PM: Ex-Home And Away Star Admits Assault & Airport Staff Busted helping Drug Smugglers

The Quicky news update for Monday, July 1st 2024

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CREDITS 

Host/Producer: Kim Braddish

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
You're listening to a Muma Mea podcast. Mamma Mea acknowledges
the traditional owners of land and waters that this podcast
is recorded on Hi. I'm Kimberly Braddish from Momma MEA's
daily news podcast, The Quickie with Your Headlines. So Monday,
the first of July, a former Home and awayta has
admitted assaulting a woman, dragging her by the hair and

(00:33):
stomping on her head. Thirty one year old Orpheus Pledger
faced court today in Melbourne via video link, pleading guilty
to repeatedly assaulting the woman in March. He was bailed
on April twenty two on the condition he undergo a
court ordered mental health assessment, but he absconded from the
hospital the next morning and led police on a three

(00:53):
day man hunt. Mister Pledger, who appeared on Home and
Away between twenty sixteen and twenty nineteen, remained silent on
Monday morning as details of the violent assaults were read
to the court, including that he kicked and punched the
victim in the face after she raised concerns about his
drug use and declining mental health. She was taken to
hospital with multiple bruises and cuts to her face and neck,

(01:15):
with the marks matching the soul of Pledge's shoe. His
lawyers say there's no excuse for his actions, but stated
that Pledger's mental health had declined and the use of
methamphetamine increased after he was rejected from a role in
the US television series The one hundred. He is due
to be sentenced on Wednesday. If this story has affected you,
call one eight hundred respect or lifeline. On thirteen eleven fourteen,

(01:39):
dozens of Melbourne Airport staff have been accused of working
for organized criminals attempting to smuggle drugs into Victoria. Following
a Border Force investigation, it discovered seventy staff at Melbourne
Airport had breached security checks over the past year, including
some suspected of working within organized crime. According to Borderforce,

(02:00):
airline crew engaged in illicit drug use as well as
distributing illegal drugs in Australia. Two international crew members were
found to be under the influence of drugs while on duty,
which led to the cancelation of at least one visa
to Australia. A failure to stamp out gambling advertising has
been labeled an embarrassment for the federal government amid a

(02:21):
fresh push to ban the promotions. Cross Bench MPs have
reiterated calls for the government to ban betting ads one
year on from a landmark review which called for a
phasing out of the advertising. South Australian MP Rebecca Sharky
says a lack of government action since the report was
handed down was contributing to social harm, saying the industry

(02:41):
is grooming children and young people through partnerships with sport,
but in the intervening twelve months there has been very
little conversation and very very little action. The Review into
Gambling made thirty one recommendations, mainly being a three year
phase out of gambling ads to allow sporting codes to
find replacement revenue. And Cam Davis is crediting hypnotherapy sessions

(03:06):
for dragging him out of a golfing slump and back
into the PEACEA Tours winners circle. Davis held his nerve
after enduring a series of bad breaks down the stretch
to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit for the
second time in three years, with fellow Australian Minwu Lee
finishing in a four way tie for second and emotional.
Davis was reduced to tears after closing with a final

(03:28):
round two under pass seventy. The victory continues a roller
coaster season for the Sydney sider, who missed the US
Open cut two weeks ago and hasn't finished higher than
tied for thirty eight in seven events since sharing twelve
at the Masters in April. That's your latest news headlines.
On tomorrow's episode of The Quickie, we learn what it
means to cross the floor of Australia's Parliament. Last week,

(03:49):
Labor Senator Fatima Paine voted against the party line, and
she's already faced the consequences of doing so. We'll find
out what's in store next for the senator. Listen to
The Quickie wherever you get your podcasts.