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Utopia. A satire about the difficult process of taking grand, uncosted, inadequately planned, fundamentally flawed schemes - and passing them off as "Nation Building". Rob Sitch, Celia Pacquola, Kitty Flanagan, Luke McGregor, Anthony Lehmann, Dave Lawson, Emma-Louise Wilson, Toby Truslove, Michelle Lim Davidson
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News.com.au
7 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Wallabies vs British and Irish Lions: Second test scores, latest talking points from the MCG
For a city that has always been lukewarm about its on-again, off-again relationship with rugby, Melbourne has turned on the charm offensive for Saturday's latest fling between Australia and the British & Irish Lions. Revelling in its reputation as Australia's sporting capital, Melbourne has embraced the so-called game they play in heaven like never before, breaking with convention by granting the Lions permission to play on Victoria's most hallowed turf. Comprising the best players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, the Lions have already featured at some of the most iconic stadiums on the planet since they began touring the world in the late 1880s, but there's something extra about getting invited to play on the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first time. 'When you spend time in Melbourne and speak to the locals and all Australians, they hold the MCG in a real special regard,' the Lions' captain Maro Itoje said. 'It's a privilege for us to play there in what will be an amazing stadium and an amazing crowd. If it reaches full capacity, it will definitely be the biggest stadium that I've played in, so it's something that we're looking to relish.' Melbourne knows how to throw a party and for the visiting fans, the festivities are already in full swing. An estimated 40,000 Lions' supporters have made the long trip from Europe to watch the match live from the G and have transformed the Victorian state capital into a sea of red jerseys and hoodies against the backtrack of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot', 'Flower of Scotland', 'Land of my Fathers' and 'Ireland's call.' From the CBD to St Kilda Beach and Lygon Streets, Melbourne's pubs and restaurants are doing a roaring trade, with Lions' and Wallabies fans side-by-side. Because Lions tours to Australia only take place every 12 years, for Wallabies' long-suffering supporters, it's a rare time they can wear the team's gold jersey with pride. After the disaster of the last World Cup, being spotted in public wearing a Wallabies jersey was almost as awkward as being caught on kiss cam at a Coldplay concert, but not this week in bustling Melbourne. While the final attendance will depend on how many members show up, Rugby Australia expects it will surpass the all-time record crowd for any Lions match of 84,188, at Sydney in 2001. 'In 10, 15 years' time will I look back on this game?' Absolutely,' Australia fullback Tom Wright said. 'I'm probably never going to play in front of 100,000 people again,' For both teams, the occasion has taken on even greater importance because the stakes could not be higher. The tourists won the opening Test 27-19 in Brisbane last weekend and will clinch the series with a game to spare if they win again at the MCG. The Wallabies are desperate to level the series and ensure the last match in Sydney is not a dead rubber and Melbourne's fickle weather has potentially come to their rescue. In theory, the forecast of rain on Saturday night should help the Wallabies, who have assembled a massive forward pack after Rob Valetini, Will Skelton and Dave Porecki were all passed fit after missing the series opener. The Australians were outplayed in the first Test but finished strongly to close the final margin to eight points after trailing by 19 early in the second half. The Wallabies' coach Joe Schmidt is banking on his big men holding the Lions at bay long enough for his replacements to run over the top of them, but also knows things don't always go to plan so he doesn't care how they get the result, as long as they do. 'We just want to win,' he said. The Lions know the ambush the Wallabies are planning for them. In 2001 and 2013, the visitors won the opening Test in Brisbane only to lose game two in Melbourne. They have made changes to their team too, with head coach Andy Farrell stacking his starting XV with nine Irishmen for what he hopes will be their crowning glory. 'We're the privileged ones that get the opportunity to do something special and hopefully create a bit of history,' Farrell said. 'There's a determined Australian side that's in our way that's going to try and stop us from doing that, so it's a hell of a Test.'
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
North Sydney Council to debate ticketed access to three New Year's Eve observation spots
Revellers taking in Sydney's legendary New Year's Eve fireworks show could soon have to shell out $50 to access a prime viewing spot in a major shake-up to how tourists and locals experience the beloved event. North Sydney councillors will decide next week whether to implement 'ticketed access' to Blues Point, a popular vantage point that fronts Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge. The council area boasts three renowned vantage points for the show, namely Bradfield Park, Lavender Bay and Blues Point, with thousands of punters descending on the spots on December 31 to take in the party. But a new report, which will be debated at the council's Monday night meeting, recommends councillors establish an introductory $50 ticket price for Blues Point to recoup costs associated with New Year's Eve. 'The current budget for NYE is $1,086,000,' the report states. 'To introduce ticketing at Blues Point only, additional costs of approximately $95,000 would be incurred including contract staff, equipment, and additional communications support. This would result in a total cost of $1,181,000. 'If 8000 tickets were sold to access Blues Point at $50 per ticket, this would generate $400,000 in revenue, reducing council's net expenditure to manage NYE crowds to circa $781,000.' At the moment, access to all three sites is free. Council costs for the event include providing toilets and bins and crowd and traffic management. Bradfield Park sits just below the northern end of the Harbour Bridge, close to Kirribilli House, while Lavender Bay sits between the park and Blues Point. The report acknowledges introducing tickets could cause some consternation in the community. 'Ticketing for an event which has been free of charge could see large numbers of non-ticket holders arriving at the sites, potentially manifesting in unsettled behaviour near entry gates, dissatisfaction voiced to staff on the ground or complaints to council's customer service centre,' the report states. 'This can be managed by regular, targeted communications in the lead-up to the event, along with well-planned operations and thorough briefing of staff prior to the event.' The countdown and fireworks is a hugely popular draw for both Sydneysiders and tourists from across the world. British tourist Ben Scammell, speaking after the 2023-24 show, told NewsWire that he was overawed and did not have words for the spectacle he witnessed. 'That was just … I don't have words for it,' he told said. 'It made the whole coming to Australia so much worth it … it was the pinnacle. 'That moment will last my whole lifetime.' The first batch of fireworks to mark the start of a new year explodes over Sydney Harbour at 9pm, with a second batch at midnight. Hundreds of thousands of people cram into the CBD and North Sydney to witness the show. The report to North Sydney Council outlines three options for the 2025-26 event. Option 1 involves ticketing across all three spots to achieve 'full cost recovery'. Option 2 involves 'partial cost recovery', with ticketing limited to Blues Point, and Option 3 involves continuing with 'free managed access'. The report recommends the councillors trial option 2. 'Subject to community consultation and feedback following NYE 2025-26, council could then decide whether to change the ticket price for future NYE managed access, expand or maintain the number of ticketed locations or return to free-access options for all managed sites,' the report states.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Michael Atherton: A lifetime student of music from ancient Egypt, medieval Europe and beyond
Michael Atherton has had his fingers in so many musical pies it's hard to know how to sum him up. He is a composer, a music therapist, an educator, a writer of books and a multi-instrumentalist. Indeed, with the Renaissance Players , Sirocco , The Atherton Table Band and Southern Crossings , he has played so many instruments he must have lost count. Just turned 75, he can add memoirist to his list of achievements, and that was our cue to get him into the studio for a long chat and attempt to make sense of his varied career. Michael's memoir Never Miss A Beat is out now via Ashwood Publishing. Music in this program: Title: Fresco Artist: Michael Atherton Composer: Michael Atherton Album: Nine Elemental Songs Label: Wirripang Title: Shall We Dream? Artist: Gondwana Voices, Mark O'Leary Composer: Michael Atherton Album: Dreamings Label: ABC Classic Title: The Last Time Artist: The Rolling Stones Composer: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards Album: Out Of Our Heads Label: Decca Title: Tedesca Dita la Proficia Artist: The Renaissance Players (mandolin & harpsicord duet with Michael Atherton and Winsome Evans) Composer: Marco Facoli Album: The Cat's Fiddlestick Label: Cherry Pie Title: Shen (Eternity) Instrumental (Rewap, Riq, Gaval) Artist: Michael Atherton Composer: Michael Atherton Album: Ankh: The Sound of Ancient Egypt Label: Celestial Harmonies Title: Mongolian Artist: Sirocco Composer: Andrew De Teliga, Bill O'Toole, Guy Madigan and Michael Atherton Album: A Celtic Breeze In The Antipodes Label: Jarra Hill Records Title: 32 22 Artist: Southern Crossings Composer: John Napier Album: Track Label: Spiral Scratch Title: Let's Jam Artist: Michael Atherton, John Napier Composer: Michael Atherton Album: Australian Made… Australian Played… Label: Sounds Australian Title: Mind Loaded Artist: Blood Orange, Caroline Polachek, Lorde, Mustafa Composer: Devonté Hynes, Caroline Polachek, Mustafa Ahmed, Ella Yelich-O'Connor Album: Essex Honey Label: RCA Records Title: War Pigs Artist: Black Sabbath Composer: Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward Album: Paranoid Label: Vertigo The Music Show was made this week on Gadigal Land.
