Latest news with #Voice
Sky News AU
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
WA Liberals leading revolt against 'hollow, ritualistic' Welcome to Country dogma as Michaelia Cash, Andrew Hastie work to make their party relevant again
The rise of social media has changed the way campaigns are run. Fewer people are watching free-to-air TV or reading the newspaper. Most of us now get our news updates on our phones, whether we go looking for them or not. Before the smartphone became part of everyday life in 2007, politics was something you had to go out of your way to follow. These days, political memes and videos pop up uninvited into everyone's feeds. Even folks who've never voted in their life end up seeing political content and forming opinions. In that sense, the line between politically engaged and disengaged Australians has completely blurred. Once a meme hits your inbox, you're in the debate whether you like it or not. That shift has made society more polarised and it cuts across both sides of politics. It also explains why swings in elections have become bigger and harder to predict. The old playbook doesn't work like it used to. That's bad news for pollsters and worse news for major parties that are naturally cautious and don't like rocking the boat. Into this vacuum have stepped third-party campaign groups. They don't carry the same baggage as political parties and can push messages in a more direct and unapologetic way. GetUp on the left and Advance on the right are two good examples. In 2019, GetUp successfully campaigned to unseat Tony Abbott in Warringah and helped elect Zali Steggall. In 2023, Advance under the banner of Fair Australia ran the No campaign in the Voice referendum with a resounding win. Even though the Coalition backed No and Labor backed Yes, it wasn't the major parties doing the heavy lifting. The No vote went from 60% support in January to 43% by July. That drop wasn't an accident. It was smart, targeted, persuasive messaging and it worked. Yet that referendum result didn't translate into an election win for the Coalition in 2025. Labor's landslide was powered in large part by progressive social media influencers. Their messaging was relentless, emotional and effective. In the same election cycle, groups like Better Australia ran highly effective campaigns that helped win back Goldstein from the Teals and cut the Greens down from four to just one seat in the House of Reps. If the Liberal Party is to be competitive again, it has to accept this new reality. That means knowing what we stand for and having the ability to put it plainly and persuasively. It means running smart, grassroots campaigns based on values that reach people when they're on their phones. That's the kind of leadership we're seeing from Senate Opposition Leader Michaelia Cash and Andrew Hastie MP. The Liberals in their home state of Western Australia just passed a set of common-sense policies that reflect where mainstream Australians are on Welcome to Country, the national flag and Net Zero. The proposal includes reducing Welcome to Country ceremonies and excluding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags from press conferences. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging Indigenous heritage. But Welcome to Country has gone well beyond that. It's become a hollow ritual that is performative, tokenistic and divisive. A recent Institute of Public Affairs survey found that 56 per cent of Australian respondents were opposed to it. After all, we are one people, equal under one law, united under one flag. The Australian flag is the only one worn by our troops in every war. It's the only one flying over Parliament. It's the only one Andrew Hastie, a former SAS soldier, was willing to risk his life for. Having multiple flags at official events undermines that unity. We can honour our heritage without forgetting who we are as a nation. It's the same with energy policy. No one's saying we shouldn't care about the environment. But there's a big difference between responsible action and blind submission to foreign targets never designed for us. Australia literally only makes up 1.1 per cent of global emissions. By contrast, China (30.7 per cent), the United States (12.5 per cent) and India (eight per cent) are responsible for over half the world's total emissions. Yet none of them are on track to meet Net Zero by 2050. America has officially pulled out of the Paris Agreement. China's target is 2060. India's is 2070. Yet here we are, tearing down our industries, driving up our power bills and jeopardising our energy security to meet a target that won't shift the global needle in the least little bit. Worse yet, we're still exporting our coal and LNG to countries who won't meet their own targets. This makes zero sense. Australia supplies 25.2 per cent of the world's coal exports and nearly 20 per cent of the world's LNG. If we disappear from the market, that won't stop global emissions. It'll just send more demand to suppliers with even lower standards. Suffice it to say, this isn't climate leadership. It's economic self-harm. Australians want lower emissions but not if it means losing their jobs, paying more for electricity or watching our manufacturing base collapse. We need a smarter approach. One that balances emissions reduction with energy reliability, cost of living and national security. We should be backing our strengths: clean coal, gas, uranium and the development of advanced nuclear power. We should be investing in energy that's both affordable and reliable, not making ourselves weaker just to look virtuous on the world stage. Remember, the political landscape has changed. The way we campaign must change with it. If the Liberal Party stands firm in its values, uses modern platforms effectively and puts its message to everyday Australians plainly, not only will it become relevant again it will lead the future. We don't just need slogans. We need spine and proper leadership. That's what Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash and Andrew Hastie MP are providing at a time when Australia needs it most. Dr Sherry Sufi is Chairman of the WA Liberal Party's Policy Committee. The views expressed in this article are his own.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Voice' Renewed for Season 29 With Format Revamp; Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Adam Levine Returning
'The Voice' is officially set to return for Season 29 at NBC with a format revamp and the coaching lineup set. Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Adam Levine will all return as coaches for Season 29, which will air in spring 2026. Clarkson will film 'The Voice' and 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' concurrently. More from Variety NBC Orders Cheerleading Comedy 'Stumble' to Series 'Wicked' Special to Feature Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Singing Live, NBC Sets November Date Ahead of 'Wicked: For Good' Kelly Clarkson Postpones Opening of Las Vegas Residency Hours Before Show NBC is calling Season 29 'The Voice: Battle of Champions,' named due to the fact the coaching panel is comprised entirely of 'Voice' winners. Coaches will enter the competition with 10 artists per team. The new season will feature four rounds, each featuring a 'Voice' first. Those are: –Blinds: Coaches compete against each other in the 'Triple Turn Competition' (vying for the most three-chair turns) with the winner gaining a special advantage in the next round. –Battles: The coach with the most three-chair turns automatically earns a 'Super Steal' for the Battles. This can only be used once and trumps any other coach's attempt to steal, guaranteeing a win. –Knockouts: Each coach brings back two fan-favorite artists from their teams in previous seasons to compete in an 'In-Season All-Star Competition.' All-stars represent their former coaches as they battle in head-to-head sing-offs. The coach with the most sing-off wins is guaranteed a second finalist in the finale. For this special episode, coaches call upon original 'Voice' coach CeeLo Green to sit in on the competition and determine the winner of each All-Star Showdown. –Semi-Final and Finale Week: Kicks off with a Top 9 Semi-final and culminates in the Top 4 Finale. For the first time in show history, a new voting block comprised of super fans and past 'Voice' artists will have the opportunity to get in on the fun firsthand, experiencing the competition as part of the in-studio audience voting for their favorites in real time during the semi-finals and finale. Season 28 of 'The Voice' is slated to debut this fall. Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg, Niall Horan, and Reba McEntire will serve as the coaches. 'The Voice' is a presentation of MGM Television, Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon, and ITV Studios The Voice USA, Inc. The series was created by John de Mol, who serves as an executive producer along with Mark Burnett, Audrey Morrissey, Amanda Zucker, Kyra Thompson, Adam H. Sher and Barry Poznick. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Adam Levine to Return for ‘The Voice' Season 29
The Voice is coming back in 2026 — and its bringing some iconic coaches with it. On Tuesday, NBC announced that Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Adam Levine will return to their red chairs for Season 29 of the music-competition show, set for next spring. Season 29 will feature a new format — titled 'The Voice: Battle of Champions' — to coincide with NBC Sports' 'Legendary February,' which includes broadcasts of Super Bowl LX, the Olympic Winter Games, and the NBA All-Star Game. More from Rolling Stone Kelly Clarkson Performs 'Heartbeat Song' With Daughter River Rose in Las Vegas Kelly Clarkson Postpones Las Vegas Residency Hours Before Opening Night Kelly Clarkson Returns to Las Vegas: How to Get Last-Minute Tickets for Her 2025 Residency Shows According to NBC, Clarkson will film The Voice and The Kelly Clarkson Show's seventh season concurrently with a 'thoughtfully coordinated filming schedule that has already been worked out' between the production teams. For the new Voice format, coaches will compete against each other for the 'Triple Turn Competition' during blind auditions, with competitors receiving the three turns earning special advantages in the next round. Coaches with the most three-chair turns will get a 'Super Steal' for the Battles part of the show, and during the Knockouts, each coach can bring back two fan-favorites from previous seasons for an 'In-Season All-Star Competition.' That special episode will feature original Voice coach CeeLo Green to determine the winner of the 'All-Star Showdown.' Coaches will also enter the competition with 10 artists per team. The top nine contestants will compete in the semifinals, while the final four will advance to the finale. Clarkson returns to The Voice after last appearing in Season 23 in spring 2023. Legend and Levine are also back after competing this past spring, which marked the Maroon 5 singer's first time on the show in six years. Their return follows a change in Season 28, set for this fall, which features Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg, Niall Horan, and Reba McEntire as coaches. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kelly Clarkson 2.0! Singer unveils bold new look as she announces return to The Voice
Introducing a brand new Kelly Clarkson. The American Idol winner unveiled a brand new haircut as she announced her return to season 29 of The Voice. In a teaser posted to Instagram for The Voice: Battle of Champions, Clarkson revealed she had chopped off inches from her long, chest-length hair. Her tresses, which previously approached her torso, were now dramatically cut just above her shoulders. The fun look definitely suited the bubbly Kelly, who styled her hair in a side-swept 'do with waves as she returned to the judges chair. Kelly, who also has a Vegas residency, has returned for season 29 to battle it out against two other Voice icons - fellow coaches John Legend and Adam Levine. 'But this time we've got some tricks up our sleeve, y'all get ready!' Kelly promised in the teaser as her chair swiveled to the camera. Fans were delighted to see the songstress would be returning to the show after departing The Voice following season 23. In addition to that particular season, she also coached seasons 14-21. Season 29 will return next spring. 'Kelly being back is everything!' one commented on the teaser, a sentiment numerous others shared. 'Kelly is back... now we all go back to watching it!' another wrote. 'Yay. Kelly. So happy. I'll watch just for her,' another wrote. One fan gushed that Kelly was 'lookin' fiiine.' Kelly's return to the show - and new haircut - comes after she underwent another major transformation. In recent years, the songstress has dropped an astounding 60 pounds - and last year she admitted she used a prescription medication to aid in her weight loss, which also included exercise and healthier eating. While interviewing Whoopi Goldberg on her talk show, the Fort Worth, Texas-born star revealed that doctors prescribed her with a weight loss medication after a blood test. She insisted she didn't use Ozempic, but did not reveal which drug she used instead. 'Mine is a different one than people assume, but I ended up having to do that too,' the A Moment Like This songstress told the EGOT winner. 'Everybody thinks it's Ozempic, it's not - it's something else.' She reportedly lost 60 pounds, according to Extra TV, although Kelly has not revealed the exact amount herself. The popstar, who shares daughter River Rose, 11, and son Remington Alexander, nine, with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, said that her physician insisted she take the medication after repeated efforts to get her on it. 'My doctor chased me for like two years,' she said. 'And I was like, "No, I'm afraid of it. I already have thyroid problems, I was afraid."' Kelly said the medication she takes is 'something that aids in helping break down the sugar,' as her 'body doesn't do it right.' The hitmaker, presumably speaking about how she didn't notice that she had progressively gained weight, said that she was taken aback when watching herself on camera at one point and seeing her drastic transformation. She added: 'Seeing yourself, I didn't see it... all of a sudden, I was like "Who the f*** is that?"' At the time, Kelly reiterated that she had not been paying attention to her weight for some time. 'It's a weird thing ... I never saw that, I was never insecure about it - I just did not see that,' Kelly said, adding that at her heaviest, she weighed 203 pounds standing at 5-foot-3. Kelly said she was not miserable or depressed at the time, even though in hindsight, she felt she looked like she was 'about to die of a heart attack.'
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Worried Tom Jones fans receive update after 85-year-old singer was forced to cancel gig at the last minute
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CONCERNED Tom Jones fans can breathe a sigh of relief ahead of his next scheduled performance. The 85-year-old singer was forced to cancel a show in Germany at the last minute on Tuesday after falling ill. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Sir Tom Jones had to cancel a gig in Germany earlier this week Credit: Getty The concert in Bremen has been rescheduled for Monday night, the day after his Discovery Festival date at the Dundee Waterfront. The venue organisers have reassured ticketholders the show will go on, saying: "We have no concerns ahead of Tom Jones's show on Sunday 27 July.' The Voice star has been wrestling with an upper respiratory infection and apologised for postponing his Bremen gig at such short notice. In a statement, he said: "Hello to all the fans in Bremen. Unfortunately, I must postpone my show this evening, as I've contracted an upper respiratory infection that needs treatment and rest. "I know this is really disappointing and will cause inconvenience to you all, and I'm very sorry about that. "But the show will now go ahead on Monday 28th July, so I look forward to seeing you then. All tickets will remain valid for the re-scheduled date. "Until then, thank you for your understanding. Love, Tom." Disappointed fans wished the singer Sexbomb singer a speedy recovery. One wrote on X: "I always keep u n my prayers. 24/7 so now u have 2 listen 2 ur body and just slooow down…much [love heart emoji] 4 u Sir. Another added: "Take care of yourself get well soon." Sir Tom Jones vs. Engelbert Humperdinck: The 40-Year Feud A third tweeted: "Get well very soon Sir Tom xx." Sir Tom is currently touring Europe and has more shows in the UK and Spain coming up. Last year, he spoke about how grateful he is to still be performing after more than 60 years in the music business. He told The Mirror: "Well, thank God my voice is still working. I am 83 years old. I mean I can't believe it, but it is true. "When I am singing I am like, 'How the hell is this coming out of me?' Honestly. "If the voice was not there I am sure I would be going 'Urgh, I don't want to do so many shows' but I love it as the voice is still working!' Later this year, Tom will film an episode of BBC One's In My Own Words, telling his life story. An insider said: 'The new BBC Arts series made a big impression when it first aired last year, bagging some seriously credible names to profile. 'And they've performed the same feat for the follow-up season, drawing some of the biggest stars from the entertainment and creative industries. 'Though they'll have to come up with some formidable talent to top having Sir Tom on the line-up. "A look back at his incredible life will certainly make for interesting viewing for a generation of fans of The Voice, who only know him as a mentor on the show. 'They'll probably be completely stunned when they see his incredible career outlined in detail, from singing with Elvis Presley to recording the themes for James Bond films.' 3 The Voice star apologised to fans Credit: ITV
