It’s 2015, Isabelle had just turned 17 and was at her first “grown up” party. Beer bottles overflowed the bin and spilled liquor made the wooden floor sticky. Dancing around to the loud music, talking with her friends, and drinking something mixed with vodka, she was hitting it off with a boy she liked, talking, flirting, and laughing in the laundry room of the house. Suddenly he was on top of her and reaching to unbutton her jeans while he groped her. Tipsy and a little dizz

How did you get interested in journalism? I got interested in the heyday of 60 Minutes , when it was George Negus and Jana Wendt. My strongest subject at school was English so I was interested in a humanities-oriented career. Although, I was a big horse rider and I wanted to be a vet. But, when I was 15 my science teacher said ‘you’re probably better off doing something you’re innately good at’, which was writing. How did you break into journalism? After an internship, I wo

Alex Danes is starting a revolution. “I’m looking for recruits!” proclaims the creative entrepreneur through laughter, only half joking. “You don’t have to do anything, you don’t have to sell anything to anybody, you just have to walk around and be yourself, that’s how you’re going to join my revolution. It’s the easiest revolution in the world.” It’s a revolution, Alex hopes, that will help create a world where labels don’t have to matter, and everybody can express who they

The energy in the air was electric as singer/songwriter Maggie Alley took to the stage at The Brunswick Ballroom in July. “The gig took a lot of planning between us,” said Alley. “It’s likely the best and biggest gig we’ve played.” Invited to perform by guitarist and producer Matt Walker, who has won an ARIA for best blues and roots album, the 19-year-old and her band brought their distinct brand of groovy punk blues to the dignified venue. Only a month later and Maggie Alley

As Australians struggle through lockdowns, mass job losses and business shutdowns, increasing numbers of people are struggling with mental illness and stress. Large-scale crises like the pandemic can have a large impact on psychological health, with Lifeline recording a 40 per cent increase in calls since 2019. Similar stresses were felt during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, when financial instability and job losses were also an extended concern for many around the nation

It takes a team to take back control of your health, says naturopath Nadia Woods. That team—of health professionals, specialists in their fields—is what brings the best results. But that doesn’t mean you should “manage with and put up with pain and discomfort”, which is what too many health professionals will tell you, Nadia says. “Some conditions do come with age, but it’s important someone tells you—you don’t deserve to feel like this,” Nadia says. “It’s significant really

Moments after Rowan Crothers touched the wall in his 50m freestyle Paralympic final, he realised he had achieved his childhood dream—a Paralympic gold medal. The 23-year-old has chased after his dreams with a fierce determination, training alongside able-bodied athletes and often pushing his body to the brink. But for Crothers, it’s not about the guts and glory, it’s about doing what makes him happy. It’s been a long journey for the Gosford-born swimmer. Crothers was born in

Australian UFC fighters Casey O’Neill and Jamie Mullarkey both secured impressive TKO victories in their back-to-back fights at UFC Vegas 38 today. The event, held early Sunday (AEST), was headlined by light-heavyweights Thiago Santos and Johnny Walker. Embed from Getty Images Scottish-born Australian Casey O’Neill remains undefeated as she ended the event’s preliminary card with a second round TKO over fellow flyweight Antonina Shevchenko. O’Neill led aggressively in the f

While some see riding BMX as a sport, Nathan Leech describes it as an art form. “I like doing big drops, bar spins, things that look a little rougher and not as smooth, but have their own expressive value,” Nathan says. “I’m in it to have fun and not fall off too much.” Riding bikes of every shape and size since he can remember, Nathan’s journey to riding BMX began with borrowing his friend’s bike. “Me and my mate would go to the dirt jumps near our house. He would ride his

A trail of group chats, transferred files and zoom meetings documents the development of avant-garde “supergroup” High Castle Teleorkestra (HCT). It is a group that exists on computer screens and online networks, cordoned off by the restrictions of both transnational distance and a global pandemic. Many of the members have yet to meet in person. This until recently included HCT’s founders, the dual producers and day-to-day leads Tim Smolens and Chris Bogen. Smolens, 44, based

*This article contains spoilers. Money Heist season five delivers another exciting instalment in the Spanish drama. With just as much action as in previous seasons, audiences won’t be able to look away. Money Heist follows a rag-tag team of criminals – each code named after a major city – brought together by the mysterious Professor (Álvaro Morte) to carry out extravagant and dangerous heists. Volume 1 of season five, released this month, jumps back into the action mid-he

More than 3200 people have signed a petition calling on Woolworths to play more Australian music on its in-store radio. The change.org petition is demanding the supermarket giant play 50 per cent local artists as a way of supporting a music industry devastated by COVID-19 lockdowns. Petition founder Luke Hall, who is an employee at Woolworths, was inspired by Jack River’s successful campaign to get Channel 7 to feature local music in its Olympics coverage. Hall says large c