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MAFS star Christie Jordee gives an update to fans after shock cancer diagnosis

MAFS star Christie Jordee gives an update to fans after shock cancer diagnosis

News.com.au4 days ago
Married At First Sight star Christie Jordee has revealed she has undergone surgery as she continues to battle cancer.
The season two contestant shared a series of pictures from her hospital stay on Instagram, telling fans she has now gone under the knife twice.
'2nd surgery done. Still high as a kite but was a success!' Jordee wrote in the caption.
'Getting there. Esp with my partner in crime right by my side. We got this. Love you so much xxx.'
Jordee found fame in 2016 after appearing in the second season of Nine's popular dating series, in which she was matched with Victorian farmer Mark Hughes.
However, the pair broke up just two months after the show ended, much to fans' disappointment.
Jordee is now in a relationship with Trent Victorsen, who has been supporting her through her recent challenges.
Jordee first revealed her cancer diagnosis to followers earlier this year, explaining she'd been given the shock news '10 days before Christmas' after getting checked due to finding a lump.
'I was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer,' she said. '3mm under stage three.'
Jordee added that it had been a 'tough journey' and that she knew she had a
big road ahead' of her.
Jordee has kept a relatively low profile in recent years after stepping into the spotlight on MAFS, but revealed back in 2018 she had been left devastated by viewer backlash in the wake of her season.
Jordee told BW magazine that she had been targeted by angry fans and blamed for her break-up with Hughes when they shared the news, leaving her 'hysterically crying'.
'I'll never forget that day (the split was announced). I was just pacing and I ended up on the floor in a foetal position,' she admitted.
'I couldn't breathe. I think I was hysterically crying for about three solid hours … It affected me for a good year, year-and-a-half, mentally, and to mend.'
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Are cost-of-living pressures and streaming platform algorithms killing Australian music?
Are cost-of-living pressures and streaming platform algorithms killing Australian music?

SBS Australia

time9 minutes ago

  • SBS Australia

Are cost-of-living pressures and streaming platform algorithms killing Australian music?

Triple J's Saturday debut of its Hottest 100 of Australian songs has prompted many to reflect on the state of the local music industry — and the sobering reality that perhaps the biggest hurdle is cost. An April report from Creative Australia found 62 per cent of Australians say music is really important to them — but cost is the main barrier to attending live shows. While 66 per cent said they want to hear more local music, many still prioritise saving up their dollars to see international acts — simply because they're rarer. FBi Radio's Tyson Koh says people tightening their hip pockets are having a direct flow-on effect on the industry, especially community radio, which has long been considered a cornerstone of the Australian music scene. FBi Radio — where Koh is managing director — has been an institution in the inner-Sydney suburb of Redfern since 2003, bolstered mostly by community memberships. But in June, it had to cut half its permanent staff after entering a period of "extreme financial distress". It still isn't out of the woods. "We found that in this brave new world of digital streaming and social media, a few people had taken our service for granted," Koh said. "They were still listening to the station — but because they already had several other subscription-based services to keep up with, we'd gotten lost in the mix." Tyson Koh says the cost of living crisis and growth of algorithmic music streaming is affecting community radio stations such as FBi, which could close its doors if not enough funding is secured. Source: Supplied / John Feder As cost-of-living pressures linger, Koh says discretionary spending — such as going to live gigs or subscribing to community radio stations — is becoming harder to justify. "We really need our listeners to show up for us if we are to survive." "I think we have to decide as a society whether music is important … if we can agree on that, then the question comes down to support and participation." Less disposable income, fewer ticket sales Joe Draffen, bassist for Melbourne band Floodlights, says the rising cost of living is also affecting artists. "The current economic climate has made it harder to sell tickets, as many people just don't have as much disposable income right now due to the rising cost of living," Draffen said. "On top of that, our own expenses have gone up, which meant ticket prices had to increase too." Melbourne-based band Floodlights say the cost of living crisis has put pressure on musicians, leading to slower ticket sales and higher touring costs. Source: Supplied / Matt Shaw "Touring's gotten a lot more expensive — flights, accommodation, gear hire, crew — it all adds up." The band has also been impacted by the closure of several music festivals across the country, which would typically bring more exposure and broaden their fan base. More than 25 music festivals across Australia have been cancelled since 2022, according to data from the Australian Festival Association. Community-led efforts still not enough Caitlin Welsh and Joe Hardy run a manually curated gig guide born from the loss of local music press and the lingering effects of Sydney's lockout laws. The guide briefly shut down in June due to a lack of funds, before a flurry of one-off donations and sponsorships allowed Welsh and Hardy to keep going — for now. "People hugely underestimate the amount of time and human labour it takes to manually research and compile the gig guide, as well as put together playlists and post daily lists to socials," Welsh told SBS News. "It's made by a small team of humans — including musicians and creatives who work with us as researchers — who need to be compensated for the amount of labour we're all doing in order to continue living in one of the most expensive cities in the world." Caitlin Welsh and Joe Hardy founded gig guide after frustrations with the diminishing Sydney music scene. But the cost of living is making it difficult for them to continue operating. Source: Supplied / Caitlin Welsh But live music spaces are becoming increasingly rare as venues face even more pressure to keep the doors open. India Wallis is a Brisbane-based musician and head of youth-focused record label Starving Kids, which runs a dedicated 150-capacity all-ages venue in Brisbane, serving musicians who are often booking their first show. "The gap between local acts and established acts seems to be getting wider," she told SBS News. "Brisbane is home to some great large-scale venues, but with more and more small venues closing, there are noticeably less opportunities for artists to cut their teeth." More than 1,300 live music venues and stages across Australia have been lost since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a 2023 report from music rights management organisation APRA AMCOS. Welsh added: "Venues are being bled by insurance premiums and rent and the alcohol excise, and they can't afford to run all-ages shows because they rely on bar sales to support putting on music at all, and punters can't afford to buy as many drinks as they used to because their rent is too damn high." "The narrowing of music participation to people who can afford to treat it as a hobby, or who are forced to accept poverty to keep doing it, is just as creatively flattening as the algorithm." Algorithms placing pressure on industry At the same time, streaming platforms such as Spotify are continuing to grow, with over nine million users in Australia. Date from market research firm Roy Morgan found Spotify had doubled its Australian user base between 2017 and 2020. Since 2017, the platform has moved towards algorithmically creating personalised music recommendations, informed by a user's listening history and preferences. Koh says this means that people are more likely to value platforms like these instead of community radio, which was traditionally a hub for music discoverability. "People lead such busy lives, so the amount of time that people can devote to going on their own musical journey and discovering new artists is getting more and more limited," he said. Koh says this convenience is creating a "giant homogenous culture". "One thing that social media and algorithms can't replace is the experience and joy of seeing a band. That's often where artists find their audiences and the people who they can take on the journey with them throughout their careers." Despite coming off their largest Australian tour so far, Floodlights say it's become harder to be discovered organically — even in the midst of a breakout moment. "There's so much music coming out every day, and unless you're backed by major playlists or algorithms, it's easy to get lost in the noise," Draffen said. Should Triple J be doing more? In the face of so many obstacles, musicians such as Ben Lee — who is expected to chart in Saturday's countdown for his hits Cigarettes Will Kill You and Catch My Disease — have called for the ABC's Triple J to do more to support Australian music, including restricting all Hottest 100 countdowns to only spotlight Australian songs. "At a time when there are so many platforms for international music discovery, I just don't see the logic in a taxpayer-funded station using their platform to promote international acts, many on major labels," Lee told SBS News. He said it was being run like a "commercial station that's constantly bending over backwards to increase listenership", primarily through bigger international artists. Lee added that it should move to play only Australian music across the board. "They could single-handedly lead the way to revitalising the Australian music industry if they wanted to. But it would mean stopping thinking of themselves as a commercial radio station, but rather as a mission-driven government utility," he said. The station has a mandated quota of 40 per cent for Australian music, but typically plays closer to the 50 per cent mark. Last week, Lee made similar remarks on both social media and to The Sydney Morning Herald. Head of Triple J Lachlan Macara told the Herald seeing local artists next to international names was what made the Hottest 100 " so special". He said the program "would love to see even more people and platforms supporting and prioritising Australian artists". Australian musician Ben Lee has called for Triple J to do more to support Australian music. Source: Getty / Martin Philbey But members of the industry are still conflicted over the best path forward. While Floodlights recently played their biggest headline shows across the country, Draffen said it's still difficult to cut through without support from Triple J. "We've really had to double down on staying connected with our audience and finding new ways to reach people but it's hard as Triple J doesn't really play us, which obviously makes it tougher to reach a wider audience in Australia," he said. Wallis said that while artists at her record label have seen "great support" from Triple J Unearthed, which features unsigned local acts, she wanted to see more. "I strongly believe Triple J should be focusing more on a diverse range of homegrown acts, rather than commercial, international acts that already have a platform." Welsh agrees the Hottest 100 should be all-Australian each year, but stopped short of supporting that across the board. "Nobody does more for Australian music than Triple J," she said. "The ones who are letting down Australian music are the commercial stations … There has been zero accountability for commercial radio formats to meet their local music quotas." Koh agreed: "We know that we're doing our bit, and I think Triple J does as well." FBi Radio also operates under a 50 per cent Australian music mandate, with half of that coming from Sydney. "I think it's important to see Australian music in a global context and that local artists just don't exist in a silo."

Wallabies vs British and Irish Lions: Second test scores, latest talking points from the MCG
Wallabies vs British and Irish Lions: Second test scores, latest talking points from the MCG

News.com.au

time3 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Wallabies vs British and Irish Lions: Second test scores, latest talking points from the MCG

For a city that has always been lukewarm about its on-again, off-again relationship with rugby, Melbourne has turned on the charm offensive for Saturday's latest fling between Australia and the British & Irish Lions. Revelling in its reputation as Australia's sporting capital, Melbourne has embraced the so-called game they play in heaven like never before, breaking with convention by granting the Lions permission to play on Victoria's most hallowed turf. Comprising the best players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, the Lions have already featured at some of the most iconic stadiums on the planet since they began touring the world in the late 1880s, but there's something extra about getting invited to play on the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first time. 'When you spend time in Melbourne and speak to the locals and all Australians, they hold the MCG in a real special regard,' the Lions' captain Maro Itoje said. 'It's a privilege for us to play there in what will be an amazing stadium and an amazing crowd. If it reaches full capacity, it will definitely be the biggest stadium that I've played in, so it's something that we're looking to relish.' Melbourne knows how to throw a party and for the visiting fans, the festivities are already in full swing. An estimated 40,000 Lions' supporters have made the long trip from Europe to watch the match live from the G and have transformed the Victorian state capital into a sea of red jerseys and hoodies against the backtrack of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot', 'Flower of Scotland', 'Land of my Fathers' and 'Ireland's call.' From the CBD to St Kilda Beach and Lygon Streets, Melbourne's pubs and restaurants are doing a roaring trade, with Lions' and Wallabies fans side-by-side. Because Lions tours to Australia only take place every 12 years, for Wallabies' long-suffering supporters, it's a rare time they can wear the team's gold jersey with pride. After the disaster of the last World Cup, being spotted in public wearing a Wallabies jersey was almost as awkward as being caught on kiss cam at a Coldplay concert, but not this week in bustling Melbourne. While the final attendance will depend on how many members show up, Rugby Australia expects it will surpass the all-time record crowd for any Lions match of 84,188, at Sydney in 2001. 'In 10, 15 years' time will I look back on this game?' Absolutely,' Australia fullback Tom Wright said. 'I'm probably never going to play in front of 100,000 people again,' For both teams, the occasion has taken on even greater importance because the stakes could not be higher. The tourists won the opening Test 27-19 in Brisbane last weekend and will clinch the series with a game to spare if they win again at the MCG. The Wallabies are desperate to level the series and ensure the last match in Sydney is not a dead rubber and Melbourne's fickle weather has potentially come to their rescue. In theory, the forecast of rain on Saturday night should help the Wallabies, who have assembled a massive forward pack after Rob Valetini, Will Skelton and Dave Porecki were all passed fit after missing the series opener. The Australians were outplayed in the first Test but finished strongly to close the final margin to eight points after trailing by 19 early in the second half. The Wallabies' coach Joe Schmidt is banking on his big men holding the Lions at bay long enough for his replacements to run over the top of them, but also knows things don't always go to plan so he doesn't care how they get the result, as long as they do. 'We just want to win,' he said. The Lions know the ambush the Wallabies are planning for them. In 2001 and 2013, the visitors won the opening Test in Brisbane only to lose game two in Melbourne. They have made changes to their team too, with head coach Andy Farrell stacking his starting XV with nine Irishmen for what he hopes will be their crowning glory. 'We're the privileged ones that get the opportunity to do something special and hopefully create a bit of history,' Farrell said. 'There's a determined Australian side that's in our way that's going to try and stop us from doing that, so it's a hell of a Test.'

North Sydney Council to debate ticketed access to three New Year's Eve observation spots
North Sydney Council to debate ticketed access to three New Year's Eve observation spots

News.com.au

time4 hours ago

  • News.com.au

North Sydney Council to debate ticketed access to three New Year's Eve observation spots

Revellers taking in Sydney's legendary New Year's Eve fireworks show could soon have to shell out $50 to access a prime viewing spot in a major shake-up to how tourists and locals experience the beloved event. North Sydney councillors will decide next week whether to implement 'ticketed access' to Blues Point, a popular vantage point that fronts Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge. The council area boasts three renowned vantage points for the show, namely Bradfield Park, Lavender Bay and Blues Point, with thousands of punters descending on the spots on December 31 to take in the party. But a new report, which will be debated at the council's Monday night meeting, recommends councillors establish an introductory $50 ticket price for Blues Point to recoup costs associated with New Year's Eve. 'The current budget for NYE is $1,086,000,' the report states. 'To introduce ticketing at Blues Point only, additional costs of approximately $95,000 would be incurred including contract staff, equipment, and additional communications support. This would result in a total cost of $1,181,000. 'If 8000 tickets were sold to access Blues Point at $50 per ticket, this would generate $400,000 in revenue, reducing council's net expenditure to manage NYE crowds to circa $781,000.' At the moment, access to all three sites is free. Council costs for the event include providing toilets and bins and crowd and traffic management. Bradfield Park sits just below the northern end of the Harbour Bridge, close to Kirribilli House, while Lavender Bay sits between the park and Blues Point. The report acknowledges introducing tickets could cause some consternation in the community. 'Ticketing for an event which has been free of charge could see large numbers of non-ticket holders arriving at the sites, potentially manifesting in unsettled behaviour near entry gates, dissatisfaction voiced to staff on the ground or complaints to council's customer service centre,' the report states. 'This can be managed by regular, targeted communications in the lead-up to the event, along with well-planned operations and thorough briefing of staff prior to the event.' The countdown and fireworks is a hugely popular draw for both Sydneysiders and tourists from across the world. British tourist Ben Scammell, speaking after the 2023-24 show, told NewsWire that he was overawed and did not have words for the spectacle he witnessed. 'That was just … I don't have words for it,' he told said. 'It made the whole coming to Australia so much worth it … it was the pinnacle. 'That moment will last my whole lifetime.' The first batch of fireworks to mark the start of a new year explodes over Sydney Harbour at 9pm, with a second batch at midnight. Hundreds of thousands of people cram into the CBD and North Sydney to witness the show. The report to North Sydney Council outlines three options for the 2025-26 event. Option 1 involves ticketing across all three spots to achieve 'full cost recovery'. Option 2 involves 'partial cost recovery', with ticketing limited to Blues Point, and Option 3 involves continuing with 'free managed access'. The report recommends the councillors trial option 2. 'Subject to community consultation and feedback following NYE 2025-26, council could then decide whether to change the ticket price for future NYE managed access, expand or maintain the number of ticketed locations or return to free-access options for all managed sites,' the report states.

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