Wednesday July 1, 2026
Cairo Takeaway wins against Ofir Birenbaum and Daily Telegraph
Pro-Israel activist Ofir Birenbaum released “highly misleading and even deceptive” statements implying a victory, a court has found.
Guardian Australia reports that in doing so, Birenbaum breached a settlement that had been reached with Sydney restaurant Cairo Takeaway.
Justice Robert Bromwich handed down his decision in the federal court on Tuesday.
The Middle Eastern restaurant in Newtown alleged Birenbaum was in breach of a confidential settlement in a defamation case.
The settlement stipulated that the parties release a joint statement that “no party had won”.
However, Guardian reports that it was found that Birenbaum and his lawyer, Rebekah Giles, made comments on the same day as the joint statement, which suggested “victory” in the matter.
Bromwich found that this breached the settlement because it “misrepresented” and was “inconsistent” with the joint statement.
“Those statements as reported upon were in a general sense highly misleading and even deceptive,” he wrote.
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Cairo Takeaway vs Ofir Birenbaum
The matter between the restaurant and the activist began in February 2025, when Birenbaum visited the Cairo Takeaway wearing a Star of David cap and necklace. In attendance with him were reporters from the Daily Telegraph.
The stunt was part of ‘operation Jew’, it was later revealed thanks to a leak from the newsroom, intended to provoke the parties.
Birenbaum launched defamation proceedings against the restaurant’s owner, Hesham El Masry, and staff member Talaat Yehia for statements made in a series of social media posts.
Birenbaum denied the version of events depicted in the posts, and Cairo Takeaway deleted and apologised for them before the defamation suit was launched.
The case was settled in March. Cairo Takeaway, Birenbaum and the Daily Telegraph released a court-mandated joint statement in which the newspaper apologised to Cairo Takeaway for “causing distress”. Cairo apologised unreservedly to Birenbaum.
Top Image: Cairo Takeaway Instagram
Ex-ARN boss Duncan Campbell says he wouldn't have taken Kyle and Jackie O to Melbourne, knowing what he knows now
For ten years, Duncan Campbell sat in the room where it happened. Now, out of ARN and out of the room, he’s saying what he really thinks… and yes, now might be the time to grab the smelling salts (or a tub of popcorn).
The man who poached Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson from 2DayFM in 2014, and who spent the next decade overseeing their dominance over Sydney breakfast radio, has sat down with radio expert Wade Kingsley on his podcast The Quarter Hour to deliver his most candid assessment yet of the pair, their $200 million contract, and what he believes comes next for both of them.
Campbell, whose contract with the Australian Radio Network (ARN) officially ended at 12:01 am on 1 July, talked through the partnership’s origin story, its unravelling, and his honest read on whether either presenter will be heard on Australian radio again.
Duncan Campbell
The phone call that started it
Campbell has told the story of the original approach before, even, in fact, to this very publication, but his account to Kingsley adds new texture to the commercial logic behind it.
He recalled sitting in his office at North Ryde “probably” in 2012, watching Sandilands and Henderson dominate at Southern Cross Austereo and wondering “how the hell are we going to beat these guys.” Two years later, Sandilands called him directly.
On the $200 million contract that followed in 2023 and locked the pair into KIIS FM until 2034, Campbell was unusually direct about his own distance from it. “The big contract, I didn’t really handle that one,” he said. “That was Ciaran (Davis) and the chairman (Hamish McLellan) – that was their baby.”
He credited the pair with “a good job in terms of wooing them to sign,” but flagged the absence of performance clauses across what he called “a long time” – ten years – as a structural weakness in the deal.
READ MORE: New Jackie O court filings reveal $3m share loan claim and ARN-ordered medical exam
READ MORE: ARN settles with Kyle Sandilands for $12.09 million
On Melbourne: ‘I wouldn’t have networked them’
It’s on the question of the show’s 2024 Melbourne expansion that Campbell broke most clearly from ARN’s official line. Where the network had previously described the launch as underwhelming but salvageable, Campbell went further, saying that with hindsight, he wouldn’t have pursued it at all.
“That was obviously part of the deal – to make the numbers work, that had to be there,” he said. “But knowing what we know now, I wouldn’t have networked them into Melbourne at all.”
He pointed to the deal’s economics as the real driver. “At the time it was a bit like survey day – you get caught up in the euphoria of the moment, and we said, yes, let’s go and do it. And Kyle wanted to do it. So that’s probably the big one: networking. We had to do that to make the numbers work. Damned if you did, damned if you didn’t.”
Campbell’s broader critique of networked breakfast radio is structural rather than personal. “I was never a real fan of networking,” he said. “The ability for a breakfast show to reflect the nuances of a city in subtle ways the audience can’t articulate in a focus group – but they know when it’s not there, and that just means they listen less.”
Of Melbourne specifically, he added: “I don’t think it would ever have actually worked, to be honest. They were a Sydney breakfast show. That was where their great strength was, and that’s where they should have stayed.”
Campbell’s admissions are in stark contrast to what he told Mediaweek while still in the role of Chief Content Officer – one he held before stepping down and to the side.
In May 2025, as KIIS 101.1’s breakfast share nudged up from 5.1% to 5.8%, Campbell was framing Melbourne as a turnaround story, not a mistake.
“The show’s content is now consistently good,” he said at the time. “It’s back to some of their best stuff. And so if they can maintain that, then I think we can build momentum in Melbourne.”
He did concede that “the decision to head down that content road was not a good one” in the show’s first year, but insisted the network was now “confident we can get there.”
By June 2025, with the share sliding back to 5.1%, Campbell was still publicly backing the strategy rather than questioning it. “We’ve made no secret of the fact that it’s a longer, slower road to success now for Kyle & Jackie O in Melbourne,” he told Mediaweek, “but Kyle’s really tied up the show, and it’s sounding pretty good at the moment.” Asked outright whether ARN had any plans to change course, he was unequivocal: “With Kyle & Jackie O, the deal is still as it stands. There is no thought to pull or change at all.”
It’s clear that the Duncan Campbell of 2025 is markedly different to the one who now describes the show as having been “off the last couple of years” and says he wouldn’t have made the Melbourne call at all.
Unmistakeable talent
For all his retrospective doubts about the commercial structure around the show, Campbell was unequivocal about the talent inside it. “Jackie O has one of the best female voices for radio,” he said. “At times it’s very seductive, and it’s just a very nice voice. And Kyle is a master at reflecting what listeners are really thinking.”
He described the on-air chemistry between the two in terms that bordered on reverent. “They understood the medium. They really understood that it was theatre of the mind, that the show was a soap opera full of drama. At their very best, it seemed like their minds were joined together with a cable – they were just in sync brilliantly.”
He was careful to add the caveat that came with managing them: “They weren’t always an easy manage, but they were very passionate about radio, and they knew the craft better than most.”
What comes next
Asked directly about life after the show for both presenters, Campbell offered a verdict that doubles as a forecast for the wider industry. On Sandilands’ prospective subscriber-model venture, he ran the numbers out loud: 20,000 subscribers at $9.95 a month would equate to roughly $2.2 million a year, and he expects Sandilands “to get more than that.”
His overall read was confident. “If anyone can make it work, he can. He’s such a great talent. I think he will succeed.”
That confidence came with a caveat about what it means for the medium he spent his career building. “I guess the disappointing thing is that we’ll probably see more people like that move off into a subscriber model if it does work,” he said. “That provides another level of competition for radio.”
On Henderson, Campbell was more measured, ruling out a return to breakfast but leaving the door open elsewhere. “I hope we do hear from Jackie again. She’s another great talent. I don’t think she’ll do breakfast again, but a lifestyle or interview-type show – I’d love to hear Kate Langbroek and Jackie O together. I think they’re two of the very best.”
Craig Foster on why football has already smashed Pauline Hanson's 'one cultural umbrella'
“We must be monocultural. Australians must live under the one cultural umbrella,” Pauline Hanson told the Press Club in her recent address.
However, Australia, it turns out, had already built a much bigger tent – and football was holding up the poles.
That’s the case Craig Foster makes in Wogball: Australia’s Beautiful Game, the new SBS documentary that argues that football’s migrant roots, not the politics of a single mandated culture, produced the version of Australia the country now recognises as its own.
The film lands with the 2026 World Cup now in full swing and the country once again relitigating exactly what “Australian” means.
Former Socceroo and respected commentator Foster, who is one of the documentary’s contributors, credits the Matildas for helping to push football into the broader national conversation for the first time.
“I do think we’ve got the Matildas to thank for a lot of what’s happened as well. Because it feels as though they crossed over into broader culture, and they were our first team to do that,” Foster told Mediaweek.
Foster linked that crossover to football’s history as a sport for outsiders.
“Football was always the outsider in a way that immigrants or Wogs were the outsiders. And football was always their home. And therefore, football was always actually the real Australia, but was mistreated the same way that so many immigrant communities were mistreated,” he said.
READ MORE: Socceroos drive record World Cup audience for SBS
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A team reflecting the nation
Foster traced the Socceroos’ changing composition across generations as evidence of the code’s migrant character, from the largely British squad of 1922 to the German and Yugoslav-background players of 1974, including Manfred Schaefer, Les Scheinflug and Attila Abonyi.
“And now, of course, we see a greater African representation, which also reflects broader Australia,” he said.
Foster said the current Socceroos’ squad’s pre-tournament video was a deliberate rebuttal to the kind of “monoculturalism” Hanson described.
“All they were doing was just saying, look, you know, we are Australia. They’re not saying we are Australian, they’re saying we are Australia,” he said.
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He pointed to the scale of the Socceroos’ audience as proof of where public sentiment sits.
“This is actually five million Australians watching the game on SBS, which signifies a retort to monoculturalism, qualify for the round of 32,” Foster said.
Why the documentary matters now
Foster said the timing of Wogball was well-placed, arguing that it captures football’s underappreciated role in building Australia’s multicultural identity.
“It demonstrates very clearly why the Socceroos and Matildas are so loved, why they’re so important. And it reflects on the incredible contribution of football in this country to the actual, we would say, cohesive diversity that we have today,” he said.
He acknowledged that history had not been without failure.
“There are communities silenced, there are communities attacked. There are communities that are not represented,” Foster said, adding that the broader project of Australian multiculturalism had nonetheless been “a very successful project” whose football contribution “has been forgotten.”
“So Wogball is showing Australia its own face. It’s just that through the Socceroos and Matildas, Australia has now come to love the game that actually built the country,” he said.
Wogball is available to watch now via SBS On Demand
First post-merger cross-channel campaign: SCA and Seven take ING beyond broadcast
Southern Cross Media Group has launched a multi-platform commercial partnership with digital bank ING, marking one of the first fully integrated cross-channel campaigns since the merger of Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and the Seven Network.
The deal, brokered by Universal McCann (UM), went live on 1 July 2026.
The partnership extends ING’s existing Sunrise integration – a twice-daily finance segment that has run since April 2024 – into SCA’s LiSTNR audio ecosystem.
Finance updates from Sunrise will be dynamically adapted and distributed within The Briefing, LiSTNR’s news podcast, alongside targeted streaming and social amplification across both SCA and Seven channels.
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What the campaign includes
The campaign spans five touchpoints: Sunrise broadcast integrations featuring ING’s finance commentator; contextual placement of finance content within The Briefing; amplification across LiSTNR’s targeted streaming network; social extensions across both SCA and Seven channels; and long-form monthly content and consumer engagement mechanics.
ING’s Chief Marketing Officer Carly Yanco said the expanded partnership is part of a broader digital engagement strategy.
“ING is a digital leader with a long history of advocating for customers, and that means showing up in places and formats that feel natural, useful and trusted,” Yanco said.
“Our expanded partnership with Seven and SCA is just one part of a wider digital engagement strategy, from platforms and content to creators and conversations, designed to demystify money and help Australians make sense of everyday finance. Having Matt Bowen continue that conversation brings financial news and education to life in a way that’s accessible, relevant and genuinely helpful.”
Merger puts cross-platform plays in motion
SCA’s Head of Audio Sales Luke Minto said the deal reflects the group’s post-merger thinking.
“This partnership is a clear demonstration of what’s now possible as a unified SCA and Seven Network,” Minto said.
“We’re no longer thinking in silos. We’re taking proven, high-quality content and extending it across platforms in a way that feels native, contextual and seamless for audiences.”
SCA’s Head of Audio Sales Luke Minto
Seven’s National Sales Director Katie Finney said the campaign builds on a longstanding commercial relationship.
“ING has been a valued Sunrise partner for many years. This next evolution ensures their message continues to resonate while tapping into new audiences across audio and digital platforms. It’s a powerful example of how our combined ecosystem can drive both scale and efficiency,” Finney said.
Seven’s National Sales Director Katie Finney
UM’s Senior Creative Connections Director Monique Chirgwin said the partnership demonstrated the reach of the merged group’s offering.
“We’ve not only seamlessly extended ING’s trusted financial content but are now reaching new audiences with unparalleled efficiency and contextual relevance, genuinely optimising impact across their entire daily media journey,” Chirgwin said.
ACCC blocks Coles supermarket acquisition in Kalgoorlie-Boulder
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has blocked Coles Supermarkets from acquiring a leasehold interest over a proposed new supermarket and liquor site in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia, finding the deal would substantially lessen competition in the region’s grocery market.
The decision, handed down following a Phase 2 assessment, prevents Coles from proceeding with its proposed lease of a vacant site at 95-106 Great Eastern Highway, Somerville – where the supermarket chain had planned to open a full-line supermarket of 2,800 square metres alongside a Liquorland store.
READ MORE: ACCC takes Amazon to Federal Court over Prime Video ads shake-up
READ MORE: Federal Court rules Coles misled shoppers with Down Down discounts
Independent competitors in the crosshairs
Kalgoorlie currently has four large, full-line supermarkets – Coles, Woolworths, and two independent stores – plus two smaller independent outlets.
The ACCC found a real commercial likelihood that a new Coles store would force the exit of at least one effective independent competitor from the market.
ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said the regulator’s concern centred on the role independent supermarkets play in keeping major chains honest.
“Independent supermarkets are an important competitive constraint on the major supermarket chains. They provide consumers with meaningful choice, competition on service, quality and range, and competition on price for some products,” Keogh said.
While acknowledging a new Coles store would benefit some consumers, Keogh said the longer-term competitive consequences outweighed those gains.
“We found that while a new Coles supermarket will offer benefits to some consumers, there is a real prospect that the acquisition would lead to the exit of an effective independent competitor, and its assets leaving the market. New entry would not be timely enough and sufficient to offset the loss of competition likely to result from the acquisition,” he said.
ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh
Coles pushes back
Coles rejected the ACCC’s findings, saying the decision denies Kalgoorlie shoppers choice rather than protecting it.
“We disagree with the ACCC’s decision. Blocking the development of a new supermarket on a vacant site does not promote competition. It denies Kalgoorlie shoppers greater choice and convenience,” a Coles spokesperson said in a statement to Mediaweek.
The company said the proposed store would have given South Kalgoorlie customers access to more than 24,000 products, improved store amenities, and expanded online home delivery capacity.
It also argued shoppers would have benefited from Coles’ statewide pricing model, paying the same grocery prices as customers in metropolitan Perth.
Coles disputed the ACCC’s market read, arguing the regulator had underestimated the city’s growth trajectory.
“The ACCC has underestimated Kalgoorlie’s future growth and demand. Kalgoorlie is experiencing significant industrial activity, planned residential growth and comprises a substantial FIFO workforce, all of which are increasing demand for supermarket capacity across the region,” the spokesperson said.
“Even with the proposed Coles store, supermarket capacity in Kalgoorlie would be lower than, or comparable to, similar regional centres such as Albany, Busselton and Geraldton.”
The chain also pushed back on the ACCC’s suggestion that an existing operator would be forced out, saying its business case assumed continued growth among competitors over time. Beyond grocery competition, Coles said the store would have supported 120 local jobs and the development of around 250 new homes “at a time of critical housing shortage in the city.”
“We will review the ACCC’s decision and consider our next steps,” the spokesperson said.
Coles under the ACCC’s microscope
The Kalgoorlie block is the latest in a string of regulatory actions against Coles in 2026.
In May, the Federal Court found Coles misled shoppers through its Down Down pricing program, ruling the supermarket chain had advertised discounts based on higher prices that had only been in place for short periods – in most cases around four weeks, falling well short of the 12-week threshold Justice Michael O’Bryan said consumers would need before a discount could reasonably be considered genuine.
The ACCC launched those proceedings against Coles and Woolworths in late 2024, amid broader scrutiny of supermarket pricing and cost-of-living pressures.
The regulatory heat has only intensified since: from today, the ACCC gains new powers under the Food and Grocery Code to monitor and investigate excessive pricing at retailers with annual revenue exceeding $30 billion – a threshold that captures only Coles and Woolworths.
The regulatory path
Coles, Australia’s second-largest supermarket chain, with 860 stores nationally, notified the ACCC of the proposed Kalgoorlie acquisition in November 2025, ahead of the mandatory notification regime that came into effect on 1 January 2026.
The ACCC escalated the matter to a Phase 2 assessment in January 2026 after its initial review raised concerns.
Under Australia’s merger control regime, Coles and Woolworths are required to notify the ACCC of any supermarket acquisition or land interest above a certain size, regardless of standard monetary thresholds.
Phase 2 assessments must be completed within 90 business days, unless extended.
“Based on our assessment of all of the material before us, we are satisfied that there is a real commercial likelihood that Coles’ proposed acquisition would substantially lessen competition in Kalgoorlie in the longer-term, to the overall detriment of consumers,” Keogh said.
The full Phase 2 Determination is available on the ACCC’s acquisitions register.
Main image: The current Coles in Kalgoorlie
'I WAS fired': Lisa Wilkinson posts after Karl Stefanovic's Today exit
Former Today co-host Lisa Wilkinson has posted about Karl Stefanovic‘s dramatic exit from the show, sharing a pointed satirical video that compares his departure with her own high-profile end with Nine.
Wilkinson, 66, took to Instagram on Monday to repost a video by comedian Henry Bretz titled “Karl Stefanovic on Lisa Wilkinson”.
In the humorous clip, Bretz mimics Stefanovic, and says:
“So I get fired for speaking my mind, but let me ask you this: Lisa Wilkinson, when she was going on and on about all that women’s s***, was she fired? She wasn’t. Makes me so angry. What’s going on here?”
Wilkinson wrote in the caption, “This is hilarious. The brilliant (Henry Bretz)”, followed by several laughing emojis.
She added: “Hey, hang on, I WAS fired for going on about all that ‘women’s s***’”.
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Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic
Wilkinson and Stefanovic co-hosted Today between 2007 and 2017 before she also dramatically departed over a contract dispute.
Wilkinson was reportedly earning $1.1 million a year, while Stefanovic was on $2 million.
The reported $900,000 gap finally narrowed as Nine reportedly offered Wilkinson an annual package of $1.8 million.
However, Wilkinson amidst the high tension left Nine for Network 10, where she joined The Project until late 2022.
The former co-hosts reunited recently when she returned to Today to promote her new book.
Ahead of the appearance, Wilkinson said, “After more than eight years away from the Today show, I’ll be back at the desk with Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo talking about my new book, all things Titanic and Evelyn Marsden… with maybe a little reminiscing thrown in for good measure.”
ARN Media sells Cody Hong Kong for A$5.6 million
ARN Media Limited has agreed to sell its Hong Kong out-of-home advertising business, Cody HK, to DFI Retail Group for about A$5.6 million.
The transaction covers Cody Outdoor International (Hong Kong) Limited and Buspak Advertising (Hong Kong) Limited. ARN said the sale forms part of its plan to exit the Hong Kong out-of-home sector and focus on its core Australian operations.
READ MORE: The most explosive moments from Kyle Sandilands’ GameChangers tell-all
The company announced in 2025 that it intended to leave the Hong Kong out-of-home market. Completion of the sale is expected in the second half of 2026, subject to third-party consents and customary completion adjustments.
What the Cody HK sale means for ARN
ARN said the sale will divest a non-core asset and support its strategy to become Australia’s leading digitally driven entertainment business.
The sale consideration will be paid 75 per cent up front, equal to about A$4.2 million, with the remaining 25 per cent, about A$1.4 million, due 12 months after completion. Net proceeds will be applied to net debt.
ARN also said the sale will release A$30.5 million in bank guarantees once the transaction is completed.
Michael Stephenson, chief executive officer of ARN Media, said: “The sale of Cody HK is an important step in simplifying ARN’s portfolio of assets.
“The divestment of this non-core asset further strengthens our balance sheet, allows us to focus on our Australian operations and supports the delivery of our long-term strategic plan.”
DFI Retail Group to acquire Cody HK
DFI Retail Group is an Asian retailer with a broad footprint across the region. It operates a diversified portfolio of retail formats and brands.
Cody HK operates out-of-home advertising assets in Hong Kong. The transaction will complete ARN’s planned exit from the sector.
News Australia opens national cadet program
News Australia has opened applications for its National Editorial Cadet Program, offering 30 paid positions across its metropolitan and regional newsrooms.
The 12-month program is designed to give early-career journalists experience across digital, audio, social and print platforms. Cadets will work across at least four newsrooms, including regional and metropolitan mastheads.
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Positions are available across News Australia titles including The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier-Mail, The Advertiser and news.com.au.
What the cadet program includes
The program begins with a two-week induction covering national newsrooms, editorial purpose and the fundamentals of journalism.
Cadets will then take part in newsroom rotations, hands-on reporting and professional development. Training will include investigative techniques, legal training and the use of AI tools.
News Australia said the program reflects its investment in journalists who will serve communities across the country. The publisher reaches more than 18 million Australians each month, according to Roy Morgan iris data for the 12 months ending March 2026, P14+.
Chris Jones, Editor of The Courier-Mail, began his career as a cadet at the masthead 27 years ago.
“Our purpose is to tell the stories that matter and that requires investment in the journalists who will tell them,” Jones said.
“This program gives cadets the foundations, the mentorship and the real-world experience to tell stories that make a difference to their communities.”
Chris Jones, Editor of The Courier-Mail
Where roles are available
Cadet positions are available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart, Cairns, Townsville, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Gold Coast and Geelong.
Applications for the National Editorial Cadet Program close on Friday July 31, 2026.
Top image: News Corp Australia Cadets 2025-2026
Endemol Shine Australia appoints Amber Brown as Commercial Director
Endemol Shine Australia (ESA) has named Amber Brown as its new Commercial Director, effective immediately, as the Banijay Entertainment-owned production company looks to accelerate growth across its content slate and into new revenue streams.
Brown joins ESA’s executive management team in Sydney, bringing more than 20 years of experience across media, entertainment, and technology.
Her career spans senior commercial and partnership roles at BBC Studios, Uber, Meta, Fremantle, Nine, and Publicis – a mix of agency, network, production, and tech sector experience that ESA says positions her to expand the company’s commercial footprint.
She will report directly to ESA chief executive Peter Newman.
Brown’s background
Brown’s career has centred on the intersection of premium content, brands, and audiences.
Her previous roles involved developing growth strategies, commercialising intellectual property, negotiating strategic partnerships, and delivering marketing and consumer engagement initiatives across local and global markets.
Newman said the appointment reflects the company’s investment in senior talent as the content landscape shifts.
“We are thrilled to welcome Amber as our new Commercial Director,” Newman said.
“As the content landscape continues to evolve, Amber brings the strategic vision, industry relationships and commercial expertise to further drive our next phase of growth. We are excited to have Amber join the team and look forward to the contribution she will make as we build on our strong creative reputation and pursue exciting new opportunities both locally and internationally.”
On the opportunity
Brown said the current market presents an expanded window for premium intellectual property.
“Great intellectual property has never had more potential than it does today,” Brown said.
“Audiences are engaging with content across more platforms and experiences than ever before, creating exciting opportunities to extend the reach and value of premium entertainment brands.
“Endemol Shine Australia has an incredible creative legacy, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to build innovative partnerships and commercial opportunities that support our productions while creating meaningful value for brands, audiences and the business.”
Ex-Sony duo reunite as Gevert joins Tasker's boutique agency
Annette Gevert has joined Bronwyn Tasker PR as Senior Publicist & Promotions Manager, reuniting former Sony Music Australia colleagues at the boutique agency.
Gevert’s appointment was first reported by The Music Network, and it marks her first confirmed role since departing Sony Music Australia last year.
She joins founder Bron Tasker, who launched the independent PR agency after her own exit from the major label.
Gevert brings nearly 20 years of experience across the Australian music industry, with an extensive background in publicity, promotions, artist relations and campaign strategy.
READ MORE: Former Sony Music publicist Bron Tasker launches boutique agency
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Most recently, she spent six years at Sony Music Australia, first joining as Alternative Radio Manager before taking on the role of Promotions Manager.
Gevert has also previously held positions at Positive Feedback, Secret Sounds, Mushroom Group and Warner Music.
“I’ve admired Bronwyn’s work for years. She has already grown her roster to include some of Australia’s premier acts, and the chance to help build something from the ground up with her was too good to pass up,” Gevert said.
“I’m excited to bring my relationships and experience to the artists and teams we work with, and to be part of this next chapter.”
Meanwhile, Tasker, who worked as Sony Music’s Senior Publicist, launched the agency in March and already boasts a roster that includes Amber Lawrence, Dami Im, Eskimo Joe, Kaylee Bell, Katie Noonan, Leigh-Anne, and Lenka.
Tasker said Gevert’s appointment represents a milestone moment for the company.
“Annette is one of the most respected and genuinely well-liked people in this industry. Her relationships and work ethic are second to none, and I’m incredibly excited to welcome her to Bronwyn Tasker PR as we continue to grow,” she said.
“Having worked closely together at Sony Music for many years, I know just how talented, hardworking and trusted Annette is. We’ve always had a fantastic working relationship and bringing her into the business felt like a very natural fit.
“She brings a wealth of experience across promotions, publicity and artist relations, along with a deep understanding of the industry and the people in it. I know our artists and clients will benefit enormously from having her on the team.”
Main image: Annette Gevert
Omnicom Media names Trumble Planning Director across OMD WA and Initiative
Omnicom Media has named Molly Trumble as Planning Director across OMD WA and Initiative, a newly created role designed to unify strategic planning across both agencies in Western Australia.
The appointment, announced on 1 July 2026, gives Omnicom Media a dedicated planning lead in its WA operations for the first time, with Trumble responsible for developing communications strategies across the group’s Perth-based client portfolio.
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Unified approach to WA planning
Omnicom Media said the role reinforces its integrated planning model, with Trumble tasked with driving consistency and effectiveness across OMD WA and Initiative. Her remit includes activating emerging channels and developing solutions for clients in the state.
Adam Marshall, Omnicom WA CEO, said the appointment strengthened the group’s planning capability across both agencies.
“Molly brings a rare combination of strategic depth and creative insight,” said Marshall. “Her appointment strengthens our planning capability across both OMD and Initiative and reinforces our commitment to delivering cutting-edge thinking for our clients in Western Australia.”
Paige English, Head of Initiative Perth, said Trumble had demonstrated an ability to translate data into actionable ideas since joining the agency.
“Molly’s impact across Initiative has been clear from day one; she has an exceptional ability to translate a sea of data into ideas that feel both innovative and genuinely useful for clients,” said English.
“Molly’s new role will give OMD WA & Initiative clients a dedicated planning resource that will consistently raise the bar on what great planning looks like in the WA market.”
Full-circle moment for Trumble
Trumble began her career at OMD before moving to Initiative, making the cross-agency planning role a return of sorts to her professional origins.
“I’m excited and privileged to step into a role that celebrates the strengths of both the Initiative & OMD, where I started my career,” said Trumble.
“This is an incredible full-circle opportunity for me to harness all aspects of Omnicom’s offering and craft communications strategies that truly resonate with WA audiences. I’m looking forward to creating insight-led and effective plans that deliver real impact for our clients.”
Mudgee Region Tourism launches free third-night offer to extend visitor stays
Mudgee Region Tourism has launched what it is calling Australia’s first “Rest Rebate” – a campaign mechanic that offers travellers a complimentary third night when they book a Friday and Saturday stay at participating accommodation providers across the Mudgee Region.
Developed in partnership with creative agency We Scout and informed by behavioural science principles, the initiative is designed to shift traveller behaviour rather than simply drive volume. The campaign premise rests on the idea that meaningful rest requires more than a standard two-night getaway.
The offering is available across June, July, and August at 12 participating properties across Mudgee, Gulgong, Kandos, and Rylstone.
The research behind the campaign
The Rest Rebate follows nationally representative research conducted in June 2026 showing 64% of Australians return from holidays feeling more tired than when they left – a finding the campaign’s architects say exposes a structural flaw in the traditional short getaway.
Mudgee Region Tourism chief marketing officer Beau Kassas said the campaign represented a deliberate departure from conventional destination marketing.
Beau Kassas
“Tourism marketing has traditionally focused on convincing people to take a break. We wanted to challenge the way Australians take breaks in the first place,” Kassas said.
“The Rest Rebate creates value for travellers and operators at the same time. If people stay longer, they experience more of the region, local businesses benefit, and visitors leave genuinely feeling restored. That’s a far more meaningful outcome than simply driving another booking.”
The campaign is rolling out across PR, digital, radio, and television.
Further information is available at visitmudgeeregion.com.au/restrebate.