7 Wednesday news bites (24 August)

A homophobic politician’s secret gay brother. A faked TV news report. A Warnie-Hurley wedding. Here are the seven news bites you need to know to keep you in the loop this Wednesday morning brought to you by Rick and Bec.

1. Carl Katter speaks of his disgust

This past week we watched Bob Katter address the ‘Don’t Meddle With Marriage’ rally at Parliament House’s Great Hall in Canberra saying that the very idea of gay marriage should be ‘ridiculed’ and was a notion that should not be taken seriously.

Little did the nation know those barbed remarks hit close to home. Bob Katter Senior, his father, had another son called Carl who lived with being gay throughout his childhood and adolescence in Far North Queensland. He’s never said anything about his half-brother’s view on gay marriage until now, saying his opinion could not go unchallenged.

Watch the interview below and tell us what you think. It might never change Bob Katter’s views – that much remains clear – but it certainly throws into sharp relief the human collateral damage of the debate.

2. It’s over: Gaddafi’s regime crumbles

There were celebrations in the streets of Tripoli today as rebels took control of Muammar Gaddafi’s heavily fortified Bab al-Aziziya compound and headquarters in Tripoli after a day of heavy conflict. As the defenders fled, the whereabouts of Gaddafi and his family are unknown.

3. Channel Nine admits to faking live crosses to Morcombe site.

Channel Nine Brisbane is red-faced this morning after it was revealed the station faked two of its live crosses to the Daniel Morcombe search site.  Last weekend when newsreader Eva Milic crossed to the Nine helicopter it was claimed the chopper was hovering over the Beerwah site. In reality it was circling the leafy Brisbane suburb of Chapel Hill. The next day the ‘live cross’ occurred while the helicopter was still sitting on the helipad at the Nine Studios — rotor blades whirring for effect. The network said it has launched a “thorough investigation into all the facts surrounding these reports.”

4. Confirmed: Amy Winehouse had no illegal drugs in her system at time of death.

In news that supports her father’s claims that she had kicked her illegal drug habit, a toxicology report has revealed that singer Amy Winehouse did not have illegal drugs in her system when she died.  A spokesman for the singer’s family said: “Results indicate that alcohol was present but it cannot be determined as yet if it played a role in her death.”  Winehouse, 27, was found dead in her London home on 23 July.

5. Police to investigate MP Craig Thomson.

Despite continuing to reject any claims of wrong-doing, last night Labor MP Craig Thomson stepped down from his role as chair of the powerful economics committee. Meanwhile police are set to investigate the embattled backbencher’s misuse of a union credit card.

As previously reported Thomson is facing allegations he breached electoral laws after spending nearly $40,000 on his 2007 campaign using his union credit card. Mr Thomson is already facing an investigation by Fair Work Australia over his authorisation of the use of a union credit card to pay for prostitutes while he was in charge of the Health Services Union.

6. Sydney, Melbourne aiport parking more expensive than New York or Paris.

In news that will shock, well, nobody its been revealed that the hourly rate of parking at Sydney and Melbourne airports is significantly more expensive than airport parking in New York, Paris or Frankfurt. According to the story in the Sydney Morning Herald, to park all day at Melbourne and Sydney airports is more than three times expensive to do so at Hong Kong and Singapore.

7. Warnie pops the question to Hurley.

Apparently. According to London’s Daily Star, Aussie cricket king Shane Warne (41) proposed to actress Liz Hurley (46) during a Spanish cruise.  The loved-up pair, whose romance was revealed last December, are reportedly planning an Aussie wedding before the end of the year.  In recent months Warne has lost more than 12 kilograms and has been sporting a sleek, tanned new look.

8. Myer’s ‘plus’ size fashion show slammed for encouraging unhealthy weights

The Fashion Festival Sydney showcased a range of size 16-24 fashion from Myer yesterday, with models hitting the catwalk and replacing the traditional, thinner clotheshorses. A piece in the Australian was then written slamming the show for featuring obese models. Here’s a taste: “Fashion models should not be confused with role models, which is difficult to avoid with the attention given to the fame and fortunes of Jennifer Hawkins and Miranda Kerr. There are no rallies for plus-size male models or complaints that Dior Homme does not make size 40 waist jeans because most men have escaped this cultural curse. Models have always been thin and tall because clothes look better on them.” Ouch. Thoughts? We’ve included a gallery below.