The Jane Marwick Show

February rain means the guys are out spraying weeds and spreading lime. They talk to Jane about the importance of soil testing and forward planning as they review the 2020 season.  Raelene and Jane talk about the growing trend in extravagant children’s parties designed for adults, and the decision by Facebook to ban news from Australian sites in response to the Federal government’s legislation which will force the social media giant to pay providers when it uses their news in Australia. Sam’s been to a nail salon, Julian is having fun with his wife Dale’s new gelding, and Brad is tapping out each day, riding on his mountain bike in a conscious effort to get fit and enjoy life away from too much negativity and news, and looking forward to taking his son out from boarding school. Leigh is slowly turning his home into a five-star resort while Tony has leased some more land to run sheep, and is planning an afternoon of Lego with his boys.

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Thirty-year-old Lincoln McLeod and his parents Neil and Coralie run the highly regarded McLeod’s Tours from Margaret River. They, along with their employees Jon and Kumi Arnold are passionate about giving tourists a memorable and quality experience. But, due to border closures, this small family business has seen its income plumet by 70 per cent. Only the Federal government’s JobKeeper payment has kept McLeod’s Tours afloat, enabling them to continue to employ Jon and Kumi. An at times emotional Lincoln speaks to Jane about the devastating impact that border closures have had on the business that his parents have built up over 35 years.

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As a member of the 92.9 Morning Crew, Bernie Brittain had Perth crying with laughter. His impersonations are the stuff of legend. Now a resident of Melbourne, Bernie talks to Jane abut emerging from the COVID-19 lockdown in his home town, why he left the USA and reveals the planning and work that went into his legendary Crazy Calls.

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As the year draws to a close, the crew are looking forward to a break and are pleasantly surprised by some of aspects of harvest. With low expectations for the 2020 crop, there has finally been some good news, although an article in the Financial Review titled “When will farmers escape their dependency mentality?” has rubbed everyone up the wrong way. Raelene is off the station and has just attended her first exercise class while we catch up with Brad as he is about to fly out from Perth to see his mum in Queensland.

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James Morrow is in hotel quarantine after his trip to the USA to cover the US Presidential election. Here he shares his thoughts on President Trump, hotel quarantine, a COVID vaccine, on Gladys Berejiklian’s COVID test, on WA’s hard border and the Commonwealth’s largesse.

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Jeff Moss is still desperate to get back to WA to see his 7-year-old daughter Cadence. He hasn’t seen her for 10 long months. He is leaving a job he loves to move to Perth. He had planned to drive across from regional NSW but those plans have been dashed because he cannot drive through South Australia.  Hear about the trails and tribulations of negotiating WA’s G2G pass border application process. And while every effort is made to mitigate the physical health risks associated with COVID-19, what about the mental health of people like Jeff who need to see their children. And a little girl who wants to see her dad.

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Chris Kenny is host of The Kenny Report on Sky News and associate editor at The Australian newspaper. Having just retuned from the United States where he covered the US Presidential election, Chris shares his observations regarding the way that nation is handling the Covid-19 pandemic. But as the border between South Australia and Western Australia is reinstated after an outbreak of the virus, Chris and Jane discuss the sustainability of such action. Can Australia as a nation learn to live with the virus? And what about those who suffer privation and heartache as a result of sudden decisions by premiers? And when did people become selfish and lose compassion for their fellow Australians?

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It is harvest time. Sam has been contract cutting and baling hay, but its not all beer and skittles – breakdowns are the bane of his life. WA’s borders are coming down and Brad is excited – soon he will be off to Queensland to see his mum. Leigh advertised for a worker between the end of October and Christmas - 15 WA applicants but no-one really wanted the job, just JobSeeker by the look of it, so who dies he end up hiring? Tony White’s remarkable parents have hosted a country music muster, and Tony, our resident party boy gives us a report - plus he’s got a monster new shed to store this season’s hay. Interestingly, he bought his new shed from Jane’s cousin – but has Jane done the same for her shed? Raelene and Jane talk about Group Settlers and the hardships and privations they endured, plus they ask – is WA Covid ready? Meanwhile Julian has bought his wife Dale a horse, and he talks about running a cropping only operation versus mixed farming. Does he miss having livestock or will Dale’s new horse fill that gap? And Jane has got a caravan. She is set.

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Jeffery James Moss hasn’t seen his seven-year-old daughter Cadence for nine months. His fifth application to travel from a town in regional NSW to Western Australia where his little girl lives with her mother, has been rejected. Jeff is so desperate to see his daughter that he is prepared to give up his job, pack up his home and move back to WA. His skill set is varied, having worked in geospatial information regarding bushfire risk and research analysis in Western Australia. He now works as a cook in hospitality and is acutely aware of sanisiting and social distancing measures. He doesn’t want to be a burden on the State or the taxpayers of Western Australia and is working extra shifts to fund various contingencies. Like so many others, Jeff wonders why his applications to travel into the state are continually rejected. This is the human story of the impact that WA’s so-called hard borders are having on families. Jeff needs to be with his daughter “There’s nothing more important right now than to be in my daugther’s life”.

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It’s the business end of the season. As a hay contractor, Sam is busy trying to get his new baler to behave, Julian has had the time of his life at the Mt Magnet races, but as one of a group of people at the OBH on the Australia Day weekend in 1996 when Sarah Spiers, who he knew, went missing. He and Jane, who was the first person in the media to report that Sarah was missing, share their thoughts about the trial of Bradley Robert Edwards, known as the Claremont Serial Killer. Raelene is thrilled that Meekatharra now has a new, purpose built facility, Tony has finished his hay and is off to the Moora races, Brad is finishing off spraying and getting ready for harvest in a few days, while Leigh, ably assisted by 11 year old Jimmy, has managed to get the shearing done, and dug a great big hole.  Plus Jane and her husband have bought a bit of land “darn sarth”, realising a life long ambition to have their own little farm.

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