☕️ Suppression order lifted in Melbourne case

What's something you learned this year that changed how you think about something? If you could relive one day from this year, which would it be and why?

Big questions, right? It would be pretty nice to bring them up at Christmas lunch over a delicious cocktail or mocktail.

That's where we come in. Introducing Agree to Disagree: a premium craft cocktail (or mocktail) made by TDA and Maybe Sammy, the country’s most acclaimed cocktail makers. Oh, and it’s a lychee martini – the universally agreed best cocktail.

When you receive your order, you'll also get a special edition of 'Subject Changers' talking points that can redirect conversation at a family gathering. There's a lot that we all agree to disagree on, but a delicious lychee martini and good conversation about the year that was is something we can all agree on.

“It's no surprise. It's an absolute national disgrace.”
Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe speaking to the ABC about the news that Australia has this year seen the highest number of First Nations deaths in custody since records began. 13 YARN: 13 92 76

9,363
The number of episodes of ‘Neighbours’, according to IMDb. The Australian soap opera aired its last episode on Thursday, after originally ending in 2022 and being revived by Amazon.

“It is very important that you…”
This online trend sees people share tiny acts that had a big impact on their lives. For example: “In your twenties, you will find a purple Aussie news account on Instagram. It is very important that you follow them.”

Tom Silvagni has been named as the Melbourne man who was found guilty last week of raping a woman twice in 2024.

Silvagni is the son of former AFL player Stephen Silvagni. His brother, Jack, currently plays for St Kilda.

Silvagni’s name previously could not be published by media outlets because a suppression order was in place.

This afternoon, the suppression order was lifted.

Last week, Silvagni was found guilty of raping a woman in 2024.

The jury heard he raped the complainant at his home.

The victim testified that she was in a dark bedroom on 14 January 2024 when Silvagni snuck in, climbed into bed, and penetrated her without consent, pretending to be a man she had previously had consensual sex with.

Australia’s judicial system is based on the principle of “open justice”.

Court proceedings are normally available for the public to see and media to report on.

However, suppression orders (also known as gag orders) can be introduced to restrict what is made public.

When a gag order exists, it becomes an offence to publish details the judge has asked be kept secret.

Anyone who publishes those details can face prison time or heavy fines.

Media companies often make legal applications to stop gag orders from coming into effect, and usually argue publishing the details are important for transparency.

1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732

Suns out, weekend plans locked in? If you’re out and about this weekend, make sure you’ve got protective clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, SPF50+, and shade – your skin will thank you later. Learn more.

^{Transparency: This is a sponsored section of the newsletter. It's the best way we can keep this newsletter free for you}

Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn’s conviction for murdering a woman in 2020 has been overturned.

The 59-year-old was jailed for 32 years in October last year for what Justice Michael Croucher called the “violent, brutal, horrific” murder of Carol Clay in 2020.

On Thursday, Victorian Court of Appeal President Justice Karin Emerton said there had been a series of “serious irregularities” during the initial trial.

Lynn’s conviction was set aside and a new trial has been ordered.

In March 2020, 73-year-old Carol Clay and 74-year-old Russell Hill went on a camping trip in Victoria’s Alpine region.

Two days after they left, another camper found Hill’s car at a campsite that had been burned out. In the following months, the couple were declared missing, and presumed dead.

Following a 20-month investigation, police arrested Lynn.

During police interviews, Lynn said his gun accidentally discharged during a confrontation with Hill, fatally shooting Clay in the head.

Lynn said Hill then charged at him with a knife, and when the two men fell to the ground, the knife accidentally stabbed Hill in the chest.

Following their deaths, Lynn said he panicked, and burned the campsite and moved the bodies to a remote location, where he later returned to burn their bodies.

Police charged Lynn with murder. At the time, he said: “I’ve made some poor decisions. But murder, as I understand it, I’m innocent of.”

At trial, the prosecution argued Lynn murdered Hill following a dispute, possibly over the use of a drone.

They argued Lynn then shot and killed Clay to eliminate her as a witness to the murder.

Lynn denied these claims, maintaining both deaths were accidents.

Lynn’s lawyers argued that because both deaths had been accidental, he could not be found guilty of murder.

Following a five week trial, a jury found Lynn guilty of murdering Clay, but acquitted him of killing Hill.

In Australia, juries are not required to provide reasons for their verdicts, and jury members cannot speak to the media, so we cannot know how this decision was reached.

Lynn was sentenced to 32 years in jail. During his sentencing remarks, Justice Croucher said: “This was just a terrible thing to do, hence my conclusion that this is a very grave murder.”

Lynn then launched an appeal against both the conviction and the sentence, arguing prosecutors had breached fairness rules during the trial.

During an appeal hearing in October, the Herald Sun reported Lynn’s lawyers argued the state prosecutor misled the jury by launching a “sustained attack” on Lynn, without putting questions to him or giving him the opportunity to defend the accusations, which the law requires.

On Thursday, Justice Emerton said she agreed there were a “number of serious irregularities” in the trial that “gave rise to a substantial miscarriage of justice.”

Lynn will now face a retrial over the murder of Clay. He will not be tried again for Hill’s death.

Reporting by Elliot Lawry.

A phone that’s smart… and a little fun.

The Nothing Phone (3) is intuitive and packed with Google Gemini for connected apps and screen context.

Capture your moments with the 50MP camera, and play around with the Glyph Matrix, featuring fun toys like battery indicator, spin the bottle, and a magic 8 ball.

Save big this Boxing Day at JB Hi-Fi or online, with up to $440 off starting from 16 December.

UK researchers have found fragments of rock called iron pyrite - a mineral used to strike sparks with flint - in the English village of Barnham. The fragments were found on a 400,000 year-old site, predating the previously thought known controlled use of fire by more than 350,000 years. The pyrite was not common to the area, suggesting that it was brought on purpose to light fire. The fire couldn’t have been made by our species, homo sapiens, because it was still evolving in Africa at the time. Scientists say this suggests the fire could have been the work of the Neanderthals, a species that some people are descended from. While the fire-making couldn’t have been done by homo sapiens, it is suggested that the fires could have been made by early Neanderthals, a now extinct species that pre-dated humans. 

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Anju Dhanushkodi.

All Gina Rinehart wanted for Christmas was a rooftop helicopter landing pad at her company’s Perth headquarters. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so.

A majority of City of Perth councillors have rejected the billionaire mining magnate’s bid, following advice from planning officials who cited noise, environmental, and safety concerns.

Hancock Prospecting argued the helipad would be used for a maximum of 12 flights a year, and would serve as a “crucial backup landing option” for two neighbouring hospitals.

A company spokesperson said Hancock Prospecting was disappointed by the decision and would continue to “consider options available”.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

This week marks 20 years since the Cronulla Riots, when hundreds of angry young white Australian men descended on Cronulla train station and beach in Sydney’s south, attacking anyone of Middle Eastern appearance. In today’s episode, we explain the context surrounding the riots, including the role of broadcaster Alan Jones, the day itself, and explore how Australia has changed since then.