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Man clinging to esky rescued after Hurricane Milton ravages entire state

<p>A man has been dramatically rescued after he drifted more than 50km out to sea after being hit by the terrifying storm of Hurricane Milton. </p> <p>The record-breaking storm system ravaged the US state of Florida on Thursday, as the death toll has risen to 14 at the time of writing.</p> <p>One fisherman survived the storm by clinging to an esky and was rescued by the US Coast Guard in the Gulf of Mexico after his boat was stranded overnight in dangerous waters.</p> <p>“This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner,” Lieutenant Commander Dana Grady of the US Coast Guard said of the dramatic rescue.</p> <p>“To understand the severity of the hurricane conditions, we estimate he experienced approximately 75 to 90mph winds, 20- to 25-foot (six to seven metre ) seas, for an extended period of time to include overnight."</p> <p>“He survived because of a lifejacket, his emergency position indicating locator beacon and a cooler.”</p> <p>The storm swept through the city of Tampa, causing widespread destruction throughout the south-east of the state, with many residents now dealing with power outages and extensive debris. </p> <p>Amongst those stranded during the flash flooding were 135 residents of an aged care home, with many  wheelchair-bound residents spending the night sitting in water up to their waste before they were rescued the next morning.</p> <p>“This is a neighbourhood that doesn’t have a lot … They’ve lost everything,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister told <em>CNN</em>.</p> <p>“These are people who live day-to-day and they have nothing … Your heart shatters for these people.”</p> <p>Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said, “We’ll survey the damage and get people back on their feet – we’ll get through this.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram - US Coast Guard</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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USA medallist shares shocking state of Olympic bronze

<p>An Olympic medallist has shared the shocking state of his bronze medal, just one week after winning it. </p> <p>US skateboarder Nyjah Huston won bronze in the Men’s Street event on his skateboard at the Paris Olympics, and returned to the USA after his win. </p> <p>Huston, 29, has been staying in Laguna Beach in California, enjoying his break with friends and soaking up the sun as well as showing off his new medal.</p> <p>However, the medal is no longer looking as clean as it was when awarded to him, as she showed off in a video he posted to Instagram. </p> <p>In the clip, the medal could be seen looking battered and peeling.</p> <p>Hutson insisted that the quality of the metal may not be as “high” as he initially thought and called for it to be improved.</p> <p>He said, “Alright, so the medals look great when they are brand new."</p> <p>“But they look worse after I let them sit on my skin with some sweat for a little while and let my friends wear them over the weekend."</p> <p>“They are apparently not as high quality as you would think. I mean look at that thing, it is looking rough."</p> <p>“Even the front is starting to chip off a little so I think the Olympic medals need to step up the quality a little bit.”</p> <p>In a separate post, he added, “Medal looking like it went to war and back. I guess the medals are meant to be in cases. Not meant for the send.”</p> <p>Huston then posted a follower’s reply to his Instagram story that read, “Looks like ya won that thing in 1982 mate.”</p> <p>Many were quick to comment on his post, assuming the medals would be of higher quality.</p> <p>One person wrote, “What a piece of trash from the Olympics,” while another asked, “Did you keep the receipt?”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Young woman exposes "hate" response to Origin's Welcome to Country

<p>The young woman who delivered the Welcome to Country at the State of Origin has opened up on the "overwhelming" response to it, revealing how she has "received a lot of hate".</p> <p>Savannah Fynn, 22, was invited to deliver the Welcome to Country and while it was generally well received, it also led to radio host Kyle Sandilands slamming the practice in general, saying the practice had become “overused and lost its impact”.</p> <p>Since then, Fynn revealed that she has received an overwhelming amount of hate online, with some even jumping to criticise her appearance. </p> <p>“I was just so worried I would stutter or mess up my words because I’d never spoken in front of that many people,” Fynn told <em><a title="www.dailytelegraph.com.au" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/stellar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="stellar" data-tgev-label="lifestyle" data-tgev-metric="ev">Stellar</a></em>.</p> <p>“But once I finished, I felt a moment of relief. I ran straight over to my nan, obviously one of my Elders, and I gave her a big hug and a cuddle. It’s definitely an overwhelming feeling, getting all this attention. It’s not something I’m used to at all."</p> <p>“I’m a very quiet person so this is a big change. Even though it’s all positive, I struggle with taking compliments and I get a bit shy. I’m kind of ready for it to die down!”</p> <p>“As sad as it is, being a lighter skin colour, I’ve received a lot of hate for that,” the 22-year-old university student said.</p> <p>“A lot of people have picked on the way I look, the way I speak, even coming down to having blonde hair. My hair is actually dark, I’ve just dyed it blonde."</p> <p>“I think people also get very confused as to what an Acknowledgement and Welcome actually is. We’re not welcoming you to Australia; obviously you live here."</p> <p>“We’re welcoming you to the traditional owners of that land and acknowledging the traditional land. And in terms of comments about overuse, I feel you have to respect everyone’s opinions, even if you may not agree."</p> <p>“Being a First Nations person, I find it wonderful seeing my culture embraced. But obviously you can’t please everyone.”</p> <p>Fynn is aiming to be a young role model and hopes to show “young Indigenous people that we can get up and speak”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 18px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </p> <p> </p>

TV

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The sad state of Aussie ski resorts ahead of winter holiday season

<p>Ski resorts in Australia have had to get creative ahead of the tourist-heavy ski season after a lack of snowfall, despite plunging temperatures. </p> <p>The ski season begins this year on the June long weekend, running alongside the King’s Birthday on June 8th. </p> <p>Despite expecting a huge influx of keen skiers, there has only been light flurries of snow so far, according to WeatherZone, which melt away quickly and don't settle on the ground for long. </p> <p>In order to accommodate the busy season, Thredbo has had to resort to using fake snow for people to ski on. </p> <p>Manufactured snow happens by combining pressurised air and water through a ‘snow gun’ that gets blasted out into the air.</p> <p>The most ideal time to create the fake snow is on clear nights with low humidity, as the higher the humidity the colder it needs to be to make the flurries.</p> <p>Several photos from ski.com.au's cameras have shown popular ski sites with a disappointing lack of snow, in scenes similar to last year's ski season. </p> <p>“No significant snowfalls are on the horizon for the mainland Australian ski resorts before the official King’s Birthday Long Weekend season opening,” Weatherzone reports.</p> <p>“Snow-making began on the weekend at several resorts and has continued into the working week in the cold dry, air in the wake of the cold front.”</p> <p>According to WeatherZone, high-pressure systems, which have brought constant rain to the east coast recently, have been blocking the snowfall.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Xinhua News Agency / Thredbo</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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What does El Niño do to the weather in your state?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kimberley-reid-767059">Kimberley Reid</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>You’ve probably heard El Niño brings hot and dry weather to the eastern states, but what about the rest of Australia? Are we all in for a scorcher this summer?</p> <p>El Niño is what scientists call a <a href="https://www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/en/overview/climate-system/australian-climate-influences/">climate driver</a>. But it’s just one of many.</p> <p>These climate drivers control year-to-year variations in the weather. Some years are hotter and drier, while others are cooler and wetter.</p> <p>Australia is particularly prone to weather whiplash because our continent is buffeted by climate drivers to our north, south, east and west. The dominant driver in your state may be one of the lesser-known influences.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iVhi1wq2sTY?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Understanding Climate Drivers (Bureau of Meteorology)</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>East: El Niño Southern Oscillation</h2> <p>The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the resident climate driver in the Pacific Ocean and the driver with the biggest influence over Australian weather. Differences in sea surface temperatures and winds across the Pacific determine whether we swing towards El Niño (the boy) or La Niña (the girl).</p> <p><a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/about/?bookmark=enso">During the El Niño phase</a>, sea surface temperatures near South America are warmer than normal and they are cooler than normal off the coast of eastern Australia. Additionally, trade winds that blow from east to west across the Pacific weaken.</p> <p>El Niño brings hotter daytime temperatures, but often <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/#tabs=Pacific-Ocean&amp;pacific=History">cooler nights</a>. That’s because reduced cloud cover allows more heat to escape into space overnight. So the same process that increases the chances of heatwaves can also raise the <a href="https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/climate-weather/historical-frost-and-heat-maps-south-west-land-division">risk of frost</a> in Western Australia, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria.</p> <p>Australia as a whole is typically drier during an El Niño event. In the tropical regions, El Niño can delay the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/updates/articles/a008-el-nino-and-australia.shtml">onset of the monsoon and reduce the likelihood of tropical cyclones</a>. In the southern states, the hot and dry conditions increase the chance of intense bushfires.</p> <p>La Niña is the opposite phase. Waters off eastern Australia are warmer than usual, increasing the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/#tabs=Pacific-Ocean&amp;pacific=History&amp;enso-impacts=La-Ni%C3%B1a-impacts">chance of tropical cyclones</a> and an earlier start to the monsoon for WA, the Northern Territory and Queensland.</p> <p>So what does El Niño do to the weather in your state? Hover over your state in the interactive map to find out.</p> <p><iframe id="tc-infographic-1008" class="tc-infographic" style="border: none;" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/1008/7f37ae91389db072906b320ffd54d0fefd840c0d/site/index.html" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <h2>West: Indian Ocean Dipole</h2> <p>The <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/about/?bookmark=iod">Indian Ocean Dipole</a> is like ENSO’s Indian Ocean cousin. A positive Indian Ocean Dipole is declared when ocean temperatures near Africa are warmer than normal and ocean temperatures off the coast of Sumatra are cooler than usual.</p> <p>A positive dipole tends to bring warmer and drier conditions, particularly to western and central Australia. A negative Indian Ocean Dipole is the reverse and is associated with wetter than normal weather and an increase in <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/why-more-clouds-can-mean-less-rain-in-australia">northwest cloudbands</a>.</p> <h2>North: Madden-Julian Oscillation</h2> <p>The <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/about/?bookmark=mjo">Madden-Julian Oscillation</a> is a pulse of storms that start in the Indian Ocean, travel over Northern Australia and Indonesia and die in the Pacific Ocean. Ahead of the pulse, the air sinks, causing sunny and dry weather. Under the pulse is high storm activity and typically heavy rainfall.</p> <p>We describe the Madden-Julian Oscillation based on whether the pulse of storms is <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/mjo/">active or inactive</a> and where the storm activity is located on its path between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. As well as causing rainfall, the Madden-Julian Oscillation can control the timing of the monsoon onset and <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/about/?bookmark=tc">tropical cyclone formation</a>.</p> <h2>South: Southern Annular Mode</h2> <p>The <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/about/?bookmark=sam">Southern Annular Mode</a> controls the north and south position of the westerly winds that whizz around the globe in the Southern Ocean. When the winds are further north than usual, we call this the negative phase. But when the westerly wind move towards Antarctica, we call this the positive phase.</p> <p>The phase of the Southern Annular Mode <a href="https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/joc.1370">affects how many weather systems</a>, like cold fronts, make landfall over southern Australia. A positive mode may also draw tropical moist air south, which happened in 2022 during the extensive flooding over eastern Australia.</p> <h2>Climate drivers control the odds, but not the result</h2> <p>These four key climate drivers affect the weather on average (over months and seasons), but they do not dictate the exact day-to-day weather we experience. As the Gippsland region of Victoria <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/05/victoria-floods-flooding-warnings-gippsland-region-flood-and-fires-evacuation">saw in October</a>, heavy rainfall can still occur during an El Niño.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561494/original/file-20231124-16-ip8fja.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561494/original/file-20231124-16-ip8fja.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561494/original/file-20231124-16-ip8fja.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=407&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561494/original/file-20231124-16-ip8fja.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=407&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561494/original/file-20231124-16-ip8fja.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=407&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561494/original/file-20231124-16-ip8fja.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=512&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561494/original/file-20231124-16-ip8fja.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=512&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561494/original/file-20231124-16-ip8fja.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=512&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Map of Australia showing the difference from normal rainfall during October 2023, with a large wet patch around Gippsland, Victoria." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Difference from normal rainfall during October 2023, showing defined wet area around Gippsland, Victoria surrounded by drier conditions.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Bureau of Meteorology</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Climate drivers are like a football coach. They can select the best players and develop ingenious strategies, but that doesn’t guarantee a win every time.</p> <p>Players can get injured on the field or simply have a bad game. These uncontrollable factors are challenging to predict and may change the result from what we would expect. Scientists call this stochasticity. The climate drivers are the football coach, but the day-to-day weather systems are the players.</p> <p>The Bureau of Meteorology <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/">releases an update</a> on all of these drivers every two weeks. The update explains which drivers are currently active and the forecast for the next few weeks.</p> <p>So, if you are wondering why the weather is cooler during summer, or it’s raining in the middle of the dry season, perhaps take a look at which driver is steering Australia’s weather at the moment.<!-- 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/218257/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/kimberley-reid-767059">Kimberley Reid</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Atmospheric Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash 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/what-does-el-nino-do-to-the-weather-in-your-state-218257">original article</a>.</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Free tickets up for grabs to Barry Humphries' state memorial

<p>Australians will have the chance to pay their respects to the late Barry Humphries, with limited free tickets to his state memorial available to the public. </p> <p>Humphries died on April 22nd this year at the age of 89, and will be remembered for his legendary comedic characters such as Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson.</p> <p>His state memorial will be held at the Sydney Opera House at 11am on Friday December 15th, for those who wish to pay their respects to the entertainment giant. </p> <p>"The State Memorial will bring together dignitaries, family, friends and fans of Mr Humphries from across Australia and around the world to celebrate his extraordinary career and achievements," the NSW government said online.</p> <div> <p>Limited free tickets have also been made available to the public through the <a title="Sydney Opera House website" href="https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/state-memorial-barry-humphries-ac-cbe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Opera House website,</a> with fans able to snag a ticket from 2pm AEDT on Friday November 17th.</p> <p>Each person hoping to get a ticket will be allowed two tickets per customer to give everyone a chance to farewell one of Australia's best-loved entertainers. </p> <p>For those who miss out on a ticket, the memorial will be streamed online and broadcast on ABC, providing an opportunity for audiences everywhere to share in the celebration of Mr Humphries' life.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Caring

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"He leaves a broken state behind him": Aussies react to Dan Andrews' resignation

<p>Victorian premier Dan Andrews has announced he will be resigning from his role after nine years in the job, prompting a very mixed response from Aussies. </p> <p>Andrews made the announcement on Tuesday, describing his time as premier as the “honour and privilege of my life”.</p> <p>For many Aussies, the news of his resignation came as a shock, with the announcement prompting a wave of mixed responses. </p> <p>Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto had one of the strongest reactions to the news, saying Mr Andrews had “trashed Victoria’s reputation”.</p> <p>“I wish Daniel Andrews well. But we have to face the facts. He’s leaving because Victoria, under his leadership, is falling apart,” he said. </p> <p>Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan also had little nice to say about the outgoing premier, claiming he made the state of Victoria “poorer” while in the top job.</p> <p>“I think he’ll be remembered as a very good politician, very good at politics, but I think, sadly, over time, his legacy is going to be one in which he made the state of Victoria poorer, and he made Victorians poorer,” Mr Tehan said via <em>Sky News Australia</em>.</p> <p>“While we wish him and his family well, the sad reality is it’s Victorians who are going to have to pick up the pieces of his nine years in charge of this state.”</p> <p>Throughout his time as premier, Andrews attracted his fair amount of controversy, particularly around his harsh stance on Covid lockdowns, which saw Melbourne go through one of the longest continuous lockdowns on the planet.</p> <p>One of Mr Andrews’ biggest critics, <em>3AW</em> host Neil Mitchell, was also thrilled to bid the premier farewell, telling him, “Let’s hope we don’t see you in public life again”. </p> <p>He told <em>3AW</em> Mr Andrews had done “enormous damage to Victoria” and claimed to have been predicting his resignation for months. </p> <p>“I reckon he’s been thinking for some time. He’s been out of sorts for months. He’s been making unusual political errors. He’s seemed disinterested, he’s snappy at press conferences. I’ve said on air for some months, ‘he’s thinking about getting out’,” Mitchell said, adding “It’s time for him to go”.</p> <p>Liberal Party powerbroker Michael Kroger argued that Mr Andrews had over the years “got away with murder”, politically speaking.</p> <p>“Record debt. Small businesses are still broken and have not recovered from these extreme measures during the lockdown,’’ Mr Kroger told <em>Sky News</em>.</p> <p>“He leaves a broken, bankrupt state behind him. That’s his legacy. The financial recklessness of Daniel Andrews is unprecedented. And will take a generation to recover from."</p> <p>“Victoria will be better for Daniel Andrews having left today.”</p> <p>Despite many harsh words from his critics, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was quick to praise Andrews' time as premier. </p> <p>He wrote in a lengthy post on Facebook that it had been a pleasure working “alongside an old friend”. </p> <p>“Daniel Andrews is a person of deep conviction, great compassion and fierce determination and he brought all those qualities to his time as Premier of Victoria,” Mr Albanese said. </p> <p>“As Prime Minister, it was a pleasure for me to work alongside an old friend – and a leader of such vision and ambition. It made a huge difference to sit at the National Cabinet table with someone who believed so deeply in the power of government to change lives for the better."</p> <p>“Nearly nine years as Premier is a remarkable achievement. Dan Andrews can be proud that he didn’t waste a minute. I wish Dan, Cath and their children all the very best for their future together.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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First state to lock in Matilda's public holiday promise

<p>New South Wales premier Chris Minns has backed Anthony Albanese's proposal to implement a public holiday if The Matildas win the FIFA Women's World Cup.</p> <p>The Prime Minister flagged the idea of a public holiday if the Australian women's team claim the victory, however, the actual decision for the day off will come down to each individual state. </p> <p>NSW Premier Chris Minns has thrown his support behind the idea, and has even put forward the idea of a "ticker tape parade" through the Sydney CBD.</p> <p>"If the Matildas win the semi-final and then win the World Cup final, then yes we will pursue a public holiday in NSW, not just to celebrate the victory but also to have a massive civic celebration and allow the Matildas to celebrate with the people of Sydney what will be an amazing, like, life-changing and unbelievable event in the state's history," Minns told 2GB's Ben Fordham on Monday morning.</p> <p>He said the government was currently working on "contingency plans" in the event of the Matilda's victory.</p> <p>Minns went on to say that any celebrations would happen the week of the winning game, and not the Monday after. </p> <p>Despite the surge of support for the Matildas throughout the tournament, some businesses have opposed the idea of a public holiday, saying they can't afford the expense. </p> <p>"If we did do it in Sydney for a big public holiday, and a massive ticker tape parade, can you imagine the kind of energy and economic excitement," Minns said.</p> <p>The Matildas will be taking on England in the semi-final game on Wednesday night, with the winner going into the final against either Spain or Sweden. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Andrew Johns quits radio over on-air family feud

<p dir="ltr">Andrew and Matthew Johns are familiar faces in the world of NRL, and while they may have achieved legendary - or ‘Immortal’, in Andrew’s case - status in their sport, their public feuds have become a significant contributor towards their wider fame over the years. </p> <p dir="ltr">As recently as May 2023, the Johns brothers had an on-air disagreement over the year’s State of Origin series, in which each of them backed an opposing team. </p> <p dir="ltr">Joey is a staunch supporter of the NSW Blues side - and was a former player for the squad, regarded by many as one of the game’s best - and took issue with his brother’s praise and admiration for the QLD Maroons, as well as Matthew’s support for the side’s coach, Billy Slater. </p> <p dir="ltr">Matthew ‘Matty’ Johns set things off when he noted that Queensland were coming prepared, and when Andrew asked if that meant New South Wales didn’t, Matty confirmed it. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Mate I’m sick of you rapping Queensland, that’s what I’m sick of,” Andrew then declared.</p> <p dir="ltr">Their spat continued from there, with Andrew going on to share that he “couldn’t give a s**t. I don’t even look at Queensland”. </p> <p dir="ltr">But he wasn’t done there, concluding his take when he told his brother, “you’re blowing smoke up their backsides, I couldn’t care about Queensland.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He [Matty] said they’re easy to admire - they’re the enemy,” he said, before informing their audience, and co-host Andrew Webster, that the two had grown up “hating” the Maroons together. </p> <p dir="ltr">And now, according to Fox Sports, Andrew ‘Joey’ Johns has reportedly stepped down from his position at SEN’s <em>Morning Glory with Matty Johns </em>for the rest of the year in the wake of the argument. </p> <p dir="ltr">Additionally, the head of SEN Craig Hutchison had reportedly tried to keep the peace between them by suggesting that he’d take the two out for a lunch to clear the air, once the 2023 State of Origin series had wrapped up. </p> <p dir="ltr">It has even been reported that Andrew and Matty haven’t spoken since the on-air incident, with Matthew revealing that Andrew was “off me” after making his own return to the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Hutchison - who is also the host of Nine’s <em>Footy Classified</em> - had more to add on the matter, and the likelihood of mending the rift and getting Andrew back on air with them. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We love Joey and we love Matt,” he began. “They’ve been a fantastic part of SEN 1170 on Friday mornings.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We respect Joey’s wishes to concentrate on Origin at the moment. We understand he’s got a fair bit on his plate. And I probably underestimated how worked up he is.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We look forward to sitting down with him after Origin and welcoming him back with open arms. I’ll get them both together for a bite to eat and go from there.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

TV

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Australia’s “most boring state” is making waves

<p dir="ltr">The South Australian Tourism Commission is in hot water with its own shadow minister after forking out the funds for influencers to come visit the state, only to have them dub it Australia’s “most boring state”. </p> <p dir="ltr">It was an interesting take, but not necessarily one that was all too surprising - it’s a long-running joke plaguing the state, and the content produced by the Tiktokers has been defended as both intentional and ironic.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Shadow tourism minister Jing Lee does not share that opinion, demanding to know “who has chosen them, why they are here, [and] how they have been selected.”</p> <p dir="ltr">7News have also reported that the opposition are calling for the campaign’s cost to be made public. </p> <p dir="ltr">South Australia’s tourism organisation put their plan into motion in 2022 when they invited 12 social media influencers with millions of followers between them on a fully funded trip to the state. </p> <p dir="ltr">Their itinerary was reportedly designed to highlight “the very best that SA has to offer”, from its “raw beauty” to its “culinary delights”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“What we’re trying to do is demonstrate that people’s perception of Adelaide is patently wrong,” South Australia’s treasurer Stephen Mullighan explained. “That was the whole idea behind it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Many of the videos that came from the campaign run with captions declaring it to be “the most boring state ever”, or with the influencers asking their followers if they were ready to run amok with them. </p> <p dir="ltr">No matter which tagline the Tiktokers ran with, the content they produced all contained the same hidden message: South Australia was not such a ‘boring’ getaway after all. </p> <p dir="ltr">The clips they featured painted a positive picture of the state, showcasing everything from dolphin cruises to wineries, spectacular dining experiences, and an oyster farm. </p> <p dir="ltr">And as SATC have been happy to report, the campaign has been viewed over 5 million times across TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">It still wasn’t enough for Jing Lee, who shared her belief that “the Labor government has an obsession with influencers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">But Stephen Mullighan had his own thoughts on the matter - and more specifically, one of the opposition’s previous attempts at a tourism campaign. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We’re certainly not going to get lectured to by Jing Lee, John Gardner, and the Liberals,” he said, “who were of course responsible for the most humiliating tourism campaign [the 2019 ‘Old Mate’ campaign] that’s been rolled out in our nation’s history in recent times.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Barry Humphries' memorial details revealed

<p>Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that the late Barry Humphries will receive a joint state funeral between Victoria, New South Wales, and the wider Commonwealth.</p> <p>The 89-year-old comedian passed away in April following complications from hip surgery, with tributes flowing in from around the world. At the time, Albanese wrote that Humphries had entertained audiences for generations with his “galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone”.</p> <p>And during an interview with the UK’s <em>Talk TV</em>, Albanese revealed that plans were underway to host a state funeral for the star - though he could not provide further official detail on what that might entail.  </p> <p>"There will be a state funeral for Barry Humphries as well,” he explained, “co-hosted by the New South Wales and the Victorian government, and the Australian government, my government will be a part of that.</p> <p>"He's someone who gave an enormous amount of pleasure to generations of Australians and I know that a range of people who are friends of mine knew him very well.</p> <p>"I know how warmly he was regarded by people in Australia and the UK."</p> <p>However, when Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was asked about it all, he had to tell reporters that he “wasn’t aware there was a three-government thing.</p> <p>"I can't confirm for you where the service will be, or where the funeral will be. As far as I know, that's not settled and we're still talking to the family.”</p> <p>And while Albanese may not have had those talks with Andrews, he did take the time to further discuss Humphries with <em>Talk TV</em>’s controversial host Piers Morgan, prompted by a question surrounding ‘cancel culture’ and the late "quintessential Australian character".</p> <p>“People can legitimately put forward their concerns about someone’s comments that were made then,” Albanese said, in reference to the criticism over Humphries’ hurtful comments about the transgender community, and the decision to rename the ‘Barry Award’ in 2019. </p> <p>“But, at the same time, I think that we’ve got to be able to laugh at ourselves,” he continued. “The idea of ‘cancel culture’ is - in my view - a sad development … you see it happen so often and things [get] too taken out of context.” </p> <p>And as he previously noted, "Barry Humphries could only have come from Australia. What Barry Humphries would say is [that Australians like] 'taking the piss out of ourselves'.</p> <p>"He did it so well and for such a long period of time, so it was a big loss for the Australian arts community."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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“Can we show some respect?”: Outrage over Shane Warne’s state funeral cost

<p>A report detailing the cost of cricket legend Shane Warne’s state funeral has sparked outrage online, with one sports commentator labelling the move as “poor taste”. </p> <p>In the report, published by <em>The Age</em>, it came to light that the Victorian government had spent $2.8 million on state funerals in 2022, with $1.6 million from taxpayers going to Shane Warne’s public memorial.</p> <p>The event - which Eddie McGuire’s production company JAM TV received $1 million to produce - saw more than 50,000 people flock to the MCG to witness two hours of panel talks, speeches from those closest to Shane, and performances from fellow international superstars. </p> <p><em>The Age </em>went on to outline the disparities between Shane’s funeral price tag and that of others in the same year, and that’s where the late cricketer’s supporters drew the line, declaring that it had been worth each and every cent to celebrate his life and career in that way. </p> <p>“What's the point of this story, really? What does it achieve? Poor taste IMO,” journalist and AFL commentator tweeted in the wake of the news breaking. </p> <p>“Agree,” said fellow journalist Jim Wilson, “I was there and more than happy for my taxpayers money going towards this, can we show some respect[?]”</p> <p>Support continued to roll in from there, with one fan stating that the event “lit up the MCG for a night, [and] gave all Australians a chance to say goodbye to an Aussie legend.” </p> <p>“And how much did Warne’s presence in the Australian cricket team bring into the state’s coffers over the years[?]” another asked. “There are certain non-negotiables in Australian life &amp; one of them is that beloved Australian legends who touch so many peoples’ lives are honoured with state funerals.”</p> <p>“Seems very fair considering what this legend gave to our sport and our country,” someone else pointed out. </p> <p>The argument that Shane had brought in far more than $1.6 million to the Australian economy was rampant throughout every comment section relating to the report, with many believing the guest list to be proof alone of the sporting superstar’s international draw. </p> <p>The likes of Elton John, Robbie Williams, Ed Sheeran, and Chris Martin offered their talents in honour of the late Shane’s life. While fellow cricket greats - including but not limited to Allan Border, Michael Clarke, Brian Lara, and Mark Taylor - attended to share in Australia’s night of grief and celebration. </p> <p>"It didn't need to have these things done,” Eddie McGuire explained of the cost and decision to hold the event at the MCG - where a stand was being named in Shane’s honour. “But we did because it went around the world … we put our heart and soul into this because we loved Shane and we love this city."</p> <p>“In a lot of ways, we saw this as being Victoria's funeral," he also said to <em>3AW</em>. "I had to bury my mother with 10 people in the room at the funeral and I got great succour out of the fact that we all came together for a collective funeral in the name of our great mate Shane Warne."</p> <p>And last but certainly not least, as a spokesperson for the Victorian Government explained, “state memorials and funerals honour individuals’ outstanding service to Victoria – they afford Victorians an opportunity to mourn, celebrate, and to recognise extraordinary contributions to our great state.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Only days left for one Aussie state's residents to make $1000 claim

<p dir="ltr">New South Wales residents who faced the brunt of July 2022’s floods have only one week remaining to claim their $1000 lump sum payment.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Disaster Recovery Payment [DRA] - of $1000 per adult and $400 per child - as he set off to tour some of the hardest hit regions in July 2022. The news gave some hope to those who had lost everything in the disaster that swept through their homes, and the chance to secure the likes of clothing, food, and temporary shelter.</p> <p dir="ltr">At the peak of the devastation, over 100 evacuation orders - amounting to roughly 85,000 people - had been issued across the state, with thousands of properties inundated, with SES crews responding to over 370 flood rescues, and a frightening 7600 help requests. </p> <p dir="ltr">People living in the local government areas [LGAs] that were directly impacted by the floods are eligible, although certain criteria must be met. Service Australia outlines that you (or a dependent child to whom you’re the principal carer) must be an Australian citizen or hold an eligible visa, be in an eligible LGA, and must be claiming the payment for the first time. </p> <p dir="ltr">Those whose homes suffered major damage due to the floods and required either repair or replacement in certain areas, as well as those whose “major assets” - the likes of caravans, vehicles, water tanks, and sheds - were also in need of repair or replacement are eligible for the payment as well. </p> <p dir="ltr">And residents who were seriously injured, or had an immediate family member (who is/was an Australian citizen) die or go missing in the floods, are also eligible. </p> <p dir="ltr">Furthermore, individuals who lost income as a direct result of the floods may be able to get the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment [AGDRP]. If this is the case, they are then also able to claim the DRA.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for which LGAs the payment covers, residents from the following who felt the floods’ impact should look into it: Bayside, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury Bankstown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Cumberland, Dungog, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Kempsey, Kiama, Lake Macquarie, Lithgow, Liverpool, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Narromine, Newcastle, Northern Beaches, Oberon, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Randwick, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, Strathfield, Sutherland, The Hills, Upper Lachlan, Warren, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly, and Wollongong. </p> <p dir="ltr">New South Wales residents who are eligible only have until April 5 to make their claim. To check your eligibility status, <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-new-south-wales-floods-july-2022-australian-government-disaster-recovery-payment?context=62849">head to Service Australia</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Crackdown on vapes after state records shocking number of toddlers smoking

<p dir="ltr">Victoria has recorded an alarming number of toddlers ingesting nicotine from vapes.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the last year, Health Minister Mark Butler said that 50 children under four were recorded vaping, and that it is now the biggest behavioural issue in primary schools across the country.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Victorian poisons hotline has reported that in the last 12 months, more than 50 children under the age of four have had to be reported to the hotline because of the dangerous ingestion of nicotine,” Butler told <em>ABC Radio</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is now the biggest behavioural issue in primary schools,” he added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Health ministers across the country are looking for ways to implement greater import and enforcement controls after the use of vapes has exploded in recent years, despite current regulations.</p> <p dir="ltr">Last year, a new rule was enforced where nicotine vapes were only available with a prescription. However a black market has emerged, and this market primarily targets children.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is an industry shamelessly marketing, not just to teenagers but to young children. When you look at these things, pink unicorns and bubblegum flavours aren’t marketed to adults,” Butler said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Health Minister also added that the multi-million dollar industry is threatening to undo all the hard work dedicated to phase out smoking.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is an industry that is trying to create a new generation of nicotine addicts so they get around all of the hard work our country and other countries have done over recent decades to stamp out smoking,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler used the example of a “very young” child who had been found with an “insidious” vape in her pencil case, in an attempt to disguise it as a highlighter.</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier this month footage of an <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/jail-them-fury-after-baby-forced-to-vape-while-family-laughs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11-month-old baby boy smoking a vape</a> went viral, when the distressed child was seen struggling for air as his teenage mother laughed at him.</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler said that when it comes to cracking down on the industry, “all options were on the table,” including better import and sales control.</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler refuses to normalise e-cigarettes, something that has been proposed by David Littleproud, the leader of the Nationals party.</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler said: “We can’t just say oh, well, it’s all too hard, let’s just normalise it because we know why these products exist”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“These products are pushed so hard by the tobacco industry because they want to create a pathway back to cigarettes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler also cited research that showed that those who vape are three times as likely to take up cigarettes.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty, Facebook</em></p>

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Australia’s top towns revealed

<p dir="ltr">A study has compared 752 small Australian towns and crowned the 36 at the top of the pack. </p> <p dir="ltr">The study was <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/australias-best-towns-kiama-margaret-river-shoalhaven-among-the-top-places-to-live/news-story/695405e2e1787d67e64a93495a6cb8e6">published by <em>The Australian</em></a>, and saw demographer Bernard Salt consider criteria such as unemployment, diversity, median income, technical skill, and education across the 752 towns in his mission to declare the best of the best in each Australian state and territory. </p> <p dir="ltr">More specifically, Salt looked at towns that: </p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Earn more than $1,282 per a week household median income</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Less than 5.1 per cent unemployment</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">More than 15 per cent attained university education</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">More than 36 per cent with technical (trade) skill</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">More than 12 per cent workforce owner/manager</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">No less than 14 per cent born overseas</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">At least 17 per cent volunteer</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">At least 14 per cent provide unpaid care e.g., for example to a relative</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">More than 59 per cent have no long-term health condition</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">More than 6.5 hours per a week in unpaid domestic housework</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">Salt’s findings revealed a town in each state and territory that was “drawn from a list of 36 finalists that survive most of the filters”, and ultimately declared to be a step above the rest. </p> <p dir="ltr">For Queensland, Tamborine Mountain came out on top. </p> <p dir="ltr">For the Northern Territory, it was Nhulunbuy. </p> <p dir="ltr">For South Australia, Mount Barker. </p> <p dir="ltr">Western Australia, Dunsborough. </p> <p dir="ltr">Victoria, Bright. </p> <p dir="ltr">Tasmania, Legana. </p> <p dir="ltr">And last but not least, Kiama took the trophy for New South Wales, as well as bragging rights as “the standout overall.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“In the modern era, say the 2020s and beyond, I think that small-town Australia, as well as big-city Australia, needs skills, training, entrepreneurial energy and a measure of diversity to deliver opportunity to residents,” said the founder of The Demographics Group.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What this exercise shows is that across the continent Australians want more or less the same thing when it comes to living in a small town,” Salt went on, “proximity to a capital or major regional city; a tree-change or a sea-change environment; or, better still, all three criteria jammed within a single location offering views and amenity.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Australian people have spoken through their collective responses to the census,” he concluded. “Sea-change, tree-change, big-city access and a place of their own within which they can potter about and steadily make improvements, while also volunteering, caring, and making a contribution to the local community. That is the essence of small-town Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And of course if you disagree with the metrics and the logic of how the top towns were selected, then you are free to <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/top-towns">jump on to the website</a>, access the model, switch around the metrics and come up with your own version of Australia’s top towns. Hours of fun for the demographically inclined.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty </em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Grease star's emotional tribute to Olivia ahead of state memorial

<p>It's been six months since Olivia Newton-John passed away, breaking hearts of entertainment lovers everywhere. </p> <p>Now, her celebrity friends and family have begun arriving in Melbourne for her state memorial on Sunday, with thousands of fans joining to pay their respects. </p> <p>Among those sharing fond memories of Australia's sweetheart is Olivia's long-time friend and <em>Grease</em> co-star Didi Conn, who starred as Frenchy alongside Newton-John as Sandy. </p> <p>In an interview with <em>Today Extra</em>, Didi became emotional while reminiscing on a sweet moment from the set of the hit 1978 musical. </p> <p>"It's not good when you can't talk, you know, on a talk show," Conn said as she tried to compose herself.</p> <p>Didi revealed the first scene she filmed with Newton-John, sharing that the Aussie was actually quite nervous, but that was the moment they became great friends.</p> <p>"We were waiting for them to set up the shot and I just looked at her and she was shaking," she said.</p> <p>"I said 'Oh, Sandy, I'm so happy to have a friend from Australia, tell me all about Australia' and she looked at me like 'is this in the script?'"</p> <p>Olivia then cottoned on that Didi was improvising and by the time the cameras started rolling she was much more comfortable thanks to that little bit of help.</p> <p>"When the scene ended, she hugged me and that was the beginning of our friendship," she said.</p> <p>The women shared over 40 years of friendship and she revealed one of the last sweet moments she got to share with her.</p> <p>"I hadn't spoken to her in a couple of months and I called her and she said, 'why haven't we spoken?'," Conn said.</p> <p>Conn had been unwell recently and Newton-John was in hospital with a broken leg.</p> <p>"The next day I received this gorgeous orchid plant, it was beautiful with so many buds," she said.</p> <p>"The day before she left Earth, one of the buds fell down and I thought, oh no, and sure enough, I heard the news."</p> <p>"But her beauty will last forever, in everyone's heart, because she had the biggest heart, she was the most beautiful person."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Paramount Pictures / Today Extra</em></p>

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"And so it begins": Royal expert predicts the end of Australia's relationship with the Crown

<p>A royal expert has claimed that King Charles could be ditched as Australia's Head of State, after it was announced his portrait will not feature on the new $5 notes. </p> <p>In a historic move, the Commonwealth country will erase the British monarch from its banknotes, but instead replace the image of the late Queen Elizabeth with a design honouring First Nations Australians and their rich culture. </p> <p>Anti-royalists hailed the decision as a step towards a republic Down Under, while Peter Hunt, the BBC's former royal correspondent, ominously tweeted, "So it begins. Slowly."</p> <p>King Charles is still set to appear on coins when they are released later in 2023, but will not feature on any banknotes like previous monarchs. </p> <p>The central bank said its decision was supported by the centre-left Labor government of Prime Minister Mr Albanese, who favours an eventual move to an Australian republic.</p> <p>Despite Albanese's stance, he has said a referendum will not be held in the near future.</p> <p>The Reserve Bank of Australia has not set a date for the new currency, but confirmed Charles would not be on it after "consultation with the Australian government, which supports this change".</p> <p>Officials had claimed there had never been any guarantee that King Charles would replace his late mother on the new iteration of Australia's $5 note. </p> <p>Liberal leader Peter Dutton said of the change, "There's no question about this that it's directed by the government and I think the Prime Minister should own up to it. He would have been central to the decision-making."</p> <p>"I think it's another attack on our systems, on our society and our institutions."</p> <p>The popularity of the royal family has consistently fallen in Australia since the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022, and has continued with the public bickering within the family since the release of Prince Harry's memoir <em>Spare</em>. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Details of Olivia Newton-John's state funeral finally revealed

<p>A state funeral for the late Olivia Newton-John has finally been confirmed, with fans being given the chance to farewell the internationally acclaimed performer in person.</p> <p>Olivia Newton-John died at the age of 73 in August 2022, after a long battle with breast cancer. </p> <p>Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday announced a free, ticketed state memorial service would be held on February 26th to celebrate the life of the cultural icon.</p> <p>At the time of Olivia's death, Andrews remembered the star as a “person of grace ... energy, vitality” who left a lasting legacy through her art and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Heidelberg, Melbourne.</p> <p>“She took her cancer journey and used that to save lives and change lives, and that’s just a deeply impressive thing,” the premier said after her death.</p> <p>“As a lasting testament to her character and her generous spirit, we have the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre."</p> <p>“The research that’s done there, the treatment, the care, the love and support that is central to that place is a lasting legacy to the person that she was.”</p> <p>Now, Australians will be able to say pay tribute to Olivia at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre in Melbourne later this month.</p> <p>“Her work in cancer research and treatment saved lives and changed lives and her music was the soundtrack to a generation,” Dan Andrews said on Thursday.</p> <p>“We know Victorians are eager to celebrate the life of a driving force in medical research and an icon of film and music, with a service befitting her international acclaim.”</p> <p>The service will be free but ticketed in line with the venue’s capacity and members of the public must register to attend, with ticket registrations <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/state-service-dame-olivia-newton-john-ac-dbe" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">open</a> at 12pm on February 10th.</p> <p>The service will also be live-streamed via the <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/state-service-dame-olivia-newton-john-ac-dbe" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">state government’s website</a>.</p> <p>According to Dan Andrews, the delay on the state funeral was unavoidable due to the "outstanding issues" that were holding up the planning process. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Dan Andrews rejects state funeral proposition for Cardinal Pell

<p>Dan Andrews has rejected the idea of holding a state funeral for the late Cardinal George Pell, saying he "couldn’t think of anything more distressing" for victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church.</p> <p>Cardinal Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic, died on Wednesday at age 81 in Rome, after suffering heart complications from hip replacement surgery.</p> <p>Speaking in Melbourne on Thursday, Andrews offered his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Pell, acknowledging it would be a “sad time” for them.</p> <p>However, he said victims of institutional child sexual abuse remained “foremost” in his thoughts.</p> <p>“We see you, we believe you, we support you and you’re at the centre of not only our thoughts, not only our words, but our actions,” Andrews said.</p> <p>“We should never ever forget that predator brothers and priests were systematically moved around knowingly. It was part of a strategy from one working-class parish to the next."</p> <p>“We should never ever forget that, and we will never ever forget victims, survivors of institutional child sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic church.”</p> <p>Andrews said there had been no request made for a state funeral service, which is funded by the Victorian government, nor would one be offered to Pell.</p> <p>“I don’t believe that there’s been a request made and these things are normally offered rather than asked for and there will be no offer made,” he said.</p> <p>“There will be no memorial service or state funeral because I think that would be a deeply, deeply distressing thing for every victim-survivor of Catholic church child sexual abuse. That is my view. I will not do that.</p> <p>“I couldn’t think of anything that would be more distressing for victim-survivors than that.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Iran: protesters call for move to a non-religious state. What changes would that bring?

<p>My friend was in Tehran during protests after <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/events-iran-since-mahsa-aminis-arrest-death-custody-2022-10-05/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the death</a> of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police (Gasht-e Ershad). My friend went into a grocery shop intending to buy milk. The seller refused to sell anything to her. “Why are you refusing?” she asked. “I can see that you have milk.” “Because you are wearing a hijab,” the seller responded.</p> <p>This is part of a backlash by those who see themselves as oppressed by the Islamic Republic’s discriminatory hijab law, which prosecutes women for not “covering up”. The term hijab is an Arabic word meaning cover. It’s used to refer to different types of covering, from a long-sleeved coat, pants and scarf to the Islamic government’s preferred form of dress, chador, which is a loose-fitting black cloth worn over the entire body. After Mahsa Amini’s killing in September, mass protests broke out over this law and its enforcement.</p> <p>Wearing hijab became obligatory for all Iranian women from April 1983, after the 1979 revolution. Since then, all women have been forced by law to wear hijab (a covering of hair and or body) in public, even non-Muslims and foreigners visiting Iran. If they don’t they face prosecution.</p> <p>The government of Iran, the Islamic Republic, argues that God commands women to wear hijab. This is a government which has leaders who are members of the clergy and merged religious beliefs into state law. But even some Islamic scholars argue that the Qur'an does not suggest that hijab should be <a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300257311/women-and-gender-in-islam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compulsory</a>.</p> <p>Mahsa Amini’s case is polarising Iran: those who rigorously advocate the hijab and religious law are set against those who prefer a <a href="https://time.com/6216024/iran-protests-islamic-republic-response/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secular state</a>, not run by religious values.</p> <p>This has led the nation to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/26/iran-at-least-15-killed-after-gunmen-attack-shrine-in-shiraz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the current upheaval</a>, with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/08/are-hijab-protests-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-irans-regime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vast</a> protests across the country, and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-63410577" target="_blank" rel="noopener">people being killed</a>.</p> <p>At many protests the Iranian resistance chant is <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/iran-protests-women-life-freedom-mahsa-amini-killing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zan, Zendegi, Azadi</a> (#WomenLifeFreedom) is heard. The protesters call for life and liberty to be applicable to everyone (religious and non-religious). A big part of <a href="https://theconversation.com/iran-protests-majority-of-people-reject-compulsory-hijab-and-an-islamic-regime-surveys-find-191448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the motivation</a> behind these protests is to challenge how the current religious law takes away the right of women to choose what to wear.</p> <h2>What is secularism?</h2> <p>Secularism is the idea that states should be <a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/1881/chapter-abstract/141631825?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">neutral about religion</a>. The state should not <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/16/what-mean-secular-state-neutral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">back</a> a specific religion over others. A secular state <a href="https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1548-1360.2011.01117.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provides</a> equal opportunity for religious and non-religious citizens to pursue their lives. The state must respect everyone’s values (including minorities), not just some people’s values.</p> <p>Secularism seems reasonable <a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/28394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to many</a> because it is unusual for an entire nation to believe in a religion as one source of law. Some <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00263206.2019.1643330" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scholars of Islam</a> disagree with the established interpretation of the Islamic Republic about whether God has commanded a mandatory hijab. As a result, they claim that hijab is not about covering hair but about “modesty”. Some others challenge <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/12/iran-hijab-law-protest-ali-larijani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the way</a> the morality police treat women in the street.</p> <p>While some people might be railing against women being forced to wear the hijab, others continue to feel strongly about its continued use. <a href="https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-qom-women-hijab/31929986.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reports</a> say that Iranian authorities have closed some coffee shops because of the “improper” hijab of some female customers. And more <a href="https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/iran-detains-woman-eating-breakfast-without-hijab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently</a>, a woman was arrested for eating breakfast in a café with no hijab.</p> <h2>Iranian history of secularism</h2> <p>Modern debates about secularism in Iran can be traced back to the <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/irans-constitutional-revolution-9780755649235/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Constitutional Revolution</a> in 1906. It advocated <a href="https://iranicaonline.org/articles/constitutional-revolution-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener">liberalism and secularism</a> and began conversations about a society without religious rules for all.</p> <p>Iranians experienced enforced secularisation shortly after Reza Shah Pahlavi was <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Reza-Shah-Pahlavi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crowned</a> in 1925. In 1936 he issued a decree <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/iran-and-the-headscarf-protests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kashf-e hijab</a> that any public expression of religious faith, including wearing hijab, was illegal. Again, this was a leader was telling women what to wear. However, his attempt to militantly secularise and westernise Iran faced <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/mono/10.4324/9780203060636-22/banning-veil-consequences-dr-stephanie-cronin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resistance</a> from society.</p> <p>The overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979 led to the establishment of a militant Islamic government based on <a href="https://www.icit-digital.org/books/islam-and-revolution-writings-and-declarations-of-imam-khomeini-1941-1980" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shia Muslim teachings</a>. After the hijab became <a href="https://www.mei.edu/publications/irans-headscarf-politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mandatory</a>, it became a symbol of compulsory faith. It has also played a significant role in pushing some parts of the Iranian population towards a more secular state.</p> <p>In 2022 Iran is experiencing some dramatic shifts, including what appears to be a shift towards secularism. Some argue that secularism is an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/25/archives/khomeini-terms-secular-critics-enemies-of-islam-dictatorship-of-the.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enemy</a> of religion or a product of <a href="https://nyupress.org/9780814795644/democracy-in-modern-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">western colonisation</a>. Despite the majority of Iranians considering themselves <a href="https://gamaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/GAMAAN-Iran-Religion-Survey-2020-English.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">religious</a>, some evidence shows that Iranians are <a href="https://theconversation.com/iran-protests-majority-of-people-reject-compulsory-hijab-and-an-islamic-regime-surveys-find-191448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less religious</a> than before.</p> <p>Since the Islamic revolution there’s been a lot of research about how Iran could work as a <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Secularization-of-Islam-in-Post-Revolutionary-Iran/Pargoo/p/book/9780367654672" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secular</a> society and about religious <a href="https://brill.com/view/book/9789047400714/B9789047400714_s006.xml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tolerance</a>.</p> <p>The current protest movement, led mainly by <a href="https://www.mei.edu/publications/irans-rising-generation-z-forefront-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gen Z in Iran</a>, is growing partly because of its use of the internet and social media to communicate and share information. People can also learn from other nations’ experiences of secularism through social media. This is why the regime is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2022/oct/06/why-is-the-government-in-iran-shutting-down-the-internet-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shutting down</a> the internet and censoring YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.</p> <p><a href="https://gamaan.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GAMAAN-Political-Systems-Survey-2022-English-Final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One poll</a> suggests that more than 60% of Iranians now want a non-religious state, the question is whether those in power are willing to give it to them.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/iran-protesters-call-for-move-to-a-non-religious-state-what-changes-would-that-bring-193198" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Sky News</em></p>

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