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Julie Bishop: Former foreign minister stuns in Balmain revenge dress

Julie Bishop: Former foreign minister stuns in Balmain revenge dress

Former foreign minister turned mining Adviser and fashion icon Julie Bishop has made another bold statement in her life post-politics.

Ms Bishop joined Australian department store David Jones for their first runway show in four years to premiere the latest Spring/ Summer 22 collection.

She turned heads on Wednesday night’s red carpet in a $3750 metallic jacquard long sleeve mini dress designed by French luxury fashion house Balmain.

The former politician slipped on a pair of black stockings, simple black pumps and completed the head-to-toe black look with a clutch adorned with silver chain detail.

Ms Bishop received a string of adoring comments when she posted photos of her look to her Instagram account.

Pip Edwards of Aussie activewear brand PE Nation wrote, “You stunner.”

“Va va va Voom!!,” Sunrise entertainment reporter Nelson Aspen commented.

One spot-on Instagram user compared Ms Bishop’s look to that of the late Princess Diana’s infamous ‘revenge’ dress which she wore at her first public event following her headline-making split from Prince Charles.

“Is that like Diana’s revenge dress?,” they said.

The skin tight mini black number certainly looked similar to the Christina Stambolian cocktail dress worn by the British princess.

It’s even more fitting given Ms Bishops very public split from long-time boyfriend David Panton who reportedly dumped her over dinner in July ending their eight-year relationship.

“I’m very busy,” Bishop told Confidential of her newly single life.

“I spend a lot of time at the ANU as chancellor, I’m doing a lot of speaking engagements and attending fabulous events like the David Jones launch”.

Just this month, Bishop hosted a Q&A with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended by university students from across Australia.

Ms Bishop also showed off a return to her iconic close-cropped blonde look after many months of growing out her hair post-politics.

“Ooo has she gone short hair again! I love her with short hair,” One fan, @amysuart commented below the photo.

“Looking gorgeous, what an inspiration, love the new do,” a friend said.

Bishop told Confidential she rushed to the salon just hours before the event.

“It’s a post-Covid recovery haircut,” Bishop said.

“After we went into lockdown I let my hair grow and then it became so easy but I managed to get an appointment with Scott Sloan, whom I have a great deal of respect for, and he cut my hair so I’m feeling great. ”

Ms Bishop was joined on the guest list by indie artist Vera Blue, model Natalie Roser, TV-host Erin Holland, activewear entrepreneur Pip Edwards, and fashion designer Bianca Spender at the flagship store.

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Business

ABS: Monthly household spending indicator reveals 10 per cent more spending

ABS: Monthly household spending indicator reveals 10 per cent more spending

Household spending in June was up more than 10 per cent compared with the same time last year, as Australia struggles through skyrocketing cost of living.

The latest monthly spending figures, released on Tuesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, show household spending increased 10.2 per cent through the year, with a 15.9 per cent increase on services and a 5.0 per cent increase on goods.

Both discretionary and non-discretionary spending increased – not surprising given the rate of inflation is 6.1 per cent.

Discretionary spending rose by 10.8 per cent, driven by spending in recreation and cultural activities, while non-discretionary spending on essentials rose 9.8 per cent, due to the rising cost of transport.

The most significant area of ​​spending was on transport, up 22.7 per cent, driven by higher oil prices due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the demand for air travel.

Spending at hospitality businesses like hotels, cafes and restaurants was up 17.1 per cent in what is viewed as a positive return to pre-pandemic levels.

There was also strong growth in spending on clothing and footwear – up 16.3 per cent; as well as a 15.5 per cent increase in recreation and culture.

Jacqui Vitas, from the Australia Bureau of Statistics, said June marked the 16th consecutive month of through-the-year increases in total household spending.

“This was off the back of consistent decreases in total household spending from March 2020 to February 2021, as responses to Covid-19 were experienced across the country,” she said.

“Spending categories most impacted from Covid-19 responses – transport, hotels, cafes and restaurants, and clothing and footwear – have now returned to pre-pandemic levels.”

Queensland and Victoria recorded the highest state-based increases in spending through the year, spending 12.4 per cent and 11.8 per cent respectively more.

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Business

Teal MP Sophie Scamps plans private member’s Bill on junk food advertising and marketing

Teal MP Sophie Scamps plans private member's Bill on junk food advertising and marketing

A teal independent is pushing to change the way junk food advertising and marketing is regulated in a bid to stop Australia’s growing childhood obesity “epidemic”.

Sophie Scamps, who was a GP on Sydney’s northern beaches until recently becoming the MP for Mackellar, will put together a private member’s Bill to target fast-food advertisement and sponsorship.

The Bill is focused on the impact junk food has on children’s health, with Dr Scamps seeking to tackle the industry’s prevalent advertising during prime-time television, promotion on social media and its sponsorship of children’s sport.

“We do have an epidemic of overweight and obesity in this country and children are affected by that,” she told NCA NewsWire.

“We need to make the healthy food choices that parents are providing for their children the easy choice, we need to minimize that pest power.

“What I’m calling for really is a regulation of junk food advertising to children across TV and social media channels.”

Dr Scamps said childhood obesity not only creates issues for the individual involved, but the whole Australian health industry.

She said this makes taking preventive measures early on in people’s lives so important.

“Obesity and being overweight creates so many chronic diseases, everything from cancers, to diabetes, to heart disease, strokes, even depression,” she said.

“We also know with children that it’s much harder to gain a normal weight into the future if you have the problem when you’re a child.

“You can see into the future there’ll be a massive burden of disease created by this epidemic. So we either act now or we start investing in our public hospital system.”

But junk-food advertising remains a fixture of any prime-time television viewing experience, and some of the industry’s biggest restaurant chains sponsor the largest sports codes and teams from around the country.

Dr Scamps said junk food advertising through sport can have a big impact on a child’s health choices.

“We know that sport does influence children’s decisions, and we no longer advertise tobacco or alcohol to sport,” she said.

It’s another thing to look at, who is advertising or children’s sport?

The National Obesity Strategy, which was released in March earlier this year, noted that Australians “are regularly exposed to unhealthy food and drink marketing”, which included multimedia advertising and sports sponsorship.

It revealed an average five to eight-year-old child who watches around 80 minutes of television per day is exposed to 827 advertisements and four hours of “unhealthy food advertising” each year on free-to-air television.

A key potential strategy in the 10-year framework is reducing “unhealthy food and drink advertising, branding and sponsorship” to stop childhood obesity.

While the Bill is in its “early stages”, Dr Scamps believed it would be supported by parents and other MPs.

“It’s a common sense measure, it’s something that there’s precedent for. Mindsets change quite quickly once they’re introduced,” she said.

“I think parents will welcome because parents want the best for their children. They want those healthy choices to be the easy choices, they don’t want to be pestered at the checkout.

“As we’ve seen, there’s a lot of doctors who are new in the parliament as well.”

The Bill has the support of the Obesity Policy Coalition, with the group’s executive manager Jane Martin calling for urgent action to improve children’s diet habits.

“Our children deserve to go about their daily lives without being bombarded by ads for unhealthy food and sugary drinks which is the wallpaper that surrounds their lives,” Ms Martin said.

“Kids should be free to enjoy their favorite prime-time TV shows like Lego Masters without seeing ads for cookies or attend their weekend footy or netball games without fast-food sponsorships.

“This marketing influences children’s diets and impacts what kids want to eat, what they ask for and shapes their palates from an early age.”

The practices of the advertising industry are generally self-regulated through the Australian Association of National Advertisers’ Ad Standards code.

The code was updated last year to stop images of junk food being used in sponsorship advertising targeting children.

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Australia

Australian weather: States brace for cold snap, rain and major flood warnings

Australian weather: States brace for cold snap, rain and major flood warnings

Australians are bracing for a nationwide cold snap as some parts of the country battle temperatures below zero, rain, hail and flood warnings.

The Bureau of Meteorology told NCA NewsWire that Queensland’s August average so far this year had fallen between four and eight degrees since the same time period in 2021, plummeting to -2C temperatures in some parts of the state.

“It started off a lot warmer last year than it did this year,” meteorologist Livio Regano said.

The Darling Downs and Granite Belt regions were the coldest parts of the state, falling to -2C on Monday morning as a cold, dry air mass pushed north from South East Queensland.

A 1800km blanket of frost is also expected to hit Queensland, stretching between Stanthorpe and the far north.

The cold snap sweeping the nation has torn through NSW, ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, bringing fog, rain and snow to some regions.

Widespread fog blanketed five states on Monday, triggering a weather warning for SA motorists.

The road weather alert was issued early on Monday, saying there would be reduced visibility and potentially dangerous driving conditions in Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills.

In Victoria, meteorologist Dean Narramore said temperatures in Westmere, in the state’s southwest, nosedived to -1.4C, while other regions were hit with zero degrees.

“The high pressure system has moved in from late last week, which is giving Victoria in particular those cold mornings,” he said.

NSW and the ACT are bracing for snow over their southern ranges, with a chance of thunderstorms on the slopes later this week.

There’s a flood warning in the southern NSW town of Gundagai following the highest recorded overflow from the Yass River into the Burrinjuck Dam.

Water releases from the dam increased to 98,000 megalitres a day over the weekend following heavy rain in parts of the region.

Down south, Tasmanian residents are feeling colder than forecast temperatures due to the cold northwesterly winds hitting the state.

Hobart sat at 1.5 degrees on Monday morning, although the temperature feels-like dropped to -4C.

Alongside Adelaide, the state has also issued road weather warnings and urged motorists to drive to the conditions following thick fog.

The east coast of Tasmania could also experience minor flooding over the weekend, with a Tasman low likely to form and bring heavy rain.

Residents living in Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria, SA and Tasmania are expected to experience milder mornings after Wednesday.

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Business

Real estate: Eleven suburbs reach $1m median house price in Perth

Real estate: Eleven suburbs reach $1m median house price in Perth

Eleven suburbs have joined the $1m median house price club as values ​​continue to climb in Perth.

While other states are seeing house prices fall, Perth has lagged behind most of the other capitals.

It means despite rising interest rates and cost of living pressures, the housing market in WA has soared in the past year.

Six of the 11 suburbs recorded more than 20 per cent price growth during the 2021-22 financial year, according to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia.

Marmion, Mount Hawthorn, North Perth, Fremantle and Kensington had their median house prices tip above $1.1m at the end of June.

Gwelup, Booragoon, Karrinyup, Leederville, Iluka and Como reached $1m or more.

The top suburb is Marmion, which now has a median price of $1.27m — an increase of 32 per cent in the past year.

REIWA president Damian Collins said people had started to gain confidence in WA’s strong economy and property market, which had translated into more sales at the top end.

“All of these suburbs have had medians hovering below $1m for quite some time,” he said.

“It is impressive to see the demand for houses in these suburbs hold strong throughout the 2021-22 financial year, now placing them in Perth’s luxury market.”

Mr Collins said Perth’s premium market was attracting a lot of interest from buyers leading to strong price growth.

“If you are considering selling in one of these suburbs, now would be an opportunistic time to capitalize on this demand,” he said.

REIWA predicts house prices will continue to rise in Perth for some time.

“Given Perth has a housing shortage, the cheapest median house price of any capital city in the country, a growing population and strong economy, we anticipate house prices to continue to rise as we enter the back end of 2022,” Mr Collins said.

“As more suburbs reap the benefits of our strong market conditions, Perth’s million-dollar club is likely to continue to grow over the next 12 months.”

Read related topics:Perth

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Sports

Michael Lichaa: NRL faces fresh calls to scrap no-fault stand-down rule

Michael Lichaa: NRL faces fresh calls to scrap no-fault stand-down rule

Rugby league’s no-fault stand-down rule has come under fire once again, with a lawyer for Michael Lichaa calling for it to be scrapped after it was revealed the ex-Bulldog was blocked from playing park football last year.

Mr Lichaa, 29, was forced to withdraw from the game he loves amid an 18-month legal battle to clear his name that culminated when a magistrate last week acquired him of domestic violence offences.

The former Lebanon international’s world was turned upside down in February last year when he was charged with a string of offenses after a late-night incident at his Connells Point home.

But it can now be revealed that Mr Lichaa was blocked from playing park footy after being charged when the NSWRL refused to register his contract.

The NRL in 2019 introduced its no-fault stand-down rule under which any player facing serious criminal charges, which carry a jail term of 11 years or more, is automatically sidelined.

The NSWRL adopted similar guidelines.

“The NSWRL did not register a contract for Michael Lichaa last season for bringing the game into disrepute after he was charged with several serious offences, including common assault and intimidation,” a NSWRL spokesman said.

“The NSWRL reviewed the situation this season and registered a contract for Lichaa.”

Mr Lichaa’s 113-game NRL career came to an end in 2019 when Canterbury did not offer him a contract for the following year.

He did not pick up a contract with a rival club and signed on to play for Cronulla Caringbah in the Sydney Shield in an effort to keep fit and in the hope of attracting a suitor.

However, his career was put on hold while he fought the charges after the NSWRL refused to register a contract.

Mr Lichaa was eventually found not guilty on Friday. His former partner of him declined to testify against him.

Mr Lichaa was acquitted of charges of common assault and intimidation, though he pleaded guilty to one charge of destruction of property after he punched a glass door.

The Sutherland Local Court was told last week that he had since retired from rugby league and was now working as a project manager.

Sam Saadat represented the former Cronulla and Canterbury hooker throughout the horror 18-month ordeal.

He said he understood the intent behind the no-fault rule but argued it hadn’t had the effect it was supposed to.

In the summer of 2018-19, the NRL was hit by a string of scandals – 17 incidents and allegations between September and mid-February – that prompted then ARLC chairman Peter Beattie to draft the rule.

But Mr Saadat, who is also heavily involved in rugby league and has coached at the Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters in the women’s and developmental ranks, said the rules needed a rethink.

“I understand where the NSWRL and NRL are coming from, but I think it needs to be revisited. If you look at the examples… almost every single one was acquitted,” he said.

“And as a result, if you look at the impact it’s had on their careers and mental health, I think the prejudice far outweighs the policy’s purpose.

“The game has a right to administer itself how it wants and the Federal Court found that when (Jack) de Belin challenged it. But I think they need to revisit that decision. We now have examples of where it hasn’t worked.”

Tristan Sailor, Dylan Walker and Tui Kamikamica were all stood down after being charged by police before either being found not guilty or having the charges dismissed.

De Belin did not play for the entirety of the 2019 and 2020 NRL seasons before he was allowed to return midway through last year when the Director of Public Prosecutions elected not to pursue a third sexual assault trial.

Two juries could not arrive at a verdict, though he and co-accused Callan Sinclair were found not guilty of one count following their second trial.

Manase Fainu is facing trial in the Parramatta District Court where he has pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and denied stabbing a church youth leader in the back.

Penrith’s Tyrone May was the only player stood down under the policy to be convicted.

May narrowly escaped jail after he pleaded guilty to four counts of intentionally recording an intimate image without consent.

Mr Saadat called for the NRL to hold a conference between players, administrators and lawyers to look at the policy.

“The game is supposed to be a reflection of society,” he said.

“Legally, everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

“In this case even if it’s worded as a no-fault policy, it’s somewhat prejudicial. In people’s minds it creates an impression they must be guilty. I think it’s fundamentally unfair.”

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Entertainment

Gold Coast-based Hard Fizz company makes $10m during Covid lockdown

Gold Coast-based Hard Fizz company makes $10m during Covid lockdown

A popular alcohol brand owned by a group of celebrity entrepreneurs has taken off in Queensland.

The Gold Coast-based Hard Fizz company – which launched in 2020 during the height of the Covid pandemic – was co-founded by model and entrepreneur Chloe Fisher, 30, and her husband Paul, 35, a Grammy-nominated DJ.

“When the pandemic first started, Paul and I were at home on the Gold Coast wondering what we were going to do,” Ms Fisher said.

“His gigs were cancelled, he couldn’t tour and then we were pitched the idea of ​​a seltzer company.”

Celebrities such as DJ Tigerlily, TV personality Brooke Evers, professional surfer Laura Enever and Aussie chef Hayden Quinn also front the brand, which is now stocked in more than 3000 outlets across the country, including Dan Murphy’s and BWS.

Hard Fizz has grown to be the third most popular seltzer in Australia behind White Claw and Smirnoff.

After returning from the US, the Fishers discovered a gap in the Australian market for the popular vodka-based drink.

“After spending so much time in the States, we knew how huge hard seltzer is there – it was an untapped market in Australia.” Ms Fisher said.

“People were drinking it everywhere in the states,” Mr Fisher said.

The pair, who collectively share more than 1.6 million Instagram followers, got married in 2020 before the launch of their new brewery in the Gold Coast suburb of Miami.

The business, which has amassed more than $10m in sales this year, and $7.5m in its first year, is made up of a team of 70 per cent women.

“I’m so proud to be involved in a company with such a large and strong female contingent,” Ms Fisher said.

“It’s been so amazing to see the company take shape with so many dominant females.”

Hard Fizz chief executive Wade Tiller said in the 15 years he had worked in the industry, he had never seen such a female-dominated workplace, with women taking up roles in sales management, business development, activation, trademarking and marketing.

“Working in the industry over the years, I think my colleagues were 80 per cent men,” he said.

“I think drinking habits have changed and society is slowly changing for the better.”

Employee Sophia Pearson said since joining the company she had leapt from promotion to promotion.

“I’ve been promoted twice in about seven months and they have both been from them coming to me.” she said.

“It’s honestly quite refreshing.”

Australian Distillers Association chief executive Paul McLeay told NCA NewsWire that distillers specifically still had a “long way to go” when it comes to gender equity.

“(Women in distilling) still sit at 25 per cent, so, yeah, there’s a long way to go,” he said.

“We support and encourage women into the industry and we have some extraordinary women distillers that are doing some amazing products.”

Long-term trends in alcohol consumption show Australians are drinking better-quality products, with women leading the shift in patterns.

“Gin for example has an 85 per cent female customer base,” Mr McLeay said.

Government figures show almost three times as many Australian women choose to enjoy spirits rather than beer.

Although there are no official statistics to represent how many women work in the alcohol industry, it is estimated around just 15 per cent of women accounted for all distillers.

Read related topics:Brisbane

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Sports

Inner West major to look into stadium safety after Leichhardt Oval grandstand crash

Inner West major to look into stadium safety after Leichhardt Oval grandstand crash

A Sydney Mayor who has lashed out at Dominic Perrottet for alleged rugby stadium “pork barreling” has reacted with shock after a grandstand collapsed at the weekend.

A disturbing video shows the moment a railing at a Leichhardt Oval grandstand collapsed under the weight of fans attending a schoolboy rugby match.

A number of fans went tumbling over the stand like dominoes and face planted onto concrete meters below.

Paramedic crews at the game treated some minor injuries but no one was taken to hospital, NSW Ambulance reported.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne, who has campaigned for funding to upgrade the Leichhardt Oval, issued a media release just days before the collapse, accusing the state government of pork barreling for choosing to spend upwards of $300 million to build Penrith Stadium despite numerous commitments to fund suburban sports grounds.

“Dominic Perrottet is happy to spend $300 million in Stuart Ayres seat, to build a shiny, new Panthers Stadium for the exclusive use of one club,” Mr Byrne said, referring to the outgoing trade minister and MP for Penrith.

“But the Wests Tigers, and all of the other senior and junior, men’s and women’s Rugby League, Soccer and Rugby Union teams who regularly use Leichhardt Oval get nothing.”

The Council had plans to use part of a planned $250m slated for suburban sports grounds to upgrade and expand their grandstands.

“I call on Mr Perrottet to explain why this shocking pork-barrelling continues while most footy fans across Sydney get dudded,” the Labor mayor said.

Leichhardt Oval hosts more than 50 games a year across various rugby codes while Penrith Stadium will host just 11 Penrith Panthers games a year.

Mr Byrne took to his social media following the grandstand collapse to share his shock over the dangerous incident.

“The collapse of grandstand seating at Leichhardt Oval today during a schoolboy rugby match was incredibly dangerous,’ he said.

“The footage is shocking.”

Inner West councilor Philippa Scott jumped into the comment section to direct her anger at the state government.

“I am heartened to know that the spectators were sent home with only minor injuries, however I am incandescently angry at how our inner west infrastructure is treated by the state government,” she said.

“We are being smashed by not being a marginal Liberal seat.”

Mayor Byrne said his team are working to make the site safe and will fully investigate the safety risks it raises.

Australia Rugby League boss Peter V’landys this week accused Premier Dominic Perrottet of reneging on his agreement after he redirected funds set aside for sports grounds to flood recovery.

Premier Dominic Perrottet has denied backflipping on his deal to upgrade Brookvale Oval, Leichhardt Oval and Shark Park.

“We won’t give up. We’re going to make sure the fans will get the facilities,” Mr V’Landys told 2GB radio this week.

A tense 24 hours of negotiations on Tuesday night had the ARL boss and the government tussling over whether the grand final would be moved from Sydney to Queensland.

Mr V’landys said in a radio interview at the weekend negotiations were ongoing and that a decision on the grand final would be made on Monday.

“We’re still negotiating with the NSW government, we don’t accept the excuse they’ve given us,” he said.

“The (ARL) commission will meet on Monday to decide the strategy it’s going to use … we don’t want to punish the NSW fans because the government isn’t meeting its commitments.”

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Business

Schitt’s Creek fans get ready: Entire town up for sale in Victoria, Australia

Schitt's Creek fans get ready: Entire town up for sale in Victoria, Australia

Fans of the popular series Schitt’s Creek now have the opportunity to live out their own rural dreams, as the small Victorian town of Coopers Creek enters the property market.

Mason White McDougall has listed the beautiful country town up for sale, offering buyers the chance to be the largest of their own town and live just like the Rose family in Schitt’s Creek.

Coopers Creek is located about 130km from Melbourne in the Gippsland region. The sale comprises 21 lots, each raging in size from 660sq m to 12,000sq m.

Settled in the 1800s during the Victorian Gold rush, Coopers Creek was once home to 250 people.

The town, spanning 4½ hectares on the Thomson River, is said to sell for a reasonable $2.5-3m, a small price to pay to call the whole place your own.

Buyers can settle comfortably in the beautiful two-bedroom home and take in the views of their own town from the veranda.

The warm and historical Coopers Creek pub is equipped with a pool room, dining area, stage, cozy fireplaces and commercial kitchen to keep its new owners entertained.

Nature and adventure lovers will thrive in the wide open space, with plenty of opportunities for bushwalking, four-wheel driving, kayaking, fishing and much more.

“If you have ever wanted to own your own town or be the mayor of your own domain, this is the place for you,” Mason White director Ian Mason said.

“Coopers Creek offers endless opportunities including a break from city life and a change of scenery in one of Victoria’s most pristine natural environments.

“Like the Rose family, Coopers Creek could be a life-changing move for the right buyer,” Mr Mason said.

For more information, or express interest, visit www.cooperscreek.com.au.

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Australia

Bogie shooting: Police charge Darryl Young with murders of Mervyn and Maree Schwarz, Graham Tighe

Bogie shooting: Police charge Darryl Young with murders of Mervyn and Maree Schwarz, Graham Tighe

New details have emerged about the man police accuse of murdering a respected farming family in far-north Queensland.

Darryl Young, 59, has been charged with murdering Mervyn Schwarz, 71, his wife Maree, 59, and her son Graham Tighe, 35, at the gates of his property in Bogie, which bordered the Schwarz’s farm.

Mr Tighe’s brother, Ross, was shot in the stomach, but miraculously survived after driving more than 40km to a neighboring farm to raise an alarm.

He was flown to Mackay hospital and underwent emergency surgery on Thursday night.

Police said there was a long-running boundary dispute between Young and the Schwarz’s, who purchased the sprawling 30,000ha farm for $10 million last year.

Police said Young, the Schwarz’s and the Tighe’s agreed to meet at the fence of Young’s property in a phone conversation on Wednesday evening.

Police will allege Young shot the four victims “execution-style” with a rifle.

Young is listed to appear in the Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday.

On Friday he was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, after five people were initially taken into custody.

Young is a long-time Bogie resident who reportedly lives with his daughter, believed to be in her 20s, outside of Bowen.

He is said to be well-known in the farming community, having owned property as far south as Gladstone.

Read related topics:Brisbane

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