Latest news with #Collins'
West Australian
17 hours ago
- Business
- West Australian
No meetings with farming groups for Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins during WA cabinet visit
Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins has been slammed for failing to meet with farming groups during a Cabinet visit to WA this week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was expected to host his new-look Cabinet to WA this week, marking its first trip west since Labor's landslide election win in May. Ms Collins' office told the Countryman that the Agriculture Minister would visit WA as part of the Cabinet visit, but said there would be no chance for a media interview or photograph due to a tight schedule. A spokeswoman for Ms Collins said the Agriculture Minister would hold multiple meetings across her portfolio, including with forestry and viticulture stakeholders, while visiting WA but declined to specify exactly who. Ms Collins' office also declined to say if the Minister would be meeting with any agricultural stakeholders or farmers. WAFarmers president Steve McGuire and chief executive Trevor Whittington confirmed the organisation had received no contact from Ms Collins' office. Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA president Tony Seabrook said he had heard 'zilch' from Ms Collins' office regarding her WA visit. 'How dare they? We are the only two organisations in WA (PGA and WAFarmers) and they won't even talk to us,' he said. 'We produce the food that you eat, we export enough food overseas to feed another 40 or 50 million people and you won't talk to us — you won't even acknowledge that we exist.' Ms Collins retained her portfolio as Agriculture Minister following a shake-up in Labor's second term ministry following the May 3 election. The Tasmanian MP has held the seat of Franklin since 2007 and was announced as Agriculture Minister in July, 2024, taking over from Queensland senator Anthony Chisholm. She has been re-elected five times and has previously held shadow ministry positions for employment services, ageing and mental health, and women. Ms Collins' last visited WA in October where she announced an additional $32.7 million as part of a $139 million package to assist farmers transition away from the live sheep export. Her request during the previous trip to visit a live sheep export feedlot in Peel was rejected by the owners. The WA visit is Mr Albanese's 35th visit since taking the top job as Prime Minister in 2022, and the third time he has brought his cabinet to Perth.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CNN Bets More of Kaitlan Collins' White House News Hustle Can Power ‘The Source'
By day, CNN's Kaitlan Collins wears out shoe leather at the White House, trying to get the latest details on any number of eyebrow-raising policies coming out of the Trump administration. By night, she holds forth from a shiny Washington studio, far from the fray. CNN hopes to inject a little of the reporter's daytime routine into her nighttime one. More from Variety CNN to Exclusively Air George Clooney's Record-Breaking Broadway Hit 'Good Night, and Good Luck' Live for Free CNN Hopes to Gain Sustenance From Tony Shalhoub's 'Breaking Bread' CNN's Newest Streaming Product Set to Debut in Fall Collins is expected to leave her studio perch and host her 9 p.m. program, 'The Source,' from the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet's Washington, D.C., newsroom, a move that could take place as soon as Tuesday evening. The hope is that the change in setting will give viewers a more kinetic presentation that reminds them of Collins' unique place at the network — it is rare for someone assigned to a busy news beat, in this case that of chief White House correspondent, to also have responsibility for leading a primetime hour all week. 'I don't know if you've ever been there, but it's not a very chill place. There's always something going on,' says Collins during a recent interview of the show's new setting. And that's a better home for what the program provides. 'The Source' hinges on Collins' ability to get newsmakers on the show for candid talk, and in recent days, those guests have included Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 'We do much more of a reporting focus, so it's a natural setting for a show that is focused pretty much around what we're hearing, what's happening at the White House or a lot of big moments are happening on the Hill late at night,' says Collins. 'It will be less like a chic, glossy, bright set.' CNN continues to burnish its reporting as it faces spirited partisan opinion fare from its two main rivals, Fox News Channel and MSNBC, that lures bigger audiences. Collins has been assigned a pivotal role in that ongoing skirmish. At 33 years old, she is one of the youngest occupants of the network's top White House role as well as the inhabitants of its 9 p.m. hour, a slot that has previously been occupied by Larry King, Piers Morgan and Chris Cuomo. After breaking out with aggressive coverage of Donald Trump's first term in office, she has increasingly been chosen to shoulder some of CNN's bigger assignments, including an ill-fated morning show and a much-scrutinized town hall with then-candidate Donald Trump. The changes to Collins' show aren't the most surprising the network has ever tested — does anyone recall the quiz shows backed by previous CNN chief Jeff Zucker? — but they show an effort to shake off the network's image as a staid purveyor of the headlines and engage more viewers in an era when CNN's ability to do so is under great scrutiny. CNN's overall primetime viewership fell 6% during the first quarter, and was off 1% among the audience advertisers favor most, people between 25 and 54. Some of the audience numbers the network captures these days have been cause for alarm. The network's most-watched show among the demo audience, 'Anderson Cooper 360,' nabbed an average of just 135,000 viewers in that category during the first quarter. 'The Source' typically ranks third in viewership against Fox News Channel's 'Hannity' and, most recently, against MSNBC's new 'The Briefing with Jen Psaki.' And while more of the viewers CNN might like to watch are getting their news via streaming video, mobile devices and social platforms, the network hasn't ceded the battle — even though executives have seemed in recent months to have their eye more closely on launching products aimed to capture digital audiences. Under CEO Mark Thompson, CNN has experimented with other new concepts, including the argumentative panel program 'News Night' and Saturday night's 'Have I Got News For You,' which mixes humor and games with the headlines. It's part of a bigger strategy. Much of CNN's daytime schedule is devoted to 'News Central,' a concept that turns the anchors into conductors who bring live video, statistics and breaking-news scenes into the mix. These ideas are meant to give CNN viewers something extra in an era when many news executives acknowledge traditional presentations are losing their ability to captivate large crowds. Collins' dual role at the CNN 'sets her apart and plays to her many strengths — tenacity, insight, dry humor and amazing grace under pressure,' says Thompson, via an emailed statement. The new format of 'The Source,' he adds 'is built around Kaitlan's unique role not just as an outstanding anchor but the hard-working reporter who's determined to stay close to the action.' Such maneuvers aren't just aimed at keeping traditional audiences interested. These are all nods to the demands of a younger generation that is accustomed to seeing presentations that are decidedly less polished and don't always hinge on an anchor behind a desk. Fox News has put opinion host Will Cain behind a large microphone, for example, in a late-afternoon hour that emulates the look of a video podcast. Collins says she is mindful of meeting that audience on its own ground. 'We share so much of our stuff on social media, with Instagram, TikTok obviously X as well,' she says. 'I was in the Zelensky Oval Office meeting, and it blew up with Trump. We came out, we recorded a video, and we posted it. And it got, like, bonkers. I do think there is a value. So many people are getting their news online these days and from social media.' Her role is a demanding one, but Collins seems too busy to really entertain the question of whether she's too busy. During the day, she might try to flag down lawmakers or White House officials who turn up at the White House and has had to muscle through moments when late-breaking news keeps her on Pennsylvania Avenue even as airtime draws close. One White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went until 7:45 p.m. in the evening, she recounted, 'and then I'm racing to the bureau to get back in time.' Her current job 'is very high intensity and at a high pace, but you make it fun when you love the news.' CNN's viewers will get to vote on whether her efforts give 'The Source' a new jolt. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CNN Bets More of Kaitlan Collins' White House News Hustle Can Power ‘The Source'
By day, CNN's Kaitlan Collins wears out shoe leather at the White House, trying to get the latest details on any number of eyebrow-raising policies coming out of the Trump administration. By night, she holds forth from a shiny Washington studio, far from the fray. CNN hopes to inject a little of the reporter's daytime routine into her nighttime one. More from Variety CNN to Exclusively Air George Clooney's Record-Breaking Broadway Hit 'Good Night, and Good Luck' Live for Free CNN Hopes to Gain Sustenance From Tony Shalhoub's 'Breaking Bread' CNN's Newest Streaming Product Set to Debut in Fall Collins is expected to leave her studio perch and host her 9 p.m. program, 'The Source,' from the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet's Washington, D.C., newsroom, a move that could take place as soon as Tuesday evening. The hope is that the change in setting will give viewers a more kinetic presentation that reminds them of Collins' unique place at the network — it is rare for someone assigned to a busy news beat, in this case that of chief White House correspondent, to also have responsibility for leading a primetime hour all week. 'I don't know if you've ever been there, but it's not a very chill place. There's always something going on,' says Collins during a recent interview of the show's new setting. And that's a better home for what the program provides. 'The Source' hinges on Collins' ability to get newsmakers on the show for candid talk, and in recent days, those guests have included Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 'We do much more of a reporting focus, so it's a natural setting for a show that is focused pretty much around what we're hearing, what's happening at the White House or a lot of big moments are happening on the Hill late at night,' says Collins. 'It will be less like a chic, glossy, bright set.' CNN continues to burnish its reporting as it faces spirited partisan opinion fare from its two main rivals, Fox News Channel and MSNBC, that lures bigger audiences. Collins has been assigned a pivotal role in that ongoing skirmish. At 33 years old, she is one of the youngest occupants of the network's top White House role as well as the inhabitants of its 9 p.m. hour, a slot that has previously been occupied by Larry King, Piers Morgan and Chris Cuomo. After breaking out with aggressive coverage of Donald Trump's first term in office, she has increasingly been chosen to shoulder some of CNN's bigger assignments, including an ill-fated morning show and a much-scrutinized town hall with then-candidate Donald Trump. The changes to Collins' show aren't the most surprising the network has ever tested — does anyone recall the quiz shows backed by previous CNN chief Jeff Zucker? — but they show an effort to shake off the network's image as a staid purveyor of the headlines and engage more viewers in an era when CNN's ability to do so is under great scrutiny. CNN's overall primetime viewership fell 6% during the first quarter, and was off 1% among the audience advertisers favor most, people between 25 and 54. Some of the audience numbers the network captures these days have been cause for alarm. The network's most-watched show among the demo audience, 'Anderson Cooper 360,' nabbed an average of just 135,000 viewers in that category during the first quarter. 'The Source' typically ranks third in viewership against Fox News Channel's 'Hannity' and, most recently, against MSNBC's new 'The Briefing with Jen Psaki.' And while more of the viewers CNN might like to watch are getting their news via streaming video, mobile devices and social platforms, the network hasn't ceded the battle — even though executives have seemed in recent months to have their eye more closely on launching products aimed to capture digital audiences. Under CEO Mark Thompson, CNN has experimented with other new concepts, including the argumentative panel program 'News Night' and Saturday night's 'Have I Got News For You,' which mixes humor and games with the headlines. It's part of a bigger strategy. Much of CNN's daytime schedule is devoted to 'News Central,' a concept that turns the anchors into conductors who bring live video, statistics and breaking-news scenes into the mix. These ideas are meant to give CNN viewers something extra in an era when many news executives acknowledge traditional presentations are losing their ability to captivate large crowds. Collins' dual role at the CNN 'sets her apart and plays to her many strengths — tenacity, insight, dry humor and amazing grace under pressure,' says Thompson, via an emailed statement. The new format of 'The Source,' he adds 'is built around Kaitlan's unique role not just as an outstanding anchor but the hard-working reporter who's determined to stay close to the action.' Such maneuvers aren't just aimed at keeping traditional audiences interested. These are all nods to the demands of a younger generation that is accustomed to seeing presentations that are decidedly less polished and don't always hinge on an anchor behind a desk. Fox News has put opinion host Will Cain behind a large microphone, for example, in a late-afternoon hour that emulates the look of a video podcast. Collins says she is mindful of meeting that audience on its own ground. 'We share so much of our stuff on social media, with Instagram, TikTok obviously X as well,' she says. 'I was in the Zelensky Oval Office meeting, and it blew up with Trump. We came out, we recorded a video, and we posted it. And it got, like, bonkers. I do think there is a value. So many people are getting their news online these days and from social media.' Her role is a demanding one, but Collins seems too busy to really entertain the question of whether she's too busy. During the day, she might try to flag down lawmakers or White House officials who turn up at the White House and has had to muscle through moments when late-breaking news keeps her on Pennsylvania Avenue even as airtime draws close. One White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went until 7:45 p.m. in the evening, she recounted, 'and then I'm racing to the bureau to get back in time.' Her current job 'is very high intensity and at a high pace, but you make it fun when you love the news.' CNN's viewers will get to vote on whether her efforts give 'The Source' a new jolt. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
From rural Fermanagh to Formula One fast lane - how Bernie Collins blazed a trail for women everywhere
Bernie Collins isn't just one of the faces of Sky Sports, she is one of the most extraordinary Irish people in modern day sport. The rise and rise of the Fermanagh-born, all girls convent-educated woman through the ranks of Formula One as a design engineer before moving to television puts her in an extraordinary position. She is the one in the commentary box who knows what she is talking about when it comes to gearbox, transmission, tyres, pitstops and analytics. READ MORE: What channel is Isle of Man TT on? TV and live stream info for 2025 event READ MORE: Live GAA on TV this weekend with 13 Championship games set to be screened And the petrolheads out there - following years of commentators going 'wow, yeh', 'great, yeh', 'fast, yeh' - know it. Collins' passion is for the car and it shows, having served her time time an an engineer with McLaren (2009-15), starting as performance and senior strategy engineer and graduating eventually to head of race strategy at Force India/Aston Martin (2015-22) She proved a major force behind Force India, with Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg as their front-line duo, finishing fourth in the 2016 and 2017 formula One Constructors' Championship. While another high point came with their only F1 victory, for Perez, at the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain in 2020. Moving to F1 TV as an analyst in 2023, it took just a year for Sky Sports to come calling, by which time her book 'How To Win A Grand Prix, from pitlane to podium - the inside track' was on the shelves. Less about go-faster stripes and 'wow, petrol, yeh, driver, wow' but a deeper dive into the background, the pitlane, the car, the dynamics and the analytics it has been perceived as one of the most intelligent and accessible books ever written about the sport. 'I did engineering because I enjoyed it, I enjoy maths and physics,' says Collins who grew up near the village of Maguiresbridge in Fermanagh. 'And even though we've got a lot of good motor sport in Ireland, there's a lot of rallying and a lot of bikes, etc, I was never went to any of that when I was younger so I never really thought about getting into sport,. 'But I think there's more roles opening up in Formula One now that you can do, it is not just about Race Directors and drivers but the more that you dig into it, there's a lot of Irish in the middle of the action in various roles. 'Like I came to the front at the minute because I'm on TV and people are aware of me or whatever but, obviously, I worked in the area for 10 years before that so my family knew and stuff but not so much people in Ireland.' The greening of the pitland is continuing she says, Formula One fully fledged industry and they advertise looking for the best. 'I thought the engineering side of it when I started, there was going to be solely me but actually everyone has been really friendly. 'There's a lot of Irish in the pit lane in a variety of roles and I think that we've got some really good universities here that do really good degrees. 'There's a lot more publication of not just engineering roles, but of marketing, legal, HR is showing up too, you know, everything that any company needs, that an F1 team needs. So I think there's more of an awareness that you can go into it. 'I went to an all girls convent in Fermanagh, Mount Lourdes Grammar School, right. 'And no one was publicising engineering with regard to getting into it and and I think that attitude is changing and, you know, I think hopefully someone like me on TV is showing that it is possible to do a career with it and be successful at it.' In this Collin's progress, such a good story, has perked perceptions - Formula One is not the closed shop it was once accepted as. 'I think it started with a really good feature last year about my story and, I guess, when it was screened it was grand but before that you didn't really see much about working F1. 'I think the TV then only used to show the drivers and when you were never going to be a driver, you used just to work away, it was your job. 'Then when I did my book, I remember I did a book signing in Fermanagh, actually I did two, and the number of young girls that came to that was incredible. I would say 80 percent of the people there were young girls under 25 and it was great to see. 'So the support from home has been incredible, they love hearing the racing stories connected to Irish stories and the support has been fantastic from home and it's been great to sort of be picked to do that, to show that side of it, show the engineering side of it." Having left her job working on strategy for Aston Martin, Bernie says she was happy to take her foot off the pedal a bit in order to make more time for family and friends and work for Sky Sports. 'You end up missing a lot of real life, weddings, birthdays or whatever it might be. 'That's fundamentally why I left my role. I love doing strategy and I enjoyed working for Aston Martin but I didn't want to commit 23 weekends a year that I had no option to have off. 'There's very few jobs where you can't take a week off at some point in the year when you need to, so it just got to the point where I thought that was enough. 'Working with Sky, I do have that greater flexibility so having that extra freedom makes quite a big difference."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Louisiana Couple Dies In Separate Car Accidents On Same Day
An engaged couple has tragically died in separate car crashes, leaving behind a 4-year-old son. According to local news station WAFB, 25-year-old Alexus Lee and 35-year-old John 'JR' Collins were involved in fatal accidents last weekend in Louisiana. The outlet reported that Collins lost control of his vehicle while driving to the crash scene of his fiancée. 'I love them and I'm gonna miss both of them and I'm gonna find the strength to go ahead,' Collins' father shared with WAFB. Collins' mother added, 'He loved Alexus as well as everybody else who knew her. To know her was to love her.' The couple is survived by their 4-year-old son, whom Collins' mother says is aware of the devastating events. 'He understands what happened, and he's just having a little problem comprehending that we can't talk to them,' she explained. 'We can't see them, but he understands that they are asleep and are with God.' According to a statement issued by the Louisiana State Police, the two deadly crashes occurred on LA 67 in two different parishes. Lee was involved in a single-vehicle accident in East Baton Rouge Parish after 2:00 am. Her Toyota exited the roadway to the left, struck a culvert, and overturned. Lee was unrestrained, sustained fatal injuries, and was pronounced deceased on the scene. Law enforcement collected a routine toxicology sample as the investigation is completed. Collins was traveling south on LA 67 at a high rate of speed in a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, according to authorities. His vehicle failed to negotiate a right-hand curve, exited the roadway to the left, and struck a tree. Collins was unrestrained and was ejected from the vehicle. He sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on the scene. As with his fiancée, a routine toxicology sample was collected; however, impairment is not expected. VIBE sends our condolences to the family, friends, and community of Alexus Lee and John 'JR' Collins. More from Gilbert Arenas Blames Son's Car Accident On Tesla Cybertruck Malfunction A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie's Car Totaled After Car Accident Louisiana High School Senior Killed By Boyfriend In Apparent Murder-Suicide While Headed To Homecoming
