Miniature dreams
Drakes Supermarkets’ director John-Paul Drake has translated his obsession with Hot Wheels cars into a supermarket giveaway this month. Anyone spending $60 at their local shop can grab one of 15 cars, with five new cars released each fortnight until November 15.
“I have 791 cars plus one hippo displayed on my custom-built wall, and another 300 or so stashed around the place – in my desk drawers, in the glovebox in the car and in my studio. I told myself I would stop when the wall was full!” Drake said.
Drake said the 15 cars available at his stores are exclusive, never-before-sold in Australia models.
“I grew up playing with Hot Wheels cars and imagining what my future real car collection would look like,” he said.
“That dream hasn’t quite come true, and while I know can’t buy all the cars in real life, I can at least buy the Hot Wheels version.”
InSider suggests John-Paul give the other local retail family the Shahins a call for tips on trading up to the real thing.
Premiers gather round the Yes vote
State Premiers are in the midst of their own version of “gather round” with the national crew meeting at Adelaide Oval today.
But this time, footy is not top of the agenda: the state leaders are expected to be discussing pressing health issues but are also preparing to field questions after the meeting about the Voice to Parliament referendum.
All premiers – including Tasmanian Liberal Leader Jeremy Rockliff – are Yes vote supporters.
Among today’s line-up is South Australia’s Premier Peter Malinauskas, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, Victoria’s new Premier Jacinta Allan – who recently took over the job from Dan Andrews – Western Australian Premier Roger Cook and NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles.
Malinauskas will be continuing his advocacy for a Yes vote next week with an appearance on the ABC’s Q&A that is being recorded in Adelaide.
Wedding bands
Love was in the air for two prominent conservative MPs this week. Turns out that Liberal Upper House MP Ben Hood shares a bond with ousted Victorian Liberal Moira Deeming.
Both celebrated their 18th wedding anniversaries on the same day this week.
Hood posted a message on Facebook about his anniversary with a photograph of the card shared with his wife Elle, a picture of two slices of bread on its front saying “I Loaf You”.
The public affirmation was quickly followed up with a comment from Deeming, who was exiled from the Libs after attending a rally headlined by British anti-transgender activist Kellie-Jay Keen where neo-Nazis were photographed performing the Nazi salute.
Deeming, who has since been invited to speak to the SA Liberal Women’s Council, said she shared the same anniversary day and same number of years being married to her husband Andrew Deeming.
“Lol! It’s our 18 yr wedding anniversary today too! Congratulations!!” Deeming commented.
Thunderbirds… are no go
Parents have taken to Redditt to express their disappointment that the Adelaide Thunderbird school holiday netball clinics are missing a crucial aspect: actual Thunderbird players to share some skills with the kids.
Seems that since Super Netball players have been in limbo over contract negotiations, there officially aren’t any actual Thunderbirds to call upon. Which is a shame for the kids and the sport.
Is Sugar coming back?
A vague video posted to Instagram yesterday by defunct nightclub Sugar has piqued the interest of InSider.
The club – which shut in December last year citing “skyrocketing insurance premiums” – dropped a clip from Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction.
It shows the iconic moment at which John Travolta’s character jabs an unconscious Uma Thurman in the heart with a syringe after she overdosed: either a metaphor for hedonistic days past at Sugar or a hint that the club has been resuscitated.
It’s anyone’s guess at this point, and even all the more confusing considering Sugar’s owner Driller Jet Armstrong put the club up for sale earlier this year.
Nonetheless, the video got Adelaide punters excited with many commenting along the lines of “No way!, For real?”.
If it is so, it would be a huge turnaround for Sugar which packed up last year and left the East End. If this phoenix rises, it’ll be the biggest comeback of 2023.
Stuff you should know…
Relationships Australia launched its 2024 campaign for Neighbours Every Day this week, with the theme being “Create Belonging – Share Belonging”.
Nick Tebbey, National Executive Officer at Relationships Australia, said Neighbours Every Day, which has operated in Australia for over 20 years, promotes the benefits of well-connected and resilient communities.
“Recent research shows us that when people connect with their communities, they have a greater sense of belonging, which leads to improved mental well-being and a reduction in loneliness,” Tebbey said.
“In fact, almost 65 per cent of those who participate in Neighbours Every Day report an improvement to their mental health, including less psychological distress during the pandemic.”
To get involved, communities can register their “belonging” events through the Neighbours Every Day website, and access free material to help create and share belonging – including posters, connection cards, tip sheets and flyers.
