State of Origin Attendance Keeps Schoolies Back
50,000 football fans filled Brisbane’s Lang Park for the State of Origin decider. With barely any masks being worn and so many people coming together, Dr Jeannette Young is standing by the decision to cancel schoolies. The cancellation, released back in August, is explained to be a different scenario due to not being a ticketed or seated event.
Smiley by Guillem Clua (Independent Production - Brisbane Pride Festival 2020)
Destiny. It is a concept that drives creative literature and performance based adaptions in every culture and in every time period. Where would the “Star Wars” saga be without the line “It is your destiny…” intoned in various ways impressing on the character (and the audience) that life might be lived freely, however, you cannot escape what has been set for you by some otherworldly entity or existence.
Emma Donovan & The Putbacks - 'Crossover'
Renowned Australian indigenous soul singer Emma Donovan and critically-acclaimed rhythm combo The Putbacks have released their much-anticipated album Crossover, defining a new flavour in the feast of Australian music, which features music powerfully performed and preserved in traditional language.
With nostalgic songwriting delving into Emma’s childhood, family and her late mother, Crossover is a beautifully honest soulful ride through the past, with relevance to the now.
The personal and honest lyrics throughout Crossover are emphasised by The Putbacks sharp, dynamic and funky rhythms, delivering a swag of soul-defining songs with sentimental hints of Stax and classic Atlantic recordings the whole way through.
Emma Donovan & The Putbacks first burst onto the scene together with 2014’s epic Dawn which won fans all over the world. Since then, Emma Donovan has toured and recorded with Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, Paul Kelly and Spinifex Gum, while The Putbacks released their debut self-titled album in 2018.
Following on from the successful collaboration with Dawn, Crossover highlights the band’s shared love for classic American soul and the protest music of indigenous Australia, with a uniquely Australian accent. Growing up singing church songs with her grandparents on the North Coast of New South Wales, Emma’s grandmother is the focus of the first single off the album Pink Skirt, whilst her mother forms the yearning and heartfelt masterpiece of Crossover; a tribute to memories made, connection and ongoing spirit.
Five-piece combo The Putbacks are veterans of the recording studio, having performed across a variety of festivals and major events for over a decade, establishing themselves as Melbourne’s go-to instrumental funk ensemble. Crossover is produced by renowned keyboardist (Hiatus Kaiyote, The Putbacks) Simon Mavin and released through Melbourne’s very own Hopestreet Recordings.
12PM ZEDLINES - NOVEMBER 19
[IMAGE: GERARD, FLICKR]
Greens MP urges government to expand public housing
Newly-elected Greens MP Amy McMahon, is urging the state government to invest in a public housing construction boom.
In a letter sent to state Treasurer Cameron Dick, Ms McMahon outline the Queensland Greens’ plan to construct 250,000 new public housing homes over the next 10 years, creating 20,000 new jobs.
The member for South Brisbane says as a renter in a sharehouse, she knows what a big issue housing affordability is for the southside.
Queensland enters tick season
Health authorities are urging Queenslanders to be especially cautious of ticks during the final months of the year.
Queensland Health reports a third of all emergency-visits for tick bites occur between the months of October and December as the weather begins to heat up.
People may be unaffected if bitten but many can experience illnesses if they have an allergic reaction or if the bite becomes infected.
No new COVID-19 cases in South Australia
South Australia has announced no new cases of COVID-19 overnight, keeping the state’s current cluster at 23 cases.
3,200 South Australians remain in quarantine, in what Chief Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier calls a “double ring fence” around infections.
Professor Spurrier is urging South Australians to “be patient, be kind [and] stay at home.”
Report on Australian war crimes released
A report on war crimes potentially committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan has been released in Canberra this morning.
The report comes after a four-year inquiry investigating the conduct of Australian soldiers between 2005 and 2016 and has recommended a total of 36 incidents be referred to the Australian Federal Police for criminal investigation.
Protesters march on Thai police headquarters
10,000 pro-democracy protestors marched on Thailand’s police headquarters in Bangkok overnight.
The march came in response to a violent clash between protesters and police outside the Thai parliament on Tuesday, in which six people were shot and many more injured.
Demonstrators have sprayed the police compound with paint and water pistols, to protest the use of teargas and chemical-laced water cannons during the Tuesday confrontation.
Democratic Republic of Congo officially Ebola-free
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has officially declared an end to its most recent Ebola outbreak.
New cases were recorded in the country’s west on June 1st and led to a total of 119 confirmed cases and 55 deaths.
The end of the outbreak marks the first time the nation has been Ebola-free for two and a half years.