Michael is joined each week by Aussie historian, author & entertainer Jim Haynes, for his unique knowledge of the not-so-famous characters from Australia’s history.

 

This week Jim shines the spotlight on Sir Henry Despard - His Inglorious Career

 

Born in 1784 in Devon, Henry Despard was an overbearing martinet seeming to have been the archetypal upper class twit!

 

His place in Australian colonial military history was established by major errors of judgement where his tactics were decades out of date and his attitude towards the lower classes, other races and lower ranks was mind-bogglingly snobbish and reactionary, even by the standards of his time!

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Michael McLaren has a weekly chat with Sue Dodd from the Sydney Markets about what bargains are on offer at the markets this week…

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Michael McLaren chats with Troy Lennon from the Daily Telegraph for the weekly history segment.

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Michael McLaren's weekly political chat with Terry Barnes

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Following NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet declaring he “believes in a big NSW”, Michael speaks to Dick Smith A.C., Entrepreneur, Businessman, Aviator, Philanthropist & adviser to the Sustainable Australia Party, who has been a long-time critic of high immigration and says the plan is ridiculous".  

 

Mr Smith said in Sky News last week, “Consider the long-term average immigration has been about 80,000 per year, and that’s given us the fantastic country we are now, to go to 400,000, it would take us to that 100 million population figure.”

 

“No one wants 100 million, it’s an arid country, we’d be crazy to go to that size.”

 

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Michael is joined by Sarah Boorer, Nine Radio Journalist & Country Women’s Association award-winning cook, to look at the world of baked goods, delicious treats and & easy recipes.

 

This week Sarah looks at Darrell Lea Honeycomb Rocky Road Cheesecake

 

Ingredients

 

Base

1 1/4 cups sweet biscuit crumbs (I used Milk Coffee) 

80 grams butter, melted 

1/4 cup desiccated coconut 

Darrell Lea Rocklea Road Honeycomb (or another type of your choice). This is used for the filling too. 

Filling

500g (one block) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup caster sugar 

3 teaspoons gelatine, dissolved in 1/4 cup of boiling water 

1 cup cream 

Juice from half a lemon (add rind if you'd like) 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

Combine crushed biscuits, melted butter and coconut. 

Chop 1-2 rows of chocolate and mix in. 

Press base into your desired pan, chill. 

Beat cream cheese and sugar using an electric mixer until smooth. 

Beat in gelatine mixture until just combined. 

Add cream, lemon juice (rind if using) and vanilla, beat until smooth. 

Chop the majority of your chocolate block (I saved an additional 1-2 rows to decorate at the end) and fold into your filling mixture. 

Pour mixture into your prepared pan, on top of the base and refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight. 

Decorate with remaining chocolate and serve immediately.  Fresh raspberries would also go nicely. 

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Michael is joined by John Blackburn AO, Air Vice-Marshal (Ret'd) / Chairman of the Institute for Integrated Economic Research – Australia, who has co-authored a report that criticises Australia's lack of leadership with Federal politics being too short-sighted and shallow to deal with 21st-century challenges.

 

Mr Blackburn says Australia simply lacks the mechanisms at a federal level to move forward.

 

"A complicating factor is that our Federation structure may have been fit for purpose a century ago, but it cannot deal with the constellation of challenges we face today," he said.

 

"Political reactions are too often too little, too late, and too short-sighted."

 

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Josh Dowling, CarAdvice National Motoring Editor, joins Michael with his views on reports that Mercedes-Benz dealers in Australia are taking legal action against the German car giant over a new fixed-price business structure.

 

Mr Dowling writes, ‘The introduction of a radical business structure that enables car companies to set fixed prices for new vehicles in Australia – removing the ability of customers to negotiate a deal and drive a bargain – is set to be tested in the Federal Court.’

 

‘The majority of Mercedes-Benz dealers across Australia – about 40 of the 50 dealer groups who operate 65 outlets nationally – have joined forces to take on the German car giant, launching legal action in the Federal Court after claiming they have been forced to accept new contract terms “with a gun to the head.”’

 

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