Hamilton charged for car stunt.

Lewis Hamilton, the British Formula 1 driver has been charged in Australia after doing a stunt in his silver Mercedes on a busy Australian road.

Hamilton, who had travelled to Australia for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, performed a ‘burnout’ for the benefit of fans who were lining the streets just outside the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne.

A burnout consists of accelerating heavily whilst on the brake, thus causing the wheels to spin. The resulting smoke is from the overheated tyres and friction. Unfortunately on this occasion the fans were not the only ones watching Hamilton and he was pulled over by Melbourne police who charged him with intentionally losing control of the car. His beloved silver Mercedes was also impounded and an embarrassed Hamilton had to call round for a lift back to his hotel.

After the incident Hamilton released a statement saying: “I was driving in an over-exuberant manner and, as a result, was stopped by the police,” He went on to apologise saying: “What I did was silly, and I want to apologise for it.”

A court date in Melbourne has now been set for August 24 but it is unclear whether Hamilton will travel to Australia for the hearing, especially as it comes just five days before the start of the Belgium Grand Prix.

He will be charged with ‘intentional loss of control of a motor vehicle’.

Two Twilight stars travel to Sydney, Australia.

Well here’s one for all the Twilight fans out there – two of the movie’s hottest stars, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner are travelling to Australia ahead of their new film’s release.

The Twilight films, starring British actor Robert Pattinson, have proved to be a global hit and now Twilight: Eclipse is due for cinematic release on July 1^st and all the indications are that the third film in the series will go down a storm with fans.

The two stars who will be travelling to Sydney are better known to their fans as human heroine Bella Swan and the werewolf Jacob Black. They will be participating in a Question and Answer session with fans at the aptly named Luna Park on May 31.

But if you can’t get to Sydney in time never fear – the event will be broadcast live in cinemas around the country. The Twilight pair will also be touring Sydney to promote the latest Twilight film so there is every chance you can catch up with them later, and by ‘catch up’ I mean ‘have a glimpse’ as their appearance Down Under is sure to attract a crowd of faithful fans!

Sydney has already been taken over by vampire fever before when Kellan Lutz who plays Emmett Cullen, and Edi Gathegi who plays Laurent, toured Sydney to celebrate the release of the Twilight DVD. Both Sydney and Melbourne held Twilight-themed proms back in April and some lucky fans got to meet the stars in person as they went around signing autographs for fans.

It’s not sure if Kristen and Taylor will be participating in a meet-and-greet with fans but surely the chance to ask your favourite movie stars those questions you’ve always pondered over is worth effort of getting to Sydney?

Happy Twilighting!

Tony Abbott says what we all knew about politicians and their promises.

So do politicians always say what they mean? Well not according to Tony Abbott, leader of the opposition in Australia who told a surprised TV interviewer that he often promises things in the heat of the moment that are not to be taken as the truth.

Many politicians would doubtless agree with him. Think of all the gaffes that have occurred with our world leaders for instance. Did Gordon Brown really think that Gillian Duffy was a bigot? However gaffes made in private (or when you think the microphone is switched off) is one thing, but doing an about turn on promises made in party politics is quite another – are we now to believe that these u-turns are nothing but comments made in the heat of the moment?

Mr Tony Abbott made a promise that no new taxes would be raised if his party came into power. However he now admits that plans are being made to levy a company tax in order to fund paid maternity leave if his party win the elections this year. In justifying this u-turn he explained in a televised interview that there is a distinction between what he says “in the heat of discussion” and in a carefully prepared statement.

He told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; “the statements that need to be taken absolutely as gospel truth is those carefully prepared, scripted remarks.”

“All of us, when we’re in the heat of verbal combat, so to speak, will sometimes say things that go a little bit further.”

So there you have it, you really cannot trust what a politician says unless it has been carefully worded for him, practised and rehearsed. What a good job Australia doesn’t do televised debates!

Meanwhile the media are declaring this gaffe as one that could haunt Mr Abbott’s election campaign just as Brown’s bigot gaffe did during the last days of the Labour campaign. But as one US journalist once stated; “a gaffe is when a politician tells the truth.”

The lingerie parade at Sexpo.

If you’re wanting to do something different this week and happen to be in Adelaide, why not bob along to Sexpo? – the world’s largest Sexuality and Adult Lifestyle Exhibition.

Obviously this exhibition is not one for families, but if you are open-minded and want to have fun, watch live shows and bag something a little different then this could be just up your street. Performers from all over the world will be descending on Adelaide this weekend to provide entertainment and education on the subject of sexuality and adult lifestyles.

The line-up boasts international pornstars, erotic performances, hypnotists, comedians, lingerie parades and of course their world famous amateur strip. You don’t have to be into porn to find something to suit here, there is some beautiful lingerie on display and unusual gifts to spice up your love life.

And girls, it’s not all about men (although there is a Lap Dancing room built inside Sexpo), there is also a VIDA Women’s Wonderland that is completely dedicated to women. From glamour photography to personal products and beauty treatments, you’ll leave this area feeling gorgeous and sensual. Oh and did I mention the male strippers?  – easy tiger!

Sexpo has already been creating quite a stir in Australia and in the UK thanks to one of their members who has a unique use for his, erm, member. Tim Patch who also goes by the name of Pricasso, has put a new meaning into the phrase a ‘hung Parliament’. The artist has been using a certain part of his appendage to paint the faces of Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg. He said he wanted to offer British voters a more intimate picture of the political leaders.

Tim says that far from making a dick of the leaders he merely wanted to show them in a new light. He has in the past painted The Queen, Tony Blair and Brad Pitt. The Queen usually picks a new painter each year to do her portrait, somehow I doubt Mr Patch will be in with much of a chance though. It isn’t certain if his portraits will be available for viewing at Sexpo, perhaps they’ve already been snapped up by Clegg and Cameron to hang on the walls of Number 10.

Sexpo also supports the McGrath Foundation dedicated to helping women diagnosed with breast cancer, so you can shop in full enjoyment knowing that some of your cash will be going towards this fantastic and very worthy charity.

So for a weekend you won’t forget in a hurry, head on over to the Adelaide Showrooms on Goodwood Road (you couldn’t get a more appropriate road name!). Bring lots of cash, an open-mind and a sense of humour!

The Robin Hood of old is very different to Russell Crowe's rugged portrayal.

Ridley Scott’s latest epic opened yesterday to thrilled moviegoers who had eagerly anticipated the latest modern version of Robin Hood, played by Australian actor Russell Crowe.

Some die-hard Robin Hood fans might baulk at the idea of an Australian playing the part of Nottingham’s hero, but Crowe is no stranger to playing the action hero, having been nominated for an Oscar for his role in Gladiator.

Crowe is also a fan of horses, having loved them from his youth growing up in New Zealand and then in Australia when his family emigrated there. He told CraveOnline about his special affinity with the horse; “They’re just like people, there are some horses that you have a deeper connection with immediately, and you can work on that over time.” So he’ll be right at home riding around Sherwood Forest.

Ridley Scott has a unique friendship with Russell Crowe, having directed him in The Gladiator, A Good Year and now Robin Hood. Whether or not Scott had any influence in the Australian being cast in the leading role is not known, but as the director it seems more than likely that Scott would have had Crowe in mind for the part.

Australians were amongst the first to see the new movie when it opened yesterday, ahead of screenings in America which only started today.

Have you seen Robin Hood? How well do you think Australian Russell Crowe coped with the part of a true English hero? Send us your comments below.

Osbourne makes her dislike of Australians clear.

British X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne has launched into an astonishing tirade against Australians on US television.

Sharon was in the US filming the eighth episode of Celebrity Apprentice when she was asked what she thought of Australians; she replied that they were “smug”. Her outburst comes after her very public dislike of Australian Dannii Minogue.

Celebrity Apprentice is a US TV show in which celebrities compete to prove themselves the best business team. The show is based on the winning format The Apprentice with Alan Sugar. Sharon Osbourne was one of the judges on the programme and was asked what she thought of Australian contestant, chef Curtis Stone. “He is very smug” she replied. When told by Cyndi Lauper that he was an Australian she drove the insult further replying; “Yeah I know. ‘Put another shrimp on the Barbie’. He is too smug for me.”

Ivanka Trump asked her if all Australians were like that, to which Osbourne replied; “Yeah, usually, yeah.”

Her comments will not endear her to the Australians who still remember her very public spat with Australian darling Dannii Minogue. The Star magazine reportedly said that when asked if she would offer congratulations to Dannii on her pregnancy, Osbourne spat back; “Hell no! I don’t like her. I don’t like her as a person; I don’t like what she represents, and I never will.”

Sharon Osbourne is no stranger to controversy and is well-known for her outbursts. She has managed to distance herself from many fellow celebrities in the past including Chris Tarrant and David Beckham’s mistress, Rebecca Loos. Sharon and Dannii’s mutual dislike of each other has been well publicised and was the reason Sharon left the X Factor in the UK.

Dannii Minogue is reportedly planning revenge against Sharon Osbourne by revealing a ‘warts and all’ account of their feud in her planned autobiography. Mrs Osbourne was equally scathing about this, saying that Dannii should “get a life and move on”.

However Dannii Minogue has so far refused to take on any of Mrs Osbourne’s insults. The pregnant Australian singer’s boyfriend Kris Smith was quizzed about the feud at a Sydney fashion show. He simply retorted that he had nothing to say to The Celebrity Apprentice judge. He also let slip the fact that he and girlfriend Dannii are planning an Australian upbringing for their baby. “It’s best to raise children in Australia because this is the country where the opportunities are.”

With a Hung Parliament looking likely after the UK General Election, many British families may agree with him.

Spiderman swoops in to save the day.

Police who were called to a shop robbery in Adelaide were in for a bit of a surprise when Spiderman, The Flash and a couple of Jedi Knights handed the robber over.

Michael Baulderstone is the owner of a comic book shop in Adelaide, Australia. To celebrate International Free Comic Day he was dressed up as spiderman whilst other browsers were also dressed as their favourite comic book superheroes.

Spiderman’s instincts kicked in when he spotted a man loitering near the X-Men section. Without any thought for his own safety our superhero confronted the robber and discovered an X-Men omnibus in his bag. The robber may have tried to make a hasty exit, but Spidey called upon his friends for assistance and the Jedi Knights sprang into action, blocking the doors whilst The Flash stood guard.

Spidey later recounted what happened to ITN: “I called to the Jedi to hold the door, The Flash kept things running, Spidey kept an eye on the thief until the cops came. It was a team effort.”

Perhaps the thief took the meaning of International Free Comic Book Day a little too literally. The day is held on the first Saturday of each month and participating comic book shops around the world give away free comic books – but that doesn’t mean that people can go in and help themselves like this man did. If they do they might just regret messing with superheroes.

Mr Baulderstone meanwhile is enjoying the free publicity his real life action story has attracted. Visitors to Australia might want to put the shop, in Adelaide’s Rundle Mall, on their tourist attractions list so they can meet up with a real hero. Just don’t expect to get a free comic book.

Crowe has voiced his support for the Queen.

Hollywood star Russell Crowe has entered the debate about Australia’s monarchy by lending his support to the Royalists.

Crowe, who is famous for his role in films such as Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind, was talking to a British newspaper about his love for the Queen and his own British identity: “You can call me a Kiwi or you can call me an Aussie but my family history on both sides is British and it goes back a long way. When you are talking about Queen Elizabeth, I don’t think there is a more gracious world leader.”

Crowe certainly does have an interesting family history. His great-great grandmother was of Maori descent whilst his paternal grandfather was born in Wales. His family also have roots in Scotland, England, Ireland and Norway. Crowe himself was born in Wellington, New Zealand and emigrated to Australia with his family at the age of four. He now lives in Australia permanently, shunning the Hollywood highlife.

On the subject of republicanism, Australians themselves seem undecided. A poll conducted in 2008 found that 45% support the idea of a republic Australia whilst 42% think it should remain a monarchy and 13% are undecided.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd once declared himself a committed republican, however even he has hesitated to take those first steps towards republicanism. In fact quite the opposite seems to be happening after he extended an invitation to Prince William to visit Australia earlier this year. Many people saw that as a growing indication that Rudd is keen to strengthen the bonds between Australia and the UK.

Meanwhile Russell Crowe extols the virtues of the Royal Family, calling both Prince Charles and Andrew “intelligent and kind men.” Mind you, Crowe is in Britain to try and promote his new film Robin Hood and what better way to generate a bit of publicity than to make flattering remarks about that country’s monarchy?

Whether his views will have any sway with the Australian people remains to be seen, but it doesn’t look like Australia is ready to cut her ties with the UK any time soon.

Robertson plays for Australia in the snooker championship final.

Will Neil Robertson be the man credited with bringing snooker to Australia? Robertson became the first Australian to reach a crucible final in snooker yesterday. The last time an Australian reached a World Championship final was 35 years ago in 1975.

Robertson, who travelled from Melbourne to play, defeated Ali Carter in the semi-finals 17-12 and is now up against Scotsman Graeme Dott. The final will take part in Sheffield today.

Robertson’s story really is an example of triumph over adversity. When his parents realised their son’s talent they scrimped and saved all their spare cash in order to support him. He left school early in order to follow his dream but reveals that he nearly gave it all up; “I came really close to quitting… I wasn’t as dedicated as I should have been.”

He travelled from Australia to the UK to take part in the World Championship in 1999 when he was just 17 years old. He recalls that he only had £500 in his pocket and had to borrow a waistcoat from a friend. It was worth it though as he reached the third qualifying round then and went on to win the World Under-21 Snooker Championship in New Zealand.  However he has struggled to maintain his success.

He will now have to hope that his good recent form continues in the final of the World Championship today where he will have to play the game of his life. If he wins it would be the first time an Australian has won the snooker Championships and will no doubt inspire many an amateur player in Australia, perhaps even re-kindling the sport’s popularity Down Under.

However you could forgive him for seeming distracted today, his Norwegian girlfriend is due to give birth today. Robertson may have double celebrations if all goes well.

One downer though is that his mother, who has supported him all through his career, has not been able to see her son play. She was due to travel from Australia to support him, but the ash cloud has prevented her from travelling so his family will simply have to cheer him on from their homes.

The wallaby - much cuter than your average lawnmower.

Wallabies along with kangaroos may be national symbols of Australia but they’re proving very useful in the leafy suburbs of the UK too.

Home owners in the UK who are fed up of spending their weekends mowing their immaculate lawns are turning to one of Australia’s iconic wildlife instead and in a trend that is growing across the UK, the humble wallaby is proving to be a most useful gardener.

One UK breeder of wallabies is Trevor Lay of Waveney Wildlife in Suffolk, he told The Times newspaper that he has been breeding wallabies for 25 years and has seen demand grow for the cuddly marsupial in recent years. He normally supplies zoos and animal parks across Britain, Europe and the Middle East however now he has started to supply individuals after getting enquires from keen gardeners.

“It’s crazy” he told The Times, “To be honest if I had 100 I could easily get rid of them.” His experiences are held up by other UK wallaby breeders who confirm that demand for them with individual households are rising. One Norfolk farmer sold out of his stock of wallabies!

Wallabies do seem to make the perfect pet, they keep the lawn down and are low maintenance; they are also adorable! However they are notoriously shy so perhaps not so good if your children want to pick them up and cuddle them. Anyone thinking of splashing out on such a pet had better dig deep though, males go for around £150 whilst females can fetch up to £700 – and don’t think you can get away with just buying one, most breeders won’t sell single wallabies because the animals are essentially group animals and would pine if kept alone.

Wild British wallabies can also be seen roaming the countryside of the Peak District, thanks to one Captain Courtney Brocklehurst, a Staffordshire landowner who ordered the release back into the wild of all the animals kept in his private menagerie after his death. That resulted in five red-necked wallabies being released into the surrounding countryside where they successfully bred.

Could this see a trend for British gardeners in ditching the lawnmower for the humble Australian wallaby? A garden full of wallabies is not a usual sight in rain-soaked Britain, but if the idea catches on it could prove to be Australia’s most useful export yet – well almost!