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Today on Drive with Kylie Baxter,
A new golf course at Seven-Mile Beach in the state's south opened today, Will Kay is the General Manager.
Sports commentator Beau Downham previews the weekend in sport.
Dr Manuela Toledo is a fertility specialist and the Medical Director at TasIVF.
Tasmania Police have announced they will be launching task force respect. Inspector Jason Klug of Glenorchy police and Glenorchy Mayor Sue Hickey outline the aims of the new Glenorchy task force.
The revised Bruny Island ferry schedule has left residents frustrated. Joe Bennett and Tash Daniels are long time Bruny Island residents and explain the community impact.
Today Queensland Senator Larissa Waters has been chosen as the new leader of the Greens. Former Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne gives her perspective.
There's a range of psychological terms that are thrown around in conversation, psychologist Carly Hargreaves explains the harms of this.
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News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
Australian company Intrepid Travel fights back against Donald Trump threat to US national parks
An Australian company is fighting back against Donald Trump's planned upheaval of US national parks. Since US President Donald Trump took office, more than 1000 park workers have been laid off (more than 700 others took buyouts), and more are expected to be let go. There is also a proposal to cut more than $US1 billion ($A1.5 billion) in federal funding for the US National Parks Service (nearly 40 per cent of the agency's current budget). NPS oversees 85 million acres of federal land and there are 433 sites in the National Park System, with parks in every state. National Park Conservation Association president Theresa Pierno described Mr Trump's proposed budget plan as 'catastrophic,' arguing that the 'national park system would be completely decimated'. Mr Trump wants to see some parks (that the White House describes as 'not 'national parks' in the traditionally understood sense') go to the states, but there are concerns states don't have the resources to maintain the parks, which will force them to close. The White House claims the proposed budget would 'continue supporting many national treasures, but there is an urgent need to streamline staffing and transfer certain properties to state-level management to ensure the long-term health and sustainment of the national park system'. Aussie-born company fights back A Melbourne-born global travel company, which runs tours across 18 US national parks, has made its stance clear. Speaking to on Thursday, Intrepid Travel's Leigh Barnes described national parks as 'incredibly important' to the US and said the White House's massive proposed funding cuts are 'putting access at risk'. 'We need healthy, vibrant national parks for our business, and also the impact of not having tourism go to national parks in the USA is going to put local businesses underground,' said Mr Barnes, an Australian who relocated to Seattle this year to take up the role of managing director of the Americas. In response to the Trump Administration's actions, Intrepid has now launched limited edition 'Active-ism' trips in the parks, hosted by influential activists and local guides. The trips are about $US500-$600 ($A770-$920) cheaper than a standard itinerary, despite the addition of an activist. 'That has been a deliberate focus, making them as accessible as possible,' Mr Barnes said. 'They're not going to be the world's greatest profit generator for the organisation, but that's not the purpose.' Intrepid will also donate $US50,000 ($A77,000) on behalf of its travellers to nongovernmental organisations protecting the US national parks. Intrepid has 26 trips across 18 national parks, and employs 200 local guides and 60 staff there. The company has taken more than 20,000 travellers and expects to host another 5000 this year. Mr Barnes explained that it's not just direct jobs at the US National Parks Service at risk. 'They (national parks) are absolutely amazing economic drivers for these areas. Having these national parks creates jobs in and around the national parks ecosystem. Not just the national parks employees but all the little smaller businesses and ecosystems it supports,' he said. He added: 'They're a massive pride and icon in the USA. 'We want to ensure these amazing parts of the USA are not just here for this generation but the generations beyond.' Mr Barnes said the more people who experience nature, the more that are likely to advocate for these spaces, so his team simply asked themselves, 'how do we encourage more people to go out to national parks?'. The Active-ism trips include two five-day 'Zion and The Grand Canyon' trips hosted by public lands advocate Alex Haraus in November and environmental advocate Wawa Gatheru in April next year, and then two six-day 'Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons' trips hosted by climate educator Michael Mezzatesta and environmental author Leah Thomas in June next year. The target market is Americans but anyone can book. Discussions guests can expect include the current threats facing US national parks, the impact of climate change, Indigenous land rights, equity in outdoor spaces, and how to turn awareness into advocacy. Mr Barnes, previously Intrepid's chief customer officer in Melbourne, took on leading the Americas side of the business at a challenging time for US tourism. March — the same month Mr Barnes relocated his family to the States — saw the sharpest drop in Australians travelling to the US since during the height of the Covid pandemic, according to US International Trade Administration statistics. Australian visitor numbers fell 7 per cent in March this year, compared to March 2024 — the biggest drop since March 2021. Flight Centre and Intrepid Travel told last month bookings to the US had dropped significantly as Aussies, Canadians and Europeans choose to travel elsewhere. Globally, Intrepid saw a year-on-year 9 per cent decline in US sales for the first four months of the year. US sales for Australian and New Zealand travellers in particular were down 13 per cent. April alone was down 44 per cent on last year. But other areas such as South America are 'booming'. As a result, Mr Barnes said his team had increased their focus on domestic travel within the US, promoting the right products at the right time, and increasing their brand presence (last week Intrepid became an official partner of the Seattle Storm WNBA team). All eyes on American tourism The global tourism industry is keeping a close eye on the impact of Mr Trump's strict border stance and other controversial government policies like sweeping tariffs are having on travel. On Thursday, Mr Trump signed a new travel ban banning people from 12 countries to 'protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors'. The ban targets nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Flight Centre CEO and founder Graham Turner told it was an 'unsettled climate' impacting business travel, while tourists worry about passport control and others simply don't want to go to the US 'because they don't like what Donald Trump's doing'. Tourism Economics — which forecasts foreign traveller arrivals in the US will sharply decline this year resulting in a loss of $9 billion in spending — said decisions from the Trump Administration are creating a 'negative sentiment shift toward the US among travellers'. The travel data company's April report cited Mr Trump's stance on border security and immigration as one of the factors discouraging visits. Mr Trump rejects the notion that the country's tourism industry is in any trouble — saying 'tourism is way up'. Security checks at US airports have garnered much attention in recent months amid Mr Trump's 'enhanced vetting' for arrivals at US airports and cases of tourists being denied entry on arrival, and at times, strip searched and thrown in prison. Former NSW police officer Nikki Saroukos is one of those people who recently travelled to the US using an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) under the Visa Waiver Program and was deported, but first she had to spend a night in a federal prison. She said she was subjected to invasive searches and humiliating treatment for trying to spend time with her US military husband stationed in Hawaii. The US Department of Homeland Security later issued what it described as a 'fact check' on X after she went public with the ordeal, accusing her of having 'unusual activity on her phone, including 1000 deleted text messages from her husband'. Homeland Security said 'officers determined that she was travelling for more than just tourism'. But Ms Saroukos strongly denies having any plans to live permanently in the US. The Sydney resident, who married her husband Matt in January after a whirlwind long-distance romance, told she was 'in disbelief at how ridiculous' the statement was and claimed that some of the information included had been 'twisted'. Why denied tourists can end up in federal prison CBP has long had strong powers to deny entry, detain and deport foreigners at their discretion when travellers arrive in the country even if they have a valid visa or ESTA. However, what we are seeing under the Trump administration is described as 'enhanced vetting'. Australians are being warned to not assume they are exempt to more intense checks, including inspections of emails, text messages or social media accounts at the airport. Melissa Vincenty, a US immigration lawyer and Australian migration agent who is managing director of Worldwide Migration Partners, told recently that being taken to federal prison with no criminal record, no drugs or anything that is a danger to society is the reality of being denied entry to the US in Hawaii. Ms Vincenty, a dual-citizen who was a deportation defence lawyer in Honolulu before moving to Australia, explained the state did not have an immigration facility so people were taken to the Federal Detention Center Honolulu, where there was no separate wing for immigration. It meant tourists who were denied entry to the US could be held alongside those awaiting trial — or who have been convicted and were waiting to be transferred to a mainland prison for serious federal crimes, such as kidnapping, bank robbery or drug crimes. 'It's like in the movies — you go there and there's bars, you get strip searched, all your stuff is taken away from you, you're not allowed to call anybody, nobody knows where you are,' Ms Vincenty told in April after the experience of two young German tourists being strip searched and thrown in prison made global headlines. Ms Vincenty said for Australians who were denied entry to the US in other locations like Los Angeles, San Francisco or Dallas, being held in detention facilities until the next available flight home was a real risk as there weren't constant return flights to Australia — meaning you might have to wait until the next day. If not taken to a detention facility, some travellers may stay sitting for hours in what is called a secondary inspection at the airport. A secondary inspection includes further vetting such as searching travellers' electronic devices. 'That period can last from half an hour to 15 hours or more,' she said.
ABC News
8 hours ago
- ABC News
Wave crashing into Macleay brothers
A wave crashing into the Macleay brothers during their rowing joruney from Lima, Peru to Sydney.
ABC News
9 hours ago
- ABC News
Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre could be filling at a scale not witnessed in living memory bringing life to those at its edge
Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre could be filling at a scale not witnessed in living memory. Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is quickly filling with water. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) So we expected to see the South Australian outback come alive, but not like this. 7.30 cameraman Carl Saville filming in the dust storm. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Carl Saville out in the dust storm. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Carl Saville back in the car, covered in dust. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Turbulent winds whipped up clouds of desert dust — plumes so thick and winds so wild they consumed the blink-blink of our hazard lights and dulled the brights of our high beams. Ochre grit rolled across roads, spewing into the sky before drizzling down over a patch of Central Australia we were hoping, needing, to remain clear. With zero control over the timing of either phenomenon — the storm or the floodwater — we hedged our bets and pressed north, past monumental ranges and arid ashen landscapes, until a town appeared where the bitumen ended. "People think, 'Why would you have a pub way out here?'" laughs Maria van Wegen, owner of the Marree Hotel. The Marree Hotel in Marree, South Australia. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) An old train carriage in Marree. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) A street in Marree. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Marree's Outback Roadhouse and General Store. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Her establishment is almost as old as the settlement of Marree itself — a former railway town — population 60, plus tourists — considered one of the most accessible gateways to Australia's remote outback. "We're perfectly located at the junction of the Oodnadatta and Birdsville Tracks and so close to Kati Thanda, and there's a lot of history here," Maria tells us. "Mostly because of the Afghan cameleers and the railways being essential for transporting cattle to Adelaide. Maria van Wegen says pubs like the Marree Hotel are integral in small rural communities like Marree. ( ABC News: Carl Saville ) "Pubs like ours are just so integral in a community like this. "If anything happens — ring the pub. You want to know anything — ring the pub!" Lake Eyre from the air Want to see the sights and need a plane? Ring the pub. The airport was flash, by bush standards, and busy — a neat strip of tarmac; an adjacent dirt car-park full of four-by-fours and tourist buses. It had a tidy demountable with a flushing toilet — complete with the soundtrack of several small aircraft buzzing around and overhead. Planes at Marree airport. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Cars parked at Marree airport. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Travellers queue at Marree airport. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) In a town this size it came as no surprise Maria's husband is also the go-to pilot-cum-tour guide. We found Arid Air's Phil van Wegen at the edge of the tarmac, corralling a wild flock of outback nomads on the same pilgrimage as us. Anticipation emanated from the travellers as they were ushered into their respective fixed-wings, while our troupe packed into a six-seater. Pilot Phil van Wegen says Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is "the most amazing natural irrigation system that you'll ever see". ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Within minutes we were airborne. "The whole region is massive, it all makes you feel insignificant," Phil says, as he pulls the Cessna up to 1500 feet. We cross the Flinders Ranges on the way to the lake. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) At this altitude it was clear to see the desert dust we endured the day prior, like us, it had driven itself deeper into the interior, riding the nose of a cold front. While Phil was worried about the imposition for us out-of-towners, the haze possibly improved the view — softening the morning light as it bounced off the colossal dunes, dried claypans, and the striking Flinders Ranges. Mystery surrounds who created the giant Marree Man. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Over the Strzelecki Desert, and past the mysterious 'Marree Man', the mulga, spinifex and Mitchell grass soon gave way to an expanse of salt. The southern reaches of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre will only fill in a once-in-a-lifetime event. Salt in Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Salt in Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Salt in Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Salt in Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Carl Saville ) Salt in Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Carl Saville ) The dramatic colours of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) "At the moment this whole basin, the Diamantina and the Cooper, has a lot of water in it, so if we get another big rain event next year it could be bigger than this year," Phil says enthusiastically, on approach to the lake's northern section. Suddenly it seemed as if there were two suns, the earth mirroring the sky. The sun reflecting off Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) "This is Lake Eyre North," we were informed, "144km in length north to south, 77km east to west," Phil explains. "The interesting thing is it's capturing approximately six per cent of Australia's run-off water, it's a huge catchment." "It's a huge dispersal, it's just the most amazing natural irrigation system that you'll ever see." By Phil's estimation the northern section is around 80 to 85 per cent covered. Water filling Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Water filling Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Carl Saville ) Water filling Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Water and sky combine for stunning visual But despite my asking, he's unwilling to estimate the volume of water within. At its edge, the head water moves at a "gentle walking pace", we're told, "and probably only around ankle-deep." In parts the lake will get several metres deep — while also containing the lowest point in mainland Australia –15.2 metres below sea level. Our Cessna climbs to 2000 feet, an attempt at fielding a broader prospective. Here, you can see the earth's curvature, but you can't see where the enormous body of water ends, and the sky begins. The only place to see Kati Thanda in its entirety, is from space. Scientists believe it formed approximately 200 million years ago, a Pangean oasis surrounded by dense forest and wildlife, fed by a monumental dispersal system of braided channels and flood-plains. Much of the water arriving here has travelled hundreds of kilometres through Channel Country after ravaging western Queensland several months ago. Water running towards Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) Water running towards Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) "You feel for those guys, there's been a lot of devastation up north because they've been hit so quickly, but you'd hope on the rebound the country's irrigated and going to do well for a while," Phil says. "We know we're lucky down here, because we get notice of a flood — we get time to get out of the way. They don't get that in western Queensland." Where 'magic' happens To the east of Kati Thanda, at the edge of Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert National Park, is one of the most famous regions in remote Australia, home to some of the biggest pastoral stations in the world. Trees submerged in floodwater running towards Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) On the sodden banks of the Diamantina, we meet the dry-humoured desert ranger, Don Rowlands. The environment around him, usually dusty, red, and arid, is now surging with life — rivers are coursing across cracked floodplains, native fish dart through newly formed channels, and thousands of pelicans soar overhead. Even the air feels more alive. "We haven't learned yet to eat flies," he jokes "but I'm thinking we should learn soon because there's plenty of them." Ranger Don Rowlands says seeing the floodwaters bring the area back to life is "just magic". ( ABC News: Carl Saville ) Don's a descendant of the Watti Watti family and a Wangkangurru Yarluyandi Elder who recalls a fun childhood catching yabbies and yellow bellies, golden perch, "by the tonne". "I've been here all my life, lived here on the river with my family back in the 1940s and 50s, I've been here a long time and used the river for all the resources," he told us, sharing his memories of the "three big floods" — 1950, 1974, and this year. "Mate, in the water, out on the land — everything comes back to life — that's just how this country is, it's just wonderful to see nature spring out of the ground. Don Rowlands at Lake Machettie after another flood a few years back. ( Supplied: David Sproule ) "These flood events, it's the same as what my people did thousands of years ago, the reason they had rainmakers and rain dances was to create seasons such as this, to replenish all their resources. "It's just magic, and I can see my people walking through this country having the time of their life, it just keeps repeating itself and I hope I'm here for many more." While flooding in Channel Country is common, this event is bigger than usual. ( ABC News: Carl Saville ) The biggest township in the area is Birdsville, a well-known destination for tourists coming by road or air, often for drawcard events like the Big Red Bash. "Our bar is just 30 metres from the runway," says Ben Fullagar, the Birdsville Hotel's manager, who landed at the pub for a three-month shift 13 years ago. "In Channel Country floods are pretty normal, this one is just a bit bigger than what we're used to seeing. "It's a big positive for pastoralists, and it's a huge positive for outback tourism. Ben Fullagar is the manager at the Birdsville Hotel. ( ABC Western Queensland: Craig Fitzsimmons ) The Birsdsville Hotel in Queensland. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) A street in Birdsville, Queensland. ( ABC News: Tom Hartley ) "It's taken a bit to get back into gear since COVID, and situations like this, with this kind of flooding, is a huge positive for the industry." But at this time of year, he concedes, it is quieter than usual, worried there are misconceptions that Birdsville, and many bush tourism towns, were washed away. "I mean whoever surveyed Birdsville back in 1800s did a fantastic job, because water has never been into the town, it just goes straight past us and marches straight into the lake," he said. "I guess the message is, we're open for business. We didn't get our feet wet, the roads are reopening very quickly, far quicker than anticipated, and there's no better year to see the lake and the region than this year." Watch 7.30, Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on ABC iview and ABC TV
