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Peter Stefanovic and Sylvia Jeffreys list multimillion-dollar home

TV presenter power couple Peter Stefanovic and Sylvia Jeffreys have listed their Double Bay terrace for sale. The couple placed their home on the market for $4.5 million, as they start the search for a bigger and better family home for them and their two sons. The four-bedroom terrace with two-and-a-half bathrooms in Epping Rd is scheduled to go under the hammer on August 22nd with a $4.5m price guide via Oliver Lavers of The Rubinstein Group. Stefanovic, a co-host of First Edition on Sky News Australia, and Jeffreys, co-host of Today Extra on Channel 9, had bought the home on a 186 sqm block for $2.7m in 2016. In their seven years at the home, the couple have made a range of improvements including adding off-street parking, and created an impressive outdoor entertainment area with inbuilt seating and barbecue in the rear courtyard. The impressive property boasts open plan living areas, polished timber floors, marble finishes in the kitchen, and underfloor heating in the bathrooms. Two master-sized bedrooms open to balconies, alongside a third on the upper floor, and a versatile fourth bedroom could serve as an office. The couple met in 2014 when they were both colleagues at Channel Nine - she was working on The Today Show while he was a foreign correspondent for Nine News, and they bumped into each other in the station’s carpark. Two years later in 2016, Stefanovic popped the question in a French vineyard, and they were married the following year in Kangaroo Valley. The couple have two sons - Oscar, who was born in early 2020 and Henry, who arrived a little more than a year later. With their sons growing up and needing more space, the family are looking for a bigger home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Image credits: realestate.com.au / Instagram

Real Estate

“I believe Prince Andrew”: Fergie’s ex speaks in bombshell interview

Sarah Ferguson’s former partner has made bombshell allegations about Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew and the late Queen, including claims that the convicted sex offender planned to blackmail the monarch. John Bryan, who was in a relationship with Ferguson for four years in the 1990s, made the claims in his first tell-all interview, per The Sun. The US businessman said that Epstein earned some of his wealth by blackmailing others in powerful positions into giving him money in exchange for his silence over their illicit behaviours. “People always ask how Epstein made his money. He was supposed to be this tax wizard. But it was all a con,” Bryan told the Mail on Sunday. “He blackmailed rich men and then made them pay to avoid scandal. He made hundreds of millions of dollars this way.” Bryan also claimed he was secretly drafted for crisis talks with Prince Andrew after the royal’s disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview, including that he was smuggled into the Royal Lodge to advise the royal in the wake of the Epstein scandal and amid claims he had sex with then-teenager Virginia Giuffre. He said the conversation involved probing Andrew about his relationship with Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. “Andrew’s television interview had been a catastrophe so they needed an honest strategic plan that everyone could buy into,” Bryan recalled. “[Fergie] invited me to come over. She was desperate. She told me that Andrew was in terrible shape. “He was distraught. They were distraught.” He claimed that he helped the family come up with a “long term strategy” called “House of Kroy”, a backwards spelling of York. During the interview, Bryan said Epstein’s “ultimate” aim was to blackmail the Queen using the allegations of child sexual abuse and other sexual activities made against Andrew. “Epstein tried to lure Andrew into his web, but I believe his ultimate mark was the Queen,” Bryan said, adding that Epstein’s plan to target the Queen supported his belief that the allegations against Andrew were unfounded. “I believe Andrew is innocent. If he genuinely was involved in ‘orgies’ as has been alleged, then Epstein would have used that to try and bribe the Queen into paying out millions to protect her family,” he said. “Andrew has never had any money. The Queen was the one with money. “I truly believe Epstein was going after her but Andrew never gave him the ammunition to do so.” The financial advisor recalled another meeting with the royals, including Andrew, Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank. Bryan claimed Princess Beatrice told Andrew, “you’ve hurt our family”, and that Andrew was “downcast” and yelling: “I don’t care anymore, I don’t care. I am being treated unfairly.” He added that the Duke was in a state he had never seen him in before after the interview. “In the four years I dated Sarah I never once heard him raise his voice or lose his temper,” he said. “It showed what strain he was under, how much he cared about the damage this was doing to the Royal Family.” Bryan added that he had only seen Andrew with women aged in their mid-20s while he was dating Fergie, and that he believed there was “no hint” of “anything untoward going on”. “I truly believe if there was anything untoward going on I would have known about it, Sarah would have known about it,” he said. “But there was never a hint of that. I remain and will always remain an outsider, so let me be the first outsider to say that I believe Prince Andrew – and I don’t say it lightly. “This outsider has a lot of inside knowledge.” Image: Getty Images

Legal

"They’re making money off tragedy": Netflix’s Dahmer series shows the dangers of fictionalising real horrors

Netflix’s recent series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has stirred <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-63088009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">controversy</a> over its apparent glamorisation of a serial killer and perceived insensitivity towards the families of Dahmer’s victims. In contrast to more journalistic true crime entertainment (<a href="https://theconversation.com/true-crime-entertainment-like-the-teachers-pet-can-shine-a-light-on-cold-cases-but-does-it-help-or-hinder-justice-being-served-189787" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which has its own issues</a>), the dramatisation and fictionalisation of real-life crimes, such as Dahmer, has drawn a wave of criticism for re-traumatising victims and their loved ones, and glorifying criminals. <h2>Artistic license or sensationalist schlock?</h2> Whether presenting itself as an accurate retelling or merely “inspired by true events” – there is always going to be some artistic license when transforming a complex true crime story into a movie or TV series. While changes from real life to screen are often relatively minor, such as having multiple police officers represented by one fictionalised detective, others can significantly misrepresent events. Anne Schwartz, the journalist who broke the original Dahmer story, has called the recent Dahmer Netflix series “not a helpful representation”. In an interview with the <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/anne-e-schwartz-jeffrey-dahmer-autopsy-polaroids-b2194855.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Independent</a>, Schwartz criticised the caricatured depiction of law enforcement in the series. She also took aim at key plot elements, such as having key witness Glenda Cleveland (played by Niecy Nash) live next door to Dahmer, rather than in the building next door (as in real life). Other dramatisations of real-life crimes have gone much further, adding sensationalist – and even downright supernatural – elements to true events. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7976208/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Haunting of Sharon Tate</a>, written and directed by Daniel Farrands and released in 2019, was universally panned by critics and audiences alike for graphically depicting the real life murder of actress Sharon Tate by the Manson family. In the film, Tate (played by Hilary Duff) has apparent premonitions of her murder in her dreams, with the film ending with a meeting of Manson’s victims in the afterlife. Film critic Owen Gleiberman <a href="https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/the-haunting-of-sharon-tate-review-hilary-duff-1203179977/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> the film “pure, unadulterated cheeseball exploitation” opining that it “goes out of its way to turn the Manson murders into schlock horror”. <h2>Re-traumatising victims and their families</h2> Victims of crime and their loved ones are frequently angered and re-traumatised when their real-life stories become fodder for public consumption. The families of homicide victims are particularly disadvantaged when encountering inaccurate or insulting depictions of their loved ones, given legal protections of reputation, such as claims in defamation, don’t apply if the person defamed is deceased. Some of the families of Dahmer’s victims have expressed outrage at the Netflix series, noting that they were never approached about the show’s release. Rital Isbell, whose brother was murdered by Dahmer, had her heart-breaking victim impact statement dramatised in the series without her knowledge or consent. She called the series “harsh and careless” in a <a href="https://www.insider.com/rita-isbell-sister-jeffrey-dahmer-victim-talks-about-netflix-show-2022-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">piece</a> in Insider expressing that “It’s sad that they’re just making money off of this tragedy”. The question of who benefits from depictions of real-life crimes is an important one, with large studios and streaming platforms earning millions while victims and their families are often left to bear the consequences of increased public attention. Australian films haven’t been immune to this tension between artistic freedom and the wishes of victim’s families. The 1997 Australian film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118735/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blackrock</a>, directed by Steven Vidler and adapted from a play by Nick Enright was clearly <a href="http://www.textjournal.com.au/oct09/brien.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inspired by</a> (although denied by Enright) the real-life rape and murder of 14-year-old schoolgirl <a href="https://7news.com.au/original-fyi/crime-story-investigator/leigh-leigh-remembering-murdered-14-year-old-stockton-girl-30-years-on-c-535209" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leigh Leigh</a> in 1987. Leigh’s family were highly critical upon the film’s release finding the depiction exploitative and accusing the filmmakers of “feasting on an unfortunate situation”. <h2>Making celebrities out of serial killers</h2> The rise of online “fandoms” surrounding real-life killers is an increasingly documented phenomena likely tied to the increased pop culturalisation of true crime. Social media site Tumblr has a variety of dedicated fan accounts for history’s monsters, with everyone from serial killer Richard Ramirez to school shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold getting special treatment. Researcher Andrew Rico sees such fandoms as partially motivated by an urge to <a href="https://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/671" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shock and scandalise</a> the public, but notes they also indicate the tabloid depiction of criminals such as schools shooters has led to a form of dark celebrity. This is supported by the work of doctoral student Sasha Artamonova, who views dark fandoms as a kind of “<a href="https://www.academia.edu/32699599/Rebels_with_a_Cause_School_Shooters_Fandom_as_a_Form_of_Counterculture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">counter-culture</a>” movement rallying against moral norms. The Dahmer Netflix series has <a href="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/why-hollywood-obsessed-casting-teen-134800169.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received criticism</a> for casting Evan Peters as Jeffery Dahmer, given his status as a teen heartthrob who rose to fame in creator Ryan Murphy’s far more lighthearted horror series American Horror Story. The Gen Z populated TikTok is full of fan videos of his depiction of Dahmer. Similar criticism was levelled at another Netflix series Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile which cast Highschool Musical star Zac Efron as serial rapist and murderer Ted Bundy. An unhealthy obsession with serial killers is, of course, nothing new – Jeffery Dahmer received <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Dahmer-Letters-Milwaukee-Cannibal/dp/B0B72T273N" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many positive letters</a> and even marriage proposals while incarcerated. However, some worry the recent trend of casting attractive celebrities as serial killers could have flow on effects. One writer in Odyssey <a href="https://www.theodysseyonline.com/hollywood-romanticizes-serial-killers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that “young and impressionable youth of today might find themselves empathising with and falling for people who are actually dangerous”. Whether such concerns are prescient or a textbook example of moral panic remains to be seen. Ultimately, there will always be an audience for stories of the murderous and macabre, with fascination in the darker side of life an incredibly common human impulse. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/theyre-making-money-off-tragedy-netflixs-dahmer-series-shows-the-dangers-of-fictionalising-real-horrors-192006" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Netflix

Britain’s Channel 4 announce satirical Prince Andrew musical

Britain’s Channel 4 network has announced they will be producing a satirical musical with Prince Andrew at the centre. The UK broadcaster said the 60 minute musical satire will detail the fall of the disgraced royal and his disastrous 2019 interview discussing his ties with late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The BBC Newsnight interview, widely regarded as a public relations catastrophe for the Duke of York, will be "re-imagined” as part of the program, but with a sarcastic twist. Comedian Kieran Hodgson will lead a cast of comics in Prince Andrew: The Musical, a program described as a "satirical send-up of the life and times" of the duke set to a musical score. The show will be part of a 40th anniversary season of shows called Truth or Dare for Channel 4, which launched in 1982. It has not yet been announced exactly when it will air. At the time of the interview, critics tore into Prince Andrew for his lack of empathy for the abused victims of Epstein, who killed himself in prison in August 2019. Ever since the interview, the Duke of York has remained embroiled in controversy surrounding his potential involvement with Epstein. As a result, he was stripped of his military titles and his use of "his royal highness" in early 2022. Image credits: Getty Images

Music

"You opened the door to hell": Epstein victims address Ghislaine Maxwell as she is sentenced

Content Warning: This article discusses Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). Ghislaine Maxwell has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for recruiting and grooming four teenage girls who were sexually abused by her then-boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein. At her sentencing hearing in Manhattan federal court, the 60-year-old showed no emotion as she was sentenced early Wednesday (Australia time). Before learning the sentence, four of the survivors read out victim impact statements, describing the abuse they faced at the hands of Maxwell and Epstein, as well as the long term emotional impacts they have experienced as a result. “For a long time I wanted to erase from my mind the crimes that Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell committed against me … but I’ve had to acknowledge the long-lasting effects,” Annie Farmer, the fourth victim to take the stand, said, breaking into tears during her statement. “One of the most painful and ongoing impacts of Maxwell and Epstein’s abuse was the loss of trust in myself.” Sarah Ransome, Elizabeth Stein, and the accuser known as “Kate” also shared their statements, while the attorney for Virginia Giuffre read out her statement in court. Standing up at a Plexiglass-enclosed lectern, Maxwell described Epstein as a “manipulative, cunning and controlling man” who fooled everyone around him and said she was “sorry” for the pain his victims experienced. “It is my greatest regret of my life that I ever met Jeffrey Epstein,” she said. “I also acknowledge that I have been convicted of helping Jeffrey Epstein commit these crimes. “And despite the many helpful and positive things I have done in my life and will continue to do … I know that my association with Epstein and this case will permanently stain me.” However, she attempted to shift the blame onto Epstein, emphasising that he “should have been here before all of you”, echoing arguments her lawyers made that she had been scapegoated for Epstein’s crimes. This is despite her involvement as the person to introduce the victims to Epstein and statements from victims describing her abusing them as well. During sentencing, US Circuit Judge Alisan Nathan said Maxwell didn’t appear to express remorse or take responsibility for her actions. “Maxwell directly and repeatedly and over the course of many years participated in a horrific scheme to entice, transport and traffic underage girls, some as young as 14, for sexual abuse by and with Jeffrey Epstein,” Judge Nathan said. “The damage done to these young girls was incalculable.” The sentencing comes after Maxwell was convicted of five of six charges laid against her in December 2021, which followed a month-long trial and 40 hours of deliberation by jurors. Maxwell was convicted of: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> sex trafficking, </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> conspiracy to entice individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> conspiracy to transport individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Transportation of an individual under the age of 17 with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, and, </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of individuals under the age of 18. </li> </ul> Prosecutors last week called Maxwell’s conduct “shockingly predatory” and said she deserved to spend at least 30 years behind bars, based on their interpretation of sentencing guidelines. Maxwell’s lawyers argued that she should be sentenced for no more than five and one-quarter years, due to her being scapegoated and the time she has already spent in prison since her arrest in July 2020. However, her official sentence is far lower than the maximum possible sentence of 55 years that she could have received. Judge Nathan calculated that the sentencing guidelines called for 15.5 to 19.5 years in prison, but delivered a higher sentence due to the victims’ disturbing testimony and Maxwell’s “direct and repeated participation in a horrific scheme”. “Miss Maxwell is not punished in place of Epstein,” she said. “Miss Maxwell is being punished for the role that she played.” Image: Getty Images

Legal

Sylvia Jeffreys shares devastating family news

Sylvia Jeffreys has taken to Instagram to share recent news that has devastated her family. The Today Extra host is mourning the loss of a family member, as she shared photos and stories of her "dear Uncle David", who was "totally adored". “My family gathered yesterday with heavy hearts to say goodbye to our Dear Uncle David, who was totally adored by us all,” Jeffreys wrote, alongside an album of pictures featuring her late relative. “He had his struggles but he found great happiness in life, in cars and bowling and TV Week and Days Of Our Lives. But above all he was happiest by his mother’s side." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cajhd04Lu1T/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cajhd04Lu1T/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sylvia Jeffreys (@sylviajeffreys)</a> </div> </blockquote> “They were wonderful companions and made each other laugh until they shook. And we – his nieces and nephews – were blessed to know his pure and unconditional love." “We are grateful that he was surrounded by family in his final days, for the doctors and nurses at the PA Hospital who provided loving care, and that somewhere out there he is back by his mother’s side.” The cause of Sylvia's uncle's death is still unknown. Her post was flooded with well wishes and condolences from colleagues, journalists and other Australian media personalities. Sylvia is currently based in the Queensland town of Rocklea, Brisbane, for Nine's dedicated flood coverage. Image credits: Instagram @sylviajeffreys

Caring

Royal Family strips Prince Andrew of all royal patronages and military titles

The British Royal Family has removed Prince Andrew’s military titles and royal patronages, meaning the Queen’s second son will no longer be known as ‘His Royal Highness’. The move comes as Andrew fights a lawsuit brought in US court by Virginia Giuffre, accusing him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. Andrew was already forced to step down from public duties in 2019 because of his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and after a disastrous BBC interview failed to clear his name. Buckingham Palace said in a statement, “With the Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the queen. The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.” On Wednesday, Andrew’s lawyers failed to persuade US District Judge Lewis Kaplan to dismiss Virginia Giuffre’s civil lawsuit, and Judge Kaplan ruled that Giuffre could pursue claims that Andrew battered her and intentionally caused her emotional distress while Epstein was trafficking her. Andrew continues to deny Giuffre’s accusations that he forced her to have sex with him. The decision means Andrew could be required to give evidence at a trial which could begin between September and December if no settlement is reached. A source close to Andrew said, “Given the robustness with which Judge Kaplan greeted our arguments, we are unsurprised by the ruling. However, it was not a judgment on the merits of Ms Giuffre’s allegations. This is a marathon not a sprint and the Duke will continue to defend himself against these claims.” As for the Royal Family’s move to distance themselves from Andrew, the BBC’s royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said, “This is now about the protection of the royal family’s reputation. This is likely to do, and is already doing, considerable reputational damage – it’s being followed around the world.” Andrew’s military affiliations and patronages will be redistributed to other members of the family. Image: Christopher Furlong - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Legal

Secret court papers revealed in Prince Andrew case

A secret legal settlement between Virginia Giuffre and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/sunrise/on-the-show/giuffre-epstein-agreement-made-public-c-5175529" target="_blank">has been made public</a>, as Prince Andrew attempts to dismiss Giuffre’s lawsuit against him. Court papers, which have been sealed since 2009, revealed that Giuffre received $USD 500,000 ($AUD 694,796) from Epstein, who she claims trafficked and abused her. The royal filed the settlement as part of an attempt to dismiss Giuffre’s case against him, in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her three times when she was 17. In her lawsuit, Giuffre accused Andrew of abusing her at two of his homes, as well as forcing her to have sex at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/30/ghislaine-maxwell-what-happens-next-charges-sentencing" target="_blank">recently convicted</a> of five charges including recruiting and grooming teenage girls and sex trafficking a minor. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations, and has <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/prince-andrew-s-latest-claims-in-lawsuit" target="_blank">previously moved to dismiss the lawsuit</a> by claiming it was “unconstitutional” under the Child Victims’ Act, since Giuffre was above New York’s age of consent at the time. He also attempted to block proceedings on the grounds that Giuffre was no longer a US citizen three days before the settlement was released. However, a federal judge rejected the claims and ordered his lawyers to turn over key legal documents. With the release of Giuffre’s settlement, the prince’s legal team argue that the agreement shields him from liability due to provisions that prevent her from taking legal action against “any other person or entity” who could have been a defendant. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> NEW: A 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and <a href="https://twitter.com/VRSVirginia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VRSVirginia</a> for $500k has been unsealed. Prince Andrew's lawyer's hope a clause in it (which says "potential defendants" in lawsuits brought by Giuffre are protected from liability) will see her sexual abuse lawsuit dismissed. <a href="https://t.co/750Iv5q4vh">pic.twitter.com/750Iv5q4vh</a> — Omid Scobie (@scobie) <a href="https://twitter.com/scobie/status/1478052106061836288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2022</a></blockquote> The document states that once Giuffre, referred to by her maiden name, received the funds that she agreed to “remise, release, acquit, satisfy and forever discharge the said second parties and any other from all, and all manner of, action and actions of Virginia Roberts, including state or federal, cause and causes of action”. Though Andrew was not mentioned in the document, his attorneys said the settlement released him from liability. “Giuffre settled her sex-traffickinig and sexual-abuse claims against Epstein in 2009,” his lawyers said in a court filing on October 29. “In doing so, she provided Epstein with a general release of all claims against him and numerous other individuals and entities. “To avoid being dragged into future legal disputes, Epstein negotiated for this broad release, insisting that it cover any and all persons who Giuffre identified as potential targets of future lawsuits, regardless of merit - or lack thereof - to any such claims.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrinceAndrew?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrinceAndrew</a>'s legal team is arguing that bc <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JeffreyEpstein?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JeffreyEpstein</a> paid a settlement to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VirginiaGiuffre?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VirginiaGiuffre</a>, she can't pursue him for his alleged sexual assault crimes against her. That sounds like "Yes I did it, but my friend Jeffrey paid the girl." — Peter Murphy (@PeterWMurphy1) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterWMurphy1/status/1478076434308427777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2022</a></blockquote> They argued that Andrew’s status as a “senior member of the British royal family” meant he belonged to “one of the expressly identified categories of persons” who were “released from liability under the release agreement”. “As a third-party beneficiary of the release agreement, Prince Andrew is entitled to enforce the general release contained therein.” A representative for Giuffre’s lawyers said the document’s release was “irrelevant to Ms Giuffre’s claim against Prince Andrew” as it doesn’t mention him, as reported by <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jan/03/jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. “He did not even know about it. He could not have been a ‘potential defendant’ in the settled case against Jeffrey Epstein both because he was not subject to jurisdiction in Florida and because the Florida case involved federal claims to which he was not a part,” the representative said. “The actual parties to the release have made clear that Prince Andrew was not covered by it. “Lastly, the reason we sought to have the release made public was to refute the claims being made about it by Prince Andrew’s PR campaign.” Andrew’s legal team will argue for the dismissal on Tuesday in New York, where US District Judge Lewis Kaplan will decide whether Giuffre will be blocked from suing the prince. Image: Getty Images

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On the elegance and wry observations of Jeffrey Smart, one of Australia’s favourite painters

Review: Jeffrey Smart, National Gallery of Australia Although I never met him, Jeffrey Smart (1921-2013) was my first art teacher. As “Phideas” on the ABC Radio’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argonauts_Club">Argonauts</a> program he told stories of art and artists, explaining ways of seeing to children across Australia. Two things I remember from my childhood listening. The first was the marvel of the <a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/golden-ratio-in-art-328435">Golden Mean</a>, the magical geometric ratio that governs the western tradition of art. The second was a story of <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rmbt/hd_rmbt.htm">Rembrandt</a> who took his own path as an artist, even though that led to criticism by his peers. After I discovered Phidias’s identity I could see the Golden Mean writ large in his carefully constructed paintings. But Rembrandt? Jeffrey Smart’s painting surfaces meticulously honour the Italian Renaissance and his composition at times has echoes of the metaphysical works of <a href="https://www.artnews.com/feature/giorgio-de-chirico-why-is-he-famous-1202687371/">Giorgio de Chirico</a>. They have nothing in common with Rembrandt’s painterly approach. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437390/original/file-20211214-23-17pb3qm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437390/original/file-20211214-23-17pb3qm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Jeffrey Smart, Waiting for the train, 1969-70. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, purchased 1969, gift of Alcoa World Alumina Australia 2005, © The Estate of Jeffrey Smart. But that wasn’t the point of the story. Smart was speaking in Sydney in about 1960, a time and place when artists were expected to be hard drinking heterosexual men performing painterly abstraction. Smart was not a part of that culture. He had a lifelong allegiance to the classical forms of the Italian <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Quattrocento">quattrocento</a>, especially the exquisite formal geometry of <a href="https://artuk.org/discover/artists/piero-della-francesca-c-14151492">Piero della Francesca</a>. His love of structure, smooth surface, fine detail and his sexuality put him at odds with Australia. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437393/original/file-20211214-13-13ub98q.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437393/original/file-20211214-13-13ub98q.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Jeffrey Smart, Morning at Savona, 1976, University Art Collection, Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney, Donated through the Alan Richard Renshaw Bequest 1976. © The Estate of Jeffrey Smart. It was only later, years after he retreated to Italy, that his home country came to fully appreciate the elegance of his wry observations. In his old age, this artist once out of tune with his peers, became one of Australia’s most favoured sons. Now, on the centenary of his birth, the National Gallery’s Deborah Hart and Rebecca Edwards have curated a thoughtful and generous reassessment linking Smart to the places and people who nourished him. <h2>Shape, line and colour</h2> It begins in his home town of Adelaide: a city with a well planned urban centre and (back then) a culture of Protestant conformity. The young Smart painted buildings and industrial waste; the way light and shade makes patterns on surfaces; the contrast between clear constructed shapes and fluid humanity. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437392/original/file-20211214-15-19oh8wn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437392/original/file-20211214-15-19oh8wn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Jeffrey Smart, Corrugated Gioconda, 1976. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, purchased 1976, © The Estate of Jeffrey Smart. Local cinemas introduced him to Alfred Hitchcock, whose films use visual clues to imply tension. Hitchcock was famous for inserting himself as an incidental figure into his narratives. I have always wondered if that solitary of a watching man in so many of Smart’s paintings is in part a tribute to the original master of visual suspense. Smart would only ever discuss his work in terms of their formal relationship between shape, line and colour. This insistence on formalism goes back to his early studies in Adelaide and the influence of the modernist painter <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorrit_Black">Dorrit Black</a> (1891-1951), who had returned to Adelaide after some years in France. The curators have included her <a href="https://searchthecollection.nga.gov.au/object?uniqueId=29974">House-roofs and flowers</a> which hangs beside Smart’s early structured <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/436.2001/">Seated Nude</a>. It is easy to see the connection. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437428/original/file-20211214-17-1eqwvss.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437428/original/file-20211214-17-1eqwvss.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Jeffrey Smart, Keswick siding, 1945. Tarntanya/Adelaide. Oil on canvas. 62 x 72.1 cm. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Gift of Charles B Moses 1982 193.1982 There is a sense of wanting to escape in some paintings of his Adelaide period, such as Keswick Siding. This is less so after he moved to Sydney where he found, despite his unfashionable devotion to precision and classical form, his art was accepted as being a part of the <a href="https://www.portrait.gov.au/portraits/2008.24/the-merioola-group">Charm School</a>, which it was not. Living and working in Sydney, he also became greatly admired as a teacher at the National Art School and a broadcaster. <h2>Humour and friends</h2> Even the most structured works of Smart’s maturity include visual jokes and a human touch. In Holiday, 1971, a relentless pattern of balconies and windows is disrupted by the small figure of a woman, lazing in the sun. He always claimed he introduced people in his paintings of buildings to give a sense of scale, an old artist’s trick. I am not sure how that works in the Portrait of Clive James, unless it was to remind the subject of his significance in the scheme of things. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437429/original/file-20211214-21-16vusye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437429/original/file-20211214-21-16vusye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Jeffrey Smart. Portrait of Clive James. 1991–92 Tuscany, Italy. Oil on canvas. 109 x 90.4 cm. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales 1992 © The Estate of Jeffrey Smart Photo: AGNSW 276.1992 Smart’s relocation to Italy in 1963 saw a lightening of his palette, and a joyous celebration of light with the contrasting geometry of the blocky shapes of the modern world and the human scale of the old. There is a running theme of visual wit, but only for those who notice. Waiting for the train (1969-70) has echoes of compositions by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piero_della_Francesca">Piero della Francesca</a>, albeit in gloomy tones. His portrait of Germaine Greer places her against an impastoed wall, a surprising rough painterly texture which could either be a comment on the subject’s character or a riposte to those who considered he was lacking in technical skill as a painter. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437430/original/file-20211214-19-ptwv8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437430/original/file-20211214-19-ptwv8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Jeffrey Smart. Portrait of Germaine Greer. 1984 Tuscany, Italy. Oil and synthetic polymer paint on canvas. 96 x 120 cm. Private collection Some of the most satisfying works are Smart’s portraits of friends, and here his humour comes into play. The scholarly writer David Malouf is depicted as a workman in overalls, holding a twisting orange pipe. Margaret Olley is at the Louvre, a place she loved, but placed in front of a row of anonymous wooden screens. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437431/original/file-20211214-23-at8gxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437431/original/file-20211214-23-at8gxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Jeffrey Smart. Portrait of David Malouf. 1980 Tuscany, Italy. Oil and synthetic polymer paint on canvas. 100 x 100 cm. The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth. Purchased 1983 © The Estate of Jeffrey Smart 1983/0P13 Most fascinating of all is The listeners, 1965 where a young man lies in a field of grass, overseen by a surveilling radar. The head is a portrait of Smart’s friend, the art critic Paul Haefliger who had retreated from Australia to Majorca. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437432/original/file-20211214-21-nj1p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437432/original/file-20211214-21-nj1p6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Jeffrey Smart. The listeners. 1965 Rome, Italy. Oil on canvas. 91.5 x 71 cm. Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat. The William, Rene and Blair Ritchie Collection. Bequest of Blair Ritchie 1998 © The Estate of Jeffrey Smart 1998.23 It shows visual contrasts between modern technology and nature, between the golden grass, red radar and dark sky and (for those in the know) between the young body of the model and the head of the ageing Haefliger. Smart’s portraits rarely focus on their subject. The one exception is The two-up game (Portrait of Ermes), 2008, who became Smart’s life partner in 1975. His calm face is backgrounded by the solid geometry of containers on one side and the fluidity of people playing a game of chance, on the other. In formal terms, his image in the foreground balances the composition. This also seems to be the meaning, the reason for it all. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437433/original/file-20211214-15-1hmeyhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437433/original/file-20211214-15-1hmeyhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Jeffrey Smart. The two-up game (Portrait of Ermes). 2006 Tuscany, Italy. Oil on canvas. 86.8 x 158.4 cm. TarraWarra Museum of Art, Healesville. Purchased 2006 2006.011 Jeffrey Smart is at the National Gallery of Australia until May 15 2022<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171109/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joanna-mendelssohn-8133">Joanna Mendelssohn</a>, Principal Fellow (Hon), Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. Editor in Chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/on-the-elegance-and-wry-observations-of-jeffrey-smart-one-of-australias-favourite-painters-171109">original article</a>. Image: Jeffrey Smart, Margaret Olley in the Louvre Museum. 1994–95 Tuscany, Italy. Oil on canvas 67 x 110 cm Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.

Art

Never-before-seen photos emerge in Ghislaine Maxwell abuse trial

Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of child abuse and sexual assault, which may be triggering to some readers. British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell’s relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has come under scrutiny in court, as she faces charges including sex trafficking of minors. Ms Maxwell has been on trial over accusations of helping Epstein recruit and sexually abuse four underage girls, to which she has pleaded guily to. As the trial reaches its seventh day of proceedings, three of the four women have testified against the 59-year-old former girlfriend of Epstein. She has consistently denied playing a role in the series of sexual assaults Epstein has been accused and charged for, with her legal team echoing her claims. Ms Maxwell’s lawyers have said her accusers’ memories have been corrupted over time, with lawyer Bobbi C. Sternheim telling the court that she is being treated as “a scapegoat for a man who behaved badly”. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846239/epstein1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/dc2969dfb3f14dd2afa3906c3ea118a3" /> Image: US District Attorney’s Office However, a document presented before the court on Tuesday has provided a conflicting view of the relationship between them. An FBI digital forensic examiner shared details of the document, which was created by a user called ‘GMax’ on a computer seized by the agency from Epstein’s New York mansion in 2019. The author of the document wasn’t revealed. “Jeffrey and Ghislaine have been together as a couple for the last 11 years,” the document read. “They are, contrary to what people think, rarely apart, I almost always see them together. “Jeffrey and Ghislaine share many mutual interests and they have a lot of fun together,” it continued, adding that “they compliment each other really well”. “On top of being partner’s (sic) they are also best of friends.” Never-before-seen photos were also presented to the court, with some showing Ms Maxwell massaging Epstein’s feet. Others showed the pair embracing and kissing in various locations that were often exotic. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846238/epstein2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c3d5ec6d295b450caa3382b4fac41820" /> Image: US District Attorney’s Office The images were also seized during the 2019 raid. Prosecutors are expected to call a fourth woman to testify against Ms Maxwell, before wrapping up their case two weeks ahead of schedule. They allege Ms Maxwell played a part in procuring girls and young women for Epstein, the multimillionaire financier who had ties to billionaire Leslie Wexner, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew. No allegations of trafficking have been made against Mr Trump or Mr Wexner. Virginia Giuffre, another woman alleging she was trafficked and abused by Epstein and Ms Maxwell, has alleged she was trafficked to Prince Andrew when she was 17. She is not expected to appear in Ms Maxwell’s trial. The first two women to testify, known by the pseudonyms Jane and Kate, testified that they had been aspiring entertainers when they were approached by Maxwell, who told them Epstein could help them advance their careers. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846237/epstein3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/95c492519b3b47bf83424ce9b107fb7a" /> Image: US District Attorney’s Office Jane said she was first abused by Epstein during the mid-1990s when she was 14, and that Ms Maxwell trained her in how to sexually satisfy Epstein. She also testified that Epstein personally drove her to meet Mr Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort. David Rodgers, one of Epstein’s pilots, also testified, telling the court he had seen Jane on at least four flights. “She’s flown with Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and other people as well,” Mr Rodgers said. The second woman to testify, Kate, said she was first abused when she was 17 and was lured into giving Epstein sexual massages. On Tuesday, a woman identified as Carolyn testified that she was a minor when she began having sex with Epstein. She also said Ms Maxwell touched her once while she was preparing to massage Epstein. “I was fully nude and [Maxwell] came in and she felt my boobs and my hips and my buttocks and said that … I had a great body for Mr Epstein and his friends,” Carolyn told the court. While under cross-examination by Ms Maxwell’s lawyer Jeffrey Pagliuca, she was asked whether there was an “incentive for you to stick to your story” after she reached a $USD 3.25 million settlement with a fund to compensate Epstein’s victims, mentioning Ms Maxwell in her claim. “Money will not ever fix what that woman has done to me,” Carolyn said, sobbing. Image: Getty Images

News

Fergie and Prince Andrew may say "I do AGAIN"

It’s been reported Prince Andrew wants to say “I do” again with his ex and the mother of his children – Sarah Ferguson – 25 years after they divorced. But first he’ll have to survive the sex-assault lawsuit which was filed against him this week by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims she was forced to have sex with the prince three times – beginning when she was 17. These charges relate to incidents two decades ago, when the complainant says she was also being abused by the financier Jeffrey Epstein, according to a court filing. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/afd84d77024a4d8d9f68a0c684ed6656" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 282.0284697508897px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844078/fergie-and-prince-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/afd84d77024a4d8d9f68a0c684ed6656" /> These accusations from Roberts Giuffre have come to light earlier but have only just been confirmed in this lawsuit. As a result, Prince Andrew has been relieved of his royal duties. Fergie has continued to defend him in the face of these accusations and Prince Andrew denies all of the allegations. It’s thought the support of Fergie in this situation, is one of the factors which has brought the royal couple closer. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/64b0995bdb4c4a46a8e50ae88de86048" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.43418467583496px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844079/fergie-and-andrew-later-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/64b0995bdb4c4a46a8e50ae88de86048" /> Royal romance rekindled during COVID lockdown After being divorced in 1996, Prince Andrew and Fergie have apparently rekindled their romance during the COVID pandemic and have even been living together at the Royal Lodge, sources told Vanity Fair magazine. One source added: “It has rekindled something and I can see a second wedding happening if it all goes Andrew’s way.” Fergie recently told Polsat News she still lives by her vows from her 1986 marriage, even though the couple divorced in 1996. “I keep my commitment, no matter what,” the Duchess of York said. Last month Fergie told WSFM’s Jonesy and Amanda that her wedding to Prince Andrew at Westminster Abbey was “the greatest moment of my life”. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6b9bbac31b6247e6976725a5efc333d2" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.437125748503px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844080/fergie-andrew-wedding-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6b9bbac31b6247e6976725a5efc333d2" /> “I had my handsome Prince, he’s also a sailor, he had a sword, I mean you couldn’t write it could you, it was a fairy tale,” she said. “It was a great love story and I guess that’s why we’re best friends now. It was just really extraordinary,” she added. Image: Getty Images and Twitter

Relationships

Sylvia Jeffreys returns to Today Extra

Sylvia Jeffreys has made a triumphant return to co-hosting Today Extra. After spending time away on maternity leave, Sylvia was welcomed back on Monday morning by Today host, and her brother in law, Karl Stefanovic. "Today is a big day on Today Extra - Sylvia Jeffreys is back everyone". Sylvia said she felt elated to be back at work alongside her co-host David Campbell. "I've had a long shower and a hot coffee so it's basically my birthday," she said, before joking she was "free as a bird". "I'm feeling very good and all the better for seeing all your beautiful faces in real life this morning. "And I'm never going home again. It's too nice wearing make-up." <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/COo_6guL1CZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COo_6guL1CZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sylvia Jeffreys (@sylviajeffreys)</a> </div> </blockquote> Sylvia went on maternity leave in March, as she and her husband Pete Stefanovic welcome their second child in April. Henry George became the newest member of the family, alongside big brother Oscar who was born in February 2020. Sylvia shared the news of Henry's birth to her 260,000 Instagram followers, just days after celebrating her four year wedding anniversary with Pete. The two journalists got married in a stunning outdoor ceremony held at the exclusive Ooralba Estate New South Wales’ picturesque Kangaroo Valley in 2017. Image credit: Getty Images

"I live in my friggen car": Aussie battler hailed as "caller of the year"

<div id="application" class="application ">An Aussie battler called Mark rang Rafael Epstein's ABC Drive show on Thursday night, revealing he is living in his car after losing his home due to the ongoing pandemic.</div> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> He pleaded with politicians to stop saying Australians are “all in this together.” The ABC host Rafael Epstein cut the man off, prompting concerned listeners to offer to give him money. Mark delivered a searing slap down to those with safe and secure jobs on the ABC - and listeners are already dubbing him the 'caller of the year'. Giving his name only as Mark, the Victorian called in to ABC Drive with Rafael Epstein on Thursday to deliver an emotion-charged tirade. We’re not ‘all in this together’ “I keep hearing on the ABC ‘we're all in this together’, we're not,” said Mark. “We're not in this together,” he said of the COVID lockdowns gripping millions of Australians. “The only time I actually want to hear that is when a politician or member of the media says: ‘I'll give half my salary to someone who just lost their house’, but we're never going to hear that are we?” Mark pointed out this unequal burden on workers, adding the radio host still makes his normal salary - while tens of thousands of ordinary, working Australians are losing money and unable to work. “And then we get the ABC, and I'm quite sure you guys aren't losing any money,” he said. 'Of course you're not, and you're earning big dollar,” Mark added. “It's an insult to hear ‘we're all in this together’. Because the simple fact of life is, life is not equal… “We've got people losing their jobs, but we don't hear about the houses they're losing, rental or mortgage... and marriages.” “Please, please just tell everyone in the ABC and everywhere else - stop saying it,” he added. “There's enough stress, I live in my bloody car now, I live in my friggen car. I've lost everything,” Mark said. 9-5 office workers have fared well in lockdown For those people working at 9-5 office jobs which can easily be done from home, lockdown has not been too difficult from a work perspective. But for other workers, the pandemic has proved to be a nightmare. Thousands of workers have lost their jobs or some of their shifts because businesses and trades have shut down. Mark explained he usually works along the border between Victoria and New South Wales and this has been difficult. He ended up losing his work and then his home. Epstein cut off Mark, fearing he would swear Mark then became emotional and Epstein cut him off - a decision he blamed on fearing Mark would swear. ”I can hear how angry you are and you're allowed to be angry,” Epstein said as he turned down Mark's microphone. “We'll have a word, if we're able to have another word to you we will…No doubt the anger is real. I try to say often the burden is not born equally,” Epstein said. The ABC radio host then tried to move on with the show but he was inundated with calls forcing him to revisit Mark's story. Support for Mark flooded in to the radio station “In response to Mark, some calling him caller of the year, I will repeat I've spoken up and down about the burden not being felt equally,” the ABC Radio host said. “People are saying ‘let him vent, at least he's not being abusive’. There was potential for swearing and to be honest I wasn't sure the conversation would be good for Mark going forward,” he said. Epstein said he then attempted to get Mark back on the line during a break but he’d “hung up”. Epstein brought up Mark's call later in the show, reading out messages of support from listeners who have even offered to give him money. “Messages flooding in; ‘He is 100 per cent correct’,” Esptein says of a listener. “A ton of you are expressing concern about Mark. I don't have a way of contacting Mark. “I'm not going to apologise on fading Mark out at that point. That's my job, to work out whether someone is appropriate and safe to go to air. “Some of you are wanting to put money in his bank account, if Mark wants to call back I'm happy to have him on the radio, but I made that call, I'll stand by it and I'd do it again,” he added. Lockdowns meant to ease from October Lockdowns are meant to unwind from October when 70 per cent of the population aged 16 and over was fully vaccinated. Despite this, some ABC personalities have ridiculed the idea of opening up with ABC Radio 702 broadcaster Wendy Harmer mocking the vaccination target because it didn't come with a specific date recently on Twitter. 'Um, PM hopes Phase B achieved by the end of the year but “we're not going to put timetables on it.” That's EXACTLY how you win Olympic Gold!’ she posted. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has estimated more than one million Australians lost their job within the first two months of the pandemic last year. With pubs, bars, restaurants and non-essential shops shut in NSW, Victoria and the ACT, millions have been forced to rely on government handouts to pay the bills. Many businesses are on hold in Victoria and New South Wales due to ongoing battles with the Delta strain. There are a number of federal and state government disaster relief and extreme hardship payments being offered - but for many people who are supporting families, it hasn't been enough. Image: ABC Radio </div> </div> </div> </div>

Money & Banking

“The powerful and rich are not exempt”: Prince Andrew sued over alleged sexual assault

TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL ASSAULT Australian-American Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accusers, has sued Prince Andrew, saying he sexually assaulted her when she was 17. Ms Giuffre’s lawyers filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court on Monday. In a statement, Ms Guiffre said the lawsuit, where she alleges she was trafficked to him and sexually abused by him, was brought under the Child Victims Act. Under the act, victims of childhood sexual abuse can file a lawsuit up to the age of 55 against a person or institution that may have been involved. “I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me,” she said. “The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. “I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to reclaim one’s life by speaking out and demanding justice. “I did not come to this decision lightly,” she continued. <img style="width: 400px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843011/82482731_153388842942400_6058970600144240907_n.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ef68d67ff30c4f0f91e5656b1a98dbf1" /> Image: Virginia Guiffre / Instagram “As a mother and a wife, my family comes first - and I know that this action will subject me to further attacks by Prince Andrew and his surrogates - but I knew if I did not pursue this action, I would be letting them and victims everywhere down.” In a previous interview with BBC Newsnight in 2019, Prince Andrew said he had never had sex with Ms Guiffre. “It didn’t happen,” he said. He continued to say he had “no recollection” of ever meeting her and that there were “a number of things that are wrong” about her account of the encounter that allegedly occurred in 2001. “I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened,” Andrew said. According to the allegations, Prince Andrew abused Ms Guiffre multiple times while she was under the age of 18. On one occasion that allegedly occurred in Ghislaine Maxwell’s home in London, Guiffre was allegedly forced by Epstein, Maxwell, and Prince Andrew to have sexual intercourse with the prince against her will. The lawsuit also claims that on a separate occasion, Prince Andrew allegedly sexually abused Guiffre at Epstein’s New York home, where Maxwell forced Guiffre and another victim to sit on Andrew’s lap while he touched her. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that Andrew sexually abused the plaintiff on Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands. During each incident, Epstein, Maxwell, and/or Prince Andrew gave her “express or implied threats” to engage in the sexual acts with the prince, according to the lawsuit. <img style="width: 500px; height:331.54296875px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843012/gettyimages-1192977806.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d29f2f9760cf45bd9be04d6525fdfc5f" /> Melania Trump, Prince Andrew, Gwendolyn Beck, and Jeffrey Epstein. Image: Getty Ms Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges, and will face trial at Manhattan federal court in November. Epstein died at the age of 66 while in federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019, one month after his arrest for sex trafficking charges. Manhattan prosecutors have formally requested to speak with Prince Andrew as part of their continuing probe into Epstein and his encounters with women and teenage girls. Ms Guiffre’s action comes as a fund set up to pay Epstein’s victims announced that it had largely completed its work on Monday, after agreeing to provide $US 125 million ($AUD 170 million) to more than 135 individuals. The Epstein Victims Compensation Program, administered by Jordana Feldman, was designed as an alternative to lawsuits, which could take years to result in a payout. Ms Feldman said 92 percent of 150 eligible applicants have accepted the payments offered by the fund, which were financed with money from Epstein’s estate.

Legal

Sylvia Jeffreys and Peter Stefanovic welcome baby boy

Sylvia Jeffreys and Peter Stefanovic have welcomed their second child, a baby boy. Jeffreys, 34, took to Instagram on Wednesday morning to make the announcement, revealing the pair had named him Henry. “Henry. Our gorgeous, healthy little boy makes us a family of four,” Jeffreys wrote. “His proud parents couldn’t be happier. His big brother is learning to be gentle. Big love all around.” Jeffreys didn't disclose the exact date she gave birth to Harry. The couple's first child, Oscar, was born in January last year. They announced in October they were expecting their second. In October last year, Jeffreys revealed she had conceived Oscar through IVF. Speaking about her difficult fertility journey on Today Extra, the television personality fought back tears while she spoke about her experience. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNVvW0lr8f7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNVvW0lr8f7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sylvia Jeffreys (@sylviajeffreys)</a> </div> </blockquote> She was interviewing mother Brooke Campbell about IVF treatment, specifically the decision of what to do with leftover embryos once a family no longer wants to use them. An emotional Sylvia, clearly on the verge of tears as she spoke, said: “Brooke, I know from my personal experience with IVF that so much goes into having a successful embryo.” She went on: “Having something sitting there that gives you the opportunity to make life for your family. How are you and your husband coping?” Moments later, Sylvia continued: “It’s such a fascinating topic, and Brooke obviously something so raw for you right now, so thank you very much for sharing. “The silver lining in having unused embryos is that you’ve had your miracles. You’ve had your babies. So that’s the beautiful part of it,” she added, still teary. It was the first time Sylvia has commented publicly on her and husband Peter’s struggles getting pregnant.

Family & Pets

Sylvia Jeffreys accidentally messes up live gender reveal

Today Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys wanted to celebrate her second son on the way by doing a gender reveal live on air. Despite knowing she was already having a new baby boy, she wanted to try out the trend. Jeffreys went for a simple approach by popping a balloon with coloured confetti inside, blue for boys and pink for girls. "I may not have stuffed up the reveal a little too early by trying to test the strength of the pin," she said as footage of her holding a balloon and pin began to play. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840125/sylvia-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9b7213caccb1427898aabb28f696707f" /> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Luckily, Karl Stefanovic called for a do-over. "We're just going to ignore what happened before. This is the magic of television," he said. "It's a surprise. You're having a boy," he said. Jeffreys giggled and asked if she could call her husband, Pete. "I might just call my husband and let him know, if that's alright. We feel alright about that? "That was a really happy moment. Thanks for sharing it with me." Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/today-show-sylvia-jeffreys-bungles-own-gender-reveal/6d5ee0d9-3a2a-4364-9c00-a7d14967a2d0" target="_blank">Today</a> </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

"Proud mum moment": Sylvia Jeffreys can't wait for second bub

Sylvia Jeffreys is one busy mum. When she's not in the TV spotlight alongside David Campbell on hit breakfast show Today Extra, she's at home getting ready for the arrival of her second baby boy as well as looking after one-year-old Oscar. Thankfully, her mum Janine flew to Sydney to celebrate Oscar's first birthday so she's able to get some peace. Peace is quickly disrupted after Oscar is solidly standing and grabbing onto a flower. "To see him standing like this for an extended period is a first," Sylvia, 34, explained to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/parenting/celebrity-families/sylvia-jeffreys-second-baby-66819" target="_blank">Now To Love.</a> "Because we're so on edge, waiting for him to take a few steps, which could happen any day now, we're always ready with the phone to capture that moment. This is a very proud mum moment." The Stefanovic and Jeffrey family waited for years for Oscar's arrival, who was conceived through IVF, despite Jeffreys being upset she might never have a child of her own. "There were a million stories written about me being pregnant while I was trying to get pregnant and not being able to," she said. "That was probably more upsetting than any of the other ridiculous things you read [about yourself] because it's just so insensitive." The second time round, the family is more prepared. "The second time around it was… spontaneous I'd say," Sylvia says, chuckling. "We hadn't planned to go down that path so soon, but having had not an entirely easy path the first time around, you can't be anything but thankful or grateful to have fallen pregnant this way. "Having said that, it's definitely a tight turnaround and people think we're nuts! When we tell them our boys will be 14 or 15 months apart, they roll their eyes and say, 'Good luck!' But the silver lining is that, with the world being the way it is right now, we're not missing out on anything being stuck in the baby bubble. So we may as well stay here in the zone and ride it out." Despite wanting a big family like the one she grew up with, Jeffreys is quick to joke she's not Octomum. "Look, I'm no Octomom – we're not going to pump out a dozen," she says with a laugh. "But both Pete and I grew up really close to our cousins and aunts and uncles, and we'd like to replicate that for our children. We've been fortunate that, on both sides of our family, Oscar was born at a similar time to other babies. So we've got a lovely little gang of cuzzies, which is great." Today Extra co-host David Campbell has been incredibly supportive of the family as they continue to grow. "I get very overwhelmed when people tell me happy news like that," David admits. "The eyes start to water. It's not a very manly reaction, I know. It's very much in touch with my feelings. But I'm just overwhelmed for her because I saw what she and Pete went through, and how much Oscar means to them – just how invested they are with him. "To know it's going to happen all over again and it's going to be just as good? I'm so happy. I don't have more of a visceral reaction than that." "I love who Sylvia and Pete are as people, and they should create more humans because they are good people. We need more humans from them – that's a good combination in the world."

Family & Pets

Sylvia Jeffreys shares 11-month-old Oscar's latest milestone

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Sylvia Jeffreys has revealed the latest milestone that her 11-month-old son Oscar has picked up while exploring the world. She shared it on Instagram, showing off that he had taken a sweet snap of himself. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKN4G8LLnrT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKN4G8LLnrT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sylvia Jeffreys (@sylviajeffreys)</a> </div> </blockquote> "Found this in my camera roll. Baby’s first selfie. Impressive for an 11-month-old, but he needs some urgent guidance on angles," she jokingly captioned the pic. It won't be long until little Oscar is teaching his little brother how to take unflattering photos of mum as Sylvia and her husband Peter Stefanovic announced they were expecting baby number two. "When you find out you're getting a best bud for life. Oscar's little brother due in April next year. We are so lucky. 💫💫💫" Sylvia captioned the photo. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGbwg6hHQ7V/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGbwg6hHQ7V/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sylvia Jeffreys (@sylviajeffreys)</a> </div> </blockquote> Sylvia revealed on air that it was a struggle going through IVF but she was grateful that it had made her fall pregnant again. "We're so thrilled after not the easiest path first time around; we're grateful for this gift, another boy," Sylvia told Today Extra viewers. "Two boys under two is going to be wild. If you have any advice how to handle the chaos, let me know!" </div> </div> </div>

Beauty & Style

Sylvia Jeffreys wages war against Woman’s Day

Sylvia Jeffreys has slammed Woman’s Day over an article about her husband Peter Stefanovic. The magazine ran a two-page spread claiming Peter is “at war” with his brother Karl Stefanovic. Appearing on Today Extra alongside David Campbell, Jeffreys held up a copy of Woman’s Day and said: “I just couldn’t help but notice the Stefanovics are at war … brothers Pete and Karl are at war … jealousy over career things.” Mocking the magazine, Campbell asked: “So this fan fiction’s in what?” “Woman’s Day, the greatest fan fiction of all time,” Jeffreys replied. “It’s almost science fiction!” The article claimed Karl was “jealous that his little brother and rising star Peter got to go to Washington D.C. to head up the coverage for Sky News Australia” whereas Channel 9 allegedly refused to send him. The story included quotes from a “close family friend” that said: “It’s no secret Karl regards himself as one of best broadcasters in the country, so this latest blow has him pretty hot under the collar. He could see his rivals over at Seven’s Sunrise dig deep and send Natalie Barr over to the US – it was fair enough he was miffed! “It didn’t help seeing younger brother Pete standing on the White House lawn in the US capital, while Karl was forced to make an awkward appearance at the State of Origin opening match.” Jeffreys joins a list of Aussie TV stars who have slammed publications for false stories, with Richard Wilkins and Lisa Wilkinson taking aim at tabloids in the past few weeks.

News

Kevin Rudd caught up in Epstein donation scandal

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been forced to address revelations that his think tank received $US650,000 in donations from sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein donated to the INternational Peace Institution, where Rudd is the chairman. Rudd has said he was "blindsided" by the information and also said that the "revelations were deeply disturbing". He has also convened a special meeting of the organisation's board to "ensure an equivalent sum was donated to sex assault victims". However, Rudd has insisted he had no dealings with Epstein. “I have no recollection whatsoever of ever meeting Epstein,” he said “I first learned of contributions from Epstein’s foundations to the IPI in November 2019 through reporting by the Norwegian press.” “Subsequent searches by IPI staff, made at the request of the Board, have identified donations totalling $650,000 that were received between October 2011 and May 2019.” “The source of these donations had not previously been disclosed to the board, nor to me as chair.” The story was broken by Norweigian business paper <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dn.no/politikk/jeffrey-epstein/kevin-rudd/international-peace-institute/think-tank-board-chair-kevin-rudd-breaks-silence-on-jeffrey-epstein-connections-i-am-deeply-disappointed/2-1-901840" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">DN</a>, who also revealed that the International Peace Insitute President, Norwegian diplomat Terj Rod-Larsen had a personal loan with Epstein to the sum of $US130,000. Rudd confirmed he was not aware of the loan and that “any significant engagement with someone as odious as Epstein must be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.” The former PM added that he was “deeply disappointed that the board has had to learn about so much of this through the media.” </div> </div> </div>

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Peter Stefanovic and Sylvia Jeffreys list multimillion-dollar home

“I believe Prince Andrew”: Fergie’s ex speaks in bombshell interview

"They’re making money off tragedy": Netflix’s Dahmer series shows the dangers of fictionalising real horrors

Britain’s Channel 4 announce satirical Prince Andrew musical

"You opened the door to hell": Epstein victims address Ghislaine Maxwell as she is sentenced

Sylvia Jeffreys shares devastating family news

Royal Family strips Prince Andrew of all royal patronages and military titles

Secret court papers revealed in Prince Andrew case

On the elegance and wry observations of Jeffrey Smart, one of Australia’s favourite painters

Never-before-seen photos emerge in Ghislaine Maxwell abuse trial

Fergie and Prince Andrew may say "I do AGAIN"

Sylvia Jeffreys returns to Today Extra

"I live in my friggen car": Aussie battler hailed as "caller of the year"

“The powerful and rich are not exempt”: Prince Andrew sued over alleged sexual assault

Sylvia Jeffreys and Peter Stefanovic welcome baby boy

Sylvia Jeffreys accidentally messes up live gender reveal

"Proud mum moment": Sylvia Jeffreys can't wait for second bub

Sylvia Jeffreys shares 11-month-old Oscar's latest milestone

Sylvia Jeffreys wages war against Woman’s Day

Kevin Rudd caught up in Epstein donation scandal

Our Partners

News

Shop

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Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

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Information

Keep up to date

Search

Peter Stefanovic and Sylvia Jeffreys list multimillion-dollar home

“I believe Prince Andrew”: Fergie’s ex speaks in bombshell interview

"They’re making money off tragedy": Netflix’s Dahmer series shows the dangers of fictionalising real horrors

Britain’s Channel 4 announce satirical Prince Andrew musical

"You opened the door to hell": Epstein victims address Ghislaine Maxwell as she is sentenced

Sylvia Jeffreys shares devastating family news

Royal Family strips Prince Andrew of all royal patronages and military titles

Secret court papers revealed in Prince Andrew case

On the elegance and wry observations of Jeffrey Smart, one of Australia’s favourite painters

Never-before-seen photos emerge in Ghislaine Maxwell abuse trial

Fergie and Prince Andrew may say "I do AGAIN"

Sylvia Jeffreys returns to Today Extra

"I live in my friggen car": Aussie battler hailed as "caller of the year"

“The powerful and rich are not exempt”: Prince Andrew sued over alleged sexual assault

Sylvia Jeffreys and Peter Stefanovic welcome baby boy

Sylvia Jeffreys accidentally messes up live gender reveal

"Proud mum moment": Sylvia Jeffreys can't wait for second bub

Sylvia Jeffreys shares 11-month-old Oscar's latest milestone

Sylvia Jeffreys wages war against Woman’s Day

Kevin Rudd caught up in Epstein donation scandal

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