sales manager at Nutrien Harcourts in Griffith with his vendor Picture suppliedConsumer confidence in the housing market is rebounding due to interest rate cuts and further cuts on the horizon with real estate agents across the Riverina recording record sales 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 areaContinueBuying and selling, rentals and commercial properties are all recording strong market trends making it a paradise for some and almost an impossibility for others Albury and Deniliquin markets have recorded similar trend across the board Big River Real Estate sales agent Jesse Taylor in Deniliquin said the market to date is "absolutely flying" "We've sold 16 properties in the last three months "Sales in the $700,000 to over a million range in the high price brackets are moving well "In terms of investors and renovators the properties in the lower range around $200,000 onwards are a mixed bag." Mr Taylor believes people are resetting after 2024 and when it comes to the rental market he said it's nearly impossible to crack "As soon as we put a property up we get obliterated," he said "It takes us nearly a week's worth of work to try and sort it out." Deniliquin has a lot of vacant shops and buildings when it comes to commercial property but Mr Taylor said the smaller commercial shops are going ok "It's the big commercial ones that struggle with affordability and interest The Albury market is following a similar trend with Stean Nicholls Real Estate director Nicholas Clark saying it's one of the strongest starts to the year that they have had "The housing market is very strong in the lower to mid-range of properties "Interstate and national investment is strong with investors from Sydney Melbourne and Canberra buying properties in that mid range "The $800,000 to $1.2 million range are also moving well with families looking to upsize and grow." Thurgoona and East Albury are all attracting strong interest while the northern areas such as North Albury and Lavington are experiencing a lot of investor demand The rental market in Albury is reflective of the current market trends with Mr Clark saying vacancies are minimal "We have a rental portfolio of more than 600 properties with a vacancy rate of 0.25 per cent," he said Mr Taylor indicated that the Albury commercial markets had slowed down over the past 12 to 18 months but confidence was returning and the market is starting to bounce back Robert Cavallaro says that being a little bit more isolated reduces the number of houses on the market at any one time The housing market sales are flying in Deniliquin according to Jesse Taylor from Big River Real Estate."Given that we have such a strong economy because of our diversity with irrigation and the industries that surround us so there is a housing shortage most of the time,"he said first home buyers are still strong as opposed to the cost of building a new home and that keeps the established market up." Mr Cavallaro called the rental market in Griffith a "tough gig" "There is always a line-up of people waiting to look at rentals," he said "There is also good constant capital growth each year." When it comes to commercial property in Griffith Mr Cavallaro said there was a real shift forming from retail to a growing hospitality precinct "It's a little bit sad when you go through the main street of Griffith and the retail shops are closed," he said "We are finding there is more of a shift to food outlets as opposed to retail in the main street." Mr Cavallaro believes the hubs and plazas have created a place for shoppers to find a central point for everyone to do their shopping creating a shift in retail traffic away from the main street our advantage is that Griffith is so economically strong so people love going out for food and drinks," he said "So I think it will be a shift from the main street being a major retail outlet to more of a food hub." the Wagga market seems to be taking a much more conservative approach according to One Agency agent Harry Mangelsdorf "Buyer activity has been down since the election date call," he said "We've seen a little bit of a ripple effect from that as well as the school holidays people kind of checked out for that period "I believe once the election has wrapped up there will be more confidence and stability in the market." A journalist living in Deniliquin and loving a hybrid role with The Daily Advertiser in Wagga Wagga Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy Donate Today 422783 Flight Sergeant (later Pilot Officer) Edward George Wicky of Manly and his observer 422628 Flight Sergeant (later Pilot Officer) Oswald Mountford of Leeton who together completed the 1000th sortie flown since D-Day by No their aircraft took part in a raid by 17 Mosquitoes on enemy targets behind the battle area in Europe and both airmen were killed in bad visibility near Horndean They are buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey The Australian War Memorial in Canberra will be commemorating the service and sacrifice of Leeton resident Pilot Officer Oswald Mountford at the Last Post Ceremony on Wednesday 27 November “Oswald was born on 11 December 1923 in Leeton the only son of Oswald Senior and Ivy Mountford,” Australian War Memorial senior historian Craig Tibbitts said he grew up in Leeton with his younger sister and attended Leeton Intermediate High School “Mountford was 18 when enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in Sydney in May 1942 Mountford and Wicky paired up and would fly together from then on 464 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force in July 1944 before being granted commissions as pilot officers in the Royal Air Force Mountford and Wicky were returning to their base east of Portsmouth after successfully attacking enemy installations in Holland when their Mosquito crashed while taking immediate evasive action near the village of Horndean The Last Post ceremony is held at 4.30 pm every day except Christmas Day in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial Each ceremony shares the story behind one of 103,000 names on the Roll of Honour the Memorial has delivered more than 3,800 ceremonies each featuring an individual story of service from colonial to recent conflicts It would take more than 280 years to read the story behind each of the 103,000 names listed on the Roll of Honour “The Last Post Ceremony is our commitment to remembering and honouring the legacy of Australian service,” Memorial Director Matt Anderson said we not only acknowledge where and how these men and women died We also tell the stories of who they were when they were alive “The Last Post is now associated with remembrance but originally it was a bugle call to sound the end of the day’s activities in the military It is a fitting way to end each day at the Memorial.” The Last Post Ceremony honouring the service of Pilot Officer Oswald Mountford will be live streamed to the Australian War Memorial’s YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/awmlastpost The stories told at the Last Post Ceremony are researched and written by the Memorial’s military historians who begin the process by looking at nominal rolls attestation papers and enlistment records before building profiles that include personal milestones and military experiences HANDOUT image: www.awm.gov.au/collection/C277951 CONTACT:  Media team on 02 6263 6628, 0409 600 038 or media@awm.gov.au Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us and what they continue to do for our freedom remains – today and into the future Help preserve Australia's history by transcribing records from the National Collection Enhance accessibility and discoverability for all Australians is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia The Australian War Memorial is open for visitors as we work to expand our galleries Entry is free and tickets are not required 10 am to 4 pm daily (except Christmas Day) In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony galleries are progressively closed from 3:40 pm Subscribe AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) 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 areaContinueEthan Ang John Walker and Tom Read recently completed training at Goulburn Police Academy and say they were drawn to the MIA after hearing of the benefits The Murrumbidgee Police Districts new probationary officers John Walker, Ethan Ang, and Tom Read. Picture by Allan WilsonMr Ang, who is 22 years old, says he was excited to commence his first day in Griffith on Monday I wanted to find like-minded people and Griffith Mr Walker was eager to start what he believes will be a rewarding and fulfilling career "I wanted a job that would provide personal satisfaction," he said so I was partly influenced by them to join and starting out here will be of great benefit." Mr Read believes the country will be a perfect fit for him I wanted a career that was about helping people," he said previously working in roles from suit tailoring to tradesmen and the defence force Although they will be stationed in Griffith they could be sent to sites across the district All three are looking forward to getting to know the community "I was quite surprised that there is a community in Griffith that speaks Mandarin; I'm really impressed with how multicultural the place is Mr Walker says he was surprised by how many services and activities are available in the area so I'm also eager to try my skills at catching Murrumbidgee Cod in the rivers," he said The new recruits discuss what inspired them to join the force Picture by Allan WilsonMr Read is looking forward to putting the things he learnt at Goulburn into practice "One of the things I learned is you have to want this career to get it," Mr Read said and the friendships you make are valuable." The new constables are expected to be stationed in the area for three years Send me your news tips at allan.wilson@areanews.com.au Journalist with previous experience working for mastheads in Tumut We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy. Photo: Ethan James/AAP PHOTOSThe closure of a youth detention centre with an "ongoing abuse risk" has been further pushed back as part of broad justice reforms 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 areaContinueTasmania's Ashley Youth Detention Centre was in 2023 recommended to be shut as soon as possible in the final report of an inquiry into institutionalised child sexual abuse the subject of horrific stories of mistreatment which had previously pledged to shut the centre by the end of 2024 later said it would be closed in 2026 once replacement facilities had been established Minister for Children Roger Jaensch says the centre can't close until a new one is up and running that date was pushed back to early 2028 as part of the release of a master plan for the construction of a more therapeutic centre north of Hobart "We cannot (close the centre) before we have a new functional detention facility," Minister for Children and Youth Roger Jaensch told reporters "We believe … we can see the new facility built before the end of 2027 and then the closure of Ashley shortly thereafter."  Labor opposition MP Sarah Lovell said there was no clear plan for what would happen in the meantime "The (inquiry) made it crystal clear: Ashley must close as soon as possible," she said "Community safety is directly linked to effective we are failing both the young people in the system and the communities they return to."  A master plan for a new facility has been released but it won't be built before the end of 2027 (Ethan James/AAP PHOTOS)A parliament committee was last week told the government was investigating recent complaints from detainees about the use of isolation and restraints Mr Jaensch acknowledged Ashley had not produced good outcomes for young people and hadn't reduced re-offending the state government was providing diversionary programs for young people and the centre was safer than ever before "We're not seeing an increase in reports of sexual abuse although we leave the channels open for anyone with concerns to report them there hasn't been a recent concern raised about recent sexual abuse matters at Ashley Youth Detention Centre." The new centre will have 16 residential beds plus two for new arrivals and two medical beds Of 111 state servants suspended since late 2020 because of child sexual abuse allegations 41 remain subject to ongoing investigations by the government Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Photo: James Ross/AAP PHOTOSA maintenance worker accused of killing gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro has walked from court a free man after his murder charge was dropped 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 areaContinueVincenzo Crupi was accused of shooting dead Mr Acquaro as he left his East Brunswick gelato store on March 15 He pleaded not guilty to murder and was awaiting trial in the Victorian Supreme Court but prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams on Monday confirmed the case had been discontinued Joseph Acquaro was shot dead in front of his East Brunswick gelato shop in March 2016 (Julian Smith/AAP PHOTOS)Mr McWilliams did not detail in court the reason why prosecutors dropped the murder charge Justice Jane Dixon confirmed Mr Crupi was not in custody on any other matters so she allowed him to the leave the dock for the rest of the brief hearing Mr Crupi hugged his lawyers outside the courtroom but declined to comment He was first charged in 2018 with Mr Acquaro's murder and was committed to stand trial in the Victorian Supreme Court the following year But the case was repeatedly delayed due to a legal fight over confidential material Victoria Police sought to withhold more than 600 pages of documents from Mr Crupi's lawyers arguing it could identify a police informant known as Informer Z A Supreme Court judge ruled against the police in 2018 saying the documents could substantially assist Mr Crupi in his defence always denied shooting Joseph Acquaro dead (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)The police commissioner then appealed the decision to the High Court with three justices overturning the judge's original ruling in September 2024 The case was sent back to the Supreme Court but no new trial date was listed always denied the allegation he shot dead Mr Acquaro Police had alleged Mr Crupi carried out the murder following a dispute over payment for tiling work he carried out at Mr Acquaro's gelato store But Mr Crupi claimed Mr Acquaro was an informer and it was reasonably possible he was killed by someone who had learnt of his discussions with police Mr Acquaro had represented prominent gangland figures during his time as a lawyer and he had strong ties with Melbourne's Calabrian community it was revealed he had shared information about at least one of his clients to police although he was never formally registered as an informer 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 areaContinueIt was the hosts who were able to strike first as Elli Gill found her way over but West Wyalong were able to hit back with a try to Caitlin Kelly A double to Makayla Bradshaw and one to Taylah Axtill looked to have wrapped the game up before Kelly got her second of the afternoon to see Leeton take the early edge in the League Tag competition with a 22-12 victory a double to Sophie Curtis and one each to Casey Thompson and Wedny Gonevulavula helped the Hay Magpies pick up their second win of the season with a 42-2 win over the Hawks Makayla Bradshaw scored a double to help the Leeton Greens come away with a win over fellow League Tag heavyweights West Wyalong Picture by Liam WarrenThe Hawks' only points came from a penalty goal from Caitlin Poulson Waratahs were able to secure a rare win in their local derby against Yenda The new-look Yenda side is still trying to find its footing in the competition and Waratahs were able to pounce on a mistake at the play the ball It was an even battle leading into the halftime break before Jessica Carusi scored a double in the three minutes leading into the break to hand the hosts a 16-0 lead Waratahs were moving the ball around well in the early stages of the second half and made the most of it as Jacinda Cadorin before Yenda were able to get their first points of the season as Tayla Gee crossed next to the post to make it 22-6 Jessica Barbaro and Minata Misi wrapped up a 34-6 win for the Waratahs The Black and Whites were able to pick up their second win of the season after a strong performance on the road against DPC Roosters Moerai Makonia scored a double while Tia'Nah Hoare Leilah Little and Kaya Favero all scored as the Panthers walked away with a 38-6 win As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA 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 Greens were hoping to make a statement with their first home game of the season as they were able to make a strong start with Matthew Goodwill and Jesse Watson getting over early in the first half Josh Fisher was next across the line while tries to Braydon Doolan and Blake McDonald had the hosts running away with the game With the prospect of an early finish on the card Greens' manager Mick Thomas said it was a pretty simple message at the break we talked about making sure we kept the foot down and that was what we were able to do," he said Jesse Watson scored a double as Leeton were able to come away with a mercy run victory over West Wyalong Picture by Liam Warren"Probably could have been shut out a bit earlier but we made a couple of little errors as you do in those types of games." Even with the couple of errors in the second half Hillier and Bradbrook scoring their second for the match Leeton secured the 60-0 win over the Mallee Men with 25 minutes remaining it can be easy to go away from the game plan Thomas was most pleased to see his side stick to what they planned "We were pretty fortunate that we were able to stick to our sets and to our plays and that is where we got the results," he said "I think there were only three or four errors overall when we probably pushed our hand a bit too much "They prepared well for Wyalong and everything went right for us in the first 20 minutes and that was the flow-on effect with the result." It wasn't quite the perfect day for the Greens as they lost Goodwill to a knee injury, which will need to be assessed, but the side does now have two weeks to prepare for their next game against contenders Waratahs. "Two wins going into the bye is always good," he said "Tahs over there is going to be super competitive they are looking like real contenders this year so we need all the time we can to prepare for that so that we can put the best foot forward." The Irrigator's complete view of propertyAdvertisement Photo: Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOSA dog's simple sniff at a music festival could lead to a multimillion-dollar payout in a massive class action lawsuit targeting police strip searches 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 areaContinueThousands of people were strip searched at music festivals as officers allegedly given inadequate training and supervision routinely conducted the inspections over a six-year period An "extraordinary" and unlawful strip search by police at a popular music festival and the conduct of authorities defending it is leading the class action in NSW A woman underwent a humiliating and unlawful search that found nothing (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)Raya Meredith alleged she was subjected to assault battery and false imprisonment by police at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in July 2018 after a drug detection dog sniffed in her direction She was stopped and directed to a makeshift inspection area of open cubicles with tarpaulin screens near the entrance A male police officer allegedly walked in to the area where Ms Meredith was being searched as a female officer interrogated and inspected her which was allegedly conducted with inadequate privacy and was threatened with ejection from the festival barrister Kylie Nomchong SC told the Supreme Court on Monday which did not comply with legislated safeguards "This is an extraordinary story … but it is not an isolated one," Ms Nomchong said NSW is accused of deploying large numbers of officers to festivals to do strip searches en masse (Samantha Lock/AAP PHOTOS)The state allegedly deployed large numbers of officers to music festivals with the intention of routinely doing strip searches en masse between 2016 and 2022 The directions given were "woefully inadequate" and senior echelons of the force failed to ensure officers were properly trained and supervised expose her genitals and remove a tampon during the search - "akin to things that would happen during a sexual assault," Ms Nomchong told the court The state's conduct in defending the claim had also increased the harm to the lead plaintiff and aggravated damages would be sought the state persisted with hurtful allegations and unjustifiable The state conceded in March she was unlawfully strip-searched but has not accepted fault in relation to more than 3000 others part of the class-action NSW Police acknowledged failures highlighted in a watchdog's audit of strip searches in 2023 (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)The state's barrister Julian Sexton SC told the court there may be limitations on damages and the amount that could be paid A sum of $50,000 sought for exemplary damages could exceed $150 million if applied across the class action participants for what are alleged to be systemic failures rather than individual instances NSW Police blamed a change in priorities during COVID-19 public health orders and restrictions when acknowledging failures highlighted in a watchdog's audit of strip searches in 2023 They included a finding more than half of the officers who carried out strip searches in preceding years had not completed specialist training initially scheduled to be heard over four weeks has been adjourned until May 13 with further written submissions due in the coming days 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 areaContinueFundraising has so far reached $42,000 for the cause Leeton hospital auxiliary members Kay McVittie Leeanne Kidd and Michelle Driscoll with a Lucas Resuscitator Picture suppliedAccording to secretary Leeanne Kidd the auxiliary has engaged with the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) to advocate for government support to fund the machine and to help source a trained sonographer "The proposal is currently under consideration by the MLHD with no final decision yet made," she said "(We) respect the government's assessment process and remain hopeful for a positive outcome." She says if the MLHD fully funds the machine the auxiliary's funds will be used to purchase equipment to support the ultrasound service such as examination tables and chairs At present, residents needing ultrasound scans are having to travel outside town to Wagga Wagga or Griffith this travel burden is more than just an inconvenience," Ms Kidd said a serious risk to health outcomes when timely diagnosis is needed." She says the absence of a dedicated ultrasound service has also created a critical gap in healthcare provisions "While a privately operated clinic in the area possesses an ultrasound machine the unavailability of a sonographer has rendered it effectively inaccessible to much of the community," she says and rising healthcare costs for local families." the hospital auxiliary has proudly delivered several key pieces of equipment as a result of donations They include a Lucas Resuscitator worth $21,500 "These contributions have had a meaningful impact on patient care and hospital capability," Ms Kidd said "The auxiliary is incredibly grateful for the continued support of the community." and committed to ensuring the hospital is equipped "Community support remains vital to achieving these goals," she said "Donations can be made directly to the hospital auxiliary or by attending upcoming fundraising events." The auxiliary is also welcoming new members and participants Its monthly meeting is at 5.30pm on the first Thursday of each month at the Leeton Soldiers Club contact Ms Kidd on 0427 536 064 or email leetonhospitalauxiliary@outlook.com Journalist with previous experience working for mastheads in Tumut, Temora and Lake Cargelligo. Local to the area. Send me your news tips at allan.wilson@areanews.com.au 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 Hawks were tasked with making the trip over to take on a confident-looking Black and Whites outfit but were able to play them off the park to take a 44-14 victory at EW Moore Oval It was a fast start for the visitors as Vilimoni Waqanidrola and Kobe-Joe Vulu were able to cross for tries inside the opening 20 minutes before the Black and Whites were able to respond with Paula Naidike scoring in the corner The Hawks were having plenty of success throwing the ball around and were able to restore their advantage as Waqanidrola scored his second while Harry Daudravuni crossed in the corner just before halftime to see Yanco leading 26-4 at the break Needing to strike first in the second half to close the gap with Jack Cooper getting over but the reprieve was short-lived as De'Andre Williams barged over and Josh Onekawa found his way over to all but wrap up the game De'Andre Williams tries to punch a hole through the Black and Whites defence during Yanco-Wamoon's victory at EW Moore Oval Picture by Liam WarrenBoth sides were reduced to 11 for the final seven minutes after a bit of push and shove with the Hawks adding to the pain as Debea scored his second before Naidike added a second of his own right on full time to see Yanco Wamoon take a 30-point win Yanco Wamoon's Jay Little said it was good to see a response after the defeat to Hay pointing to their discipline as the real difference maker "It's hard to pick boys up when they are a bit down and it hurts the pride a little bit," he said "That was something that we knew we had to work on after the game against Hay We put it back on ourselves and knew we had to be better today and I think that is what the season is going to be about 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 areaContinueCommunity members are being encouraged to showcase their rides between 8am and 12pm on the day Fundraising will be used for the school to secure a bus and a gold coin donation from spectators will be appreciated The event will be held at the Wamoon Public School on Oxley Road A scene from Ms Courtney's documentary 'Antarctica - The Giant Awakens' Picture suppliedDocumentary experience coming to the RoxyA climate-focused filmmaker is set to hold a fundraiser in Leeton Liz Courtney - sister of Inner Wheel Club Leeton president Jan Munro - will hold a screening of her documentary at the Roxy Theatre in a bid to also raise awareness will include a Q and A at the end of each for residents to discuss the issues raised in her latest work funds raised will go towards local Leeton projects The first film session will be held at 11am for school student groups and another at 7pm for the general public on the day Bookings are needed and can be made at https://roxyleeton.com.au/event/antarctica-the-giant-awakens/ With the Hotel Leeton approaching its centennial residents are encouraged to help commemorate 100 years of memories with a birthday celebration Staff have begun delving into history to uncover the individuals who have owned and managed the iconic establishment from its opening until now Staff are looking to create a snapshot of the key figures who have played a role in shaping the hotel into what it has become Those with information on its history are encouraged to contact the hotel on Facebook Vintage cars on display as part of a past event Picture fileLions recycling for sightDo you have spectacles and sunglasses you no longer want Then why not donate them to the Lions Club of Leeton, which will send them away to their recycling centre in Queensland to clean dispatch and grade them for centres in country Australia and third-world countries where Save Sight is being practised the Lions Club of Leeton has collected and sent to the recycling centre over 4200 pairs of spectacles and sunglasses Anyone wishing to donate unwanted spectacles and sunglasses can do so by placing them in our specially marked collection boxes located at the Leeton Library Leeton Amcal Pharmacy and Salvation Army Centre For residents of the community of Yanco you can donate your unwanted spectacles and sunglasses in our collection boxes now located at Yanco Store and Post Office or the Yanco Club you are helping the environment by keeping such items out of landfills and aiding people in third-world countries where Lions carry out their Save Sight work Barry Morgan will be performing at the Roxy Theatre on Saturday Described by Australian comedian Adam Hills as one of the most popular performers on the program Spicks and Specks Mr Morgan's All Keyed Up will begin at 7pm for a one-show-only event More information can be found by visiting www.mrbarrymorgan.com.au Leeton Shire Council is conducting a free microchipping day for dogs and cats at the Parkview Tennis Clubhouse on Saturday you are far more likely to be reunited if they are microchipped," Leeton Shire Council's Manager Planning Building and Health Francois Van Der Berg said Dog and cat owners need to arrange an appointment time for the microchipping day and complete the relevant form/s at the Leeton Shire Council office located at 23-25 Chelmsford Place before May 31 All dogs need to be on a leash; no aggressive dogs will be accepted Leeton residents are already getting excited for the Leeton Art Deco festival to be held over the weekend of July 11 Australia's largest Art Deco festival celebrates all things from 1910 to 1940 within Leeton's Art Deco buildings Excitement is already building for the upcoming Leeton Art Deco Festival residents are encouraged to treat themselves to films jazz and swing and learn how to dance the Charleston culture and crime stories of the town in the 1920s and 1930s are also shared It will be held at Chelmsford Place from 9am Want to get the word out about an event happening in Leeton Shire Why not drop us a line with all the details so we can include it in our weekly news summary of What's On in Leeton Details can be sent to allan.wilson@austcommunitymedia.com.au 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 importance of certain markers has been obvious in the moment; the significance of others became clear in retrospect. Here is a recap of a few of those that have shaped this campaign and its battle for votes. Why start here? Because this was the Prime Minister jumping out of the blocks at the start of January, with multiple announcements over the summer. Albanese laid down policy groundwork in these weeks, giving voters time to absorb the initiatives. In contrast, Peter Dutton, although he had a "soft" launch on January 12, was running slowly, believing voters weren't yet paying attention. January 21 unleashed a tsunami; its waves would wash over the coming months, and profoundly affect the election. At first, the Coalition thought - wrongly - that the election of Trump would favour it, but Labor became the beneficiary. Many Australians (including Dutton) were appalled at the way Trump and Vice President JD Vance treated Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Later, Trump's tariffs hit Australia (although not as hard as many countries). Dutton argued he'd be better able than Albanese to handle the capricious president, but it became a spurious debate. Labor painted Dutton as Trump-lite and some of his decisions played into its hands, notably appointing in late January Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to a Musk-like role to pursue efficiencies in government. She later made the comparison even more obvious by saying the Coalition would "make Australia great again". But the central factor was this: suddenly, the world had become more uncertain and many voters would think it wasn't the time to change. The amount was modest, 25 basis points, but the psychology was the thing. The cut reinforced Treasurer Jim Chalmers' argument that the worst was over and the outlook was positive. In the campaign's final week, just at the right time for the government, inflation figures pointed to another expected cut in May. Albanese appeared set to call an April 12 poll, when the approaching winds blew the plan off course. The Prime Minister was able to put himself at the middle of the response to the cyclone, projecting himself as a national leader as distinct from a partisan one; he appeared with Queensland LNP Premier David Crisafulli, and at the Canberra National Situation Room. The election delay meant Labor had to bring down the March 25 budget. Many in the government had wanted to avoid a budget, because of its deficits into the distance. But the budget became a useful frame for the start of the formal campaign, with Albanese going to Government House at the end of budget week. The Opposition Leader's reply contained his proposal to cut petrol excise but did not include tax cuts. The opposition had already voted against the government's budget tax cut package, and committed to repealing it. The excise move was popular - Dutton would visit countless service stations over coming weeks - but the government was able to say a Coalition government would raise taxes. It's been an eventful five weeks. Pictures AAP, ShutterstockAt his campaign launch subsequently, Dutton promised a $1200 tax offset, despite earlier flagging he would not be able to announce any income tax relief during the campaign. The tax offset was an attempt to rectify what had been the mistake of thinking that the Coalition - traditionally committed to lower taxes - could go to the election on the wrong side of the tax argument. The opposition policy to get public servants back into the office all week was a disaster-in-the-making from the start. Workers in the private sector would, rightly, see it as sending a signal to non-government employers. Women hated the policy, and it would further alienate the female vote. Dutton had to ditch the idea and apologise. Finance spokeswoman Jane Hume didn't help the retreat by saying it was a good policy that hadn't found its appropriate time. The story appeared on the respected military site Janes, and Dutton rushed to pick it up, but went off half-cocked, declaring wrongly that the Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto had announced the Russian request. It was symptomatic of Dutton being under-prepared. He had to make another admission of error. This led to Dutton launching into "culture wars" in the final days of the campaign. In criticising the disruption, he at first said, "We have a proud Indigenous heritage in this country and we should be proud to celebrate it as part of today". Subsequently he said most veterans didn't want the welcome to country as part of the Anzac Day ceremonies, although it was a matter for the organisers. In general, he believed welcome to country ceremonies were used too frequently. Dutton segued the controversy back to criticism of the Voice, and seized on confusing remarks by Foreign Minister Penny Wong to claim Labor was still committed to bringing in a Voice, something Albanese flatly denied. In the last of the four debates neither leader could specify the cost of a dozen eggs. Dutton was way out ($4.20); Albanese rather closer ("$7, if you can find them.". It was a small moment but sent the message that even in a cost-of-living election, the leaders do live in bubbles. Almost at the road's end, the Opposition Leader appealed to voters to overlook a flawed campaign. "This election really is a referendum not about the election campaign but about the last three years." Asked if there was anything he could have done differently, he said "we should have called out Labor's lies earlier on". It was as though he was speaking to a postmortem, while praying for a miracle. 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 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 areaContinueA community open day will be held on the morning of Thursday in what Facility Manager Amy Thorn describes as an opportunity for residents to get to know their health service Facility Manager Amy Thorn and Carramar nurse manager Michelle Anderson Picture by Allan Wilson"We have a beautiful facility here and an incredible team," Ms Thorn said "We really want to showcase our amazing services and what our hospital is capable of." Having recently moved to the area to take her role, Ms Thorn says she has heard misconceptions about what the hospital is able to provide They fundamentally revolve around maternity capabilities and the services of a regular doctor She hopes the open day will be an opportunity to dispel those perceptions by allowing residents to see for themselves but I've seen how we have everything needed so I feel some community engagement is in order," she said "We have around five births a month in a highly performing maternity ward that is completely autonomous and safe She also wants to showcase the hospital's ED "We have a brand new emergency department and always a doctor," she said "That's in addition to our highly skilled nurses and staff." The day will feature a simulated emergency department exercise as well as an opportunity to visit Leeton's Maternity Group Practice and a tour Carramar Aged Care Community members are being welcomed to an open day at the Leeton District Hospital on Thursday Picture by Allan WilsonAttendees will see staff in action advanced technology demonstrations and new models of care "The open day will start in the emergency department where we will simulate an emergency response to demonstrate the use of a virtual care system enabling us to call on a doctor at any time," Ms Thorn said "We will also demonstrate the new Emergency Care and Treatment (ECAT) protocols our highly trained staff use to ensure patients start their treatment as soon as possible and spend less time in the emergency department." She hopes it will reassure anyone who finds themselves in need of emergency care in future "No one plans to end up in the emergency department but we hope that seeing our team in action and the technology we have available will reassure anyone who finds themselves in that position." "We have 38 residents who call our facility home and we're proud of the high standard of care we provide," Ms Thorn said Lunch and refreshments will also be provided The Open Day will be held from 10am to 12.30pm on the day and no RSVPs are required Picture by Jacquie MarshallA Riverina family who were forced to evacuate their home on Friday morning as a fire tore through have lost their house and belongings 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 called to a home located on Finley Road at Deniliquin about 8.40am on Friday following an influx of calls to triple zero Fire and Rescue NSW Riverina zone commander Superintendent Stewart Alexander said three fire trucks were deployed to the scene where firefighters got to work quickly to render the fire under control "It's a weatherboard house that was fully alight," Superintendent Alexander said the home has sustained significant damage with the fire moving into the roof space Fire crews have extinguished the fire but remain on scene monitoring the conditions and ensuring there is no toxic gases or a chance of re-ignition Superintendent Alexander said the cause of the fire has not yet been identified 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 areaContinueCarrying 55kg Mayfair Hotel came down the inside of the field with a big run and lunged at the post to beat the $2.50 favourite in the $14,000 Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1600m the five-year-old mare was having her 23rd start for owners Peter Clancy Mayfair Hotel covered the 1600m in 1.35.17 with the last 600m in 36.4 Last year's Leeton Cup winner Jayzeal was fourth The win was a special one for jockey Josh Richards as a former apprentice to Peter and his late wife Nerrida and was ridden by apprentice Amy O'Driscoll carrying 50kg Coming in 1.11 lengths behind in third was Kerma Art Josh Richards on Mayfair Hotel edges out Amy ODriscoll on Bold Triumph to win the 2025 CopRice Leeton Cup for Leeton trainer Peter Clancy Picture by Kim WoodsClancy's Sona Lodge stable also scored a second in the Lanhams Jewellers/PSP Haulage Maiden Plate over 1150m with Izablonde having her first start with another former Clancy apprentice John Kissick in the saddle The four-year-old mare went out as $2.50 favourite and was beaten by a length by the Marcus O'Connor trained Overtoux The Cup win was greeted with a roar of appreciation from the local crowd and it was topped off with the stable achieving a third placing in the final race of the day with six-year-old gelding Jeddyla ridden by Josh Richards Greg Clancy and his father had bought a team of four horses to the meeting and said Mayfair Hotel had been stepped up from two runs at 1200m and 1300m to 1600m for a win on the home track so I told Josh to ride her for luck and she went round the horses "She jumps with them but is always last at the corner We will look at another 1600m race for her and she does like the wet It was special to win the Cup - there is nothing like a win at home." Greg said Izablonde would be set for a 1200m or 1400m maiden within the next fortnight at Wagga or Albury "Izablonde was having her first start - she is owned by Fay Boots wife of one of our long-time owners and breeders David Boots," he said John Kissick kicked off the day in dominant form bringing home Cassimir in the Hotondo Homes/Milbrae Concrete and Quarries Class 2 Handicap over 1050m in a time of 59.09 for Wagga trainer Rodger Waters Apprentice Brittany Button on Kool Kat was a length away in second for Benalla trainer Olivia Osborne while 3.16 lengths in third was the Shane Bloomfield trained Rockbarton Fashion ridden by apprentice Ella McGuirk Leeton trainers Peter and Greg Clancy and Leeton Jockey Club president Grant Fitzsimon Picture by Kim WoodsThe form continued for Kissick notching up his second win in the Leeton Hotel/Yenda Producers benchmark 50 Handicap over 1150m Tycoon Artie carried 61.5kg and covered the distance in 1.06.81 The four-year-old gelding was having his 23rd start and was coming off a third at Tocumwal over 1100m on April 19 Brittany Button piloted Vonk into second place for Wangaratta trainer Andrew Dale and 3.45 lengths away in third was Flight Deck ridden by Amy O'Driscoll and trained by Cindy Brander Apprentice Amy O'Driscoll had a good day at Leeton bringing Overtoux home to win the maiden plate over 1150m in a time of 1.05.86 for Wangaratta trainer Marcus O'Connor The four-year-old mare was having her 26th start had come off a fifth at Kilmore on April 5 and beat the local favourite Izablonde by 1.12 lengths In third was the Doug Gorrel trained Gold Candle with apprentice Violet Soulsby in the saddle covered the 1600m in the final race of the day Symtek Electrical/Leeton Toyota Class 1 and Maiden Plate the seven-year-old gelding was having his 25th start with the step up in distance suiting him Seymour and ridden by Amy O'Driscoll was 1.4 lengths away in second while 1.42 lengths in third place was the Peter Clancy trained Jeddyla Leeton Jockey Club president Grant Fitzsimon said the track Mr Fitzsimon said a strong crowd enjoyed the picnic atmosphere with marquees on the lawn and entrants in a full program of Fashions on the Field travelling from as far as Canberra and Wangaratta to compete He said the meeting was well supported with 63 acceptances from trainers as far as Seymour 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 Photo: Amenah McDonald/AAP PHOTOSThree people are lucky to be alive after being pulled from the wreckage of a helicopter that crashed into the water near a coastal holiday hotspot 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 helicopter's engined apparently failed before plunging into the surf off Fellows Road at Point Lonsdale Ocean Grove Surf Lifesaving Club captain Amenah McDonald said the three people were found conscious and breathing helped bring them to shore at the seaside town which is 28km south of the regional city of Geelong A woman in her 40s and a man in his 50s were taken by air ambulance to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious injuries was taken to Geelong University Hospital via road ambulance described the wreckage as twisted and upside down She assisted in the rescue of one of the three injured people "They are so lucky they survived," Ms McDonald told AAP "To also have that many services down there At least 11 emergency service vehicles were called to the scene Ms McDonald said the helicopter crashed close to shore believing it could have been attempting to land on the beach An Australian Transport Safety Bureau spokesperson said the crash involved a Robinson R44 helicopter interview witnesses and retrieve and review data to understand how the crash unfolded A final report will be released at the end of the investigation Photo: AP PHOTOA vehicle has slammed into a group of pedestrians in the southwestern German city of Stuttgart killing one person and injuring several others 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 driver was detained but Stuttgart police said on X there was "currently no evidence of an attack or a deliberate act" and that all the information so far indicates it was a "tragic traffic accident" The incident happened on Friday at an above-ground subway stop in downtown Stuttgart German police say there is no evidence the collision was a deliberate act (AP PHOTO)"Five people were slightly injured and three seriously injured in the accident a 46-year-old woman has since succumbed to her injuries in the hospital," police said hours after the accident and the area was cordoned off as emergency responders police and forensic specialists examined the scene and subway service through the area was suspended Photos from the scene showed plastic gloves blankets and bags scattered on the ground near the SUV 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 march from the Wade Hotel to the cenotaph proved particularly stirring with bagpipes setting the tone of the morning and dozens of participants in stride Residents and visitors alike stood in silent solidarity to pay their respects to the men and women who served and continue to serve the nation in times of war "As we stand in silence, we remember those who not only didn't return home but came home forever changed," Leeton RSL sub-branch president, Luke Mahalm "We carry their legacy forward in gratitude and in peace Elijah Ingram delivered the Welcome to Country address before special tributes were given The Rouse and Reveille rang across the township as the Australian New Zealand and British flags were lowered to half mast A highlight of this year's dawn service was the Leeton Shire's 'Men and Women of Leeton: Saluting Their Service' street banners Noteworthy at that time of the morning were a number of historic photographs and artwork displayed on the Leeton Water Tower View +8 PhotosANZAC Day Dawn Service in LeetonThose attending the Dawn Service attended The Leeton Soldiers Club for a free breakfast following the event Residents are reminded that Leeton's main service will commence with a march at 9.45am Photo: AP PHOTOOne of Australia's biggest touring day festivals is back with two superstar rappers to headline giving hope to the beleaguered live music industry 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 areaContinueKendrick Lamar and Doechii will arrive Down Under in December as the headliners at the 2025 music festival Spilt Milk owned by US entertainment multinational Live Nation The Grammy Award-winning US artists will play at Ballarat A number of international and local favourites were confirmed on Friday Lamar's announcement as festival headliner also fuelled speculation he will announce a solo tour to other capital cities including Sydney and Melbourne The welcome news marks a strong comeback for the festival which cancelled its 2024 event mid-last year organisers issued a statement on Instagram we couldn't get you the Spilt Milk you deserved this year." The festival joined a growing list of live music events forced into hiatus due to skyrocketing production costs More than 40 music festivals across Australia have been cancelled since 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the live-music sector Rising operational and insurance costs continue to bite forcing the average cost of running a music festival to climb to $3.9 million according to findings from Creative Australia's 2024 Soundcheck report Many Australian music festivals have been struggling to make a profit due to rising costs (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)Among 51 Australian music festivals surveyed half turned a profit and more than one third lost money with a median deficit of $470,000 The list of festivals that have disappeared is long and growing Splendour in the Grass and Souled Out among those cancelled the NSW government announced it would step in to disburse $2.25 million in emergency funding as part of its Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund with five festivals including Bluesfest to receive up to $500,000 each 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 areaContinueHundreds participated in a march from Mountford Park to the main street and along to the cenotaph on Friday The march comprised of proud representatives from an array of community organisations Leeton RSL Sub-branch President Luke Mahalm welcomed all in attendance noting the presence of 104-year-old WWII vet Jock Wilkinson who led the march Leeton Shire Council's Deputy Mayor Michael Kidd gave the salute while Mr Mahalm delivered the order of commemoration RSL Secretary Belinda Mahalm recited Flanders Fields A number of organisations laid wreathes, including the Leeton RSL sub-branch View +41 PhotosHuge turnout for ANZAC Day mid-morning serviceCaptains of Leeton High School recalled the names of the fallen Guest speaker for 2025 was ex-servicewoman and Leeton local Megan MacAuslan who told those gathered it was a privilege to speak before her hometown crowd "Never did I think I would be up here speaking for ANZAC Day," she said She reflected on the things that make the day special to her my great uncle's names are located," she said "They served in 1942 and were unfortunately killed a war crime by the Japanese imperial forces." She told those gathered of a case of family history meeting the present when she had her first deployment in the Airforce "That was to Manus Island where the leader of the imperial forces was tried for those very crimes," she said She noted the importance of contemporary veterans leading ANZAC Day services into the future "Young vets like myself need to step up and carry on the tradition," she said "It's a time to feel proud to be Australian." residents gathered at the Leeton Soldiers Club for 2Up and refreshments 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. Photo: Stephanie Gardiner/AAP PHOTOSWhen Australia's first prime minister Edmund Barton took office in 1901 the little school in Borenore had already been teaching rural kids for 25 years 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 areaContinueOn Saturday voters in the central western NSW village braved a 12C morning to cast their ballots at the historic school to help form the 48th parliament nestled between wineries and apple orchards outside Orange Voters arrive to cast their ballots at Borenore Public School (Stephanie Gardiner/AAP PHOTOS)Under the school motto of "wisdom through knowledge" volunteers put on a spread of country classics sponge cakes with lashings of whipped cream and piping hot pumpkin soup but Borenore is smack-bang in the middle of a heated battleground in the electorate of Calare The National Party has been campaigning hard to unseat defector Andrew Gee citing the party's opposition to an Indigenous voice to parliament and his desire to assist local flood victims free from political constraints The Nationals are also attempting to fend off popular Climate 200-backed independent Kate Hook National Party leader David Littleproud speaks to a supporters in Orange (Stephanie Gardiner/AAP PHOTOS)Party leader David Littleproud made a last-minute flying visit to Orange standing with the Nationals Calare candidate outside the busy polling place at Bletchington Public School "I've got to go back home and vote for myself in Chinchilla otherwise I'll be in trouble," Mr Littleproud quipped to a supporter He said "quiet Australians" were turning out to vote for change in regional and remote seats like Lingiari "You never take this beautiful thing called democracy for granted and you should have to fight for every vote," Mr Littleproud told reporters "It's the democracy that over 100,000 Australians have lost their lives defending and we're the custodians of it." It was all smiles between Nationals candidate Sam Farraway and Independent MP Andrew Gee (Stephanie Gardiner/AAP PHOTOS)Despite their political differences Mr Gee and Mr Farraway stood side-by-side on Friday as voters lined up to cast their votes at a bustling pre-polling place in an Orange church with Mr Gee pointing out to one constituent that he preferenced Mr Farraway at four but only earned a seven on the Nationals' ticket "Happy voting," Mr Farraway said to several passers-by 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 club has been without a spot to go back to after games president Scott McDonald was happy to lock everything in "I have been involved for 12 years now with the junior Phantoms and have been president for the last four years," he said "I just said to them that since I have been involved I think the Yanco Club hosted a couple of events but we have never really had a home to go back to Hotel Leeton's Hannah Middleton with Phantoms Junior president Scott McDonald as the club have found their home for 2025 Picture supplied"It's great that we have Hannah and Trent (Middleton) on board and without the support of guys like the Leeton Hotel." Ahead of the season getting underway this weekend which is a strong sign not just for the juniors but also the senior club "Probably pushing around 180-200 kids this year," he said like it would have a lot of clubs around the state and we have some really good support from parents and coaching staff "Union around here is growing, which is really good to see, and we have a lot of our old 17s boys playing third grade for the senior side." It will be a big season for the Phantoms as they host two half-gala days in June and August but will also host a semi-final come the business end of the season The Longhurst Cup and Dunn Family Shield are also back on the agenda with the three local high schools set to go head-to-head in June Photo: AP PHOTOTalk about some serious coin 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 areaContinueMillions of coins spilled onto a Texas highway this week after a tractor-trailer hauling $US800,000 ($A1.25 million) in dimes rolled over in an accident The spillage led to the closure of a portion of the southbound lanes of US 287 in Alvord for about half a day as workers got on their hands and knees to pick up the coins in addition to using brooms and shovels and large industrial vacuums The truck carrying the coins rolled onto its side after veering off the road (AP PHOTO)The trailer truck rolled onto its side about 5.30am on Tuesday after veering off the road and overcorrecting according to the Texas Department of Public Safety The highway reopened at about 7pm that day The driver and a passenger were transported to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening Alvord is located about 130km northwest of Dallas The tractor-trailer appears to be part of the fleet of trucks operated by Western Distributing Transportation Corporation which has a division that moves cargo for the government in armoured vehicles with armed personnel A person answering the phone at the company Thursday said they had no comment The US Mint says on its website that it's the nation's sole manufacturer of legal tender coins A message left with the agency on Thursday was not immediately returned HomeTributes & FuneralsDeath NoticesCURRIE , Judith Mary2025 Passed away peacefully at Carramar Nursing Home, Leeton. Dearly loved mother of Jenni, Patrick, Glenn, Donna, Teena, Melissa and their respective families. Cherished grandmother of Connan, Tanika, Sebastian, Bay, Isaac, and great-grandmother of Griffin & Malakai. Dear sister of Margaret Knight (dec'd), Michael Knight (dec'd) and Nerolie Harrison.  Prayers for the repose of the soul of Judith Currie will be held in St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Leeton on Wednesday 30th April 2025 commencing at 11.00am followed by an interment and committal of ashes at the Leeton Cemetery.  Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend.  A warm invitation is extended by the family at 12.30pm at the Leeton Soldiers Club. Vatican workers on Friday hoisted a chimney onto the roof of the Sistine Chapel which will be used in burning the ballots for the conclave that will elect a successor to Pope Francis 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 secret meeting begins on May 7 with the sequestered cardinals using the chimney to tell the outside world whether they have elected a new leader of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church White smoke will indicate that a new Pope has been elected (AP PHOTO)Black smoke will signify no decision white will announce that the 267th Pope has been elected The workers attached a rust-coloured pipe above the terracotta tiles of the roof of the 15th century Sistine Chapel which is known for its frescoes by Michelangelo The chimney is clearly visible from the nearby St Peter's Square where thousands are expected to gather during the conclave to see how the secret balloting is progressing the ballots of the cardinals are burned in a special furnace to indicate the outcome to the outside world the ballots are mixed with cartridges containing potassium perchlorate anthracene (a component of coal tar) and sulfur to produce black smoke the burning ballots are mixed with potassium chlorate lactose and chloroform resin to produce the white smoke had been Pope since 2013 and was the first pontiff from the Americas about 80 per cent of them appointed by Francis wrapped up by the end of the second day of voting where the ALP election night party was ramping up 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 areaContinueLocal branch members crowded around the livestreamed results wearing "Team Albo" shirts and sipping cans of Albo pale ale The mood had changed in a matter of minutes as results began to swell in showing very early signs of promise for Labor "I'm nervous but optimistic," Jess Martin said "I was on the booths in Singapore in 2019 and the anticipation was very exciting then and we're all a bit scarred from it I think." signs of an early swing towards Labor in Peter Dutton's seat of Dickson were broadcast to the elation of those gathered in the brightly lit function room quite good results so far," Max Pearce said "Handing out [flyers] at shopping centres has been more positive than earlier in the year and probably more positive than the last election." and just past 7pm the event MC addressed the crowd with a few house rules Labor supporters react to early election results at the Labor Election Night function in Sydney I have a feeling we're going to get even happier," she said Supporters said they would be hanging around for the prime minister regardless of how things panned out with the Prime Minister to make a speech at the RSL club once a result was clear Mr Albanese appeared confident as he stood before the cameras delivering carefully rehearsed lines to each of the respective hosts In his earpiece, he could hear the prerecorded words of his opponent, Peter Dutton and laughed that the Coalition leader was using a lot of footy puns his team had done the maths and woven together another theme for his polling day messages Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the morning of election day 2025 Pictures AAP"Something like 140 MCGs worth will get tax cuts because all 14 million Australians will get that," he said "There's been 600,000 Australians [who] have got free TAFE His only stumble came on the figures for urgent-care clinics but it only elicited a minor wince from the Prime Minister's communications chief 1.3 million Australians have visited an urgent-care clinic Anthony Albanese casts his vote at Marrickville West Public School with his son Mr Albanese reflected on the schools he had visited At Winthrop Primary School in Perth on Tuesday a sea of school students gave the weary Prime Minister a warm welcome which he would later describe as uplifting he reflected that he would like to frame a photo taken at that school capturing the hands of excited children reaching out to him Staged as these moments are, a child's excitement can't be faked, and it's likely that visit helped Mr Albanese summon the final ounce of energy to make it through his last days on the trail. but it is mostly about the uncontrollable factors such as the high number of people who voted early after casting his vote in his electorate of Grayndler he hopped on the media bus to take a ride with journalists it was clear the heavy lifting was behind him 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 areaContinueMackenzie Anderson was murdered by her former partner Tyrone Thompson young mother Mackenzie Anderson had predicted her own tragic ending unable to escape a controlling and violent ex Mackenzie's fate seemed almost predestined her horrific death "no surprise" but something that occurred in "slow motion" an extremely violent and deeply troubled young man had finished serving a non-parole period for domestic violence offences against Mackenzie just two weeks before he took her life on bail and there was an apprehended violence order in place prohibiting any contact with Mackenzie Thompson breached the order as soon as he was released, calling Mackenzie to tell her he was "coming for her and that he loved her". told friends she was scared Thompson was going to kill her Her family say she lived in constant fear and was "convinced" Thompson would murder her upon his release "My ex Tyrone just got out of jail from what he did to me and is still being weird and harassing me.. he couldn't last 24 hours," Mackenzie messaged a friend A domestic violence-related death in those circumstances is repugnant enough Tyrone Thompson this week faced a sentence hearing in Newcastle Supreme Court after he pleaded guilty to murdering Mackenzie Anderson at Mayfield in 2022 Picture: FacebookHe had tried to break her spirit isolate her and thought he had control over her But when he felt that control slipping on the night of March 25 he twice broke back into Mackenzie's unit at Mayfield before he stabbed her more than 78 times with two knives a tale of fear and violence with a tragic ending predicted by its protagonist From the moment she took her last breath up until earlier this week Thompson had shown no remorse and no insight into Mackenzie's murder and the number of lives he had ruined A letter of apology handed up to Justice Richard Weinstein on Tuesday touched on the "guilt and shame" he now felt but also focused on what prosecutors labelled "victim blaming". "Mackenzie received a life sentence of death and so did we as her family and friends," Ms Acret had said in her victim impact statement Thompson avoided receiving a life sentence of his own Justice Weinstein finding Thompson's moral culpability for the murder was not so extreme that it called for the dangerous killer to spend the rest of his natural life behind bars Thompson was jailed for a maximum of 22 years and six months with a non-parole period of 15 years and six months He will first become eligible for parole in 2038 Justice Weinstein had found Thompson was not psychotic at the time of the murder had intended to kill Mackenzie and had used his apology letter to try to shift some of the blame to the victim He also said the murder was "objectively serious" and was aggravated by a number of factors the AVO and the fact Mackenzie was murdered in her own home But Justice Weinstein said he had to weigh all of that against Thompson's youth background of deprivation and diagnoses of complex PTSD and severe personality disorder that reduced his moral culpability and would make his time in jail - where he is considered so dangerous and unpredictable that he has never had contact with another inmate - more onerous And so Justice Weinstein spared him life in jail and instead imposed a sentence that could see him released before his 40th birthday The sentence is said to have shocked and devastated Mackenzie's family who were present in Newcastle Supreme Court on Friday Thompson was emotionless throughout Friday's judgment as he watched the proceedings via audio visual link from jail read a heartbreaking victim impact statement in Newcastle Supreme Court on Monday Main picture by Marina NeilAccording to an agreed statement of facts Thompson and Mackenzie started dating in late 2019 and had an on-and-off relationship until October 2021 that was marred by domestic violence Thompson pleaded guilty to assaulting and intimidating Mackenzie and damaging her property on October 24 2021 and was ultimately jailed for a maximum of nine months with a non-parole period of four months and two weeks despite an AVO being in place to protect Mackenzie which had an order that he not have any contact with her or approach her home Thompson began trying to reconnect with her He called her "as soon as he was released" telling her "that he was coming for her and that he loved her" He reached out to her on social media from multiple accounts and contacted people who knew Mackenzie's new partner Mackenzie and Thompson were in communication and the pair spent much of the next six days together walking into NSW Supreme Court earlier this month where he would plead guilty to murdering Mackenzie Anderson the pair were at Mackenzie's unit with one of Mackenzie's friends and drank alcohol and socialised during the afternoon Thompson became emotional and told Mackenzie "how much he loved her and that she didn't appreciate the things he did for her" She asked him to leave and messaged her friend who was at the unit with them "don't leave me alone with him" Thompson began moving knives in the kitchen pulling a large blade out of a drawer and putting it on a bench but he didn't say anything or threaten anyone at that stage Mackenzie's friend had convinced Thompson to leave and intended to walk him to the nearest train station But he lost sight of him and Thompson doubled back to Mackenzie's unit climbed a ladder onto her second floor balcony and she awoke to him in a bedroom The friend again convinced Thompson to leave and Mackenzie called triple-zero telling police: "my ex-boyfriend's broken in She also said "he came at me with a knife" and "[he may have a knife still] because there was two that he had out [and] only one of them is here" Thompson returned to the unit and murdered Mackenzie The details of the killing are too graphic to publish A number of residents in neighbouring units heard the attack and called police or came outside to try to assist When police arrived they had to tell Thompson to be quiet and stop screaming about his bleeding hand so they could check whether Mackenzie was breathing She died at the scene and Thompson later told police a rambling story about using the knife to defend himself from Mackenzie and then I've just literally grabbed the knife "It took as many times to stab her till she fucken stopped Before his guilty plea, Thompson had intended to claim he was acting in self-defence a suggestion Ms Acret said was unbelievable "There was no way that anyone would think this was self-defence," she said in her victim impact statement on Monday Mackenzie Anderson with her mum Tabitha Acret (left) Picture: InstagramDuring their victim impact statements Mackenzie's step-father and her three best friends had attempted to put into words the profound and wide-reaching effects of her senseless murder They talked about the cruelty, control fear and violence before Mackenzie's death and then the despair, hopelessness, trauma and grief that came afterwards. And they talked about a system that had let Mackenzie down The 21-year-old had sent emails to domestic violence services asking for support and assistance only to receive a reply after her death that Ms Acret said read: "we are closing your request for support because you are now dead" Mackenzie's three best friends compiled a single victim impact statement and spoke eloquently and profoundly about the scourge of domestic violence and the 21-year-old's battle to be free of Thompson's control to isolate her and to take her voice," they said "Like many women caught in cycles of abuse he thought that by taking her life he could erase her strength Because even in death she is stronger than he ever will be." Anna FalkenmirePolice and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald Photo: AP PHOTOA power outage has hit several regions of Indonesia's resort island of Bali with efforts underway to restore services to those affected state utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara says 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 island's airport was also affected but inbound and outbound flight traffic continued the airport's operator said on its Instagram page State utility PLN said it was investigating the cause of the outage and working on restoring the power connection "The recovery process is currently being carried out gradually," its spokesperson in Bali I Wayan Eka Susana said in a statement Images shared on social media showed road traffic delays in Bali as a result of the outage and long lines at airport check-in counters Friday's blackout comes days after a massive outage hit Spain and Portugal plunging tens of millions of people into darkness on the Iberian peninsula Photo: EPA PHOTOLorde has announced a new album 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 28-year-old singer has not released a record since Solar Power in 2021 but following the release of her single What Was That earlier in 2025 it has been confirmed that Virgin will be available from June 27 The Grammy-winning star - who shot to global fame as a teenager with her signature track Royals - has released three albums and Virgin will showcase a "bold evolution in her sound and storytelling" The announcement comes just more than 18 months after the Green Light hit maker revealed she had been working on new music while living in London The New Zealand pop star - whose real name is Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor - revealed in an email newsletter to fans that she had been living in the British capital since mid-2023 I go to bed thinking about what I'm making I'm starting to miss my friends and family Lorde also revealed in the same update that she has been battling a mystery illness she noted that she had stopped taking her regular medication after spending more than a decade on it and found herself becoming ill on several occasions "The little yellow pill I took every morning for thousands of mornings since I was 15 The Royals hit maker went on to explain to fans that she has "never really listened" to her body and has used this year to focus on her health after "ignoring" it for so long police stopped a blue Holden Commodore on Maple Street after allegedly observing the car failing to stop at a stop sign 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 areaContinuePolice said a breath test of the 21-year-old male driver returned a positive result Two arrested after allegedly resisting police when pulled overThey alleged that he refused to leave the vehicle or cooperate a 22-year-old female passenger allegedly intervened by trying to pull police away from the driver and block them Pepper spray was used against both and they were taken to Leeton Police Station The driver was charged with resisting arrest and low-range drink-driving The passenger was charged with hindering police Both will face Leeton Local Court at a later date police visited a property in Banksia Avenue Leeton after allegedly getting information that a 30-year-old man wanted on multiple warrants was hiding there Police said they searched the home and found the man hiding under a bed They alleged that the man 'violently resisted' arrest but after a struggle and the use of pepper spray The man was charged with resisting arrest as well as matters on warrants including engaging in a police pursuit The man was refused bail to appear at Griffith Local Court at a later date police were patrolling Acacia Avenue when they allegedly spotted a 42-year-old man riding a BMX bike in the centre of the road with no helmet Police said a search of the man revealed a knife and a small quantity of drugs The man was charged with possession of illicit drugs and possessing a knife in a public place Full-time journalist and part-time nuisance for the Area News in Griffith. Contact me at 0447 781 540 or cai.holroyd@austcommunitymedia.com.au the mother of Beyoncé and Solange has given her own story to the world with Matriarch: A Memoir 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 areaContinueTina Knowles has written a book detailing the family's history Picture Getty Images"Beyoncé and Solange have been busy since they were little kids working but I don't even know if they really listened," Knowles it's very few people that want to hear those stories about old times." Knowles began recording voice notes of that history - adding in her contributions - after contemplating her mortality following her divorce from Mathew Knowles after a 30-year marriage The recordings were meant only for her grandkids and future great-grandchildren before eventually becoming the book's foundation The 432-page Oprah's Book Club selection explores a vast range of topics the Houston childhoods of Beyoncé and Solange Destiny's Child's struggle to get a record deal and the blatant racism her family experienced navigating a segregated United States (She was once allowed to briefly sit in the front of a whites-only bus as a child But you won't find juicy details from the protective mother; there's no mention of the infamous 2014 Met Gala elevator incident between Jay-Z and Solange or of Kanye West taking the mic from Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV VMAs in his attempted defence of Beyoncé This is Knowles's story - not her children's - still intriguing and very personal revealing she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer last year as I went through that process of getting the surgery and all of that there were things that I felt that I needed to share," said Knowles who is now cancer-free after surgery and treatment and urges women to make mammogram appointments and get second opinions who next month will launch a nine-city book tour that will include conversations with famous friends like former first lady Michelle Obama and Tyler Perry (she also hints at "family" joining her at some stops) spoke with The Associated Press about receiving due credit AP: Some may have thought of you as only Destiny's Child's stylist or Beyoncé's mom KNOWLES: I gave a lot of people credit for things - and I'm fine with that - but this is all about my truth I definitely feel like I was a driving force and I can say that now without feeling like - I was taught as a kid to just be super humble and to not ever brag AP: There are events involving Beyoncé or Solange that you barely mentioned - if you mentioned them at all - like the reasons surrounding Destiny's Child's break-up everyone has flourished and just moved on from that And I just choose to focus on the positives in life I don't feel like it's a need to harp on those things AP: In highlighting the differences between Solange and Beyoncé you describe how Solange loved school and craved structure and you weren't always able to provide that as Destiny's Child began to take off Why be so vulnerable with your parenting mishaps eventually stayed with a family friend for a period of time for consistency.) KNOWLES: Solange has been a speaker of truth since she was little .. she was the one that was on my case all the time you're just so irresponsible when it comes to school." I just felt like that was healing for me to talk about it I was screwing up just like everybody else And so I was really wanting to be honest about my shortcomings AP: Why did you mention the importance of teachers negatively affecting your own confidence attending Catholic school and I go into detail about that because I realise that a teacher telling me that Beyoncé was slow in kindergarten and that she needs to repeat the grade and it's December - that woman could have messed up my child's life We wouldn't even have a Beyoncé today if I had listened to her I hope that lesson came through loud and clear That was important to me because I see a lot of parents that don't AP: Have Beyoncé and Solange read the book yet KNOWLES: By the time I finished the book and I was ready to share it with them both of them were on these really crazy schedules and I just didn't want them to feel I sent them all of their parts and they approved the parts AP: Did they ask you to cut anything after they read their parts AP: What do you hope readers will take away from Matriarch cannot just centre around everyone else but you And it took me a long time - I had to be 59 years old before I realised I deserve to be happy And I deserve to have the things that I deserve I'm going to live my life - live my best life Love books? Us too! Looking for more reads and recommendations? Browse our books page Bookmark the page so you can find our latest books content with ease 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 areaContinueLight Up Leeton will be held on Sunday, December 8 in Mountford Park and the whole community is invited The event is one of the town's most treasured on the calendar every year and 2024 will be no different Light Up Leeton is the true official start of the festive season in the shire offering the community the chance to start to feel a little bit of that Christmas magic together Leeton Shire Council events officer Fran Macdonald (left) and Light Up Leeton treasurer Ange McNamara are looking forward to Light Up Leeton on Sunday all of the favourite components of what makes the event so special will return again a smorgasbord of food and treats from one of the many community stalls according to Leeton Shire Council events officer Fran Macdonald "We have many of our old favourites when it comes to the stallholders "The best part for me every year is seeing these stalls come to life but it's the fact it's an opportunity for them to fundraise and raise money for their community group "It's a great way for them to have that exposure to the community and raise money at the same time "It's a unique part of the event. I've never been anywhere that does something like Light Up Leeton. It's uniquely Leeton and it's awesome." Some may have noticed Light Up Leeton's date is a little later than usual in 2024 Typically the event is held on the first Sunday of December but in 2024 this did clash with a large contingent of shire school students away in Sydney performing at Schools Spectacular Santa Claus is mobbed by his fans on arrival at Light Up Leeton in 2023 Picture by Talia Pattison With the community concert reliant on these young performers the show simply could not go one without them Light Up Leeton's community and festive spirit is evident every year and Light Up Leeton treasurer Ange McNamara said she loved the atmosphere of the event every year I just laugh and giggle with them," she said "I think everyone just enjoys coming together for a happy occasion." Part of Light Up Leeton will again be the Christmas light competition with several categories up-for-grabs for those decorating their homes Light Up Leeton will be held in Mountford Park on Sunday 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 areaContinueNow the 24-year-old from South Hurstville has been part of a game-changing study examining extinct kangaroos' behaviour The PhD student from the University of Wollongong was part of a groundbreaking research team that examined how advanced technology can provide insight into the ancient behaviour of the extinct species of giant kangaroos once found in the rainforests of Queensland has for the first time revealed that the kangaroos were not intrepid travellers that bounded across the plains but rather homebodies that did not journey far throughout their lives Giant kangaroos' desire to stay close to home during a major climate upheaval 300,000 years ago likely contributed to their demise was led by Mr Laurikainen Gaete in collaboration with experts from Queensland Museum and the University of Adelaide Their research focused on fossils discovered in Mt Etna Caves north of Rockhampton in central Queensland The team used biological and environmental fingerprinting techniques and refined geological dating enabling them to build a comprehensive picture of the giant species This discovery mirrors the behaviour of modern species of kangaroos but was surprising to the research team a PhD candidate in UOW's Faculty of Science said the ancient kangaroos remained close to where they were found as fossils indicating that the megafauna had incredibly small home ranges we predicted these giant extinct roos would have much larger home ranges We were astounded that they didn't move far at all with ranges mirroring smaller modern kangaroo species," he said red kangaroos live in the outback and move massive distances for food resources We expected a kangaroo that was two to three times bigger than a red kangaroo to move even larger distances our results showed that these massive kangaroos stayed in the same location all their lives but specifically occupied rainforest habitats that covered the Mt Etna Caves region Significant climatic changes occurred in the region that saw the disappearance of rainforest habitats and the local extinction of the giant kangaroos The study found that the small home ranges likely impacted these forest-loving species as the environment deteriorated over thousands of years Many of the kangaroos found as fossils at Mt Etna and Capricorn Caves have descendants in the Wet Tropics and Papua New Guinea Founder of the Wollongong Isotope Geochronology Laboratory at UOW said while the debate about the extinction of the Australian megafauna had been going on for decades researchers could now take it to an individual and species-by-species perspective "This can be used to test and build more accurate extinction scenarios," he said Mr Laurikainen Gaete said that using the teeth' chemistry the same technique will be employed to reconstruct the past behaviours and diets of other extinct kangaroo species from the Mt Etna and Capricorn Caves region "This tool allows us to look across fossils across Australia and get a nuanced understanding of why each of these populations became extinct St George and Sutherland Shire Leader reporter covering education, health and general community news. Email: ekolimar@theleader.com.au Photo: AP PHOTOBlack Sabbath's Ozzy Osbourne has said he "may be sitting down" for his final performance amid ongoing issues with his health 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 Back To The Beginning show on July 5 will include the 76-year-old singer deliver his own short set before he joins bandmates Tony Iommi Geezer Butler and Bill Ward - who will play together as a group for the first time in 20 years So all I can do is turn up," he told the Guardian Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and he paused touring in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery "You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong You begin to think this is never going to end," he told the paper Ozzy Osbourne may be seated while performing at a Black Sabbath reunion show in Birmingham (AP PHOTO)He said the reunion concert was conceived by his wife as "something to give me a reason to get up in the morning" "I don't think I'll be doing much jumping or running around this time Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar told rock radio show Loudwire Nights that he was informed Osbourne is "going to try and sing five songs" Osbourne had a fall at home in 2019 which aggravated injuries from a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003 The all-day event at Villa Park in Birmingham the city where the heavy rock pioneers formed in 1968 will also feature sets by a host of major metal bands including Metallica In 2017 the band played what was billed to be their "last" gig with Osbourne guitarist Iommi and bassist Butler - but without Ward on drums Black Sabbath reached the Hall of Fame in 2006 and Ozzy Osbourne was later inducted once again (AP PHOTO)Black Sabbath's story began when Osbourne Butler and Ward were looking to escape a life of factory work Their eponymous debut album in 1970 made the UK top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit records They went on to become one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time selling more than 75 million albums worldwide The group were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 and Osbourne was added for a second time in 2024 He previously celebrated his home city in 2022 when he helped close the Commonwealth Games He rose to further fame alongside his wife Sharon - who he married in 1982 and with whom he has three children Jack and Kelly - through their reality TV series The Osbournes Photo: Aaron Bunch/AAP PHOTOSPolitical candidate corflutes have been facing the frontline of dirty campaigning ahead of the federal election 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 areaContinueCorflute disputes have sparked controversies during the campaign with signs taken down and stolen by opposing candidates and parties The relatively innocuous plastic posters have also been defaced and vandalised across multiple electorates The corflutes are aimed at increasing voter recognition (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)But this hasn't been a problem everywhere -  South Australia banned them in February 2024 The ban was in place for the state's last two by-elections but Saturday's federal election is the first major poll where it has been in effect Corflutes and other election advertising are banned on public roads power poles (also known as stobies in SA) and trees with a maximum penalty of $5000 for breaches pushed for the ban to reduce visual pollution and cut waste from single-use plastic Special Minister of State Kyam Maher says the ban appears to be working well "South Australians are telling us they are glad to no longer have corflutes filling every stobie pole Our environment will benefit from having significantly less plastic waste after Saturday's election day" Flinders University political commentator Rob Manwaring agreed that the absence of corflutes had made the election campaign invisible on the streets of Adelaide "But there's been very little research on the impact of corflutes particularly in terms of their importance to smaller or minor party candidates," he said The corflute contest intensified between Kooyong candidates Amelia Hamer and Monique Ryan (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)A massive spike in early voting pointed to people wanting to tune out of the election as quickly as possible but corflutes have been repeatedly targeted as candidates fight for prime position and try to handicap their political opponents There have been moments of levity during the campaign such as when three women in the affluent Sydney suburb of Mosman defaced a corflute before one realised she'd used her expensive lipstick why'd you let me do that?" one was caught on video saying while drawing a pig's nose on Zali Steggall's corflute The husband of independent Monique Ryan was also caught walking down the street after stealing a large Liberals poster Fights have ended up in court and even invoked the constitution after a local council removed Liberal Party A-frame signs from outside an early voting centre under a rule that limits candidates to having one sign on public land The Liberals are fighting the rule in court after the City of Boroondara argued the signs were a risk to pedestrians and road users while the party argues they were crucial for candidate recognition Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOSGold Coast coach Damien Hardwick is urging his players to enjoy the hype of their highly-anticipated clash against Brisbane 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 third-placed Suns play the second-placed Lions on Sunday night - the first time the clubs meet while holding such high ladder positions either," Hardwick told reporters on Friday The former Richmond coach has instructed his players to embrace the hostility from the pro-Lions crowd at the Gabba We have used that a little bit with regard to our away record .. it has been a learning process for our players," Hardwick said "It's understanding and embracing the fact that it's going to be a hostile environment - and enjoy it "You get the privilege to represent the Gold Coast Suns in a hostile environment that is baying for your blood "So the understanding and the growth in that space has been pretty big for us "And they're going to get another big challenge - there's not many more hostile environments than the Gabbatoir when they (Brisbane) are up and going - and they are at the moment." Australia spends 0.19 per cent on foreign aid Photo: HANDOUT/ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCEThe development sector has been dismayed by the coalition's pledge to cut foreign aid which would see Australia tumble further down the ranks of global generosity 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 areaContinueOn Thursday the coalition announced it would axe $813 million in planned development assistance over the next four years The Pacific will be ring-fenced from any cuts The aid downgrade was widely expected in the sector given Peter Dutton had been non-committal on questions about possible savings during the election campaign Peter Dutton pledged to cut $813m in planned development assistance over the next four years (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)At a time of geopolitical tumult Australian Council for International Development chief executive Matthew Maury said any cuts to aid would make Australia "a less reliable global partner" "At a time when the world is facing huge global challenges we urge the coalition to consider the bipartisan commitment to aid that has cemented Australia's standing in our region over decades," he said the coalition offered increased spending to the Pacific in one key area: infrastructure Should Mr Dutton's party form government after Saturday's election the coalition would lift infrastructure funding - through grants and loans - by $2 billion ACFID questioned the priority on infrastructure saying "most Pacific states cannot afford expensive loans" "The net result of the coalition's election announcements will impact millions of the world's most vulnerable facing rising hunger disease and climate disasters," Mr Maury said The coalition made savage cuts to foreign aid the last time it won government from Labor Anthony Albanese's Labor government has increased foreign aid each year but at a slower rate than Australian prosperity has grown Australia spends 0.19 per cent on aid - ranking it 28th of 32 developed nations just four nations spend less: Czech Republic Mr Maury said both major parties had an obligation to lift spending to support some of the world's poorest nations calling on aid to all candidates to make aid at least one per cent of the budget "The aid budget is already at a historic low," he said "With the challenges facing Australia and the whole world now is the worst time to be pulling back and making further cuts." Photo: HANDOUT/NSW FIRE AND RESCUEThousands of drivers have been left stranded for hours after steel shards were scattered along one of Australia's busiest motorways puncturing the tyres of more than 300 cars 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 areaContinueA 30km section of the M1 Motorway was closed on Friday after a truck carrying almost a tonne of metal debris spilled its contents about 5am The shards were flung along the southbound lanes slashing the tyres of hundreds of vehicles driven by unsuspecting motorists The lanes reopened about 2pm after magnetic devices were used to remove embedded metal in the highway "You imagine (750kg) of finely ground steel which is a very sharp metal object," Transport for NSW co-ordinator-general Howard Collins told reporters on Friday "It's not just a case of getting a road sweeper out or guys and girls with brooms "This is the first time we've seen (an incident to) this extent .. where a highly dangerous material of metal shards has been spread for 30 kilometres." The tyres of small vehicles provided little resistance to the sharp metal shards (HANDOUT/NSW FIRE AND RESCUE)Up to 380 cars may have been impacted with light vehicles more vulnerable to the shards deflating tyres "This is an unprecedented situation," she said "It's like trying to hoover up the highway "We're very lucky we haven't had a fatality." Transport for NSW chief Howard Collins says the clean-up was not a simple operation (Flavio Brancaleone/AAP PHOTOS)One tow truck driver said she had a busy morning transporting cars to tyre repair shops "It's been nonstop," Nicole of Central Coast Auto Recovery told AAP from the highway "I've towed six cars by myself so far and we're taking them all to Gosford tyre shops - just lots of flat tyres." Dozens of tow trucks were dispatched to assist more than 200 drivers Large trucks had to wait on the M1 Motorway until the road was cleared of debris (HANDOUT/NSW FIRE AND RESCUE)"Our patrols are able to fix (single punctures) on the side of the road," Ms Usman told AAP "But for cars with multiple wheels damaged it was nearly two hours (to wait) for roadside assistance or a tow truck." Some drivers fed up with the long wait times abandoned their vehicles but transport officials were contacting them NSW Police Chief Inspector Thomas Barnes told reporters Trucking company NJ Ashton Group has apologised for the spill and pledged to foot the bill for impacted drivers Drivers of B-double trucks were advised to park until the motorway reopened while other drivers were diverted to the old Pacific Highway as a person's body was found in the wreckage 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 areaContinueA fire broke out at Barnacles Backpackers in the Whitsundays town of Bowen on Queensland's coast on April 30 at 3.30am Blaze at Barnacles Backpackers in Bowen (left) and police responding to a crime (right) Picture file/FacebookFive guests had booked a room at the hostel on the night of the fire Emergency responders believed that all people staying at the backpackers had been evacuated safely But a person's body was discovered while searching through the building's remnants "Further searches of the property located a body and forensic examination is underway to identify the deceased," Queensland Police said Acting Inspector Luke Jackson said responders "weren't expecting to find remains" "The body was found in a room that was thought to be vacant," he said is urged to contact investigators," police said A crime scene has been declared at the burnt-out backpackers Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au. Photo: AP PHOTOChristchurch is flooding and a rare red weather warning has been issued for Wellington as a low pressure system unleashes havoc in New Zealand 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 South Island's biggest city has issued a state of emergency due to flooding which has impacted the CBD and outlying towns including Doyleston Christchurch has been lashed with 100mm of rain in the 36 hours to 4pm on Thursday prompting the declarations and a small number of evacuations The mighty soaking is almost double what the city usually receives in the month of May which hasn't happened," Christchurch Mayor Phil Maugher said "We need to make sure we're able to keep people safe by putting all of our resources into responding to any problems that arise and one of the best ways we can do this is by declaring a Local State of Emergency." A state of emergency has been declared in Christchurch due to flooding forecasters MetService have warned of a "threat to life" urging people in exposed areas and on the south coast to stay home "Threat to life from flying items and falling trees Destructive winds will cause widespread damage including powerlines and roofs with dangerous driving conditions and significant disruption to transport and power supply," their warning states Social media is packed with pictures of broken windows displaced trampolines and damage to fences and roofs The red weather warning is the first issued anywhere in New Zealand this year and Wellington's first since the system's introduction in 2019 "Wellington is no stranger to high winds but even by our standards this is an extraordinary day in the capital," MetService meterologist John Law told AAP Mr Law said the "combination of wind direction and rainfall and higher tides" has prompted the warning escalation The highest gust was recorded at Mount Kaukau with the airport on the south coast registering 115km/h All flights have been cancelled for the day with Radio NZ reporting just one exception: a Qantas flight from Sydney due to land at 11.55pm which may go ahead The vicious southerlies are predicted to subside late on Thursday - though swells are expected to stay large with an elevated coastal risk around 8pm at high tide Cook Strait ferry operators have also cancelled sailings through to Friday at the earliest The huge storm has also brought the first major snowfall for the season further south with news outlet Stuff publishing pictures of a thick snow blanketing the inland town of Tekapo