Victoria budget 2018: More judges, funding boost for police prosecutions to speed up court system4/30/2018 Updated May 01, 2018 10:07:41
Victims of crime and accused criminals being held in custody in Victoria will have their cases heard quicker under a $285 million budget allocation to recruit more judges and prosecutors to ease pressure on the justice system. Treasurer Tim Pallas will deliver his fourth budget today, promising taxpayers will not be slugged to keep the books in the black. What else is in the budget? "We'll be spreading some good news," Mr Pallas said. "And perhaps I can give you one piece of good news there will be no new taxes in this budget." There has been significant pressure placed on Victorian courts and prisons in recent years with a rise in the number of people incarcerated and arrested, meaning magistrates are hearing more cases then ever before. The number of inmates on remand has also exploded, putting greater pressure on corrections. The budget will include $128.9 million to build the court's capacity, including recruiting a new Supreme Court judge, two new County Court judges and 18 new magistrates. "We recognise that our investment in police and changes to the law in regards to bail and sentencing is putting a greater load on the courts, and the Government is investing to ensure courts can deal with that load," Attorney-General Martin Pakula told the ABC. Three of the 18 magistrates will work in the new specialist bail and remand court that began operating on Monday, which includes an evening session running from 4:00pm to 9:00pm. The court was a recommendation from Justice Paul Coughlan's review of bail following last year's Bourke Street tragedy. Funding boost 'will help victims get justice' And with more arrests being made the Government will spend $97 million to bolster police prosecutions, with a further $37.3 million for Legal Aid. "We recognise that 3,000 extra police is going to mean there is a greater need for the services of Victorian legal aid," Mr Pakula said. Solicitor for Public Prosecutions John Cain said extra funding would go some way to easing the work load on the court, which would help victims get justice. "I think it is a win for victims anything that puts more resources into the prosecution, that enables us to move more quickly and speedily get through the justice system, is good for everybody," he said. Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said the investment was important. "Recent justice initiatives and increased police activity have meant that all players in the criminal justice system have been under increased pressure," he said. "Police prosecutors offer a vital voice for victims of crime and the broader community. "It is critical that this voice continues to be heard and is not diluted under the burden of unmanageable workloads and the stress that comes with it." The Labor Government also revealed it would spend $41 million to further improve public security measures, including more permanent bollards, which are aimed at preventing vehicle attacks in the CBD. Renovations, tech upgrades for major hospitals The Alfred Hospital will receive a $69.5 million upgrade and Sunshine Hospital will build a new emergency department and children's ward with $29.6 million. Medical records will be able to be updated in real time through a $124 million project to modernise systems at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne Health and Royal Women's Hospital. Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the upgrade would save lives. "We cannot underestimate the value of getting real-time records to arm our medical professionals with the information they need," she said. "This will make life easier for our hardworking doctors and nurses and will give patients peace of mind that their medical records will be up to date and easily accessible wherever they are receiving treatment." Topics:states-and-territories,state-parliament,courts-and-trials,law-crime-and-justice,melbourne-3000,vic First posted April 30, 2018 18:31:01 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-30/victoria-budget-2018-funding-boost-to-speed-up-court-system/9710294
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Updated April 30, 2018 19:00:43
![]() A teacher at a prestigious Adelaide school who sent a student sexually explicit messages and encouraged him to meet her for sex has avoided jail. Bettina Schmoock, 42, was a teacher at Concordia College in Adelaide's inner south-east when she was charged with one count of communicating with the intent of procuring a child for sexual activity. The charge is aggravated because she was in a position of authority over her victim at the time. Schmoock changed her plea to guilty just before her trial was due to start in the District Court last month. The court heard Schmoock sent the student sexually explicit messages via Skype and Whats App, in what started out as counselling but developed into an inappropriate relationship. Judge Gordon Barrett said Schmoock's offending escalated when she booked a cottage in the Barossa Valley and asked the student to meet her there to have sex. "You burdened him with the prospect of you losing your career, your marriage and even your life if he were to disclose the communications you were having," Judge Barrett said. "You were reckless about the effects on him of your seeking a sexual relationship." Pages of messages Schmoock sent to the student were tendered to the court, including some where she tells him that she loves him "from the bottom of her heart" and admits her wrongdoing. "I acknowledge that I should never have engaged with u in an adult love relationship as u cannot handle the less than perfect parametres of this one I'm sorry I'm not 20 and single," Schmoock said. In other messages, Schmoock tells the student to keep quiet about their relationship. "There's 2 ways this can go: 1. Nowhere 2. Everywhere: u just need to keep ur mouth shut." "We could love each other in secret until u finish skool." "I'm not going to beg. If you are man enough to take me on, do it now." In a victim impact statement read to the court during sentencing submissions, the student said he felt entrapped in the relationship and emotionally blackmailed into keeping it a secret. "At the time, I called the Kids Helpline a lot and remained anonymous to avoid mandatory reporting," he said. "I felt like there wasn't any other option than to keep it secret because she said she would kill herself if anything happened to her job." Judge Barrett agreed to suspend a 22-month jail sentence on a $1,000 bond to be of good behaviour for three years. He said Schmoock was suffering was a mental illness at the time, was at low risk of reoffending and was remorseful for her actions. "You have no prior convictions, this offending is different to most types of this offending which come before the court," he said. "You are acutely aware of the harm you have done and you are receiving treatment to prevent it happening again. "You are remorseful and you have family responsibilities." Schmoock will be eligible for parole in March next year. The German national, who has a husband and two children in Australia, could face deportation as a result of being sentenced to a suspended jail term greater than 12 months. Topics:courts-and-trials,law-crime-and-justice,sexual-offences,adelaide-5000,sa,australia First posted April 30, 2018 15:10:51 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-30/concordia-college-teacher-bettina-schmoock-sentence/9710308 Farmers and researchers believe mutton could be the next big thing in food, thanks to a dry ageing process that brings out complex flavours and makes the meat tender and juicy.
Melbourne chef Dale Lyman has been tasked with looking for ways to introduce dry aged mutton to consumers. "When we first saw the mutton we didn't quite know what to do with it, but after a lot of trials we have come up with some really good dishes, and have learnt a lot about the animal and the best way to cook it," Mr Lyman said. While mutton is not his first sheep meat of choice when compared to a nice cut of lamb, its popularity could change through a technique known as dry ageing. LANDLINE mutton key points What is dry aged mutton?Mutton is meat from a sheep that is older than a year. It is an intense red colour and contains a considerable amount of fatDry ageing is a centuries-old technique of improving the flavour and texture by hanging it on the bone for up to 120 days Dry ageing, which is more commonly used for beef, is now being applied to old sheep meat by a handful of Australian farmers. That has made Mr Lyman's job easier. "Tonight we are making mutton piccata. We have used the silverside, sliced it thinly about 2 or 3 millimetres, lightly crumbed it with some parmesan, some parsley and lemon, and we are just shallow frying it," he said. He is also using it to make mutton sliders, and even the popular Vietnam dish pho, a soup broth that typically contains thin slices of beef. Dry ageing involves dehydrating meat in a controlled environment, usually with humidity, over a certain number of weeks or months to draw out more flavour and texture. What surprised Mr Lyman and his team of student chefs is that the dry ageing has given new life to even the most undesirable of mutton cuts. "The shoulder cooks beautifully as a braise. The forequarter, the loin, some of the other cuts like the rump are good for long, slow cooking. The mince is fantastic," he said. "It has huge potential. I think it may be slow to begin with, but once chefs get the product and figure out the best way to cook with it, it'll go gangbusters." ![]() Dry ageing gives new life to the most undesirable of mutton cuts, Mr Lyman says. (ABC Rural: Marty McCarthy) ![]() Dry ageing gives new life to the most undesirable of mutton cuts, Mr Lyman says. ABC Rural: Marty McCarthy Complex flavour dramatically increased In 2016, a trial funded by Meat and Livestock Australia found dry aged mutton out-performed standard wet aged lamb in a taste test. University of Melbourne enterprise director Hollis Ashman, who is part of a team of researchers investigating what the demand is for dry aged sheep meat, said it was the complex, rich buttery flavour and strong butter notes that made it "incredibly crave-able". "It becomes almost like chocolate, so think of it as the chocolate of meats," she said. "A crust grows on the outside of the meat as it ages, and the inside of the meat becomes very tender and juicy. It tastes really good." Researchers are stumped as to why dry ageing dramatically increases the flavour profile of even the oldest sheep. "People think it is due to concentration of some of the great flavour compounds, due to a loss of moisture, but I think it is a bit more complicated than that," Melbourne University meat expert Robyn Warner said. "We are still trying to find out chemically why the flavour is so good." ![]() Beef that has been dry aged traps in moisture, but toughens on the outside. (Supplied: Minh Ha) ![]() Beef that has been dry aged traps in moisture, but toughens on the outside. Supplied: Minh Ha A uniquely Australian niche industry Australia has few native or iconic foods that are popular overseas the macadamia and barramundi being notable exceptions. But experts think dry aged lamb has the potential to change that. "Every chef is looking for something that will make them unique and differentiated, and this is product that is uniquely Australian," Ms Ashman said. Professor Warner said Australia had a rare opportunity to pioneer a new industry, capitalising on the growing popularity internationally for dry aged products. "I have seen dry aged beef in restaurants in Denmark and in pubs in Ireland, although you don't tend to see it in Australia so much just yet, but it is just starting to take off," she said. "There is only two restaurants we know of in Australia one in Adelaide and one in Melbourne that actually have dry aged sheep meat on the menu, and there are a handful in WA too." A challenge will be convincing consumers to not only try it, but swap over to it, given the lack of appetite for mutton in Australia means most of it is exported. "Australia is typically a conservative marketplace when looking at new products, and so the easier way to bring new things for Australians to consider is to go to the restaurant level," Ms Ashman said. ![]() Vietnamese pho prepared with a thinly sliced dry aged mutton, rather than beef. (ABC Rural: Marty McCarthy) ![]() Vietnamese pho prepared with a thinly sliced dry aged mutton, rather than beef. ABC Rural: Marty McCarthy Challenges in going commercial The other challenge is building production capabilities for dry aged sheep meat into the existing red meat supply chain. Most abattoirs in Australia have capacity to age their meat for about a week, but dry ageing mutton takes at least a month. It is an issue sheep farmers in WA, who are pioneering the industry, are grappling with. WA Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development senior research officer Robin Jacobs said processors at this point had not shown a lot of interest in it. "There is some challenges there with how to do it commercially, but certainly there is lots of interest both from producers and consumers who have tried it in these restaurants," he said. "Any farmer could do it, but really the missing links are in the supply chain." If that issue can be overcome, Mr Jacobs estimates farmers could double the price they are paid for their mutton. Ms Ashman said while it would not replace the premium price of lamb, the restaurant price for dry aged mutton dishes could come close to it. "Lamb in a dinner occasion is about $35 for a main, whereas dry aged sheep would be about $25 to $28 a plate," she said. ![]() Dry aged mutton frying in a pan at the William Angliss Institute in Melbourne. (ABC Rural: Marty McCarthy) ![]() Dry aged mutton frying in a pan at the William Angliss Institute in Melbourne. ABC Rural: Marty McCarthy The added value means farmers could make money where they have not been able to make it before. "I was talking to a producer the other day it's a big company with 100,000 ewes and they are culling 5 per cent of their ewes every year, which is a routine practice," Professor Warner said. Ms Ashman said establishing a dry aged sheep meat industry would therefore make sheep production a "very sustainable" industry, as value would be made off the sheep across its entire lifespan. http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2018-04-30/mutton-next-big-thing-food-dry-ageing-research/9704370 Updated April 22, 2018 11:40:32
![]() On the back of an exhausting program featuring the 200m, 800m and 4x200m freestyle relay, on top of a sleepless night and the weight of expectation, Ariarne Titmus has nearly pulled off a sub-four-minute 400m freestyle swim. Now imagine how much better she could be two years from now at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It's that kind of speculation that will have Australian swimming fans salivating after Titmus, 17, claimed her third gold of the Commonwealth Games, breaking the Games record to register 4:00.53 in a commanding performance. Now names like Katie Ledecky are getting bandied about as Titmus puts the American superstar in her sights for the next Olympics two years hence. Ledecky owns the three fastest times set in the history of the women's 400m free, and three of the four sub-four-minute records in the event. Four years Ledecky's junior, Titmus is edging her way towards that milestone. Give her the chance to do it without nerves and a better sleep the night before, and the world could be her oyster. "I was really nervous for the 400, probably the most nervous I've ever been," Titmus said. "It wasn't nervous about not being able to win, but just about the expectations that [coach Dean Boxall] and I put on myself to perform. "I really wanted to execute my race and convert my training times into a great swim and I'm happy I could do that. It just means I'm that little bit closer to going under four minutes. "To think that two years ago I was a 4:12 swimmer. "To drop 12 seconds in two years is pretty amazing, but I know I've got there through lots of sacrifices and I'm just really happy it's paying off." Titmus says her recovery post-Gold Coast will determine how close to Ledecky she can get in the immediate future, with the Pan-Pacific Championships just around the corner midway through this year. "To think that I'm a little bit closer to [Ledecky] I know if I want to still be swimming as fast as I am now or even better in a couple of months' time, I've got to look after myself this week," she said. "Not put on weight, that type of stuff. Really try and enjoy myself and not go overboard." ![]() Titmus said her warm-ups for the event were significantly sub-standard, on the back of the gruelling Games program she endured for her country's cause. But her ability to put tiredness aside and switch on mentally on Tuesday saw her complete a personal treble of Gold Coast gold. "I was really worried I wouldn't be able to back up, I felt terrible this morning, had a shocking sleep last night, felt sleepy when I walked in here, and I was really nervous as well so I was worried that it wasn't going to go to plan," she said. "My warm-up was probably the worst of the week as well. "I knew I could do it if I had my mind on and I think that I was really focused tonight and that's what helped me swim four minutes." And it's that defying of setbacks that has both Titmus and Australia excited for the Olympics. "It just means I have to back the training that I've done. When I was not hitting my times [in practice] Dean [Boxall] said to me 'have confidence in what you've done in training'," Titmus said. "Some of the things I've done over the past few months have been really good, so I just had to think about that and know that if I executed my race properly I'd be able to swim fast." For now, it's back to the books for the 17-year-old with her Commonwealth Games meet done and dusted, before preparations begin for the Pan Pacs. "I still have an assignment from term one I haven't handed in, but my teacher said I could hand it in at the end of the year," Titmus said. "St Peters [Lutheran College] is so great with me. They're so understanding and it's a really great program I've got up there." Topics:commonwealth-games,sport,swimming,southport-4215,qld,australia First posted April 11, 2018 06:35:12 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-11/commonwealth-games-ariarne-titmus-wins-despite-nerves/9639758 Updated April 22, 2018 11:40:32
![]() On the back of an exhausting program featuring the 200m, 800m and 4x200m freestyle relay, on top of a sleepless night and the weight of expectation, Ariarne Titmus has nearly pulled off a sub-four-minute 400m freestyle swim. Now imagine how much better she could be two years from now at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It's that kind of speculation that will have Australian swimming fans salivating after Titmus, 17, claimed her third gold of the Commonwealth Games, breaking the Games record to register 4:00.53 in a commanding performance. Now names like Katie Ledecky are getting bandied about as Titmus puts the American superstar in her sights for the next Olympics two years hence. Ledecky owns the three fastest times set in the history of the women's 400m free, and three of the four sub-four-minute records in the event. Four years Ledecky's junior, Titmus is edging her way towards that milestone. Give her the chance to do it without nerves and a better sleep the night before, and the world could be her oyster. "I was really nervous for the 400, probably the most nervous I've ever been," Titmus said. "It wasn't nervous about not being able to win, but just about the expectations that [coach Dean Boxall] and I put on myself to perform. "I really wanted to execute my race and convert my training times into a great swim and I'm happy I could do that. It just means I'm that little bit closer to going under four minutes. "To think that two years ago I was a 4:12 swimmer. "To drop 12 seconds in two years is pretty amazing, but I know I've got there through lots of sacrifices and I'm just really happy it's paying off." Titmus says her recovery post-Gold Coast will determine how close to Ledecky she can get in the immediate future, with the Pan-Pacific Championships just around the corner midway through this year. "To think that I'm a little bit closer to [Ledecky] I know if I want to still be swimming as fast as I am now or even better in a couple of months' time, I've got to look after myself this week," she said. "Not put on weight, that type of stuff. Really try and enjoy myself and not go overboard." ![]() Titmus said her warm-ups for the event were significantly sub-standard, on the back of the gruelling Games program she endured for her country's cause. But her ability to put tiredness aside and switch on mentally on Tuesday saw her complete a personal treble of Gold Coast gold. "I was really worried I wouldn't be able to back up, I felt terrible this morning, had a shocking sleep last night, felt sleepy when I walked in here, and I was really nervous as well so I was worried that it wasn't going to go to plan," she said. "My warm-up was probably the worst of the week as well. "I knew I could do it if I had my mind on and I think that I was really focused tonight and that's what helped me swim four minutes." And it's that defying of setbacks that has both Titmus and Australia excited for the Olympics. "It just means I have to back the training that I've done. When I was not hitting my times [in practice] Dean [Boxall] said to me 'have confidence in what you've done in training'," Titmus said. "Some of the things I've done over the past few months have been really good, so I just had to think about that and know that if I executed my race properly I'd be able to swim fast." For now, it's back to the books for the 17-year-old with her Commonwealth Games meet done and dusted, before preparations begin for the Pan Pacs. "I still have an assignment from term one I haven't handed in, but my teacher said I could hand it in at the end of the year," Titmus said. "St Peters [Lutheran College] is so great with me. They're so understanding and it's a really great program I've got up there." Topics:commonwealth-games,sport,swimming,southport-4215,qld,australia First posted April 11, 2018 06:35:12 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-11/commonwealth-games-ariarne-titmus-wins-despite-nerves/9639758 This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-20/rail-from-above/9676668 This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-20/rail-from-above/9676668 Updated April 16, 2018 06:46:32
![]() Australian captain Caitlin Bassett stood waiting for the courtside interviewer to ask the first question for what must have seemed an eternity. Bassett's eyes were red and her cheeks puffed by exertion and emotion. The giant goal shooter looked overwrought, stunned. It is expected in some sports mandated that athletes front the media in both triumph and defeat. To share their thoughts and emotions with the public who provide their support, and in some cases their living, is the least they can do. External Link:Australian Diamonds tweet: Thank you to our friends, family and fans for your incredible support #GoDiamonds #GreaterTogether #GC2018 But on this occasion a usually routine task seemed like cruel and unusual punishment. So much so you wished you could find a step ladder to put an arm around Bassett and guide her toward the tunnel. Back to the sheds where she could grieve with her teammates behind closed doors. Instead Bassett choked back the tears and answered the routine questions as best she could until, near the end, she tried to stare down her disappointment. "It's not failure to us and it's not going to define us," she said. The months and years to come will determine just how true that statement proves. There will be endless hours on the practice courts and subsequent tournaments where the Diamonds can demonstrate that a crushing defeat has only made them even stronger, even better. External Link:England Netball tweet: BLOOMING MARVELLOUS!!!!! @TeamEngland are #GC2018Netball champions! #WeAreRoses #TeamEngland #TeamAndCountry For now, however, there was the unmistakable feeling one of Australia's outstanding national teams had not won silver, but lost gold. It is a cruel assessment that will rankle with some. Particularly given the crushing defensive pressure exerted by a well-drilled and disciplined England. But through the sheer excellence of their previous achievements, it is an assessment of the Diamonds' own making. A feature of a surprisingly uplifting Commonwealth Games was the expressions of delight on athletes who had been surprised by victory, or at least not taken medals they had expected to win for granted. And so it was with the England netballers, perhaps the most surprising winner in any team sport. When Helen Housby scored the winning goal as the clock expired, the English leapt into each other's arms, somersaulted and fell to the court in joyous disbelief. External Link:Silver Ferns tweet: SCORE UPDATE FULL TIME New Zealand 53 - Malawi 57 #GC2018 #MALvNZL #EarnTheFern If the heroic English did not quite have the energy of the Malawi team who danced when they upset the Silver Ferns, it was only because of the incredible exertion required to upset the world champions. We had witnessed similar scenes across these Commonwealth Games. Lawn bowls gold medallist Aaron Wilson ripping off his shirt and running around the rink was merely the most entertaining of many wonderful expressions of triumph. But the netball final produced the most stark contrast. As the English frolicked after the greatest moment in their nation's netball history, just metres away the Australians sat dazed and dejected. Wondering how a tournament with a seemingly predictable plot had taken such an unexpected twist. Soon after, Australia's rugby sevens team would suffer a similar gut-wrenching defeat to New Zealand. But as Olympic champions, the Australians' disappointment will be just slightly tempered. This was not their sport's grand final. ![]() The Diamonds' post-mortem will reveal plenty of clues. An unexpectedly jittery start and some unusually sloppy turnovers in the face of pressure from the English, and subsequently the scoreboard, were crucial. Five turnovers to nil in the last quarter hurt. But one moment will be remembered more than any other in the four years before Australia gets a chance to make amends. Australia led by a goal and had the ball when centre Kim Ravaillion was penalised for starting play from outside the circle. England scored, and scored again, to complete a five goal run that proved decisive. Games are not won or lost in single moments. Melbourne did not lose the infamous 1987 preliminary final to Hawthorn because Irishman Jim Stynes stepped across the mark and conceded a 15-metre penalty, but because three or four teammates missed easy shots for goal. Similarly, Australia did not lose the gold medal merely because the centre made a crucial error at the most inopportune time. Yet it will be one of Australian sport's great "what ifs". What if Ravaillion had kept a sneaker planted inside the circle? In a broader sense, there is another reason Australia was responsible for its own downfall. Rivals raise game to match Australian benchmark In the past few years the Diamonds have raised the standard of the game with their greater professionalism, elite national competition and (relatively) better paid athletes. Arch-rival New Zealand has failed to match Australia's improvement and did not win a medal for the first time. But England has been inspired to lift its game. That the Roses did so in the biggest game of all, exerting enormous pressure on a team that had cruised through the preliminaries, was a stunning accomplishment. That her team has inspired others to greater heights will be of no immediate consolation to coach Lisa Alexander who has imbued her team with enormously high standards and, accordingly, created lofty public expectations. Alexander never promised gold, never took it for granted. But while the Diamonds are evaluated internally on their methods and systems, inevitably all great teams are judged on their accomplishments. Still, amid the orgy of Australian gold medals a heartbreaking defeat provided further validation of an excellent Commonwealth Games. England's jubilation and Australia's utter devastation were testament to both the prize and the fierce battle that decided its destination. Only in significant events does the gulf between victory and defeat seem so vast. Topics:sport,commonwealth-games,netball,rugby-7,carrara-4211,qld,australia First posted April 16, 2018 05:49:16 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-16/commonwealth-games-netball-loss-raises-questions-for-diamonds/9660886 Updated April 17, 2018 19:30:37
![]() Channel Seven aired My Kitchen Rules rather than a pre-Commonwealth Games closing ceremony honouring athletes because it was concerned about ratings, according to a leading media analyst. Steve Allen from Fusion Strategy said he believed it was the right decision, and that it would have been "locked in" weeks earlier to maintain the network's ratings edge over Channel Nine. "It was kind of a commercial imperative from the way we see what they were doing strategically," Mr Allen said. ![]() "Nine really bested them from the start of the year first in February with Married at First Sight and it depressed the ratings of My Kitchen Rules (MKR). "Nine was launching on the Sunday night with The Voice, regardless of what Seven was doing. "That was slotted in some time ago, so whether they put the athletes walk in, or whether they put MKR on, Seven had to think carefully about their strategy and their ratings prospects." Mr Allen said while Seven won ratings gold during the Games, it could have lost out big time by postponing MKR's relaunch to Monday night. "I think that is some of the choice they made. They said 'right, we know we are going to have a strong lead-in in ratings from the Gold Medal Group two-hour special at 4:00pm. It will lead into our news, we will have a strong news, we have had that all the way through the Commonwealth Games. We will lead straight out of that into MKR, we will revive the ratings of MKR'," he said. Seven had been accused of snubbing the athletes at the closing ceremony, despite claiming to be shocked by the decision, which it maintains was made by the Games organising committee (GOLDOC) and the host broadcaster providing the vision. But as rights holders, Seven attended a media briefing before the ceremony, complete with a 34-page media guide detailing minute-by-minute how the event would unfold. ![]() GOLDOC chairman Peter Beattie apologised on Monday morning, saying they got it wrong in bringing the athletes into the stadium early. But by Tuesday afternoon, he told Sky News he had had enough of taking the blame and that people making negative comments were "whingers". "One of the problems we have got is we are getting to the stage of being a pack of whingers," he said. "When people try and do positive things everybody who wants to whinge whinges. I just say to Australia we are bigger than this. "We should be about positive things about building things about doing things and we should not try and tear down people who want to do that I mean, whinging is easy." 'Seven made the right commercial decision' Mr Allen said when they realised the athletes were to be largely ignored, Seven made a commercial decision rather than an emotional one that he believed was the right one for the network to make. "Business-wise, commercially wise, yes I think it was from the point of view that 98 per cent of the Commonwealth Games had been covered and covered pretty damn well in my view," he said. "It was a stumble at the end and disappointing. But they have got MKR for the next four weeks from memory on air. They really had to get it back up to ratings. "Indeed on that evening, it rated better than it had been all the way through since February. ![]() "I am pretty sure they were locked in. But yes, at that point they could have made other decisions." MKR attracted 1.3 million viewers, while The Voice bought in 1.02 million for Nine. The Commonwealth Games closing ceremony attracted 1.1 million viewers. While Games bosses have worn most of the blame, admitting it was they who got it wrong, social media criticism of Seven's decision continues. ![]() It also got personal, with Seven's Johanna Griggs taking umbrage at an ABC report by senior sports reporter Tracey Holmes, who argued the network was not blameless in the controversy over athletes being snubbed in the closing ceremony. Griggs and co-host Basil Zempilas tore strips off the ceremony on air, slamming it as rubbish following a torrent of abuse on social media. Holmes argued Seven knew all along the athletes were to be snubbed. An angry Griggs tweeted that her integrity had been attacked by Holmes, someone who had an "axe to grind against Seven". Holmes replied: "When people want to start playing the man and not the ball then clearly they have a reason for trying to divert attention from the main issue." "The main issue was that Channel Seven knew this was going to be the case and effectively Johanna Griggs admitted that in her statement." Holmes said she had no problem with Channel Seven making a commercial decision, but "just be honest with the viewers about what you knew when". "The basis of my story still stands. There was certainly no personal malice on my part towards Johanna Griggs," she said. Topics:commonwealth-games,television-broadcasting,television,carrara-4211,brisbane-4000,qld First posted April 17, 2018 16:27:20 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-17/commonwealth-games-channel-seven-ratings-my-kitchen-rules/9668082 Updated April 08, 2018 14:27:35
Gold Coast Commonwealth Games chairman Peter Beattie is urging people to come to the Gold Coast, as some local businesses complain the city is a "ghost town". Mr Beattie said people who may have stayed away in fear of traffic chaos should not be scared to make the trip down the M1. He said crowds were building and patrons should spread their business throughout the city. "Some restaurants are incredibly over-booked and some are under-booked," Mr Beattie said. "People are in restaurants the issue is I think probably not being shared universally. "Naturally the campaign we ran about getting people off the M1 worked we didn't want people on the M1 because we all know the M1 is a bit of a dog, so the last thing we wanted was people on it. "We wanted them on public transport the locals know exactly what I'm talking about here I'm not going to hide what it is." Mr Beattie said thousands were using public transport to get to Games events. "At the end of it people have got on public transport 61,000 people yesterday," he said. "What we need to do is say there is capacity, even on the road." Business 'pretty quiet, pretty tough' ![]() Broadbeach shoe shop owner Grayson Pearse said he was disappointed at how quiet business has been. "It's not as good as we'd like it's been pretty quiet, pretty tough," he said. Mr Pearse said he did not think Commonwealth Games Corporation's plea for people to visit the Coast would help foot traffic. "People have made their decisions and I just think they haven't got the time now to come down here," he said. "It's a bit of a wash-out so hopefully next week is better than it has been, but time will tell." Plenty of parking for restaurants, bars Mr Beattie said there was plenty of parking on the Gold Coast to access local businesses. "I'll get into trouble for saying that but you can get here, you can get parks," Mr Beattie said. "Get into the local restaurants, get into the local bars. "So if you're in Brisbane and you're worried, come down, there's plenty of space. "If you left because you were worried about it, you made a mistake come back." Broadbeach salon owner Ronda Russell said the message was getting out that people should not be scared to go to the shops. "The first four days have been really quite slow and I'm surprised the roads were so quiet," Ms Russell said. ![]() "But now it's starting to warm up and starting to get more people in cars and I think people know they can come out and have fun I think this next week is going to be much busier." 'Easy to get around the Gold Coast' Ashleigh Marshall is visiting from Canberra for the Games, and said crowds were starting to pick up. "It's definitely been very easy to get around the Gold Coast the last couple of days," she said. "Certainly it seems traffic has been a lot slower than usual." ![]() She said she thought a lot of locals had taken the time to go and do other things during Queensland's school holidays. "But there are still a lot of people getting to the events so that's been good," she said. "Out on the streets it is only the first few days, so maybe it has been a little bit flat, but I think today on the weekend there's a few more people about enjoying the Gold Coast." Andrew Paterson drove his two children Hamish, 10, and Rennah, 12, to the Gold Coast from Brisbane on Saturday and said transport had been easy so far. "There's definitely been some scare-mongering about getting down here," Mr Paterson said. "We were worried we got down here an hour earlier than we thought we needed to because of the traffic, but it was easy to get down." Mr Paterson said his advice to other Brisbane residents was to make the journey. "Get down here, it's great. Beautiful weather, plenty of events to go to. Go Gold Coast." ![]() First posted April 08, 2018 13:50:01 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-08/commonwealth-games-ghost-town-gold-coast/9631136 |
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