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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Port Lincoln residents stand against council green space development push
Port Lincoln residents have clashed with their council over a proposal to develop green spaces in the city. The council has proposed to revoke the community land classification of five council-owned sites. It said they could be used for aged care, child care or housing if the community saw value in repurposing them. But the proposal has sparked action from residents who say green spaces should be left alone. About 200 Port Lincoln residents gathered on Sunday to voice their concerns over the council's proposal to develop Harbour View Reserve. It has been a popular spot for kids' play, dog walking, and recreation. The reserve could potentially become the site for an aged care facility, which the council said was needed among an ageing demographic. Save Harbour Reserve member Tijana Stockhem said she wanted to protect the community status of the land so it could not be developed. "Once the community status of the land is revoked, there's no protection," Ms Stockhem said. "I guess we have no idea what will be built on this parcel of land, and there's no guarantee as well that any of this parcel of land will remain for the community … which is concerning." Ms Stockhem, a mother of two boys, said she had spoken with more than 100 residents around the area. She said the reserve was valued for recreation. "We'll keep working together as a group to spread awareness and try and protect this space … once this parcel of land is gone, it's gone," she said. "I'm not just thinking of our current mental health ... I'm thinking of the future as well. City of Port Lincoln Mayor Diana Mislov said while she looked forward to receiving feedback, there was a growing need for aged care in the city. "We are an ageing demographic, that's proven by the RDA [Regional Development Australia] studies … we're getting older and staying alive longer and we do need more aged care facilities," she said. "I think there's some more discussion that could be had at the table, just to see where aged care is best suited for in Port Lincoln and what capacity both of those enterprises will have." Senior lecturer in urban and regional planning at Flinders University, Gerti Szili, said the need for more land would grow as more people relocated to regional areas for reasons such as affordability. "Much like metropolitan areas, green space is critical for regional areas as well," Dr Szili said. "I guess the question of how we balance green space with the obvious infrastructure needs and growth … it's not really a simple either-or answer. "It's really about how we manage land use in a way that meets the critical or broader needs of the community without compromising those long-term community wellbeing and liveability aspects." City of Port Lincoln chief executive Eric Brown said it was important to note the demand for aged care, child care and housing had come from the community through council research and community consultation. "Conducted over the past three years, both our Economic Development Strategy and Housing Strategy have identified a critical shortage of child care, aged care, social, affordable, and key worker housing," Mr Brown said. "This concern was strongly echoed in our community Housing Strategy survey, which received over 200 responses — the largest response our housing consultant has ever recorded — highlighting widespread community concern about the lack of housing in Port Lincoln." Mr Brown said Port Lincoln had a relatively high amount of surplus land when compared to other councils and the state average. However, he said very few land parcels were available that met size and infrastructure requirements. "While we acknowledge the valid concerns of residents living near proposed development sites, the broader community — including homelessness support services, aged care providers, and local businesses — are urging council to act," he said.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
The #BookTok backlash over former Canberra Raiders player Luke Bateman's book deal, explained
When Queensland farmer Luke Bateman posted his first TikTok video in April this year, he spoke earnestly about finding a community where he could discuss books and get recommendations. The former rugby league player and star of the television show The Bachelors Australia, had joined #BookTok, a section of the platform where book lovers review and recommend their favourite reads. "I've loved books my entire life … I've never really had anywhere to talk about it or share those things, obviously being a male in blue-collar work," he shared. For many, seeing someone like Bateman interested in books stood out. His first video received two million views, and his account exploded, amassing nearly 180,000 followers in less than two months. But while his reception was initially positive, the tide was about to turn. Just weeks after his viral debut, Bateman hopped on TikTok to announce he had signed a two-book deal for a fantasy series with Atria Books Australia, an imprint of publishing house Simon & Schuster. The announcement drew a mixed response on #BookTok, with some users taking to the comments section of the video with questions around Bateman's writing experience and if the deal was based on his virality alone. Comments included: "Well, good to see that publishing is still a colossal joke," and "The anger here is aimed at the wrong person. He's not the problem. The publisher is". Bateman had said in the announcement video that his social media presence was a big factor in his book deal being finalised. The ABC has contacted Bateman for comment. "It was obviously everyone on here resonating with me that they [Atria Books] gave me this opportunity … all of you have helped me to fulfil my childhood dream." Anthea Bariamis, who acquired the international rights to Bateman's books for Atria Books, confirmed in an Instagram live that she spotted Bateman on TikTok and reached out to his agent. "I had seen Luke online, like I know many people have for the last month or so, and I just loved his content and I was like 'Oh my god, he's a big book nerd!'" Bariamis said that she had a meeting with Bateman, who pitched her a fantasy series that he "had in his mind and has been working on for a long time". She also confirmed that he would not have a ghostwriter, as some had speculated, and that she had been provided a writing sample before the deal was finalised. The ABC has contacted Bariamis for comment. Even by industry standards, Bateman's deal is notable. "For someone who's never previously published anything before … it's quite unusual to get signed for a two-book deal … particularly if you're writing fiction," says Julian Novitz, a senior lecturer in Media and Communications from Swinburne University. Dr Novitz said that typically, debut authors sign a contract for a single book, with publishers reserving the right of first refusal on the second. The speed and scale of Bateman's book deal have also drawn criticism from content creators on #BookTok and authors from marginalised backgrounds, who view his rise as emblematic of a lack of diversity in Australia's book publishing industry. Bron Bateman, an Australian queer author and poet living with a disability, says the news of Bateman's book deal reflects a lack of effort from big publishers to invest in marginalised authors. "I find it extraordinary that six weeks on TikTok is enough to generate the kind of lavish outspending that Simon & Schuster are obviously prepared to do," she says. "The problem isn't Luke Bateman. The problem is big publishing companies." It has been long reported that Australia's publishing industry is lacking diversity. In 2022 the inaugural Australian Publishing Industry Workforce Survey on Diversity and Inclusion found there was much work to be done. The survey found that fewer than 1 per cent of Australian publishing professionals are First Nations, only 8.5 per cent have an Asian cultural identity, and just over 5 per cent identified as living with a disability. Teo Jing Xuan and Marina Sano, co-founders of Amplify Bookstore in Melbourne which solely stocks books written by Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) authors, said they weren't surprised by the Bateman deal going through. "I'm deeply unsurprised by it, to the point where I'm honestly kind of surprised by how much outrage there is because this is so run of the mill," Sano says. Teo, who has worked in publishing, says deals like this come down to sales appeal. "It's very common in publishing … they will sit around and say 'What is the sale potential for this book?' before it's being acquired," Teo says. "For books by people of colour, the chat around sales potential is a lot more in-depth than you would get from a white author per se." Bigambul and Wakka Wakka author Melanie Saward, a lecturer at the University of Queensland, said deals like Bateman's send an "awful" message to authors from marginalised backgrounds. "It shows them that they're not exceptional enough for the industry, that their stories aren't valued," she said. Dr Novitz says Bateman's book deal is an example of how virality has become an increasingly decisive factor in publishing decisions. "Publishing is a business … in terms of the works that [publishers are] looking to take a risk on, having an author who already has public visibility, and large followings on social media is a real advantage." Dr Novtiz adds that "publishing has a responsibility to broaden representation," and that when visibility begets more visibility, "it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy". "It becomes assumed that writers from a particular demographic are who readers are most interested in, because they dominate the list of published works." In an interview with entertainment news website Chattr following the outrage, Bateman acknowledged the backlash and said he wants to use his platform to spotlight marginalised authors. "A lot of these conversations are very new to me," he admitted. But one particular quote stirred further criticism. "There is no barrier to entry for reading and writing," Bateman said. It's a comment that struck a nerve with Dr Saward. "As soon as you say something like that, your privilege is out there for the whole world to see," she said. Author and person of colour, Chemutai Glasheen, says the discussions happening in light of the Bateman book deal are important, but should motivate readers to champion diverse authors. Author Bron Bateman agrees with the sentiment, saying that she hopes Luke Bateman takes this opportunity to lift up other marginalised writers. "Now in a time of political and social and cultural upheaval, the need for counter voices to be heard is more important than it has ever been … As a matter of absolute importance." Dr Saward says she also hopes this moment prompts readers to reflect. "Audit your own bookshelves and book buying habits. "[If you] make an effort to buy Australian books that have diversity in them … it's telling the publishing industry that that's what you're interested in and they'll go chasing more of those authors."
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
This plaque near a Canberra shopping centre car park offers a window into a family's tragic war story
There are little clues scattered throughout Canberra — a plaque here, a street sign there — pointing to a tragic story of a family that helped forge the nation's capital. Easily missed, they tell the story of a migrant family, three brothers and a fateful, tragic month. Englishman Walter Eddison survived a gassing in France during World War I and fighting on the shores of Gallipoli to set up life with his wife, three sons and three daughters on a 750-acre block on what was then the outskirts of Canberra in 1919. Anthony Hill, historian and author of For the Love of Country which retells the family's tale, said Canberra at that time was still sheep grazing country. "Canberra was just a beginning settlement — a population of only a few thousand. Just as the Eddisons were arriving did work really start," he said. But the outbreak of World War II would pause the growth of the capital and draw in the Eddison family. The three sons left the farm to fight in the war: Tom and Keith as pilots, Jack with the 2/20th Battalion. In 1941, the family received news that Tom was missing — possibly dead — after being shot down returning from a raid over Germany. Mr Hill said the Eddisons couldn't find out any information. Finally, in May 1943, the family received confirmation that Tom had been killed and was buried in the Netherlands. About the same time, the Canberra Times reported Keith was involved in "[giving] one of the severest hammerings this Japanese-occupied land has yet had". Just a fortnight later, days after Tom's death was confirmed, Keith was killed in New Guinea. It was at this time the family also received written correspondence from Jack — a prisoner of war (POW) in the Japanese Naoetsu camp after the fall of Singapore. The letter gave the family hope Jack would one day return. "Right through 1943, '44 and '45, they were waiting for Jack to come home," Mr Hill said. "[They thought], 'When Jack comes back, he'll fix the farm'." But they didn't receive any more correspondence. That letter, received in May 1943, would be the last. Mr Hill said after the news that two of his sons were dead and the other was in a POW camp, Mr Eddison refused to answer the telephone. He couldn't deal with more bad news. Mr Eddison was working out in a paddock when it rang in 1945. "Jack wasn't coming home. "You can imagine the devastating news." Jack Eddison had died of pneumonia on June 17, 1943, — just a fortnight after Keith had been killed. Mr Hill said the family's story showed "the real nature of war". "It was a great tragedy, but they were a stoic, brave family and they carried on," he said. The brothers' niece, Wendy Townley, grew up always feeling like she knew the uncles she had been too young to remember — from the photos on the walls, and the things they'd left behind. "They were part of the family," she said. "This is Jack's horse and Jack's dog and Tom's bed. They were talked about a lot." Yet her grandfather, Walter, never talked about his sons or the war. Ms Townley said she never quite understood as a child just what a tragedy it was. "But you don't ask questions as a kid. I wish I'd asked more about it. "I don't think it really dawned on me how really horrible it was until I had kids of my own and thought, 'Hell, how could you live with that?'. "My grandmother was so strong. She was my hero." Nowadays, the family homestead, called Yamba, has been replaced with a shopping centre. A plaque near the car park is the only remnant it existed at all. There are other tributes to the brothers, too. Mr Hill said the Eddison name was remembered in all sorts of places. "[Canberra] was named after people," he said. There's Yamba Drive, Eddison Park in Woden, and a plaque in St John's Church on the pew where Ms Townley and her family used to sit. "It's lovely the family are remembered," she said. When Ms Townley's brother sat down to start grade six at Canberra Grammar School — the school has a house called Eddison — he looked down to see the name 'Keith Eddison' carved into his desk. What many would have discarded as no more than schoolyard graffiti was just another little clue pointing to a most tragic history. "We're all very proud of the name."
