Latest news with #AFLGrandFinal
Sydney Morning Herald
21 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Your honour, it was an honour: My courtroom victory
This story is part of the July 19 edition of Good Weekend. See all 16 stories. Outside the courtroom, I kneel on the floor, wracked with tension. Anxiety puts me close to the ground, nearing foetal position, while on the other side of a door, a policeman views bodycam footage of the incident, my fate swinging on the variable scales of justice. Earlier, I'd sat among other defendants as a magistrate heard an array of misdemeanours, each one met with a corresponding punishment. A young Indian student, studying AI by day and delivering pizzas at night, nabbed driving while his licence was suspended after an earlier speeding breach. A woman caught drink-driving (she blew .113). A man with family in tow, facing the music after riding his black BMW motorbike at 90km/h in a 60km/h zone: three-month loss of licence and $500 fine. Here, on a Monday morning, is the everyday drama of the courts, all of us finding ourselves on the wrong side of the law, for one reason or another, and processed now as a job lot. Some dress up for the occasion. A mum sits with a daughter who bats flamboyant false eyelashes; three young men, perhaps footballers, wearing blue suits that pull too tight across the shoulders, sip water as lawyers with product in their hair lean into them, looking as though they're hatching a conspiracy. Most of us accused come as we are. A bloke seated beside me says he's been here before; lost his licence a while back, but is now trying to repeal an old intervention order: 'I was a dick 10 years ago. But I'm not a dick now.' Around a campfire in the mountains, my eldest boy once asked: 'Dad, have you ever been to prison?' Children are intuitive. My boys know I'm wary of authority, ask questions, am unafraid to make a stand against what I think is unjust. And fair cop; often enough I do look a bit jailbirdy. I tell him a truth: I have been locked up inside a prison van, at a protest in the city. It's still unclear if I was accused of 'obstructing the police' or 'obstructing the peace' (both hogwash). I joined a schoolteacher dressed as a bumblebee, among other detainees. My only crime was to be wearing a bright orange roadworker's shirt. All of us were released later in parkland, like relocating possums. And I've had plenty of days in court. One case heard in Sydney was dismissed after my opening line: 'The day after the AFL Grand Final last year, I caught a plane to Delhi.' Sydney had won the game; lawyers on the door out surmised the judge was a Swans supporter. It was the pettiest of traffic infringements. One school holiday I took my two boys and a friend's son to the Melbourne Magistrates' Court – as evidence, of sorts. While my restless assistants crawled under the seats, a court clerk approached, asked my name, expedited the case. The matter was a parking fine, incurred outside my boys' primary school while delivering a six-metre length of slotted PVC pipe for a mint 'drip garden' I was building beneath the drinking taps. Penalty waived. I've written a letter to a council contesting a fine, outlining the differences between a barrier kerb and a semi-mountable kerb, and never heard back. And I've jogged the breadth of a CBD, bursting through the court doors as my case was about to be heard, out of breath before one of our best-known magistrates. We had a chat, and your honour, it was an honour. I was let off. Three cans from the back of my ute had fallen onto the freeway, allegedly. That morning I was carrying 3639 other cans, 736 PET bottles and 17 liquid paperboard boxes, all trussed in large plastic bags. Children at various schools had collected them – along with glass bottles – and I'd helped with the sorting and counting, encouraging them to find ways to understand numbers. We'd had fun, and each week I'd documented the activity for their newsletters. Our goal was to raise $5000 for an Afghan refugee family, 10 cents at a time, through a container deposit scheme. The highway patrolman was wholly uninterested in our enterprise. Loading Before the court, I suggest an error in the police account: my payload was indeed 'tied down properly', but in tightening a winch strap, I may have pinched a hole in a bag. Bodycam footage was observed; the source of the alleged three loose cans is inconclusive. Shown the footage, my first thought: 'Geez, I looked trim last winter.' Then I see myself scouring the roadside, picking up more cans, straight after the senior constable pulled me over to write out a $288 ticket. I collected litter as he watched, gun on hip. Wording on the preliminary brief – a statement of alleged facts – is amended, and back in the court, the judge seems to warm to my plight. A conversation is started, there is to-and-fro, and she suggests I plead guilty and the court could use its power of discretion. In a suburban courtroom on a Monday morning, I am the only defendant to be let off the hook. I've had my say and, turning to leave, all are smiling, including the magistrate. Here is kindness, an understanding, and I tell her I could hug her, but that would be inappropriate. Yes, it would, she says.
The Age
21 hours ago
- The Age
Your honour, it was an honour: My courtroom victory
This story is part of the July 19 edition of Good Weekend. See all 16 stories. Outside the courtroom, I kneel on the floor, wracked with tension. Anxiety puts me close to the ground, nearing foetal position, while on the other side of a door, a policeman views bodycam footage of the incident, my fate swinging on the variable scales of justice. Earlier, I'd sat among other defendants as a magistrate heard an array of misdemeanours, each one met with a corresponding punishment. A young Indian student, studying AI by day and delivering pizzas at night, nabbed driving while his licence was suspended after an earlier speeding breach. A woman caught drink-driving (she blew .113). A man with family in tow, facing the music after riding his black BMW motorbike at 90km/h in a 60km/h zone: three-month loss of licence and $500 fine. Here, on a Monday morning, is the everyday drama of the courts, all of us finding ourselves on the wrong side of the law, for one reason or another, and processed now as a job lot. Some dress up for the occasion. A mum sits with a daughter who bats flamboyant false eyelashes; three young men, perhaps footballers, wearing blue suits that pull too tight across the shoulders, sip water as lawyers with product in their hair lean into them, looking as though they're hatching a conspiracy. Most of us accused come as we are. A bloke seated beside me says he's been here before; lost his licence a while back, but is now trying to repeal an old intervention order: 'I was a dick 10 years ago. But I'm not a dick now.' Around a campfire in the mountains, my eldest boy once asked: 'Dad, have you ever been to prison?' Children are intuitive. My boys know I'm wary of authority, ask questions, am unafraid to make a stand against what I think is unjust. And fair cop; often enough I do look a bit jailbirdy. I tell him a truth: I have been locked up inside a prison van, at a protest in the city. It's still unclear if I was accused of 'obstructing the police' or 'obstructing the peace' (both hogwash). I joined a schoolteacher dressed as a bumblebee, among other detainees. My only crime was to be wearing a bright orange roadworker's shirt. All of us were released later in parkland, like relocating possums. And I've had plenty of days in court. One case heard in Sydney was dismissed after my opening line: 'The day after the AFL Grand Final last year, I caught a plane to Delhi.' Sydney had won the game; lawyers on the door out surmised the judge was a Swans supporter. It was the pettiest of traffic infringements. One school holiday I took my two boys and a friend's son to the Melbourne Magistrates' Court – as evidence, of sorts. While my restless assistants crawled under the seats, a court clerk approached, asked my name, expedited the case. The matter was a parking fine, incurred outside my boys' primary school while delivering a six-metre length of slotted PVC pipe for a mint 'drip garden' I was building beneath the drinking taps. Penalty waived. I've written a letter to a council contesting a fine, outlining the differences between a barrier kerb and a semi-mountable kerb, and never heard back. And I've jogged the breadth of a CBD, bursting through the court doors as my case was about to be heard, out of breath before one of our best-known magistrates. We had a chat, and your honour, it was an honour. I was let off. Three cans from the back of my ute had fallen onto the freeway, allegedly. That morning I was carrying 3639 other cans, 736 PET bottles and 17 liquid paperboard boxes, all trussed in large plastic bags. Children at various schools had collected them – along with glass bottles – and I'd helped with the sorting and counting, encouraging them to find ways to understand numbers. We'd had fun, and each week I'd documented the activity for their newsletters. Our goal was to raise $5000 for an Afghan refugee family, 10 cents at a time, through a container deposit scheme. The highway patrolman was wholly uninterested in our enterprise. Loading Before the court, I suggest an error in the police account: my payload was indeed 'tied down properly', but in tightening a winch strap, I may have pinched a hole in a bag. Bodycam footage was observed; the source of the alleged three loose cans is inconclusive. Shown the footage, my first thought: 'Geez, I looked trim last winter.' Then I see myself scouring the roadside, picking up more cans, straight after the senior constable pulled me over to write out a $288 ticket. I collected litter as he watched, gun on hip. Wording on the preliminary brief – a statement of alleged facts – is amended, and back in the court, the judge seems to warm to my plight. A conversation is started, there is to-and-fro, and she suggests I plead guilty and the court could use its power of discretion. In a suburban courtroom on a Monday morning, I am the only defendant to be let off the hook. I've had my say and, turning to leave, all are smiling, including the magistrate. Here is kindness, an understanding, and I tell her I could hug her, but that would be inappropriate. Yes, it would, she says.
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Australian radio host Jade Robran leaves show after learning of uncle Barrie Robran's death
North Adelaide Football Club legend Barrie Robran has died aged 77. Photo / The Advertiser 'Jade unfortunately has had to go home, there has been some unexpected and very tragic news, there's been a death in her family,' Tom said. 'Hope you're okay, Jade, if you're driving home listening right now. 'Jade, we love you, we hope you're okay with the rest of the family. 'Hopefully she'll be back tomorrow. That's very, very sad news.' He continued to host the show solo. It's not yet known how Barrie died, with his family yet to release a statement. Barrie, who won the Magarey Medal three times during his career, has a statue at Adelaide Oval in his honour. Jade Robran co-hosts FIVEAA's Winter Breakfast show with Tom Rehn. Photo / Jade is yet to comment. The radio host and journalist, who also occasionally presents segments on Channel 7's Sunrise, has been a roving reporter for FIVEAA since February last year. She has worked on TV for more than a decade, having presented the AFL Grand Final, Melbourne Cup Carnival and Australian Open over the years. She is married to 2001 Big Brother winner turned AFL sports agent Ben Williams, with whom she shares two sons. The pair, who wed in 2008, suffered a scare this time last year when Williams was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident. Taking to Instagram in June on the first anniversary of the incident, Jade said her husband 'shouldn't have survived' the crash in South Australia's Flinders Range. 'It's been 365 days since me and the boys got a call to say Ben had been in a motorcycle accident (that he shouldn't have survived but did),' Jade wrote. 'The following six months was a bit … 'But, we all got through it (you're a strong, determined bugger big guy) and in a crazy way, we are all better for it and stronger as a unit.'
Sky News AU
5 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Lord Mayor Nick Reece accused of excessive travel spending as ratepayer costs soar beyond $114,000
Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece is under pressure to explain why ratepayers have been left with a six-figure bill to fund his travel since stepping into the Deputy Lord Mayor role in late 2020, with the expenses now totalling a staggering $114,320.55. An investigation by The Herald Sun into publicly released financial records shows the Lord Mayor's travel costs, including local, interstate, and international trips, which have steadily accumulated over his time in office. Of the overall figure, more than $80,000 has reportedly been classified as 'local travel'. That category includes repeated use of a chauffeur-driven car for trips across Melbourne, a practice critics argue is out of touch in the current economic climate. When pressed to justify the expense or confirm how much was spent specifically on chauffeured services, Mr Reece declined to respond directly. 'The expenses reflect the significant demands on the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor to attend a range of engagements, where they represent and advocate for the city,' a City of Melbourne spokesperson said, defending the spending. International travel was also added to the bill. In 2023, Mr Reece took part in a business delegation to China, visiting Hong Kong, Tianjin, and Beijing. That trip cost ratepayers $16,263.38. The travel tab may not stop there. On Tuesday, Melbourne City Council is expected to vote on another international mission, to cities in China and Japan, that could see another $20,470 added to the ledger. The itinerary includes stops in Chengdu, Nanjing, Tianjin, Osaka, as well as transit through Hong Kong and Tokyo. Ratepayer advocacy group Council Watch has blasted the spending as out of step with public expectations. 'We acknowledge that Mr Reece is an ambassador for the City of Melbourne and this may increase expense more than an ordinary council mayor, however, given the tight economic times, we would urge City of Melbourne to reduce and limit all interstate and overseas travel, and where possible reduce any private car usage,' Council Watch President Dean Hurlston told the Herald Sun. 'The level of spending (on travel) seems excessive. Mr Reece needs to show prudent financial leadership as Lord Mayor.' This is not the first time the Melbourne mayoralty has come under fire for transport spending. In December, former Lord mayor Sally Capp's own hefty use of taxpayer-funded chauffeur services was exposed, with more than $31,000 spent in just one year. Those rides included trips to the 2023 AFL Grand Final, the Melbourne Cup and the Matildas' FIFA World Cup semi-final. In one case, Ms Capp charged ratepayers $93 for a limo ride covering just 650 metres, from Town Hall to the Yarra boatsheds, to announce the Moomba Festival Monarchs. Ms Capp's travel habits stood in stark contrast to a 2018 campaign pledge she made to ditch the Lord Mayor's official vehicle. 'That's why I'll be walking, cycling, using public transport and driving my own car to and from work and official events,' she said at the time. 'I'll still on occasion use a car service, on an as-needs basis, when that is the most appropriate and efficient transport option.'
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The staggering cost of going to the AFL grand final revealed: Here's what $6295 will get you at the MCG - and fans are NOT happy
Details surrounding the best ticket in town for the AFL grand final have been revealed, with footy fans having to fork out more than $6000 to snap one up. Widely regarded as one of the landmark dates on Australia's sporting calendar, the AFL grand final will be played on Saturday, September 27 in front of a capacity crowd at the MCG. The AFL will cater for those in search of VIP treatment on the big day, with details of hospitality at the 'Inner Sanctum' posted online. The package, titled 'The Ultimate' and priced at an eye-watering $6295 per person, combines premium dining with what is described as 'exclusive matchday experiences'. Ticket holders for 'The Ultimate Suite' are treated to VIP pre-game hospitality with a premiership hero telling stories of their own grand final day. Guests are treated to an exclusive experience at the MCG, receiving privileged access to an 'unforgettable on-field experience' before watching the big match from a private suite. Guests will then enjoy the post-grand final celebrations with VIP hospitality services within the Toyota LandCruiser Grand Final Village in Yarra Park. Other packages, titled 'The Ultimate - Miller Room' and 'The Ultimate - Nobu' offer similar features, with the former priced at a whopping $6,995. Footy fans have already voiced their anger about the price of packages at the MCG. 'The @aflkeep saying "we are all about the fans". $2500 for the cheapest available GF package. Great for "fans" that,' posted one X user. 'The GF had never been about the fans. Only corporates,' replied another. 'The fact there's a 7k ticket for grand final day says everything, what a disgrace,' replied a third. Other supporters were not fussed about the prices, with one fan posting: 'Well these are ** packages** key word is packages that includes food, beverage and corporate seating… of course it's gonna be a couple grand.' For those footy fans who don't want to spend as much, there's an 'In-Ground Dining' package priced at $4,450 that offers 'the very best' Level 2 reserved seating, gourmet three-course meals and gourmet half-time footy fare. Cheaper packages for $2995 and $2495 per person are also available. Grand Final Plus Passes, which include access to a match of choice in week three of the finals and a reserved seat for the decider, have been sold out on the AFL's website. These tickets are priced at $1795. As the season heats up, Collingwood, Geelong and Brisbane are among the favourites tipped by bookmakers to claim the premiership flag - but there's still plenty of time for that to change. The Adelaide Crows - who currently sit third on the ladder - and Western Bulldogs are also regarded as chances of grand final glory with bookmakers.
