Tag Archives: oceania

No world leaders allowed: Albanese reveals new details about wedding

As speculation continues over when Anthony Albanese will meet Donald Trump in person for the first time, we know one event when that definitely won't happen: his wedding.

The prime minister revealed this morning that the upcoming ceremony for him and fiancee Jodie Haydon will be a small, apolitical affair, with no international figures on the guest list.

"No," he told Brisbane radio station B105 when asked if any world leaders would be invited.

READ MORE: Beloved film critic David Stratton dies aged 85

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - JULY 22: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (R) and fiancée Jodie Haydon at the Ecumenical Service at Wesley Church on July 22, 2025 in Canberra, Australia. Parliament reopened on Tuesday following Labor's decisive election win. With a strong majority, Labor is set to push its agenda, signalling a clear shift in the political landscape. This session will reflect the party's priorities and a new direction for the government, as the opposition and cross-bench tries to make its p

"It's not a political event. It's an event between myself and Jodie."

Albanese proposed to Haydon on Valentine's Day last year, making him the first Australian prime minister to get engaged while in office.

He said the wedding wouldn't be held until after this year's federal election, and while there's still no date set, the prime minister revealed this morning it will be held sometime in the next four months.

"We're close (to settling on a date)," he said.

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Jodie Haydon and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during arrivals at the Midwinter Ball, at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday 7 September 2022. fedpol Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

"We've decided it will be this year… we've got a couple of options."

While the looming event was described last year by then-opposition leader Peter Dutton as "our version of the royal wedding", Albanese said today it will be a subdued ceremony.

"Our (guest) list is pretty small," Albanese said.

"We're going to do something that's not enormous."

The Lodge – the prime minister's official residence in Canberra – has long loomed as the most likely venue for the wedding.

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Former footballer sentenced over crash that killed partner, seriously injured woman

A former VFL player has been sentenced over a drunken crash that killed his partner and left a young woman with permanent injuries.

Raymond Card, 68, was handed a nine-year sentence with a non-parole period of four years in Geelong Magistrates' Court today over the November 2024 crash that claimed the life of his partner Mandy McDonald.

The court heard the former Geelong footballer was four times the legal blood alcohol limit when he got behind the wheel and drove on the wrong side of the Geelong Ring Road in Lara, crashing head-on with a BMW on November 16, 2024.

READ MORE: Beloved film critic David Stratton dies aged 85

Former Geelong Ray Card believed to be driver charged following a horror crash which killed his wife on Saturday.

The accident left a 19-year-old woman with serious injuries.

A promising volleyball player, she can no longer play due to the chronic pain and nerve damage caused by the crash.

"It's still a long road to follow. To get over the trauma it caused her is the biggest issue I think," the woman's father, Peter Macleod, said outside court today.

"She's quite young and she'll have this for a lifetime. At 20, that's a hard pill to swallow," mum Jenny said.

Despite causing the grandmother's death, McDonald's family stood by the 1983 Geelong best and fairest player, wiping away tears in court.

Former Geelong Ray Card believed to be driver charged following a horror crash which killed his wife on Saturday.

The young woman's parents have slammed the sentence.

"I'm a little bit disappointed. The sentence was quite light, it was a very serious offence," Macleod said.

"I think it's time a stronger message was sent."

READ MORE: Father-of-two fighting for life after suspected road rage attack in Melbourne

Former Geelong Ray Card believed to be driver charged following a horror crash which killed his wife on Saturday.

In sentencing, Judge Gerard Mullaly took into account Card's letter of apology to the young woman.

"The time I spend in jail will not compare to your life now, and the loss of the love of my life," Card wrote.

"I wish it had been me instead."

Body-worn camera footage from the scene showed Card admitting to drinking before he got behind the wheel.

"It's my fault, I'm pissed. I thought I was alright," he said.

Since the crash Card has been diagnosed with a rare terminal heart condition and has been given five years to live.

He played for the Geelong Cats between 1977 and 1987.

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Beloved film critic David Stratton dies aged 85

Australian film critic David Stratton, best known for sharing the screen with Margaret Pomeranz, has died aged 85.

He passed away in hospital near his home in the NSW Blue Mountains this afternoon.

"David's passion for film, commitment to Australian cinema, and generous spirit touched countless lives," his family said in a statement to his former employer, the ABC.

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Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton in 2011.

"He was adored as a husband, father, grand- and great-grandfather and admired friend.

"David's family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support from friends, colleagues, and the public recently and across his lifetime."

Stratton's family asked the public to celebrate his memory by either watching their favourite movie or his favourite movie — the iconic 1952 Gene Kelly musical Singin' In The Rain.

Stratton was born in the United Kingdom in 1939. 

He was an esteemed actor, writer, educator and critic with a legendary career that spanned almost six decades.

He worked as the Sydney Film Festival director from 1966 until 1983.

It wasn't until he appeared on the screens with Pomeranz, though, that the wider Australian public fell in love with him.

The pair started The Movie Show on SBS in 1986, and gained a following through their good-natured bickering and differing tastes in movies.

READ MORE: The average full-time weekly salary in Australia just hit a record high

Australian film critic David Stratton, who was best known for sharing the screen alongside Margaret Pomeranz, has died aged 85.

They left the SBS and took their concept to the ABC in 2004, where they returned to the screens under At The Movies.

They remained on air for another 10 years.

Their final episode in 2014 attracted more than 700,000 viewers, making it one of the most-watched season finales in the history of the ABC. 

In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald in 2019, Stratton shared that his grandmother had first introduced him to film.

"She was a very keen filmgoer, and she was the one who used to take me," he said.

"My mother said the first time I went to the cinema was to see Dumbo in 1941 or 1942."

Stratton most recently appeared at Ritz Cinemas in Sydney's Randwick in June alongside Pomeranz for their inductions into the Australian Film Walk of Fame.

The co-hosts performed for a sold-out crowd, sharing their experiences and stories from their time on The Movie Show and At the Movies.

Stratton retired in December 2023, citing his declining health.

He leaves behind his wife, Susie, and two children.

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David Stratton as the Director of the Sydney Film Festival in 1983.

Australia pays tribute

As news of Stratton's death broke, heartbroken tributes began to pour in from the film industry and fans alike.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Stratton was widely respected in Australia.

"With dry humour and sharp insight, David Stratton shared his love of film with our country," he said.

"All of us who tuned in to At the Movies respected him for his deep knowledge and for the gentle and generous way he passed it on.

"May he rest in peace."

https://x.com/AlboMP/status/1955874423422247100

Former television host and commentator Phillip Adams paid tribute to his old friend and colleague.

"Vale David Stratton. Old friend and colleague now reviewing movies for the Almighty," he said. 

Sydney Film Festival said the cinema culture in Australia could not have existed as it does without Stratton.

"Sydney Film Festival, and by extension the very culture of cinema in Australia, would not exist as it does today without the remarkable passion and devotion of David Stratton who was the Festival Director from 1966 until 1983," a spokesperson said.

"His achievements are too innumerable to list in totality.

"Our thoughts are with his family who have released the following statement."

Dendy Cinemas was "deeply saddened".

"David's infectious passion for film and deep commitment to Australian cinema were unrivalled in this country. Vale David Stratton," the cinema chain said.

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Judge sprays lawyers for filing error-riddled AI papers during murder hearing

A judge has slammed lawyers acting for a boy accused of murder for filing misleading information with the courts after failing to check documents created using artificial intelligence.

"It is not acceptable for AI to be used unless the product of that use is independently and thoroughly verified," Justice James Elliott told the Supreme Court in Melbourne.

The documents related to a 16-year-old boy, who was today found not guilty by way of mental impairment over the murder a 41-year-old woman in Abbotsford in April 2023.

READ MORE: Beloved film critic David Stratton dies aged 85

The Supreme Court in Melbourne.

Prosecution, defence and two psychiatrists all agreed the boy, who cannot be legally named, was mentally impaired during the killing because he was suffering schizophrenic delusions.

His lawyers, including senior barrister Rishi Nathwani KC and his junior Amelia Beech, did not properly check their submissions before they were filed to the court containing errors, the court was told.

This included references to non-existent case citations and inaccurate quotes from a parliamentary speech.

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Justice Elliott said the documents were not signed by barristers or solicitors when they were filed and defence admitted it had used AI when the court could not locate the referenced material.

The submissions were sent to prosecutors, who also did not verify all the information was correct and then created their own submissions based on the defence documents.

Defence apologised to the judge for the error and re-filed documents with the court.

But Justice Elliott said "the misleading information caused by AI did not end there" and the revised documents referred to made-up laws.

"Revised submissions were not reviewed by either side … and referred to legislation that did not exist, an act that was appealed that never occurred," the judge said.

READ MORE: Father-of-two fighting for life after suspected road rage attack in Melbourne

Defence apologised again and eventually filed their documents without AI inaccuracies.

"The manner in which these events have unfolded is unsatisfactory," Justice Elliott said.

He said the ability of the court to rely on submissions was "fundamental to the administration of justice" and all litigants should adhere to the Supreme Court's guidelines on AI.

"Use of AI without careful oversight of counsel would seriously undermine this court's ability to deliver justice," he said.

The guidelines state use of AI must not "directly mislead another participant in the litigation process as to the nature of any work understand or the content produced by that program".

Nathwani offered his "genuine and sincere apologies" to the judge and said he was embarrassed by what had occurred.

Prosecutor Daniel Porceddu also apologised and admitted he did not read the defence's references and citations.

He did not further verify the documents' contents because he agreed with the conclusion reached in the defence submissions, he said.

The boy, who sat in court as the issue was raised, has been directed to remain under supervision at a Youth Justice Centre following the mental impairment finding.

He was accused, on the basis of complicity, of agreeing to commit the murder with a co-accused in order to steal the woman's car, drive to the Grampians, blow up a bridge and build an anti-communist army to take over Australia.

The plan was never enacted and he was arrested after the killing near Ballarat.

He was found to be mentally impaired during the offending as his schizophrenia was untreated at the time and he followed "grandiose delusions" that he was a prophet of God.

Justice Elliott noted, unlike in NSW, there are no adolescent psychiatric units in Victoria that he could be taken to.

He said he would continue to receive anti-psychotic treatment for his schizophrenia in youth justice.

The boy will return to court for a supervision hearing on November 5.

Support is available by calling Lifeline on 13 11 14, beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 for people aged five to 25.