'City of literature': Hundreds help to relocate Melbourne's oldest bookshop
"It's bittersweet."
Jaclyn Crupi walked into the bookstore in 2008 and asked for a job. She said it changed her life. The bookstore is relocating 120m down the road, from 86 to 32 Bourke Street.
'Get something positive out of it' Robyn Annear, the person who came up with the idea of shaping a human chain, told SBS News that she read about something similar happening in the US. She said that she suggested the bookstore members "get something positive out of [the relocation] and get your customers involved." "It is amazing when people come in on a day when small hail is predicted, it's just fantastic. "People love these books."
About 18,000 books were packed by members, and in the human chain, hundreds helped move a few thousand of the books.
Veronica Sullivan, festival director of the Melbourne Writers Festival, was among those passing books from hand to hand in the rainy weather. "It's kind of raining a little bit, but it is an opportunity to show how much we love the store," she told SBS News. "It says something about the community here in Melbourne ... It tells you how much Melbourne loves books and writing. "We are a city of literature, and that's embedded in our cultural fabric, and the turnout is testament to that."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
11 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Lunch Wrap: ASX comes out swinging, rare earth stocks catch fire on price floor plan
ASX fires up as Wall Street sniffs rate cuts
 Rare earth stocks climb after Canberra hints floor price plan Telix tanks as ballooning costs spook investors The ASX 200 came out swinging on Tuesday, with the benchmark index jumping 1% by lunchtime in the east. Behind the rally was Wall Street, where jittery traders turned into bargain hunters as all three major indexes jumped over 1%. Back home, the good vibes got an extra kick from rising consumer confidence this morning. The ANZ-Roy Morgan index jumped to 90.6, its highest reading since the RBA started its rate-hiking crusade back in May 2022. That mood music flowed nicely into the market itself. All 11 sectors on the ASX were in the green by mid-morning, with tech, miners and consumer discretionary stocks leading the pack. Meanwhile, rare earth stocks such as Iluka Resources (ASX:ILU) and Lynas (ASX:LYC) rallied after reports the Aussie government might pull a Trump-style move and set a floor price for rare earths. The Trump administration has already announced it was pushing a price floor to boost US rare earths production and cut reliance on China. The idea of a government stepping in to backstop the price of critical minerals is enough to get investors clicking 'buy'. Among large cap news, debt collector Credit Corp Group (ASX:CCP) absolutely stole the spotlight, flying 16% after posting a 16% jump in full-year profit to $94.1 million. Shipbuilder Austal (ASX:ASB) lifted 6% as it locked in a sovereign defence shipbuilding role with the federal government, and upgraded earnings guidance to not less than $100 million. The move came hot on the heels of news that Japan has scored a $10 billion deal to build three stealth frigates for the Royal Australian Navy. Meanwhile, Telix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:TLX) took a savage 20% beating after revealing that operating expenses had ballooned in the first half of FY25. The company, which recently switched to reporting in US dollars, flagged that OPEX (excluding R&D) will hit about 36% of revenue … which spooked the market. ASX SMALL CAP WINNERS Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks for August 5 : Security Description Last % Volume MktCap TKL Traka Resources 0.002 100% 63,225,692 $2,125,790 SRJ SRJ Technologies 0.006 50% 4,202,913 $2,778,987 HMD Heramed Limited 0.017 42% 16,673,347 $10,507,233 THB Thunderbird Resource 0.014 40% 7,657,666 $3,897,414 AUK Aumake Limited 0.004 33% 145,012 $9,070,076 EOS Electro Optic Sys. 3.930 33% 7,207,276 $569,208,692 M4M Macro Metals Limited 0.008 25% 17,774,500 $23,864,505 TRP Tissue Repair 0.350 25% 137,781 $16,930,156 SIS Simble Solutions 0.005 25% 1,000,000 $4,329,321 FAL Falconmetalsltd 0.598 22% 2,367,091 $87,003,080 MEG Megado Minerals Ltd 0.039 22% 243,144 $20,661,864 ALR Altairminerals 0.006 20% 41,540,415 $21,483,721 CUL Cullen Resources 0.006 20% 250,328 $3,467,009 FRX Flexiroam Limited 0.006 20% 81,250 $7,586,993 CCP Credit Corp Group 18.290 20% 786,540 $1,038,700,223 ZNC Zenith Minerals Ltd 0.037 19% 670,906 $16,413,120 WTM Waratah Minerals Ltd 0.470 19% 2,587,983 $92,237,345 TEM Tempest Minerals 0.007 17% 49,206 $6,610,770 TZL TZ Limited 0.055 15% 59,326 $13,469,477 RKN Reckon Limited 0.595 14% 531,134 $58,913,313 AZL Arizona Lithium Ltd 0.008 14% 2,118,093 $37,662,201 CTO Citigold Corp Ltd 0.004 14% 100,000 $10,500,000 RGL Riversgold 0.004 14% 150,440 $5,892,994 Software firm SRJ Technologies Group (ASX:SRJ) has locked in $1.38 million from institutional investors at $0.004 a pop, with strong backing from existing shareholders. The retail component set to raise a further $1.15 million when it opens on 8 August. Funds will help SRJ kick off a 50:50 joint venture in the Middle East worth over US$6 million. Electro Optic Systems (ASX:EOS) has landed a EUR 71.4 million (around $125 million) export order from a European NATO member for its new 100kW high-power laser weapon system, designed to take down drone swarms. It's the world's first export order for a laser of this class, with delivery set for 2025-2028. Macro Metals (ASX:M4M) has locked in $2 million from new and existing professional investors at 0.7 cents a share. Non-exec chair Tolga Kumova is chipping in $311k of that, pending shareholder approval in November. The funds will go towards exploration at the Turner iron ore project, technical services at the Extension iron project, and ramping up its mining services arm. Falcon Metals (ASX:FAL) has hit visible gold in multiple stacked veins at its Blue Moon prospect, just north of the 22Moz Bendigo Goldfield. The third wedge hole is drilling right down the fold hinge, and has struck quartz veining, sulphides, and what looks like a 7.6m saddle reef. Assays are pending. And, Boss Energy (ASX:BOE) is still licking its wounds after last week's brutal 44% crash, triggered by a cost and production downgrade at its Honeymoon uranium project. In a formal reply to the ASX today, Boss defended its disclosure timing, saying it only finalised the new guidance on July 27, one day before releasing it. Shares rose 5%. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT positive case report has highlighted the therapeutic potential of Argent BioPharma's (ASX:RGT) cannabinoid therapy CannEpil in treatment-resistant epilepsy. As Australia's digital economy rapidly expands, new research reveals critical digital skill gaps that could unlock $25 billion in productivity gains by 2035.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Labor government to increase international student cap by 25,000 for 2026 academic year
Australia will lift the number of foreign students allowed to study in the 2026 academic year to 295,000, in a bid to safeguard the 'incredibly important export industry'. The figure is 25,000 higher than the number allowed by Education Minister Jason Clare for the 2025 academic year, but is still 8 per cent lower than the influx of international students after borders opened post-pandemic. It will also not account for students at TAFE or those who enrol in a public-funded university but previously attended an Australian high school. Universities will be able to request an increase to their 2025 allocations, but they must be able to show an increased engagement with Southeast Asia - as part of Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 - and that they have enough student accommodation to cater to both domestic and international students. The largest proportion of students from overseas were from China (23 per cent), India (17 per cent) and Nepal (8 per cent). Mr Clare said international education - worth $51bn to the Australian economy in 2023-24 and employing more than 250,000 workers - was an 'incredibly important export industry', but needed to be sustainably managed. 'International education doesn't just make us money - it makes us friends,' he said. 'This is about making sure international education grows in a way that supports students, universities and the national interest.' Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government's priority was ensuring the international education sector maintained the 'integrity of the migration system'. 'We are making sure student visa processing supports genuine education outcomes and our strategic priorities – including increasing provision of student accommodation,' he said. 'This is about backing providers who do the right things and giving them the certainty they need to grow sustainably.' Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles also welcomed the exclusion of TAFE from the cap, saying it would allow the international VET sector to grow sustainably and better meet skills needs. 'The diverse nationalities of international VET students present an opportunity to strengthen our international partnerships,' he said. 'From today, VET providers can plan recruitment with confidence for 2026, knowing they will continue to enjoy equitable access to student visa processing.'
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Health Check: Audeara strives to be ‘the next Cochlear' in affordable hearing collab
Audeara and Ear Science Institute Australia will strive to develop a more affordable bone-conduction hearing device Auditor voices 'substantial doubt' over Universal Biosensors' viability Freeze a jolly good fellow: Brent Owens take over at cryopreserver Vitrafy Do we hear the next Cochlear (ASX:COH)? Hearing tech group Audeara has entered a project agreement with Ear Science Institute Australia (ESIA). This is to develop bone-conduction hearing tools for Australian high-need communities. ESIA contributes $100,000 and its considerable expertise. Bone conduction involves transmitting vibrations through the skull. This bypasses the eardrum and allows users to hear ambient sounds alongside audio. One target market is children who need help to hear in class, especially in regional areas. The WA-based ESIA has extensive experience in remote parts of the state – especially in indigenous communities – while remote teachers already use Audeara's headphones and buds. 'It's about finding a solution that can be delivered at scale, to enable access in cases where people don't have it,' Audeara CEO Dr James Fielding says. 'Also, if we can find a way that is a bit more consumer friendly then more people will use it." He says the problem is not necessarily hearing loss: the kids might have fluctuating hearing, speech processing disorder or an autism spectrum condition. 'It's really looking at how we can give kids the best chance of getting the information so they can learn from it.' The parties expect the project to kick off next month. Cochlear's Baha devices – as in bone-anchored hearing aid – cost around $10,000 locally. Strictly speaking, the $4 million market cap Audeara doesn't plan to challenge the $20 billion Cochlear any time soon. "But if we can be the next super partner of Cochlear that would appeal to me greatly,' Fielding says. Universal Biosensors is on the ropes Universal Biosensors (ASX:UBI) is fighting for its life. The company today reported half-year revenue of $2.2 million, down 11% and a $10.4 million loss compared with $7.23 million previously. (By dint of history, Universal is US domiciled and thus reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission.) Universal's June quarter deficit came in at $6.6 million, compared with a $3.72 million loss previously. The unflattering numbers prompted a stern 'substantial doubt' warning from auditor Price Waterhouse, which questions whether the company can continue as a going concern. 'The company has experienced recurring losses since its inception and has not generated any significant revenues,' says the notes to the accounts. 'The company has not generated significant revenues resulting in the net cash outflows and accumulated losses to date." The board forecasts "further cash outflows while growing the business over the coming period". Over time, Universal has accrued $113.6 million of losses. Management plans to fund the business by "growing revenue, pursuing joint venture or partnerships for its product portfolio, assets and raising cash through debt funding'. Related party loan to the rescue? On July 2, Universal signed a non-binding term sheet for a loan facility of up to $8.5 million, with substantial shareholder Viburnum Funds Pty Ltd. (Viburnum's Criag Coleman resigned from the board to avoid a conflict of interest.) The company said it also planned an equity raising. Subject to approval at a shareholder meeting on August 29, the 18-month facility has a 15% interest rate plus royalties. The facility is due to be finalised this Friday. Parlous financial state aside, Universal has applied its proprietary electro-chemical sensors in interesting ways. During the half, Universal derived most of its revenue from anti-coagulation human testing (Xprecia Prime) and a winery quality control tool (Sentia). The company has also developed a water pipe impurity sensor (Aquascout) and glucose monitoring for dogs and cats (Petrackr). Management says while no binding capital measures are in place, the company 'has successfully raised new equity capital in the past.' A change at the top no-one thaw coming A mere six months after the cryopreservation group's ASX listing, Vitrafy Life Sciences (ASX:VFY) CEO Kate Munnings will step down in favour of co-founder and deputy CEO Brent Owens. The former head of IVF provider Virtus Health, Munnings remains on the board. The company says its next stage would benefit from a 'leader with a deep knowledge of Vitrafy's cryopreservation technology, as well as the biotech sector'. As joint founder – and 2014 Masterchef winner to boot – we guess Owens ticks those boxes. Vitrafy is developing its cryopreservation hardware and Lifechain cloud-based management platform. This is for applications including cell and gene therapies, aquaculture (salmon breeding) and bovine reproduction. Vitrafy's US efforts centre on a collaboration with the US Army Institute of Surgical Research, which carried out a successful phase I study on blood platelet preservation. The project aims to improve the shelf-life of emergency blood platelets on the battlefield. More FDA turmoil … The turmoil at the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) again has hit the headlines, with revelations of last-minute meddling in a drug-approval decision. On July 22, shares in the Nasdaq-listed Replimune group tumbled 77% after the agency issued a Complete Response Letter. This pertained to the company's proposed melanoma drug RP1. In effect, the FDA rejected the approval application in the late stages of the review process. According to the biotech newsletter Stat, internal FDA reviewers supported the therapy before a senior official stepped in. It's suggested that Replimune was caught in the crossfire of leadership changes, staff upheaval and internal dysfunction. The official was not biologics head Vinay Prasad. The Trump appointee last month was sent packing amid a shambolic episode involving the withdrawal and then reinstatement of Sarepta's Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, Elevidys. America being America, both Replimune and Sarepta already are subject to shareholder class actions. … but Immutep's not complaining But our very own Immutep (ASX:IMM) has no complaints about the FDA's deportment. The oncology dug developer today said the agency delivered positive feedback on the company's proposed development of its first line treatment of recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Based on Immutep's clinical trial Tacti-003, the FDA concurs the company's drug candidate Efti should be evaluated in combo with the checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda. This paves way for a placebo-controlled registration trial, or a smaller single-arm study of 70 to 90 patients. Immutep chief Marc Voigt says the FDA's feedback highlights the unmet needs of the targeted group of HNSCC patients, who express low levels of the biomarker PD-L1. In the meantime, Immutep remains laser focused on its pivotal phase III lung cancer trial, Tacti-004.
