Australia's Treasury Wine Estate has said that its sales to China will not return to their pre-tariffs level, even if the levies are removed. The world's largest stand-alone winemaker made a third of its profits from frozen sales to China in 2020, when the Chinese government imposed tariffs of up to 212% on Australian wine, effectively ending sales. Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan met his Chinese counterpart last week to seek a resolution to all trade impediments between the countries, including the continued tariffs on wine.
England's decision to drop Ben Foakes for Jonny Bairstow has been described in an article as the "right decision" which was "inevitable" due to Bairstow's talent. Foakes has reportedly paid the price for being dropped despite never letting anyone down, while Crawley continues to "underwhelm." However, Bairstow will provide an explosive lower-middle order to envy, with teams actively fearing him and his playing potential. McCullum's support for Crawley after a lean spell is thought of as further ensuring that Bairstow's return to the squad is well-founded.
Latrell Mitchell, the biggest Indigenous star in rugby league, has praised his club South Sydney Rabbitohs for their celebration of Indigenous Round, as the club expect crowds of up to 40k at Allianz Stadium this weekend. Mitchell, who recently posed alongside his Indigenous teammates in the specially designed jerseys, commented: “I celebrate it every week… it’s about the week leading in, what it represents, but also what we can learn and teach each other about unity.”
The US government's showdown with Republicans over the country's debt ceiling threatens the global economy and raises concerns among policymakers over the US' efforts to counter China. Republicans are seeking spending cuts over a decade whereas Democrats prefer smaller spending cuts in defense and social programs over a shorter period. Senior White House economics adviser Shalanda Young said the debt ceiling situation was a "test of what works in this world" and has raised concerns that the US would default on its US$31.4tn borrowing limit.
The future of hypersonic travel has moved up the business agenda, thanks to research from the aviation industry, but the technology in question does not yet exist and may be decades from fruition, writes Simon Calder in The Independent. With the Concorde being grounded for almost two decades, subsonic travel remains the standard while Qantas is set to reveal “Project Sunrise” – non-stop flights from London to Sydney, which could be made on an Airbus A350-1000.
Researchers have found that an FDA-approved injectable dye called indocyanine green (ICG) could protect against the death cap mushroom, responsible for nine in 10 fatal mushroom poisonings and thousands of deaths worldwide. Conducting tests on lab-grown liver cells and mice who were treated within four hours of poisoning, the dye halted the toxin’s deadly effects. Death caps, which grow in symbiosis with oak trees and resemble the commonly cooked straw mushroom, have claimed at least six lives in Australia. Scientists also discovered dozens of other potential antidotes for the deadly poison.
Sofia Huerta, the oldest player competing for a place on the United States' women’s soccer team at the 2023 World Cup, is far from conventional. Having played for three different teams in the National Women’s Soccer League and three stints in Australia, the 30-year-old also represented Mexico in international play before playing for the US. If she makes the roster, she will become the first player from North West America to feature for the US national team at a World Cup. Huerta was known as an attacker, before being moved to right back to play her way into the US team, a position from which she has played regularly since moving to OL Reign. Although Huerta is considered a "bubble player", her ability to adapt to a new position has made her a fringe member of the squad and could see her earn a spot at the World Cup.
Fortius Funds Management is testing investor appetite for large retail format properties with a listing of its Artarmon Home HQ in Sydney. The mall, situated near the city, is home to The Good Guys, Freedom, JB Hi-Fi, Barbeques Galore, Kitchen Warehouse and Oz Design Furniture. The Australian large format retail (LFR) sector is highly sought after, but prime locations are rarely available for sale. There are currently 319 LFR centres in the country, only three within 10km of Sydney's CBD. According to new research by CBRE, institutional buyers accounted for 55% of LFR acquisitions in 2022, up from 29% the previous year. CBRE forecasts continued buyer interest as housing demand grows, LFR rentals increase and supply remains limited.
Inner-city silos in Melbourne, Australia have been converted into a design exhibition featuring 23 designers from objects to lighting. The six-pack of silos, each 26 metres tall, was built in 1938 as part of Barrett Burston Maltings and were operational until 2018. The exhibition, called The Silo Project, will take place up until May 21 as part of Melbourne Design Week in Australia.
Train travel can be the best kind of travel. It's social, cost-effective, comfortable, environmentally-friendly and provides scenic views. It's surprising, therefore, that following the trend in high-speed trains that Europe, America, China and Japan have made, Australia has not invested more in rail, particularly for high-speed long-haul travel and long-haul commuting. While there are relatively low levels of demand, even routes between Sydney and Melbourne have high numbers of passengers, enough to support high-speed rail. Yet Australia seems unable to embrace the joys of train travel in the same way as the rest of the world.
Australian designer Gail Sorronda brought her goth-inspired fashion to the Australian Fashion Week runway in Sydney last week. For 18 years, Sorronda has cultivated a following in Milan and Tokyo, an effort now directed toward the Australian market. The designer's gothcore style, showcased in her Resort 2024 collection In Dreams, features black pinafores, strict shirting and romantic gowns. The collection was inspired by her sleep paralysis and is drawn from earlier collections, including An Angel At My Table, which she showed at her last fashion week eight years ago. Sorronda told The Guardian her collections represent how her mind works.
The Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (CMCT), which is responsible for several of Sydney’s largest burial sites, has declined to present its books to the NSW auditor-general, following a disagreement over the church’s control of public land. In light of this decision, the new Labor government has backed the trust by instituting the “two-operator” system as the favored model for reconciling Sydney’s long-running cemetery dispute. As per the proposal, the CMCT will administer control of up to five major burial sites whilst the government will take charge of the remaining ones after merging them under a single operator. The move marks a significant victory for the trust considering the countless refusals to let the auditor-general examine its books.
The CMCT has been excused from paying income taxes as the organization falls under the not-for-profit category. It has vehemently refused to allow the auditor-general to scrutinize its books because this might jeopardize its status. However, NSW Treasury has stated that the trust is a state-controlled entity responsible for managing crown lands and had pushed for a financial review by the auditor-general. Despite previous government officials making similar requests, and, the fact that a review in the present context seemed inevitable, the CMCT has once again declined. Some lawmakers have voiced concerns around the CMCT’s refusal to comply with the auditor’s requests and the new decision taken by the Labor government.
Melbourne socialite Peter Janson is preparing to host one of his famed birthday parties, following a recent leg injury. Janson is credited with growing the Birdcage marquee segment at the Melbourne Cup in the 1980s, and is known for throwing legendary parties in notable hotels across the city. Guests are invited to celebrate his 36th birthday, continuing a long-standing tradition of the occasion being held on a Tuesday, although this year the party will take place on a Wednesday.
US President Joe Biden's historic visit to Papua New Guinea and his planned trip to Australia have been cancelled as he flies back to Washington to deal with ongoing debt limit talks. The decision could be seen as a blow to the US' hopes of being more present in the Indo-Pacific amid its competition with China in the region. The president had planned to sign two security agreements with Papua New Guinea in an effort to counter China's reach in the area.
US President Joe Biden has cancelled his trip to Australia and Papua New Guinea as his team attempts to reach an agreement on the debt ceiling crisis. Although the president will still travel to Japan for the G7 summit, he has shortened his visit in order to return to the US on Sunday. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has argued that a default on the country's debt would trigger a global economic downturn. The US government could run out of money as soon as June if no resolution is found.
Fox Sports NRL 360 commentator and journalist Paul Kent will fight charges of common assault and intentionally choking a person without consent brought against him. The 52-year-old former rugby league player allegedly assaulted his 33-year-old ex-girlfriend. Kent has been a vocal critic of players and public figures charged with drunken, disorderly or violent behaviour. He was stood down from his regular columns on NRL 360 and the Daily Telegraph while he deals with personal issues.
A new showroom dedicated to the Steinway & Sons brand named Steinway Galleries has opened in Australia. The gallery, owned by billionaire trucking magnate Lindsay Fox, caters not only to those that play, but also those who simply are entranced by the prestige of having an instrument such as a Steinway piano in their home. The showroom features a performance area that is regularly used for recitals, as well as the relatively new Spirio, which uses old-school pianola technology to allow the piano to play itself.
President Joe Biden cancelled his upcoming visit to Papua New Guinea and Australia to avert a potentially catastrophic debt default. Biden was due to visit the Quad leaders in Sydney on May 24, bringing together the United States, Australia, Japan, and India. The United States could begin defaulting on its debts "potentially as early as June 1," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Monday, while nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has forecast June 15.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said it is open to an India-Pakistan match in Australia if there is enough interest. The two sides most often meet outside major competitions, such as the World Cup, due to political tensions between the two states. Pakistan's last series against India played in any format was in 2013, and the countries' last Test meeting was in December 2007. The prospect of a Pakistan-India match in Australia comes amid fears of a World Cup boycott owing to a scheduling disagreement between the two countries.
The Agency Group has lost a court battle with new rival The North Agency over its logos and branding. The national real estate firm argued that the nascent northern suburban company had infringed its trademarks, including an “A”-shaped logo, and engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct. The court rejected The Agency Group’s lawsuit; however, The Agency Group has 26 offices in NSW at 21 locations and receives millions of dollars' worth of sales. The North Agency, by contrast, had one office and six employees at the time of the court hearing this month.
