Good Weekend Talks
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Panicked missed calls and ‘silly’ seat demands: New texts expose Lehrmann interview tensions
Spotlight producers thought their interview with Bruce Lehrmann would be “the most amazing thing on Australian TV ever”. But new texts show a different story.
Exclusive
Tax disputes
ATO in stand-off with US tech giants over software tax grab
The Tax Office is caught up in a battle over plans to tax billions of dollars worth of software transactions for the first time.
Opinion
UK election
The Tories should have never dumped Boris Johnson. He was the master politician of his age
Are the Tories mad enough to roll another leader? My spies inside the Conservative Party tell me this is a real possibility.
George Brandis
Former high commissioner to the UK and federal attorney-general
‘Like the Day of the Triffids’: How a researcher saved her friend’s life from the ‘monster’ among us
When Troy complained on Facebook about something weird in his shoulder, one of his friends who took notice was pandemic-famous epidemiologist Catherine Bennett.
Husic accuses Israeli government of ‘systemic failure’ over aid worker deaths
The Albanese government’s most senior minister of Muslim faith has delivered a stinging rebuke to the Israeli government.
Exclusive
Public transport
Ditch the timetable: Metro Tunnel trains on track to run every three minutes
The state government initially promised a “turn up and go” service but didn’t specify precisely how often trains would run.
Live
AFL 2024
St Kilda’s first major kicked less than a minute before half-time
Follow along for all the major moments and post game reactions as Gather Round reaches its Sunday matches.
Latest live posts
LoadingFrom love-to-hate to hot property: Why Collingwood players are so marketable
After winning the premiership, Collingwood players are on a ticket to ride. And no red carpet seems complete without them.
Ball was touched before Blues’ mark, but dissent free kick was correct, says AFL chief
Gather Round’s first close encounter concluded in the most contentious final minute of the 2024 season to date.
I did one of Australia’s greatest treks the easy way. It wasn’t that easy
This renowned trek is sensibly divided into a two-speed society. By the end of the fifth day, we were being held together by ibuprofen, knee braces and chocolate.
Andrew Scott is chilling in Netflix’s noir thriller Ripley
Forget the sunny setting of 1999’s The Talented Mr Ripley – this gritty new version, filmed in black and white is as noir as it gets.
Review
Melbourne
Tapenade provides a warm and authentic slice of France in an unlikely city setting
The owners of this cafe and restaurant, in the base of a shiny apartment block on a busy road, have endeared themselves to locals.
Released from prison to fight Ukraine, they return to Russia to kill again
Russian convicts have been the backbone of its success in Ukraine but the strategy is backfiring at home. Those pardoned include murderers, rapists and even a cannibal.
Before a girls’ night out, this is the cheat sheet I left for my husband
Although he has always been a hands-on dad, he works long hours and doesn’t get home until after the kids are in bed during the week. So, he needed help.
Opinion
JK Rowling
This is how cancel culture ends. Thank you, JK Rowling
When the author dared police to arrest her – if they believed she’d broken new hate-speech laws – she struck a blow for freedom.
Parnell Palme McGuinness
Columnist and communications adviser
Her father’s a legend, her mentor’s an enigma, and she’s just made the year’s best debut
Fabiana Palladino’s debut album is a pop masterpiece a lifetime in the making.
‘I married my first crush when I was 22’: Matt Shirvington on finding love so young
The Sunrise host and former athlete met his now-wife, Jessie, when they were both in year 12.
Opinion
Hip pocket
The overlooked tool that can guarantee your retirement income
Retirees are often wary of annuities, also known as a lifetime or fixed-term pension. Here’s what you need to know.
Dominic Powell
Money Editor
WEEKEND READS
Dicey Topics
Sex before, not after, a romantic dinner – and other advice from foodie Alison Roman
The New York-based cook and food writer on weighing up expiry dates, dining with political opposites – and how history will judge meat-eaters.
Seven’s deadly sins: The questionable culture of the network and Mark Llewellyn
The spotlight has been turned back onto Seven’s current affairs show.
Victoria
The army, police, men in black suits... They were told they saw nothing but the Westall UFO witnesses say ‘it definitely happened’
A group of former residents of Melbourne’s south-east say their unexplained sighting from almost 60 years ago still puzzles them.
Could planned burns be making our forests more flammable?
Hazard-reduction burns are designed to clear undergrowth and reduce the risk of big fires but the science is far from settled.
Opinion
City life
Bloated, backward and banal, Vic Market rebuild is the opposite of good planning
Melbourne’s beloved city market is sensual, lively, and bustling with energy but is set to be overshadowed by a series of banal towers that look like they were produced by a robot.
Norman Day
Architect
This community club took extreme measures to kill off its pokies
The Hastings Club was slowly going broke and couldn’t get out of its pokies contracts, so its members acted by putting it into liquidation.
Exclusive
Fossil fuels
‘Sheen’ in water: Ageing oil pipeline off Gippsland coast shut off as leak probed
A pipeline linking two oil platforms is being investigated as the source of a suspected hydrocarbon spill in Bass Strait.
From our partners
AFL
‘They deserve the goal’: Beveridge backs goal-line mark to Cat Stengle
At first, it looked like a behind to Geelong. But on video review, a mark was awarded to Tyson Stengle, who turned it into a goal as the Cats got home by four points.
Sunday Age sport quiz: Rack your brains about Guenther Steiner and Bells Beach surfing
Challenge yourself with our sports quiz, a mix of questions about the latest in world and local sport, and the big events in sporting history.
Politics
Israel pressed to co-operate with Australian probe into aid worker killings
The Albanese government is also urging Israel to take further action if troops are found guilty of wrong-doing in the deaths of Zomi Frankcom and six fellow aid workers.
Business
Opinion
Live music
Kids have not ‘gone soft’ when it comes to music festivals
The rapid decline of music festivals is symptomatic of a bigger problem – and it’s not the fault of young people.
Millie Muroi
Business Reporter
World
Julie Bishop named United Nations special envoy for Myanmar
Myanmar has been locked in civil war since the army took power from Aung Suu Kyi’s elected government in 2021.
Opinion
So much litigation, so little clarity: The Lehrmann case is a sordid labyrinth
Jacqueline Maley
Columnist and senior journalist
When it comes to catchphrases, this film goes straight to the poolroom
David Astle
Crossword compiler and ABC Radio Melbourne presenter
China blocked my visa. I spent three years getting as close as I could
Eryk Bagshaw
North Asia correspondent
The sick joke that insults our new GG – and Beyonce
Julia Baird
Journalist, broadcaster, historian and author
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Property
First home buyer nabs Richmond terrace for $1.135m, ‘less than what it was worth’
Both the buyer and the underbidder expected the two-bedroom house in a sought-after location to sell for even more.
‘Ultimate place to raise a family’: Melbourne’s top suburbs if you can’t afford the inner city
Home buyers here can enjoy an unbeatable lifestyle and find the commute is not a problem.
Good Food
Lifestyle
Opinion
Family
Forget siblings, the best family relationship is cousins
Your cousin is you but also not you, like yourself in a misty mirror.
Richard Glover
Broadcaster and columnist
Opinion
Health and nutrition
Making sense of health headlines shouldn’t be so difficult – or dangerous
Sarah Berry
Lifestyle Health Editor
Opinion
Sunday Life
Boomers are afraid to sell the family home and downsize. Can you blame us?
Jane Caro
Novelist, author and commentator
Culture
She turned David Bowie into Ziggy Stardust. It changed her life forever
Suzi Ronson was working in a hair salon in London when she gave Mrs Jones’ son the look that defined an era.
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
Live
AFL 2024
AFL 2024 round four LIVE updates: Bolton leads Tigers to early lead over slow-starting Saints, Martin back without missing a beat
Follow along for all the major moments and post game reactions as Gather Round reaches its Sunday matches.
From love-to-hate to hot property: Why Collingwood players are so marketable
After winning the premiership, Collingwood players are on a ticket to ride. And no red carpet seems complete without them.
Ball was touched before Blues’ mark, but dissent free kick was correct, says AFL chief
Gather Round’s first close encounter concluded in the most contentious final minute of the 2024 season to date, as Carlton booted two goals, one from a mark that Dockers players claimed was touched, and then the sealer from a free against Jordan Clark for dissent.
‘They deserve the goal’: Beveridge backs goal-line mark to Cat Stengle
At first, it looked like a behind to Geelong. But on video review, a mark was awarded to Tyson Stengle, who turned it into a goal as the Cats got home by four points.
Analysis
EPL
Why Ange’s Spurs still have a role to play in Premier League ‘title race’
Spurs are in a unique position: they have the chance to severely dent Arsenal’s title hopes, but also need their fiercest rivals to go as deep as possible in Europe for their own sake.
Finlayson to be made accountable after admitting homophobic slur, apologising to Essendon player
The league CEO said an investigation was under way to ensure Port forward Jeremy Finlayson was held accountable for the homophobic slur he directed at an Essendon player on Friday night.
Rugby chiefs investigate allegation Fijian star was racially abused by Rebels fan
Fijian Drua star Frank Lomani was left visibly shaken after allegedly being the target of a racial slur by a fan during Friday night’s match against the Rebels in Melbourne.
Have Your Say
No serious AFL player would take drugs: Why I can’t fathom blase attitude
Despite attempts to downplay the issues, the reports of illicit drug use and disharmony caused by footy trips should be ringing alarm bells for the AFL and its players’ association.
Kane Cornes
AFL columnist
