Death, taxes and Dean Boxall providing box office reactions when Ariarne Titmus is in the pool.
The legendary coach endeared himself to the Australian public during the Tokyo Olympics last year when Titmus took home the gold medal in the women’s 400m freestyle.
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The best ever – McKeon wins 11th Gold | 00:24
As Titmus raced home and touched the wall first, Boxall channeled his inner ‘Ultimate Warrior’ from WWE and frightened a poor Tokyo official who had no idea what to do to keep Boxall in check.
And Boxall was back at it again at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, albeit nowhere near as wild as the Tokyo celebrations.
Boxall was watching the Australian’s women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay in which Titmus was competing alongside Madi Wilson, Mollie O’Callaghan and Kiah Melverton as Emma McKeon did not take part in the event.
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Hang it in The Louvre. Picture: Channel 7Source: Channel 7There’s nothing quite like a Dean Boxall embrace. Picture: Channel 7Source: Channel 7
With Titmus winning the gold medal in the 200m individual freestyle event, the Aussies were always set to be a red-hot favorite going into the event.
Unsurprisingly, the girls in gold swimming caps delivered in spades as they set a time of 7:39:29, 12 seconds ahead of second-placed Canada while host nation England took home the bronze medal.
It was Titmus’ anchor split in particular that had Boxall going bonkers.
Titmus clocked 1:52:82 in a blistering spell that is also the fastest 200m freestyle relay split of all time.
It also helped Australia set a new world record for the event to truly assert their dominance.
Boxall, along with several others on social media, were left with their mouth agape at what had transpired.
More than 1,500 Queenslanders could lose their jobs as casualties of a heated dispute over a waterfront development in Brisbane.
Queensland meatworks operation Australian Country Choice (ACC) announced it was considering moving its sizeable operations interstate as it fights for the future of its meat processing facility in Cannon Hill.
The family business, led by billionaire Trevor Lee, has launched a legal appeal against the Brisbane council’s decision to approve two businesses in the Rivermakers precinct developed by BMI Group.
The ACC argued the proposed businesses would be located in an industrial buffer zone that prohibits using land for retail or restaurant activities.
The Queensland government intervened in the ongoing dispute between the two heavyweights by placing a temporary injunction on council approvals in the Morningside area, but the ACC said the move didn’t go far enough.
The meatworks business announced on Monday that it was considering moving its operations to NSW as it looked to “assess all viable options for the future”.
“Our preference would be to keep operating from our existing Brisbane premises which are world class, but that requires long-term planning certainty so we can continue making the necessary investment in our current operations and commit to a planned expansion down the track,” an ACC spokesperson said.
The family-run agriculture company is one of the largest primary production employers in the country, with 1,500 employees and plans to create a further 300 jobs.
“Supporting and growing our employee base is a top priority,” the ACC spokesperson said.
“We would prefer these jobs remain in Queensland, but without planning certainty we can’t make a long-term commitment.”
The ACC spokesperson said preliminary discussions are focused on locations in northern NSW for ease of cross-border access.
The Australasian Meat Industry Employees’ Union (AMIEU) said in a statement it was “deeply concerned” by the possible move, noting the meat processing facility had been “an important source of employment” for more than a century.
“If Australian Country Choice is forced to move, the impact upon meat workers and their families will be devastating,” Queensland branch secretary Matt Journeaux said.
The union said the encroachment of the commercial development on the abattoir site presented a serious threat to the “critical industry” of meat processing and the 1000 people employed at the ACC facility.
“It is inevitable that this will lead to complaints about the ongoing operation of the abattoir,” Mr Journeaux said.
“I can’t imagine too many people enjoying an outdoor dining experience in their new lifestyle hub with cattle trucks driving past.”
The AMIEU called on the Brisbane City Council and the state government to provide a long-term commitment to the ACC to allow the company to continue to invest in the abattoir and its employees.
The council has indicated it will abide by the temporary injunction and is working with businesses in the contentious waterfront development to ensure compliance.
The developer of the multimillion-dollar Rivermakers precinct, BMI Group, has been contacted for comment.
The ACC spokesperson confirmed the two businesses were not involved in mediation in relation to the dispute.
“If you wind the clock back 12 months ago,” Ange Postecoglou said today, “it was pretty chaotic.”
That is something of an understatement. The Australian mastermind had been plucked from Japan to take over Scottish giants Celtic. It was a shock move, and one widely slammed by pundits, rivals, and even some fans of the Glasgow club. He arrived with limited experience in European football and therefore a deeply undervalued global reputation. He took over a club in shambles, particularly a hodgepodge squad in need of overhaul. No wonder his first month of it was ‘pretty chaotic.’
Having been handed the reins just days before pre-season games kicked off, Postecoglou endured a frenetic few weeks in the transfer market, with well over a dozen player movements. After an equally tricky start to the season, Postecoglou proved the doubters wrong to guide Celtic to a league and league cup double. Out of the chaos, Postecoglou created magic.
The new season begins on Monday morning (1.30am AEST) – and things are very different at Celtic.
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Postecoglou and Mooy with the Socceroos in 2017.Source: Getty Images
12 months on, Postecoglou’s transfer dealings this time around were totally different. Instead of a last-minute transfer flurry that stretched to a manic deadline day, Postecoglou quickly and smartly did his transfer business early in the window.
The Hoops have picked up keeper Benjamin Siegrist, left-back Alexandro Bernabei, centre-back Moritz Jenz and Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy.
Arguably even more importantly has been converting last season’s loan stars Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers into permanent signings, despite plenty of competition from elsewhere.
“We’re happy with the ones we’ve brought in,” Postecoglou said. “There were some areas I felt we needed strengthening from a squad perspective: Goalkeeper, left-back, centre-back and midfield were definitely areas that I wanted to make us a bit stronger and more robust and it’s great we’ve done that.
“Re-signing Jota and Cameron on permanent deals was also an important part of what we are trying to build. I’m pleased with where we’re at, but there’s still four weeks of the window open and we’ll still be active and agile to see where we can strengthen.”
That’s not the only big change Postecoglou has wrought. Socceroos legend Harry Kewell has also joined the Postecoglou project as first-team coach, having been out of work since his axing him as Barnet manager last September.
It marks another massive shift in the landscape from 12 months ago, when Postecoglou was barred from bringing in his own staff, and instead inherited assistants from the previous manager.
Pre-season has been very different, too. Rather than last-minute chaos, Postecoglou says it has been “meticulously planned” – and the results have followed. Celtic has gone unbeaten, including a hugely impressive win over recently-relegated Premier League side Norwich.
It’s a far cry from last year’s topsy-turvy opening weeks, which included a brutal baptism of fire in Champions League qualifiers. The Hoops have automatically qualified for Europe’s top competition this time around, and Postecoglou will be desperate to make amends for the team’s failure in continental competitions last season.
With a settled squad and reorganized backroom, a board and fans firmly on his side, no wonder Postecoglou says “we’re in a different space.”
“To be honest, [going in as champions] isn’t really something that’s in consciousness,” he said. “It’s more that we’re in a different space in terms of where we’re at as a club and a squad.
“If you wind the clock back 12 months ago, it was pretty chaotic. We were going into the first games with players in quarantine, and others flying in, others we hadn’t even signed yet, so pre-season was pretty frantic, with Champions League qualifiers also.
“This is a different feel going into this year. The fact that we’re champions I don’t think is the biggest difference. The biggest difference is just that we’re more settled … Going into the first game is a totally different outlook.”
Now, he added, it’s time to get down to “the real stuff”: the job of defending the league title against bitter Old Firm rivals Rangers.
Celtic’s title defense begins in front of a sellout crowd at home against Aberdeen on Sunday (Monday 1:30am AEST).
“We just want to make sure we lay down a really strong marker for the year ahead,” Postecoglou said.
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Postecoglou celebrating the title win last season.Source: Getty Images
Before that game, however, captain Callum McGregor will unfurl the championship flag – a moment that probably seemed an impossible dream a year ago. Celtic had been battered the season before by Rangers, with a humiliating 25-point gap between first and second on the ladder. The squad was shattered, both in terms of confidence and the make-up of the roster.
Postecoglou completely renovated the team and revived the mood at Celtic Park, winning over his many doubters along the way.
Things are very different now, but some things remain the same. He still has his biting wit and blunt approach to the media – like when he was asked the rather dismissive question about whether a year ‘immersed in Scottish football’ has helped him understand the ‘landscape’ of the competition.
Postecoglou didn’t hold back, declaring: “Yeah, considering everyone didn’t think I knew anything at the start of last year, I think I’m in a better place, mate. I’m as well prepared as I always am.”
Another thing hasn’t changed: Postecoglou’s fervid drive for success.
That means last season’s success is forgotten. “We have already put it in the history books, from the first day of pre-season,” he stated.
The goal is clear: become even better than before.
“I’ve stated pretty clearly, we’ve got to be better this year than we were last year if we want to repeat the success. We can’t just roll out there and play at the levels we did last year. It was enough to get us over the line and bring us the success we wanted. But we want to better this year.”
Postecoglou celebrating a 7-0 thrashing last season.Source: Getty Images
As he similarly said earlier in the month: “It’s the same all the time. Every new season. I keep saying that to the players. There’s the possibility to be part of something special.”
“I didn’t start last year thinking: This is going to be a tough grind. I started last year thinking: Let’s see what we can do and can we create something special?”
Last year was something special. With a better pre-season, a settled squad, and his drive from him still as strong as ever, this year might just be even greater.
“We’ll enjoy the ride. We had our ups and downs last year but we stuck together and as I always say, it’s how you feel after you get off the rollercoaster that’s important.
“I think most people enjoyed the ride last year. I’m sure we’ll have our ups and downs again this year, but hopefully at the end everyone gets off and says ‘that was a hell of a ride, let’s go again’.”
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As I found myself stranded in Athens airport, surrounded by unsympathetic airline staff and forced to splash out an extra $2700 on new flights back home, I couldn’t help but feel this all could have been avoided.
Like thousands of other Aussies, I too had a nightmare experience flying with Qantas.
It’s amazing what can happen to a beloved national airline when it sacks 9000 staff, outsources thousands of jobs, moves customer service teams overseas and hands out millions in bonuses to executives.
My nightmare all started when I fell for the trap that is ‘frequent flyer flights’.
I applied for a credit card back in May (disastrous idea), splurged on a new laptop to secure 120,000 bonus Qantas points and booked my first overseas holiday in years.
There was a slight catch, my flights to Europe were from Adelaide – but given I had spent less than $1000 on taxes in addition to my points I thought I had scored a bargain.
I called up the Qantas helpline in a bid to see if they could help me book connecting flights from Sydney to Adelaide – mistake 1.
Instead of booking me a simple flight home from Adelaide to Sydney, they REPLACED my overseas return leg from Athens to Adelaide.
It wasn’t until a few days later that I noticed my overseas leg had vanished and been simply replaced with the domestic flight.
I spent over five hours that night on hold as I desperately tried to explain what had happened to call center workers who struggled to even speak to me let alone understand my complaint.
This is of course not their fault, they are doing the best they can in difficult circumstances. The blame lies with an airline that sacrificed quality, local customer service for cheaper labor.
Just one Qantas call center is located in Australia – and that Hobart team specifically services the airline’s premium clients (the big spenders).
I would wait two hours on hold, before finally getting onto someone – who would then spend 30 minutes attempting to understand my issue, only for them to hang up on me.
After over five hours I finally got onto someone who told me they could no longer get me on my original flight (Athens to Doha to Adelaide) as it was now full.
Qantas has since informed me that the domestic leg wasn’t ticketed correctly – which resulted in my overseas flight being cancelled.
With my trip approaching and still no return leg, I took matters into my own hands and booked another flight via Vietnam.
With so few options available I had to book the Vietnam to Sydney leg with a different airline – Jetstar.
I called up Qantas to make sure that I would be able to get a transit visa at the airport in Ho Chi Minh as I would need to check my bags in and out again during my short four-hour layover between flights.
A spokesperson told me there would be no problems getting a visa at the airport – mistake 2, blindly trusting Qantas again.
Three weeks of blissful travel – visiting my best mates in picturesque Switzerland, a romantic trip in Santorini – finished with me being stuck in Athens after Qantas’ advice was swiftly shot down.
Airline staff refused to let me on my flight as I had no visa – despite the assurances of Qantas it would be fine.
Ironically, the only option presented to me was to spend almost 2000 Euros to get back onto the Athens-Doha-Adelaide flight that I had originally booked months ago – only for Qantas to inexplicably cancel without telling me and then assure me there were no seats on the flight.
Turns out there were seats on the flight Qantas.
And while a seedy room above an Adelaide pub wasn’t exactly how I pictured closing out my trip – I was just glad to get home and be done with travelling.
Qantas’ statement:
“Unfortunately, it appears that the additional domestic flight was not ticketed correctly when it was added to your booking which led to the Qatar Airways booking being automatically canceled by their system.
“Our agent was unable to secure you another seat on that Qatar flight as there were no more reward seats available on the flight.
Our contact centers are not trained to provide visa advice, rather they should direct you to the relevant consulate, and we apologize that this process wasn’t followed.
“We are following up your experience with a full review to help prevent it happening again.”
