Djokovic claims he was ‘poisoned’ by Melbourne hotel food in 2022
Novak Djokovic was “poisoned” by the food he ingested while detained during his 2022 Australian Open visa saga, the former world number one told GQ, in an interview released on Thursday.
The Serbian 24-times major winner had his visa cancelled ahead of the tournament following days of drama over Australia’s Covid-19 entry rules and his unvaccinated status, and was detained in a Melbourne hotel shared with asylum-seekers.
“I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne I was fed with some food that poisoned me,” said Djokovic, who is known to monitor his diet strictly.
“I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discoveries that I was, I had a really high level of heavy metal. Heavy metal. I had the lead, very high level of lead and mercury.”
GQ said Australia’s Department of Home Affairs had declined to comment on the matter, citing privacy reasons.
Djokovic told Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper this week that he still has trauma from his experiences three years ago and feels stress arriving at the city’s airport.
The 37-year-old begins his campaign for a record-extending 25th major title at the Australian Open next week.
– via Reuters
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The Serbian 24-times major winner had his visa cancelled ahead of the tournament following days of drama over Australia’s Covid-19 entry rules and his unvaccinated status, and was detained in a Melbourne hotel shared with asylum-seekers.
“,”elementId”:”00677573-2a0d-4239-81fa-d88a30e723b6″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
“I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne I was fed with some food that poisoned me,” said Djokovic, who is known to monitor his diet strictly.
“,”elementId”:”9ed33386-7f3b-4171-a4fc-932bbc09d42b”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
“I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discoveries that I was, I had a really high level of heavy metal. Heavy metal. I had the lead, very high level of lead and mercury.”
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GQ said Australia’s Department of Home Affairs had declined to comment on the matter, citing privacy reasons.
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Djokovic told Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper this week that he still has trauma from his experiences three years ago and feels stress arriving at the city’s airport.
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The 37-year-old begins his campaign for a record-extending 25th major title at the Australian Open next week.
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– via Reuters
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Beachwater NSW is advising against swimming at multiple Sydney beaches after storm water raised pollution levels.
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Sites across Sydney and the Central Coast have been affected, after several days of rain led to a higher likelihood of contaminants being flushed into the city’s waterways.
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Beachwater NSW has an online map users can access, where it lists several key spots in Sydney as having “possible” or “likely” contamination.
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That includes beaches in the east, including Tamarama Beach, Malabar Beach, Frenchmans Bay, Brighton Le Sands Baths and Bronte Beach, as well as sites along Sydney Harbour including Murray Rose Pool in Double Bay, Rose Bay Beach, Parsley Bay, Clifton Gardens, Queenscliff Beach, Hayes Street Beach, Greenwich Baths, Northbridge Baths, and Woolwich Baths.
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Beachwater NSW is advising swimmers to stay alert before they swim:
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Before you swim, check for signs of pollution such as flowing drains, open lagoons, murky water, unpleasant odours, litter and debris in the water.
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Retail gas prices are beginning to ease but structural shortfalls in supply could emerge from 2027, a new report from the competition watchdog shows.
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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s latest report into Australia’s gas supplies, released Friday, shows the outlook is mixed, noting price drops in gas are still well above the costs before 2022.
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The ACCC said high international gas and oil prices – caused in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – were still keeping domestic supply costs high but prices under longer-term supply agreements had moderated.
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The watchdog said agreements in the first six months of 2024 for 2025 supply were still two times higher than 2021 at about $14.70 a gigajoule. But the price had reduced from the 2023 supply, which was about $12.10 to $20.40 a gigajoule and as high as $30 to $35 a gigajoule in some cases.
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The energy minister, Chris Bowen, said the Albanese government’s introduction of an extra 600 petajoules of gas into the east coast market during its term had put downward pressure on prices and secured east coast gas supplies until 2027:
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We are making sure our energy grid is reliable and working for Australians by delivering cheaper energy with more renewables coming online and gas ready to firm it when needed.
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Under the government’s gas code, energy companies are exempt from the price cap on gas of $12 a gigajoule for the domestic market if they agree to supply commitments to the east-coast market.
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The ACCC’s report said the gas code would have minimal influence on east coast gas prices this year but there were significant supply increases forecast from 2026.
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The report noted, however:
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In the longer-term, further significant volumes of additional supply will be required to avoid shortfalls.
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Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories.
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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has had a look at gas prices and supply in a new report and, while it has short-term good news on the former, it has some longer-term bad news on the latter. More on this in a few minutes.
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Showers are expected to continue for Sydney and Brisbane throughout much of the coming week but summer isn’t over yet, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. This week south-east Queensland and eastern New South Wales will be “tipping towards wetter conditions”, the bureau says.
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And the rescued bushwalker Hadi Nazari will rest when he returns home to Melbourne after 13 days lost in the Australian Alps but remains keen to go for another hike, a relative says. More on that soon too.
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Key events
‘Father of modern photovoltaics’ recognised with Sydney ferry naming
Sydney’s newest ferry has been named after solar panel pioneer Prof Martin Green.
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, and the transport minister, Jo Haylen, are expected to make the announcement this morning, with the newest ferry to be added to the fleet called the Martin Green.
It will be the fourth of seven new Parramatta River Class vessels which will replace the 30-year-old RiverCats. It will serve on the F3 Circular Quay to Parramatta route, has a 200-person capacity and uses 40% less fuel than the vessel it replaces.
Green is the founding director of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics at UNSW. Over a career spanning more than 50 years he pioneered solar technology development in Australia, and is often described as “the father of modern photovoltaics”.
In a statetement, he said the recognition was a “testament to the dedication of my team.”
I never imagined I would one day have a ferry named after me – what an incredible honour!
This recognition is not just personal; it’s a testament to the dedication of my team at UNSW Sydney who have been at the forefront of solar development for half a century. This year, Australia will generate more than 20 percent of its entire electricity supply from solar, and this figure will continue to grow rapidly.
Missing seven-month-old found safe in NSW
NSW police have announced that a missing seven-month-old has been found safe.
Officers attached to Lake Illawarra Police District were notified yesterday that the child could not be located, and began a search.
Following extensive inquiries, the child, and a 43-year-old woman he was with, were located today.
Nine people in hospital in Hobart after suspected carbon monoxide exposure
Nine people have been hospitalised after a hazardous material incident at a business in Hobart yesterday.
Tasmania police said a number of people in a building in Glenorchy, Hobart, had been exposed to what is believed to be carbon monoxide, and needed hospitalising.
The dangerous gas has no taste or smell but can be lethal in large amounts.
In a statement, the Department of Health said “nine people were transported to the Royal Hobart hospital this morning in relation to suspected exposure to carbon monoxide”.
Djokovic claims he was ‘poisoned’ by Melbourne hotel food in 2022
Novak Djokovic was “poisoned” by the food he ingested while detained during his 2022 Australian Open visa saga, the former world number one told GQ, in an interview released on Thursday.
The Serbian 24-times major winner had his visa cancelled ahead of the tournament following days of drama over Australia’s Covid-19 entry rules and his unvaccinated status, and was detained in a Melbourne hotel shared with asylum-seekers.
“I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne I was fed with some food that poisoned me,” said Djokovic, who is known to monitor his diet strictly.
“I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discoveries that I was, I had a really high level of heavy metal. Heavy metal. I had the lead, very high level of lead and mercury.”
GQ said Australia’s Department of Home Affairs had declined to comment on the matter, citing privacy reasons.
Djokovic told Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper this week that he still has trauma from his experiences three years ago and feels stress arriving at the city’s airport.
The 37-year-old begins his campaign for a record-extending 25th major title at the Australian Open next week.
– via Reuters
Key swimming spots in NSW polluted
Beachwater NSW is advising against swimming at multiple Sydney beaches after storm water raised pollution levels.
Sites across Sydney and the Central Coast have been affected, after several days of rain led to a higher likelihood of contaminants being flushed into the city’s waterways.
Beachwater NSW has an online map users can access, where it lists several key spots in Sydney as having “possible” or “likely” contamination.
That includes beaches in the east, including Tamarama Beach, Malabar Beach, Frenchmans Bay, Brighton Le Sands Baths and Bronte Beach, as well as sites along Sydney Harbour including Murray Rose Pool in Double Bay, Rose Bay Beach, Parsley Bay, Clifton Gardens, Queenscliff Beach, Hayes Street Beach, Greenwich Baths, Northbridge Baths, and Woolwich Baths.
Beachwater NSW is advising swimmers to stay alert before they swim:
Before you swim, check for signs of pollution such as flowing drains, open lagoons, murky water, unpleasant odours, litter and debris in the water.
Man fatally shot in Caroline Springs in Melbourne’s west last night
Victoria police are investigating a fatal shooting in Caroline Springs last night.
Emergency services were called to Heysen Parkway at about 10:30pm last night, after reports of shots being fired.
A man, who is yet to be formally identified, was located with a gunshot wound a short time later.
He was taken to hospital and subsequently died.
Police have cordoned off the area and a crime scene has been established.
Warning issued over abandoned campfires after Cape Otway blaze causes evacuation of more than 150 people
Victoria police are warning about the dangers of unextinguished campfires, following an incident in Cape Otway earlier this week that led to a bushfire.
Emergency services responded to reports of a bushfire at Blanket Bay Road and Red Hill Track at about 2:20am on Wednesday.
More than 150 people had to be evacuated from nearby campsites, with drop-in centres opened at Apollo Bay Community Hall and Apollo Bay Youth Hall to accommodate displaced campers.
No one was injured during the incident.
The fire was brought under control by 9am on Wednesday, not before about 14 hectares was bunt.
Investigators from Forest Fire Management, Colac Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) and the Arson and Explosives Squad determined that the cause of the fire was an unattended campfire which appears not to have been extinguished.
Police are now treating the bushfire as a criminal investigation and detectives from Colac CIU are appealing for any witnesses.
Police are reminding campers that a recklessly lit fire can have the same outcome as a deliberately lit fire, including significant loss of life, serious injury and property damage.
Mostafa Rachwani
Good morning, Mostafa Rachwani with you to take you through the morning news.
Murder charge
A 72-year-old man is expected to appear in court in Brisbane today after he was extradited to Queensland and charged with the alleged murder of his former partner almost 28 years ago. For more, read our story:
Rescued bushwalker Hadi Nazari will rest when he returns home to Melbourne after 13 days lost in the Australian Alps but is keen to go for another hike, Australian Associated Press reports.
His cousin Hussain Ali told reporters outside Cooma hospital that he had tried to talk him out of another trek:
When he’s completely fit and fine then we’ll see how he goes.
When we found him … he was keen to go for another hike. I was like, “No more hiking for you, that was it.”
Nazari was found by a group of hikers on Wednesday afternoon, near Blue Lake in the Kosciuszko national park, after he was last seen by friends descending the Hannels Spur trail on Boxing Day.
Retail gas prices begin to ease, watchdog says
Sarah Basford Canales
Retail gas prices are beginning to ease but structural shortfalls in supply could emerge from 2027, a new report from the competition watchdog shows.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s latest report into Australia’s gas supplies, released Friday, shows the outlook is mixed, noting price drops in gas are still well above the costs before 2022.
The ACCC said high international gas and oil prices – caused in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – were still keeping domestic supply costs high but prices under longer-term supply agreements had moderated.
The watchdog said agreements in the first six months of 2024 for 2025 supply were still two times higher than 2021 at about $14.70 a gigajoule. But the price had reduced from the 2023 supply, which was about $12.10 to $20.40 a gigajoule and as high as $30 to $35 a gigajoule in some cases.
The energy minister, Chris Bowen, said the Albanese government’s introduction of an extra 600 petajoules of gas into the east coast market during its term had put downward pressure on prices and secured east coast gas supplies until 2027:
We are making sure our energy grid is reliable and working for Australians by delivering cheaper energy with more renewables coming online and gas ready to firm it when needed.
Under the government’s gas code, energy companies are exempt from the price cap on gas of $12 a gigajoule for the domestic market if they agree to supply commitments to the east-coast market.
The ACCC’s report said the gas code would have minimal influence on east coast gas prices this year but there were significant supply increases forecast from 2026.
The report noted, however:
In the longer-term, further significant volumes of additional supply will be required to avoid shortfalls.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has had a look at gas prices and supply in a new report and, while it has short-term good news on the former, it has some longer-term bad news on the latter. More on this in a few minutes.
Showers are expected to continue for Sydney and Brisbane throughout much of the coming week but summer isn’t over yet, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. This week south-east Queensland and eastern New South Wales will be “tipping towards wetter conditions”, the bureau says.
And the rescued bushwalker Hadi Nazari will rest when he returns home to Melbourne after 13 days lost in the Australian Alps but remains keen to go for another hike, a relative says. More on that soon too.
