MONDAY SHOW - 7th September 📻

0:00Welcome to the Ben Fordham Podcast. Hi there, welcome to Monday, September 7 coming up. The US and Iran have launched fresh strikes as tension flares. Octions are down as the spring's selling season kicks off. We'll look at that with our Money Man Peter Switzer. Hackers published the details of some high profile names on the dark web. Three more famous Sydney sites. Now subject to Aboriginal land claims. We'll meet the man spreading kindness through pumpkins. And a familiar name puts up their hand for politics. That and plenty more coming up including rescues from Nepal. A veteran's protest at Parliament House camera. And a so called AFL Blackface Scandal. That's not a Blackface Scandal at all. Get ready, the show starts now. This has been Fordham Live with Sydney's best breakfast on 2GB 873.

1:00Well, war veterans are preparing to take up some powerful action today. They're going to lay down their medals in front of Parliament House to protest the government's $5,000 cap on Allied health services. The Coalition of Veterans Voices will return to Parliament today. They'll be meeting with Anthony Albanese and the Minister for Veterans Affairs Matt Keo. The group will once again call for the $5,000 cap on health services to be scrapped. They fear it's going to leave veterans without essential care. Their race concerns it could lead to more former service personnel taking their own lives. The federal government will be hoping the meeting goes better than the last time the group was in Canberra. The Coalition of Veterans Voices clashed with the Minister Matt Keo. After he initially refused to meet with them last month, they accused the Minister of not listening to their concerns. They also claimed he rolled his eyes and failed to shake their hands when they arrived.

2:03He'd led to the Prime Minister having to step in. Senior advisors from the PM's office then had to meet with the group of veterans to deal with the blowback. The group of ex-service personnel will again make their case today. Labor says they've begun consulting on the final design of the policy. They insist it will not affect veterans who are catastrophically injured. That doesn't really fill you with hope, does it? When someone's defending their policy and they say, I won't harm anyone who's catastrophically injured. Well, what about people who are injured in a way that falls just short of a catastrophe? And there be thousands of them. And how do you define catastrophically injured? The PM knows the reaction to this issue has been toxic because Aussies don't like the idea of war veterans being treated like second-class citizens. That's why we say, scrap the cap. This has been for them live with Sydney's best breakfast on 2GV-873.

3:06Two people have been miraculously rescued in Nepal after a deadly natural disaster. It comes as an Australian expert has flown to the disaster zone 12 days after an avalanche and flash flood. Arnold Dix has been leading the search for survivors from his home in Victoria. Last week he told 2GV breakfast that up to 1,000 people could be trapped in hydro power plant tunnels. And now three workers have been found alive. Most recently, a Chinese man has been rescued from a 225 metre tunnel. Officials have posted a picture of him drinking water after being carried out. The man says, when the rescuers shone the light in my eyes, I could not believe it. The latest rescue brings the total to three workers saved from hydro power project tunnels. A 64-year-old woman has also been found alive after her family heard noises from near her home. Rescue has then found her completely covered in mud.

4:08Arnold Dix is still holding out hope. He's told the Sydney Morning Herald in the game of paper, scissors, rock, human. The odds are not good. But there are survivable pockets, he says. And that's what we're aiming for. More than 5,000 people remain missing. 36 Australians are still unaccounted for. A specialist Australian federal police team has now landed in Nepal to help identify the dead. And Nepal will hold a national day of morning today. This is Ben Fordham Live with Sydney's best breakfast on 2GB 873. This just in. Three men with stab wounds have attended a hospital in Sydney, South West. Between midnight and 1.20 this morning, three men each at different times have presented to Canberra Hospital with stab wounds. Paramedics have treated the three men. They're aged 18, 23 and 24. The 23 year old and 24 year old are in a serious but stable condition.

5:13The third man's in a stable condition. Police say the three men were involved in an altercation outside a fast food outlet on the corner of Canberra Road and 4th Street. Crime scenes have been established at that location and at Canberra Hospital. And anyone with information is urged to contact crime stoppers on 1-800-3-0. So there's a little bit of a sample of what we're looking at this morning. We've also got special protocols that have been put in place to deal with a shortage of air traffic controllers. We have three young children recovering from injuries after strong winds sent a jumping castle flying into the air. And we've got an embarrassing story involving the ABC. The Australian Federal Police are accusing the ABC of broadcasting fake news again. That's all coming up. What else have we got for you this morning? Well, we've got your chance to win $100 right now from on deck, the small business loan specialist.

6:13Because today is September 7 and on this day, it was a sad one for the animal kingdom. Here's your only hint. If you think you know the answer, you can text it in right now. 0-4-6-0-8-7-3-8-7-3. It was a sad day for the animal kingdom. And the answer's coming up on this day. Like what you're hearing? Make sure you've subscribed to Ben Fordon. Thank you very much for being with us. As I said this morning, we'll be revealing three more locations caught up in indigenous land claims. And we've received more than one and a half thousand messages from you over the weekend about

7:15Bondi icebergs now being targeted. Roll says with all due respect, why is it mostly places with value that have been claimed? Irene says, the swimming club is where I learnt to swim and where I met my future husband. I'm in my late 70s now and all the best memories I have are in that swimming pool that belongs to all Aussies. Mark says, after the Marbo decision in the 1990s, there were specific reassurances given by indigenous leaders. One was that public lands currently enjoying use, meaning infrastructure clubs and amenities were safe from claims. Mark, you're right about that. And I don't want to send like Dennis DeNudo in the castle, but it's Marbo, it's the vibe. And the vibe of the Crown Lands Act was for unused Crown land to be available for application from local Aboriginal land councils. Last time I checked, Bondi icebergs is not unused. And the three locations we're going to reveal today are certainly not unused.

8:18And we'll reveal the three after 7am. Can I give you a little bit of a hint? One is a club where war veterans have gathered for about 50 plus years. One is a top 50 golf course in Australia with views of the Pacific Ocean. And one is the place to be seen in Sydney at the moment, run by Justin Hemmys. This has been for them live with Sydney's best breakfast on 2GB, 873. Three young children are recovering from injuries after strong winds send a jumping castle flying into the air. We had more than one jumping castle flying into the air over the weekend. Extreme winds have been blowing at over 80 kilometres an hour. The state emergency services responded to more than 600 calls for assistance. Thousands of properties across Sydney, Newcastle and the Ilawara have lost power. About 40,000 Osgrid customers and 50,000 endeavour energy clients have been affected.

9:20Crews are continuing to repair hundreds of faults. The storm has also caused chaotic scenes across Sydney. And mattress has been seen bouncing through traffic in Liverpool. A couch has been blowing off a high rise in St Leonard's. An emergency services have been called to Banksya after a jumping castle became airborne. The children have been rushed to the children's hospital and they've been treated by paramedics before that. A young boy and a young girl have suffered head injuries. A woman and a baby have been treated for minor injuries. And all three children are now in a stable condition. And a similar incident has occurred in Victoria. Two children have been taken to hospital with upper body injuries after a jumping castle lifted off the ground. And it's one of those questions, isn't it? Whenever there's a little bit of wind and there's a jumping castle, everyone says that thing's not going to fly away, is it? And everyone else says, no, never. But once in a while, that's what happens with jumping castles

10:24that they refer to in the United States as bounce houses. And personally, I think a bounce house is about a description of a jumping castle. Anyway, the kids are okay. A young boy and a young girl have suffered head injuries, but they're going to be okay. A woman and a baby treated for minor injuries. And then the two kids in Melbourne upper body injuries. But everyone is going to survive and live to tell the tale, which is good news. Aussies flying to Indonesia are being put on notice. Tens of thousands of passengers have been stranded after a volcanic eruption. 200 flights across six airports have been grounded. That includes services connecting Sydney and Melbourne to Jakarta. Quattas has confirmed four flights have been cancelled. They say, if you booked a Qantas flight two or from Jakarta for travel between September five and nine, we're offering fee free refunds, travel credits, or a date change. The volcano first erupted on Saturday.

11:24Two further eruptions followed on Sunday. And Indonesia's geology agency is warning the volcano remains highly unpredictable. So flights affected by that at the moment. This has been for the live with Sydney's best breakfast on 2GB 873. There's going to be a lot of attention on this today. An important press conference is coming involving the one nation MP Barnaby Joyce. He's joined forces with a group of farmers to fight back against a renewable zone in the New England area. Energy co a new South Wales government agency is wanting to build transmission lines through all of these properties. They're going to involve towers 75 meters tall. And locals say nearly 18,000 acres of land will need to be cleared. It's going to be an eye saw and it's going to smash property values to our mate from Walker. Anna Young is going to be front and center at this press conference today.

12:25And Anna is launching a court case against the New South Wales government. The Walker farmer and a young is on the line for us right now morning. Anna morning Ben. You're in the big smoke today, apparently. Are you? Well, I'm actually not down there Ben, but Barnaby Joyce as our federal member is down there doing a big press conference at 7.30am. And in the background, we've got Brendan Moilin, state member who also obviously is incredibly supportive. And he's going to be answering questions on this today. But this is going to be a big announcement. We've got new evidence about the ongoing incompetence of this government. And Barnaby is going to be breaking that and sharing more on it at 7.30 at New South Wales Parliament. And then, you know, I'm really looking forward to talking to you about this more Ben because this is big. Okay. Can you tell me about your legal action? Look, what I can say right now is that this is going to be huge. We've got some really solid new evidence and that, you know, this is going to affect everyone in our state, not just us.

13:34Because this is all about their incompetence and their spending and how this is going to be passed on to everyone. And, you know, I think that's really important. We're already all feeling the pinch. And this is going to hit everyone in our state. And so we're bringing to light this incompetence. And there's no accountability, no respect from this government. And so, you know, it just shows how big we have to go to get them to actually listen. You previously accused Energy Co of illegally trespassing on land and failing to properly consult with locals. You stand by that. Absolutely Ben. There has been some serious, seriously poor behaviour by Energy Co. And we keep raising it with them. We've asked Minnes to meet with us about it multiple times and he's still refusing. And, you know, they've admitted how badly behaved they've been, but there's actually no accountability that comes from that. They just apologise and then they do it again. Apologise and do it again. And so, you know, I think that it's time that there was some accountability and some respect shown for the constituents of New South Wales.

14:35And, you know, unfortunately, we've got to be the ones to do that. You know, this is not something we want to be doing. I would love to just be with my kids and farming and working as a clinical psychologist in our little town and getting on with life that this is where we are now. Because I think when new evidence like what we've found comes to light, you sometimes just have to step in and do something about it. And we know what this is going to do to land values in the area, but what has it done to the mental health of the local community? Look, it's put so much strain on people mentally, Ben. There is such a significant sense of overwhelm from not just the farmers who are directly impacted by the line for the whole community, because we've found out more recently about these camps that are going to double the size of our town without the resources to manage that. As well as, you know, our roads and everything else. And so people are feeling so stressed out by this. And then you've got just everyday stress of people's costs of living and things happening in the background. And we know how much this is going to add to our energy bills.

15:37God, they've gone up so much recently. I was horrified by my recent bills. And so yet people are feeling enormously anxious, overwhelmed stress, and it's just not good enough. All right. We'll see what comes to the press conference this morning. And no doubt we'll talk to you very soon. Anna, thanks so much for keeping us in the loop. Thank you so much for all your ongoing support. Then we seriously appreciate it. That's our pleasure. Anna Young from Walcott. And there's a news conference this morning involving Barnaby Joyce. This is Ben for the live with Sydney's best breakfast on 2GB 873. Have you birthday shout outs right now? Laurie says Ben, could you please give my partner Maureen May a birthday call out on her 90th birthday. She's a very keen listener to 2GB all day. Commencing you with 530 AM and continuing to lights out. She'd be totally surprised with a mention. It would give her a real boost. Well, it's a big day for you. Maureen May turning 90 today. Happy birthday. And this one from Theresa Rool. Long time, listen to via the app. I'm now living in Maryborough in Queensland,

16:39but born and grew up in Sydney's east. I have 2GB going all day. And Mum and family are still wondering if I could get a birthday shout out. It's my birthday today. Theresa, happy birthday. She says forever a Sydney girl. And our mate Sophie Laundy is having a birthday today as well. So happy birthday to the birthday girls. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday from the Ben Fordum show. Happy birthday to you. Coming up, a widow blames the weight loss drug ozempic for her husband's suicide. Like what you're hearing? Make sure you've subscribed to Ben Fordum. Now Paul Enhancin has a radical proposal for superannuation. It would allow Aussies to claw back thousands of dollars a year. The one nation leader wants to help workers divert a portion of their superpayments to take home pay.

17:43It's in a bit to help out Australians being squeezed by mortgage repayments, power bills and other expenses. Employers would still keep paying the full 12% compulsory contribution to super. But workers could have up to 3% redirected to their pockets. Additionally, this redirected cash would not be taxed as normal wages. It would retain the concessional super tax treatment. Existing superbalances would not be part of the scheme. Paul Ennors proposed the exemption would run for three years. So for a worker earning about $90,000, they could take home an extra $2,300. So that's an extra $44 a week. For a couple making a combine $168 grand, the scheme would deliver about $4,300 a year after tax or $82 a week. Paul Enhancin says people are working their guts out and they're still struggling. We faced interest rates going up, warnings everywhere that rents are going to keep rising

18:45and insurance is going up too. She's told the Daily Telegraph, they need help today. She says one nation wants to give people some breathing room. So what do you make of Paul Enn's plan for super? You can have your say, one, three, one, eight, seven, three. No doubt it will be a hot topic in Canberra this week. And here's another hot topic. Aussies are staring down the barrel of a major shortage when it comes to builders. By the end of 2035, we could be one million construction workers short. According to the Master Builders Association, Australia is already short more than 100,000 workers. They're blaming the high number of competing projects, including the energy transition, the data center boom, and Australia's ambitious housing targets. But they claim we don't have enough builders to keep up. Even if we activate every possible supply level measure, we're still short. Master Builders has recommended increasing subsidies

19:48to help attract more workers. They've floated tax relief on apprentice wages and upfront financial support to trainees. And Master Builders say the gap will not close on its own and it will get worse before it gets better. Right now, 13 minutes after eight, it's time to get a great plan for your business with red energy. You can go to redenerg.com.au and you don't hear this every day. Karl Stefanovic's family pet has been in some legal trouble. The dog named Chance is being ordered to wear a muzzle and attend doggy training school. It comes after Chance allegedly attacked a member of the public causing the person serious injury. Karl employed one of Australia's leading dog lawyers to help fight the case. There are dog lawyers. North Sydney Council has been trying to hit Chance with a dangerous dog declaration. However, after a legal battle,

20:48the Council has arrived at a compromise. Chance is now subject to a control order for four years. According to the Daily Telegraph, the dog must wear a muzzle and leash whenever he's being walked in public. Karl has been given two weeks to have a large warning sign about his dog installed outside his home. Chance is being ordered to attend behavioral training from a qualified expert. And within six months, Karl needs to present a certificate of completion to the Council. If Chance isn't kept under control, Karl may be guilty of an offense. So usually it's Karl making the headlines in the Stefanovic household. This time he can blame the dog. News you contrast. Opinions that matter. Now, Ben Fordham comments. Well, we've got some big news to kick off the week. It surrounds more famous Sydney addresses that are subject to Aboriginal land claims.

21:49One is a club where war veterans have gathered for more than 50 years. One is a top 50 golf course in Australia with views of the Pacific Ocean. And one is the place to be seen in Sydney at the moment run by Justin Hemmys. This follows our revelation on Friday that the famous Bondi icebergs is the subject of an Aboriginal land claim. It's been lodged by Laperoo's local Aboriginal land council. And that's created headlines across Australia. News.com.au says land claim on Sydney icon. 9.com.au Bondi icebergs caught up in massive land claims backlog. The Daily Telegraph land claim over iconic Bondi icebergs. And Daily Mail Australia says, Bondi icebergs caught up in Aboriginal land claim. And by the sounds of things, Bondi icebergs didn't know about it until we broke the news on Friday morning. Their president, Lynn Fitzsimons, has told 2GB breakfast. At this stage, we're seeking to gather more information

22:51on this matter as it was unexpected. We have no comment at this stage. We will reach out if or when a statement is appropriate. Well, now we can add three more famous addresses to the never-ending list of sites subject to Aboriginal land claims. First, Justin Hemmys new venue club Rose Bay. It's one of the hottest spots in Sydney at the moment. And 2GB breakfast can confirm an Aboriginal land claim has been lodged on club Rose Bay. The man who's made the joint a hit didn't even know about it. We sent a message to Justin Hemmys yesterday. Hey, Justin, did you know there's an Aboriginal land claim on club Rose Bay? Justin Hemmys replied, no, I wasn't aware. When was the claim made? Now, we don't have an answer to that question. We've been unable to confirm when it was lodged, but we know it has been lodged. Forbes has called this place one of the hottest spots in town. But now its operator finds out via text message from 2GB

23:55he's caught up in an Aboriginal land claim. We've reached out to the relevant land council to get more information. And here's another big one. 2GB breakfast can confirm St Michael's Golf Club in Little Bay is also subject of a land claim. St Michael's Golf Club has been operating since 1938. It's ranked among the top 50 courses in the country. It's right alongside the coastline overlooking the Pacific Ocean. St Michael's has been a social hub for tens of thousands of players and three former juniors from the club in Little Bay have gone on to play on the world stage. And the claims don't end there. 2GB breakfast can also reveal Mattreville RSL, affectionately known as Club Mato, is also facing a land claim. The RSL has been a special place for veterans and the wider local community for more than 60 years. Club Mato is facing a land claim too. And on Anzac Day, it's a full house.

24:56They host the dawn service and games of two up. And on Friday morning, we also revealed that every surf club on the eastern beaches of Sydney is subject to a land claim. Bondi, Bronti, Tamarama, Maru Bra, Kujee, Clivelli, every surf club on the eastern beaches. They're part of a long list of more than 44,000 unresolved land claims in New South Wales. Others have been resolved, like Waverton Bowling Club, which has been handed to the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council. So is a local tennis centre in Narenburn, whose operators are about to be evicted. And the pattington Bowling Club is now in the hands of the La Peruz local Aboriginal Land Council. The local Aboriginal Land Councils have figured out it only takes one glitch for these sites to become fair game. If the piece of Crown Land was at any time unused or unlawfully used, their chances of success skyrocket. But we're talking about tiny technical breaches.

25:56For example, if there were delays in the execution of documents, that could mean that technically the land was unused. If the tenant sublet any of the land, even a key Oscar in a surf club, that amounts to unlawful use. Sharon has emailed us from Sydney, South West. Hi, Ben, how can we stop the ridiculous land grab? Here in Camden, the old police station in John Street was given to the local Aboriginal Land Council 10 years ago. It's sitting empty and slowly decaying. There was a new police station built at Narellen, leaving Camden vulnerable with the rapid growth in the area. Now the current and functioning historical courthouse has been closed just about a month ago and handed over to the land council. This is the biggest joke in modern Australia, it needs to stop. I'm a member of the local family history society. We'd love to use the old police station to be owned and managed by Camden Council and used by community groups such as our society.

26:58It's such a waste. So that's from Sharon in Camden. What in the world is going on here? Is there any piece of crown land that they haven't gone after? Bondi Icebergs, Club Rose Bay, Mattreville, RSL, St Michael's Golf Club, Surf Clubs, Tenorcenters, Police Stations, Courthouses, Local Ballows and the RSL. They've all got this question mark hanging over them and uncertainty is bad for business. And following our revelations on Friday, the Minister for Crown Lands Steve Camper has promised action. He'll join us in studio this week. Like what you're hearing? Make sure you've subscribed to Ben Fordon. Lots of feedback coming in right now about the 2GB breakfast exclusive, three more famous Sydney sites subject to Aboriginal land claims. It follows the story we broke here on Friday about Bondi Icebergs being targeted.

28:00And now we can add three more popular addresses to the never ending list of land claim sites. 44,000 plus are unresolved in New South Wales alone. So the three we've revealed this morning, Justin Hemie's Club Rose Bay, St Michael's Golf Club in Little Bay, and Mattreville, RSL affectionately known as Club Matto. If you're a member of Club Matto or St Michael's Golf Club in Little Bay, or a regular at Club Rose Bay, we'd love to hear from you this morning. Our number one three one eight seven three. Simon says the Newcastle Post Office, a beautiful old building, was claimed by the Aboriginal land council then they sold it off to a Japanese developer. Sam says when is enough enough before things turn ugly? And that says why these land claims in the most expensive areas? Well, it wasn't always that way. To be fair, now Roy RC has got a view on this issue. He's a Ragerie elder and former chair of the New South Wales Aboriginal land council

29:03and Roy's on the line. Good day Roy. Oh Ben, thanks for having me on your program. Interesting, interesting morning. Yeah, when we revealed on Friday that one of the targets of an Aboriginal land claim is Bondi icebergs, that's made news right across the country. What do you make of that news? Plus what we've shared this morning, that Club Rose Bay, St Michael's Golf Club and Mattreville, RSL are also being targeted. Yeah, look, just for the benefit of your listeners, that may not understand the legislation. It's been around since 1983, it was introduced to Parliament and passed the Parliament way back in 1983. And the land rights legislation was set up for compensation, recompense with dispossession of land, right? And a part of that provision of the legislation was the ability to claim vacant Crown land, unused vacant Crown land. And that was it, it's intent to bend. To hear that these places have been a subject to a land claim is really,

30:09it's concerning for me as the former Chair of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, because that was never the intent. And Ben, you only have to look at Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council, Orange went through a process in partnership with the Government, the Minister and Crown Lands, where they all sat in a room, and the Local Council, and they said, Orange said, no, we don't want to put a claim on the Civic Centre. We don't want to put a claim on this sporting precinct. We don't want to put a claim on this level, because we live in the community, our young kids, our Aboriginal families, they use the soccer labels, they use the footy labels, they're a part of the community. So for me to hear that these claims are going on these significant places, I think it's not using the legislation in the spirit of what it was meant to do Ben. So I can understand why people are upset and concerned,

31:10because it was never that intention. No, well, I don't want to sound like Dennis De Nudeau on the castle, that lawyer who got up in the high court and spoke about the vibe, but the vibe of the legislation was vacant and unused land. And last time I checked Roy, Justin Hemie's club rose by St Michael's Golf Club in Little Bay in Matriville, RSL, are not vacant. No, exactly. And look, I've got to give the Minister, the Minister for Crown Lands, I've got to give him his recognition, he come out to Orange Bend. On request, Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council said, Minister, we need to talk here about these changes that their introduction, introducing to the legislation, any come out there, any broke bread with Orange, he sat down, and he listened to Orange and he took on board our amendments. Any defence or in support of him, he's now trying to fix this

32:14by an Aboriginal land agreement. Yeah, but the more been Orange, did the right thing, Roy, because they could see that these were community assets used by all people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and they should remain that way. Correct, correct. So, I just, for the life of me, Ben, I don't know what this, this local Aboriginal land council was thinking in relation to, you know, going down this path, because it doesn't help anyone. Weaponising the legislation doesn't help anyone, it doesn't help our people, it doesn't help our communities, it doesn't contribute to the economic empowerment, where we can take vacant Crown land and be able to try to build an economic base from it, Ben, where we can create jobs and businesses for our people. I know a local Aboriginal land council up north that pulled it with through a land claim, so that they can put 500 houses for social and affordable housing on the land. We now know, Roy, that the La Parouse Local Aboriginal Land Council has lodged claims

33:18on every surf club on the eastern beaches of Sydney, so... Look, that's not good enough. That really surprises me, Ben. As an Aboriginal person and the former chair of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, I'd be... The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, whilst they have no control over local Aboriginal land council, but surely the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council can reach out and just say, look, come on, let's have a conversation about this. This is not good. You can't claim community assets, like they did in Orange, where we said, we don't want the civics, I know we don't want the say, actually, pull the claims so that they can build a football stadium out of Orange, and there are good examples of what can happen, and when we're for everyone, Ben. Yeah, we need to go back to the spirit of the Crown Lands Act, as opposed to some of these

34:20technicalities that are being exploited at the moment by some Aboriginal land councils. Roy, it's always good to hear your take, particularly, as a former chair of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council. Thank you so much. No, thanks for your time, Ben. I understand you can turn, and let's hope it gets resolved. Thank you. Good man, Roy RC, the Warradjury Elder. Tomorrow on the show, we'll speak to a CEO, whose industry is also impacted by this, and then later this week, we will be joined by the Minister Steve Camp alive in studio. Sydney's best breakfast. Well, this is embarrassing. The Australian Federal Police are accusing the ABC of broadcasting fake news again. Former star reporter Mumu Fizzal, he's being accused of making up a police raid that never happened. Fizzal is a former member of a Baikigang. He joined the National Broadcaster in 2021,

35:20covering crime and underworld issues. And in his first report at the ABC, Fizzal claimed he was caught up in a dramatic police raid involving the AFP. He was with a man who was facing sentencing for supporting his brother with links to Al Qaeda. And on the morning of the court's showdown, Fizzal claimed the AFP burst through the front door. I woke to the sound of windows being smashed in. Armed police officers from the joint counterterrorism team were raiding the house with their weapons on. Officers stormed into the room I was staying in and shouted at me not to move. They quickly handcuffed me and pulled me onto the floor in my underwear. I protested that I was a journalist but I was told to keep quiet. Hmm, sound a dramatic, but it ain't true. The Australian Federal Police have taken another look at this report in light of other claims of fake news spread by Marmoud Fizzal. They now say the AFP has no knowledge of this search warrant

36:26and what it relates to the AFP did not and would not plan any overt activity to stop a journalist. And the AFP say they told Marmoud Fizzal before his story went to air. There is absolutely no record of the raid but the story went to air anyway on the ABC program background briefing. It suspected that the so-called counterterrorism raid by the AFP was in fact a drug raid by Queensland police. Marmoud Fizzal has told the Australian these events occurred almost 10 years ago. If my understanding of which unit conducted the operation or what it related to was wrong, I'm prepared to correct that. Well, it's quite a misunderstanding. How does a journalist get mixed up between the AFP and police from Queensland and what made him confuse a drug raid with a counterterrorism operation? Maybe the terror raid made for a more exciting story or Marmoud Fizzal

37:33was about a biker than a journalist and just misunderstood. Either way, the dodgy report is still available to listen to on ABC platforms and the national broadcaster is refusing to answer questions about it. We've invited the ABC boss Hugh Marx onto our show recently to chat about this issue and a range of others. His office tells us he's unavailable at the moment. And we're hoping that Hugh Marx is going to come in again soon like he did a few months ago to discuss any issues facing the ABC because when Hugh started in the role, he explained that he had a duty to answer these types of questions. So hopefully we'll catch up with Hugh Marx soon. Sydney's best breakfast. Two GB. One, three, one, eight, seven, three, the open line number. We've broken news this morning that three more famous Sydney sites are subject to Aboriginal land claims. Club Rose Bay, St Michael's Golf Club,

38:34and Matt Reville RSL. John wants to have a chat about this. Hello, John. Good day, Ben. Yeah, a different slant, I suppose, to the sorts of claims that you've been talking about. I, up in the recent, we all was a resident of Little Bay. And there are several pockets of what have been unused crown land that are pretty much inaccessible tucked in behind residential addresses off a reservoir street. And the people who lived there for years have maintained the bushland behind there to ensure that their properties were safe from bushfire. They had instances where all of a sudden people turned up wandering about in this land over their back fence. And they checked to see, you know, basically, what are you doing there? To be advised, they were surveyors on behalf of the Aboriginal land council that had been

39:34granted these properties. And they would like access to their properties to carry out a survey so that the land could be, could be taken over by the land council. And that was the first they ever heard of it. Well, John, that sounds very similar to what happened near Bell Moral Beach a few years ago, similar story. But on that occasion, they didn't see the surveyors out the back. They found out about it on the radio. And same story, it was the Aboriginal land council saying, you've got land here that's not being used. But the locals certainly in Bell Moral were saying, well, hang on, we still use it. And we use this land. It might not look like it, but we use it as a way of moving from our homes down towards the water. And there are also some families who use it for recreational space for their children. And they turn up and start measuring up. And that's the first you find out about it. Thank you very much for the call.

40:35The coalition wanting to jail people who burn the Aussie Flare, Ganges Taylor has proposed making it a criminal offense to publicly destroy our national symbol. The Liberal leader believes the offense deserves time behind bars. It follows two people setting an Australian flag on fire, at an invasion day rally on January 26. Under the coalition's bill, flag burning would be made a criminal offense. They also want to introduce penalties of up to 10 years prison for those who deliberately damage or destroy war memorials. Angus Taylor says, people are welcome to make political statements about Australia, but burning the flag goes a step further to see it being burned as unacceptable to most Australians. It's certainly unacceptable to me. Labor has indicated it opposes the push to ban flag burning. Assistant minister Matt Thistle Wade says this is unnecessary. He's told news 24. It may impinge on Australians freedom of expression and speech. I'm at your

41:43worried about the freedom of those who want to burn the Australian flag. Are you? As opposed to everyone else in the community who despises anyone burning the Australian flag. How soft can you get? I wonder what our veterans would make of that position taken by Matt Thistle Wade. He says it may impinge on Australians freedom of expression and speech if we would ban the burning of the Australian flag. The Labor Party's already got a problem with veterans at the moment because our vets are taking some powerful action today. They're going to lay down their medals in front of Parliament House to protest the government's $5,000 cap on allied health services. This is after the minister Matt Keo rolled his eyes during a meeting and at first failed to shake the hands of veterans who were going in to campaign for that cap to be scrapped. Chris says Matt Keo and Albo have never served a day in their life in the ADF. Can you blame them for fumbling this one so badly? Well, I don't think you need to have served to

42:47understand an issue like this. Bruce says where's the RSL on this issue? They should uninvite the minister and the PM from all ANZAC day events. Daymo says maybe Albo and Matt Keo should remember that Australian servicemen and women are sent to war only after a federal politician has failed to achieve their outcomes through diplomatic and nonviolent means. And Craig says I'm a veteran and the veterans are going down to Canberra today and laying down their medals. I believe they're wasting their time. The Labor government has never been a friend of defense or veterans and they never will be. This government is absolutely atrocious when it comes to veterans and defense members. Well, it'll be a powerful visual presentation today to see all of these war veterans laying down their medals as a protest and their campaigning once again for Albo and his cronies in Canberra to scrap the cap.

43:51You'll listening to Sydney's best breakfast. Ben Fordham Live and now the business report. Well Monday morning we'll have a look at the auction clearance rates. Spring, selling season is underway and how's it all going Peter Switzer from switzer.com.au? Ben well across the capital city is there's 1,462 homes. Put up for auction that sounds good that is 31.1% lower than a year ago. I think Ben if you want a really good real life indicator of how the budget and the free interest rate rises have affected the housing sector. The fact that there's a 31% lower auction number four houses in this country shows you that the market is really stumbling. The clearance rate has been below now 60% for 18 weeks in a row and guess how many weeks has been since the budget been? And so really what we're seeing is a big negative effect at the moment on the market and the

44:55relevance of this is there are a lot of economists telling us Ben that on September, September 29 we'll get another interest rate rise and if that happens I think these numbers will get worse because even the agents are saying maybe there'll be more numbers as the spring season builds up but if we see an interest rate rise the buyers will disappear and therefore a lot of the sellers won't put the house up for market. So this is a critically important number and I think what the Reserve Bank does in September is also going to be critically important for the Aussie economy. And the financial markets? Yeah the Dow was down something like 270 points but we're only down one point at the start today Aussie Dollar is 72 US cents and the Yangs are worrying about interest rate rises as well and that's spooking their market. You have a good one we'll talk to you tomorrow. Cheers, Peter Switzerland from Switzerland.com.au. Now Shane wants to tell me about Charlotte McFail on the voice tonight. Hello Shane. Hey good morning Ben, how are you? How are you related to Charlotte?

45:58I'm her dad. Right and I met Charlotte at a charity event about a year ago. Yeah Charlotte, Swiss foundation fundraiser. And tell me did Charlotte your daughter sing at that event? She did she sang a birdie song. And how is she going on the voice at the moment? She's into her elimination round tonight. She turned four chairs a couple of weeks ago. So we're very excited for her. Right let's have a listen to one of her performances on the voice. Wow she's got a voice. She got to set a lungs and the crowds on site as well. How old is Charlotte? She's 16 mate. 16. 16. Wow all right so we'll be cheering her on tonight will we? Yep absolutely. Good on you. Good luck to you Charlotte.

47:04Charlotte McFail is her name. If you're watching the voice at the moment you'll be cheering her on no doubt. You're listening to Ben Fordham on 2GB. Our number 131873 coming up. Some high profile names published on the dark web up to a million students, staff and parents are on alert. They've had their personal data exposed in a security bridge. Math space. One of Australia's most widely used online learning platforms has been hacked. They've confirmed that an unauthorized party or parties have accessed an internal system and downloaded information relating to students, parents and staff. The exposed data includes names and email addresses. There's no evidence so far that data has been published or distributed or sold online. But math space is dealing with that hack at the moment. Now we want to share with you some great news. An inspirational woman who happens to be a friend of us here at 2GB breakfast is taking on a big challenge. Her name is

48:06Eloise Massa and you'll know Eloise because she spent the last few years advocating for change following the death of her little boy, little Joe Massa lost his life due to failures at the northern beaches hospital. He presented to emergency in a bad way but he wasn't given the treatment he'd so desperately needed and repeated failures while he was at northern beaches hospital led to Joe's death. And after he passed away, Eloise and her husband Danny came into the 2GB breakfast studio and shared the story and ever since they've been fighting for change. And through their work, Joe's law has been made a reality in New South Wales. It bans future public private partnerships in New South Wales hospitals and the northern beaches hospital has now been brought back into public hands. And Eloise wants to continue fighting for others and she has announced today that she's going to be running as an independent candidate at the next state election for the seat

49:07of Manly. Eloise Massa is in our studio. Good morning Eloise. Good morning Ben. Did I tell you you were crazy when you shared this news with me? You did Ben but you know I'm not the same person that I was before Joe died. And speaking up, choosing not to be complacent, it's become a vocation for me. And when I walk through Manly, when I walk through parts of our electorate, people stop me and they say, keep going. Thank you. What are you going to do next? This is my way, Ben, of saying to the community, thank you. Thank you for backing me and Danny over the past two years to make huge monumental change in our healthcare system because without the community, we would have not gotten this far. This was not something you'd plan to do because you were never planning on losing your beautiful little boy but when that tragedy occurred, and I saw it in you because we've known each other a long time. We worked together eons ago at the today show and I've seen in you that change

50:10in that not that you were never someone who was caring about other people and other causes in the community but now you feel like you've got a duty to respond to these situations. Yes, Ben, I have a deep sense of self, a courage that I've never had before. I feel as a duty, an obligation to give back to the community. And also on the on the other side, none of this change would have happened unless we had really good politicians in place that listened with both their heart and their mind and acted. So I want to take forward our community, the electorate of Manley, two parliament, two McQuarry Street and to continue to fight for change outside of healthcare. So you're going to be running as an independent and the news came out last week that the Liberal MP James Griffin, he's quitting politics so he's stepping aside so that really creates an opening there in Manley, doesn't it? It does Ben and look, I'm an independent. I want to stand for the community. I think that's really important that we answer to our own moral compass

51:13and not the moral compass of a party room. You weren't tempted to join one of the parties because I know that parties offered you a start. You weren't tempted. Look, Ben, I've been independent from the start with the moment that we started advocating on behalf of the community to make record changes in our healthcare system. I was independent. I qualified myself and now the community has qualified me, Ben, to be an independent. I'm stopped on the street. I'm told to keep going and this is my way, my vocation, my way of giving back to the community. We need to get more stuff done in our electorate. This is Eloise Maser who, as you know, has gone a long way to reforming Northern Beach's hospital and putting it back into public hands. In fact, I think I can safely say right now if I wasn't for you, Northern Beach's hospital would not be in public hands today. There's no way in the world because I watched the journey unfold on this radio show. You were sitting in the same seat you are right now when you and Danny first came in and revealed the circumstances surrounding Joe's death. Here's the truth, Eloise. You knew people in the media because you've

52:17worked in the media. Not everyone has that contact with people who are working within the business. So that allowed you to come and sit in this studio and tell your story and you will come across people as you put your hand up for public service in Manley who don't know anyone. They don't know anyone in politics. They don't know anyone in media, but they just want someone to listen to their story. Exactly right, Ben. I have had the benefit of being a former journalist and I know how to interact with the media. That is a huge benefit. Ben, you have been integral in this change and without you, none of this change would have happened and the media at large. As I said, without the right politicians in place, none of this change would have happened. Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself away from the history that I'm aware of because I've been reading more about Eloise, Massa, and the Sydney Morning Herald and the Daily Telegraph today alongside this announcement. I know you as a former Star TV producer at the Today Show and a journalist, but you've got many other feathers in your bow. Ben, when I graced, our second child was born,

53:21I finished a Master of Human Rights Law and Policy. Advocacy work has always been at the core of who I am as a person. In addition to that, we run a small business. Danny and I run a small business, we understand the pressures that small business owners face. In addition to that, I'm a local mum, I'm a mum of four, and I'm wanting to back our community, listen, have hundreds and hundreds of conversations with our community and listen, discern, discern with the heart and the mind, and then take that to Parliament. Well, I think it's great that you're putting your hand up, even though I tried to talk you out of it, nothing personal. I say the same thing when anyone I care about calls me and says, I'm thinking of putting my hand up a politics. I always say why, but your reasons why were spot on, and that made me say to you, well, if I give this advice to everyone who wants to put their hand up and serve, then we're not going to have any decent people putting themselves forward. Ben, it's a vocation. Regardless of where this lands, I won't stop talking.

54:21I say no to complacency now, and I want to continue to talk, to raise my voice. We all have a power within us, Ben, and it's up to us how we use that power. You want the people of Manly to give you their vote. Absolutely. Please contact me, EloiseMassard.com, that website will be live in a few days, all this afternoon, or contact me, EloiseAtEloiseMassard.com. Talk to me, volunteer. I need volunteers. I'm asking for the community to stand with us. I asked that of you two years ago, and I'm asking again, and I'm saying, with gratitude, let's do it, Manly. Let's get this seat independent again. Okay. So if you'd like to volunteer to help Eloise Massa, you can get in contact with Eloise, and if you have any trouble getting Eloise through her website, which is about to go up live, then just contact us, and we'll put you in contact with Eloise. I think Joe would be very proud of you and what you're doing. Not only am I doing this for Joe and our family, but for every

55:21family on the northern beaches, and more broadly across New South Wales, Ben. Congratulations, and all strength to you, and we'll talk to you many times in the lead up to the election. Thank you. Eloise Massa, she first shared her story here on 2GB breakfast, and today she's putting a hand up to be the independent MP for Manly. The pressure is back on the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Matt Keo, vets are ramping up their protest against a controversial change to their health care. Today they're preparing to take powerful action in Canberra. They're going to lay down their medals in front of Parliament House to protest the government's $5,000 cap on Allied health. The Coalition's veterans voices are behind the protest, and they'll be meeting with the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Matt Keo. Let's hope that the meeting with Matt Keo goes better than last time around, because last time, Matt Keo refused to meet them, first of all, then when he reluctantly agreed, he didn't shake their hands at the start

56:26of the meeting, and he was rolling their eyes during the meeting. And as we've been saying for a long time and Mark Levy has certainly spent a lot of time covering this on air, scrap the cap, and that'll be heard loud and clear today in Canberra. And Levy's in the studio right now getting ready for morning. It's good morning. Morning to you, Ben. Yeah, we'll continue that push today and check in with John Armfield, who's in Canberra, a former Navy clearance diver. And like me, he's spoken to so many of the people in the veteran community that are up in arms over this. So let's hope comments sense prevailed this this week and they scrapped the cap. Yeah, we'll be listening. Congratulations on the continuous call teams coverage of Jay Aro and his 100 going for South Sydney. That was extraordinary. Yeah, really special night on Friday, Ben. And thank you, just to play very small part in what was a special night. Is something I'll remember for a long, long time. And I ran into Jay's dad Ray, who listens to your show and mind of a morning, so he might be listening morning. Good man Ray. He's just blown away by the support of not only the rugby league community,

57:31but around the world that have cotton on to Jay's battle. So a really, really special night out there on Friday and well, no, under everyone involved. I just love it. How the other clubs have all embraced it so strongly. I thought surprised, but you just don't see that all that often. Especially roosters and rabbit oaks. It's a rivalry dating back to 1908. They ain't each other. I grew up as our supporter, but to see roosters in tears, rabbit oaks in tears, it shows that the role that sport can play, but also that life's too short. You're going to get out there and enjoy the book of feuds between the bunnies and the roosters. I think they put that to one side for Friday night. And what are you doing this morning? Mate, I've got an exclusive as well. You've spent a bit of time down at Goleman Supermax, not as an inmate, but I remember you're doing a story for Carat affair. There's been a massive hall of contraband that's made its way into Supermax, but it's been delivered by drone. Thankfully, corrective services have got onto it pretty quickly, but we're not talking about drugs. We're talking about phones, sim cards, Allen keys. And I think there's a serious conversation that needs to be had about how drones are

58:35getting up close to these prisons and also dropping in this contraband. Because from memory, when we had a tour of Supermax, they had netting over the top of some of the yards, so that drones couldn't drop items into the prisoners. Yeah, there's a suggestion that it's been dropped onto the roof of Supermax and that inmates can somehow get access to it, but corrections are over it. But I've spoken to a number of corrections officers this morning and last night, Ben, and they're saying it won't be long before some of these other jails that guns are dropped in via drone and they're really starting to raise the alarm. So we'll certainly put some questions to the ministers office about all that. That sounds very interesting. We'll be listening after night. Thanks, Benick. Mark Levy coming up. Now we're hearing word of a shark alarm going off at Crenula Beach. Let's go to Trent. Hello, Trent. Yeah, good morning, Ben. Good morning. Is this the case? It sure is. The lifeguards have just evacuated the water and they've taken a jet ski out and got some of the swimmers out. They were out around shark island,

59:37so they wouldn't have known at the time when they were out there. So water evacuated and, yeah, I bet it didn't take long for people to get out of the water. They were actually climbing up the rocks on the point, so I think they were a little bit worried. I bet they were, particularly after some recent tragedies involving sharks. Good on you, Trent. Thank you for the call. Sydney's best break first. Two GB. Congratulations to the Sydney swans. They're into the preliminary finals after pulling off an incredible win over the Brisbane Lions. Five players, including some of the biggest superstars in the swans camp, remain on the sidelines for the rest of the season. Isaac Haney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordan and Riley Bice are all suspended. Victoria Police continue to investigate their alleged behaviour at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne. In the latest twist, detectives have seized an audio recording featuring accounts from people inside the hotel room

1:00:39that night. The recording is set to be a piece of evidence in the ongoing police investigation. And the consent advocate, Chanel Contos has suggested that men in groups can be dangerous. I don't know if this is too spicy, but like, at what level do we say like men aren't allowed to congregate in these numbers? That's like... That's the green centre of the Sarah Hanson Young, laughing along with the joke from Chanel Contos. And the headmaster of a private school in Sydney has weighed in. Michael Blake is in charge of St Joseph's College in Hunters Hill. He's urged students to make the world a safer place for women. He's not just talking about the Sydney swans incident. He's also talking about other recent allegations involving Sydney school boys. He's told these students at Joey's, I want every young woman who encounters a Joey's boy to be safer because you're there. Not merely safe from you, safer because of you.

1:01:40For many young women, this has been a hard period of time, but it's also a sad, ongoing reality. Draw the line between a good bloke and a destructive one. The comments made at a school assembly have received widespread support. So, Wells said, Michael Blake. Barnaby Joyce is still up in front of New South Wales Parliament. He's made an announcement that we previewed earlier this morning with the Wulker farmer Anna Young. The one nation MP has confirmed he's supporting a group of farmers like Anna, launching legal action against the New South Wales government. And this is linked to the renewable energy zone in the New England area. And Barnaby Joyce says, Energy Co has not complied with the law surrounding the rollout of renewables. He says there have been installing projects outside the terms of the legislation. So the farmers are taking the New South Wales government to court and Barnaby Joyce will be supporting those farmers. Sydney's best breakfast.

1:02:40Let's see if we can give two grand to Andrew. Andrew, hello. Ben, how are you, man? Good mate, were you listening to the radio carefully on Friday? I was, I've got rewards, listening, cash and riches. You've got it, mate. Oh, you little ripper. Oh, you're awesome. Unbelievable. 2000 bucks. Oh, thank you so much, Ben. Leave like, make Matt Clinton. You guys are off. Seriously, I'm believing. Thank you. Deep breaths, Andrew. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. I'm going to deep breath. Thank you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Man. Yeah. I'm doing matter for them. I don't know. We're fine. Hey, Andrew. Can you come to my 50th birthday? Have I invited you to my 50th yet?

1:03:42You haven't met. Well, you're coming now. I want you to come. Oh, you're amazing. This is like a scene from Win Harry Met Sally. Oh, I'm not even sitting down. Just hang on there, Andrew. We'll get you the cash and we'll get you a birthday invite as well. Thank you very much. And AFL fan in Broad and a blackface scandal has spoken out. A woman at the Adelaide Cros game over the weekend has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. The fan popped up on the big screen during the game against the Western Bulldogs with her face painted black. Fans have been quick to rip into her one saying it's 2026 and there are people who still think that blackface is okay. But the fan behind the stunt has broken her silence. She says she was actually dressed up as the club mascot. Claude the Crow. So she wasn't going blackface at all. She was

1:04:42dressed up as the Crow. Her full photo of her outfit is emerged with wings and a big fake beak. She's told the Adelaide advertiser. I just thought it would be more realistic to paint black on my skin. That's why I've got black gloves on as well. A lot of people have thought the costume was cool and they've asked to get photos with me. So this poor woman, she's just a diehard Adelaide Cros fan and she's accused of doing blackface. You're listening to Ben Fordham on 2GB. Sydney's best breakfast. We've been tipped off about an incident in Sydney south. The local store has become the victim of a concerning trend. We're talking about teenagers brazenly stealing alcohol from the IGA in mascot. The latest incident occurred just a few weeks ago. Just after 6pm on a Friday night, a small group of teenagers ended the store. Two of them

1:05:43made their way towards the liquor section and without hesitating, one of them took two bottles off the shelf. Staff attempted to intervene and it looked like they suspected what was about to happen. There was a small struggle but the teenager refused to hand back the stolen goods and pushed his way outside. He was carrying two bottles of stolen booze. The incident has been reported to police and CCTV has been handed over and the owner of mascot IGA Grocer Plus liquor has been in touch with 2GB breakfasts saying unfortunately we have a lot of shoplifters every couple of days. Over the last six months, every couple of weeks we get teenagers stealing bottles of vodka. They don't care who's around or what time of day it is. They just grab it and run. The owner of the store says to us, staff are scared and so are our customers. We report it to the police but nothing has yet been done. And the owner of IGA in mascot reckons he knows the identity

1:06:50of one of the shoplifters and that information has been passed along to police too. The business owner says in one instance we found out one of the kids' names as he was wearing a school uniform. The vice principal confirmed who it was. We told the police but the following week he was back stealing from us again and you've got to feel for these businesses. They're working hard and trying to make a living and they've got kids stealing their profits sometimes wearing school uniforms. We've shared the footage on 2GB.com in case anyone recognises those involved. So you can go to the website right now and have a look for yourself to GB.com and you'll see the incident that occurred at this location, the IGA in mascot. If you recognise anyone involved, we'd love to hear from you.

1:08:01So we thought, right, we better listen up. It's a story about a man named Darcy Emerson. Darcy's 80. He's a retired cane farmer and these days he grows pumpkins and twice a week Darcy loads up his old yut and gives away about a ton of them for free. He delivers to charities, churches, daycare centres and they call him the pumpkin man and everywhere he goes across far north Queensland. He gets a hug and he doesn't want to sent forward either. Darcy says, I've got enough to live on. I just feel like I've got to help and there's been a ripple effect from his kindness that I'll tell you about in just a moment. I want to bring in first of all Darcy's wife Sharon and then we're going to talk to Darcy. Sharon's on the line first of all. Hi, Sharon. Hi Ben. This bloke is a superstar your husband. Is that right? He certainly is. He's a kind of hard as man Ben. We've been married for 57 years. He loves helping people. I wanted to hear from you

1:09:03before I talked to him because people can get shy when we're talking about their own achievements but it's nice to hear from others about the achievements of their friends and their loved ones. So why don't you explain to me the ripple effect of Darcy's kindness? Well, he's a bit of a he doesn't look like acolytes Ben. He's a bit of a shy bloke as far as that's concerned. With a farmer they always like to grow things and pumpkins are very easy to grow. You just chuck a seed in the ground. You don't have to water them much. So he just started and then he got all these pumpkins. So he thought, what are we going to do with all these pumpkins? So he started off just getting a yut lad and going around to places like meals on wheels and places that feed people and churches and community centers. And then it just just rippled. Just got bigger and bigger and bigger over the past three years. I think he's given away about 50 ton of pumpkins. And if you see the past of boy, he's up to street. They'll look in the yut and he'll say, do you want a pumpkin?

1:10:08And they all want a pain but he doesn't want money for it. He just wants to help people. That's all. I better say hi to the pumpkin man right now. Darcy Emerson. Hello. Hello. I'm going all right. I'm hearing wonderful things about you Darcy. Yeah, I'm going to use that there. Is it all true? Well, I suppose it left to be. Yeah, that's true. Yeah. What do you like giving away these pumpkins? Well, I'm 80 year old. I'm not farm anymore and I've got to keep active. I've got to keep going. You know, it gives me a bit of exercise because I don't do any walking running. I go and pick bunk pants. So that's a bit of exercise and that gives me something to do. It's sort of sitting there. You know, you could charge for them. I could charge for them and I'd probably get it too. Some people offer it but I should then take it sometimes. They'll just check $5 in the back of the youth. I can't do much about that. So I go and buy a lot. I'll take it. And mate, I'm hearing about the impact that you've had. There's a restaurant that's added

1:11:08Darcy's roast pumpkin to its menu. A local mum is writing a children's book about you. The local men's shed is made a large timbetrolly to help you with your deliveries. I think they built that to the library, I think. And that's we've got a month of the library too. It's the library. I don't know. You take 10 or 14 pumpkins in there. You can take them in the morning and I'll be out the more at lunchtime. They just keep running around. They're people just, they just go for it. What's it like having so many local businesses getting behind you? Yes, great mate. It's really good. Shopping centers are probably a bit no longer much because when I go shopping, I'll park outside the IGA and they people walk past and I say, always you like a pint of them. So I don't even know if it's like that much. Darcy, you can't be giving away your stock for free outside the supermarket. They won't make any money. Yeah, but they've got about $150,000 other items in their own. Take themself. Let me bring back Sharon just to ask you, Sharon. He's 80, your husband.

1:12:10Has he got a few more years in him as the pumpkin man or is it time for retirement soon? Yes, no. He's got a few good years in him yet. Keeps his brain going. Ben keeps his brain active. I've got a few people sending messages from Sydney saying does he deliver to Sydney? Well, we've had friends who have read the story over in France and they're saying, can you send a few over? What can we do with these pumpkins? What should we put the pumpkins in a bit of soup? What else can you do with the pumpkins? Oh, they're lovely roasted scones, soup, this local restaurant. He's roasted it with macadamia nuts and capers and garlic. Yeah. It was beautiful. The anchor bar down at Ely, beautiful. There's more to it than you can use the pumpkin for more than you think. I reckon there'll be a few of our listeners right now sending in their pumpkin recipes and you must be really proud, Sharon, they're now writing a book about him and this man's the love of your life. That's right. He is. Ben, yeah. I think to Ben,

1:13:16the most important thing is that people are out there doing it stuff and okay, a pumpkin might be something that you really love. But when you haven't got much money and you get something for free and you cook it, well, that guy's a bit towards feed and you doesn't it. I reckon that would make you feel pretty good Darcy when you give something to someone and they're doing it tough and you can see the small on their face. How does that make you feel? Yeah, it really makes me feel really good, yeah. I sort of get a tear in my eye, you know. Well, we want to thank you for being the pumpkin man. That's all right. I'm idea. Yeah, thanks for that. I wasn't expecting this, and where would you be without Sharon? Probably underground somewhere. No, she's been great. She's, you know, 57 years and just been absolutely magic. Well, it sounds like you guys have got a great partnership and thank you both for joining us on 2GB. No worries at all. Ben, it was a great pleasure, yeah. Yes, thank you Ben and thank you Sophie. I hope she gets the job she's on working for you. She's a lovely girl. Sophie's kicked a gold today because she's introduced us to the pumpkin man

1:14:23and he's squeezed Sharon and Darcy. Great Aussies. Like what you're hearing? Make sure you've subscribed to Ben for them. Well done, Shane. Based on our records, you were first in with the correct answer in the quiz. For that, you get $100 from on deck on deck of the small business loan specialist. So if you run a small business and you want to buy some new stock or hire a new staff member, you go to on deck on deck.com.au and well done. Are you Shane? You were first in with the correct answer. We'll send you a hundred bucks and the correct answers coming up on this day. We have two men in hospital after an altercation in Sydney's in a West. This unfolded at about 8 p.m. on Sunday in five dock. Police say a 19 year old and a 36 year old were involved in a salt outside a home. Paramedics treated the pair and rushed in to hospital. The younger man's in a critical

1:15:23condition. The older man in a serious condition. Police say the older man lives at a home in the area. The younger man was in the company of a man and a woman when all of his unfolded. They rocked up to the property and that's when the altercation allegedly occurred. They say all parties and no one do each other and a crime scene's been established. A sports update. Elevate your drive with Lexus of Paramata. Enjoy exclusive owner benefits, personalized finance solutions and the signature Lexus experience. Start your journey to amazing with Lexus of Paramata. Morning, morning, Ben. The NRL finals locked in. That's right after 204 games played across 27 rounds. A regular season now done and dusted and it came down to the final game of the round to determine the minor premiership for this season with a pen-ruth pant that's receiving the J.J. Gilton and Shield recognizing them for finishing at the top of the ladder. An incredible achievement. They had to win that game against the West Tigers to seal the title and they did it with these.

1:16:26The full time score 38 points to 10 at Combank Stadium in Paramata and the fixtures for week one of the finals now locked and loaded. It all kicks off on Friday night at Aliant Stadium in more park when the Rabado's hosted nights from 750 in an elimination final. Then we've got two games on Saturday. First up the qualifying final from 405 between the Warriors and the Dolphins in Auckland and in the late game an elimination final to the sharks and the cowboys do battle and on Sunday an all Sydney showdown between the Panthers and the roosters at a comeback stadium. How good with the Sydney swan. Absolutely fantastic Ben. I was there on Saturday. They did so well to beat the Brisbane Lions and locking their spot in the preling final which had about that later this morning. And more off-field dramas will cover two. Like what you're hearing? Subscribe to the Ben Fautum Live podcast through Apple and Spotify. Social media companies will be forced to give Aussies a choice to opt out of algorithms. Big tech businesses will face fines of more than $100 million if they don't comply. Then again I'm doubtful that any social media company is going to cop a

1:17:30$100 million fine from Australia but anyway I go on. Algorithms. We know that they serve up users the kind of content they've been showing interest in. So the danger is instead of having a random social media feed it's curated to suit each user and this has led to concerns. If someone's viewing harmful content then they get more of it. For example concerns have been raised about algorithms feeding sojournistic content to young men. The consent advocate Chanel Contos says algorithms are cultivating harmful attitudes towards women and she says opt in algorithms would make the transition into social media for 16 year olds safer. This is what she said last week. Have a listen to Chanel Contos. 23 minutes. That's how long it takes for extreme associatistic content to appear on a boy or man's screen after they've signed up to social media platform. The boy doesn't even need to tell the server that his male they'll know within seconds depending on his habits and the first few pieces of content they show. We know boys and young

1:18:30men are not intentionally seeking out this content but that instead it's being propagated to them again and again. That's why there's now a war on the algorithm and the regulation is currently an effect in the European Union and it's coming soon to Australia by the sounds of things and look I agree that social media algorithms can be harmful because they dish up to users one sided views of a whole range of issues but the algorithm also offers convenience. That's because it serves social media users more of the content they like watching so here's my prediction. If we have an opt out button for the algorithm people will give it a go only to later opt back in. That's my tip the algorithm is a bit like fast food or Uber Eats it may not be good for us but it's convenient and in this day and age people go for the easy option. You're listening to Sydney's best breakfast and now the US report America and Iran have traded

1:19:34strikes over the weekend and tensions are again flaring in the Middle East Harley Cairns good morning yes good morning been the message to Iran I think is pretty clear don't shoot at Navy ships and they didn't listen they've heard it before first they fired several missiles and drones that America had an American aircraft carrier and some other ships they didn't hit any of them they injured no Americans because we shot down the missiles the central command fired back of course and sank one of Iran's oil tankers the Kylo badly damaged a couple of others the one that was sunk was empty fortunately the other was loaded in oil and both of the others they're part of Iran's shadow fleet we're told used to get around sanctions and blockade US pilots gave the Iranians time to abandon ship before shooting whether they got all of them out of the Kylo or not isn't really known but that's that's where it is we're shooting at each other once again and president Trump

1:20:37as it says that he's less and less concerned about whatever happens in the state of Hormuz which is a surprise until you realize he just made a $65 billion deal with Venezuela to control their oil in other words $65 billion is going to flow to Venezuela and they're going to they're going to love get that money and we're going to have millions and millions and millions and barrels of oil that will flow into the marketplace and make the loss there in in the state of Hormuz a lot less painful so president Trump you know he's not overly concerned or so he says about what what happens in the state it's going to take some time though for that oil to make it into the marketplace and the refineries to be able to handle the gluts we'll see where it goes yeah dramatic pictures of multiple Iranian oil tankers being hit over the weekend by the US and Harley tell me about the pig that saved a man's life well Tim Andrews is 67 he's from New Hampshire and he lived with a

1:21:42pig kidney for nine months and then got a human donation uh teen months at all with the with these transplants and he's he's going to be okay they think um that first when they gave him the pig transplant he was you know he is the first part of the way to get both the pig and the human kidney but nonetheless at the time he got this pig transplant they gave him 51 different medications to keep his body from rejecting the kidney he named it Wilma came from the Ucutan Peninsula um and uh he said first it was great but they realized he was feeling good because he gave him as many steroids he said they made me feel like I'm Superman he said they weaned those off against a little tougher but nonetheless he needed another um kidney he got rid of that one there was too much after a while and uh and he got a human it was very lucky to get the human kidney because as it turned out his near perfect match was just 87 miles away in Boston and he was having these these procedures done in Massachusetts anyway

1:22:48so he said now he only takes 20 anti-rejection medications um he keeps track of blood sugar spikes um he's got immunosuppressive medications um so his insulin resistance is in check so far and he says I'm gonna feel good so love the positivity we hope he lasts um that he's though he's said a record you know and he's also the first to get both the pig and the human kidney so we always love hearing those miracles from the medical world Harley and we'll talk to you tomorrow thank you so much thank you so much for having us here Harley Carns joining us from the United States a widow is blaming the weight loss drug ozempic for her husband taking his own life Mary Shettyak has no one Tony for 28 years he tragically died by suicide after a sudden onset of anxiety and depression Mary says her husband had been larger than life and he'd been prescribed ozempic to combat diabetes but shortly after starting on the medication Mary began noticing some

1:23:51changes Tony increased his weekly dose after 10 weeks the 61 year old quid his job saying he'd lost confidence he also had severe loss in appetite and lost 13 kilos in two weeks Mary's told the daily telegraph Tony couldn't eat he was forcing himself to have a piece of fruit at night and Tony loved his food he began seeing a psychiatrist who prescribed him medication that would take two months to kick in and his mental health sadly worsened causing him to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital he laid a sufferer panic attack and had to be treated in a hospital emergency room after returning home Tony tragically took his own life the therapeutic goods administration says it's aware a reports that this drug has adverse mental health effects however the company behind ozempic says the benefit risk profile remains favorable but based on what happened to Tony you should closely monitor your mental health while taking this weight loss medication

1:24:54the UK report Kelly country's expert tailors can create the perfect custom made suitable trouser at an affordable price book are fitting online at kelly country dot com dot a u hackers have published the personal details of high profile people on the dark web Adam Gilchrist good morning morning Ben now I don't hang out on the dark web I have to say so I have got this story through the mail on sunday newspaper otherwise you'd accuse me of up to no good wouldn't you but essentially what they found is that a known hacking group called fulcrum sec got into the details of pushing nine million people who've used stanster airport this year hands up who has yet my hand is up I have been through stanster airport apparently they access people's details through the booking of car parks there yeah I did that lounge bookings fast track bookings and also when you sign up to wifi access inside airports do you always wonder about that

1:25:55when you sign up to wifi in a hotel or a pub or an airport or any public place and low and behold this group reckon they got hold of nine million people's details now they're not necessarily bank account details but they are nonetheless email addresses and details of travel and including amongst the nine million people or so a high court judge and member of the bank of england and other certain dignitaries shall we say and the fulcrum sec have been nerfed to suggest the reason they've done this is for security reasons and also that they didn't release future travel plans because I thought they might compromise people then make them more vulnerable to burglars it's absolutely nonsense there are a scumbag group who are demanding a ransom from the airport operators who have refused which is why these details have ended up on the dark web yeah no all these cybertex they seem to be growing in frequency and tell me about a piece of memorabilia that's gone under the hammer also growing in frequency I would say is the interest in Freddie

1:26:57Mercury I mean obviously sometimes a dead rock star doesn't come back and so therefore you have to sort of enjoy what you've got left and so wow his jacket is a black leather jacket that he wore at his last performance it was a charity gala in the dominion theater in london in April 1988 and it's not necessarily the iconic yellow jacket that everyone instantly thinks that we're Freddie Mercury but he did wear a lot of black leather jackets and this was one of them and it is now sold at auction for including all the fees and so forth 110,000 pounds so over 200,000 dollars which is quite something so many two days ago they opened a new mural to Freddie Mercury outside wembley stadium where of course he famously performed the live aid gig with the rest of queen there's a thing about Freddie Mercury that persists on what today would have been his 80th birthday was it right yeah but what do we know we're with 35 years after his death so there's still a thing about him isn't there an extraordinary thing and people still love the guy yeah no doubt about it

1:28:00when we lose people young too I think we cling on to whatever memories or memorabilia we have Adam we will talk to you tomorrow my friend thank you so much thanks man like what you're hearing subscribe to the Benfordam live podcast through apple and spotify we have some news coming in from the united states five people are being killed and five others injured after an amazon cargo plane overshot the runway at Miami international and it struck vehicles on a nearby road this information coming from the mayor so at least five people killed others injured after an amazon cargo plane overshot the runway at Miami and then crashed into nearby vehicles and closer to home special protocols have been put in place to deal with a shortage of air traffic controllers air services Australia has asked pilots to broadcast their whereabouts to each other they can't just rely on information from air traffic control the protocols occurred during

1:29:01two periods of 45 minutes airlines and our preparing new flight plans in case the directive is given again it's being reported at least one airline is refusing to fly through these zones and the news comes as passengers spill the beans on a quadrice plane that caught fire passengers on QF122 had taken off from Queenstown in New Zealand on their way to Sydney 10 minutes after take off there was a loud bang passengers have told seven news about the scary incident and the flight went to Christchurch instead of Sydney a little bit of history repeating and now on Ben Fordham live on this day today is the 7th of

1:30:07September it was on this day in 1936 the last ever Tasmanian Tiger died at Hobart Zoo in 1996 the US rapper Tupac was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting it wasn't until this year that a murder trial went ahead with a former gang boss found guilty in 1997 pat rafter took out the US open I just can't believe it at the moment it's just I'm in a fantasy land something I never dreamed of I mean I'll be a dream of but you never think what happened and the following year he won the US open again in 2013 Tony Abbott was elected Prime Minister I and John Abbott do swear that I will truly serve the people of Australia in the office of Prime Minister so help me and it's happy birthday to the former Aussie cricket adjorge bailey who turns 44 the swimming legend areian tithmus who's 26 and on this day in 1997 fleetwood mac went to number one on the music charts

1:31:21never play forever ever change you don't know me don't know me now you can still hear you say you never play forever their live album the dance was their first chart top of since 1982 it came out in 1997 on this day he went on to become the fifth best-selling live album of all time it all happened on this day the seventh of September and that's the podcast for today thank you so much for podcasting our program do you follow us are you a subscriber if not why not you know what you have to do just click on a button saying subscribe or follow and then it will always pop up in your feed so thank you very much for tuning in today more highlights around the corner before you know it if you'd like to leave a comment please do so below we read them once in a while you can also leave us a rating and yes one of the options is five stars but it's totally up to you thanks so much for listening

1:32:26to the podcast talk to you soon bye bye