Latest news with #Elders
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
New documents reveal what Gateway Church may have known before abuse allegations
New court documents that were filed Friday are shedding more light on what Gateway Church may or may not have known well before the child abuse allegations against founder Robert Morris. CBS News Texas obtained court documents, filed in Tarrant County, related to a lawsuit against the church over retirement payments. Pastor Robert Morris applauds during a roundtable discussion at Gateway Church Dallas Campus, Thursday, June 11, 2020, in Dallas. A statement issued on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, said that Morris has resigned after a woman said he had abused her on multiple occasions in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12. Alex Brandon / AP They include a proposed announcement that he was going to make to the congregation, but it was never made public. According to Morris' attorney, the proposed announcement was written by Morris in 2011. In it, Morris admits to "inappropriate behavior" with an underage girl, but did not name Cindy Clemishire, who publicly accused Morris of sexually abusing her when she was 12 years old. That 2011 announcement was never made public because, in a letter in 2007 to the board of elders, the president suggested Morris "should not mention the family or Cindy specifically by name as this would violate their privacy." On Friday, Gateway Church released a statement that read, in part: "We have consistently and publicly said that there were elders and employees at Gateway who knew about this issue before it became public - and either didn't take action or didn't inquire further. That was fundamentally wrong - the church elders took action, and none of those individuals are a part of Gateway Church today." Meanwhile, Morris is currently facing five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child in Oklahoma. The charges stem from alleged incidents that occurred between 1982 and 1985 in Hominy, Oklahoma, while he was a traveling preacher staying with Clemishire's family.
West Australian
5 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
WA livestock legend Dean Hubbard joins Agora to lead livestock market expansion
Agora Livestock has landed a major signing with industry heavyweight Dean Hubbard joining the team as its head of markets, bringing more than 40 years of experience and a serious track record in commercial livestock trading. Mr Hubbard will start his new role on June 3, after recently holding senior roles as WA Commercial Livestock Manager at both Elders and AWN, and is widely regarded as one of the most connected and trusted names in the livestock industry. Agora founder and chief executive Rob Kelly said Mr Hubbard's appointment marked a major step forward for the company as it looked to scale its national marketplace and brokerage operations. 'Dean knows how to build real markets — not just manage transactions,' Mr Kelly said. 'He knows the people, understands how agency works, and has seen first hand where the traditional systems fall short. 'He's come on board because he believes in what we're building — and he wants to be part of the change.' Agora's platform, including its Stockbook system for managing livestock bookings, has been quietly gaining momentum since its it was launched by Kojonup-raised Mr Kelly in 2018. Feedlots and processors have adopted the platform to help streamline their booking management to remove delivery errors and tighten up supply agreements whilst improving communication with suppliers and agents. Mr Hubbard will be work directly with producers, buyers, agents and feedlots to unlock market access, drive efficiency, and open up new opportunities. His work will have a close focus on forward pricing and interstate trade, where Agora believes structural change has created space space for more innovation. Backed by a strong board, including Peter Toll, Greg Harvey and Mr Kelly, Agora is eyeing its first capital raise to accelerate its growth. The company has already attracted high-profile investors, including large cattle and sheep feedlots. Mr Hubbard said he believed there had 'never been a more exciting time' to be 'building something better for the livestock industry,' 'The demand for better market access, clearer pricing, and more efficient trading is real — and Agora is well positioned to lead the charge,' he said. Agora Livestock was founded in 2018 and was initially called LIVEstock Pricing. It has since evolved from a simple service that shared livestock prices to a platform providing price discovery, market access and supply chain efficiency for Australia's livestock buyers, sellers and agents. 'When we started Agora, our aim was simple — to make the livestock market more efficient,' Mr Kelly said. 'We began by giving producers and agents a clearer view of pricing through grids and saleyard reports. With Dean now on board, we're taking the next step — building new markets and connecting the right buyers and sellers in the right way.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Elders (ASX:ELD) Is Paying Out A Dividend Of A$0.18
Elders Limited (ASX:ELD) will pay a dividend of A$0.18 on the 27th of June. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 5.8%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns. AI is about to change healthcare. These 20 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10bn in marketcap - there is still time to get in early. While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. At the time of the last dividend payment, Elders was paying out a very large proportion of what it was earning and 347% of cash flows. Paying out such a high proportion of cash flows certainly exposes the company to cutting the dividend if cash flows were to reduce. Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 65.6%. Under the assumption that the dividend will continue along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 71% which would be quite comfortable going to take the dividend forward. See our latest analysis for Elders Even in its relatively short history, the company has reduced the dividend at least once. This suggests that the dividend might not be the most reliable. Since 2017, the dividend has gone from A$0.075 total annually to A$0.36. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 22% over that duration. Dividends have grown rapidly over this time, but with cuts in the past we are not certain that this stock will be a reliable source of income in the future. With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Earnings per share has been sinking by 13% over the last five years. A sharp decline in earnings per share is not great from from a dividend perspective. Even conservative payout ratios can come under pressure if earnings fall far enough. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this becomes a long term trend. We should note that Elders has issued stock equal to 21% of shares outstanding. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective. In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Elders' payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. The payments are bit high to be considered sustainable, and the track record isn't the best. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock. Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Elders (of which 1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) you should know about. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
ABC News
6 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Why more than 250,000 people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge for reconciliation in May 2000
On a crisp Sunday morning in May 2000, a crowd of around 250,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. At the head, Elders wrapped in woollen blankets travelled in golf carts, while more and more people poured out of North Sydney and Milsons Point train stations — a continual unfurling of the crowd's serpentine body heading for Darling Harbour's Tumbalong Park. Warning: The following contains names and images of First Nations people who have died. That march on May 28, 2000 has become known as the 2000 Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk — an historic walk in support of reconciliation and Indigenous rights, bringing people together from all corners of Australia. However the event was more than mere symbolism. It was the culminating action in a weekend that started with the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation holding a ceremonial gathering at the Sydney Opera House and presenting the federal government with the Australian Declaration Towards Reconciliation and the Roadmap for Reconciliation. And 25 years later, the ripples of this weekend continue to be felt. So, what did it take to energise a nation into turning up in support of reconciliation with Blackfullas? The word "reconciliation" is broadly understood today, but in the decade before the Bridge Walk it was rarely associated with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. So when the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation was established by legislation in 1991 by the Hawke government with unanimous cross-party support, they had their work cut out for them. Professor Jackie Huggins is a member of the Bidjara and Birri Gubba Juru peoples, and served two terms on the Council between 1996-2001. Speaking with ABC Radio National's Awaye!, Huggins says the Council was starting from "ground zero". "The baseline was people didn't know about us Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our own country. They didn't know the history, they always just shoved it in the 'too hard' basket". Bringing awareness and getting people involved in reconciliation was the first phase of the Council's plan. "The second phase was to start documenting all those policies and programmes that the government had around Indigenous affairs … almost like an audit of what was around and what was being done," she explains. "And then the third phase was that we would put all that we knew into a document, to display that and give it to the Australian public as our wishes. It was a bit like the Uluru Statement from the Heart." With a tight deadline, Huggins knew she and her 24 fellow council members had their work cut out for them to deliver by 2000. "The Council felt very under pressure in those years leading up to providing a document and a declaration for reconciliation … We knew we would never have it done in 10 years," Huggins says. The members of the Council travelled extensively across the country, gathering information and raising awareness of their mission. Then in 1997, they faced a major test in the form of the inaugural Australian Reconciliation Convention at which the Bringing Them Home Report was handed down. Held in Melbourne, the convention was open to the public and attracted around 2,000 people from across the country. However proceedings hit a snag during the opening address of then-prime minister John Howard. "People [were] getting up and turning their backs because we [the Council] had a set of demands [regarding] where we'd like to take reconciliation. He was against most of it, certainly against the apology [to the Stolen Generations]," Huggins remembers. Although the convention continued, the actions of the attendees seemed to demonstrate a significant shift in people's understanding and support of First Nations people and issues. Veteran journalist Ray Martin also attended the convention. He had first been appointed to the Council by the Hawke government in 1991, and reappointed by the Howard government for a second term. Reflecting back on the day, Martin is still struck by the "powerful political statement" made by those who turned their backs on the prime minister. "I think that John Howard showed his lack of courage in not going forward on the 'Sorry' question that Kevin Rudd was able to do a couple of years later," Martin says. Martin believes that as a lawyer and "an old-fashioned conservative" Howard was afraid that by apologising to the Stolen Generations, there would be legal action against the government and multi-billion dollar compensation claims. "But I just think he was wrong and I think he misunderstood … He was certainly not a racist … but he was ignorant, as most Australians have been and are about Indigenous affairs," Martin explains. As the Council's deadline approached, an ambitious plan was devised to punctuate the delivery of their work: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people would walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge together with non-Indigenous people. "It was a great symbol, the idea of bridging the gap, which [still] hasn't been bridged, but the idea of the walk was to go from one community to another, effectively to try and fill up the gap of discrimination or disadvantage. So the bridge was a good symbol of that, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge is better than almost anywhere in terms of the symbol," explains Martin. Along with Linda Burney, the New South Wales council representative, Martin was integral to the planning of the day. He says that for about a year it was up to the two of them to "plan and raise the money that was needed for all the ancillary staff, security, and all that sort of stuff for the walk". When Corroboree 2000 finally arrived, state and federal government leaders came together with the Council and other First Nations people to gather at the Sydney Opera House. Huggins says the event was "finely tuned" to ensure the moment the Council's chairperson Evelyn Scott handed the documents to Prime Minister Howard would carry the full weight of the Council's 10 years of work. "We were very proud and relieved. [It] felt like all these 10 years had amounted to something that would be real and tangible," she says. The following day, Huggins and many others walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. "[While walking] I thought about our ancestors and our history and where we had come to the present day, and [thanked] them for delivering such a beautiful day, even though it was a bit cool and windy," she says. She also remembers being struck by the diverse mix of people who attended: young and old, community groups, schools and trade unions, all coming together to walk across the bridge for reconciliation. "I'd never seen a crowd like that before. Never in my entire life," she says. "I must say that was the first time I ever felt that I was an Australian, that day in 2000 walking over the Sydney Harbour Bridge with all those other people. "And you know, that's why I'm forever a convert and a disciple, because I saw how people's minds would change when you gave them a little bit of information and story and truth-telling — which is the big one now — and we knew that that day would lead to more truth-telling." The Bridge Walk had a profound impact on Martin too. "It was an extraordinary occasion … I'd say the bulk of the people who were there were people who hadn't been involved in campaigns, political campaigns of any kind before, but just felt the need, especially the last two or three years of the Council leading up to that walk. It had become very much a people's movement," Martin says. Reflecting on Corroboree 2000 and the Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk 25 years on, Martin says it was a "really important step forward" — although one that's "still not far enough". It's a sentiment reflected in this year's theme for National Reconciliation Week 'Bridging Now to Next' that urges people to allow lessons of the past to guide the way forward. "As we saw with the last election, it's too easy for politicians on both sides of the fence — especially after the failure of the Voice referendum — it's too easy to say it's too hard and put it in that basket and turn away. So the end result is we had next to no discussion of Aboriginal [issues] during the [last] election," Martin explains. For Huggins, one way forward would be to implement the recommendations put forth by the Council, along with the recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Deaths and Custody (1991), the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families (1997), and the Little Children are Sacred Report (2007). "They're all still with us. They're still valid. And I often wonder what would have happened if they were all ticked off and implemented … and whether we would be having the wide disparity [between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people]," she explains. "And I think the legacy of the Council was to show that we are still here. We've survived, and we will continue to do the good work, no matter how hard and difficult the situation. "And you know what? Nobody will ever ask the question: 'Reconciliation what? Or reconciliation who?' because it's deeply in the minds of people now".
CBC
26-05-2025
- General
- CBC
First Indigenous-led housing project in Toronto will support needs of elders, chief says
Social Sharing The first Indigenous-led rental housing project in Toronto will provide a nurturing environment for elders and respect cultural traditions, said the chief of the Missanabie Cree First Nation on Monday. The nation, which has its own development company, is the driving force behind the project at 140 Merton St., near Yonge Street and Davisville Avenue. Once complete, the building will be the first city-owned property to be leased and operated exclusively by an Indigenous organization and not-for-profit entity, the City of Toronto said in a news release Monday. "Our elders are the keepers of our stories, languages and traditions," Chief Jason Gauthier told reporters shortly after a blessing ceremony at the site. "Providing them with a safe, respectful and holistic environment is not just a responsibility, it's a duty." The building will feature 294 residential units for Indigenous elders and non-Indigenous seniors, with approximately a third of these units being designated as affordable housing, the city said in a news release. It was not clear at Monday's event how many units will be reserved for Indigenous elders. CBC Toronto has reached out to the city for clarification. Gauthier led Monday's ceremony alongside members of the Missanabie Cree First Nation and city staff. The event was held to celebrate the completion of the project's financing. The building will eventually be 29 storeys tall, according to city documents posted online. It will include a ceremonial space, smudging room and indoor and outdoor communal areas, Gauthier said. "For over a century, our people have navigated the challenges of displacement and the long road towards reclaiming our rightful place within these lands," he said. "Today we take a significant step towards that journey." Construction is expected to begin in late summer or early fall, said Doug Rollins, the city's director of housing stability services. It may take around two years before residents begin moving in, he said. Rollins said financing to date has been from the federal government, but the city is continuing to look for partnerships. Existing tenants will be accommodated, city says Currently, 140 Merton St. is home to a two-storey building that is being used as a senior care centre. The city said the new building will include 2,150 square metres of community space to be subleased back to the city to accommodate the existing tenants. Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik said the project is part of the city's efforts to address the affordable housing crisis but is also a way for the city to "honour our commitments to truth, justice and reconciliation." "We know all too well that Indigenous communities are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis, which is why we are grateful to be partnering with Indigenous housing providers," she said. A Statistics Canada report from 2021 found that many Indigenous people in Canada live in "inadequate housing," particularly those living in remote or northern communities. More than one in six Indigenous people lived in crowded housing considered not suitable for the number of people living there, the report said. Its authors also found Indigenous people were almost three times more likely to live in a dwelling in need of major repairs than the non-Indigenous population in 2021.
