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Australia's most decorated Olympian drops huge news

<p>Australia's most decorated Olympian, Emma McKeon has announced her retirement from swimming on Monday. </p> <p>After an incredible career that spanned across three Olympics and yielded 14 Olympic medals, including six golds, the Olympic champion announced her retirement from the pool in a social media post. </p> <p>"Today I am officially retiring from competitive swimming," shared on Instagram.</p> <p>"Leading into Paris, I knew it would be my last Olympics, and the months since have given me time to reflect on my journey, and think about what I wanted my future to look like in swimming."</p> <p>"I am proud of myself for giving my swimming career absolutely everything, both physically and mentally," she continued. </p> <p>"I wanted to see what I was capable of - and I did. Swimming has given me so much. From the dream igniting at 5 years old, right through to my third Olympic Games - I have so many lessons, experiences, friendships and memories that I am so thankful for."</p> <p>Mckeon made her Olympic debut at the Rio Olympics in 2016, winning gold as a member of the women's 4x100 freestyle relay team and claiming four medals overall. </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/DCxSXAXyE7r/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCxSXAXyE7r/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Emma McKeon (@emmamckeon)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In 2020, during the Tokyo Olympics she took over as Australia's most decorated Olympian, a title that was previously held by Ian Thorpe, after bringing home four gold medals by triumphing in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay. </p> <p>She won seven medals in total in the 2020 Olympics. </p> <p>In this year's Paris Olympics, she brought home another three medals including one gold as a member of Australia's 4x100m freestyle team.</p> <p>"Along with every person who supported me, worked hard with me, and cheered me on. THANKYOU," McKeon said in her post.</p> <p>"Now I am excited to see how I can push myself in other ways, and for all the things that life has in store."</p> <p>Beyond the Olympics, McKeon has been an eight-time world record holder in relay events with three current and five former records. </p> <p>She has also won 14 gold medals across the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games. </p> <p>Swimming Australia chief executive Rob Woodhouse, who is McKeon's uncle, praised the Olympic champion. </p> <p>"Emma will be remembered in the same vein as Dawn [Fraser], Shane [Gould], Susie [O'Neill] and Murray [Rose], Kieren [Perkins] and Thorpey [Ian Thorpe] — that she was one of our greatest," Woodhouse said in a Swimming Australia statement.</p> <p>"From a personal point of view, watching her Tokyo campaign and in particular watching her win gold in the 100m freestyle was one of the greatest races I have ever watched, but I have also loved watching her advocate for those coming up through the ranks.</p> <p>"She will also be remembered for how she represented swimming. The standards she set in and out of the water were second to none, and she has a lifelong love of the sport, so she won't be disappearing from swimming."</p> <p><em>Images: DAVE HUNT/EPA-EFE/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Retirement Life

British royal considering moving to Australia

<p>A member of the British royal family is considering relocating to Australian shores after finding love with an Aussie. </p> <p>Lady Louise Windsor, the late Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter, found love with Australian student Felix Robert da Silva-Clamp and is reportedly planning to move Down Under for her partner. </p> <p>Lady Windsor is the daughter of King Charles’ youngest brother Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.</p> <p>She and Felix, who attended Melbourne Grammar School from 2017 to 2022, first met at St Andrew’s University in Scotland. </p> <p>Felix is the son of British solicitor, Charles William da Silva-Clamp, while his mother, Kendall Clamp, lives in Melbourne, and holds a master’s degree in epidemiology.</p> <p>Royal commentator Victoria Arbiter joined Nat Barr on <em>Sunrise</em> on Thursday, where she explained that Lady Windsor was interested in taking classes at Macquarie University in Sydney.</p> <p>“Both of their degrees allow for a study abroad semester — Louise at the moment is in her third semester. If she is likely to do a semester of study abroad, it would likely be in her fourth year,” Arbiter said.</p> <p>“She is interested in studying at Macquarie University in Sydney. So, this time next year, you could be welcoming a royal down under.”</p> <p>Felix is also said to have met Lady Windsor’s parents, as Arbiter said, “Certainly in royal circles that’s not a thing until it is quite serious — Felix is only 20 and Lady Louise is 21, so they have a lot of time ahead of them, but it would seem things are going well.”</p> <p>“I think the royals would definitely welcome an Aussie to the royal family.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Thomas Krych/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Relationships

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

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katya-johanson-425719">Katya Johanson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p>Recent international research shows Australians are buying and reading fewer books than people in many other countries. But why?</p> <p>A <a href="https://risebookselling.eu/consumer-behaviour">report</a> by the European and International Book Federation found that only 64% of Australians bought a book in the past year, compared to an average 72% of people across 19 countries.</p> <p>Similarly, 80% of Australians read a book in the past year, slightly below the international average of 85%. These differences are slim, but as book buyers and readers, we are among the lowest in the sample, alongside Aotearoa New Zealand, Finland, Latvia and the United States.</p> <p>The number of people who had read a book in the past year in Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Ireland all came in at over 90%.</p> <p>Local research also suggests reading rates in Australia are falling. Back in 2017, a Macquarie University study found 92% of us read books at least once in the previous year. By 2021, in the <a href="https://australiareads.org.au/research/the-national-reading-survey/">Australia Reads national survey</a> that figure had dropped to 75%.</p> <p>What’s behind these numbers?</p> <p>Price might be less of a factor than we often assume – and surprisingly, Australia’s dependence on cars could play a role. International examples showing how other countries protect and value their book cultures – from government policies to counter the strength of Amazon to public holidays for poets – suggest measures to actively boost our own could help.</p> <h2>The price myth</h2> <p>There’s a general perception that books cost too much in Australia. But they’re not necessarily more expensive here than elsewhere. Competition from online retailers like Amazon and increases in production costs globally <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/book-publishing/171/">have levelled prices internationally</a>.</p> <p>In fact, Australians often pay similar or less for books than readers in Canada, New Zealand and the US.</p> <p>Tim Winton’s new novel, <a href="https://theconversation.com/tim-winton-goes-cli-fi-his-dystopian-novel-juice-breaks-new-ground-to-face-the-climate-emergency-238769">Juice</a>, for example, has an Australian recommended retail price of A$49.99. It’s almost exactly the same price in Aotearoa New Zealand (A$49.81) and costs more in Canada (A$54.59). In the US, Juice is A$44.02, and in the UK, it’s A$43.07.</p> <p>While UK book prices are lower, this is mainly because books there don’t attract sales tax. The UK <a href="https://www.accountingfirms.co.uk/blog/are-books-vat-exempt/#:%7E:text=In%20the%20UK%2C%20books%20are,to%20most%20goods%20and%20services">made books exempt</a> from its value-added tax (VAT) applied to most goods and services – a deliberate decision to make reading more affordable.</p> <p>Pauline MacLeod, the children’s and young adult literature specialist at Brisbane’s Riverbend Books, told me children’s publishers are “trying hard to keep local books priced between $22.99 and $25.99”. Still, <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-australian-workers-true-cost-of-living-has-climbed-far-faster-than-weve-been-told-221590">in the current cost of living squeeze</a> books are a discretionary spend some cannot afford.</p> <h2>Public transport is good for reading</h2> <p>Interestingly, countries where <a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/8282/rail-passenger-transport-in-europe/#statisticChapter">more people use public transport</a> – like the UK, France, Germany and Spain – tend to have higher reading rates. It’s easier to read a book on a train than in a car, and these countries often have bookshops in train stations, creating a culture of reading while commuting.</p> <p>In contrast, car-dependent countries like Australia, the US and Aotearoa New Zealand show lower reading rates. Our reliance on cars might explain why audiobooks are more popular in Australia than in many other countries.</p> <h2>A holiday for a poet</h2> <p>In Ireland, where 91% of people have read a book in the past 12 months, there is a strong cultural history of storytelling. Reading is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/aug/20/we-all-read-like-hell-how-ireland-became-the-worlds-literary-powerhouse">supported by</a> an arts council providing grants and bursaries, and a healthy ecosystem of literary festivals and magazines, public libraries and bookshops.</p> <p>Australia has many of these things, but Ireland also significantly supports writers, with a tax exemption on artists’ income up to €50,000 (approximately A$81,500) and a basic-income pilot scheme granting 2,000 artists €325 (approximately A$530) a week.</p> <p>In France, where the government <a href="https://www.culture.gouv.fr/en/regions/drac-grand-est/services/idc/reading-book/Support-for-the-book-economy">actively protects its reading culture</a>, 88% of people have read a book in the past 12 months. In 2022, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/23/france-minimum-book-delivery-fee-amazon">France introduced a law</a> to make French bookshops more competitive with online retailers like Amazon which often offer free delivery of books. By setting a minimum delivery fee for all online book orders of less than €35 (around A$57), the government aims to level the playing field for local booksellers.</p> <p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, only 5% of French people buy all their books online (as opposed to 12% in Australia).</p> <p>Australia has public holidays dedicated to sports, like the Melbourne Cup and the AFL Grand Final (both in Victoria). In Portugal, a national holiday, Portugal Day, commemorates the death of poet <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Luis-de-Camoes">Luís de Camões</a>, considered Portugal’s greatest.</p> <p>While 85% of Portuguese people have read a book in the past 12 months (exactly the international average), they consider reading as one of their hobbies (37%) and have bought a book in the past year (76%) at rates above the international average.</p> <p>Interestingly, just 32% of Australians said they consider reading a hobby, compared to 44% in Spain and 42% in the UK.</p> <p>Families, the education system and the media are also all key to inculcating this culture of reading, as is a strong local publishing industry.</p> <h2>The way forward</h2> <p>Local booksellers report declining reading rates in Australia, too. Robbie Egan, CEO of Australia’s peak bookselling industry body, BookPeople, told me: “The competition for eyeballs is real and it is fierce, and consumer discretionary dollars are scarce”. Industry leaders like Egan suggest we need a national campaign to promote the benefit of reading.</p> <p>We know from local research that <a href="https://www.bookpeople.org.au/images/BookPeople_Papers_Imagination.pdf">Australians value books and storytelling</a>. With increasing competition from other forms of entertainment and tighter household budgets, encouraging a stronger reading culture may be more important than ever.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/243272/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katya-johanson-425719">Katya Johanson</a>, Professor of Publishing and Audience Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image </em><em>credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-are-reading-less-than-other-countries-a-new-report-shows-why-243272">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Books

"Only in Australia": Couple finds koala asleep in their bed

<p>A couple from Adelaide have got the shock of their lives when they returned home to find a koala asleep in their bed. </p> <p>Francielle Dias Rufino told <em>9News</em> that when her and her husband Brunno they found the marsupial catching up on sleep in their bed, just metres away from where their dog was sleeping too. </p> <p>Francielle, who moved to Australia from Brazil with her husband two-and-a-half years ago, said she screamed out to her husband in Portuguese when she found the furry intruder. </p> <p>"I was so nervous that I forgot my English," she said.</p> <p>She said their dachshund cross beagle was asleep in his dog bed, metres from the sleeping koala, adding, "He made a new friend!" </p> <p>Francielle said she believed the koala entered the house via the doggy door, as "The doors and the windows were locked. Only in Australia!"</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/DCTVyjfgoKz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCTVyjfgoKz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 7NEWS Adelaide (@7newsadelaide)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In a video taken by Rufino, the koala glanced at the couple before climbing up to a bedside table and returning to the comfy bed when they tried to move the animal outside. </p> <p>When they tried calling animal rescue hotlines only to be found they weren't open at the late hour, Brunno tried to usher the koala outside with a blanket, prompting the sleepy animal to try and bite him. </p> <p>"Or maybe he wasn't happy because we woke him up," Rufino laughed.</p> <p>She said she was a lover of the animals and the visit was "a very nice surprise".</p> <p>"He was so cute. I love koalas," she said. "He can come back anytime he likes."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine</em></p>

Family & Pets

Readers response: What advice would you give someone visiting Australia?

<p>We asked our readers what advice they would give to someone travelling to Australia, including where tourists need to see and what hidden gems cannot be missed. Here's what they said. </p> <p><strong>Peggy Rice</strong> - Respect our rules, the outback needs to be researched, swim between flags, don't swim with crocodiles. It's the best country in the world, let's keep it that way. Also do yourself a favour and put Tasmania on your list of beauty.</p> <p><strong>Kay L Bayly</strong> - Number 1 advice! Check distances between desired destinations. It is a much bigger country than most people understand.</p> <p><strong>Michael Pender</strong> - Bring a sense of humour.</p> <p><strong>Toni Stewart</strong> - You will need a year at least to see all the different areas from desert, scrub, rainforest, cities, beaches, country side fabulous little towns and lots of festivals.</p> <p><strong>Maureen Prince</strong> - We don’t have Kangaroos running the streets. Koalas are not in everybody's back yard trees. Whilst we do have snakes you’d be very unfortunate if you were to come across a venomous one. We don’t all go around saying “Good day mate”. Our scenery is incredible. Our food is superb and, best of all, we have good friends who do say “Good day mate”.</p> <p><strong>Tina Shaw</strong> - Leave preconceptions at customs. See who we are and you'll have a fantastic time.</p> <p><strong>Dianne Savage</strong> - Put Tasmania on your must do list.</p> <p><strong>Margaret Higgs</strong> - Use sunscreen, wear a hat, drink lots of fluids.</p> <p><strong>Cheryl Anne</strong> - Don't assume you can cover the whole country in 6 weeks.</p> <p><strong>Sarah Hayse-Gregson</strong> - Obey the beach culture. The flags, lifesavers are there for a reason. If a sign says, “beach closed” there’s no one to assist you if you get into difficulty. Our lifesavers are volunteers, don’t forget that. They give up their free time to monitor the beaches and are highly trained. Never turn your back to the sea.</p> <p><strong>Ann Lusby</strong> - Watch out for drop bears.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Domestic Travel

"I miss her daily": Fergie opens up on friendship with Diana

<p>As the Duchess of York wraps up her visit Down Under, she has shared some of her most cherished memories in an interview with <em>9Honey</em>.</p> <p>Following a busy schedule of meet and greets as part of her book tour, Sarah Ferguson opened up on her friendship with the late Princess Diana, who, like the duchess, is a beloved member of the royal family.</p> <p>"The thing about Diana was that she had the best sense of humour of any single person I know – that's quite a big thing, so it's a really big hole because she'd get my sense of humour," the duchess told the publication.</p> <p>"It's really, really hard to really make me cackle with laughter like she used to.</p> <p>"And so, yes, I miss her daily, and I think in the '80s it was just her and I, wasn't it?"</p> <p>The two women were brought together by their marriages to then Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, and the royal affectionately recalled their strong bond.</p> <p>"There isn't anybody else to know, really, what we know because there was no social media and it was just newspaper headlines.</p> <p>"I was so proud of her, what she achieved, and she would be SO proud of her grandchildren.</p> <p>"Oh, my goodness. Can you imagine? She would be just loving every moment.</p> <p>"She was a great lady, and she still is a great lady."</p> <p>The <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">duchess</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">was originally scheduled to visit Australia in October, after she was invited by her Western Australia-based publisher, Serenity Press to showcase her commitment to literature, wellness and empowerment. However, she postponed her visit to not overshadow the King and Queen's tour. </span></p> <p>The <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">soon to be grandmother of four</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">celebrated the launch of her newest books including </span><em style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Flora & Fern: Wonder in the Woods</em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> which is a children's book, and Fabulous Food Art, which is a cookbook she created in collaboration with Melbourne mother and TikTok star Laleh Mohmedi, of Jacob's Food Diaries.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Image: </span>Alisdair Macdonald/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Family & Pets

Virgin Australia passenger denied travel over tiny passport detail

<p>Renee Reader, 30, flew to Melbourne from the Gold Coast on Monday and had her passport checked several times by Virgin Australia staff. </p> <p>It wasn't until she was in the final boarding queue to Bali when staff spotted one tiny detail in her passport. </p> <p>"I got through security and customs. It wasn't until I was actually boarding the flight and I handed over my boarding pass and passport that the staff weren't sure about my passport," she told <em>Yahoo News Australia</em>.</p> <p>Staff then started taking photos of her passport and she was asked to step aside. When asked what the issue was, she was told there was a "yellow stain" on her passport identification page. </p> <p>It wasn't long before she received the "heartbreaking" news, with staff telling her: "You're not going to Bali." </p> <p>Although she tried to plead her case, airline staff stood firm on their decision, and said Renee would need to be escorted out of the airport by security. </p> <p>"I said, 'I don't think that's quite necessary. I'm not a criminal — It's a passport with a watermark on it'," she recalled, but was she was escorted anyways. </p> <p>While the airline paid for Renee's flight back to the Gold Coast, and acknowledged that they should've flagged the passport damage earlier into her journey, she still lost the money for her return flight tickets to Bali which cost around $200.</p> <p>"My message to everyone is to triple-check your passport and make sure that it is in immaculate condition, because they are getting a lot stricter, and I would never want this to happen to anyone else," she said.</p> <p> "I've travelled all over Europe, I've been to Bali with it [the mark] twice... I was in Bali just in July... it was absolutely heartbreaking," she said.</p> <p>A Virgin Australia spokesperson told <em>Yahoo News </em>that staff are required to flag any passport issues to prevent passengers from being refused entry at their intended destination. </p> <p>"When a guest presents for check-in for an international flight, Virgin Australia team members are required to ensure they have the necessary travel documentation and that the documents are in suitable condition," the spokesperson said.</p> <p><em>Image: TikTok/ Yahoo News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Jelena Dokic's teary admission about 2001 Australian Open controversy

<p>Jelena Dokic has shared that she would endure "100 years of abuse" to go back in time and represent Australia at the 2001 Australian Open. </p> <p>During an emotional interview with Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little, the tennis champion recalled the earlier years of her career, and the abuse she faced at the hands of her father, who was also her coach. </p> <p>At 17 years old, Jelena was booed off Rod Laver Arena at the 2001 Australian Open after losing to Lindsay Davenport, after she announced plans to turn her back on Australia and represent her native Yugoslavia instead. </p> <p>The decision not to represent Australia was made by her father, and at that point in her career, he had been banned from attending her matches. </p> <p>“I would take 100 years of abuse if I could take back not playing for Australia for a few years,” an emotional Dokic told the <em>Carrie & Tommy Show</em>.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCBcdwFPDVE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCBcdwFPDVE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Carrie and Tommy (@carrietommyshow)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“He took away from me, something that I loved so much."</p> <p>“He took that away from me in that moment. He’s sitting in a hotel room watching this while I’m getting booed by 15,000 people. I just wanted to kind of drop into the ground and disappear and never come back."</p> <p>“I would take any abuse, anything in this world to not even just go through that personally, but that it didn’t take my people, Australians and my fans and everyone that always cheered for me, that it didn’t take 10 or 15 years until my book came out for them to know the truth and just how much I really love Australia.”</p> <p>Jelena switched allegiances back to Australia in 2005 and went on to represent Australia in the 2009 Fed Cup, winning several matches.</p> <p>Dokic said getting booed by the Australian crowd was a low point of her career, given there was nothing she loved more than representing Australia.</p> <p>“I came to this country as an 11-year-old and I really accepted it and loved Australia,” she said, </p> <p>“I loved representing Australia. I loved team events. Everything that had to do with team events, I always won. I had like a 99 per cent win rate. There’s a reason for that."</p> <p>“He (Damir Dokic) took that away from me for those few years. I wanted to come back earlier but I was worried about people’s reaction, even though I did come back three, four years later."</p> <p>“Everyone did embrace me when I did come back but people still had doubts. They didn’t look at me as someone who was this patriotic Australian, and it hurt me because I was."</p> <p>“I really accepted this country. I always say, I was born in a different country but I am Australian. I always looked at myself that way. I love Australia. I love my fans so much."</p> <p>“It doesn’t matter what match it was, every time you would hear from the crowd,’ Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi’ when I was playing, I would literally get goosebumps.”"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

The Voice 2025 coaches line-up leaked

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

Jill Farnham opens up on John's health battle

<p>John Farnham's wife Jill has opened up about her husband's devastating cancer battle, and how his health journey took a toll on their entire family. </p> <p>Jill, who has been notoriously private throughout her marriage to the Aussie music legend, has penned two chapters in Farnham's memoir <em>The Voice Inside</em>, sharing how John's cancer diagnosis changed everything, and shared her opinions on his future singing. </p> <p>“I don’t know if John will sing again,” she wrote. “It just depends. Because of the radiation, that whole side of his face is rock hard. The flesh, the muscle, the tendons, none of it is supple."</p> <p>“The surgeons need to work out how to loosen it all, so we have to be patient. He’s disappointed, naturally, because he may not be up on a stage again and he loved that.”</p> <p>Jill also revealed it was her who pushed Farnham to see a doctor before his diagnosis with cancer in August 2022, explaining, “He had a big white mass on the inside of his cheek and you could physically see it.”</p> <p>“For several months I was saying to him, ‘Let’s go see about that thing in your mouth,’ and he’d say, ‘No, it’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright.’ He kept putting it off and putting it off. I pleaded with him to go see a doctor and finally he did.”</p> <p>Jill explained how her husband's attitude as "a classic Cancerian” impacted the time it took to get a diagnosis, and how she has had to be strong for her whole family through the scary health ordeal. </p> <p>“Over the years I’ve had to be strong,” Jill wrote. “I’ve had to be a wife, a mother, a psychiatrist, a doctor, I’ve had to be all those things in one. I’ve had to be strong and bossy to keep the family together, to keep moving forward, and I have done that because I love John and I love my family."</p> <p>“John is a classic Cancerian, he likes to walk sideways and go around everything, rather than face any issues head-on,” Jill continued. “To this day he acts like that when he’s faced with a tough decision or situation. He always beats around the bush rather than deal with it and then, of course, that just makes a situation worse for him.”</p> <p>Later in the chapter detailing Farnham’s health, Jill set the record straight on some media reports relating to the surgery to remove the cancerous tumour.</p> <p>“And, just for the record, they didn’t take his jaw,” she wrote. “I know lots of people think that’s what happened, but in the end they removed the cancer from his cheek and they also scraped his jaw to make sure it hadn’t gotten into his bones."</p> <p>“Thankfully the cancer wasn’t in his bones, which was great news, and so he’s still got his bottom jaw, even though the radiation has messed that up a little bit."</p> <p>“In hospital they were feeding him through a tube in his stomach, which was pretty grim. I started taking in my home cooking. Things I knew John would like. He would eat a couple of mouthfuls and that would be it, he wouldn’t be able to manage any more. For a while there, it felt like one thing on top of another for John."</p> <p>“It was a traumatic time for all of us, but we got through it. Now he’s back to eating, which is a good sign, but he can’t open his mouth very far, so it’s hard.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p>

Caring

Longtime friend opens up on John Farnham's potential return to singing

<p>John Farnham is back in the spotlight following the release of his brand new memoir, <em>John Farnham: The Voice Inside</em>. </p> <p>The memoir explores the legendary singer's extraordinary almost six-decade career, with an insight into the star's notoriously private family life. </p> <p>As he slowly and steadily recovers from mouth cancer, the beloved singer's voice has been heard for the first time as he narrates the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/john-farnham-s-voice-heard-for-the-first-time-since-throat-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">audiobook</a> for his memoir. </p> <p>Now, long-time friend Gaynor Wheatley has shared an exciting update on whether the music icon would ever perform again. </p> <p>"As soon as I saw him in the studio doing the audiobook and as soon as he got behind the microphone, the twinkle was in the eye," she told <em>Today</em>.</p> <p>"That's when I thought, you know, we're still in with a shot and he can still sing, his voice box is still great, there's just a few more things to do with the mouth recovery, but we all know he's as strong as a boxer so if he wants to do something, he'll do it.</p> <p>"If I say to him, 'You won't sing, you can't sing, what a shame', then he'll go, 'Yes I can, I'll prove you wrong'."</p> <p>In another interview with <em>The Project</em>, she recalled how the legendary singer still wants to perform despite his facial disfigurement from the surgery. </p> <p>“He’s a singer,” she said at the time. </p> <p>“I know when he got back in the studio doing the audiobook, he was like, ‘I want to get back, I want to go back’."</p> <p><em>Image: Today/ Facebook</em></p>

Caring

Hunt for Australia's first Golden Bachelor begins

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

"You are incredible": The Voice 2024 winner revealed

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

Music

"So ashamed": John Farnham opens up about years of abuse

<p>John Farnham has shared explosive claims that he suffered years of abuse at the hands of his former manager at the beginning of his career. </p> <p>Revealing all in his new memoir <em>The Voice Inside</em>, which is set to be released on October 30th, the Aussie music legend opened up about the mistreatment he endured from former manager Darryl Sambell when he was a teen pop idol in the 1960s with hits like <em>Sadie the Cleaning Lady</em>.</p> <p>In an excerpt of the book published by <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_NEW&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Farts%2Freview%2Fhe-drugged-me-for-years-john-farnham-reveals-predatory-industry-life-after-cancer-in-memoir-finding-the-voice%2Fnews-story%2Fc1dfc413b3bee553a0bda380bc3bec01&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=HIGH-Segment-2-SCORE&V21spcbehaviour=appendend" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Australian</em></a>, Farnham wrote that Sambell “drugged me for years and I had no f**king idea,” until he found a half-dissolved pill at the bottom of a cup of coffee. </p> <p>Asked what it was, Sambell told Farnham: “That’s just something to keep you awake.”</p> <p>Farnham also writes that his manager, who was openly gay, was “aggressively sexual” towards him and he was constantly fending off his advances.</p> <p>He wrote, “I said it often enough that I can see now that this rejection turned his attraction into jealousy, hatred and a desire for control.”</p> <p>The toxic relationship went on for years, with Sambell controlling “where and when I worked, what I sang, what I wore, what I ate,” as Farnham ended up “isolated from friends and family,” even from wife Jill, who he married in 1973.</p> <p>Farnham finally sacked Sambell in 1976, later forming one of Australian music’s most successful partnerships with music manager Glenn Wheatley, who helped Farnham become a household name with his major hits of the 1980s and 90s. </p> <p>After Sambell died in 2001, Farnham wrote that he was forced to reflect on the early years of his career, and was overcome with a mixture of sorrow and shame: “I feel so ashamed of myself for not realising what Darryl was up to or speaking up more often to put him back in his place.”</p> <p>He admitted he had found it hard to “unpick” what had happened to him, until forced to confront it while writing his memoir.</p> <p>“But now that I’ve confronted it, I look back on that time with sorrow. I’m annoyed at myself for being so gullible and trusting,” he writes.</p> <p><em>Image credits: news.com.au / Facebook</em></p>

Caring

Olympic champion inducted to Sport Australia Hall of Fame

<p>Olympic gold medallist Sally Pearson and surfing legend Mick Fanning have joined the most elite group of Australian sportspeople, after being inducted to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF). </p> <p>Pearson is one of only nine Australian women to win an Olympic track and field gold medal, winning her first gold in London 2012. She won a silver medal in 2008 for the 100m hurdles, and has World Championship success in 2011 and 2017.</p> <p>She is also the first Australian to be named World Athlete of the year, and won the SAHOF’s “The Don” Award twice. </p> <p> Pearson said it was “surreal” to be included in such esteemed company, including the likes of Cathy Freeman, her childhood hero.</p> <p>“I don’t think it’s really sunk in. It’s so surreal. It feels like it just happens to people you see on TV,” she said.</p> <p>“I still feel like I’m watching the Sydney Olympics and watching Cathy Freeman run. When Steve Hooker won gold in Beijing I was sitting on the sidelines.</p> <p>“Even though I won silver, I was thinking, this is really cool. I’m watching this person, this athlete, just doing amazing things. It’s a bizarre feeling that I’m one of those people now.”</p> <p>Surfing legend Mick Fanning, who is already a member of the World Surfers’ Hall of Fame and Australian Surfing Hall of Fame and said he was pretty “flabbergasted” to be elevated into the SAHOF. </p> <p>“Australia produces so many incredible sporting stars and to be honoured as one of those, among the greats, I’m pretty flabbergasted, to be honest,” he said.</p> <p>“It’s not something that we ever look for when we’re doing our sport, but to be acknowledged later in life is very special and I’m very honoured to be able to share it with people who have supported me.</p> <p>“I wasn’t the most talented person, I wasn’t the most gifted, I didn’t have the most money or anything like that, but I just gave it my all.’’</p> <p>Fanning enters as a three-time world champion for surfing. </p> <p>Motorsport great Mark Skaife, former Kookaburras’ captain Mark Knowles, lawn bowls trailblazer Karen Murphy and dual-sport Paralympics champion Liesl Tesch are some of the other 2024 inductees. </p> <p><em>Image: Colorsport/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Body

Aussie drivers warned over commonly ignored road rule

<p>Aussie drivers are being reminded to follow simple road rules and etiquette when driving on a highway, with one often ignored rule costing drivers hundreds. </p> <p>Police are fining drivers caught driving in the right lane on a highway without overtaking anyone.</p> <p>A Victorian man was fined $198 and two demerit points over the weekend "after travelling 3km in the right-hand lane and passing no one,” Senior Sergeant Aaron Riches told the <em>Geelong Advertiser.</em></p> <p>Penalties also apply in other states and territories, including NSW where the penalty can be as much as $410.</p> <p>Victoria Police told <em>Yahoo News Australia </em>that this wasn't part of a crackdown, as they are always monitoring roads to ensure drivers are following the road rules. </p> <p>"Police are out and about every day, making sure people are following the road rules. Road safety is a priority for police, and we will continue to focus our efforts on ensuring those using the roads are safe," a spokesperson said.</p> <p>According to VicRoads, when travelling on a multi-lane road with a speed limit of over 80km/h, drivers must keep out of the right lane unless they are overtaking, turning right or if all lanes are congested.</p> <p>In NSW a P-plater was caught "disobeying" this rule and copped a $410 fine. </p> <p>Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh of Astor Legal said some drivers get of easy, with penalties actually reaching $2,200. </p> <p>"On a road where there is a speed limit of more than 80km/h, you must not drive in the right lane, unless you're overtaking," he said.</p> <p>Although unlikely, "you can incur a fine of up to $2,200 for disobeying this rule," he added.</p> <p>NSW Police also reminded drivers in August against ignoring "keep left signs unless overtaking" as travelling in the right lane has resulted in "an increase in collisions involving drivers overtaking other vehicles".</p> <p><em>Images: NSW Police Highway Patrol</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Australia’s fertility rate has reached a record low. What might that mean for the economy?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jonathan-boymal-392960">Jonathan Boymal</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ashton-de-silva-3066">Ashton De Silva</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-sinclair-385470">Sarah Sinclair</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>Australia’s fertility rate has fallen to a new <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/latest-release">record low</a> of 1.5 babies per woman. That’s well below the “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7834459/#:%7E:text=PIP%3A%20Replacement%20level%20fertility%20is,of%202.1%20children%20per%20woman.">replacement rate</a>” of 2.1 needed to sustain a country’s population.</p> <p>On face value, it might not seem like a big deal. But we can’t afford to ignore this issue. The health of an economy is deeply intertwined with the size and structure of its population.</p> <p>Australians simply aren’t having as many babies as they used to, raising some serious questions about how we can maintain our country’s workforce, sustain economic growth and fund important services.</p> <p>So what’s going on with fertility rates here and around the world, and what might it mean for the future of our economy? What can we do about it?</p> <h2>Are lower birth rates always a problem?</h2> <p>Falling fertility rates can actually have some <a href="https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monograph_reports/2007/MR1274.pdf">short-term benefits</a>. Having fewer dependent young people in an economy can increase workforce participation, as well as boost savings and wealth.</p> <p>Smaller populations can also benefit from <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0927537112000620.">increased investment</a> per person in education and health.</p> <p>But the picture gets more complex in the long term, and less rosy. An ageing population can strain pensions, health care and social services. This can hinder economic growth, unless it’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21302431/">offset by increased productivity</a>.</p> <p>Other scholars have <a href="https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/end-economic-growth-unintended-consequences-declining-population">warned</a> that a falling population could stifle innovation, with fewer young people meaning fewer breakthrough ideas.</p> <h2>A global phenomenon</h2> <p>The trend towards women having fewer children is not unique to Australia. The global fertility rate has dropped over the past couple of decades, from 2.7 babies per woman in 2000 to <a href="https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/WLD/world/fertility-rate">2.4 in 2023</a>.</p> <p>However, the distribution is not evenly spread. In 2021, 29% of the world’s babies were born in sub-Saharan Africa. This is projected to <a href="https://www.healthdata.org/news-events/newsroom/news-releases/lancet-dramatic-declines-global-fertility-rates-set-transform">rise to 54% by 2100</a>.</p> <p>There’s also a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/psp.2720">regional-urban divide</a>. Childbearing is often delayed in urban areas and late fertility is more common in cities.</p> <p>In Australia, we see <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/latest-release#data-downloads">higher fertility rates</a> in inner and outer regional areas than in metro areas. This could be because of more affordable housing and a better work-life balance.</p> <p>But it raises questions about whether people are moving out of cities to start families, or if something intrinsic about living in the regions promotes higher birth rates.</p> <p><iframe id="U1wEx" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/U1wEx/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <h2>Fewer workers, more pressure on services</h2> <p>Changes to the makeup of a population can be just as important as changes to its size. With fewer babies being born and increased life expectancy, the proportion of older Australians who have left the workforce will keep rising.</p> <p>One way of tracking this is with a metric called the old-age dependency ratio – the number of people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age individuals.</p> <p>In Australia, this ratio is currently about 27%. But according to the latest <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/publication/2023-intergenerational-report">Intergenerational Report</a>, it’s expected to rise to 38% by 2063.</p> <p>An ageing population means greater demand for medical services and aged care. As the working-age population shrinks, the tax base that funds these services will also decline.</p> <p>Unless this is offset by technological advances or policy innovations, it can mean higher taxes, longer working lives, or the government providing fewer public services in general.</p> <h2>What about housing?</h2> <p>It’s tempting to think a falling birth rate might be good news for Australia’s stubborn housing crisis.</p> <p>The issues are linked – rising real estate prices have made it difficult for many young people to afford homes, with a significant number of people in their 20s <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/more-australian-adult-children-are-living-with-their-parents-longer">still living with their parents</a>.</p> <p>This can mean delaying starting a family and reducing the number of children they have.</p> <p>At the same time, if fertility rates stay low, demand for large family homes may decrease, impacting one of Australia’s most significant economic sectors and sources of household wealth.</p> <h2>Can governments turn the tide?</h2> <p>Governments worldwide, including Australia, have long experimented with policies that encourage families to have more children. Examples include paid parental leave, childcare subsidies and financial incentives, such as Australia’s “<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-baby-bonus-boost-looks-like-across-ten-years-81563">baby bonus</a>”.</p> <p>Many of these efforts have had only limited success. One reason is the rising average age at which women have their first child. In many developed countries, including Australia, the average age for first-time mothers has surpassed <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mothers-babies/australias-mothers-babies/contents/overview-and-demographics/maternal-age">30</a>.</p> <p>As women delay childbirth, they become less likely to have multiple children, further contributing to declining birth rates. Encouraging women to start a family earlier could be one policy lever, but it must be balanced with women’s growing workforce participation and career goals.</p> <p>Research has previously highlighted the factors influencing fertility decisions, including levels of paternal involvement and workplace flexibility. Countries that offer part-time work or maternity leave without career penalties have seen a <a href="https://faculty.wcas.northwestern.edu/mdo738/research/Doepke_Hannusch_Kindermann_Tertilt_Handbook_23.pdf">stabilisation or slight increases</a> in fertility rates.</p> <h2>The way forward</h2> <p>Historically, one of the ways Australia has countered its low birth rate is through immigration. Bringing in a lot of people – especially skilled people of working age – can help offset the effects of a low fertility rate.</p> <p>However, relying on immigration alone is not a long-term solution. The global fertility slump means that the pool of young, <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2020/03/can-immigration-solve-the-demographic-dilemma-peri">educated workers from other countries</a> is shrinking, too. This makes it harder for Australia to attract the talent it needs to sustain economic growth.</p> <p>Australia’s record-low fertility rate presents both challenges and opportunities. On one hand, the shrinking number of young people will place a strain on public services, innovation and the labour market.</p> <p>On the other hand, advances in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence and robotics, may help ease the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0164070420302020">challenges of an ageing population</a>.</p> <p>That’s the optimistic scenario. AI and other tech-driven productivity gains could reduce the need for large workforces. And robotics could assist in aged care, lessening the impact of this demographic shift.<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/241577/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jonathan-boymal-392960">Jonathan Boymal</a>, Associate Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ashton-de-silva-3066">Ashton De Silva</a>, Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-sinclair-385470">Sarah Sinclair</a>, Senior Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT 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/australias-fertility-rate-has-reached-a-record-low-what-might-that-mean-for-the-economy-241577">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Money & Banking

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

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

International Travel

"One more shot": Nick Kyrgios makes major career announcement

<p>After two years of dealing with an injury, Nick Kyrgios has made a major announcement about his career future. </p> <p>The 29-year-old Aussie tennis champion has confirmed he will be returning to the court for Australian Open in 2025, after not playing any professional tennis for 492 days. </p> <p>His last match dates all the way back to June 13th in 2023, which he lost against China’s Yibing Wu before he took a step back from the court to deal with serious knee and wrist injuries. </p> <p>While many fans have speculated whether he would ever return to the sport, Kyrgios made the announcement himself while speaking at South by South West (SXSW) in Sydney on Thursday. </p> <p>“The injury I had was brutal,” he said as a keynote speaker on stage.</p> <p>“The surgeon said I probably wouldn’t be able to play again. But I said whatever, just try and get me another 2-3 years of my career."</p> <p>“Everything has gone semi-well and I will be playing the Australia Open this summer.”</p> <p>While on his hiatus from playing, Kyrios has dabbled in the world of commentating, but he admitted it has been tough to sit on the sidelines for so long. </p> <p>“It’s been a brutal last couple of years ... but just being out there to play in front of a home crowd ... I just want to be out there, lighting up the crowd and playing in front of my own country,” Kyrios added.</p> <p>“Whether it is good or bad, it will certainly be a lot of fun, for sure. I am looking forward to it.</p> <p>“My only motivation to come back and play is to try and win a grand slam, and I’ll give it one more shot.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

News

Charles III will be the first king of Australia to visit our shores. He could also be the last

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jess-carniel-99739">Jess Carniel</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a></em></p> <p>King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s upcoming visit to Australia is significant for several reasons. It is Charles’ first visit since ascending to the throne – as well as the first time a British male head of state has visited Australia.</p> <p>Some observers are also wondering whether it might be one of the last royal tours, as debates about Australia potentially <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/13/republican-debate-flares-ahead-of-king-charles-first-visit-to-australia-as-monarch">becoming a republic</a> are reignited.</p> <p>As the monarchy tries to “modernise” alongside growing support for republicanism, this visit will be one to watch.</p> <h2>The curse of the Antipodes?</h2> <p>As Prince of Wales, Charles had a long and successful track record of royal tours to Australia, having visited 16 times. The visits included a term attending <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-64113876">Geelong Grammar School</a> in 1966, as well as the <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/g33926226/princess-diana-prince-charles-australia-royal-tour-1983-photos/">1983 tour</a> with Princess Diana that saw Australians caught up in Di-mania – and Charles reportedly <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-29/princess-diana-princess-charles-australia-1983-the-crown/12914130">gripped by jealousy</a>.</p> <p>But Charles’ royal predecessors weren’t as lucky in their trips down under. His own grandfather, King George VI, <a href="https://collectionswa.net.au/items/202bce46-f056-413e-bc74-ddf4d2f8e999#:%7E:text=Planning%20for%20this%20royal%20visit,after%20her%20father's%20untimely%20death.">planned to visit</a> Australia in the late 1940s with Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, but the tour was postponed due to his poor health. While he had previously visited as the <a href="https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/2053#:%7E:text=They%20had%20two%20daughters%2C%20Elizabeth,Canberra%20on%209%20May%201927.">Duke of York</a>, George VI never made it here as king.</p> <p>The very first royal visit to Australia – Prince Alfred’s <a href="https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/first-royal-visit">1867 tour</a> – had all appearance of being cursed. One of his crew members drowned during the first stop in South Australia. Several more people died in a major fire accident and a Catholic-Protestant skirmish in Melbourne.</p> <p>Most memorably – certainly for Alfred – was <a href="https://theconversation.com/royal-visits-to-australia-can-be-disaster-magnets-in-the-first-one-the-prince-barely-made-it-out-alive-233103">an assassination attempt</a> on the prince in Sydney. This, interestingly, is an experience King Charles has also had.</p> <p>During Charles’ 1994 visit, student protester David Kang fired blanks from a starter pistol in protest of Australia’s treatment of Cambodian refugees. The then Prince of Wales wasn’t harmed and Kang went on to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/he-shot-at-a-prince-now-hes-a-barrister-20050206-gdkmyp.html">become a barrister</a>.</p> <p>For non-British royals, however, Sydney has been a lucky location. King Frederick X’s decidedly modern romance <a href="https://www.womensweekly.com.au/royals/princess-mary/crown-princess-mary-crown-prince-frederik-love-story/">with Tasmania-born Queen Mary</a> famously began when they met at a bar during the Sydney Olympics in 2000.</p> <h2>Prince or king – does it matter?</h2> <p>This will be Charles’ seventeenth visit to Australia, but his first as reigning monarch. This means he is visiting not on behalf of the head of state, but as the head of state.</p> <p>The royal couple’s planned <a href="https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2024-09-10/the-king-and-queen-will-visit-australia-and-samoa">Australian engagements</a> are as strategic as they are symbolic. They reflect carefully curated and ostensibly “non-political” issues such as environmental sustainability, cancer research and family violence.</p> <p>The visit also includes a meeting with Indigenous representatives. Notably, it is the first royal tour <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/royal-walkabout-shelved-due-to-cultural-sensitivities-20240911-p5k9n1.html">to not use the term “walkabout”</a> to describe public meet-and-greets, as this term had been criticised as cultural appropriation.</p> <p>It seems Charles’ modernised monarchy is seeking to distance itself from overtly colonial language – as much as a foreign monarchy can, anyway. The king has yet to respond to Indigenous leaders <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-king-charles-apologise-for-the-genocide-of-first-nations-people-when-he-visits-australia-239092">calling for an apology</a> for British colonisers’ genocides of First Nations peoples.</p> <p>Although the Australian media has focused on the stops in Canberra and Sydney, the main purpose of the tour is for the king to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting <a href="https://samoachogm2024.ws/">in Samoa</a> between October 21 and 26.</p> <p>It is the first time the meeting will be hosted by a Pacific Island state. The talks are an important opportunity for the king to highlight issues such as climate change, to which small island states in the Pacific <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/research/environmental-impacts/climate-change/pacific-climate-change-info">are particularly vulnerable</a>.</p> <h2>Are people happy about the visit?</h2> <p>All six state premiers have declined their invitations to meet the king at his welcome reception in Canberra, citing other commitments. Their excuses might be genuine in some cases. For example, Queensland Premier Steven Miles is in the last few weeks of an election campaign.</p> <p>However, critics from the monarchist camp have viewed the move as <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/king-charles-iii-snubbed-australia-state-leaders-visit-insult-uk/">a political response</a> to debates over whether Australia should remain a constitutional monarchy with the king as its head of state.</p> <p>A <a href="https://au.yougov.com/politics/articles/46044-one-year-king-charles-reign-where-do-australian-at">YouGov Australia poll</a> published on the first anniversary of Charles’s ascension showed Australians are divided on republicanism. While 32% want to become a republic “as soon as possible”, 35% preferred to remain a constitutional monarchy and 12% wanted to become a republic after the king’s death. The remaining respondents didn’t know.</p> <p>Notably, the poll found republican sentiment had increased since Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022.</p> <p>The Albanese government established an assistant minister for the republic upon entering office in 2022 (although the portfolio was abolished with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jul/29/albaneses-new-lineup-signposts-labors-areas-of-greatest-weakness-and-effectively-concede-he-made-mistakes">this year’s reshuffle</a>). Upon taking the role, assistant minister Matt Thistlethwaite <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/01/minister-republic-twilight-queen-reign-good-opportunity-next-for-australia">suggested</a> the “twilight of [Queen Elizabeth’s] reign” presented “a good opportunity for a serious discussion about what comes next for Australia”.</p> <p>Charles doesn’t seem to be taking all this too personally. In a letter responding to the Australian Republican Movement in March this year, his private secretary said the king <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/13/republican-debate-flares-ahead-of-king-charles-first-visit-to-australia-as-monarch">viewed this</a> as “a matter for the Australian public to decide”.</p> <p>The royal tour and the meeting in Samoa will be important opportunities for the monarchy to connect with Australia and other Commonwealth nations.</p> <p>By presenting itself as a modern institution engaged with contemporary issues such as climate change, the monarchy will also have to engage with the possibility of new political identities for its former colonies.<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/241345/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jess-carniel-99739"><em>Jess Carniel</em></a><em>, Associate professor in Humanities, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</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/charles-iii-will-be-the-first-king-of-australia-to-visit-our-shores-he-could-also-be-the-last-241345">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Charles III will be the first king of Australia to visit our shores. He could also be the last

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