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Articles by Mike Hitch
Australian voters reject Clive Palmer's divisive ads: new poll shows
March 13, 2025 – Almost nine out of ten Australians don’t want trans issues to be used for political gain during this federal election campaign, according to a new poll. Most Australians also stridently oppose discrimination against the LGBT community and believe trans people should have the same rights and protections as everyone else. The polling was released amid a growing backlash against an ad campaign run by Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots and his press club address scheduled for today.
More than 100 individuals and organisations sign joint letter calling on Qld government to reverse hormone ban for trans youth
February 19, 2025 – More than 100 individuals and organisations have signed a joint letter calling on the Queensland Government to reverse its ban on hormone treatments for trans and gender diverse young people. The letter states the move was “unreasonable, unnecessary and disproportionate”.
LGBTIQ+ community groups and health experts cautiously welcome treatment review for trans and gender diverse young people
31 January 2025 – Medical experts, health bodies and LGBTIQ+ groups have cautiously welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement it will review the treatment guidelines for trans and gender diverse young people. But they said the process must be led by the experts, remain free of political interference and not block continued care across the country.
Equality Australia welcomes Supreme Court judgment on puberty blockers
13 Aug 2024 - Equality Australia has welcomed a Supreme Court judgment that confirms consent for puberty blockers should not be treated any differently from vaccinations, surgery for broken bones or chemotherapy for cancer. The judgment also gives certainty to medical practitioners and families around Australia when it comes to some young people accessing gender affirming care.
Grandmother and Equality Australia welcome reversal of Cumberland Council book ban
15 May, 2024 – National LGBTIQ+ group Equality Australia and local grandmother Caroline Staples have welcomed the reversal of a ban by Cumberland Council on books featuring same-sex parents. The council voted on Wednesday night to reverse the ban 12 votes to 2.
50,000 call on Cumberland Council to reverse same-sex book ban at meeting tonight
15 May, 2024 – More than 50,000 people have signed petitions calling on Cumberland Council to reverse a ban on books featuring same-sex parents, ahead of a vote on Wednesday night. Local grandmother Caroline Staples is being supported by national LGBTIQ+ group Equality Australia in her bid to reverse the ban, with the petitions to be presented by her to council tonight. In total, 40,861 people have so far signed the Equality Australia petition, including 2,194 from within Cumberland postcodes.
LGBTIQA+ advocates welcome end of ‘Gender Reassignment Board’, urge WA Government to go further
17 April 2024 – WA and national LGBTIQA+ groups have today welcomed the introduction of a Bill abolishing the WA Gender Reassignment Board, but say that the long-awaited gender recognition reforms should go further to recognise all trans and gender diverse people.
Tropical Fuck Storm spill the methods behind their madness
There isn’t a band today that can fuse rock, hip hop and conspiracy theories quite like Tropical Fuck Storm. Through their third studio album, Deep States, Tropical Fuckstorm create an eclectic fusion of vocals and melodies inspired by bizarre experiences. Happy sat down and spoke with lead singer Gareth Liddiard, who took us on a whirlwind adventure, where history, hip hop and politics were used to explain the method behind the glorious madness that is Deep States.
Happy’s Zen Horoscope Week (22nd August - 28th August) - Hello Virgo!
Hello Virgo! A new zodiac season hits us on the 22nd. One of the hardest-working signs, Virgos’ loyal, practical, and logical nature will ensure that everything gets done. That means it’s time to get your lives in order, no exceptions. This season will see you managing your current projects, and also starting some new ones that will have long-lasting beneficial effects. Personally and professionally, check your daily routines, and adjust accordingly to maximise your efforts.
Happy's Best New Music (7th August – 12th August)
Updated weekly by the fine folk at Happy Mag, this is the absolute best new music that this week has to offer from Australia and around the world! Jungle – Loving In Stereo Three years after the release of their second album, For Ever, comes Jungle’s Loving In Stereo – fourteen tracks of bursting serotonin and colour.
Holy Holy say hello to their own Beautiful World
Holy Holy have always been able to make music that sounds as if it’s come to life. But now, they’ve moved on to building entire worlds. Their latest LP, Hello My Beautiful World, lives up to its namesake, as a hyperkinetic, introspective, and ethereal mixture of tracks that exist entirely in their own universes. But together, they come together to tell an uplifting story for the ages. A story many of us need to hear right now.
Sydney lockdown extended, curfews enforced in areas of concern
Oh shit. Greater Sydney’s lockdown has been extended until the end of September, and a 9 pm to 5 am curfew will be enforced from Monday, August 23 in the city’s 12 LGA’s of concern. A curfew is now on the horizon, and face masks are now mandatory outdoors, except when exercising. This rule applies to when you leave home, or across the state, including in regional NSW. Regional NSW remains in lockdown until August 28.
Sonny Chiba, who played Hattori Hanzo in 'Kill Bill', has died from COVID complications
Sonny Chiba, who appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, and Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, has died from COVID-19 complications at 82. An actor and Japanese martial arts expert, Chiba’s death was confirmed by his agent, Timothy Beal. “Sonny passed away from COVID-19 yesterday,” Beal told AFP. Image: CNN.com “Such tragic news. He was a great friend and an awesome client.
OnlyFans is stupidly banning porn over pressure from payment processors
First, there was Tumblr, now there’s OnlyFans – the latest casualty in digital gentrification. The subscriber-only website that’s become synonymous with ethical sex work and pornography will now focus on more mainstream content from October 1 – whatever the hell that means. The company announced on Thursday that it will prohibit creators from posting material containing “any content containing sexually-explicit conduct” on its website, which many sex workers use to sell explicit content.
Durand Jones & The Indications on groovy chaos and Private Spaces
Listening to Durand Jones & The Indications is a truly spiritual experience – a light at the end of the tunnel as the world seems to constantly flux between chaos, and terror.
Get ready, cause the Arctic Monkeys have allegedly recorded a new album
The Arctic Monkeys have allegedly been recording their next, seventh album in Suffolk, and everyone’s freaking out. According to the website of Butley Priory, a scenic venue two hours from London on the Suffolk coast, the band were there between June and July recording their seventh album. “We’ve had a band staying with us for the last month recording an album,” the post on the venue’s website read.
The album of fearless instinct and rule breaking
Jungle unleash their third masterpiece, Loving In Stereo, tapping on the nerve of undeniable energy and freedom. Three years after the release of their second album, For Ever, comes Jungle’s Loving In Stereo – fourteen tracks of bursting serotonin and colour.
Still Woozy embraces chaos, and nice unknowns
As an artist, Still Woozy is difficult to pin down, and box in – outright refusing to be slapped with a reductive label. But as a person, he’s an oddly open book. Despite a whirlwind of successful singles and the occasional EP, Woozy still hadn’t released a body of work that allowed him to refine, focus, and enhance his abilities as a singer, songwriter, and producer, until now.
Happy’s Zen Horoscope 8th August - 14th August - Not with a fizzle, but with a BANG
Start your week off with a creative bang, and let the New Moon in Leo on the 8th help you to get your game on. Inspiration calls baby, so step to it and express yourself by connecting to what moves you. Midweek, as Mercury enters Virgo, turn your attention to the finer details of life, focus on the particulars in and around the home, be it, personal or professional, whatever is calling to you. Leo Self-love and realignment.
Nice Biscuit chats chat about rising from the ashes, and sonic storytelling
The ability to tell a story through song is one thing, but to take a sonic pilgrimage is another. No one is better at this sonic landscaping than Aussie underdogs, Nice Biscuit. Their latest single, Passing Over is a testament to this ability. Amid a sea of revered instruments and cosmic vocals, Brisbane-based Nice Biscuit takes you on an intricate journey of hardship, and growth – one part introspective, one part jubilant, and all parts addictive.
Sydney Fringe Festival announces cancellation of 2021 lineup
Despite extensive risk planning, Sydney Fringe Festival has announced they will cancel the 2021 festival, set to take place throughout September. Known as New South Wales’ largest independent arts festival, the cancellation has impacted more than 1500 local artists and 40 venues. However, Sydney Fringe also announced that it would accelerate its ongoing advocacy work with two support initiatives for the independent arts community affected by the festival’s cancellation. Image: Lucky Lartey.
sad alex chats sexy songs, sad girls, and humour in abject misery
sad alex is an artist whose music could score the perfect coming-of-age rom-com, or the bleakest of arty A24 films. Versatile, ironic, and intrinsically universal. Following a year of smash out releases with i’m glad that you found someone, until and ibtc, it’s no wonder that the world is becoming accustomed to the ticker-taper beats and not-so-serious sounds of sad alex – plus blowing up on TikTok definitely didn’t hurt.
Happy’s Zen Horoscope Week (1st August - 7th August) – Do it good, do it hard
The Sun making its transit through Leo approx July 23rd to August 22nd is one of the more auspicious alignments, so make it count, and get the most out of this warm and playful timeframe. Love hard, and play even harder. Turn your attention to creativity in all its forms.
Happy's Best New Music (17th July – 23rd July)
Updated weekly by the fine folk at Happy Mag, this is the absolute best new music that this week has to offer from Australia and around the world! DARKSIDE – Spiral Darkside’s latest record in eight years Spiral, written and recorded in 2018 after a fruitful week of collaborating sees Nicolás Jaar and Dave Harrington come to a full-realised form.
Riley Pearce and Greta Stanley chat about dogs, and Bottling It Up
While Riley Pearce and Greta Stanley have made significant names for themselves as powerhouses in Australia’s indie landscape, together, they’re a force to be reckoned with. On their latest single, Bottle It Up (feat. Greta Stanley), the duo bring this force to the forefront, for an intimate ballad that’s soft and emotive – while being drenched with a healthy dose of Aussie larrikinism.
Happy’s Zen Horoscope Week (25th July - 31st July) - Be a drama queen
Mercury enters Leo on the 27th, which makes it the perfect transit for creative energy. If you have a story to tell, express it as theatrically as you can. Expect a few emotions, especially those that can help to clear the way for a new perspective. Let this steer you through the remainder of the week to the 29th, with a little help from Mars entering Virgo, and get productive with it all. Leo You are your own best teacher.
Hardcore porn embedded into serious news sites across the globe
Right… well then. Hardcore porn videos suddenly popped up on ‘professional’ news sites, including Australia’s own Herald Sun. Other news sites embroiled in the NSFW porn advertisements include The Washington Post (WaPo), and Newsweek, who were recently flooded with lots of piccies of various holes – and a lot of cum. To put it bluntly. Vice’s Motherboard reported that a porn website, 5 Star HD Porn, bought the ‘Vid.me’ domain name.
Women's soccer teams kneel in protest ahead of opening Olympic matches
Five women’s soccer teams took a knee ahead of their opening matches at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympic games. Great Britain and Chile teams took a knee on the pitch before their match at the Olympic games. Similaraly, the United States and Sweden teams knelt in a pre-planned demonstration against racism and discrimination ahead of their match on Wednesday, July 21. Image: Twitter “For us, it feels right to stand up for human rights.
Guy Sebastian slams being used as a “Prop” for Arts Funding Package
Aussie icon, Guy Sebastian says he was used as a “prop” by the Federal Government for their $250 million arts funding package last year. Like Australia’s vaccine rollout, the arts funding rollout has been criticised by many in the industry, now including Guy Sebastian. “I was used as a prop by the Government to stand there and deliver an arts package but who is it helping?” Sebastian told the Herald Sun yesterday.
iDKHOW becomes the monster under the bed, with 'Mx Sinister'
If there’s one thing that I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME (iDKHOW) know best, it’s how to make throbbing dance music, with an insightful twist. Their latest creation, Mx Sinister, is no different. Taken from their upcoming EP, Razzmatazz B-Sides, Mx Sinister sees the synth-swaggering duo takes a darker tone from their 2020 EP Razzmatazz. But, while the tone of their signature soundscapes is more ‘sinister’, it’s no less camp.
DZ Deathrays chat 'Positive Risings' and strange futures
For all the latest music, news and reviews.
NSW restrictions could extend significantly, new modelling shows
Lockdown restrictions for greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong have been extended until July 30. The tighter restrictions aim to achieve zero new Covid cases who have been infectious in the community. NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has set this zero-rule as a requirement to easing restrictions. Image: Reuters Meanwhile, new research from the University of Sydney back this up. Under the current settings, Sydney could be in COVID-19 lockdown for weeks to come.
Tora opens up on artistic isolation, and the 'forces' to be reckoned with
While art in isolation has become a familiar tale, Tora’s sonic universes still feel entirely unique. Recently released singles such as Call On Me, and Why Won’t You Wait tell a story of COVID separation – at face value. But what makes Tora’s latest creations so mesmerising, is their ability to call upon something entirely human. Their upcoming album, A Force Majeure, brings this ethos into a new light.
Dave announces upcoming LP 'We're All Alone In This Together', shares new single with Stormzy
Multi award-winning artist and hip hop extraordinaire Dave is back with his brand-new single, Clash, featuring fellow London rapper Stormzy. A look into his upcoming LP We’re All Alone In This Together set for release on July 23, Clash marks Dave’s first single since taking the Brit Awards by storm, bringing home Best Album for his platinum-certified and Mercury-winning debut LP Psychodrama.
Inhaler unpacks life’s pressure cooker moments, and embracing a new age
After having to adapt to a completely new life under lockdown, Inhaler’s debut LP screams of longing for the past, while acknowledging the difficulties of the future. Having seen each other grow up, and having experienced the isolation of lockdown together (but separately), it’s no wonder that Inhaler’s debut LP, It Won’t Always Be Like This, feels as much mature, as it does nostalgic.
Isaiah Firebrace on the unseen pressure of winning X Factor Australia
Isaiah Firebrace, the Indigenous Australian and then 17 year old from a small country town, first shot to fame after winning The X Factor Australia in 2016. His winner’s single from X Factor, It’s Gotta Be You went on to peak at number 26 on the Australian Singles Chart, as well as charting in New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.
True Colours
Celebrating NAIDOC Week, DNA revisits some of the inspirational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people we’ve met in DNA. Self-portrait From Instagram to huge public murals, Indigenous identity, resilience and love are just a few of the colours in Dylan Mooney’s palette, reports Mike Hitch. Dylan Mooney | Instagram | Facebook Dylan Mooney’s artworks are rich, empowering, tapestries of personal and cultural experience.
Happy’s Zen Horoscope (4th July - 10th July) Home, sweet home
The New Moon is in Cancer on the 9th, so enjoy a bigger than usual focus on family. In its most natural state at this time, the Moon is ‘in its home’. So with ‘home’ being the word of the day, look to see what and where gives you a feeling of security and stability and head right there. The shorter the route, the more success you’ll have, because the best path for this week lies in placing yourself where it is that makes you feel secure and grounded. Home sweet home.
Jack Ladder on the inertia of 'Astronaut', and beautiful destruction
Jack Ladder has carved out a unique space for himself, and his band of Dreamlanders as an artist whose art is as much a sonic-cinema, as it is music. On his latest single Astronaut, this vision is fully realised, with the help of bandmates Laurence Pike, Donny Benét and Kirin J Callinan. A melancholic ballad about disconnect with one’s surroundings, Astronaut utilises chilly strings and skittering drums to create something that forces tears to the eye – in the most beautiful way imaginable.
The Indie Aesthetic has changed, here's what you need to know
Monster Energy drinks, high contrast photos, and individuality as far as the eyes can see. Here’s the lowdown on the latest Indie Aesthetic. Since the beginning of pop culture, there’s always been the ‘individuals’ who put their own twist on the latest trends.
Happy’s Zen Horoscope (27th June - 3rd July) - Be the master of your own you-niverse
Venus enters Leo on the 27th, pairing the planet of love and money with the dramatic and confident. It’s a straight-up invite to live and love as loud as you can. This is a generous timeframe, so have some fun with it. Watch out for any potentially sensitive triggering moments if you feel you aren’t getting the recognition you deserve (thanks Leo), be mindful and reign them in. Let play be the order of the day, and maybe make some grand gestures of love instead.
Deputy PM, Barnaby Joyce fined $200 for not wearing a mask
An upstanding citizen dobbed in Barnaby Joyce to Crime Stoppers for not wearing a mask while buying petrol. The new (and universally hated) Deputy Prime Minister of Australia was getting petty at a service station in Armidale. While Joyce was allegedly inside for “less than a minute”, according to Nine news reporter, Chris O’Keefe, an amazing member of the public did the right thing, and immediately called Crime Stoppers.
Happy's Best New Music (19th – 25th June)
Updated weekly by the fine folk at Happy Mag, this is the absolute best new music that this week has to offer from Australia and around the world! Gaspard Augé – Escapades As one half of Justice, Gaspard Augé is responsible for some of history’s most supercharged dance music.
Emerson Snowe chats accessibility in art, and 'Splatterpunk' impact
Emerson Snowe is a jack of all trades, ace of many. A singer, songwriter and self-taught producer whose music is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also emotionally gutting. Songs bend from stylish carelessness to transcendent beauty in the blink of an eye – resembling an iron fist, wrapped in a velvet glove. On their latest EP, Splatterpunk, Snowe willfully leans into this chaos, accompanied by ticker-taper beats and slippery vocals.
Banoffee's saccharine-sweet experimentalism, and the intricacies of Hyperpop
As one of Australia’s leading artists in the global Hyperpop movement, Banoffee doesn’t subvert the ‘popstar’ narrative, but instead moulds it in her own image. Since the release of her groundbreaking debut LP, Look At Us Now Dad, the Melbourne artist has become renowned for her sombre take on the experimental, saccharine-sweet genre we now know as Hyperpop. Unlike her other contemporaries across the globe, however, Banoffee refuses to compromise in substance, as well as style.
Florian & Not A Boy's Name at Vic On The Park, Sydney
On Saturday, June 26th, Happy Mag presents Florian and Not A Boys Name at Vic On The Park, in the heart of Sydney. In light of the release of her gooey-pop single, Yours & Mine, Sydney’s own up-and-coming popstar, Florian is teaming up Not A Boys Name for a night of boogying – and Happy is honoured to be on board. That’s why we’re pleased to be presenting Florian & Not A Boys Name Marrickville’s’s iconic live music pub, Vic On The Park.
Aussie CEO of Sony Music fired after investigation into 'workplace culture'
The CEO and chairman of Sony Music Australia, Denis Handlin, has been fired amid investigations into company culture. Sony Music’s global boss, Rob Stringer, announced in a note to staff that Handlin’s departure was effective immediately – prompting renewed calls for #MeToo activation from Aussie artists such as Jaguar Jonze.
The Veronicas latest single 'Goodbye'
Following the release of their Godzilla record last month, Aussie icons, The Veronicas, return with Goodbye, the fifth single from their upcoming album, Human. Touching upon self-destruction and trials and tribulations of pursuing love that could potentially destroy a relationship. With an uncanny callback to early 2010’s dance-pop, The Veronicas deviate from the triumphant ethos of Godzilla, for a much more vulnerable sound. Announced together, Godzilla and Human are described as sister records.
Happy’s Zen Horoscope (20th June - 27th June): What will your reflection show?
It’s Cancer season, baby. This is the time to love those that are closest to you that have proven themselves to be your greatest allies through thick and thin. Cancer encourages a slightly softer approach, no matter where you are you may feel more inclined to catch a quiet spot amidst all the noise around you, or rather than being out or about, you may find yourself seeking the warm and familiar found in the comfort of your own home.
Easy Life pulls skeletons out of the closet when 'life's a beach'
While the UK has become a hotbed for the futuristic genre-hopping sound, Easy Life has carved out a place as the next evolution in psychedelia. One-part R&B, one-part rock, and mixed in with a party-like atmosphere – bandmates Murray Matravers, Oliver Cassidy, Sam Hewitt, Lewis Berry and Jordan Birtles, latest album, life’s a beach, stands as a testament to their exquisite-corpse approach to music. An album that sounds like everything you’ve ever heard, yet completely alien at the same time.
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