Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe will take over three hotels run by a Malaysian platform as smaller operators are absorbed by the major chains – and tap their loyalty programs – to remain competitive The three hotels – two in Australia and one in New Zealand – will get a makeover before they join a slew of new offerings the French company is preparing to launch across the Pacific this year and beyond to strike management agreements for hotel properties across the region SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOSCanterbury winger Jacob Kiraz is in top form in the top-of-the-table team and good judges are backing him to make a NSW debut in State of Origin All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe 23-year-old missed the opening four rounds of the season with injury but his hat-trick display in the 38-18 win over Gold Coast at Magic Round on Sunday was top-shelf Kiraz has the qualities Origin coaches and selectors look for although his selection for game one of the series on May 28 will likely depend on the availability of injured duo Brian To'o and Zac Lomax who both shone in last year's series win for the Blues Kiraz made 228 metres of headway in his brilliant performance (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)Kiraz made 228m from 22 runs against the Titans and had two line breaks The Canterbury flyer is tough and willing out of the back-field with the ball and he's also dynamically dominant in the air just like his captain Stephen Crichton who is one of the first picked for the Blues Crichton was asked why Kiraz would look good in a Blues jersey Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo says "everything" about Kiraz screams Origin (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)"He has good high-ball awareness and the way he carries the footy He is really focusing on playing his best footy for the Dogs." Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said Kiraz had the key qualiity of being able to change momentum and not be dictated by it, That's a great trait to have for any Origin prospect Ciraldo had no doubt Kiraz was in the sights of Blues' selectors "If he keeps playing like that he is going to be banging the door down for Origin," Ciraldo said "We missed him at the start of the season and he was working away hard in the background to get himself right to come back in and play He's come back and played at an exceptional level "Some of our attack at the start of the game was a little bit clunky but he was coming up with plays at the back end of the set to get the scoreboard ticking over Kiraz has done a great job to get himself ready to play and he can keep improving." We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy. Whether you're headed west for the big day or tuning in at home here's everything you need to know about the 2025 edition of One Night Stand triple j will be taking over the southwestern town of Busselton on May 24 transforming the beachside town on Wardandi Boodja land into Australia's beating heart of live music for one night only the big bash is happening down at Barnard Park near Busselton Jetty We've wrangled a stunning line-up of legends to hit the stage in May, who will be joined by a very special local winner of our Unearthed competition winner we would encourage you to make a night of it and stay in the beautiful Busselton Margaret River region you can book a seat on a chartered bus or go for public transport Chartered buses will be running from Margaret River Bunbury and other key towns along these routes to take punters around the regions to and from One Night Stand Check out the Busselton council website for more information Pick up and drop off areas are available too TransBusselton runs three bus routes around the Busselton and Dunsborough region from Monday to Saturday the closest airport is the Busselton Margaret River airport Love this for you! Send us an email contacttriplej@abc.net.au and our team may be able to sort out a convenient drop off point for large vehicles One Night Stand will have an accessible entry lane as well as an accessible viewing platform and AUSLAN interpreters One Night Stand is a full arvo-into-night event so it's important you bring everything you need for the big day ahead Food trucks will be available and selling food and non-alcoholic beverages One Night Stand is an alcohol and drug free event We're bringing the More Than A One Night Stand industry sessions over west this year for anyone wanting to see what it's like to work in the music business While we're still working out what these sessions will look like this year last year's More Than A One Night Stand saw panels workshops and forums featuring our friends from The Push Can't make it to One Night Stand anymore Tixel is our official resale partner for this year's event so you can sell your ticket on if you need to Any tickets bought through Tixel will not be any more than 10% above the original sale price We'll be broadcasting live on Western Australia time on May 24 So you'll be able to catch all the action on your radio or streaming on the triple j app or website As far as iconic destination in our South West go Busselton’s famous 1.8 kilometre jetty is hard to go past but we get the feeling a new kid on the block will be the focus for a lot of kids from now on… Throwing opens its doors on the cusp of the Easter long weekend, Little Otto’s Big Choc Shop has arrived with a mouthwatering array of homemade gelato and chocolate delights that would make Willy Wonka blush it’s the team behind Shelter Brewing Co who have conjured up the exciting new concept which keeps things pretty simple: Otto’s is big The venue has a dedicated Gelato window for stress-free takeaways – including coffee’s from 8am – and a retail store brimming with brightly packaged chocolates served by bubbly staff All the classic flavours feature when it comes to gelato plus some local delicacies and seasonal offerings like wild berry cheesecake or banoffee peanut butter All ideal for grabbing on the go and enjoying along Busselton’s buzzing foreshore precinct or sandy beaches heading inside Otto’s leads you on a journey where Operations Manager Tess Baverstock (or Curator of Joy and Happiness as she is known in-house) has developed a rangeof over 20 chocolate products that will rotate as often as Otto’s chocolatiers can think them up From chocolate bars like white chocolate & popping candy and milk choc with hazelnut and honeycomb There’s even slabs of chocolate sold by the gram with regularly changing flavours Everything is produced in house with original recipes straight from Baverstock’s creative mind with the help of some pretty serious chocolate making kit imported from Italy though adults will certainly have plenty of fun as well Where other chocolate brands pitch fancy and premium the team at Otto’s are leaning into the fun side of chocolate a refreshing approach and well suited to the relaxed “Most of the Little Otto’s experience has been crafted with kids in mind and we also hope there’s a lot that helps us adults bring out our inner-child,” Baverstock explains “We’re serious about making great chocolate but we’re not taking ourselves too seriously You can get silly and chaotic at Little Otto’s from 8am-8pm More schools are looking at ways to educate students about the impacts of litter in their school and local environment we support and encourage our students to become responsible citizens and to develop and enhance a sense of pride and ownership for their school The Clean Schools workshop is a great opportunity to network with other educators and discuss ideas that can be implemented in your school Keep Australia Beautiful Council can cover the relief cost for two people from your school to attend Register here Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOSCanterbury are set to lose Jacob Preston for at least three weeks as Melbourne forwards Trent Loiero and Stefano Utoikamanu breathe a sigh of relief after the NRL charge sheet came out All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueStar second-rower Preston will cop three weeks on the sidelines with an early guilty plea for a grade-two crusher tackle on Gold Coast captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui late in the Bulldogs' 38-18 win at Magic Round The Bulldogs are already missing suspended forwards Sitili Tupouniua and Josh Curran for their away clash with Canberra on Saturday The Storm lost 20-18 to the Raiders in golden point in a controversial Sunday night finish to Magic Round they led 18-12 and fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen kicked a field goal in the 75th minute that would have taken them to 19-12 the Bunker found an elbow to the head of Raiders captain Joseph Topine by Storm lock Loiero in a previous play when Melbourne had the ball The Raiders then levelled through a scintillating try to fullback Kaeo Weekes but the Storm were in position for a field goal in golden point when prop Utoikamanu was pinged and sin-binned for stomping on hooker Tom Starling in the play-the-ball Melbourne prop Stefano Utoikamanu (right) has escaped charge from the fiery loss to Canberra (HANDOUT/NRL PHOTOS)"The game was in the balance and .. "I was trying to play the ball and move Tom Starling out of the way especially when you have been warned from the refs about that sort of stuff." Raiders skipper Jamal Fogarty then landed the winning penalty after Loiero was ruled to have taken Hudson Young high While coach Craig Bellamy was scathing post-match of his side's lack of discipline he also suggested the officiating did his side no favours when asked if the Storm were "hard done by"."You can say that if you like," Bellamy replied That sentiment could well be enhanced on Monday after both Loiero and Utoikamanu were cleared by the match review committee to play in the home game against Wests Tigers on Sunday Papenhuyzen spoke to ABC Radio Sport after the match and his assessment of the Utoikamanu incident proved prophetic "You are trying to get a quick play-the-ball Comprised of two brothers and their best mate Ned and Darcy have been on a roll since their inception and they’re showing no signs of slowing down They’re a part of our 2025 Forecast: Ones to Watch and have already had a pretty sizable 2025 They’ve recently dropped their first single of the year ‘Bad Dreams’ and have smashed out a huge debut national tour (with plenty of sold-out shows it’s safe to say they’re definitely no stranger to a a live performance and we reckon those live chops might be just the thing in front of one of Busseltons biggest ever musical nights They’re genuinely incapable of creating a bad time and are experts at inducing hot and sweaty mosh moments putting them in prime form to take on this slot as the 2025 One Night Stand triple j Unearthed competition winners For more info about One Night Stand, head here Contact us using our Enquiry/feedback form Photo: Pat Hoelscher/AAP PHOTOSMichael Maguire is set for the biggest call of his Brisbane coaching tenure yet as he deliberates whether Ezra Mam will come straight back into a badly-beaten Broncos side for round 10 All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMam was booed by the Suncorp Stadium crowd when shown on the big screens in Brisbane's 32-8 loss to Penrith at Magic Round the last of nine games he missed due to his ban for drug-driving A magistrate told the Broncos playmaker he was lucky not to have killed anyone when he crashed into an Uber containing three people while driving unlicensed and under the influence of cocaine last October was fined $850 and banned from driving for six-months He made a public apology in February and has been training at five-eighth in preparation for an NRL return with the Broncos Maguire said he had not yet considered whether to recall Mam for the Souths game or ease him back through Queensland Cup "I'll go through this game and work out which way we'll go," he said Mam was booed by the Suncorp Stadium crowd after his ban for drug driving Maguire will come face-to-face with a Broncos side whose halves were thoroughly outclassed by Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary at Magic Round Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds admitted he put the Broncos under pressure with stand-in five-eighth Ben Hunt also struggling to halt the Panthers once they were on a roll I obviously didn't have one of the greatest games," Reynolds said "There's a few things I got wrong out there and put the team under a bit of pressure the Broncos would have an attacking livewire eager to write his wrongs But the fifth-placed Broncos have been largely served well by Hunt at five-eighth on a 5-4 start to the season "(Mam) will be ready to play if he was called upon "But he's done everything he possibly can to give himself the opportunity to come into selection." Maguire will consult with Reynolds and senior players as to whether Mam should be selected or whether he may need time playing for feeder side Souths-Logan "There's parts of his game that under repetition he hasn't been able to have I have to make sure he is ready to go," Maguire said "I talk to my leaders all the time about how the team looks and what we're doing and what we're moving towards." We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Busselton Jetty Swim held over two days (February 8-9) offers a range of event distances to suit every age and ability with the signature 3.6km swim taking place on Sunday There will also be numerous community activities and marine debris art from local artists.  Found out more here. Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead. The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) after a community survey showed strong support for existing rules to remain Image supplied.Horse riding and four wheel driving will be allowed to continue at two of Busselton's most popular beaches with the City of Busselton Council resolving to retain the existing permitted uses All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAt its meeting last week Council decided to maintain current approvals in specified areas in accordance with existing regulations at Wonnerup beach and Forrest beach while ensuring people are using the beaches appropriately The decision follows the results of a community survey held earlier this year where the majority of responders indicated they were against major changes to the rules 71.5 percent were 'unhappy' or 'very unhappy' about the idea of modifying the existing uses of each beach and 70.7 percent were 'unhappy' or 'very unhappy' about implementing seasonal rules and time restrictions "It was very clear from the survey that people did not want to see the current uses changed but there was a strong message from the community that compliance issues needed to be resolved," Mayor Phill Cronin said that people did not want to see the current uses changed.. "We wanted to address escalating community concerns relating to safety and amenity associated with inappropriate beach use in the Forrest beach area and with new infrastructure all beach users should be very clear on which areas they can conduct their activities "It is also critically important that we do what we can to protect the coastal environment and the new infrastructure should serve to prevent further damage to our dune systems." The City said Council had allocated $100,000 across the next two financial years to install infrastructure to better manage access and amenity at the beaches "We have committed to constructing a formal car park for horse floats as well as some other infrastructure such as bollards and signage which should ensure people using these beaches are doing so in accordance with the permitted uses," Mayor Cronin said I thank the community for bringing these issues to our attention and for taking the time to provide comments through the survey which helped inform our decision." Full survey results are available on the City's Your Say Busselton engagement platform The new $120.4 million Busselton Health Campus was officially opened by Premier Colin Barnett and Health Minister Dr Kim Hames on 4 March 2015 Funding includes $40.5 million from the State Government's Royalties for Regions program and a $2.5 million contribution from the Commonwealth's Hospitals and Health Fund to expand the dental clinic Building a world-class hospital is no easy task and piece by piece the South West community has witnessed the construction of the new building which will provide outstanding health care closer to home for local communities Important contact numbers for Busselton Health Campus: The Busselton Health Campus offers enhanced services in modern facilities with superior care for patients and a better working environment for staff The improved ED includes 15 treatment areas (an increase on the 11 bays at the previous hospital) which includes two resuscitation bays procedure room and a Fast Track area to treat patients with non-urgent complaints to help decrease waiting times and ED length of stay The majority of rooms are single occupancy and all have the new Patient Entertainment System Patients will be among the first in WA to experience 21st century ward rounds with the traditional doctors visit boosted by state-of-the-art bedside health information the new touch-screen systems also provide patients with basic health and hospital information In the future it will allow clinicians to view and update medical records and review a patient’s scans and test results right at the bedside The new maternity wing includes two birthing suites and six perinatal rooms with a thoughtful mix of smart design and state-of-the-art medical facilities Each birthing suite has a deep oval bath to assist in labour and provide the option for water-birth for women assessed as being suitable Two of the perinatal rooms also have a partner stay option with a double electric bed Patients can access a full range of services including X-rays ultrasound and CT scans in the expanded medical imaging department.  A new 128-slice CT scanner offers the most advanced technology in the South West with the lowest radiation dose and an increased range of interventional and diagnostic examinations including coronary angiograms An outdoor therapy courtyard has been designed as a multi-purpose area for use by paediatric and adult services Child development services can make use of play and other equipment for individual and group programs The expanded dental clinic has increased capacity to six chairs from the existing two This will help improve the number of patients that can be seen in the South West region.  PathWest operates the only laboratory in the Busselton area supporting the community’s needs around the clock.  The new Busselton Health Campus facility offers state-of-the-art diagnostic instruments and a vastly improved patient experience Fun facts about Busselton's new health campus: A number of groups were involved in the planning and development of the campus. Construction work began in 2012 WA Country Health Service has worked closely with the community and other health care providers throughout the development to ensure the new campus meets real community needs The Community Reference Group has also helped to guide and plan for the new health campus.  Representatives include: Busselton is one of Western Australia's popular tourist locations and the unique local environment is a very special part of that The development of the Busselton Health Campus has involved careful consideration for the enhancement and management of the natural environment The WA Country Health Service engaged Coffey Environments to identify the environmental needs of the site They have completed an assessment report including Significant Flora and Fauna Values surveys of the tree canopy and of the Western Ringtail Possum population The project has received approval from the Federal Department of Sustainability Population and Communities and appeals against the required State Vegetation Clearing Permit have been dismissed.  Approvals are subject to a comprehensive management plan with particular focus on the protection and preservation of the Western Ringtail Possum population.  A representative nominated by local environmental groups also sits as a member of the Busselton Health Campus Development Community Reference Group This role provides communication with local environmental groups expertise and assistance along with additional local knowledge in this important area Use the links below to view the latest environmental reports This project has approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.  A condition of this approval is to publish annual reports on the project website Here you can find mud maps detailing the location of services provided in the new Busselton Health Campus Busselton Health Campus is one and a half times the capacity of the existing Busselton Hospital.  With modern well equipped facilities including an expanded emergency department a new surgical services centre to support more elective surgery and improved medical imaging services all under one roof it will provide a state-of-the-art workplace to rival any modern city hospital Take a look inside the Busselton Health Campus; a state-of-the-art facility to rival any modern city hospital Here you will find a list of frequently asked questions about the new Busselton Health Campus project The brand new $120.4 million Busselton Health Campus (BHC) is part of the largest public hospital building program seen in the southern hemisphere.  As well as providing outstanding healthcare for south west communities it is a state-of-the-art workplace to rival any modern city hospital Other services include a community mental health centre ongoing care and rehabilitation following discharge from hospital BHC provides health care closer to home for the rapidly growing south west community in a setting to rival any modern city hospital The new campus is situated on the existing hospital site.  Access to the main entrance emergency department and all other services is from Mill Road BHC staff and patients now benefit from an improved emergency department.  It has 15 treatment areas including two resuscitation bays, two paediatric bays The BHC is a modern one-stop health care hub for the community of Busselton and surrounding towns.  Services include: A range of elective surgery for public patients is provided at the campus including: Some patients requiring higher levels of care and other needs will continue to be supported by the Bunbury Regional Hospital and visiting specialists The demolition of the 40-year-old Busselton Hospital took place over several weeks and included the careful removal of asbestos in compliance with relevant Commonwealth and State laws Australian standards and codes of practice The site now provides essential additional car parking spaces and associated landscaping The works were carried out by contractors Doric Constructions the builders responsible for construction of the new facility Busselton Health Campus is lucky enough to have ‘Meet and Greet’ volunteers who will be based in the main reception area.  These volunteers are on hand to help guide you through the new facility Telehealth provides real-time video link-ups between specialists and patients enabling patients anywhere in WA to gain access to the best medical treatment in the state and reducing the need to travel links and resources for more information on the Busselton Health Campus project WA Country Health Service - South West Region Email: busseltonhealthcampus@health.wa.gov.au Brought to you by the Department of Health, Western Australia There is an unknown connection issue between Cloudflare and the origin web server There is an issue between Cloudflare's cache and your origin web 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Cloudflare monitors for these errors and automatically investigates the cause. To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. Please include the Ray ID (which is at the bottom of this error page). Additional troubleshooting resources Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz/AAP PHOTOSThe Warriors are flying - but the only reason coach Andrew Webster knows is because his finger slipped when he was browsing the NRL app All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinue"I've looked at the ladder only because I pressed the wrong button the other day instead of the draw," said a smiling Webster A win over North Queensland at Magic Round will lift the fourth-placed Warriors to at least third with the Auckland side also a chance to finish the weekend in Brisbane on equal competition points with the side in first spot Webster made a point of not looking at the ladder until late in the Warriors' excellent 2023 season and is taking similarly little notice this time "One thing I know is it's always inflated because of the byes," said Webster whose Warriors have already received two free points for their week off "I honestly feel like this is the most grounded we've been as a group "We're happy with what our connection as a group is how hard we're working for each other but actually we know we're nowhere near where we want to be." The Warriors can expect a fast and furious Cowboys side looking to make up for losing the last three clashes between the two teams North Queensland are on a high having won their last four matches since a winless opening three rounds Cowboys players celebrate a Jeremiah Nanai try in their big last-out win over Gold Coast (HANDOUT/NRL PHOTOS)"Winning makes a difference in life far better than the first three weeks," said Cowboys coach Todd Payten "It's my job to make sure that we contain that feeling and don't get too far ahead of ourselves "We've got to play fast (against the Warriors) "We're all understanding of how good a team we're playing this week Photo: Steven Markham/AAP PHOTOSLachlan Ilias is low on confidence after some poor performances but coach Shane Flanagan says the axed St George Illawarra halfback is too good to not wear the No.7 again All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIlias was not the only one to blame for the Dragons' damaging 46-18 loss to Sydney Roosters on Anzac Day but a change needed to be made to allow him to find some form A shortened pre-season was one of the reasons Flanagan gave for Ilias being short on belief to start the year; Ilias was still recovering from a serious leg fracture when he signed for the Dragons But the coach is confident we haven't seen the last of Ilias in the Red V's first-grade team adding the former South Sydney playmaker's positive approach will boost his quest to return to the starting side and he just needs to go and find a little bit of form and a bit of confidence," Flanagan said ahead of the Dragons' Magic Round clash with Wests Tigers on Saturday night no one wants to get dropped but he'll go back and work hard and we'll see him again." Multiple Dragons underperformed in the Anzac Day thumping; Flanagan hinted some of Ilias' teammates could consider themselves lucky to have held their spots Lachlan Ilias will need to regain form and confidence to earn a recall (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)"He (Ilias) was one of many that didn't turn up that day I just felt that we needed a change," he said whether it's the right way or the wrong way Ilias' replacement at halfback is 19-year-old Lyhkan King-Togia whom Flanagan backed to show composure beyond his years in his return to first grade who played four NRL games at the end of 2024 announced a two-year contract extension with the Dragons on Tuesday Flanagan said the new deal would not put any more pressure on the young half than he faced when called up late last year doesn't get over-excited or show any frustration and he'll handle it really well," Flanagan said "We had to win footy games to make the finals last year and you wouldn't have seen any change in Lyhkan's temperament or demeanour going into those games The coach has big plans for the incoming halfback and believes he could be the young playmaker of the future the Dragons have been searching for and we've got one we think can take us a little bit further," he said Photo: James Gourley/AAP PHOTOSTest halfback Tate McDermott believes the appointment of his Queensland coach Les Kiss to the Wallabies' top job will help keep players in Australia All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueKiss was this week announced as the successor to current Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt set to take over in mid-2026 following next year's Super Rugby Pacific season after he sees out the remainder of his contract with the Reds McDermott said the appointment of the popular Kiss would be an attraction for players to remain in Australia rather than take their career off-shore Playmaker Noah Lolesio recently admitted the uncertainty over the next Wallabies coach had been part of his decision to play in Japan "The boys absolutely love playing under him (Kiss) and I think it's a great move from Rugby Australia so I'm really excited to see how it all pans out," McDermott said from Suva ahead of the Reds' clash with Fijian Drua Is Reds coach Les Kiss is a bit of a "larrikin" know and understand who's going to be in that role so 100 per cent I think it provides great clarity and I think it's also an attraction because of how good Les is as a coach." With New Zealander Schmidt vastly improving the Wallabies' stocks since taking over from Eddie Jones last year McDermott felt the transition between coaches would be seamless Kiss previously worked alongside Schmidt in the Ireland national side set-up He said the pair were quite similar as coaches although described his Queensland mentor as more of a "larrikin" "They're actually pretty similar in the way they see the game they've both got really good minds in and around how to attack teams both great communicators to the players," McDermott said "I'd say Joe's probably a little bit more serious but I think the way that they see the game and the way they approach training the way they approach games are I think very similar "I think the transition will be seamless there and they've obviously worked with each other in the past and I'm sure they'll be communicating throughout the whole process "It's great news to have a little bit of familiarity for the playing squad and also just Rugby Australia in general." The Reds are currently fourth on the Super Rugby ladder while the Drua sit last but McDermott dismissed the disparity predicting a tough encounter on Saturday in Suva where his team have lost their last two matches Les Kiss (R) will take over from current Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt next year (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)"You only have to look at our past results here "The Fijian sides are unpredictable and incredibly strong in front of home fans and we're expecting exactly the same and they're going to be dangerous so we're going to make sure we do the fundamentals well but we're very wary of the threat that the Fijians pose and we need to respect that and try and nullify it as best as we can." Shaping the next generation of global leaders A groundbreaking research initiative is set to explore the untapped medicinal potential of marine sponges found at Busselton Jetty with the goal of identifying new lead candidates for cancer treatment options Led by Dr Darren Holland from The University of Western Australia’s School of Molecular Sciences the project aims to investigate the unique compounds produced by the ancient organisms who recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the United States is working with Associate Professors Heng Chooi and Gavin Flematti from UWA and Busselton Jetty CEO Lisa Shreeve in the unique collaboration With expertise in marine invertebrate chemistry and drug discovery were molecules produced by nature that played vital roles in defence communication and adaptation among organisms.  Image: Dr Darren Holland in the lab at UWA “Natural products have evolved to interact with living systems which is why they have been such a valuable source for medicines especially those used in anti-cancer treatments are either directly from or inspired by natural products,” he said “Marine sponges have evolved in Earth’s oceans for millions of years competing for space on coral reefs and co-existing with pathogenic microbes and viruses These unique adaptations make them a rich source of natural products offering immense potential for new drug discovery.” home to Australia’s largest artificial reef including more than 300 marine species and a wealth of unexplored temperate marine sponges.  “With three sponge-derived drugs already approved for use worldwide and several others in clinical trials the potential for discovering new therapeutic agents is vast,” he said.  “Previous studies have already highlighted promising sponge-derived compounds from Western Australia both of which exhibit significant anticancer properties and our project hopes to build on that.” The preliminary phase of the study will involve the collection and analysis of approximately 20 sponge species from Busselton Jetty creating an extract library for in vitro anticancer screening.  “Phase one will focus on identifying sponges with anti-cancer activity with an emphasis on engaging the local community through the Marine Discovery Centre at Busselton Jetty,” Dr Holland said The team hopes to attract funding for a long-term investigation into the sustainable production of sponge-derived compounds integrating aquaculture and DNA sequencing to enhance marine pharmacology in Western Australia Photograph at top of page courtesy of Busselton Jetty 35 Stirling HighwayPerth WA 6009 Australia (+61 8) 6488 6000 Emergency(+61 8) 6488 2222 The University of Western Australia acknowledges that its campus is situated on Noongar land and that Noongar people remain the spiritual and cultural custodians of their land Indigenous commitment Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOSFletcher Sharpe has credited conversations with Andrew Johns for helping instil the confidence he's needed in his switch to five-eighth at Newcastle All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueSharpe had his best game since moving from the outside backs to the halves as the Knights pumped South Sydney 30-4 at Magic Round on Saturday afternoon helping to dispel doubts over the Knights' ability to rely on Sharpe and halfback Jack Cogger for points All the best of Sharpe's game was on show at Suncorp Stadium: his confidence to play off the cuff Sharpe said the greatest halfback of modern times Johns had been helping him find his feet in the halves - including on game day ahead of the win over Souths Fletcher Sharpe (R) credits help from legend Andrew Johns for his increased confidence (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)"He's the best halfback to play the game so to have his confidence is pretty special." It's a message that has been reiterated by Knights coach Adam O'Brien and his offsiders "The coaching staff's been really good on telling me to back my first instinct "'Adzie' said to me at the start of the year The Knights scored only 36 points across their five consecutive losses prior to the Souths game but O'Brien stuck solid with Sharpe and Cogger rather than recall out-of-favour halfback Jackson Hastings Sharpe said criticism of the halves' creativity was "part of the game" when results were lacklustre you're always going to cop a bit of that," he said we've been confident in what we're doing." Knights captain Kalyn Ponga suggested those doubting Sharpe would do well to consider his age The young gun has played only 20 games so far I think we're all sort of forgetting that as well It's only his second year in the NRL and it's not a position he's familiar with," Ponga said he puts himself in good positions through effort He's still learning that position both on the defensive side and the attack side All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIn a country with compulsory voting about 18 million people voted - a record 52.5 per cent of them before the May 3 polling day people lined up to get their democracy sausage or home-baked goodies faithfully cooked and served by school parents and volunteers Freddy enjoys his first democracy sausage at Merri Creek Primary School in the inner Melbourne seat of Wills on May 3 election day in 2025 white Senate ballot papers and wrangled the kids into the car and out again to fulfil their civic duty at local schools and community halls Buried in the numbers is the story of Australia's democracy There were 570 early voting centres around the country Here are the seats where the biggest proportion voted early Queensland (safe provincial Liberal) - 53.4% The major parties spent the election campaign scrambling to pick up one another's marginal seats in Sydney Melbourne and Perth - and hack away at support for Greens' and "teal" independent MPs in the cities These electorates were the most marginal in the country Political party volunteers at Blackburn Uniting Church polling booth in Melbournes Deakin electorate on May 3 held by Liberal frontbencher Michael Sukkar According to the crowd-sourced Democracy Sausage map nearly four million voters had access to a sausage sizzle on voting day So in which state or territory were you more likely to get a meal while you voted ACT - 86.5% of voters had access to democracy sausage Serving up democracy sausages in NSW's Armidale Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce's New England seat Running the barbecue at Drummond Memorial School are Brad Landrigan and Courtney Ryan According to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) there were 7000 polling places in the 2025 election There were more than 100 overseas voting centres UK for the 2025 Australian federal election Picture by Vera DemertzisTo make the ballot a smooth process for voters 100,000 staff worked and 240,000 vests were worn The AEC said 250,000 pencils were used and the number of lengths of string Saffron is a journalist, editor and author with more than 20 years experience covering news. Get in touch: saffron.howden@austcommunitymedia.com.au Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOSCanterbury winger Jacob Kiraz has enhanced his State of Origin chances for NSW with a hat-trick of tries in a 38-18 NRL win over the Gold Coast All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueTitans coach Des Hasler had earlier dropped representative second-rower David Fifita to the Ipswich Jets in the Queensland Cup Fifita was playing 35km to the west of Suncorp Stadium at the same time as his teammates but was unable to inspire the Jets who lost 32-0 to the previously winless Northern Pride The Titans had a disastrous start with half Tom Weaver concussed when his head collided with the hip of giant Bulldog forward Viliame Kikau in a fifth minute tackle now under pressure after the side's fifth loss in a row moved fullback Jaylan De Groot into a playmaking role as cover but it was not a success Kiraz was magnificent for the ladder-leading Bulldogs and is a strong chance to debut for NSW with incumbent Blues wingers Zac Lomax and Brian To'o on the injured list class finishing and willing kick-chase that stood out Bulldogs fullback Connor Tracey had a stellar match with his running game a highlight Toby Sexton sent up a towering bomb for winger Kiraz to leap high and score Tracey scored next after a sensational late offload from second-rower Jacob Preston Bulldogs fans were out in droves to support their team at Suncorp Stadium (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)Against the run of play Titans back-rower Beau Fermor crashed over out wide in a deceptive interchange of passing with Brian Kelly The Titans often dish up a potpourri of the bizarre and fantastical and the next try was in that ballpark went into halfback mode with a chip and chase that led to a try to centre Phil Sami who landed just one goal from four attempts was sin-binned for a professional foul from a scrum and the Titans had let the Bulldogs off the hook were off their game for the last 25 minutes of the first half but a stern chat from coach Cameron Ciraldo got them back on track Kiraz scooted over after half-time for his second He then caught a Sexton bomb with panache to put Preston over Big men Viliame Kikau and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui meet head on (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton carved through threadbare defence to put Kiraz over for his third The Titans rallied with Fermor scoring his second and winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira running the length to score his 47th try in as many matches The Bulldogs had Preston sin-binned late for a crusher tackle All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAn elated crowd filling out the brightly lit function room in Canterbury-Hurlstone RSL roared for the Foreign Minister as she strode onto the stage thank you for believing in Labor," Senator Wong bellowed to a crowd which needed little encouragement They had been waiting for Mr Albanese to arrive for some time Now they were at the peak, spilling out in a sea of red, welcoming their new Prime Minister Cheers had erupted in the function room early and often and as the night progressed past 8pm a sense of nervous caution upheld by Labor staffers and supporters right up until the end was abandoned and Mr Albanese will be the first prime minister to win back-to-back elections since John Howard An emotional Anthony Albanese greets supporters as he arrives to give his victory speech on Saturday night Picture AAPThe sense of history was not lost on the crowd Albo!," rang out the chant around the room as the victorious Prime Minister made his way to the podium Mr Albanese's first act was to grasp the hands of his son Nathan the crowd had booed and waved as Mr Dutton delivered his concession speech both acknowledging the party's loss and his own to Labor's Ali France in the seat of Dickson But Mr Albanese chided his supporters when hearing the jeering in the crowd delivered with a sense of victory and charged with self-belief "It is with a deep sense of humility and a profound sense of responsibility that the first thing that I do tonight is to say 'thank you' to the people of Australia for the chance to continue to serve the best nation on Earth," he told supporters," he said the Australian people have voted for Australian values: for fairness "Australians have voted for a future that holds true to these values a future built on everything that brings us together." Mr Albanese struggled to fish his Medicare card out of his pocket but this was quickly washed away by the eruption of support for the Prime Minister's signature move But it was his promise to new Labor voters that will carry him forward tomorrow "So many Australians who have voted Labor for the first time," Mr Albanese said repaying your trust will drive our government each and every day of the next three years." Miriam Webber is a federal politics and public sector reporter, with an interest in integrity, transparency and accountability in government. She has been a member of the federal political bureau since 2023, and previously worked as the city reporter. Reach her at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au a lift in the personal performance of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and a woeful campaign by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have seen Labor re-elected for a second term that the distress and dysfunction evident in the United States in the first 100 days of the Trump administration made voters reluctant to risk a version of that under the Trumpesque Dutton in Australia His luck was compounded by the Liberal team's shocking underperformance ineffective advertising and an overall lack of focus blighted their campaign from the outset Labor national secretary Paul Erickson and key party figures combined to ensure the government got the jump on the Coalition before the election was imminent This included getting Albanese onto the hustings early in the new year making policy announcements that demonstrated a commitment to build Australia's future Albanese himself shook off the torpor evident since the failed Voice referendum campaign and presented a more energetic and congenial face to Australians than the awkward and floundering Dutton The Coalition's election postmortem is likely to hinge on the mystery of why given the scores of interest rate rises since the previous election and misery experienced by so many Australians as a result it did not simply hammer the cost of living as its return ticket to power It should also dwell on the lesson that a leader and policies that please local oligarchs and right-wing media echo chambers make winning the centre ground needed for election victory in Australia hard That one-third of Australians gave an independent or minor party candidate their first preference vote should be the focus of serious contemplation by the major parties The crossbench will remain sizeable in the 150-member House of Representatives though without the balance of power eagerly sought by the teal and orange independents The Senate will continue to be a challenge for the government to get its bills through One clear message is that voters aren't impressed by the leaders the major parties are offering he remained in net negative approval territory Albanese and Dutton had -10 per cent and -27 per cent net approval ratings Both leaders were a drag on their party's vote but emphatic two party-preferred vote signals Australians want it in office but expect more than tinkering around the edges The Albanese government will be expected to come up with structural solutions that meet contemporary Australians' real needs in this second term Prime Minister Anthony Albanese greets Labor supporters after his thumping election win Picture Getty ImagesWith his re-election as prime minister Albanese can be confident and secure in his governing style giving talented frontbenchers more scope to develop the deeper policy solutions Australians seek That increased security will also enable him to drop the petty persecution of rivals that gives voters an insight into the lesser side of the sunny personality he publicly presents Whether he does either of those things will remain to be seen Labor MPs will also have to play their role properly in this term of government Slavish quiescence to an all-powerful prime minister produces paltry results Caucus needs to get elbows up with the re-elected Albanese and make sure he doesn't clock off between elections like he appeared to at times last time around All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueFresh from a thumping local election victory in his electorate of New England in rural NSW Mr Joyce is set to have the operation in Tamworth on Monday said he's expected to make a full recovery after detecting the cancer early A file photo of New England Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce Picture by Gareth Gardner"I'm having surgery .. I'll take a break to recover before getting back to work," he told ACM Mr Joyce said he was under strict instructions from family to rest after the surgery "My wife [Vikki Campion] has told me I'm not allowed to go into the paddock no ducking out to the paddock to do a bit of cattle work," he said "I didn't want to announce it during the campaign as I didn't want it to be a distraction." Mr Joyce urged men to get their prostates checked to pick up any problems as early as possible A simple blood test for the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) protein can detect elevated levels which may be a sign of cancer or some benign conditions Mr Joyce said he received an early diagnosis after doing a PSA test then MRI The cancer had not spread beyond his prostate According to the Cancer Council, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia More than 26,000 cases were recorded in 2024 alone Mr Joyce increased his primary vote by nearly two per cent in New England at the May 3 federal poll despite a wipeout for the Coalition Opposition Leader Peter Dutton lost his Queensland seat of Dickson as Labor romped home to a stunning majority win I understand and agree that my personal information will be collected, stored and used, in accordance with the PGA of Australia's privacy policy Busselton Golf Club went home with three of the major awards as the Western Australian Golf Industry celebrated another wonderful year of achievement at The Grand Ballroom at Crown in Perth The glittering function welcomed representatives from the PGA of Australia the Golf Course Superintendents Association of WA and Golf Management Australia (WA) and acknowledged the wonderful contributions made by nominees across 18 separate categories Busselton Golf Club Head Professional Grant Williams was named the Hilary Lawler PGA WA Club Professional of the Year for the second consecutive year his beginner women’s clinic that was recognised nationally with a win at the R&A Women in Golf Charter Awards part of his accomplishments the past 12 months The Swing & Sip Women’s Beginner Program was also named Outstanding Game Development Program and on top of joining the graduating class of 2025 Jeremy Crabb was named PGA WA Associate of the Year to complete the Busselton Golf Club trifecta PGA WA Coach of the Year – Game Development was won by Mark Tibbles of The Vines Golf & Country Club for a second time while it was an eighth win for Ritchie Smith in the PGA WA Coach of the Year – High Performance category A three-time winner on the LPGA Tour last year Hannah Green received the Outstanding Golf Achievement Award and John Hopkins was the recipient of the WA Golf Industry Distinguished Service Award A loyal servant to the game both in Australia and abroad for decades Hopkins has held key positions with Golf Australia and was previously President of the Australian Golf Union along with serving as a referee at major tournaments PGA Graduates: Tyler Clark (Royal Fremantle Golf Club and Wembley Golf Course) and Jeremy Crabb (Busselton Golf Club) PGA WA Associate of the Year: Jeremy Crabb (Busselton Golf Club) PGA WA Club Professional of the Year: Grant Williams (Busselton Golf Club) PGA WA Coach of the Year – High Performance: Ritchie Smith (Royal Fremantle Golf Club) PGA WA Coach of the Year – Game Development: Mark Tibbles (The Vines Golf & Country Club) PGA WA Tournament of the Year: South West Isuzu South West Open (Bunbury Golf Club) PGA WA Management Professional of the Year: Andrew MacAuslan (Margaret River Golf Club) Course Apprentice of the Year: James Courtney-Bennett (Lake Karrinyup Country Club) Course Superintendent of the Year: Des Russell (Cottesloe Golf Club) WA Golf Industry Distinguished Service Award: John Hopkins Outstanding Game Development Program: Swing & Sip Women’s Beginner Program (Busselton Golf Club) Volunteer of the Year: Jackie Dickson (Margaret River Golf Club) Employee of the Year: Danielle Harrison (Joondalup Country Club) Regional Golf Course of the Year: Kalgoorlie Golf Course Metropolitan Golf Course of the Year: Lake Karrinyup Country Club Regional Golf Facility of the Year: Margaret River Golf Club Metropolitan Golf Facility of the Year: Mandurah Country Club Outstanding Golf Achievement Award: Hannah Green For the latest news and scores on Australian golf Subscribe © 2025 PGA of Australia | Powered by Advertise with us each nervously hoped an exhausting five weeks of interviews doorstops and worksite visits would pay dividends at the ballot box All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueFailure would probably mean the end of a long political career - 29 years for the PM and 23 for the Liberal leader But only one man could look in the mirror and genuinely say to himself "I ran a good campaign and did all I could to maximise our vote" A welter of late opinion surveys and some less scientific exit polls suggested it was Dutton who faced the chill winds of rejection from voters The Queenslander had led insisted on a suburban strategy after getting a dream inside run to the leadership after Scott Morrison's disastrous 2022 ouster Morrison's defeat was so comprehensive it saw six blue-ribbon Liberal strongholds fall to "teal" community independents among 19 seats to go overall Dutton placed little importance on regaining them regarding the affluent inner-urban seats as best left to the teal One of those losses removed then treasurer Josh Frydenberg from the parliament - a more moderate figure who would have given Dutton a run for his money in any leadership contest Liberals were already grumbling as the election neared about Dutton's bungled campaign which was widely panned as too little too late One frustrated party loyalist called the Dutton campaign "embarrassing" and described a "betrayal of thousands of hardworking Liberals" who were left on doorsteps and polling places defending daily backflips Attention was already turning to what to do now amid a widely expected challenge by the NSW-based MP and shadow treasurer Angus Taylor who has long been touted as a future Liberal leader Taylor is well-regarded but also has plenty of detractors Also mentioned has been a possible leadership ticket featuring the WA-based defence spokesperson Andrew Hastie and current deputy Sussan Ley - a pairing that might attract support for its east-west Opposition Leader Peter Dutton should have stayed on track with cost of living messaging. Picture Getty ImagesAnother expected contender is the regional Victorian MP, Dan Tehan who first has to survive a spirited challenge by an independent in his electorate of Wannon Knives were being sharpened for Dutton even before the final result was knowable after he left key policy decisions too late to make a difference and made several tactical blunders These included opposing Labor's tax cuts, backing (before dropping) a ban on working from home Privately, Liberals also criticised Dutton's culture war forays on the school curriculum and welcome-to-country ceremonies instead of sticking rigidly to cost-of-living pressures Mark Kenny is The Canberra Times' political analyst and a professor at the ANU's Australian Studies Institute. He hosts the Democracy Sausage podcast. He writes a column every Sunday. SOUR and Bleak Nights are opening for Jebediah on the Busselton Foreshore Stage @6pmfor the Busselton Jetty Swim Concert on 8 February 2025 WAM acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia We pay our respects to Elders past and present The West Australian Music Industry Association Incorporated Expressions of interest are now open for the Supporting Coaches in Practice workshop The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) in partnership with the Department of Local Government Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) invite you to express your interest in the free ASC Supporting Coaches in Practice training In the 1-day workshop, participants will: This development opportunity is relevant to: Due to the highly practical nature of the session the face-to-face workshop will not have a virtual attendance option This will be an expression of interest process closing Thursday 1 May The outcome will be advised on Thursday 8 May The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land We pay tribute and our respects to Elders past and present Learn about Aboriginal history Sign up for newsletters Help us improve our service or tell us what is working really well Leave your feedback Expressions of interest are now open for the Facilitation Skills workshop  Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) invite you to express your interest in the free ASC Facilitation Skills training This will be an expression of interest process closing Thursday 1 May All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe old fan favourites have gone either killed in action like Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow character or off to other worlds like Chris Hemsworth's Thor is who are we to expect might have the super-humanly powers to save the planet from other comic-book bad guys if The Avengers and their like are no more Thunderbolts* could be enjoyed on its own merit That question and its answer have been teased out over the last dozen or so Marvel movies and television series but if you're not already a hardcore initiate into all this fun pop-culture nonsense is it even worthwhile jumping in at this point Well Thunderbolts* can absolutely stand on its own and as the Disney-owned juggernaut isn't stopping any time soon Julia Louis-Dreyfus's Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is a Marvel version of her Veep Selena Meyer character She's a billionaire dipping her toes in government efficiencies (sound familiar?) recently appointed head of the CIA and getting grilled by a House Oversight Committee about her murky past Valentina needs to exorcise her past indiscretions if she wants to keep her job including torching mutant genetics research laboratories she has funded It also includes getting together the mercenaries she has been paying to clean things up and have them all eliminate each other Thunderbolts* is a decent standalone Marvel interludeBut these individuals realise they've been played by Valentina and decide to team up and pay her back the former Russian superhero Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) retired former Avenger Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) one of Valentina's human genetic experiments There's an asterisk on that title deliberately because "Thunderbolts" is just a working name for this group of anti-heroes and by the end of the film they'll have another moniker Thunderbolts* is thematically quite dark for a Marvel film a film about existential crisis and the redemptive path back from moral corruption to goodness or at least to not hating yourself and having purpose There are strong emotionally-driven performances particularly for Florence Pugh and Wyatt Russell Russell's John Walker was the short-lived successor to the Captain America job after Steve Rogers retired at the end of Avengers: Endgame but in one of the Marvel TV series he accidentally executed an innocent civilian Pugh's Yelena is the younger sister of Johannson's Black Widow an enhanced Russian assassin who wants to be good like her sister was but can't escape the pull of her training you can appreciate this is a group of broken people acting out but looking for some kind of lifeline and it is their strong performances that hook you emotionally Joanna Call and Kurt Busiek is also full of laughs and for a film that appears to be full of violence Director Jake Schreier has done a bunch of TV notably the Ali Wong Netflix series Beef that was the awards season darling of 2023 He keeps a tight hand on the reins of this behemoth that apparently cost $200M but it's not over-bloated.The CGI is well done with production houses in Victoria and South Australia listed in the credits Photo: HANDOUT/World Surf LeagueStephanie Gilmore says the competitive fires are still burning as she prepares to return to the World Surf League where she will take on rivals almost half her age All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAs an eight-time world champion and six-time winner of the Gold Coast Pro But the 36-year-old told AAP the drive to compete has never gone away which is why she's making a one-off appearance in the World Surf League event at Burleigh Heads before returning full-time to the tour next year it's one of things you actually love to do and then someone asks you 'why are you still doing it?' like that's a ridiculous question," said Gilmore who last surfed competitively in August 2023 deep down there's still that burning desire like 'Oh wow to come back and feel those emotions again "I have achieved a lot of what I wanted to achieve in my career but the cool thing about surfing is that the ocean always changes and there's a lot of conditions that I know I have a lot of work to do to get better at "It's just about being able to improve all the time it's an endless evolution of myself and my surfing and to be able to challenge yourself in a world stage Stephanie Gilmore won the seventh of her eight world titles in 2018 (EPA PHOTO)"Even if I'm not performing at my absolute best or winning the trophies as much as I used to I still enjoy that journey along the way." The Gold Cost Pro has been moved to Burleigh Heads after sand shifting in a recent cyclone affected the waves at Snapper Rocks She joked that she would have an excuse if she didn't win Gilmore has been drawn in a tough opening heat against reigning world champion Caitlin Simmers aged 19 and Brazilian 20-year-old Luana Silva who reached the final at last week's competition at Bells Beach who is one of five Australian women in the Gold Coast Pro field "Catie is one of my favourite surfers and Luana just made the final down there at Bells Beach so they're both in great form so it's a very tough heat to begin with but I'll do my best," Gilmore said "Hopefully we can have a good battle and put on a show Stephanie Gilmore competed for Australia at the Tokyo Olympics (AP PHOTO)"I'm excited to see if I can still keep up with the young women on tour who are doing such an amazing job at the moment of just rising the level of women surfing "I'm hoping that my surfing is still relevant with the current crop of women but I don't think I've changed it too dramatically so hopefully it still works."  Jack Robinson will look for successive titles in the men's competition following his Rip Curl Pro triumph Robinson has climbed the rankings to sit third behind fellow Australian Ethan Ewing and leader There are eight Australian men in the line-up Pictures by Marina NeilStanding outside Newcastle courthouse All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMoments earlier she had run from the courtroom sobbing uncontrollably after a judge not only spared her daughter's murderer from a life sentence but ordered he could be released before his 39th birthday But then Ms Acret stepped up and delivered a powerful statement excoriating the criminal justice system for the "ridiculous" sentences handed to domestic violence offenders and condemning an inadequate response to an "epidemic" of gender based violence in Australia "While no verdict and no sentence can bring Mackenzie back we are outraged by today's outcome," Ms Acret said "Whilst this may be thought as a good outcome by the courts we are disgusted that this sentence is what they think the value of my daughter's life was worth "Today is an example that some serious investigation and legislation is needed into the justice system where justice is not being served "Justice Weinstein's sentence was an insult to women globally and I call for an urgent review and appeal of this sentence." Tyrone Thompson, who murdered Ms Acret's 21-year-old daughter Mackenzie Anderson, was on Friday sentenced to a maximum of 22 years and six months with a non-parole period of 15 years and six months, making him eligible for release in 2038. Mackenzie Anderson with her mum Tabitha Acret (left) Picture: InstagramThompson had been on parole and there was an apprehended violence order in place prohibiting any contact with Mackenzie when he twice broke into her unit at Mayfield in March 2022 and stabbed her more than 78 times with two knives immaturity and his complex mental health issues had led Justice Weinstein to reduce his moral culpability and find that a life sentence was not appropriate Ms Acret said it was another "ridiculous" sentence in a long line of courts letting domestic violence offenders off lightly "No punishment ever feels like justice," she said "In Australia sentences are often ridiculous "We far too frequently deliver light sentences and make excuses for men who murder women "We're in the midst of an epidemic of gender-based violence where women are being killed at an alarming rate and the only acceptable number is zero." Tabitha Acret standing outside Newcastle courthouse after her daughter's killer was sentenced on Friday Pictures by Marina NeilMs Acret echoed parts of an emotional victim impact statement she read on Monday when she said most domestic violence murders "don't happen suddenly "They are often predictable and preventable," Ms Acret said "If only there were an early and decisive actions from our courts "He had violently assaulted my daughter for two years And Ms Acret said she placed a "great deal of blame for my daughter's death on our justice system and on the judges who continually hand down lenient sentences" "Tyrone committed offences while on parole and once again the police worked tirelessly to arrest him," she said "And once again a judge chose not to punish him and let him walk free if this judge had not let him walk free after breaching parole Ms Acret said the court process had stripped Mackenzie of her identity as she was routinely referred to as "the deceased" "I want people to remember that she was not just a statistic she was a human being and her life mattered "The grief and the loss we carry will not ease in time it will remain with us for the rest of our lives Mackenzie Anderson's mum says murder sentence an 'insult to women globally'"Mackenzie received the life sentence today her friends have been given life sentences of grief and pain more urgent national conversations about how we punish violent offenders because what we're doing right now is not good enough." Ms Acret said she wanted to also focus on the future and preventing domestic violence "Justice cannot just be about what happens after a tragedy," she said more resources and more commitment to mental health support not just responding to them after it's too late "This is not the end of my journey with domestic violence "I'll keep fighting for all women in honour of my daughter to push for change and stand up for every woman who's ever felt unsafe "And I call for this sentence to be appealed." Anna FalkenmirePolice and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au Update 28.03 - It seems everyone's bloody keen to get in the pit in May because the One Night Stand has officially SOLD OUT If you missed out on tickets, you've got a couple of options. Keep tuning in to the radio and our socials for a chance to try and win tickets and sign up to the waitlist to snap up a ticket if more go on sale. Whether you're headed west for the big day or tuning in at home, here's everything you need to know about the 2025 edition of One Night Stand. we decided it's time to throw a dart at the map of Australia and transform a regional spot into *the* live music capital for one night only The south-western town of Busselton is a prime location for the One Night Stand Not only that but it’s also home to Australia’s longest wooden jetty – the Busselton Jetty Stretching 1.8km long out into the crystal-clear waters off the coast it takes nearly half an hour to walk from one end to the other Busselton is a huge supporter of live music with regional tours regularly including the far south-western town on their WA runs This year’s event marks the One Night Stand’s long-awaited return to Western Australia after a nearly a decade Get your chosen calendar app open because it's all going down on Saturday 24 May We've wrangled the line-up back off our newsreader Jack James (who stole it last week and kept giving us cryptic clues) Leading the class of One Night Stand 2025 is none other than Spacey Jane They're your beloved runner-up for the Hottest 100 of 2020 Freo indie icons and will be fresh off the back of releasing their third album – so you just know their set is gonna be large Joining them to heat up the dancefloor deep into the evening is production powerhouse LUUDE who will keep you moving in the late-autumn air The hits keep coming with purebred singer-songwriter Ruby Fields and award-winning hop hop supergroup 3% pulling up for this one night to remember The stage will light up with gorgeous sets from pop trio Blusher psychedelic connoisseurs Velvet Trip and a bonkers set from a local triple j Unearthed competition winner is none other than Busso and Perth based band Tickets will set you back $15 + bf and all proceeds will be donated to music industry charities Support Act and The Push alongside local charities the Undalup Association and the Karri Karrak Organisation triple j will be taking you there over the whole day on May 24 on-air and on socials Check out all the important details below and we can't wait to see you All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueEmergency services were dispatched to the scene at Point Lonsdale "It's believed the chopper was seen crashing into water off Fellows Road just after 10am," Victoria Police said "There were three people onboard the aircraft All three people managed to make it to shore and were located by passersby who contacted emergency services." Victoria Ambulance helicopter spotted circling the water (main image) and the crashed helicopter (inset). Picture FlightTracker24/9 NewsA flight tracker site showed a Victoria Ambulance helicopter circling the area The helicopter lapped the coastline east of Point Lonsdale a number of times before flying in the direction of Melbourne were airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious injuries A second man was driven to Geelong University Hospital with serious injuries popular among domestic and international tourists near the start of the Great Ocean Road that spans the state's southern coastline The town is 103 kilometres southwest of Melbourne and 28 kilometres southeast of Geelong Anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV/dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.