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"Soulless": Stan Grant finally breaks silence over Voice defeat

Stan Grant has finally broken his silence over the devastating Voice to Parliament defeat, saying the nation failed to "shoulder the load" of Indigenous Australians. In his first public comments since the referendum results were announced, the Indigenous journalist said the resounding No vote was a "judgment on me and all the others like me", along with generations of Indigenous people. His scathing comments came during an address at the Australian National University's Crawford Leadership Forum, where the former Q+A host reflected on the referendum result. "The voice was never about resentment, it was never about identity - it was a release, it was a moment to lay our burdens down," he said. "But Australia would not shoulder that load. Instead, we got a lecture about unity." "Those who own history claimed for themselves history's final word: 'No'." Grant went on to say that the overwhelming defeat of the referendum made clear that there would be no further advancements in the rights of Indigenous Australians during his lifetime, as long as it was left up to the public. "We have laid the sod over (my ancestors), sealed them in," he said. "I thought in me they may be able to speak, that those two sides of me might find a common voice. But we said 'No' to that." "My country has buried my ancestors for a second time. I am hearing the cold-hearted 'no' of a country so comfortable it need not care." "A country that feels, right now, soulless. A country of numbers, and no words but one: 'No'." Grant finished his scathing tirade by calling out the Yes campaign for not "letting the Voice speak", while also calling for more radical change, saying the Voice proposal was "shushed, shrunk small enough to fit into politics". "In the consultants' suites and the lawyers' dens, it was determined that if the voice was made so inoffensive, people may say 'Yes'." "Instead, it was so inoffensive people found it so easy to say 'No'." "The constitution is not our problem - our conscience is our problem." Image credits: Q+A

Legal

Stan Grant's wife Tracey Holmes quits the ABC

Veteran senior ABC journalist Tracey Holmes has announced her resignation from the public broadcaster, marking the end of an era for the network. This decision follows closely on the heels of her high-profile husband, Stan Grant, walking away from his role as host of the ABC's Q&A program, citing exhaustion due to persistent racial abuse. Holmes took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram to make her resignation public, leaving many to wonder about her future in the world of journalism. Holmes, a prominent figure in Australian journalism, has been a familiar face to ABC viewers for decades. With a career spanning over three decades, her contribution to the field of sports reporting has been nothing short of remarkable. However, as she shared her decision to part ways with the ABC, Holmes alluded to the exciting prospect of Paris 2024, which will mark her 14th Olympic Games as a journalist, reporter, and broadcaster. This time, though, it won't be under the ABC's banner since her resignation will take effect on November 30. In her heartfelt message to colleagues and listeners, Holmes expressed her gratitude and promised to continue her career in the future. "For now though, to channel a former governor of California in his former life as The Terminator, 'I'll be back,' that's a promise," she declared. Her departure from the ABC may be a farewell, but it's certainly not a permanent one. Holmes's career at the ABC began in 1989, and her groundbreaking role as Australia's first female host of the sports program, Grandstand, made her an icon in the world of sports journalism. Her trailblazing work has not only inspired countless aspiring journalists but also garnered the recognition she truly deserves. Earlier this year, she received the Australian Sports Commission's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, an accolade that cements her status as one of the most influential sports broadcasters in the country. Her decision to leave the ABC is undoubtedly a significant moment in Australian media. The circumstances surrounding her departure, coupled with her husband Stan Grant's recent exit, raise questions about the state of journalism and the challenges faced by those in the public eye. Grant cited exhaustion and racial abuse as reasons for his departure, highlighting the harsh realities that journalists and broadcasters often face. While Holmes may be bidding farewell to her long-standing role at the ABC, her departure by no means signifies the end of her illustrious career. As she prepares for her 14th Olympic Games, she's poised to continue making a significant impact in the world of sports journalism. Her resilience and determination, in the face of challenges that forced her and her husband to step away from high-profile positions, serve as a testament to her unwavering commitment to the craft. As we await her next move, the Australian media landscape is left with a void that will be hard to fill. Holmes leaves behind a legacy that future journalists can only aspire to match, and her impact on the industry will be felt for years to come. While the ABC bids her farewell, we can be certain that the world has not seen the last of this pioneering journalist. Paris 2024 beckons, and with it, a new chapter in the remarkable career of Tracey Holmes. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy7OVPzvUXF/?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/Cy7OVPzvUXF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tracey Holmes (@traceyleeholmes)</a> </div> </blockquote> Image: Instagram

"A mean country": Stan Grant shares his thoughts on the Voice referendum

Stan Grant has opened up about his thoughts on the Voice referendum campaigns, admitting it is becoming harder to defend Australia's "mean" reputation. The former ABC presenter appeared as a social guest on a special two-part episode of the podcast Blak Matters, with each part airing just before the Voice vote on October 14th. In the podcast, Grant spoke about his recent trip to Europe, working with the Constructive Institute in Denmark, and how difficult it has become to speak positively about living in Australia. “When you’re overseas, you’re almost an ambassador for your own country, you have to explain your country to other people,” Mr Grant said. “And it really saddened me that the word I kept coming back to was ‘mean,’ and I think we have become an increasingly mean country. I think there’s an absence of kindness in our country." “You hear it in things like ‘if you don’t know, vote no.’ That’s a mean thing to say.” Grant went on to criticise the "noise" surrounding the Voice, saying there has been very little constructive debate about the issue and too much fear mongering. “This is also the first referendum of the 24/7 news cycle and social media and that’s elevated and amplified the noise,” Mr Grant said. “For a lot of people, when you add uncomfortable questions of history and race, they’re barbecue stoppers." “If you want to stop the party, talk about racism, or talk about history. No one wants to go there." “And we have a referendum that lands right at that point of history and race and politics amplified by 24/7 news media, and a toxic social media weaponised by 24/7 news media coverage.” Image credits: Listnr

Travel Trouble

Stan Grant reveals big career move after quitting ABC

Following his departure from the ABC due to racial abuse, Stan Grant has unveiled his next career move. He is now set to embark on a new journey as a journalism professor at Monash University in Melbourne. Grant made public on Tuesday his decision to resign from his permanent role at the ABC. This move comes several months after he took a leave of absence due to the racial abuse he endured. His departure from his position as the host of Q+A occurred in May, a step he took following an onslaught of "relentless racial filth" directed at him subsequent to his participation in a panel discussion centred around colonialism in anticipation of King Charles' Coronation. Monash University has now revealed that Grant has been selected to lead as the inaugural Director of the Constructive Institute for the Asia Pacific region within its Faculty of Arts. In this capacity, Grant will spearhead various projects and discussions aimed at embracing global solutions, nuanced perspectives, and meaningful dialogues within newsroom environments. Simultaneously, he will take on the role of a journalism professor. While the Constructive Institute is primarily located in Denmark, Grant is scheduled to travel there for a six-week period, commencing on Wednesday. Despite this, he will remain based in Sydney, dividing his time between Melbourne, Denmark and Sydney for his responsibilities. Expressing his enthusiasm, Grant stated, 'This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for me. It aligns with my values and draws on my 40 years in journalism, as well as my commitment to doing public interest journalism better in a way that serves the public at a time when the stakes couldn't be higher for our country and for the world." Grant's mission includes efforts to reform what he perceives as a toxic news culture. Professor Katie Stevenson, the Dean of Monash University's Faculty of Arts, praised Grant's appointment, affirming that he is ideally positioned to champion a journalism approach centred on solutions and democracy. She remarked, "Beyond the Institute's mission, our media students will have the privilege of drawing upon Stan's rich experience and knowledge of media, and his passion to change news culture for the better," Although Grant confirmed his departure from the ABC as a permanent staff member weeks prior, he emphasised that his relationship with the public broadcaster remains amicable. He conveyed his willingness to collaborate with the network in the future, citing his eagerness to pursue other endeavours. In recent weeks, the ABC announced that Grant would not be resuming his role as the host of Q+A, yet highlighted that he would be exploring "fresh undertakings" within them. Images: Q+A / Instagram

Stan Grant's replacement announced

Months after Stan Grant's shock departure from ABC's Q+A program, his replacement has been announced to take over the coveted hosting gig. Grant walked away from the program earlier this year after a seemingly endless barrage of criticism and racism over his coverage of King Charles coronation, saying he was stepping away from the show indefinitely. On Monday morning, the national broadcaster announced his replacement, more than two months after Grant's final Q+A show. Patricia Karvelas is set to replace Grant as host of the show for the remainder of the year, as ABC confirmed Grant is still on indefinite leave. Karvelas will continue to host Breakfast on Radio National from Tuesday to Friday, and has been filling in as the program’s temporary anchor following Grant absence. The broadcaster’s director Justin Stevens said Karvelas “has been doing an outstanding job as fill-in host and we’re delighted she has agreed to continue in that role”. Stan Grant's sudden departure shocked audiences, as he called out the racist vitriol he was constantly subject to as a public figure, while also condemning ABC for not speaking up in his defence. "Racism is a crime. Racism is violence. And I have had enough,” he wrote at the time of his departure. “I am writing this because no one at the ABC — whose producers invited me onto their coronation coverage as a guest — has uttered one word of public support,” he wrote. “Not one ABC executive has publicly refuted the lies written or spoken about me." “I don’t hold any individual responsible; this is an institutional failure.” Grant will continue to stay on at ABC and contribute to “a number” of different programs, with Justin Stevens commending him as “one of the country’s finest journalists, storytellers and broadcasters”. Image credits: ABC

“Shocked and amazed”: Neighbours raise over $50,000 for bullied boy

A couple from Texas has helped raise over $55,000 for their young neighbour who was being bullied. Their story began when young Shayden Walker knocked on the door of Brennan Ray and Angell Hammersmith, looking for friends. The conversation was captured on their home’s video doorbell system, as Walker asked if they knew any children between the ages of 11 and 12 because he “needs some friends really bad”. Walker, who approached their house wearing a Jaws t-shirt, explained that some neighbourhood kids had been bullying him. “I could hear the innocence and vulnerability in his voice,” Ray told DailyMail.com. “All I knew is that I wanted to help the kid.” The video has since been viewed on TikTok more than 66 million times, with TikTokers from across the world commenting that they hope he finds some “REAL friends soon” and saying “I have never wanted to hug a kid so bad in my life.” Ray and Hammersmith decided to start a GoFundMe page for Walker, asking people to “spread kindness for Shayden” and give what they can to help provide for the boy, while encouraging people to “come together and show him he's got some friends.” “We are raising money to help buy him a gaming system, school clothes and hopefully some amusement park tickets and anything else he may want or need,” the fundraising page reads. In just four days of the fundraising page being online, people from around the world have helped donate more than $55,000AUD to Shayden and his family, with the organisers saying they are “shocked and amazed” at people’s generosity. Many of the donations came with messages for Shayden, saying “You have a friend in me.” Walker's stepfather now says Shayden's a “totally different kid” than he was just last week, while the young boy said in a video posted to his father's TikTok page that “Y'all have touched my heart so much, it's just literally to the point where I want to cry.” The family have requested that the donations be turned off on the donations page, saying they are not seeking any money. Many people commented on Shayden’s message, praising his bravery and sending messages of support. One person wrote, “Shayden, you are a strong kid. No one deserves to be bullied or made fun of.” “You are incredibly brave to be putting yourself out there and actively looking for friends instead of staying in the house.” “I know you are young, but the best advice I can give you is that you do not need anyone's validation but your own to know your worth. If you love yourself, you will never be alone.” Image credits: GoFundMe

Family & Pets

Stan Grant’s new book asks: how do we live with the weight of our history?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-norman-859">Heidi Norman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> This month, journalist and public intellectual Stan Grant published his fifth book, <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460764022/the-queen-is-dead/">The Queen is Dead</a>. And last week, he abruptly stepped away from his career in the public realm, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-19/stan-grant-media-target-racist-abuse-coronation-coverage-enough/102368652">citing</a> toxic racism enabled by social media, and betrayal on the part of his employer, the ABC. “I was invited to contribute to the ABC’s coverage as part of a discussion about the legacy of the monarchy. I pointed out that the crown represents the invasion and theft of our land,” <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-19/stan-grant-media-target-racist-abuse-coronation-coverage-enough/102368652">he wrote</a> last Friday. “I repeatedly said that these truths are spoken with love for the Australia we have never been.” And yet, “I have seen people in the media lie and distort my words. They have tried to depict me as hate filled”. Grant has worked as a journalist in Australia for more than three decades: first on commercial current affairs – and until this week, as a main anchor at the ABC, where he was an international affairs analyst and the host of the panel discussion show Q+A. The former role reflects his global work, reporting from conflict zones with esteemed international broadcasters such as CNN. His second book, <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460751985/talking-to-my-country/">Talking to my Country</a>, won the Walkley Book Award in 2016. <hr /> Review: The Queen is Dead – Stan Grant (HarperCollins) <hr /> In this new book, Grant yearns for a way to comprehend the forces, ideas and history that led to this cultural moment we inhabit. The book, which opens with him grappling with the monarchy and its legacy, is revealing in terms of his decision to step back from public life. Released to coincide with <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronation-arrests-how-the-new-public-order-law-disrupted-protesters-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity-205328">the coronation</a> of the new English monarch, Charles III, The Queen is Dead seethes with rage and loathing – hatred even – at the ideas that have informed the logic and structure of modernity. Grant’s work examines the ideas that explain the West and modernity – and his own place as an Indigenous person of this land, from Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi and Dharawal country. That is: his work explores both who he is in the world and the ideas that tell the story of the modern world. He finds the latter unable to account for him. “This week, I have been reminded what it is to come from the other side of history,” he writes in the book’s opening pages. “History itself that is written as a hymn to whiteness […] written by the victors and often written in blood.” He asks “how do we live with the weight of this history?” And he explains the questions that have dominated his thinking: what is <a href="https://theconversation.com/whiteness-is-an-invented-concept-that-has-been-used-as-a-tool-of-oppression-183387">whiteness</a>, and what is it to live with catastrophe? <h2>The death of the white queen</h2> In his account, his rage is informed by the observation that the weight of this history was largely unexplored on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II’s death last September. The death of the white queen is the touchpoint always returned to in this work – and the release of the book coincides with the apparently seamless transition to her heir, now King Charles III. <figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527406/original/file-20230522-29-dcc0ot.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527406/original/file-20230522-29-dcc0ot.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527406/original/file-20230522-29-dcc0ot.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=917&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527406/original/file-20230522-29-dcc0ot.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=917&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527406/original/file-20230522-29-dcc0ot.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=917&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527406/original/file-20230522-29-dcc0ot.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1152&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527406/original/file-20230522-29-dcc0ot.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1152&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527406/original/file-20230522-29-dcc0ot.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1152&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> In the lead-up to the coronation, “long live the king” echoed across the United Kingdom. Its long tentacles reached across the globe where this old empire once ruled, robbing and ruining much that it encountered. The death of the queen and the succession of her heir occurred with ritual and ceremony. Small tweaks acknowledged the changing world – but for the most part, this coronation occurred without revolution or bloodshed, without condemnation – and without contest of the British monarchs’ role in history and the world they continue to dominate, in one way or another. Grant argues the end of the 70-year rule of Queen Elizabeth II should mark a turning point: a global reckoning with the race-based order that undergirds empire and colonialism. Whereas the earlier century confidently pronounced the project of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-power-of-yindyamarra-how-we-can-bring-respect-to-australian-democracy-192164">democracy</a> and liberalism complete, it seems time has marched on. History has not “ended”, as Francis Fukuyama <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-end-of-history-francis-fukuyamas-controversial-idea-explained-193225">declared</a> in 1989 (claiming liberal democracies had been proved the unsurpassable ideal). Instead, history has entered a ferocious era of uncertainty and volatility. Grant reminds us that people of colour now dominate the globe. Race, <a href="https://theconversation.com/racism-is-real-race-is-not-a-philosophers-perspective-82504">as we now know</a>, is a flexible and slippery made-up idea, changing opportunistically to include and exclude groups, to dominate and possess. Grant examines this with great impact as he considers the lived experience of his white grandmother, who was shunned when living with a black man, shared his conditions of poverty with pluck and defiance, then resumed a place in white society without him. And writing of his mother, the other Elizabeth, Grant elaborates the complexity of identity not confined to the colour of skin, but forged from belonging to people and kinship networks, and to place – which condemns the pseudoscience of <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/speeches/power-identity-naming-oneself-reclaiming-community-2011">blood quantum</a> that informed the state’s control of Aboriginal lives. This suspect race science has proved enduring. Grant’s account of the death of the monarch is a genuine engagement with the history of ideas to contemplate the reality of our 21st-century present. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527467/original/file-20230522-27-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527467/original/file-20230522-27-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527467/original/file-20230522-27-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527467/original/file-20230522-27-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527467/original/file-20230522-27-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527467/original/file-20230522-27-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527467/original/file-20230522-27-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527467/original/file-20230522-27-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Grant argues the end of the queen’s 70-year rule should mark ‘a global reckoning with the race-based order that undergirds empire and colonialism’. Yui Mok/AP</figcaption></figure> <h2>Liberalism and democracy = tyranny and terror</h2> In several essays now, Grant has engaged with the ideas of mostly Western philosophers and several conservative thinkers to explain the crisis of liberalism and democracy. Grant argues that, like other -isms, liberalism and democracy have descended into tyranny and terror. The new world order, dominated by <a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-stan-grant-on-how-tyrants-use-the-language-of-germ-warfare-and-covid-has-enabled-them-204183">China</a> and people of colour, is in dramatic contrast to the continued rule of the white queen and her descendants. In this, perhaps more than his other books and essays, Grant moves between big ideas in history – the <a href="https://theconversation.com/criticism-of-western-civilisation-isnt-new-it-was-part-of-the-enlightenment-104567">Enlightenment</a>, modernity and democracy – to consider himself, his identity, and his own lived experience of injustice, where race is an undeniable organising feature. In this story he explains himself, as an Indigenous person, “an outsider, in the middle”; “an exile, living in exile, struggling with belonging”; living with the “very real threat of erasure”. <h2>Love, friendships, family, Country</h2> In the final section of the book, Grant’s focus switches to the theme of “love”, and to friendships, family and Country. He speculates that his focus on these things is perhaps a mark of age. Now, he accounts for the things in life that are truly valuable – and this includes deep affection for the joy that emanates from Aboriginal families. Being home on his Country, paddling the river, he finds quiet and peace. The death of the monarch of the British Empire, who ruled for 70 years, should speak to the history of empire and colonial legacy and all its curses – especially in settler colonial Australia. Yet her passing – which coincides with seismic change in the global economic order with China’s ascendance and the decline of the United States and the UK, the global cultural order and the racial order – has been largely unexamined in public discourse in Australia. The history of colonisation and of ideas that have debated ways to comprehend the past have been a feature of Grant’s intellectual exploration, including on the death of the queen. As he details in his new book, the reaction from some quarters to this conversation has exposed him to unrelenting and racist attack. In this work and in others, exploration of the world of ideas to understand the past and future sits alongside accounts of the everyday; of the always place-based realities of Aboriginal accounts of self. The material deprivations and indignities, the closely held humility that comes with poverty and powerlessness - shared socks, a house carelessly demolished, burials tragically abandoned – are countered by another reality: the intimacy of most Aboriginal lives, characterised by deep love, affection, laughter and belonging. These place-based, “small” stories Grant shares sit alongside the bigger themes of modern history, such as democracy and freedom. In this latest work, Grant details his sense of “betrayal” at the discussion he sought about the monarch’s passing and the discussion that was actually had, the history of ideas and his own place in this. And now, of course, he has announced his intention to exit the public stage. Racism, we are reminded, is an enduring feature of the modern world – a world yet to allow space for an unbowing, Wiradjuri-Kamilaroi-Dharawal public intellectual.<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;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/204756/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-norman-859">Heidi Norman</a>, Professor, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</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/stan-grants-new-book-asks-how-do-we-live-with-the-weight-of-our-history-204756">original article</a>. Images: Q+A / ABC

Books

“That name goes back four generations”: Paul Walker’s brother makes a touching tribute

Almost a decade after the world lost Fast & Furious star Paul Walker, his younger brother Cody Walker has paid heartfelt tribute with the birth of his third child. Cody and his wife, Felicia, welcomed their son on April 30, with People magazine reporting that he weighed in at 7lbs 5oz. Felicia took to Instagram on May 2 to make an announcement, too, declaring that they’d had a boy, and writing “welcome to the clan, Barrett”. Many took this as confirmation of his name, and rushed to congratulate the family on their new addition. Felicia had shared a picture of the newborn in the arms of his big brother, Colt, with the announcement, and fans were delighted to note that he was the image of a proud older sibling, beaming from ear to ear. However, People magazine have now revealed that there was more to the story, and that the newborn Walker’s name is even closer to his father’s heart than anyone had anticipated. It was a day after his birth that Cody and Felicia reached their decision, declaring their son’s name to be Paul Barrett Walker - naming him after Cody’s late brother. "This November will mark 10 years since we lost my brother, Paul,” Cody told the publication, “and I just felt now was the appropriate time.” He went on to share that he and their other brother - Caleb - were “both done having children”, and that the name held special meaning to all of them. “My brother, Paul, was Paul William Walker IV and that name goes back four generations,” he explained. "Within the family, he went by ‘little Paul’ or ‘Paul 4,’ even though he quickly outgrew our father in height. “It was important to me to have that name carry on.” It isn’t the only move Cody has taken towards honouring his brother, having teamed up with Tyrese Gibson and Chris Lee to bright FuelFest to life - an automotive and motorsports festival showcasing car culture, with a portion of profits going towards Paul’s nonprofit Reach Out WorldWide, something that Cody views “as a part of Paul that he left behind.” And in an echo of his message regarding his new son’s name, he noted that “it’s important to so many to see that part of his legacy live on.” And Paul’s daughter, Meadow, has made her own moves towards furthering her father’s legacy, with a cameo appearance in Fast X - the tenth instalment in the Fast & Furious franchise. “For me, this is super exciting,” she said of her involvement, “and he would be amazed that this is happening.” Images: Instagram, Getty

Family & Pets

"Are you coming back?" ABC loses another host

ABC News Breakfast host Michael Rowland has announced he’s “taking a break” one day after criticising the public broadcaster for failing Stan Grant. Rowland made the announcement live on air that he will be “off on a break” and hosting had been “a real honour”. He later took to Twitter, writing, “Take care and see you soon”. ABC bosses have insisted Rowland is going on a “long-planned holiday” and will return to the show in a month's time. Rowland urged the public broadcaster to call out racism more quickly and effectively after Grant revealed he was leaving Q+A. Grant announced he was taking an indefinite break as host of Q+A on May 19 after he received “racial filth” on social media. Rowland said in response to Grant’s racial abuse, “It hasn't just been weeks and months, it's been years that Stan's been copping this. Racism is a scourge. “We all need to do better and that includes the ABC in calling it out and calling it out more quickly than we have in this country,” he added. That same day Rowland posted a video of Grant’s compelling monologue alongside the caption, “Racism is a scourge. We all need to do better in calling it out, and that includes the ABC.” Finance presenter on ABC News Breakfast Madeline Morris is said to join Rowland’s co-host Lisa Miller for the “next little while”. After announcing his departure, Rowland thanked viewers at home. “I just want to use this semi-regular opportunity to thank all of you, our viewers, you have been fabulous for this show in the time that I've been on the show, it's been great presenting to you,” he said. “If it wasn't for you, the viewers, none of us would be here doing what we do, so it's been a real honour.” One of his shocked co-hosts said, “That sounds kinda final. Are you coming back?", to which Rowland just smiled and didn’t respond. Lisa Millar jokingly replied, “Absolutely! And he's bringing presents because that's the rule: wherever you're travelling to, come back with gifts.” A spokesperson for ABC told Daily Mail Australia, “Michael is on a long-planned holiday and will be back on air 26 June.” TV producer Robert McKnight responded to Rowland’s announcement, saying, “Very sorry to hear this. Michael is one of the best! Good luck to you, Michael.” One Twitter user said the news was “very upsetting”. “First I lose Stan Grant on Q&A. Now I loose you getting me through my mornings,” She added, “Very angry reporters and presenters have been abandoned by their employers.” There has been no suggestion Rowland feels “abandoned” by the ABC. Rowland’s criticising of the ABC followed an appearance on the program by Ian Hamm, chair of the First Nations Foundation. “Stan does his job very well. I think he has taken on the role of poking the bear of Australia where it's uncomfortable from time to time,” Hamm said. “There is risk with that. The pushback of those who don't like it and who perhaps want Aboriginal people to be more compliant and pleasant.” He added, “Stan's not walking away. He's just taking a break as anybody should in this circumstance.” Hamm said 2023 in particular, given Australians voting on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in November would raise lingering tensions. “Australia does have race relations problems and all it takes is scratching the surface and some very unpleasant sores can be exposed.” “I have great hope for my nation, but I'm also realistic enough to know that this is not an easy journey. “He's not alone and the rest of us are behind him and like him, we're not walking away. And we intend to pursue the right place for our people in this country.” Rowland’s news led another ABC reporter to comment, “Hope you're OK”. Rowland has presented on ABC News Breakfast since 2010 when he joined Virginia Trioli on the sofa. Following his almost 13-year run as host, he’s become a fan favourite on the program. Image credit: Instagram

“We can be better”: Support flows for outgoing ABC host Stan Grant

Australians have banded together in support of veteran journalist Stan Grant, flocking to social media to rally behind the resigning Q+A host after his final show at the helm. Grant’s final panel discussion saw the likes of Labor member Michelle Ananda-Rajah, Liberal member Zoe McKenzie, Independent Senators David Pocock and Tammy Tyrrell, and Greens member Griffith Max Chandler-Mather. The panel of first-term parliamentarians were there to review the Albanese government’s initial year in charge following their federal election win. It marked Grant’s final discussion in the wake of his decision to step back from the show, an announcement that had come following the host’s experiences with racial abuse. The first audience question of the session cut right to the chase, with one member - Anaru August - raising the matter of the abuse directed at Grant. “I have been disgusted by the hatred and abuse that has been fired at Stan Grant because of his colour and the articulation of his professional essence,” August said, before asking the panel “what needs to happen to stop hate speech?" The question drew immediate praise across social media, from both fans of Grant and the show, to Indigenous advocates, and his colleagues at the ABC. It wasn’t the first show of support from the latter, either, with a group of hundreds gathering outside the ABC’s Sydney headquarters that same day to spread the message that “enough for enough”, and that they stood with Stan. "The line in the sand is here, and we will not tolerate our staff being subjected to racial abuse, or any form of abuse. It must stop," ABC News Director Justin Stevens said of the move. "I would say, other sections of the media that play a part in facilitating, encouraging, or drawing attention to this ... need to take a really good hard look at themselves and the role they play. "We all stand with Stan. The abuse he copped is abhorrent and egregious and needs to stop. I'm incredibly sorry that he felt let down by our organisation, that we could have done better by him in defending him. We will do all we can to make up for it from this moment. "It's important we create a safe space for Indigenous and diverse journalists." It was a message continued in feedback over the episode, with not-for-profit inclusivity advocacy group Media Diversity Australia noting that Grant was “One of Media Diversity Australia's earliest and most high-profile supporters … A mentor to countless young reporters, especially Blak reporters … Stan Grant is a tireless veteran journalist that we admire, support, and respect” along with the hashtag “#IStandWithStan”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 📣 One of Media Diversity Australia's earliest and most high-profile supporters. 📣 A mentor to countless young reporters, especially Blak reporters. 📣 Stan Grant is a tireless veteran journalist that we admire, support, and respect.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IStandWithStan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IStandWithStan</a> <a href="https://t.co/rPUSEZ7AfN">https://t.co/rPUSEZ7AfN</a> — Media Diversity AU (@MediaDiverseAU) <a href="https://twitter.com/MediaDiverseAU/status/1660614419859259394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2023</a></blockquote> It was a message that continued through the flood of tweets, with Seven News reporter Christie Cooper writing that racism, and “personal attacks on journalists”, were not okay. “#IStandWithStan,” she said, “and I’m so sorry Stan Grant has been so hurt by racial commentary, both in and out of the media, that it’s forced him to walk away. It’s 2023, it’s not good enough.” “Solidarity to the ABC journalists standing in support of their colleague Stan Grant and to all journalists who face racists and racism for doing their job,” one supporter added. “Look at the replies to their tweets. It's not the exception, it is the rule. “Australians need to reckon with our racism.” As Grant himself said when closing his final episode, “to those who have abused me and my family, I would just say - if your aim was to hurt me, well, you’ve succeeded. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I must have given you so much cause to hate me … I will get back up. And you can come at me again, and I will meet you with the love of my people. "My people can teach the world to love." It was a moment that resonated with viewers, with one taking to social media to share that ”history will remember this moment. A moment when Stan Grant, his passion as palpable as his pain, spoke poignant truths to Australia & bravely faced his racism with power, love & grace. Solidarity.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "Sometimes, strength is knowing when to say stop." History will remember this moment. A moment when Stan Grant, his passion as palpable as his pain, spoke poignant truths to Australia & bravely faced his racism with power, love & grace. Solidarity. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QandA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QandA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IStandWithStan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IStandWithStan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://t.co/fVjUVvZ9GE">pic.twitter.com/fVjUVvZ9GE</a> — Sahar Adatia (@sahar_adatia) <a href="https://twitter.com/sahar_adatia/status/1660644110770814976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2023</a></blockquote> Images: Q+A / ABC

Surprise new contender to replace Stan Grant

ABC bosses have reportedly narrowed down the search to find a replacement for Q+A host Stan Grant who is stepping away from presenting duties after being targeted with racist abuse. While many contenders are familiar ABC talent, one frontrunner is perhaps less well known but has been taking on larger roles at the public broadcaster. On May 21, ABC managing director David Anderson apologised to Grant, a Wiradjuri man, who had said that “not one ABC executive” had publicly defended him. There’s no time frame for how long Grant will step down from presenting the program. He said he doesn’t know when - or even if - he will return. This means ABC will have to draft the major league presenters to fill the role in the short term while also possibly announcing a more permanent replacement. According to The Australian’s Media Diary column, the ABC is said to be wary of replacing an Indigenous man, who has stepped down due to racism, with a white man. A frontrunner to take on the Q+A role, at least on an interim basis, is RN Breakfast host Patricia Karvelas. Karvelas is likely to present at least two weeks’ worth of Q+A from May 29, The Australian reported. ABC Radio Melbourne presenter Virginia Trioli has previously done presenting stints on the program and would be a top tier contender to take on Q+A. However, it’s reported she’d unlikely want to take on the gig full time at present. Former ABC radio and presenter of the since cancelled show Frankly, Fran Kelly, is not believed to be in the running. One name being tossed up in the air as a longer term replacement for Grant may be less familiar to some viewers. But Dan Bourchier is highly regarded at the ABC. The Australian reported that Grant already had his eye on Bourchier as a possibility to eventually succeed him given he’s also an Indigenous journalist. Bourchier worked for National Indigenous Television before becoming Sky News’ Northern Territory bureau chief. He began presenting the ABC News in Canberra as well as the ABC Canberra breakfast show in 2017. Bourchier now appears nationwide on the ABC as a co-host of ABC’s political discussion show The Drum and is the broadcaster’s correspondent on the Voice to Parliament. It is believed that some in the ABC are on board for Bourchier to host an upcoming special Q+A from the Garma Indigenous cultural festival, held in the Northern Territory in August if Grant hasn’t returned. Grant had hosted Q+A for less than a year when he chose to step aside. In a lengthy statement, Grant revealed the breaking point was vile criticism directed at him following his discussion of colonisation on the ABC’s coverage of the coronation of King Charles. “Since the King’s coronation, I have seen people in the media lie and distort my words. They have tried to depict me as hate filled. They have accused me of maligning Australia.” He said, “nothing could be further from the truth” and his ancestors would not allow him to be “filled with hate”. “I don’t take time out because of racism … I take time out because we have shown again that our history — our hard truth — is too big, too fragile, and too precious for the media. “I am writing this not because I think it will make a difference. No doubt the haters will twist this, too, and trigger another round of racism,” he said. Grant has also called out the ABC bosses. “Not one ABC executive has publicly refuted the lies written or spoken about me. “I don’t hold any individual responsible; this is an institutional failure.” ABC director of news Justin Stevens released a statement saying Grant has been subjected to “grotesque racist abuse”, including threats to his safety particularly since the ABC’s coronation coverage. “It is abhorrent and unacceptable,” Mr Stevens said. “He was not the instigator of the program. He was asked to participate as a Wiradjuri man to discuss his own family’s experience and the role of the monarchy in Australian in the context of Indigenous history.” The ABC’s managing director David Anderson apologised to the journalist. “Stan Grant has stated that he has not felt publicly supported,” Mr Anderson said. “For this, I apologise to Stan. The ABC endeavours to support its staff in the unfortunate moments when there is external abuse directed at them.” Mr Anderson also agreed to launch an investigation of ABC's responses to racism impacting staff. “The Chair and Deputy Chair of the ABC’s Bonner Committee have asked me to conduct a review to investigate and make recommendations about ABC responses to racism affecting ABC staff, and what we can do better to support staff who face it,” he said. He said he was “dismayed” that Grant had been subjected to such “sickening behaviour”. Image credit: Instagram

“He yelled the N-word”: Stan Grant speaks out on racist attack

Q+A host Stan Grant has opened up about the time he faced unprovoked racist abuse from a stranger outside of the ABC’s headquarters, just days after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/there-is-no-excuse-for-what-i-saw-stan-grant-calls-on-the-abc-to-do-better">calling for the broadcaster to “do better”</a>. Grant, a Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi man, was attending the national summit on Aboriginal child safety in Adelaide when conversation turned to the incident involving a passerby and “the N-word”. “I was standing outside the ABC filming … and a young man and his girlfriend walked past me and, as they got close to me, he yelled the N-word loudly at me, right at me,” Grant explained. “So what if I’m on television, so what if I stayed in the White House with [former US President] Barack Obama …. so what if I can phone the Prime Minister [Anthony Albanese] and he’ll pick up the phone, so what? In that moment, that’s what I was to that person. “We don’t know when someone’s going to say that. No matter how successful you are, someone can always cut you down. “Racism can touch us anywhere.” When breaking the story, Grant was addressing an audience of approximately 250 individuals from across Australia - primarily First Nations experts and frontline workers - at the summit hosted by KWY. The group is a South Australia-based Aboriginal organisation who, according to their official website, “cover domestic and family violence, child protection, youth work, kinship care, disability, mentoring, Aboriginal education outcomes, perpetrator intervention, and cultural training and consultancy” across Adelaide and other regional centres. During the summit, Aboriginal Children’s Commissioner April Lawrie called on the South Australian government to take action against the rising rates of Aboriginal children who were being taken into state care, declaring that, “we’re removing [children] but we’re not supporting [families].” “It’s a telling story when [I] go into a school community to engage with young fullas … to find that I couldn’t take a photo because most of the Aboriginal children in that school community were a child in care [and can’t be identified]. “That speaks more than what you see in data. That is the compelling story about what is going on in our Aboriginal communities, what is the relationship of the state with our Aboriginal families.” Reportedly, South Australia has a budget in excess of $500m, and only spends roughly $69m per year on early help services for families. As South Australia’s Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard said, the Malinauskas government intends to commit $3.2m to creating a new committee, while increasing the overall budget for family services by $13.4m. “We know that the current system is not working for Aboriginal families and children,” she stated. “Listening to the wisdom and experience of Aboriginal people is utterly fundamental to building a better approach. “This includes our government acknowledging how that legacy of colonisation and experiences of intergenerational trauma and racism influence the issues Aboriginal people face.” Images: Q+A / Youtube

News

“There is no excuse for what I saw”: Stan Grant calls on the ABC to do better

Stan Grant, host of the ABC’s Q+A, has condemned his own network for its lack of diversity during its NSW election coverage. Grant, a Wiradjuri man, wrote a letter to ABC’s managing director David Anderson asking “in 2023, how is it at all acceptable that an election night coverage features an entire white panel?” In the letter, which Crikey shared portions of, Grant stressed that he was not criticising his “well qualified” colleagues for featuring on the panel, but instead that he was tired of how the ABC had “nurtured and promoted white staff at the exclusion of others”. The panel in question was led by David Speers and Sarah Ferguson, with NSW treasurer Matt Kean and Labor frontbencher Penny Sharpe joining them. ABC’s coverage also saw state political reporter Ashleigh Raper, Jeremy Fernandez (who is Malaysian-born), and other reporters across key electorates. However, Grant was far from pleased with the “cameo” roles given to the journalists of colour - despite Fernandez in particular appearing in the network’s promotional material - stating that “the fact that any journalists of colour in our coverage were ‘off Broadway’ in support roles, reporting from the suburbs, only adds to the insult.” “There is no excuse for what I saw on air last night,” he said. “None. I have worked at organisations around the world and nowhere would what we presented last night be tolerated.” Grant called on the ABC to “do better”, and admitted keeping them honest feels like a responsibility on his shoulders. But as he explained in his letter, he doesn’t do any of it for himself. “I have had my career,” he wrote, “but I don’t want to wait another decade for things to change.” According to The Guardian, the ABC’s news director Justin Stevens has responded to Grant’s honest take, stating that “ABC News takes on board any criticism and welcomes constructive discussion.” Stevens went on to note that he agreed with Grant that the network is “not yet where we want to be”, before sharing a series of recent appointments within the ABC. “We will continue to do all we can to elevate the work of Indigenous employees and ensure our coverage and workforce are truly representative of Australia,” he said. “We respect Stan enormously. For decades he has been one of the highest-profile First Nations journalists in this country and with that he has carried the burden of fighting for the advancement of his First Nations and culturally diverse colleagues. “That responsibility is on all of us to carry at the ABC and not him alone.” Images: Q+A / Youtube

Carrie Bickmore and Chris Walker call it quits!

Carrie Bickmore and her partner Chris Walker have announced their separation after 12 years together. The former TV host and her director partner announced the news on their separate Instagram accounts early on January 18. “Hi there. It’s with immense sadness that (Carrie) and I have decided to separate,” the pair wrote. “While this is a tough time, our focus is to concentrate on parenting, loving and supporting our three amazing children, Ollie, Evie and Addie with everything we’ve got. They are doing great. “We won’t be making any further comment at this stage.” The pair first met on the set of The Project, two years after Carrie lost her first husband Greg Lange to brain cancer. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/01/bickmoresplit.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Carrie and Chris went on to date before he became a stepfather to Carrie’s son from Greg, Ollie, and in 2015, the couple welcomed their first child together, Evie. Three years later, they announced another addition to the family, another daughter, Adelaide. The news comes just a few months after Carrie announced that she was taking extended leave with the family to spend time in the UK. “We feel like this is our last chance to do something like this together before Ollie hits the pointy end of his schooling and no longer wants to hang out with us so … we are heading to the UK for a school term,” Carrie wrote at the time. Images: Instagram

Relationships

New host of Q+A announced

ABC has announced journalist Stan Grant as the new host for Q&A. The veteran journalist, 58, will begin his new role on August 1 with the special episode being broadcast from the Garma Festival in north-east Arnhem Land. “Garma is a talking place where the nation asks itself hard questions about who we are. It is an honour to take the helm of Q+A from there,” Grant said in a statement. “Hosting Q+A is a huge responsibility. I feel the weight of the audience’s trust in me and the program. I will approach my role with integrity, decency and humility.” The show’s official Facebook page announced the news and also thanked former hosts Virginia Trioli and David Speers for helping with the show after Hamish MacDonald left to go back to Channel 10. “We're delighted to announce that Stan Grant, one of the ABC's most accomplished journalists and presenters, is taking over as solo host of Q+A,” they wrote. “We thank Virginia Trioli and David Speers for their work in shaping the program over the past year.” ABC’s News Director Justin Stevens also thanked Trioli and Speers saying that Grant is the perfect fit for the role. “As well as being a hugely experienced journalist and presenter, Stan Grant plays a respected role in Australia’s key national conversations. Leading Q+A is a role that suits the breadth of his knowledge and talents,” he said. “Q+A is unique in giving citizens a chance to participate in live-to-air discussion with Australia’s top thought leaders, policymakers and elected representatives, helping to hold power to account and facilitate constructive discussion about our nation and its future. “With Stan at the helm we’ll continue to explore ways to further develop Q+A, including how to get audiences even more involved.” Images: ABC

Benji Marshall's stunning revelations

Benji Marshall did not leave one dry eye in the house – nor for anyone looking on at home – in the latest episode of Celebrity Apprentice as he opened up about his troubled past. When the former NRL player was required to pitch a TV series idea as part of the Celebrity Apprentice challenge, Benji became very emotional when putting forward his idea for a documentary about his life. “I’ve never, ever talked about this publicly,” Benji told the on-screen TV executives. “I’ve never talked about this because it means so much to me. “No one knows the real me… because I don’t even know the real me, there’s half of me I haven’t found out about. “I don’t know my dad, I don’t know my culture, I don’t know my nationality.” He teared up saying that he wanted someone to help save him after suffering through a traumatic childhood. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfBoLdepBNb/?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/CfBoLdepBNb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Benji Marshall (@benji6marshall)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Growing up in a small town of NZ, my mum was very young, she had me at 15,” he continued. “I have this vivid memory of a seven-year-old boy, holding a butter knife, scared, sitting back in a dark corner, so no one could come from behind me to get me. “All I wanted was for someone to save me, someone to tuck me in, someone to save me, all I wanted was a dad.” He recalled the teasing he endured during school when kids would say “you don’t know your dad” which left him in tears. Wanting to find out who his father was, Benji got the courage to finally ask his mum but it was the look on her face that made him never ask again. “When I asked my mum who my dad was... I’ll never forget the look on her face, the look of fear, worry… it actually made me scared," he said. “I never ever asked her again. I still don’t know until this day.” Benji then completed his pitch with a traditional haka dance and walked off, as he waited to hear whether or not he won the competition. In the boardroom, the judges debated and agreed on the winner. Benji won the $20,000 prize for his charity Souths Care, which supports disadvantaged, marginalised and Indigenous youth and families. He then bent over and cried when he realised he was heading off to the grand final, being congratulated by Lord Sugar’s adviser Janine Allis. The New Zealander also took to Instagram to thank fans for their support throughout his time on the show. “I can’t believe it. I’m Through to the GF on @celebrityapprentice I am super proud to be able to stand on the stage and share my story and pitch to everyone,” he wrote. “I shared things I have never spoken about before and I am proud to share my emotions and true feelings publicly. “Vulnerability is a strength. The feedback has been overwhelming. I appreciate everyone.” Image: Instagram

Counselling offered after Carrie Bickmore's partner appears naked on Skype call

Carrie Bickmore’s partner has accidentally exposed himself to colleagues on a Skype call. It was reported that Chris Walker stripped naked while the camera was still on, with his full body on show. Mr Walker, an executive producer on the ABC’s The Weekly, was naked for as long as two minutes. A spokemans for the ABC says that staff members who were on the call have been offered counselling. The incident was “unintentional” and it’s reported that Mr Walker was taking off his clothes to have a shower. “The ABC is aware of an unintentional incident which occurred involving the production team for The Weekly,” a spokesman said. “The ABC is in regular communication with the relevant team members and are in the process of developing strategies to ensure an incident of this nature does not occur again.” Mr Walker’s TV production company, Thinkative Television, report that it was “clearly unintentional”. “I know the ABC has checked in with their crew about it,” a Thinkative spokesman said. “There are discussions ongoing about processes to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.” It is not the first time that Mr Walker has accidentally exposed himself on a call, after Ms Bickmore explained on her radio show back in November that her partner had walked in “with his bits out” while she was conducting an interview on Zoom, while other journalists around the world were watching. She added that they later laughed for 45 minutes straight after she told her partner what he had inadvertently done. Image: Getty

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Stan Grant hits back at Ben Fordham over Q+A ejection

Stan Grant has hit back at Ben Fordham for questioning his decision to remove a pro-Russian advocate from the Q+A audience last week. In last week's episode of the program, host Stan Grant <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/stan-grant-kicks-out-q-a-audience-member" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked an audience member to leave</a> the studio after he shared widely discredited pro-Russian claims about killings in Ukraine. The Russian university student told the panel, “Believe it or not, there are a lot of Russians here and around the world that support what Putin’s doing in Ukraine, myself included.” The comments prompted Stan Grant to ask the audience member to leave, saying the student was "supporting violence". 2GB radio host Ben Fordham weighed in on the situation on his radio show, suggesting Grant was pressured by ABC producers to remove the audience member. “Someone got in Stan’s ear, because it took him 20 minutes and then he decided Sasha [the student] had to go,” Fordham said. “It sounded to me like Stan Grant lost control of his own show.” He went on to say the whole idea of Q+A is to have a "robust debate", and believed the man should not have been removed at all. “Obviously, we don’t support what Russia’s doing, but I don’t think this guy … was advocating violence,” Fordham said. “He’s a Russian living in Australia and he’s standing up for his own country.” Defending his actions to <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_NEW&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fbusiness%2Fmedia%2Fstan-grant-and-ben-fordham-clash-over-qa-expulsion%2Fnews-story%2Fe477718f19e90902a6250fc2d6ece567&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-warm-control-score&V21spcbehaviour=append" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Australian</a>, Stan Grant explained why he chose to eject the student and why he believes his decision was justified. “It troubled me that someone in an ABC studio was saying that they supported an illegal invasion where people were dying,” Grant explained. “People who sit there and take potshots know nothing about it. The remarks were distressing to people in the room. I wanted to have a proper discussion about the points raised, but it troubled me. We all walk out of there safe and sound, but people in Ukraine are not. You’ve got people dying right now.” The veteran journalist further backed himself, by saying Fordham's unprompted jabs were "disappointing". “I put my journalistic career up against his (Fordham’s) any day,” Grant said. “Whenever I’ve met Ben Fordham, he’s always been polite and friendly. I don’t know whether to take that at face value, but it’s disappointing.” Image credits: ABC - Q+A footage / Instagram @benfordham9

Stan Grant kicks out Q+A audience member

ABC host Stan Grant has taken extraordinary measures to eject an audience member in the latest episode of Q+A. The moment was triggered when the audience member, known as Sasha Gillies-Leakakis, shared widely discredited pro-Russian claims about killings in Ukraine. The inflammatory question from Sasha was promptly and uncomfortably deflected, but the show's host was unable to move on from the controversial statements. Mr Gillies-Leakakis asked the panel hosts, “As someone who comes from the Russian community here in Australia, I’ve been pretty outraged by the narrative depicted by our media, with Ukraine as the good guy and Russia as the bad guy." “Believe it or not, there are a lot of Russians here and around the world that support what Putin’s doing in Ukraine, myself included.” The University of Melbourne student went on to claim that Ukraine had “besieged” the Russian populations in Donetsk and Luhansk and killed about 13,000 people, before audience members began to heckle him, with calls of “that’s a lie”, “don’t do this” and “propaganda”. The question was ignored by the panel, but after 20 minutes, Stan Grant felt he had to do something. “Something has been bothering me … people here have been talking about family who are suffering and people who are dying. Can I just say – I’m just not comfortable with you being here. Could you please leave?,” Grant said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Stan Grant kicks an Australian-Russian man out of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QandA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QandA</a> for questioning the media's pro-Ukraine/anti-Russia coverage. <a href="https://t.co/tKylsWVeCK">pic.twitter.com/tKylsWVeCK</a> — Caldron Pool (@CaldronPool) <a href="https://twitter.com/CaldronPool/status/1499487887863209987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></blockquote> The audience applauded Grant's request, as the audience member tried to fire back. “You can ask a question, but we cannot advocate violence. I should have asked you to leave then. It‘s been playing on my mind and, I’m sorry, but I have to ask you to leave.” Once the questioner had left, Stan apologised to the audience for the disruption and explained his motivations. “We come here in good faith to have open conversation, rigorous conversation. We’ve heard different points of view, and we encourage different points of view here,” he said. “But we can’t have anyone who is sanctioning, supporting, violence and killing of people. So I‘m sorry for the disruption. It was not a vetted question. It was a rogue question. It’s not good.” Following his eviction from the ABC studios, Sasha shared a lengthy post regarding his controversial views, while also saying, “I would like to say that I had no intention whatsoever of offending anyone, and so would like to sincerely apologise for any distress my comments may have caused.” Image credits: ABC

Tom Walker discusses carols performance with Kate Middleton

Scottish singer-songwriter Tom Walker has discussed his "top secret" rehearsal with the Duchess of Cambridge ahead of their performance together at the Royal Carols in December. Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Tom said Kate Middleton is "fantastic" and a "really talented musician". Kate played piano for Tom for his emotional performance of the song For Those Who Can't Be Here at the carols event at Westminster Abbey, surprising royal fans with her musical talent. "We had a rehearsal together, a 'top-secret' rehearsal, just to make sure we were both comfortable with playing with each other and so she could get her head around the arrangement of the song," he explained. Walker explained that the rehearsal took place at London's Metropolis Studios, and how he was sworn to secrecy. <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/CX6kRgzhTCb/?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> <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/CX6kRgzhTCb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Tom Walker (@iamtomwalker)</a> </div> </blockquote> "I'm sure I'm allowed to say that at this point. At the time it was very top secret," he continues. The duchess, who also hosted the event, wrote on Instagram, "Together at Christmas brought together so many inspirational individuals for a night of wonderful carols and music. "But above all, it was about celebrating the goodwill, acts of kindness, love, empathy, and compassion which have helped people come through these difficult times. "Thank you to all involved for making this happen." In an interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/17149039/tom-walker-owes-kate-middleton-big-time/" target="_blank">The Sun</a>, Tom said his performance with the duchess was a "wonderful experience" and described her as "so warm". "She made the effort to thank all the musicians but it was us who felt so grateful to be part of something so special," he explains. Royal fans were stunned by Kate's hidden talent, with one person writing on social media, "She plays the piano too? Now I love her even more." Check out the performance below. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yw95R0Vl4_c" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Image credits: Instagram @iamtomwalker

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