IN-Focus

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact Local basket-weaver Sam Clifford lives in a three-bedroom house in the French Quarter, despite working in what many younger people in town consider low-income, low-value jobs like acting and picture framing. Clifford's acting resume is extensive, including roles such as "Motorist" on Blue Heelers, "Suspicious Neighbour" on Water Rats, "Man With Cold" on A Country...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact Local man Seve Thompson extended an uncharacteristic olive branch to his stupid English colleague, Nigel Harris, after both men experienced devastating sporting losses over the weekend. Thompson, an ethnic Queenslander and staunch Maroons supporter, was still reeling from the recent State of Origin decider, where New South Wales clinched a hard-fought 14-4 victory in Brisbane...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact As temperatures in the wider Diamantina begin to drop, a curious transformation is taking place at the town's beloved watering hole, The Dapper Platypus. Local office worker, Tom Mitchell, has officially traded in his light, summery lagers for rich, robust dark beers, marking a seasonal shift that seems to sweep through Betoota every winter. Tom,...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact The Derrimut factory fire has been voted the most liveable toxic blaze in the world. This accolade adds to Melbourne's reputation, often hailed as one of the most liveable cities globally by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The fire, which began with an explosion at a chemical factory on Swann Drive in Derrimut, has engulfed...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact Cricket enjoyer Barry Thompson was left disappointed yesterday after discovering that the highly anticipated new Australian film, "Good Boy Bubby," is not a cricket-themed adaptation of the baseball classic "Field of Dreams" as he had hoped. Thompson, a lifelong fan of both cricket and baseball, had eagerly anticipated the film's release, spurred by rumours and...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has credited his newfound youthful appearance to a significant lifestyle change: giving up alcohol and cigarettes. The decision to quit came after Joyce was filmed by bystanders in February, lying on a Canberra footpath during an upside-down phone call, mumbling incoherently. The bizarre footage, which showed the politician calling someone...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact Patrons at the Betoota Heights Golf Club were left confused last night after a bloke managed to enter Ming Overell’s Chinese Bistro barefoot, sporting what locals colloquially refer to as "Tasmanian school shoes." Johnno McGregor, a regular at the bistro, was particularly baffled by the sight. "Mate, I’ve seen some things in my time, but...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact Opposition leader Peter Dutton has announced the seven proposed sites for the Coalition's nuclear plan have received funding from used car lender Motor Finance Wizard after plans to fund the projects with public money were panned by experts and taxpayers alike. Known for lending money to people who shouldn't be leant money, Motor Finance Wizard...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact Trevor remembers the first text messages. "Heelo Sir/Mam," it read. "Yor Commenwealth bank account is over-draw, please click this link tom fix." The URL, Trevor explained, looked legitimate. Sadly, it was anything but. Over the next few minutes, the 65-year-old retired schoolteacher gave a faceless stranger on the internet his banking username and password, as well as his...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact Australia will be the next nation to space, the Prime Minister announced in Canberra this morning, telling reporters that Australia will have a base on the Moon by 2035. The Moon is an untapped resource and Australia will use both public and private investment to be the first nation on Earth to mine minerals and...