Alex James
Before joining the ABC, Alex worked as a theatre technician and sound technician for multiple years, while studying a Bachelor of Media majoring in Radio, Digital Audio and Broadcast Production at Macquarie University in Sydney.
During this time, Alex also volunteered with multiple community radio stations which led to a breakfast slot in Sydney.
After 18 months of broadcasting breakfast during continuous COVID-19 lockdowns, Alex felt drawn back to the country and moved out to Gilgandra, near Alex's hometown.
After a stint working with ABC Western Plains in Dubbo as a News Reporter, Alex moved out to Orange and is currently presenting the ABC Central West Breakfast show.
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News.com.au
17 hours ago
- News.com.au
Sydney youth service founder Father Chris Riley dies age 70
A prominent youth support worker and priest, Father Chris Riley, has died aged 70. The Catholic Priest was best known for his work as the founder of Youth Off the Streets in Sydney. His death was announced on the service's Instagram page on Friday afternoon, following a 'long period of ill health'. NSW Premier Chris Minns marked his death with 'profound sadness', noting his 'visionary' work had 'changed the lives of tens of thousands of young people across New South Wales'. 'In founding Youth Off The Streets in 1991, he turned a single food van in Kings Cross into a lifesaving network of crisis accommodation, counselling and other wrap around support services,' Mr Minns said. 'Father Riley believed there is no child born bad, only circumstances to overcome, and he spent over three decades proving that with compassion and opportunity young lives can be transformed.'
ABC News
19 hours ago
- ABC News
Cuttagee community fights to save 130yo timber bridge amid plan for concrete replacement
Sheena Boughen often travels over the single-lane timber bridge at Cuttagee on the New South Wales far south coast, stopping to give way to oncoming traffic. "You have this little moment of just looking around," the Barragga Bay local said. "There's a moment in time where you've got a chance to pause. You've got a chance to breathe." For some, the 110-metre long Cuttagee bridge is considered tricky to manoeuvre, but most locals, like Ms Boughen, are used to its quirks. Built in 1892, the bridge features on a tourist drive from Bermagui south to Tathra. But now it is nearing the end of its functional life span and could possibly be replaced with a two-lane concrete bridge next year. For the small coastal community, the saying "build a bridge and get over it" is not that simple. The Bega Valley Shire Council — which is responsible for about 30 wooden bridges — announced in 2021 it would need to replace the aging timber structure. Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick said most of the 133-year-old bridge had been renewed over time, but it could pose safety risks and be subject to further weight limits, impacting local industry and emergency service vehicles. "We need to make sure they are safe and can be crossed at all times," Cr Fitzpatrick said. The council is looking at three options: a single-lane hybrid concrete and timber bridge, a two-lane hybrid bridge, or a two-lane concrete bridge. Ms Boughen opposed the concrete bridge option and said she was "totally committed to keeping the slowness of the bridge". "We don't want to lose the character or the fabric of a timber bridge," she said. "[A concrete bridge] has no identity and it doesn't embrace the magnificent setting of this place where nature really should be the dominant voice." The Cuttagee Bridge is one of five single-lane wooden bridges along a 43-kilometre stretch of the Bega Valley coastline and on the main road access for several small communities. "Council's stuck with trying to fund a whole lot of themselves, it's not financially viable," Cr Fitzpatrick said. The local council is required to preserve heritage in the new bridge design, which will be chosen after an external engineering study outlines options this year. "You'll always have people for and against different things … what you've got to balance is what is in the best interest of the community," Cr Fitzpatrick said. Sheena Boughen helped start the community advocacy group "Save Cuttagee Bridge" in 2021 and amassed more than 14,000 online signatures over four years, supporting a one-lane timber bridge. Ms Boughen also has concerns that a two-lane bridge would be unsafe in an area busy with beach users during the summer. Bridge designer John Hilton said there were up to 5,000 timber bridges still in use across the country, and councils were grappling with financing the "aged bridge stock". Mr Hilton said the modern bridge industry was focused on concrete bridges and was not "well-acquainted" with timber anymore. "We're not in a position to replace all the timber bridges in Australia with new timber bridges," he said. "We don't have the materials to do that. The industry's not set up for it and it would be very, very difficult and costly to get the industry set up for it. "It's a matter of picking which bridges we're going to keep as timber and which bridges that we will replace in concrete." Mr Hilton said, despite a scarcity of good timber, he wanted to see councils "retain a representative number". "The feel of timber, the smell of timber, the sound that vehicles make when they cross a timber bridge," he said. "It just has some magic there."
ABC News
4 days ago
- ABC News
The 'village' creating safe havens for women, children fleeing domestic and family violence
For this mother and her two children who have farewelled a nearby refuge for their fresh start, they won't be walking into a barren home. It will be a sanctuary designed down to the finest detail for this Sydney trio who fled domestic and family violence. For the volunteers who have transformed the space within four hours, all they were told is this mother, 28, loves the colours black and green and finds peace in reading. Her daughter, seven, loves black and pink and enjoys craft and Hello Kitty toys. The son, five, loves black and red, Pokémon and gaming. For many in this predicament, they have left their former home with little more than the clothes on their backs, in search of safety. This home is just one of approximately 10 being decorated this week for a victim-survivor in Australia. The volunteers step in quietly and quickly to furnish the empty properties, converting them into fully functioning homes. Many leave with tears in their eyes. The RizeUp Homes program furnishes homes for those transitioning out of crisis situations across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. For victim-survivors who have acquired a home via public housing, private rental or another option, RizeUp works with various organisations and governing bodies to turn these bare spaces into welcoming environments. It isn't just basic necessities like a bed and dining table — each set up is personalised. Specialist domestic and family violence services then assist in providing crisis support, case management and safety planning to the person or people in need. "We place the victim-survivor at the centre of every decision, especially when children are involved," said Ms Edwards. "We listen to what matters to them — their favourite colours, hobbies, the things that make them feel seen and safe — and we thoughtfully tailor each room so it reflects who they are. Whether it's a Paw Patrol doona cover or a desk to do schoolwork." It takes approximately $6,500 — via donations — to furnish each house, with more than 3,200 homes furnished over the years. For the RizeUp team who watch their volunteers set up the homes, from putting together flat-pack furniture to fluffing a smiley face pillow on a child's new bed, it is clear how moved they are. "Behind each of those homes is a real story. A mother longing for a moment of peace. A child who has seen too much," said Ms Edwards. "These aren't just numbers — they're families with hopes, fears and futures that deserve to be free from violence." Almost a decade ago, Margie* walked into her safe haven for the first time. Reflecting on that moment makes her emotional. In Margie's former marriage, there was a history of verbal, emotional, psychological and later physical abuse. Her catalyst for leaving was seeing the impact on her eldest child, who was experiencing "night terrors". With her three kids in tow and just one travel case, Margie sought the help of a domestic violence organisation in her local region. "They told me there was a charity that could help me restart, because when I left, I left with nothing." Upon entering her newly furnished home, one of her child's bedrooms was abundant with plush toys, another had a doll house and princess costumes. A bassinet lay in the corner of Margie's beautifully decorated bedroom. On the dining room table was a fruit bowl, with a handwritten sign that read: "Welcome home!" "It felt like, 'Wow, someone actually cares and believes in me'," she said. Chief executive officer of Domestic Violence NSW, Delia Donovan, said the state's wider housing system struggles to meet the needs of victim-survivors. "Women and their children are often expected to leave crisis accommodation after just three months, yet pathways into safe, stable housing are scarce and difficult to navigate. "Transitional housing is severely limited, social housing waitlists are over 10 years in some places and eligibility criteria is rigid." Ms Donovan acknowledged the impact of the cost of living crisis and restrictions with temporary visas. "Without long-term, stable housing options and properly funded wraparound support — including case management, legal help and trauma-informed care — there is no safe pathway forward," she said, urging for more government funding. With RizeUp's fundraising gala ball on August 2, Ms Edwards said it is a special time to reflect on their 10th anniversary and the "generosity of our village". "Every donation — no matter the size — helps us continue our work," she said. "It's a safe bed where new dreams can be made. A dining table to share the simple joys of connection. A pantry full of ingredients to nourish the soul. "To help create a space that says, 'You're safe now, you matter, you're not alone.' That's an extraordinary privilege." Ultimately, the ripple effect of support is lasting, noted Margie. "I couldn't have set up a new life the way I have without a helping hand. "I've got a new husband, who's so supportive and loving and extra kids to add to the mix." Now with her lived-experience at hand, Margie is helping other victim-survivors with post-traumatic growth. "You might feel isolated, but there are services and survivors on the other side that hear you." *Names have been changed for safety reasons.
