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News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
Hamish Blake's cake night stuns fans once again
Media personality Hamish Blake has won hearts once again after documenting his attempt at making a birthday cake for one of his children. Blake shares two children, Sonny, 11, and Rudy, eight, with his wife, beauty guru Zoë Foster Blake. Every year, on the eve of one of his children's birthdays, the 43-year-old father documents his endeavour to make a birthday cake, with Rudy's eighth birthday was no exception. It's a Blake family tradition that's become something that many Australians look forward to, with brands and fans alike weighing in. 'This is our Roman Empire,' one social media user added. One commented: 'This is our Super Bowl.' 'She's going to be a spectacular cake,' another added. One social media user said: 'I love the algorithm of Instagram. I don't see your face on my feed at all until it's cake night.' 'Cake night is life, excited to see the LOL cakewalk extravaganza,' another commented. Ahead of the activity, the Lego Masters star took to Instagram to wish people a good morning and 'Happy cake night'. 'Tomorrow is my daughter's eighth birthday party. Tonight, it is cake night,' he said. 'The brief is not impossible — it's a doll. They're called LOL dolls. If you've got young kids, you will know what they are. 'If you don't, good for you. It's a doll with a pretty big head and massive eyes.' Blake said the cake would require a runway, lights, a rainbow plait and an off-the-shoulder shirt. A swinging handbag was also part of the ensemble. Blake said the hardest part was that he was filming with Andy Lee in Melbourne and needed to fly back to Sydney, where he lived, at 5.30pm — which meant the cake process would be starting later than usual. But, the hands-on dad delivered and documented the while journey. He started by making the dolls head and attaching it to a pole, which would later form the body. Blake attached it to the store-bought cake, which he had iced, and then started on the hair. The fondant kept breaking on it. 'I thought it would be like a hair plait, but it's not hair and it's not behaving like hair so we're just going to move onto other stuff,' he said, according to Mamamia. Blake moved back to the runway and the outfit, which was a little smaller than intended. He remedied the issue and pushed along. Eventually, he came back to the hair. It did prompt a slight panic but he pulled through. While the cake did look like a doll, Blake was an extra harsh critic on himself and declared it was only 'Okay'. Finally, at 3am, he was officially done. 'Thanks for hanging in there gang. Happy birthday to the greatest daughter I could imagine,' he added.
ABC News
20 hours ago
- ABC News
Governor-General Sam Mostyn reflects on year of selfies, service and funky suits
Sam Mostyn isn't your average governor-general. During her first year in office, she's modernising her role and prioritising a culture of care. She's a hugger, a selfie-taker, an Indigenous art appreciator, and a fan of funky suits. But don't let that fool you — the former lawyer and AFL commissioner certainly understands how to make an impact. "I have no political role, I have no politics, I have no policies of my own," she tells ABC TV's Compass. "But I can talk about those [I] visit back to those that have some say. From day one, Ms Mostyn put that power to use. At her inauguration, for instance, she donned a striking blue suit with wattle pinned to the lapel. It was crafted by The Social Outfit, a Sydney-based social enterprise that employs migrant women who can sew and offers a pathway to economic stability. "We had the young Chinese migrant woman who made my suit come to my swearing-in ceremony," she says. Initially a customer and now The Social Outfit's patron, Ms Mostyn says she's drawn to the organisation's ethos and the way it addresses gaps in essential services. "I'd been very aware of [Australia's] settlement services, particularly for women, particularly if they were partners of those that had come in on migrant visas," she says. "Often those women did not have their own agency or ability to earn or get their own education." And that's why The Social Outfit is so effective. "The money that is made is all ploughed back into education and TAFE programs for [employees] to have job security in the fashion industry," Ms Mostyn says. "I am very proud that I played that role as patron." While a carefully chosen suit beamed onto television screens around the country might be one way of being visible, Ms Mostyn's embrace of social media is another. She regularly films behind the scenes of her meetings and events, and provides explanations on what different awards and ceremonies mean. She sees it as an opportunity to champion Australia. "Increasingly, I'm using small films and vignettes when I meet someone to tell their story," she says. "To put that up on our social media to say, 'Look at this person. This is the best of Australia.' "And it might be in a country town, it might be in a city, it might be a remote community, it might be in Abu Dhabi, it might be in Gallipoli." This extends to celebrating acts of goodwill from the business sector. "Whether it's philanthropy or those that have been successful and support our sporting aspirations, who support those in the disability community, who support programs that wouldn't be funded otherwise, I think that part of my job is to go and find those stories," she says. From what she can tell, this approach is working. "Wherever I go, in almost every part of the world … there'll be someone who has a family member as part of a diaspora community in Australia, one of the most successful multicultural nations," she says. "People really admire the deep First Nations history that we celebrate here. "They admire the fact that we have such a successful, vibrant democracy, independent judiciary, [and] that we feel like a safe, stable place." Earlier this year, the governor-general spent time at the Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care in Sydney's Redfern. The organisation provides home care services to elders, with the aim of keeping culture and community strong. For Ms Mostyn, the visit was about listening to the needs of staff members and elders alike. "One of the things I can do — I speak to ministers and I speak to the prime minister — I can share stories of success," she told the group. "For me, that starts with care, and the care that you show. You don't just show it to your own community, it extends to everyone you come into contact with." Indeed, care is a value that Ms Mostyn puts at the centre of her work. It's a message she leant into during her inauguration speech in July 2024. "Care has a deep and resonant place in our Australian identity," she said at the time. "Care is the gentle thought and the outstretched hand that Australians have always been ready to share when great challenges present themselves. Care is the quieter, better part of ourselves." Since that day, she's sworn in the 31st prime minister of Australia, represented the Australian people at the ANZAC commemoration ceremony at Gallipoli, and attended the funeral for Pope Francis. But when the prime minister asked her to accept the role, she hesitated before saying yes. "I did ask him about why he had approached me, why he thought I would be capable of doing the job and what it said about Australia," Ms Mostyn recalls. "He said ultimately it's time to have a modern, visible and optimistic governor-general who can effectively go out to the country and talk a lot about our constitutional underpinnings and the vibrancy of our democracy and our nation today." While the PM's endorsement no doubt helped sway her decision, Ms Mostyn actually credits her daughter with convincing her to say yes to the job. "She was watching [my husband] Simeon and I talking about what it would mean, the upheaval, the capacity … She quietly sat there and then just said, 'Will it make you happy?'" she recalls. "Thank goodness for our children, and the wisdom of younger people saying, 'You won't do the job well if it doesn't make you happy.' As only the second woman to serve as governor-general, Ms Mostyn's appointment was not without controversy. From her salary to her qualifications to her political views, she has weathered a storm of criticism since accepting the position. "A lot of people were very angry," she says. "They didn't think a woman could do this job. They didn't think someone who wasn't [an army] general could do this job. Ms Mostyn believes gender and background shouldn't be barriers to participating in high office if someone has the necessary skills, attributes and commitment. And, despite her detractors, she knew she was qualified. "I think when you're asked to serve that you have to actually believe you can serve," she says. "I had to reflect deeply with my husband and my daughter about whether I was capable of stepping into this role because of both the expectations, but also whether I have the legitimate right to be here and to represent Australians in this role. "I've come to the view that I do, but I come to it from a particular set of insights." As the eldest of four daughters in a military family, Ms Mostyn's upbringing instilled in her a value of service. "My dad's now in his 90s, but he served in the Australian Army for 40 years, and my sisters and I and my mum were all part of a defence family," she says. For the years ahead — she has a five-year term to serve, after all — Ms Mostyn hopes Australia continues to lead the way on issues of diplomacy and "the great Australian value … of respectfully disagreeing, and disagreeing well". She believes it's essential for our politicians and leaders to model this. "If we send a message out to the general public that it is OK to be violent, to be angry, to make it personal, I worry that we will lose something that is uniquely Australian," she says. "We see many conflicts around the world that come back into our diaspora communities, and I spend time in those communities. I know the leaders of those communities do not want to bring those debates and those issues here. Despite this note of caution, the governor-general remains one of Australia's biggest advocates. "It's been a year of immense privilege and honour," she says. "I have travelled almost every part of the country. I've learned more about myself and learned more about Australia and Australians. Watch The Governor-General One Year On with Geraldine Doogue on Compass tonight at 6:30pm on ABC TV and iview.
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
The top 10 in the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs
We've tallied the votes and the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs has been handed down in the latest instalment of Australia's coveted musical democracy. Spanning decades and genres, emotions and memories, this stunning collective of tracks encapsulates the Australian Sound as we know it; a marker of where we've been as a country, and what we're yet to become. Explore the top 10 tracks, as voted by you, in this special countdown celebrating the sonic excellence across our country. Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube If you've opened any social media apps in the last six months, you would have heard this unmissable melody tinkling out over and over thanks to Doechii's heavy sampling on 'Anxiety'. Released in 2011 and tropping the Hottest 100 chart of that year, Gotye's duet with NZ artist Kimbra also hit the pointy end of the Hottest 100 of the past 20 Years in 2013 and again in the Hottest 100 of the 2010s list in 2020. It's no surprise that it's made a return in this countdown of all time. Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube An unofficial Christmas song (we'll fight you on this), Paul Kelly's letter home from prison is a perfect capture of Australian storytelling at its finest. Inspiring a star-studded movie and countless covers in many a country pub, including a beloved Like A Version by Luca Brasi, the 1996 track makes its Hottest 100 debut after achieving a true cult-favourite status. Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Chuck 'Khe Sanh' on at any party and you'll have people arm in arm belting out the choruses (and mumbling through the verses). This year finds Cold Chisel jumping off the train at the other end of the countdown after the 1978 track resided in the deep 90s in the 1989 and 1998 All Time lists. Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube A rare back-to-back placement in the top end of the Hottest 100, Cold Chisel gives us a one-two punch with the light and shade of their extensive catalogue. Released in 1984, this heart-crushing ballad gives the Chisel another track in the rich archives of the Hottest 100. Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube It wouldn't be a countdown of the best Australian songs without Powderfinger, would it? Potentially self-sabotaged by split votes for an extensive and excellent catalogue, the seminal Brisbane band clocks into the top end of the list with 'My Happiness'. After entering the annual countdown in 2000 at #1, this is the third time the track has made it into a special Hottest 100 following the 2009 All Time and 2013 20 Years polls. Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Coming in on a sweet technicality of having 50 per cent or more Australian members, Crowded House meet us halfway to the crown with their 1986 belter, Don't Dream It's Over. It's the third time the sing-along moment has charted, previously appearing in the 1996 and 2009 All Time countdowns at #76 and #50, respectively. Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Undeniably one of the best songs of the 2000s, Missy Higgins leads us to the pointy end with her most successful song to date, 'Scar'. As one of the winners of the earliest iterations of triple j Unearthed competitions, Missy has had a long history with the station. Though 'Scar' narrowly came in second in the 2004 annual countdown, this marks her 13th appearance in a Hottest 100 (10 annuals, two specials). Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Please stand for your unofficial national anthem, courtesy of The Veronicas. Released in 2007 and finding a new fandom in the LGBTQIA+ community in 2019, the Brisbane duo make their own Hottest 100 debut with the second-fastest song in this special countdown. Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Standing tall on the Hottest 100 podium is the Adelaide trio, Hilltop Hoods, with their 2003 party starter, 'The Nosebleed Section'. Sampling the late Melanie Safka's 'People in the Front Row', the hip hop stalwarts come in swinging into the top end of the countdown. This is for the peeps and the freaks in the front row. Listen: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Your number one voted track in the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs is this iconic ballad from Sydney's own INXS. Showcasing the tender romantics of late frontman Michael Hutchence in his lyrics, 'Never Tear Us Apart' has stood the test of time since its release in 1988. From soundtracking personal moments and film and TV to revving up fans at football games, the track's enduring legacy has cemented it as the highest polling track in this momentous musical democracy. Who could deny the sheer power of that sax solo? Catch up on all the fun of the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs at our live blog.
