage against double elimination

<p><em>Dancing With The Stars</em> fans have unleashed on the show after two fan favourite contestants were sent home in one dramatic episode. </p> <p>Just weeks ahead of the semi-finals, Nova Peris and Julie Goodwin were sent home, but fans are disappointed to see Julie go after her improvement over the weeks on the show.</p> <p>Julie impressed the judges with her Foxtrot, scoring 27 points for the dance, while Nova scored just 19 points. </p> <p>There was no final dance-off at the end of the episode, so both contestants were sent home. </p> <p> While they were two of the lowest-scoring dances of the night, Ben Cousins was also at the bottom of the leaderboard with 21 points for his Viennese Waltz.</p> <p>Fans of the show were quick to flock to social media to complain about the double elimination, stating Ben should have gone home instead of Julie.</p> <p>"Why do they keep saving Ben, seriously?" one person asked. "Ben Cousins shouldn’t have been on in the first place. Why is he still there???" another questioned.</p> <p>"PLEASE..... STOP the audience voting!!!! Leave it to the judges!!!" another fan said, with people agreeing. "100% agree! People keep voting for footy players and well-known actors. Should be mostly about their dancing ability," someone else commented.</p> <p>"One thing is for sure... it won't be determined by how good or bad the dancers are. It's just a popularity contest when it comes to the vote," someone else complained.</p> <p>"It is so wrong getting the audience to vote. All the dancers have family there," another person pointed out.</p> <p>"Julie should have stayed," another fan said. "I am so sad to see you go, you should not have gone. You were simply amazing!" another fan wrote, tagging Julie in the comments.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven </em></p>

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Aussie Olympic judge sent home after “inappropriate act”

<p>Australian surfing judge Ben Lowe has been sent home from the Paris Games after an "inappropriate" photo with an athlete went viral. </p> <p>Lowe posed for a photo with Aussie surfer Ethan Ewing and his coach Bede Durbidge on the beaches of Tahiti - the largest island in French Polynesia where the Olympic surfing competition is taking place - to celebrate Ewing making it to the quarter finals. </p> <p>The photo of the men soon went viral with the caption, “Three Straddie (North Stradbroke Island) boys doing their stuff at the Olympics.”</p> <p>Despite the photo seeming completely harmless, the International Surfing Association (ISA) took swift action against Lowe.</p> <p>According to the ISA, Lowe, an experienced World Surf League judge, has been stood down in accordance with the ISA’s code of conduct and the International Olympic Committee’s code of ethics. </p> <p>The ISA released a statement overnight saying it removed Lowe from the judging panel for the remainder of the competition to "protect the integrity and fairness of the ongoing competition".</p> <p>"The ISA is aware of a photo circulating on social media in which one of the Olympic surfing judges from Australia is seen socially interacting with an Australian athlete and the team manager," the ISA said.</p> <p>"It is inappropriate for a judge to be interacting in this manner with an athlete and their team."</p> <p>The surfing federation said it had "communicated with all judges and teams to remind them of their responsibilities regarding appropriate behaviour".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

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MasterChef judges tear up during emotional tribute to Jock Zonfrillo

<p>The judges on <em>MasterChef Australia</em> have teared up as they paid tribute to their "late great mate" Jock Zonfrillo. </p> <p>During the beginning of Finals Week on the cooking show, the contestants and judges began discussing their "food heroes", who would inspire their dishes for the upcoming challenge in the kitchen. </p> <p>While many contestants shared stories about their family members being their inspiration, judge Andy Allen took a moment to pay tribute to the late <em>MasterChef</em> judge Jock Zonfrillo. </p> <p>He opened up about everything the late chef instilled in him, and quickly began welling up as his fellow judges rallied around him. </p> <p>“My food hero is my late great mate Jock,” he said, as tears began to form in his eyes. </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/C89Jk3svkDo/?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/C89Jk3svkDo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by MasterChef Australia (@masterchefau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“The time that we spent cooking in this kitchen and creating an energy where people like you could just reach for the stars and succeed in everything you do."</p> <p>As fellow judge Poh Ling-Yeow placed her hand on his shoulder, he continued, “I learned so much about that from Jock and he taught me so much about being a good husband and being a good son, and one day hopefully being a good dad. So I miss him a lot.”</p> <p>The 46-year-old died in Melbourne in the early hours of April 30th last year on the eve of the launch of the 15th season of <span id="U84596901796pyG"><em>MasterChef</em>.</span></p> <p>Following his untimely death, Andy Allen shared that he wanted to take part of the latest season of the show in memory of his late friend and colleague.</p> <p>“It’s nearly a year. Sometimes it feels like yesterday and other times it feels like it was a long, long time ago,” Allen told the <em>Carrie and Tommy Show</em>.</p> <p>“It was hard. It was really hard. I didn’t actually know if I was going to do it (<em><span id="U845969017963c">MasterChef</span></em>) again."</p> <p>“It just felt so wrong to do it without him, because we just loved it so much together and walking back into that kitchen was huge.</p> <p>Allen said while parts of filming the show were difficult, he knew he was honouring his friend by continuing on in the judging role. </p> <p>“It was … there was just this weight of grief over me,” he said. “I just didn’t know if I’d be able to get through it. I just didn’t know if I’d be able to do it justice, to give the show what it needed because there was so much grief attached to that kitchen."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Channel Ten </em></p>

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Judge finds Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins and dismisses Network 10 defamation case. How did it play out?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-clift-715691">Brendan Clift</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Bruce Lehrmann has lost his defamation suit against Channel Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson after the media defendants proved, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann raped his colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019.</p> <p>After a trial lasting around a month, Federal Court Justice Michael Lee – an experienced defamation judge – concluded that both Lehrmann and Higgins had credibility issues, but ultimately <a href="https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2024/2024fca0369">he was persuaded</a> that Lehrmann raped Higgins, as she’d alleged and he’d denied.</p> <h2>Criminal trials by proxy</h2> <p>Ordinarily, charges like rape would be resolved through the criminal courts, but Lehrmann’s criminal trial was <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-27/jury-discharged-in-trial-of-bruce-lehrmann-brittany-higgins/101583486">aborted</a> in October 2022 after juror misconduct. The charges against him were soon <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/bruce-lehrmann-sexual-assault-charge-dropped-dpp-confirms/news-story/3f82dd388d2cfa38680f7d4f4ceb1c5e">dropped</a>, nominally over concerns for Higgins’ mental health.</p> <p>Higgins, however, foresaw civil proceedings and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/05/brittany-higgins-volunteered-to-be-defamation-trial-witness-as-she-would-not-let-rapist-become-a-millionaire-ntwnfb">offered to testify</a> should they arise. That they did, as Lehrmann, free from the burden of any proven crime, sued several media outlets for defamation over their reporting into the allegations (<a href="https://www.fedcourt.gov.au/services/access-to-files-and-transcripts/online-files/lehrmann">the ABC</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/06/abc-agrees-to-pay-bruce-lehrmann-150000-to-settle-defamation-claim-court-documents-reveal">News Corp</a> both settled out of court).</p> <p><iframe class="flourish-embed-iframe" style="width: 100%; height: 550px;" title="Interactive or visual content" src="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/17195035/embed" width="100%" height="400" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></p> <div style="width: 100%!; margin-top: 4px!important; text-align: right!important;"><a class="flourish-credit" href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/17195035/?utm_source=embed&amp;utm_campaign=visualisation/17195035" target="_top"><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/made_with_flourish.svg" alt="Made with Flourish" /></a></div> <p>Like Ben Roberts-Smith’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/dismissed-legal-experts-explain-the-judgment-in-the-ben-roberts-smith-defamation-case-191503">recent defamation suit</a> against the former Fairfax papers, this became another case of civil proceedings testing grave allegations in the absence of a criminal law outcome.</p> <p>The form of proceedings made for some key differences with the aborted criminal trial. In criminal cases, prosecutors are ethically bound to act with moderation in pursuing a conviction, which requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, while defendants have the right to silence. By contrast, this trial featured detailed accounts from both sides as each sought to convince, in essence, that their contentions were likely to be correct.</p> <p>Also like the Roberts-Smith case, live streaming of the trial generated very high levels of public engagement. Today’s stream reached audiences of more than 45,000 people. It gave us the chance to assess who and what we believe, and to scrutinise the parties’ claims and the media’s reporting. The Federal Court doesn’t have juries, but we, the public, acted as a de facto panel of peers.</p> <p>We saw accusations and denials, revealing <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-23/bruce-lehrmann-defamation-trial-network-ten-lisa-wilkinson-ends/103260752">cross-examination</a> of the protagonists, witness testimony from colleagues, CCTV footage from nightclubs to Parliament House complete with lip-reading, expert testimony on alcohol consumption and consent, and lawyers constructing timelines which supported or poked holes in competing versions of events.</p> <p>The complexity of high-stakes legal proceedings was on display, with Justice Lee issuing many interim decisions on questions of procedure and evidence. Whenever transparency was at stake, it won.</p> <p>The preference for full disclosure led to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2024/apr/02/bruce-lehrmann-defamation-trial-network-10-fresh-evidence-bid-lisa-wilkinson-brittany-higgins-delay-ntwnfb">case being re-opened</a> at the eleventh hour to call former Channel 7 producer Taylor Auerbach as a witness, providing a denouement that the judge called “sordid”, but which had little relevance to the final result.</p> <h2>An argument over the truth</h2> <p>Lehrmann had the burden of proving that the defendants published matter harmful to his reputation. That matter was Wilkinson’s interview with Higgins on Channel Ten’s The Project in which the allegations were made.</p> <p>A statement is only defamatory if it’s untrue, but in Australian law, the publisher bears the burden of proving truth, should they opt for that defence. And more serious allegations usually require more compelling proof, as the law views them as inherently more unlikely.</p> <p>This can be onerous for a defamation defendant, but it also involves risk for the plaintiff, should the defendant embark on an odyssey of truth-telling yet more damaging to the plaintiff’s image. That happened to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-65717684">Ben Roberts-Smith</a> and it happened to Lehrmann here.</p> <p>On the other hand, if the media hasn’t done their homework, as in <a href="https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2023/2023fca1223">Heston Russell’s case</a> against the ABC (also presided over by Justice Lee), the complainant can be vindicated.</p> <p>This case was a manifestation of Lehrmann’s professed desire to “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/26/how-bruce-lehrmanns-media-interviews-cost-him-his-anonymity-in-toowoomba-case">light some fires</a>”. Few players in this extended saga have emerged without scars, and here he burned his own fingers, badly.</p> <p>As Justice Lee put it, Lehrmann, “having escaped the lion’s den [of criminal prosecution], made the mistake of coming back to get his hat”.</p> <h2>How was the case decided?</h2> <p>Lehrmann denied having sex with Higgins, whereas Higgins alleged there had been non-consensual sex. The defamatory nature of the publication centred on the claim of rape, so that was what the media defendants sought to prove.</p> <p>This left open the curious possibility that consensual sex might have taken place: if so, Lehrmann would have brought his case on a false premise (there had been no sex), but the media would have failed to defend it (by not proving a lack of consent), resulting in a Lehrmann win.</p> <p>That awkward scenario did not arise. The court found sex did in fact take place, Higgins in her heavily-inebriated and barely-conscious state did not give consent, and Lehrmann was so intent on his gratification that he ignored the requirement of consent.</p> <p>Justice Lee found Lehrmann to be a persistent, self-interested liar, whereas Higgin’s credibility issues were of lesser degree, some symptomatic of a person piecing together a part-remembered trauma. The judge drew strongly on the evidence of certain neutral parties who could testify to incidents or words spoken in close proximity to the events.</p> <h2>Defamation laws favour the aggrieved</h2> <p>Australian defamation law has historically favoured plaintiffs and, despite recent <a href="https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/civil/defamation/2021-law-reform/">rebalancing attempts</a>, it remains a favoured legal weapon for those with the resources to use it.</p> <p>This includes our political class, who sue their critics for defamation with unhealthy frequency for a democracy. In the United States, public figures don’t have it so easy: to win they must prove their critics were lying.</p> <p>In Australia, the media sometimes succeeds in proving truth, but contesting defamation proceedings comes at great financial cost and takes an emotional toll on the journalists involved.</p> <p>Nor can a true claim always be proven to a court’s satisfaction, given the rules of evidence and the fact that sources may be reluctant to testify or protected by a reporter’s guarantee of confidentiality.</p> <p>But this case demonstrates that publishers with an appetite for the legal fight can come out on top.<!-- 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/225891/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><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-clift-715691"><em>Brendan Clift</em></a><em>, Lecturer of law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/judge-finds-bruce-lehrmann-raped-brittany-higgins-and-dismisses-network-10-defamation-case-how-did-it-play-out-225891">original article</a>.</em></p>

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"Family always first": Block judge reveals real reason for sudden departure

<p>Neale Whittaker has shared his frustrations over the premier episode of the new season of <em>The Block</em>, saying a vital piece of information was edited out. </p> <p>Audiences were shocked on Sunday night when Neale told his fellow judges Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer that he had some important news to tell them before commencing their judging duties. </p> <p>Visibly emotional, he confessed that he would be “breaking up the band,” and wouldn’t be able to join them as a full-time judge this season, saying he "can't be here every weekend this year". </p> <p>His longtime colleagues embraced him and told him he had their full support, and then the moved on to judging rooms, with viewers not told the reason for Whittaker’s decision.</p> <p>After the episode aired, Neale took to Instagram to share his frustrations with the edit, and shared the reasoning behind his impending absence to his followers. </p> <p>Sharing a clip of the moment as it went to air, he wrote, “There’s nothing more frustrating than an unexplained decision or an incomplete narrative – especially where health and family are concerned."</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/p/Cvnn9S-vkXO/?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/p/Cvnn9S-vkXO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by NEALE WHITAKER (@nealewhitaker)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“This is what went to air tonight on the first episode of <em>The Block</em>’s 19th season, my 17th. I broke the news to Shaynna and Darren that I would be unable to join them each week and explained my reasons. It was an emotional conversation for all of us. Unfortunately those important reasons didn’t make the cut so here goes.”</p> <p>Whittaker explained that he’d “chosen to put family first,” and support David, his partner of 20 years, through “some serious and ongoing health issues.”</p> <p>“Melbourne real estate expert Marty Fox will be standing in for me on the weeks I can’t be there, but I’ll still be popping up from time to time over the next 12 weeks. The good news is that David is making great progress, my <em>Block</em> family has been fully supportive of my decision and I’m looking forward to returning to The Block full time for the show’s 20th anniversary season in 2024,” he continued.</p> <p>The post was flooded with comments of support and well wishes, with previous <em>Block</em> contestants Elise and Matt writing, "Family always first buddy ❤️ when we all heard the news we put David straight into our prayers ❤️❤️❤️ we hope he’s on this way to a full recovery."</p> <p>Another fan wrote, "Family is so important Neale! I’ll be waiting to see you pop in, over the next 12 weeks."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

TV

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"We cannot judge": Nat Barr's frank question on war crimes for Army veteran

<p>Sunrise host Natalie Barr surprised viewers when she confronted a war veteran after he referred senior Australian Defence Force leaders to the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan.</p> <p>Glenn Kolomeitz, a military lawyer and army veteran, signed the referral alongside Senator Jacqui Lambie.</p> <p>The referral to The Hague had the criminal court examine the country’s high commanders “through the lens of command responsibility”.</p> <p>Kolomeitz and Lambie claimed senior commanders have avoided investigation over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.</p> <p>“I've got to ask you. This is a question I get asked every time we discuss this general issue,” she said.</p> <p>“We trained these people to kill, and we trained them to operate in a war setting. None of us as civilians have any idea what that's like and we cannot judge them for when they go over there to war. What do you say to that?”</p> <p>Kolomeitz insisted that defence force personnel, regardless of rank, must be investigated if they’ve committed or covered up a criminal act.</p> <p>“I worked with these guys on a couple of rotations, and quite frankly, they are amazing advocates for our country, but if they've done the wrong thing, they must be properly investigated, and they must be vigorously prosecuted. That's the reality,” he said.</p> <p>“You can't ignore the commanders. You vigorously investigate and prosecute those who have done the wrong thing, including those with command responsibility.”</p> <p>The TV presenter then asked if an investigation was necessary for the chief of the defence force, Angus Campbell.</p> <p>Kolomeitz replied, “Every joint task force 633 commanders in that job during the period of the enquiry.”</p> <p>The army veteran drafted the letter that would be sent to the International Criminal Court.</p> <p>“If Australia does nothing about it, the ICC can potentially assume jurisdiction over the higher command and excise the higher command investigation from the ongoing investigation of junior soldiers,” he said.</p> <p>The 2020 Brereton report found “credible” evidence that 25 current or former Australian SAS soldiers unlawfully killed 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners between 2005 and 2016.</p> <p>The report strongly recommended administrative action be taken against ADF personnel where there is credible evidence of misconduct, but not enough for a criminal conviction.</p> <p>It ruled that senior commanders were not criminally to blame for the alleged crimes.</p> <p>Senator Lambie noted leadership had not been held to account for their actions.</p> <p>“The government is no doubt hoping this will all just go away,” she told the Senate.</p> <p>“They're hoping Australians will forget that when alleged war crimes in Afghanistan were investigated, our senior commanders got a free pass while our diggers were thrown under the bus.</p> <p>"Well, we don't forget. I won't forget. Lest we forget.</p> <p>“There is a culture of cover-up at the highest levels of the Australian Defence Force. It is the ultimate boys' club.”</p> <p>Image credit: Instagram/LinkedIn</p>

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AGT judges moved to tears after "brave" act

<p>An emotionally charged backstory to a card trick has left the judges of <em>Australia's Got Talent </em>in tears. </p> <p>On Monday night's episode of the variety talent show, contestant Michael Webb shared a story about a man named Jack who decided to seek help for his mental health issues. </p> <p>However, the story of “Jack” was Michael’s own story, and it moved the judges immensely.</p> <p>While the story alone brought tears to the eyes, it was the “perfect” card trick supporting the story that stunned the audience and judges.</p> <p>“I have a deck of cards to help me tell the story,” said Michael, who was standing in front of the judges’ desk.</p> <p>He asked Alesha Dixon to shuffle the cards well, before instructing Shane Jacobson to choose any card, sign his name on it and show the other judges and audience the card.</p> <p>Michael took that signed card - without seeing which one it was - and shuffled it into the deck.</p> <p>“I came here to tell you all a story that means a lot to me. And I hope you like it,” Michael began, holding onto the deck of cards.</p> <p>“It’s actually a story about a guy I know named Jack,” he said, as he drew a Jack card from the deck, stunning the audience.</p> <p>“And if you met Jack, you’d probably think he’s the luckiest guy in the world."</p> <p>“He’s got a loving family and plenty of mates. And they think he’s kind of funny, they always think of him as a bit of a joker,” he said pulling out a Joker card.</p> <p>“When he’s out on the town with his mates, they really get around him. They call him the king,” he said, drawing a King card.</p> <p>“Which is kind of ironic,” he continued, as he pulled out a Queen card, “because whenever the night ends up at the karaoke bar, he’s always the one always singing Queen.”</p> <p>The story continued and Michael kept drawing cards that perfectly linked to his story such as “full house” and “flush” and relevant numbers.</p> <p>“But even on the most joyous of occasions, like Christmas, or even his birthday, he would often look around at the full house of family and friends having such a good time."</p> <div> <p>“And he’d stop and think, what’s wrong with me? Like, why can’t I have fun?"</p> <p>“The more he thought about this, the worse he felt, and the worst he felt the more guilty he felt."</p> <p>“And all of a sudden, he’d have shame and become flushed with emotion. So what would Jack do? He’d find a nice quiet room in the house and cry."</p> <p>“You see, Jack was a 28-year-old man and, in his mind, 28-year-old males - they need to be strong, and they don’t talk about their feelings.”</p> <p>Michael said that it was not until “Jack” learned that one in 10 Australians actually sought professional help that he realised he wasn’t alone, and told his friends about his struggles.</p> <p>“(Jack’s friends) thought it showed true heart to talk about his feelings,” Michael said.</p> <p>“So he started to do some research and he was shocked to learn that, in the most recent year, 3318 Australians took their own lives.</p> <p>“That’s 63 people every single week, and, for every person that did, another 20 attempted to.</p> <p>“In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged between 15 to 44 - and he didn’t want to become another statistic.”</p> <p>Michael added that "Jack" was inspired by hearing other people's stories, including those from “Australian royalty” such as Miranda Kerr, Julia Gillard and Buddy Franklin.</p> <p>“Hearing these people share their own personal stories about their struggles helped Jack recognise his fears and made him realise he’s not alone,” Michael said.</p> <p>“So do you know what Jack decided to do?"</p> <p>“Jack decided to share his story on <em>Australia’s Got Talent</em>, and by sharing this story today, I hope I can make just at least one person get their head straight,” Michael said, holding back tears.</p> <p>Trying to control his emotions, Shane whispered to him, “You’re doing great, mate.”</p> <p>Michael continued, “I want all Australians genuinely who are struggling with their mental health to remember that without the rain there can be no rainbow.</p> <p>”So I want all Australians to shine bright like a diamond,” he said, pulling on Shane’s signed ace of diamonds card - stunning the room.</p> <p>Shane told Michael that the issue of mental health awareness is very close to his heart, and he praised him for sharing his "incredibly personal" story on such a public stage. </p> <p>“You, my friend, are incredibly brave, know that,” he said.</p> <p>“Thank you so much for sharing your story and making people aware that they are not alone,” Kate Ritchie told the talent.</p> <p>David Walliams said he has never heard the audience so quiet during an act, before saying, “You are magic because you’ll have changed people’s lives.”</p> <p>Michael went on to get four yes votes from the judges, moving on to the next round.</p> <p><strong><em>If you or someone you know needs mental health advice, or help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. </em></strong></p> <p><em>Image credits: Australia's Got Talent</em></p> </div>

Mind

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The High Court of Australia has a majority of women justices for the first time

<p>In appointing Justice Jayne Jagot to the High Court, the Albanese government has made history: for the first time, the court will have a majority of women on its bench.</p> <p>We have come a long way. At the turn of the 20th century, women were not permitted to practise law in any Australian jurisdiction. And even when those formal barriers to admission were eventually removed, informal barriers meant the law remained a man’s world.</p> <p>For more than 80 years after its establishment in 1903, the High Court of Australia remained the exclusive preserve of men. It was not until 1987 that Mary Gaudron, became the first woman to serve on the court.</p> <p>Women have been appointed to the High Court with some regularity over the past decade. Yet only seven women have been appointed of a total of 56 justices. The first woman to serve as Chief Justice of the High Court, Susan Kiefel, was sworn-in in 2017.</p> <p>Justice Jayne Jagot will replace Justice Patrick Keane on the High Court, which means four of the seven justices will be women. In <a href="https://ministers.pmc.gov.au/dreyfus/2022/appointment-high-court-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcing</a> the appointment, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus explicitly acknowledged the historical significance of the appointment, noting “this is the first time since Federation that a majority of Justices on the High Court will be women”. He described the new judge as an “outstanding lawyer and an eminent judge”.</p> <p>The government is largely unrestrained in making their appointments beyond a <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2004A02147" target="_blank" rel="noopener">requirement</a> they consult with state attorneys-general and the appointee meets the minimum qualifications of admission as a legal practitioner. Certainly, there is nothing that compels the government to consider the value of diversity in making its appointments. Moreover, there is little transparency and accountability in the process – the government is not required to shortlist against publicly available selection criteria or to account for its decision-making.</p> <h2>Australia needs greater transparency in appointing judges</h2> <p>Calls to reform High Court appointment practice to improve diversity, transparency and accountability are not new. Importantly, these criticisms have very rarely been personal (about the suitability of individual appointees). However, these calls were renewed in 2020 in response to allegations that Dyson Heydon had sexually harassed legal associates during his time as a Justice on the High Court of Australia.</p> <p>In an <a href="https://theconversation.com/deep-cultural-shifts-required-open-letter-from-500-legal-women-calls-for-reform-of-way-judges-are-appointed-and-disciplined-142042" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open letter</a> to then Attorney-General Christian Porter, more than 500 legal women called for reforms to how Australia appoints and disciplines its judges. It called for shortlisting against publicly available criteria, including legal knowledge, skill and expertise, as well as essential personal qualities (such as integrity and good character). It was further proposed that the value of diversity in judicial appointments should also be respected in formulating criteria.</p> <p>More recently, the Australian Law Reform Commission’s new <a href="https://www.alrc.gov.au/news/without-fear-or-favour/#:%7E:text=The%20ALRC%20concluded%20that%2C%20given,public%20confidence%20in%20the%20judiciary." target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> on judicial impartiality outlined a series of recommendations. One of those recommendations was for a more transparent process for the appointment of federal judicial officers.</p> <p>Historically, there has been little appetite for formal reforms to High Court appointment practices. Successive governments have often <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1037969X1504000305" target="_blank" rel="noopener">avoided explicitly</a> commenting on the value of a more diverse judiciary.</p> <p>It remains to be seen whether the government will seek to implement formal reforms. However, Dreyfus is <a href="https://www.auspublaw.org/blog/2022/08/the-alrc-on-judicial-impartiality-and-the-momentum-towards-judicial-appointments-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">understood</a> to be sympathetic to a more open and transparent appointment process. In announcing the most recent appointment, he explained the extensive consultation undertaken by the government, which was certainly more far-reaching than we have seen in recent years. It consulted with all state and territory attorneys-general, the heads of the federal courts, and state and territory supreme courts. It also spoke with state and territory bar associations and law societies, National Legal Aid, Australian Women Lawyers, the National Association of Community Legal Centres and deans of law schools.</p> <p>Justice Jagot’s appointment has been <a href="https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/wig-chamber/35635-lawyers-laud-historic-appointment-of-jayne-jagot-to-high-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">widely praised</a> within the legal profession. Although legal commentators emphasised that it was a welcome milestone for women, it was nonetheless <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/labor-gets-it-right-with-latest-high-court-pick-20220929-p5blyq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">framed</a> as something of a happy (if politically expedient) coincidence given her eminence as a jurist.</p> <h2>Why do women judges matter?</h2> <p>In answering this, it is worth remembering the classic quote from Ruth Bader Ginsburg in response to questions about when there will be “enough” women judges on the United States Supreme Court. Ginsburg replied there would enough <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/nov/30/justice-ginsburg-all-female-supreme-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">when there were nine</a> (that is, all of them). Acknowledging that people were shocked by this response, Ginsburg famously countered</p> <blockquote> <p>there’s been nine men, and nobody’s ever raised a question about that.</p> </blockquote> <p>This exchange demonstrates how accustomed we are to the idea that judging is the domain of men.</p> <p>This very notion is reminiscent of the question posed by American lawyer Carrie Menkel-Meadow: “what would our legal system look like if women had not been excluded from its creation?”</p> <p>We can never know the answer to this question. Nor can these institutions necessarily be remade in a way that escapes their masculinist origins.</p> <p>And yet, a majority of women judges sitting on an apex court is still significant, both nationally and internationally. The process of “letting women in” has chipped away at these foundations and opened up possibilities for transformation.</p> <p>This is not because there is a distinctive women’s judicial voice (there isn’t). It is because a majority of women judges sitting on the High Court makes an important symbolic statement about women’s admission to legal authority in Australia.</p> <p>When an institution once occupied only by men admits women into its space, the <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Law-Women-Judges-and-the-Gender-Order-Lessons-from-the-High-Court-of-Australia/McLoughlin/p/book/9780367230357#:%7E:text=Resources%20Support%20Material-,Book%20Description,Court's%20historically%20masculinist%20gender%20regime." target="_blank" rel="noopener">existing gender</a> relations and gender norms cannot remain unaffected.</p> <p>We saw this in 2020 with the revelations about sexual harassment on the High Court and Chief Justice Susan Kiefel’s decisive response, which was widely praised. The admission of women to historically masculine domains does have the potential to disrupt institutional norms.</p> <p>Australia is certainly not the first apex court to have a majority of women justices. For example, the Federal Court of Malaysia has a <a href="https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/node/224" target="_blank" rel="noopener">majority</a>(8/14) of women. But compared with other Western democracies, Australia has been progressive on this issue. In the UK, there is currently one woman on a bench of 12; in the US 4/9, New Zealand 3/6 and Canada 4/9.</p> <p>Of course, there will always be those who say gender shouldn’t matter. But gender has always mattered. It mattered for the first 80 years when only men were permitted to exercise legal authority at the peak of our legal system. And it still matters in 2022, when the High Court has a majority women justices for the first time.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-high-court-of-australia-has-a-majority-of-women-justices-for-the-first-time-heres-why-that-matters-191675" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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"Where is the diversity?": Australian Idol judging panel hits first major snag

<p dir="ltr"><em>Australian Idol </em>is yet to hit the screens but it’s already facing a major problem with its lack of diversity.</p> <p dir="ltr">Radio shock jock <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/he-s-a-real-crooner-kyle-reveals-judging-line-up-for-return-of-australian-idol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Sandilands announced</a> that he will be joined by US singers Meghan Trainor and Harry Connick Jr and Australian pop star Amy Shark as judges on the talent show.</p> <p dir="ltr">The show’s social media accounts also shared the news but many people asked about the lack of diversity with the judges.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Where is the diversity?” queried former ABC News reporter Mark Kearney.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The OG Australian Idol had at the heart of its panel Marcia Hines. This one has … a foul shock jock with a history of racism, misogyny and homophobia? Yucky.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Co-founder of Media Diversity AU Antoinette Lattouf sarcastically said there was a bit of diversity because one of the judges has a hyphen in their name.</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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjBmkvnhDq_/?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/p/CjBmkvnhDq_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Australian Idol (@australianidol)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“This is an epic and exciting opportunity to get judged by six white people. (To be fair there is some diversity, one has a hyphen in their name.)” she tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Not sure why anyone is surprised about the Australian Idol judging panel - the other talent shows on our screens are just as bad. If they want diversity they always just have Mel B on,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I LoVe tHiS rEpReSenTatiOn oF oUr MuLtiCuLtuRaL cOunTrY,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Australian Idol</em> first hit the screen 10 years ago and will come back on Channel 7 in 2023.</p> <p dir="ltr">“(We) start filming the auditions next week. It’ll be me. The other Australian I’ve chosen, Amy Shark will be the other Australian. She’s excellent. She’s a nice girl but she’s been busy, she writes songs, she works hard, she’ll be fabulous,” Sandilands said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Meghan Trainor … and from American Idol … Harry Connick Jr. Yes grannies, get your panties wet now. Harry Connick Jr. is on Australian Idol. He’s a real crooner.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It will take back its old format in which contestants from around Australia will audition before a top 12 is chosen for live shows.</p> <p dir="ltr">Past seasons have come out with incredible stars including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy and Casey Donovan.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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"He’s a real crooner": Kyle reveals judging line-up for return of Australian Idol

<p dir="ltr">Kyle Sandilands revealed the new judges that will be joining him on <em>Australian Idol</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">The radio shock jock made the surprise announcement on <em>The Kyle and Jackie O Show,</em> explaining he was actually meant to wait for his appearance on <em>Sunrise</em> before dropping the news. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Australian Idol </em>has been off screens for 10 years and will be back on Channel 7 in 2023. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sandilands previously shared that he is the only original judge remaining on the panel as he announced that he will be joined by US singers Meghan Trainor and Harry Connick Jr and Australian pop star Amy Shark. </p> <p dir="ltr">“(We) start filming the auditions next week. It’ll be me. The other Australian I’ve chosen, Amy Shark will be the other Australian. She’s excellent. She’s a nice girl but she’s been busy, she writes songs, she works hard, she’ll be fabulous,” Sandilands said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Meghan Trainor … and from American Idol … Harry Connick Jr. Yes grannies, get your panties wet now. Harry Connick Jr. is on Australian Idol. He’s a real crooner.”</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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjBmkvnhDq_/?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/p/CjBmkvnhDq_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Australian Idol (@australianidol)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The show will also be hosted by Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sandilands joked that he only agreed to come back to the show if Channel 7 hand delivered his contract. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I think they’re bringing the contract, I said I’ll only sign it on the radio show, so all the big head honchos have to march into the studio with the contract. I’ll sign it live on-air,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also claims that he was involved in picking the judges and purposely did not pick Osher Gunsberg due to his multiple roles on Channel 10. </p> <p dir="ltr">“They can’t sign on someone else unless I sign off on it … I’m not going to be doing the show with a bunch of knobs,” Sandilands continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve got a long list of knobs I won’t work with. I’d like at least one other Australian, and I would love a big name US and a big name UK, but it all depends, everyone’s touring around … But there’s a lot of big stars interested.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Australian Idol</em> will take back its old format in which contestants from around Australia will audition before a top 12 is chosen for live shows.</p> <p dir="ltr">Past seasons have come out with incredible stars including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy and Casey Donovan.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Music

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"Profoundly remorseful": Judge shows mercy to father who killed toddler

<p>A Victorian father who was responsible for the death of his two-year-old son in a quad bike crash has wept after learning he is more than likely to avoid jail time.</p> <p>Christopher Brown was behind the wheel when he lost control of the buggy doing doughnuts, a dangerous manoeuvre on the quad bike. His son died on his lap as the buggy overturned, flinging the toddler from the vehicle.</p> <p>The incident happened at the family home in Barnawartha North, near the New South Wales border.</p> <p>Lincoln was sitting on his father's knee and was only being held in place, as no one involved was wearing a helmet. Browne escaped the crash with minor injuries, as did his sister, who was in the passenger seat.</p> <p>He appeared in the County Court of Victoria on Thursday and pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and conduct endangering persons.</p> <p>Judge Michael Cahill said he accepted that Browne was "profoundly remorseful".</p> <p>"I have formed the view in all the circumstances in this case that a community correction order is the appropriate sentence for Mr Browne," the judge said.</p> <p>"Living with the loss of his child is punishment more than any court could impose." Browne, who appeared by videolink, from Wodonga, wiped away tears as the judge spoke.</p> <p>The accident happened on Christmas Day in 2020, after Browne opened presents and ate brunch with family members at his home. Just before lunchtime, Browne took his Polaris buggy out to give his guests rides.</p> <p>He got into the driver's seat and sat on top of the seatbelt, which was already clipped in, while his sister got into the passenger side and put on her restraints.</p> <p>The court documents reveal that Browne placed Lincoln, who wanted to go for a ride, on his left knee and held him in place.</p> <p>He then drove out into a paddock and performed several doughnuts before driving back up the driveway, where he reached speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour. He turned the buggy around and drove back into the paddock to perform another doughnut when he lost control of the vehicle and it flipped, flinging the toddler.</p> <p>The two-year-old died at the scene.</p> <p>"Mr Brown has been overwhelmed by his post-traumatic stress," Judge Cahill said.</p> <p>Prosecutor Erin Ramsay initially pushed for jail time but ultimately accepted that a community-based order was an appropriate sentence.</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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MasterChef judge blasts Pauline Hanson

<p dir="ltr"><em>MasterChef</em> judge Melissa Leong has called out senator Pauline Hanson’s controversial walk out of parliament during the Acknowledgement of Country.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Hanson made headlines when she stormed out of parliament when Senate President Sue Lines acknowledged the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples as the traditional custodians of the Canberra area and paid respect to elders past and present during Wednesday’s sitting.</p> <p dir="ltr">But before Senator Lines could finish the acknowledgement, the One Nation leader interrupted. </p> <p dir="ltr">“No, I won’t,” she yelled, adding, “I never will.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Leong slammed Ms Hanson’s “ignorant and racist” move on Instagram saying we have a way to go, describing the senator as a hateful bigot and to “not come back”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A step forward and several back,” her post began.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On a day we should only be cheering the first hijab-wearing woman giving her inaugural speech to Parliament, we are in many ways robbed of that full glory by another woman, this one an ugly-hearted bigot, who walked out of the Senate - during and because of- Acknowledgement of Country.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This typifies where we are as a nation. We have come so far, yet we have so far to go. I am hopeful and yet so very angry all at once. The only comfort I have is knowing I'm not alone.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sending power, congratulations and support to @senator_fatima_payman. To the short-sighted hateful bigot, hope the door hit you on the way out. Feel free not to come back.”</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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cggx0vBPov5/?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/p/Cggx0vBPov5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Melissa Leong | FOODERATI (@fooderati)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Following the storming out, Ms Hanson’s office sent out emails to their subscribers which says “One Nation believes that the practice of ‘acknowledgment of country’ perpetuates racial division in Australia”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We do not accept that acknowledgment of country is any sort of indigenous Australian tradition, given that at most it has only been in use for the past 25 years (and in Parliament only 12 years).</p> <p dir="ltr">“One Nation believes this country belongs to all Australians equally, indigenous or otherwise.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The email included a link to a survey asking people to share their thoughts on the Acknowledgement of Country and whether or not it should be used. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty/MasterChef</em></p>

News

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"You acted out of love": Judge says no jail for man who killed his wife

<p>A pensioner who slit his wife's throat has been spared jail and cleared of her murder after telling a jury he killed his terminally-ill partner of 40 years in an "act of love".</p> <p>Graham Mansfield, 73, was instead found guilty of manslaughter after he admitted to taking the life of his terminally-ill wife Dyanne, just months after she asked him to take her life "when things get bad for me".</p> <p>The retired airport baggage handler told Manchester Crown Court they were the "saddest words he had ever heard", but that he agreed to his wife's request as long as he could kill himself too.</p> <p>A jury made up of 10 men and two women only took 90 minutes of deliberation to find Graham not guilty for murder, but guilty of manslaughter. </p> <p>He was sentenced to two years in jail, but with two years suspended sentence, meaning he will not be imprisoned.  </p> <p>Graham was arrested in March 2021 after he called emergency services himself and told the operator he had killed his wife of 40 years at 9pm the previous day before trying to kill himself.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/graham-wife-2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Mrs Mansfield had been suffering with Stage 5 lung cancer. Image credit: Greater Manchester Police</em></p> <p>Mrs Mansfield was found with a "gaping incised would" and her windpipe had been severed. </p> <p>Police found three knives and a hammer near her body, along with two bricks on top of a plastic wallet containing a note written by the defendant for the police.</p> <p>"We have decided to take our own lives," it said, giving instructions on where to find his house keys and how to contact his sister, the court heard.</p> <p>Another note was written by Mr Mansfield and was addressed to his family, which read, "We are sorry to burden you with this but there is no other way. We made a pact that when it got too bad for Dyanne we would end it."</p> <p>"I couldn't bear to live without Dyanne and as the months progressed and as things got worse, it only reinforced our decision that the time has arrived. We hope you all understand."</p> <p>"Don't get too upset. We have had a wonderful and happy life together."</p> <p><em>Image credits: ITV News / Greater Manchester Police</em></p>

Caring

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“No sentence will be adequate”: Judge delivers ruling on killer teen

<p>The Queensland teenager who was drunk and high on cannabis when his stolen Landcruiser ploughed into expectant couple Kate Leadbetter and Matthew Field has finally learnt his fate before a judge.</p> <p>The learner driver crashed the stolen four-wheel drive, killing the engaged couple and their unborn child, changing their devastated families' lives forever.</p> <p>A tragedy was "almost inevitable" when the drug-fuelled teen began driving recklessly and dangerously in the stolen Landcruiser, a court has heard. It took only 20 minutes before the teen ploughed into Field and partner Leadbetter.</p> <p>The driver, who cannot be named because he was 17 at the time, will be released from custody six years to the day after the horror collision.</p> <p>"One episode of offending ... resulted about 20 minutes later in the heart-rending death of an innocent young couple," Justice Martin Burns said to the teen during sentencing on Wednesday.</p> <p>"[The teen] ... drove ... so dangerously over a sustained period ... without any regard for the safety of anyone ... that something like the terrible tragedy which unfolded must be seen to be an almost inevitable consequence."</p> <p>The teen ran a red light at Alexandra Hills, colliding with a truck before rolling and hitting the couple.</p> <p>Mr Field, 37 and Ms Leadbetter, 31, were killed instantly, suffering "catastrophic injuries".</p> <p>The teen fled with minor injuries, stealing keys from a nearby house before being caught by a resident before police arrived.</p> <p>He later appeared shocked he was responsible for the couple's deaths when interviewed by detectives.</p> <p>He had been drinking and using cannabis from about 10 am the day of the fatality and had a blood alcohol content of between 0.151 and 0.192% two hours after the crash.</p> <p>Earlier, he'd gone with a friend to Cleveland to get more cannabis and was found with almost $6000 when arrested.</p> <p>Justice Burns said taking into account the teen's protracted period of extremely dangerous driving that culminated in a grossly negligent final act, he regarded the manslaughter offences as "particularly heinous".</p> <p>But the teenager had to be <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/brief-stay-for-teen-charged-with-murder-over-fatal-car-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sentenced as a child</a>, with the "grave nature of offending" balanced by his youth. The given sentence was also based on the teenager not intending to kill or do grievous bodily harm.</p> <p>The teen's upbringing was "marked by significant deprivation and neglect" with his mother being sent for psychiatric treatment and his father to jail, Justice Burns said.</p> <p>The teenager - who was first charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter and a raft of other charges - stood stony-faced as he was sentenced.<br />Justice Burns sentenced the teen to 10 years in detention, requiring him to serve 60% of that sentence. He will be released on Australia Day 2027, at the age of 23.</p> <p>However, Justice Burns added: "No sentence will be adequate ... [and] can't do justice to the suffering you have caused."</p> <p><em>Image: ABC</em></p>

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Let him out: Judge makes huge call over Djokovic detention

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Novak Djokovic’s legal battle to remain in the country for the Australian Open later this month has begun, seeing the tennis champion leave immigration detention at the Park Hotel.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Djokovic has captured international attention after his Australian visa was cancelled, prompting protests outside the hotel where he has been detained as well as in his home country of Serbia.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The difference between refugees and <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DjokerNole</a> goes beyond the length of their detentions. The asymmetry extends to the fact that Djokovic is able to defend himself in court and refugees are not; they are totally failed by the judicial system.</p> — Behrouz Boochani (@BehrouzBoochani) <a href="https://twitter.com/BehrouzBoochani/status/1480355277396316162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a submission to the Federal Circuit Court, Djokovic’s lawyers said he had been infected with COVID-19 in December, which served as the basis for his medical exemption to enter the country while unvaccinated.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, there has been confusion over whether contracting the virus in the past six months was a sufficient reason to receive an exemption.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During his hearing on Monday afternoon, ongoing issues with the live stream have meant Djokovic has been unable to watch the proceedings from the hotel.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a result, Federal Circuit Judge Anthony Kelly made an order that Djokovic be allowed to leave the hotel so he can view the hearing at another location.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> <p dir="ltr">Judge Kelly has just ordered the govt/ABF bring Djokovic to a loction specified by his solicitor on Monday (and whatever days the court ends up sitting) so he can watch the hearing.<br /><br />It probably won't be his solicitor's office, Hall &amp; Wilcox has a "no vax, no entry" policy.</p> — Karen Sweeney (@karenlsweeney) <a href="https://twitter.com/karenlsweeney/status/1480354621658861569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The respondent, by her servants or agents, including the Australian Border Force, take all steps and do all things as may be necessary to bring the applicant to premises as specified by the applicant’s solicitors on Monday, 10 January 2022 (and each day thereafter, including upon the delivery of judgement), to permit him to remain there until the conclusion of each hearing and to secure his safe return to detention upon the conclusion of each hearing,” the order </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/live-novak-djokovic-court-hearing-over-visa-cancellation/news-story/ec608e63f4a8cff508230539e493e3d5" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">read</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the live stream was overwhelmed by the number of people attempting to view proceedings, the court’s feed was paused just before midday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other issues included the accidental interruption of proceedings by a member of the public who joined the stream but wasn’t on mute.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re in,” the person said, before being rebuked by Judge Kelly.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Can I ask whoever is on screen to mute themselves. There is every importance that the only people who should be online with their microphones are those who are making submissions to court,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Any other behaviour by any person who may be wishing to watch this live will produce a very real risk that the bandwidth available for this hearing will be overwhelmed and the hearing will be interrupted and that is utterly unacceptable.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">UPDATE: The matter is now due to resume at 3:45pm AEDT - <a href="https://t.co/WHxy78EES6">https://t.co/WHxy78EES6</a> <a href="https://t.co/tEwhLryz0j">https://t.co/tEwhLryz0j</a></p> — Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (@FCFCOA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCFCOA/status/1480394960801308672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the interruptions, the hearing was paused until 3.15pm on Monday afternoon, before being delayed another half an hour.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @djokernole (Instagram)</span></em></p>

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British socialite asks judge to imprison ex-husband

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A UK socialite has </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/wealth/exwife-asks-judge-to-send-husband-to-jail-accusing-him-of-failing-to-pay-up-in-divorce-battle/news-story/a402efc3039bcbe722552610509b7bde" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">accused</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> her ex-husband of failing to pay her the $AUD 94 million he was court-ordered to pay up earlier in the year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The separation of media mogul Sir Frederick Barclay and Lady Hiroko Barclay has become one of the UK’s most dramatic divorces, after they ended a 34-year marriage earlier this year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In May, a court ordered Sir Barclay to pay his ex-wife Lady Barclay £100 million ($AUD 188 million) in total, with the first half due in August.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The second half is due in 2022.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846150/barclay2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/bcd006fb2a734f929e5b6ba0d2e31449" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Images via Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Three months later, Ms Barclay returned to court in a preliminary hearing, where she asked a judge to send her former husband to jail after she alleged he failed to make the payment and produce certain documents. She argued that he had breached court orders made at the end of their 34-year marriage.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The socialite, aged in her 70s, applied for Sir Barclay to be held in contempt of court, meaning he could be fined, have his assets frozen, or spend time in prison.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846149/barclay1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b53b6a36b8be40f4bef36c8f81c75431" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Images via Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/sir-frederick-barclay-high-court-david-lawyers-channel-islands-b1968739.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Independent</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Sir Barclay’s lawyer Charles Howard QC said Lady Barclay would need to prove he had the “means to meet” the payment and had “willfully refused or neglected” to do so.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The judge, Sir Jonathan Cohen, said the final hearing would be staged early next year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sir Frederick’s lawyers asked if the hearing could be held online to avoid forcing the 78-year-old to travel, which Sir Cohen did not rule out.</span></p>

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“Absolutely a farce”: Mitch’s expletive-ridden tirade against judges

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mitch has unleashed on judges Shaynna Blaze, Neale Whitaker, and Darren Palmer, after he and Mark received the lowest score for their kitchen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The pair received harsh criticism for their “dumb” decision to use drawers to store dry food in their main kitchen, with Neale describing it as “all style over substance”.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844413/mitch-mark1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1834c04c394d4162bae9a10681ee0192" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Channel 9</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The comments are stupid. I have no respect for the judges so I shouldn’t let somebody hurt me that I have no respect for,” Mitch said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mark also emphasised that they would not take on any of the judge’s suggestions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Channel 9’s censors were working overtime during the episode, as Mitch said “F*** you!” each time host Scott Cam revealed one of the scores for their kitchen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m supposed to listen to them? Go f*** yourselves!” Mitch said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m not interested in their feedback. Their feedback is irrelevant.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mitch and Mark were also fuming over the appearance of Luke’s fiancé, Olivia, on the show once again, after she was spotted helping Luke and Josh prepare for the room reveals.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844414/mitch-mark2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0d9777a11c5343adb725db7bd3fde052" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Channel 9</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Olivia was filmed helping the twins clean and style their kitchen in a breach of the rules.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite being spotted doing the same thing in master bedroom week, her help didn’t affect the brothers’ scores or even receive mention on judgement day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The boys (twins Josh and Luke) brought in help last night that Scotty clearly knows about because it’s all on camera and yet it has no impact,” Mitch said to a producer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So, this is absolutely a farce.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite their frustrations, Mitch and Mark were still good sports over Kirsty and Jesse’s win.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The country musicians won $120,000 in prizes for their navy blue and gold kitchen, which received a perfect score from Neale and Shaynna.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844415/mitch-mark3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/83e9eacaf9da4bc892e34c32c36c0427" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Channel 9</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My [arm] hair is standing on end that’s how perfectly they have done the five-zone kitchen in this space,” Darren said, awarding them a 9.5 score for not including a second bin in their butler’s pantry.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neale said the room was “everything he wanted to see and feel in a kitchen”, joking that his hair was also standing on end despite being bald.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ronnie and Georgie came second for their neutral kitchen, after receiving criticism for their small cupboards.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tanya and Vito’s pink and terrazzo kitchen came in fourth, with Neale noting: “This is a kitchen that says love me or hate me, but don’t ignore me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shaynna pointed out that the fridge was in the wrong place, there was no bin, and their terrazzo benchtop offered little space for people to sit at or prepare food.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It makes me sick because they imported this [stone bench] and it is stunning but there’s no way to do anything different with that,” Darren commented.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Channel 9</span></em></p>

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