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Beloved ABC star tragically dies after battle with cancer

Beloved ABC star tragically dies after battle with cancer

Daily Mail​5 days ago
Veteran reporter Peter Ryan has died aged 64 after a long battle with thyroid cancer.
The Walkley Award-winning journalist, who worked as a reporter for 45 years with the ABC, was diagnosed with metastatic thyroid cancer in 2014.
His family has confirmed he passed away in Sydney on Friday night.
Peter began his career as a cadet at the Sydney Daily Mirror before landing a job at the ABC.
He worked as the head of TV news and current affairs in Victoria, before becoming the ABC's Washington bureau chief and the founding editor of Lateline Business, which later became The Business.
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In 2017, Peter won the Walkley Award for his coverage of the Commonwealth Bank scandal, which exposed deposit machines being used by drug syndicates to launder millions of dollars.
His coverage contributed to the calling of the banking Royal Commission.
In 2018, he was the National Press Club Finance Journalist of the Year.
He was also awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2022 for his service to journalism.
Peter was a senior business correspondent from 2016 until he retired in June.
Peter moved into palliative care and wanted to spend more time with his wife Mary Cotter and daughter Charlotte.
Following his retirement, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said: 'Peter Ryan is an absolute legend.
'Every day as you wake up and you think about what's happening in the economy, if you only needed to listen to one voice to be sure that you got its essential elements, it would be Peter's.'
The ABC has paid tribute to the veteran reporter in a statement following news of his passing.
'The ABC is deeply saddened by the death of our great friend and esteemed colleague Peter Ryan,' the statement read.
'After a distinguished 45-year career in journalism Peter retired from the ABC last month due to ill health.
'We extend our heartfelt condolences to Peter's family.'
ABC News Director Justin Stevens also said Peter has left a 'significant legacy' and 'touched the lives of many'.
'Through his journalism, he had a profound impact on the lives of Australians and our society. It was a privilege to know him and work alongside him.'
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I moved from China to Australia in my 20s unable to speak English and started working as a receptionist. I now own multiple properties and never worry about money: Here's my advice to Aussies
I moved from China to Australia in my 20s unable to speak English and started working as a receptionist. I now own multiple properties and never worry about money: Here's my advice to Aussies

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I moved from China to Australia in my 20s unable to speak English and started working as a receptionist. I now own multiple properties and never worry about money: Here's my advice to Aussies

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With house prices rising in Australia over the long term, pushing Sydney's mid-point value to $1.5million, properties with a backyard are regarded as a better way to build wealth for the future, as surging population growth makes residential land more valuable. 'An apartment for $700,000 to $800,000 is a viable option in Sydney - the price will not increase much meaning they have a place to call home but their wealth will not increase,' he said. 'For the same amount of money, $800,000 can still buy you a standalone house in Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide with good capital growth and good rental yield.' With house prices rising in Australia, over the longer-term, properties with a backyard are regarded as great way to build wealth for the future, as surging population growth makes residential land more valuable (pictured is Oran Park in Sydney's outer south west) Mr Shang moved to Sydney from the Chinese city of Shenyang at age 24 in 2005, after completing a Bachelor of Economics majoring in share trading. 'I couldn't speak a word of English when I came,' he said. 'I did well in written English and listening, reading but not speaking.' He began his career in Australia working as a receptionist for a real estate company, before getting Masters degrees in accounting and business administration. The 44-year-old property investor admitted his first few Sydney apartment purchases weren't successful, leading him to now focus solely on buying houses, based on the scarcity of available land. 'I lost money on those - in the latter days I sold everything because I lost a lot of money; I need to sit down and think about what I did wrong,' he said. 'I found out that if I were going to invest in houses from the same time as I bought the first apartment, I would have made a lot of money, a lot. 'I sold all of the apartments and started buying houses and from there I always made money, never lost a cent.' After a slow start with a $400,000 two-bedroom unit in Kogarah in 2011, which made only modest capital gains - he learned from his mistakes and went on to buy houses across Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Melbourne, having previously also bought units in Wolli Creek and Arncliffe. He has also written a Mandarin-language book for Chinese buyers - Australian Property Strategy - on how to grow a property portfolio in Australia. 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'There are a few things I don't talk to anyone: that includes how much money I have, how many properties I own and my family because I think that's my privacy,' he said. 'If I tell people how much I have, everyone will want a piece of it; the taxman will want a piece of it.' But he said he continues to live modesty, driving a $20,000 Toyota Corolla occasionally but mostly getting around on a motorbike. 'I like to keep low key; I don't wear expensive clothes; no luxury cars; I ride a motorbike actually and it's cheap to maintain,' he said. 'I invested in some properties and then I don't need to worry about money anymore. 'But I've bought and sold properties pretty much in each capital city in Australia.' His rule for sound investment is to look at markets with population growth and a diversified economy. 'It depends on how you define value: I never buy properties just because it's cheap - I need to see the future of it,' he said. 'If I don't see the future, I don't buy. For property to increase in price, there are a few fundamental factors you need to consider: one, is population growth and then you need to have a lot of job opportunities.' When it came to having an investment strategy, he said it wasn't about the number of investment properties someone had that made them rich. 'It's not the number of properties, it's how much they're worth,' he said. 'If you ask me today, I would say $5million to $7million but in investment properties, excluding their owner-occupied property.' Mr Shang argued a property portfolio worth more than $5million was more likely to generate passive income of $350,000 a year that would enable someone to either retire early or have an income stream to have a comfortable retirement. He argued that someone with a $5million investment portfolio could invest the rental income in an exchange trade fund (ETF) on the Australian share market, and earn seven per cent returns every year. 'But if you have five properties, worth $5million, then you're really rich,' he said. 'If you want to, depend on yourself, then you need to have a net worth of about $7million to live comfortably. 'Holding properties with positive cashflow and use the cash to invest in ETF is good, as long as the yield is more than the mortgage interest rate.' The banks typically lend an owner-occupier five times their salary before tax. But if an individual or a couple are buying investment properties, they can borrow six times their pay. While that's considered to be in the mortgage stress territory, income from renters means a borrower can more easily service the home loan. 'Usually, you get a little bit more borrowing capacity if you buy an investment property because the investment property will generate some rental income,' he said. 'That rental income is considered part of your personal income and if your personal income jumps, your borrowing capacity jumps.' 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MAJOR change considered for world-famous New Year's Eve fireworks that could see Aussies fork out for the event
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MAJOR change considered for world-famous New Year's Eve fireworks that could see Aussies fork out for the event

Revellers hoping to score a front-row seat to Sydney 's iconic New Year's Eve fireworks could be told to pay $50 for the privilege. North Sydney Council is considering a proposal for one of the city's most popular vantage points to be transformed into a ticketed zone. The plan, set to be debated at a meeting on Monday, would introduce paid access to Blues Point Reserve. The site regularly draws thousands on December 31, offering a harbourside view of the midnight and 9pm fireworks shows. Access to Blues Point, Bradfield Park and Lavender Bay is currently free with the council covering the cost of crowd safety, traffic control, waste management and event infrastructure. But amid growing financial pressures, councillors are being asked to consider ticketing as a way to gain back some of the expenses. A report to the council estimated the total cost of staging the event at $1.086million. Introducing ticketing at Blues Point alone would add another $95,000 in expenses for staffing, scanners, security and public communications, bringing the overall cost to $1.181million. But with 8,000 tickets sold at $50 each, the proposal said the council could generate $400,000 in revenue, reducing its net expenditure to $781,000. Supporters have argued ticketing would guarantee attendees a spot at a premium location and help ease congestion, especially the dawn queues that have become more frequent in recent years. But the move has sparked concerns over fairness and public access. Critics have warned that charging for an event traditionally free to the public could tarnish the council's reputation and spark backlash over monetising public land. The council's report identified potential risks, such as fake ticket scams, disruptions to entry scanning from mobile data dropouts, and frustration from patrons anticipating amenities the ticket does not include. A similar ticketing trial at Blues Point in 2018 saw mixed results. While most ticketholders rated the experience highly, many residents and local businesses were less impressed, citing reduced access, a drop in foot traffic, and equity concerns. A community survey conducted at the time found no clear consensus, though among those who supported ticketing, full cost recovery was the preferred model. The council is now considering three options: ticketing all three sites to fully recover the $1.2million cost, ticketing Blues Point only as a partial recovery model, or maintaining the current system of free, managed access. Staff have recommended the second option as a 'balanced' compromise, preserving free access at two major sites while recouping costs at the most in-demand location. If approved, the $50 ticket would be trialled this December, followed by community consultation before any long-term policy is introduced.

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