AFTER drawing fresh and fascinating insights from figures such as acclaimed actor Sam Neill, popular presenter Amanda Keller and even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in its acclaimed debut season,
The Assembly reconvenes for its second instalment.
Guided by renowned journalist Leigh Sales, a fresh (and larger) batch of neurodivergent student journalists grill some of Australia’s biggest names in an unfiltered group interview.
First cab off the rank is Rake star Richard Roxburgh, who is probed about his most epic film stunts, how he met his celebrity chef wife, Silvia Colloca, and what really happened behind the scenes while filming director Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 musical Moulin Rouge! alongside Nicole Kidman.
Based on the French program Les Rencontres du Papotin, this
bold and insightful series is a breath of fresh air in a world of hyper-curated celebrity chats and bland media junkets.
Sales says it provides an important platform for often overlooked talent and showcases the power of different perspectives.
“One in 40 Australians is on the autism spectrum and it’s important they’re included in national conversations,” she says.
The other subjects featured in this surprising six-part season include singersongwriter Guy Sebastian, media veteran Ray Martin, comedian Julia Morris, cricket legend Steve Waugh and beloved Australian food icon Maggie Beer.
THE ASSEMBLY
ABC TV, Sunday, 7.30pm
BAILEYS MARKETS
SATURDAY, 20th SEPTEMBER
Bailey’s Markets celebrate handmade crafts, local produce, fine wine, and community spirit!
It’s the perfect chance to support small local businesses while enjoying a day full of fun.
This year, we’ve expanded our selection of locally sourced stalls to delight the whole family! Join us for unique shopping, delicious
STREAMING SIBLING RIVALRY
Family reunion: Jason Bateman and Jude Law play estranged brothers in Netflix thriller
BLACK RABBIT
Streaming from Thursday, Netflix
Jason Bateman and Jude Law form an unlikely but inspired on-screen pairing in this gritty crime drama that plays like Ozark meets The Bear Set against the intense backdrop of the high-pressure New York restaurant scene, the taut eight-episode series follows Jake Friedkin (Law), the charismatic owner of popular eatery and VIP lounge Black Rabbit.
He’s preparing to take his burgeoning enterprise to the
next level when his estranged and chaotic brother Vince (an uncharacteristically hirsute Bateman) shows up out of the blue and puts trouble back on the menu.
Soon, Vince’s dodgy dealings with underworld bookie Joe (Troy Kotsur) jeopardise the future of Black Rabbit, and his increasingly strained relationship with his longsuffering sibling.
“I’m holding on by the skin of my teeth,” Jake pleads in the tense trailer. “I didn’t budget for you.”
It’s an intriguing set-up that provides both actors with
DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS
Streaming, Paramount+
Filmmaker Ethan Coen teamed up with his wife Tricia Cooke to write this queer crime caper. Set in 1999, the raunchy romp stars Margaret Qualley and Newcastleborn Geraldine Viswanathan (both pictured) as two best friends who accidentally pick up the wrong rental car and subsequently get mixed up with a raft of dodgy characters. Think Thelma and Louise meets Pulp Fiction
MORNING WARS
Streaming, Apple TV+
Returning for its much-anticipated fourth instalment, this prestige drama set in the cut-throat world of breakfast TV mixes hot-button issues with high-end soap to startling effect. This outing looks set to tackle the concerning impact of artificial intelligence on the news cycle. Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon (pictured) lead the stacked ensemble, which includes Jon Hamm and Marion Cotillard.
the tantalising opportunity to play against type.
“When Jude and I were first talking about our roles, there wasn’t a decision yet about who was going to play which part,” Bateman says.
“We both agreed that I usually play the character that he’s playing: the one who doesn’t make bad decisions all the time. Wouldn’t it be interesting if I didn’t play that character this time?”
The result is a riveting character study and pulse-pounding thriller that will keep you firmly on the edge of your seat. – Travis Lewis
GEN V
Streaming, Prime Video
Superhero parody The Boys brutally skewers pop culture’s obsession with caped crusaders, sparking its own franchise in the process.
Returning for season two, this spin-off from the cult hit is fast building its own following. Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) and her friends head back to Godolkin University, where a new dean (Hamish Linklater, pictured) trains the gifted youngsters to be soldiers.
GRACE
Streaming from Thursday, BritBox
Tragedy strikes early for DSU Roy Grace (John Simm, pictured) in season five of this gripping Brighton-set crime drama. Grace and his new partner Cleo (Zoë Tapper) are left reeling from a devastating loss while also trying to integrate Grace’s newfound son Bruno (Finn Guegan) into their heartbroken household. Meanwhile, at work, Grace must deal with a bomb threat.
HIGH POTENTIAL
Streaming, Star on Disney+
Hacks scene-stealer Kaitlin Olson (pictured) resumes her rightful position in the spotlight with season two of this police procedural. Morgan Gillory (Olson) is an eccentric single mum with a high IQ who helps the LAPD solve crimes as a consultant. Striving to balance her work with her chaotic family life, Morgan is back on the trail of a mysterious criminal known as the Game Maker.
Black Rabbit.
FREE-TO-AIR
THE GILDED AGE
10, Wednesday, 8.30pm
Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes ventured across the pond for this epic drama following the clash between old and new money in 1880s New York. The story begins when young Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) moves to the city after the death of her father to live with her wealthy aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon). In this second instalment, Marian receives a visit from her lawyer Tom Raikes (Thomas Cocquerel). Also new to polite society, but for entirely different reasons, George Russell (Morgan Spector) and his wife Bertha (Carrie Coon, pictured) take centre stage at a charity bazaar.
MYSTERY ROAD: ORIGIN
ABC TV, Sunday, 8.15pm
Mark Coles Smith (pictured) has put his own masterful spin on the role of Detective Jay Swan since taking over from Aaron Pedersen, who originated the character in the 2013 film Mystery Road and its subsequent spin-offs. With an AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor and Gold Logie nomination in the bag for
6.25 Hard Quiz. 7.00 News. 7.30 7.30. 8.00 Hard Quiz. 8.30 Shaun Micallef’s Eve Of Destruction. Final. 9.10 Would I Lie To You? 9.40 Austin. Final. 10.10 ABC Late News. 10.25 The Business. 10.40 Planet America. 11.10 You Can’t Ask That. 11.45 Grand Designs. 12.30 Long Lost Family. 1.20 Rage. 3.25 Parkinson In Australia. 4.30 Gardening Aust. 5.30 7.30.
his efforts, Coles Smith returns to flesh out the steely cop’s back story in the second season of this captivating prequel series. Set six months after the debut instalment, during Easter in the year 2000, it follows Swan and his partner Mary (Tuuli Narkle) as they relocate to the timber town of Loch Iris, where a missing child and the suspicious death of an elderly nun promptly demand Swan’s attention.
JOE LYCETT’S UNITED STATES OF BIRMINGHAM
SBS Viceland, Monday, 8.30pm
A proud resident of Birmingham, charming comedian Joe Lycett (pictured) couldn’t help but notice that his hometown wasn’t the only one with its name.
In an effort to put England’s second city back on the map, Lycett gets the blessing of the actual Lord Mayor of Birmingham to embark on an odyssey that attempts to unite the West Midlands metropolis with its 18 North American namesakes. From New Jersey to Saskatchewan and into the Deep South, Lycett delves into the culture and history of each Birmingham, aiming to get each to sign a formal “friendship agreement”.
PARAMEDICS
Nine, Tuesday, 8.40pm
First responders such as the brave paramedics featured in this gripping docuseries play a vital role in our community, effortlessly navigating life-ordeath situations with their expert knowledge and calm demeanour. These dedicated medical professionals often work in dangerous and demanding environments to provide critical pre-hospital care for those in desperate need. In Tuesday’s instalment, after a heroic bystander uses CPR to bring a grandmother back from the dead, intensive care specialist Bill arrives to stabilise the distressed woman. Elsewhere, his colleagues Sally (pictured) and Olivia examine a churchgoer who has whacked her head on a pew.
6.00 WorldWatch. 9.10 Great Lighthouses Of Ireland. 10.10 North Sea Wonders: A Coastal Journey. New. 11.10 Susan Calman’s Grand Week By The Sea. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Dateline. 2.30 Insight. 3.45 The Cook Up. 4.15 My Grandparents’ War. 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. 6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 James May: Our Man In India. 8.30 DNA Journey. 9.30 Code Of Silence. 10.20 SBS World News Late. 10.50 COBRA. 11.40 Vigil. 1.45 World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys. 2.35 Hugh’s Wild West. 3.40 Expeditions With Patrick McMillan. 4.10 J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom. 4.40 Bamay. 5.00 WorldWatch.
Screening
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 My Kitchen Rules. 2.40 Motorbike Cops. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. 6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. 7.30 The 1% Club UK. 8.30 The Front Bar. 9.30 Unfiltered. 10.30 Surveillance Oz: Dashcam. 11.00 Chicago Fire. 12.00 Imposters. 1.00 Travel Oz. 2.00 Home Shopping. 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 The Block. 1.00 Find My Country House Aust. 2.00 Pointless. 3.00 Tipping Point. 4.00 9News Afternoon. 4.30 Tipping Point Australia. 5.30
6.00 Morning Programs. 10.00 Front Up. 12.00 DW The Day. 12.30 Billy Connolly: Made In Scotland. 1.40 Stay Tooned. 2.10 Tales From A Suitcase. 3.15 WorldWatch. 5.15 The Food That Built The World. 6.05 Jeopardy! 7.00 Athletics. World C’ships. Evening session. 11.30 The Bloody Decade. 12.30 Bloodlands. 1.35 VICE. 3.20 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera. 6.00 Morning Programs. 8.00 Million Dollar Minute. 9.00 Animal Rescue. 9.30 NBC Today. 12.00 Better Homes. 1.00 Escape To The Country. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 The Yorkshire Vet. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Animal Rescue. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Heartbeat. 8.45 Lewis. 10.45 Air Crash Inv. 11.45 Late Programs. 6.00 Morning Programs. 10.30 Pointless. 11.30 My Favorite Martian. 12.00 M*A*S*H. 1.00 Signora Volpe. 3.00 Antiques Roadshow. 3.30 MOVIE: It Shouldn’t Happen To A Vet. (1976) 5.30 Yorkshire Auction House. 6.30 Antiques Roadshow. 7.30 As Time Goes By. 8.30 Athletics.
6.00 Morning Programs. 7.00 The Movie Show. 7.30 Petite Maman. (2021) 8.50 Hail, Caesar! (2016) 10.50 Barton Fink. (1991) 1.00 I Want You Back. (2022) 3.10 Manganinnie. (1980) 4.50 Where Is Anne Frank. (2021) 6.40 Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael. (1990) 8.30 O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) 10.30 Juliet, Naked. (2018) 12.20 Late Programs. 6.00 Morning Programs. 12.00 American Pickers. 1.00 Pawn Stars. 2.00 Outback Truckers. 4.00 Swamp People: Serpent Invasion. 5.00 American Resto. 5.30 Storage Wars. 6.00 American Pickers. 7.00 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Highway Patrol. 8.30 The Force: BTL. 9.30 Caught On Dashcam. 10.30 World’s Wildest Police Videos. 11.30 Late Programs.
6.00 Morning Programs. 2.00 Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00 Bewitched. 5.30 Jeannie. 6.00 Golden Girls. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Freddy And The Eighth. 8.30 MOVIE: There’s Something About Mary. (1998) 11.00 Seinfeld. 12.00 Veronica Mars. 1.00 Pretty Little Liars. 2.00 Supernatural. 4.00 Late Programs.
2.30 Becker. 3.00 Frasier. 4.00 Everyday Gourmet. 4.30 King Of Queens. 5.00 Becker. 5.30 Frasier. 6.30 Neighbours. 7.00 Friends. 8.00 Big Bang. 10.00 Becker. 10.30
Home
WE’VE
A SPRING FRESHEN UP
By CHELSEA IBROM, MY SLICE OF LIFE, NORTH EAST HOMEMAKERS
As the warmer weather approaches, there’s no better time to refresh your living spaces - both inside and out.
At North East Homemakers Centre, we believe your home should be a place of comfort, style, and functionality, and this September we’re making it easier than ever to achieve just that.
For the entire month, we’re offering free delivery, free furniture assembly, and even free tip removal with every furniture purchase within 100kms of our showroom. That means you can choose the perfect new dining set, sofa, mattress, bed, or outdoor lounge without worrying about the hassle of transport, setup, or disposing of your old pieces.
We’ll take care of it all so you can focus on enjoying your new furniture
from the moment it arrives.
This offer comes just in time for the changing season.
With longer days and warmer evenings ahead, our latest range of outdoor products - stylish dining settings, durable lounges, and versatile accessories - will help you create the perfect space for entertaining, relaxing, or simply soaking up the sunshine.
Indoors, our carefully curated collection of furniture ensures every room in your home can look and feel its best.
North East Homemakers Centre has proudly served the community for years, and we know that value goes beyond price - it’s about service, trust, and making life easier for our customers.
This September, we invite you to take advantage of our exclusive offer and discover just how effortless upgrading your home can be.
Step into spring with comfort, style, and convenience - only at North East Homemakers Centre.
NATURE’S SPRING SYMPHONY DESERVES TO
PLAN AHEAD: Even if you don’t need help right now, getting into the system early means you will be ready when the time comes. PHOTO: New Africa/Shutterstock. com
Care Contact My Aged Care early
By Michelle Azaris, Timeless Support
One of the most common surprises for older Australians is just how long it can take to receive government funded aged care support at home.
Many people assume that once they feel they need a little extra help, services can start straight away.
Unfortunately, the reality is very different.
If you contact My Aged Care today, the process begins with an assessment to determine the type and level of support you are eligible for.
Depending on your circumstances, this could be a basic assessment for entry-level help, or a more detailed ACAT assessment for Home Care Packages.
The challenge?
These assessments don’t happen overnight. It’s not unusual to wait months, or more, before an assessor visits.
And once you are approved, there is often another long wait before a Home Care Package is assigned.
For some people, this can take more than a year.
Support has
Depending on your circumstances you may be able to receive care and services, funded either fully or partly by the
That’s why it is so important to plan ahead. The best advice is simple: don’t wait until you are in crisis.
As soon as you turn 65 (or 50 if you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person) it’s worth registering with My Aged Care.
Even if you don’t need help right now, getting into the system early means you will be ready when the time comes.
You might start with something small, like a little extra help around the home; vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, or taking care of the heavier jobs that get harder as we age.
Having support for these tougher tasks can make a big difference to your comfort and safety, while also easing the load on family members.
In the meantime, you can choose to purchase private services to bridge the gap.
This ensures you are supported while waiting for government funding to be approved and allocated.
The aged care system can feel overwhelming, but knowing the timelines helps you make informed choices.
By acting early, you can reduce stress for yourself and your family and make sure you have the right support in place when you truly need it.
Fishing TROUT, CARP ON BITE
By ROBBIE ALEXANDER
The trout season is more than a week old and the overall feeling is that this season is looking much better than last season. This time last year people were reaching out to me asking where the trout had gone, and there were few trout photos being shared on social media.
This season things seem to have improved, although there still seems to be a lack of bigger trout being caught.
I have had three trout fishing sessions and have caught trout each time.
I have caught a couple of quite large rainbow trout, and the rest of the fish have been small.
I have been fishing in small headwaters of the Ovens River catchment.
I have been catching trout on a small dark bladed spinner.
Mine is called a Morpho Spinner and can only be bought at a website
To be honest, I think any small dark bladed spinner would work.
Either a Super Vibrax or Rooster Tail spinner would be a great option and are readily available at in tackle stores.
Whether you love them or hate them, European carp are a lot of fun to catch. They bite willingly, fight hard and can be a great species of fish to help you hone your fishing skills.
The best part about carp fishing is that if the fish wins and get’s off it doesn’t matter.
Carp are biting pretty much everywhere they are found at the moment.
I fished the King River in Wangaratta one night last week and caught five carp in a backwater using worms for bait.
Last week I caught quite a few carp in Broken Creek near Katamatite.
Last Friday I had to go to Albury.
Before coming home I went to Lake Hume for a look and near the Ebden boat ramp there were dead carp on the bank.
Someone has had a lot of fun.
'
Vet Scooting dogs
By WARBY STREET VETERINARY CLINIC
Have you ever noticed your dog scooting its bottom along the ground?
Many people assume the cause of this is intestinal worms, which can indeed be the case.
But there is another possible cause which we see quite frequently in small breed dogs, and that is overly full anal glands.
Dogs and cats have two scent glands, one on either side of the anus.
When the glands are working correctly they deposit a small amount of smelly liquid each time the animal passes faeces.
This is part of what allows dogs to identify information about each other via smell.
Sometimes the gland can become blocked, which causes discomfort as it becomes overly full.
The dog will lick its bottom obsessively, or scoot along the ground in an attempt to relieve the blockage.
The blocked gland can often be resolved
by manual expression by your vet.
Sometimes blocked glands can become infected and form an abscess which is very painful, and requires treatment with antibiotics, and sometimes flushing or surgery under anaesthesia.
Sometimes older dogs can develop tumours or cancers involving the anal glands, particularly male dogs which have not been desexed.
Preventing blocked anal glands can be tricky.
Sometimes adding additional fibre to the diet every day can be helpful.
In other cases anal gland problems can be related to allergies (itchy skin), and may decrease in frequency if the dog’s allergy symptoms are medicated.
In dogs which are having very frequent anal gland problems, there is the option of surgical removal of the anal glands.
This tends to be an option reserved for severe cases as any operation involving the anus carries a risk of complications.
If you see your dog scooting repeatedly, a trip to the vet is worthwhile to determine the cause.
called French Touch Tackle.
FUN TO CATCH: A 62cm carp caught in the King River at Wangaratta one evening last week.
