Murray Olds: Australian Correspondent on the death of Australian child star in the LA fires, Sydney synagogue arson, and the father son duo that made the news in the Big Bash cricket.

Australian and British former child star Rory Sykes has died in the wildfires tearing through Los Angeles. 

The actor appeared on Kiddy Kapers in 1998. 

His mother said she tried to put out the flames on her sons property but was unable to due to a lack of water. 

Australian Correspondent joins the show to discuss the stars death, Sydney police searching for two people attempting to burn down a synagogue, and the dad that caught the six off the bowling of his son in the Big Bash cricket. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
After Australia Now Murray Old's good morning, Good morning me
oh mate, house things, Oh I'm not too bad.

Speaker 3 (00:22):
An Australian and British. British former child stars died and
the wild fires which have been tearing from through Los Angeles.

Speaker 4 (00:30):
Yeah, terrible story. This His name Rory Sykes. He's thirty
two years old and he was on our television screens
in the nineties. His mum hosted a show called Kiddy
Capers and Rory was on the show with his mother.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
He was born with cerebral palsy.

Speaker 4 (00:47):
Mum was in a car crash as she was pregnant,
and so he was living with cerebral palsy. Lived with
mum in LA on the family state, I think Malibu.
It was a pretty big estate. And anyway, the fires
were sweeping through Los Angeles, wasn't dreadful dreadful images And

(01:09):
the young man is living out the back of mum's
house and this you know, self contained.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Sort of granny flat if you like.

Speaker 4 (01:16):
Anyway, there's an ember landed on the roof as has
happened so frequently across Los Angeles. And she's out there
trying to put it out, but the water either doesn't
go or runs out. She's got a broken arm after
a recent car accident. Apparently she can't lift her son
with one arm, so she's jumped in the car, rushed

(01:38):
off to try and find some firefighters to come and
give her a hand. But the time they get back,
the place is burnt.

Speaker 2 (01:45):
To the ground. So he's lost his life.

Speaker 4 (01:49):
And I've heard her speaking about her son last night
and this morning, and it's just heartbreak for the poor woman.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
She just she.

Speaker 4 (01:59):
Did her best, and you know, it just wasn't it
wasn't enough for the young man.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
And it's a dreadful story, poor thing, what a tragedy,
how awful.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
Oh, well, more idiots spraying graffiti and trying to burn
down synagogues.

Speaker 4 (02:14):
Oh, this is another dreadful story for a whole different reason.
But Sydney police now are searching for two people over
an arson attempt at the synagogue at Newtown, which is
in Sydney's inner suburbs in the Western Suburbs, early Saturday
morning about Habas four. They've got CCTV images of these
two freaks.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
The premiate had enough.

Speaker 4 (02:36):
He says, these people are quote unquote bastards who are
trying to divide the community. He's absolutely furious, so to
the Police commissioner. And this attack on the synagogue the
latest and a string of similar incidents. Last November, we
had a bunch of cars and buildings spray painted at
Willara in the Eastern Suburbs. In Newtowns, I say, Saturday morning,

(02:58):
red paint used to spray dreadful images and words on
the synagogue girl facade. One guy was riding a mountain bike,
the other a scooter. They've got some pretty good ima
by the way. And across the city at Queen's Park
a house in five Park cars got identical treatment. And
a Sydney synagogue down in the southern Suburbs was attacked

(03:19):
last Friday, So you know, leaders, this is another heartbreak.
There's a guy here in Sydney whose parents survived the Holocaust.
He's a very very old Jewish guy now and he says,
I mean, Australia is a wonderful country, but I have
to pray in a synagogue that's got bars and the
doors and windows.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
He said, what's going on. This is the twenty first century.
Can't we grow up a.

Speaker 3 (03:40):
Bit criky well onto something a little bit more positive?
I think a lot more positive. Really, A dad caught
six just quickly off the bowling of his son and
the big bass cricket's.

Speaker 4 (03:50):
This is Saturday night. I guess dad and son will
be discussing this forever. In a day, Adelaide over twenty
seven thousand people. Adelaide strikers against the Brisbane Heat six
is getting tonked all over the place. Fast bowler Lloyd
Haskett is making his debut, but he's getting carted. Fifteen
runs of his first over. He comes into bowl as
second third ball, another great big tonk into the crowd.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
Who catches it? His father.

Speaker 4 (04:16):
His father's caught the six off his son's bowling and
his second over his debut, no surprise. Apparently his father
was a crackerjack Australian rules football player, so he's got
great hand dawaike coordination. But just to be there twenty
seven thousand people and he.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
Picks out dad. I think it's a beautiful story. Was
there a prize? No, it's not prior.

Speaker 4 (04:38):
I mean he wasn't even allowed to keep the ball
for goodness that there would be a great family memento.

Speaker 3 (04:42):
It's nice to hear you celebrating some action from the
big best, because I'm not sure you're normally a fan
of that.

Speaker 2 (04:47):
Are you married?

Speaker 4 (04:47):
I'm not to be honest, I like test trick, but
you know, a story like that does across those boundaries,
my friend.

Speaker 2 (04:54):
Excellent.

Speaker 3 (04:55):
Hey, great to talk to Murray. Thanks very much. That's
Murray Ald's from Australia.

Speaker 1 (04:58):
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