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Turia Pitt confesses she's watched hit Aussie TV series '637 times' in hilariously relatable post about her favourite things

Turia Pitt confesses she's watched hit Aussie TV series '637 times' in hilariously relatable post about her favourite things

Sky News AU11-07-2025
Turia Pitt has admitted to watching the hit '90s drama SeaChange more than 600 times, sharing the quirky fact as part of a laugh-out-loud post calling for her fellow "soul twins".
The 37-year-old took to Instagram with a carousel post of "chaotic" confessions, from overthinking a fringe to donning "good" activewear with zero plans to exercise.
"If you've ever rewatched the same comfort show again instead of risking something 'too intense' or stared at yourself in the mirror wondering if this is the era you finally get a fringe… Then yep, we might be soul twins," she captioned the post.
One slide included a snap of Turia in bed with her son and read: "You'd rather rewatch a feel-good show you've seen 637 times like SeaChange than risk a new one being 'too scary' just before bed."
The iconic ABC series, which first aired in 1998, starred Sigrid Thornton, John Howard, David Wenham, Kate Atkinson and Kevin Harrington, and clearly still holds a special place in Aussie hearts.
Followers flooded the comments with love for both the show and Turia's honesty.
"In that case… we are besties Turia," one wrote, while another said: "SeaChange forever!"
A third added: 'Oh my goodness- all of them! And SeaChange is my ALL time favourite TV show…. Besties?!"
Celebrity mates also joined in, with Melissa Doyle writing: "Yep. Friends," alongside a heart emoji, and Steph Claire Smith adding: "Ahahaha yes yes yes."
Some of Turia's other favourite things included wearing her "good" activewear to school dropoff despite having "no intention of exercising" and thinking of new hobbies such as "pickleball" and "learn[ing] harp".
Turia's relatable post comes hot on the heels of her latest book announcement.
On July 2, she unveiled her sixth title Selfish, due for release in October- a project aimed at flipping the script on what it means to put yourself first.
"We're told that being selfish is bad," she wrote.
"That we should always think of others, put everyone else first, push our own needs aside. I bought into that story. And it led me straight to burnout. This is the book I wish I had during that time."
The Sydney-based mum of two has long been open about the life-altering bushfire that reshaped her path.
In 2011, then 25, Pitt was competing in the Racing the Planet: Kimberley ultramarathon when she and another person became trapped by a fast-moving grassfire.
She sustained burns to 65 per cent of her body, was placed in a medically induced coma, lost seven fingers, and underwent more than 200 surgeries.
Her recovery spanned two years- but since then, she's become one of the country's most beloved speakers, authors, and role models.
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Coastal Twist Fair Day at risk of cancelling as DA rejected due to NRL Grand Final clash
Coastal Twist Fair Day at risk of cancelling as DA rejected due to NRL Grand Final clash

ABC News

time43 minutes ago

  • ABC News

Coastal Twist Fair Day at risk of cancelling as DA rejected due to NRL Grand Final clash

Organisers of the Central Coast's biggest diversity and inclusion festival say they are "devastated" after being told the event cannot go ahead this year because it clashes with a sporting event being held almost 80 kilometres away in Sydney. Coastal Twist Fair Day is a family-friendly LGBTQIA+ arts and culture festival that is held annually at Umina, featuring live music, cabaret, and drag story time. The event started in 2019 and has always been held on the October long weekend. But the Central Coast Council has knocked back the development application (DA) to hold the festival this year as it coincides with the NRL Grand Final being hosted at Sydney Olympic Park. Not being an NRL follower himself, festival producer Juan Iocco said he initially thought the council was referring to a local sporting event. "I think we asked [the council] about seven times over a period of almost two months for clarification," Mr Iocco said. The council said the proposed location of the event, Umina Beach, would already be at capacity due to the NRL Grand Final and long weekend visitors, and the festival would result in "unacceptable traffic and parking impacts". Mr Iocco is seeking a report into potential traffic and pedestrian impacts in the area at a cost of $30,000 in an effort to have the DA rejection overturned. But with less than eight weeks until the event was due to go ahead, he was worried it might not come in time. "Trying to keep our headliners and our main artists when we really don't know if we are going ahead with it or not is really quite stressful," he said. Glitta Supernova is the festival's creative director and said the event was initially launched because there was nothing else like it on the Central Coast. Creating a safe space for diversity in a public area was a big driver. "We've been offered [by council] all these little backyard places to hold the festival, apart from the one we want to do it in," Ms Supernova said. "We could easily do it and tuck ourselves away, and that visibility piece wouldn't be happening in our community because we're all tucked away … no-one sees it and no-one is part of it. Ms Supernova said she was surprised by the decision because she thought the NSW government was taking steps to make it easier for events like festivals to go ahead. Kristy Cartan has attended the festival every year and said the community would be heartbroken if it could not go ahead. "And I'm not just talking about the queer community. I'm talking about the whole community on the Central Coast," Ms Cartan said. "I had my 85-year-old neighbour there and my eight-year-old at the time, dancing together … it's just a beautiful expressive space." Ms Cartan said it was important that the queer community had a space where they felt safe and accepted. "It brings hope, it brings life, it brings community together … it brings the opportunity to be seen for who you are … for self-expression in its most radical and beautiful form." In a statement, Central Coast Council said the extra criteria the festival needed to meet this year, including addressing concerns about traffic and pedestrians, as well as a bushfire risk assessment, were due to new planning guidelines from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. "Council is keen for the event to proceed and is very supportive of it, having provided funding for it," it said.

'It's electric': Celebrating Disability Pride in Australia
'It's electric': Celebrating Disability Pride in Australia

SBS Australia

time43 minutes ago

  • SBS Australia

'It's electric': Celebrating Disability Pride in Australia

Using humour to challenge perceptions of what it is like to live with a disability - it's an approach writer and performer Emily Dash uses in her storytelling, in theatre and film, to dismantle stigma and stereotypes. A full-time wheelchair user, she lives with cerebral palsy - a disability that affects movement and posture. She says her art takes inspiration from real life. "My mission when it comes to artistic works is to reveal truth about me and my life - and my lived experience - in the way that serves not only me, but also inspires other people to reveal something about theirs. That would be my mission and to break down attitudinal barriers so that disability will just be front and centre in society and not in the margins." What you're about to hear is how that came together in her short film 'Groundhog Night'. It explores the family dynamics between carer Gary, his disabled daughter Jess, played by Emily Dash, and the in-laws who visit unexpectedly. In this scene, Gary is kissing his date goodnight outside the door of his home when he is interrupted by daughter Jess. And for Emily, no topics are off the table - including relationships, as heard on-stage at this year's Adelaide Fringe Festival. Emily is among disability advocates featured at this year's Disability Pride Sydney festival. Organiser Hannah Solomons says the event is being held for the fourth year, and it centres disability inclusion and accessibility, with sign language support, audio description and mobility access. "We're making some progress, but we still need desperately need it (a Disability Pride festival). The amount of hate we're getting on our Facebook page is proof of that. The discussions around the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme). There is still this idea that we're not a valuable part of society and we should just go away. So if you are shamed and rejected, the best antidote to that is to find your tribe and get together and celebrate yourself in public. We're taking up the space and demanding to be included." The festival is part of a broader global movement of Disability Pride first marked in an event 35 years ago in the United States city of Boston, to mark the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Globally, an estimated 1 billion people have a disability - or 15 per cent of the total population. In Australia that number is 5.5 million people - more than 20 per cent of the population. The census shows the number of people with a disability is growing across all age groups below the age of 70 - at that point the number stabilises. It also shows that disability discrimination affects one in 10, with that number increasing to 1 in 5 for those with a more severe disability. It affects all arenas in society: the workplace, hospitality venues and interactions with strangers in the street. Hannah Solomons says despite the size of the disability community, the diversity of it is poorly understood. "The responsibility is on all of us to not have a lazy brain. Because if there is a person that is different to us and we don't have experience of our lives, our brain will take the easy way out; and try to box them - and give them a two-dimensional picture in our heads. And that leads to horrible behaviour like you're lying if you have invisible disability; or you're worthless if you have a visible disability; or both. And none of that is okay. I don't know why our society is still so ableist (discrimination against people with a disability). But it is. I could cite statistics that could make your hair curl. The stigma is still there. We're not accepting it. We're not okay with that any more." Dancing her way on stage and suspended in the air by hanging on a pole with one arm is Deb Roach. The three-time world pole dancing champion has performed at multiple editions of the Disability Pride Sydney festival. Born without most of her left arm, Deb has always cultivated a positive mindset, but it hasn't been without it challenges - including bullying in her younger years. Dance and DJ-ing proved to be important outlets for self-expression, but it was her introduction to pole dancing that really solidified her self-confidence as an artist and advocate. It all started 18 years ago, when she watched a performance at a gothic carnival-themed event - and was absolutely mesmerised. "And these two pole dancers - they were Missy and Suzie Q - did a doubles routine where they were marionette puppets who broke free from the puppet master's strings. And they I had never seen pole in a circus context and the storytelling, the theatre, the athleticism. My mind was absolutely blown. I was backstage with those girls and I said: 'You are amazing with your two arms and your poledancing. That was mindblowing. I wish I could do what you do.' And their response to that was: 'Have you tried?' And I am a little bit like Marty McFly from (the film) 'Back to the Future' in the sense that if I am challenged I show up." Five years later she won her first pole champion title, going on to win two more. Now as a pole dance studio owner, she guides others in redefining the idea of what is possible. She has also been involved in the movement to increase the representation of Australians with disability in advertising from less than 1 per cent - and towards population parity. Led by the Dylan Alcott Foundation, the Shift 20 campaign is already having an impact, with more and more events that are access-first and access-forward. Deb Roach credits events like the Disability Pride Festival with building a strong sense of community. "It's electric - I love it! I really struggled growing up. I am a feisty individual and I didn't claim the disability - my label as a person with a disability - until I was until I was well into my late twenties. I refused to interact with it. You know, I just wanted to be a person who was a good athlete - and a good human being. But it was the disability pride movement that really helped me lean into the belonging and that sense of healing that I didn't even know that I needed in the community connection - in the space and in that room - and in that togetherness." Also featured at this year's festival is songwriter and performer Dean Nash. These days he sings and speaks frankly about living with cerebral palsy, but it wasn't always that way. "So the way that I walk is difficult. And I don't have a lot of function of my left arm and my left hand. I can't move my fingers all that independently. But I have learnt to play the piano - in my opinion, quite well - with the use of just six fingers. When I first started playing, the general feedback would be: 'oh, you don't play like everybody else does'. But once I got good at what I was doing, the narrative shifted to: 'oh, nobody plays that like you do'. And so to me that is a real highlight that a different approach to something doesn't necessarily mean a lesser one. It simply means a different one." He says he has found the arts to be a powerful medium to start conversations. "Art has a tendency to be the cornerstone of changing hearts and minds. I think cultural change really starts with the stuff that we're putting out in our media. We are the largest minority group in the world because anybody can join this group at any time. And I think that is a really confronting thought for a lot of people. I have a joke in my show where I say there are only two kinds of people in the world: there are disabled people and pre-disabled people. And the disabled audience members cackle at that; and the rest of the audience has a slow intake of breath." Emily Dash says she hopes her advocacy makes the path easier for others, moving disability from the shadows to centre stage. "I am grateful for all the people that have not only come before me but will come after me to get this mission off the ground. The latest statistics show that only four per cent of main characters onscreen have disability in drama. So there is a really long way to go yet. And even when there is representation, it is important to make sure that that representation is done authentically putting people's lived experience at the centre." The Sydney Disability Pride Festival takes place on Saturday 26 July at Sydney Town Hall from 10am until 4pm.

The industry wants us to 'show up'. But can we afford Aussie music anymore?
The industry wants us to 'show up'. But can we afford Aussie music anymore?

SBS Australia

timean hour ago

  • SBS Australia

The industry wants us to 'show up'. But can we afford Aussie music anymore?

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."

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