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Sky News AU
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'De facto Australian President': Governor-General Samantha Mostyn makes 'political' media blitz to woo progressive outlets ahead of parliament's opening
If you haven't already noticed, something odd is going on. The Governor-General of Australia, Samantha Mostyn, appears to have embarked upon a public relations campaign. Since speaking with SBS on 17 October last year, which the broadcaster itself described as 'a rare, wide-ranging interview,' Mostyn has appeared across or provided comment to several media platforms. In the last couple of months alone, she has spoken with Nine's newspaper arms, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, as well as A Current Affair. She has also featured as a podcast participant for Missing Perspectives and, just recently, The Daily Aus. This is highly irregular behaviour for a governor-general, even if it might otherwise reflect Mostyn's career in corporate affairs. Historically – that is, beyond the last twenty years – Australian governor-generals have not sought to occupy the limelight; rather, they have quietly discharged their constitutional duties, as well as supported the organisations they patronise. Moreover, the actual substance of Mostyn's most critical contributions to the media are grave. 'The King doesn't direct me,' she says, as printed by Nine's newspapers, 'and I don't seek his advice; it's the prime minister and the ministry I take my counsel from, and that I work with.' '[Australia has] a historical connection to the monarch, but that has no bearing on the way in which I conduct myself in the role,' she reaffirmed to The Daily Aus. Mostyn's words totally misrepresent the constitutional nature of her office; she is the King's vice-regal representative in Australia, bound by the authority of the Crown. The Australian Constitution is perfectly clear in Section 2, where it states that the governor-general 'shall have and may exercise in the Commonwealth during the Queen's pleasure, but subject to this Constitution, such powers and functions of the Queen as Her Majesty may be pleased to assign.' This, obviously, has a bearing, at least to some extent, on the way the governor-general conducts their duties, with those duties emanating from an office that without the Crown has no reason to exist. Mostyn's claim concerning the granting of royal assent to bills passed by the Australian Parliament – that she 'can't read the bill and [ask] questions' about it – is also not within the spirit of the Constitution. Section 58 provides our Governor-General, 'according to his discretion, but subject to this Constitution, [to declare] that he assents in the Queen's name, or that he withholds assent' to 'a proposed law passed by both Houses of the Parliament.' The Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during the swearing-in ceremony at Government House, Canberra. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman Assent is not a rubber stamp just because convention requires it be granted in all but extraordinary circumstances, any more than weapons of mass destruction are superfluous if a suitable occasion to deploy them never arises. The writings of Sir Paul Hasluck affirm this, holding that Section 58 exists not so that elected representatives can be 'overruled' by governors-general but so that governors-general can 'check elected representatives in any extreme attempt by them to disregard the rule of law.' Sir David Smith concurs, arguing that, more broadly, a governor-general's 'presence in our system' is not about how much power that position itself has but, rather, how much 'absolute power' it denies to those 'who are in' government. It is concerning, then, that Mostyn, who describes herself as 'a constitutional law nerd,' told Nine Newspapers: 'As the governor-general, you should always be conscious of maintaining the kind of relationship with the prime minister and the government where, if you see trouble ahead, you work with them to avoid the trouble.' One wonders what Smith, who served as Sir John Kerr's official secretary during the Dismissal, might think about that. Beyond interpreting her constitutional duties before the public eye, Mostyn has seen fit to detail the changes – seemingly small, yet so very consequential – she is making to her office, ever with increasing confidence. For instance, she has moved Nathaniel Dance's famous 1776 portrait of James Cook, formerly centred in Admiralty House's entrance hall, to a poorly-lit crevasse behind the stairs. Cook's painting has been replaced with a work by an Aboriginal Australian artist. Mostyn's team has moved Nathaniel Dance's famous 1776 portrait of James Cook, formerly centred in Admiralty House's entrance hall, to a poorly-lit crevasse behind the stairs. Picture: Nine/A Current Affair Cook's painting has been replaced with a work by an Aboriginal Australian artist. Picture: Nine/A Current Affair Furthermore, in her podcast with Missing Perspectives, Mostyn goes as far to outline her ambitions for certain legislative agendas, including wage reform and subsidised childcare, only to eventually add: 'Now, I can't speak to… policy in this role.' It is a disclaimer that should never need be expressed in the first place; unequivocally, governors-general cannot be involved with any part of the policymaking process. So, why is Mostyn doing all that she is, and why now? Well, responding to whether she is a republican or not, Mostyn told A Current Affair, 'I have no views on the republic issue.' Notably, she didn't say, 'I am not a republican.' We also know Mostyn considered herself a republican as little time ago as 2020, when she revealed to the Australian Institute of Company Directors that Paul Keating's republican vision was something she 'really cared about.' It's hard to know what her previous beliefs were, considering her digital footprint was totally expunged, without explanation, when her appointment was first announced in 2022. I am becoming increasingly disillusioned by what seems to be Mostyn's unconditional altruism; that is, her focus on care, kindness, social cohesion, modern Australia and – on the face of it, now amplified following the federal election – civics education. My strong suspicion is that Mostyn has a mandate from Anthony Albanese, her appointee, to progress republicanism in Australia by converting her privileged post, insofar as she can, into a de facto presidential office. To recall Edmund Burke's wisdom: 'You may have subverted monarchy, but not recovered freedom.' Parliament opened this month, at which time Mostyn discharged various constitutional duties, and her words and actions in relation to those duties carry weight. No doubt, the purpose of her recent liaison with the media shall shortly reveal itself. Alexander Voltz is a composer. As well as contributing to he is the founding Music Editor of Quadrant, and writes also for The Spectator Australia. He directed The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Concert, Australia's largest musical tribute during the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. His music has been performed across the country and abroad.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
'Nepo baby' Billi FitzSimons follows in her mother Lisa Wilkinson's footsteps and lands a spot on breakfast TV
Billi FitzSimons is continuing to follow in her mother Lisa Wilkinson 's footsteps. The 25-year-old has already began to chart a similar course to parents Lisa, 65, and Peter FitzSimons, 63, in the world of print journalism and now, like her mother, has dipped her toe into the waters of breakfast television. In her capacity as editor-in-chief of online publication The Daily Aus, Billi appeared on ABC News Breakfast on Tuesday morning. She was tasked with providing a round-up of the morning's headlines - a job she handled with aplomb. Billi spoke about the protests currently raging in Los Angeles over president Donald Trump's immigration laws. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The 25-year-old has already began to chart a similar course to parents Lisa, 65, and Peter FitzSimons , 63, in the world of print journalism and now, like her mother, has dipped her toe into the waters of breakfast television She also spoke about the lawsuits brought by Justin Baldoni against Blake Lively and the New York Times being dismissed overnight. Showing no nervousness over her debut national television appearance, Billi even had a 'fun fact' to offer viewers about the news. 'The fun fact of the day is that the New York Times has not lost a defamation lawsuit in more than 50 years, which for a media organisation of that size, is quite extraordinary,' she said. Billi rounded out her appearance with news that Aussie actress Sarah Snook won the best performance by a leading actress Tony for her turn in A Picture of Dorian Gray. 'Does this mean that she could be on track for an EGOT?' Billi opined. 'She has won an Emmy now the Tony. Could she also win a Grammy and an Oscar to get that coveted final big award? I mean, it's not one award - it's four awards but that status, I guess.' Billi's foray into breakfast television comes after she was promoted to editor-in-chief of The Daily Aus in 2024. 'I'm looking forward to growing our diverse content offerings, including podcasting, polling, video and newsletters,' she said when she announced her new role. Her mother got Billi her first job as a writer on news website Mamamia when she was still at university by calling in a favour with her old protégé Mia Freedman 'We have big plans this year, and I can't wait for you to see what we have in store.' The Daily Aus is a social media-based news aggregator with over 600,000 followers on Instagram. It targets Gen Z and Millennials with easy-to-digest news stories and explainer articles. 'RAHHH!', her father Peter FitzSimons - the former rugby international turned writer - posted in response to the news. Billi's mother started editing women's magazine Dolly at the age of 21, where she reportedly tripled the circulation. After this impressive feat, she was personally approached by billionaire news magnate Kerry Packer to head up women's lifestyle magazine, Cleo. Lisa went on to forge a successful career in television journalism, hosting the Today show and later becoming a panellist on The Project. However, her career has stalled amidst the ongoing fallout of her controversial interview with former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, and has not been seen on TV in over a year. Her mother got Billi her first job as a writer on news website Mamamia when she was still at university by calling in a favour with her old protégé Mia Freedman. She worked for Mamamia throughout university before landing a job as a political writer at the Daily Aus straight after graduating. She gained a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications), Government and International Relations, Digital Cultures from the University of Sydney in 2019. While she's reaching the heights of Australian media, Billi started her working life spent her teenage years working in fast food before following in the footsteps of her successful parents. Back in 2023, her author father Peter revealed that Billi worked at Domino's Pizza during her teenage years. In response to a tweet, Peter, an author and journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald, revealed his daughter's first job. 'Billi had a job after school taking orders at Dominos Pizza for about four years from 14 or so, so she took pocket money as a bonus!' he said.
Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Celebrity Big Brother's JoJo Siwa's ex Kath admits mental health struggles after split
Kath Ebbs had been dating JoJo Siwa for seven months when she entered the Celebrity Big Brother house, but rather the Dance Moms' time in the house ended in heartache for Kath JoJo Siwa's ex Kath Ebbs has made a brave admission about the toll the last few weeks have taken on her mental health. Australian actress Kath, 27, said that they were dumped by JoJo, 21, at the Celebrity Big Brother afterparty when they flew to the UK to celebrate JoJo making it to the final of the ITV show last week. JoJo developed an incredibly close bond with fellow housemate and former Love Island star Chris Hughes, 32 during her three weeks in the house. The pair's close bond sparked plenty of speculation, and during a recent appearance on This Morning, Chris offered clarity. 'It's a soulmate friendship,' he explained. 'It's not your typical friendship, but it's still a friendship. We're friends.' JoJo echoed the sentiment, saying, 'He's a gorgeous boy, look, he's a great guy… it is platonic, we have a lot of fun together.' She added thoughtfully, 'Life is life and I don't know any future of anything but I'm really grateful for the dynamic that we have and the bond that we have. Whatever life does, life will do.' JoJo, who had been dating Kath for seven months before entering the Celebrity Big Brother house, allegedly called off their relationship at the the TV show's afterparty, leaving her Aussie partner blindsided and heartbroken. Kath - who is non-binary - has stayed relatively shtum on their heartbreak, but made a subtle acknowledgement in a new Instagram post. They shared a post from The Daily Aus about how Australian politician and leader of the Coalition party Peter Dutton has lost his constituent seat in Dickson, a post he had held since 2001. In May 2021, Dutton - then serving as Australia 's Minister for Defence - stopped the department and serving military from marking the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia, describing it as a 'woke agenda'. They wrote above it, "After some of the hardest mental health weeks I've ever endured… this is a fkn win!!!," in an apparent reference to their recent break-up. Shortly after their shock split, Kath told the Mirror: 'It's really unfortunate that my relationship with this person is being reduced to untrue allegations about what happened at a party. The public has only heard one side of the story. Attacks on my character are not something I take lightly, especially from someone I cared for deeply and shared a committed relationship with.' After JoJo landed back to her hometown of LA, she appeared to make a cutting dig at Kath. Just days earlier, Kath went public with the news that JoJo ended their relationship at the CBB wrap party. Posting on Instagram, the Australian content creator described the moment as a 'complete shock,' saying they felt 'numbed out and humiliated' by the split. While back in the US, JoJo hinted that her time in the house prompted deep self-reflection, and when asked if she was happy to be home, she replied: 'Can I be honest? No. I want to go back, I want to go back.' Pressed about what she learned during her time on the show, she subtly alluded to her personal life, saying: 'Probably [that I] learned more about myself… I think that I had a lot of things in my life I wasn't happy about. And being there forced me to change that, and that's good. I needed that.'
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Lisa Wilkinson's pride as her son walks down the aisle with fellow journalist at intimate Sydney wedding
could not wipe the smile of pride off her face as her eldest child married this weekend. The television star's son, Jake, 30, married Sydney Morning Herald journalist Mary Ward in Sydney in a low-key wedding shared to social media by his younger sister. In posts on Instagram made by journalist Billi, 26, Lisa beamed as she cuddled up to her daughter at the family event. 'The bestest weekend for the eldest brother' Billi wrote in her caption alongside the series of photos and short video. Other images showed Jake and his blushing bride posing outside their wedding venue before heading into a relaxed reception. A clip depicted the pair dancing into their reception holding hands as a small group of family and friends applauded. Jake's father Peter FitzSimons also beamed in photos shared by Billi, the family appearing in excellent spirits despite recent hardships. Lisa frocked up for the occasion in a bold red gown with a floral design and a retro feel. Billi also looked glamorous in a bright orange, sleeveless column dress with a ruffled feature at the front. She attended with her new boyfriend, finance whiz kid and former bartender Jared Ellison. Groom Jake was smart in a classic tuxedo while his bride Mary opted for a high fashion wedding gown with a pointed bodice and fairytale sleeve puffs. Mary is a seasoned journalist who has worked for the Sydney Morning Herald, HuffPost, MSN Australia, Good Food, The Daily Beast and The Age. Jake is also active in the media as Editor of Commander's Herald, as well as a historical researcher with Woosel. Lisa and broadcaster Peter, who married in 1992, share three adult children, sons Jake and Louis, 28 and daughter Billi. The TV host previously expressed her joy in 'defying the people who said they wouldn't last' after she and Peter walked down the aisle in 1992 nine months after they first met. 'When Pete and I met way back at Xmas in 1991, there were many - including my sweet, protective mum - who said we wouldn't last,' she said in an Instagram post. '[We] are still defying those who thought we wouldn't make it.' Last year, it was revealed that Lisa's daughter is following in her parents' footsteps in the media, being appointed 'editor-in-chief' of social media news site The Daily Aus. Billi FitzSimons announced the promotion after having previously been an editor. 'I'm looking forward to growing our diverse content offerings, including podcasting, polling, video and newsletters,' she wrote. 'We have big plans this year, and I can't wait for you to see what we have in store.' The Daily Aus is a social media-based news aggregator with over 500,000 followers on Instagram. It targets Gen Z and Millennials with easy-to-digest news stories and explainer articles. 'RAHHH!', her father Peter FitzSimons - the former rugby international turned writer - posted in response to the news. Journalism runs in the family - Wilkinson started editing women's magazine Dolly at the age of 21, where she reportedly tripled the circulation. After this impressive feat, she was personally approached by billionaire news magnate Kerry Packer to head up women's lifestyle magazine, Cleo. Wilkinson went on to forge a successful career in television journalism, hosting the Today show and later becoming a panellist on The Project. However, her career has stalled amidst the ongoing fallout of her controversial interview with former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, and has not been seen on TV in some time. While not be on the same scale as her mother, FitzSimons has had to deal with her fair share of turbulence since first landing the role as editor of The Daily Aus before her 25th birthday. In June 2022, the website photoshopped the German flag on the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, rather than the Aboriginal flag, which also contains red, yellow and black. Just a day later FitzSimons posted a job listing looking for a fact checker who has 'meticulous attention to detail'. The youngster has been listed as one of Australia's 'nepo babies' given she is the offspring of journalistic royalty. Her mother got FitzSimons her first job as a writer on news website Mamamia when she was still at university by calling in a favour with her old protégé Mia Freedman. FitzSimons worked for Mamamia throughout university before landing a job as a political writer at the Daily Aus straight after graduating. She gained a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications), Government and International Relations, Digital Cultures from the University of Sydney in 2019. But not everything has been handed to FitzSimons. Her father previously revealed how she used to toil part-time at Domino's for four years from the age of 14 to earn money while at school. It comes after news that Lisa wants to make a return to TV screens following months of inaction and tedious weeks spent in a courtroom, sources say. The Channel 10 star and former darling of breakfast TV is keen to get back to delivering more 'blockbuster interviews' in the New Year, friends told the Weekend Australian. Wilkinson quit The Project in November, 2022 and she hasn't appeared on TV in a regular role since. Lisa also recently shared a cryptic post to social media revealing she was ready for 'new beginnings'. After two years of gardening leave to the tune of $1.7million a year, her time at Channel Ten ended with a whimper over the Christmas holidays. Her multi-year contract lapsed on New Year's Eve and wasn't renewed. Lisa joined the network in 2018 after an infamous pay dispute at Nine when she discovered her Today co-host Karl Stefanovic was earning significantly more than her. Everything was going well when she signed a new deal with Ten in 2021. But just a year later, she stepped down as host of The Project—her sole on-air role—citing the toll of 'relentless, targeted' media coverage. In the two years since vanishing from our screens, she continued to collect a monthly paycheck from Ten, commercial TV's forgotten child, despite industry-wide cutbacks. Lisa has since since been slowly building back her public image, as the embattled TV star made quiet appearances at red carpet events in recent months, and last year showed up at a trendy influencer shindig. She surprised guests at the launch of wellness brand Vegamour's new GRO+ Advanced Hair Serum at Bondi Icebergs, the Daily Telegraph reported. It was the latest in a string of appearances in an effort for Lisa to 'ease back into the Sydney social scene' the publication claimed.
