Increasing numbers of Australians are falling into the debt trap fueled by credit cards and Buy Now Pay Later schemes.

The National Debt Line received calls for help from more than 179,000 people last financial year and numbers have increased by 75% since 2013.

Financial Counselling Australia’s CEO Fiona Guthrie tells Mark the free government-funded financial counselling service is now basically at capacity.

National Debt Helpline:

1800 007 007

http://www.ndh.org.au/

Looking for something to do this weekend?

Olympia has got you covered with some great suggestions, brought to you by The Good Feet Store.

Four time world champion Nat Young is a surfing god but he says like every other surfer he worships in the Church Of The Open Sky.

It’s also the name of his latest book which delves into the world of surfing, how and why it becomes cult-like and the many characters involved.

Nat also opens up for the first time (and possibly the last) about his long running feud with the late Midget Farrelly.

Nat joined Mark in the studio.

There are some 1,000 Men’s Sheds in Australia so being named Australia’s best is no small achievement, especially when you consider the award is only presented every two years.

The Buderim Men’s Shed was this week named Australia’s Shed Of The Year at the association’s 8th National Gathering.

The Budermin Shed only began in 2011 and local president Barry Cheales tells Mark that what sets it apart is that fact that it’s created a permanent home with not one, but three sheds.

https://mensshed.org/

Birdsville is about as outback as it gets, so it might not seem the natural place to stage a music festival.

However it’s the natural setting that has seen the annual Big Red Bash grow from almost nothing five years ago to a festival that sold out this year attracting 9,000 fans to the edge of the Simpson Desert.

It’s expected to sell out again in 2020 following the announcement of next year’s lineup.

Among those who’ll play in the shadow of a 40 metre high sand dune are names including Paul Kelly, Tim Finn, John Williamson, Ian Moss and Wendy Matthews.

Wendy tells Mark she’s excited about the prospect of performing in the desert.

www.bigredbash.com.au

Spring has sprung and the flutter of little wings is beginning to fill magpie nests across southeast Queensland.

Spring also means the start of swooping season and overprotective fathers try to see off anything, or anyone, they perceive as a threat.

Urban ecologist Professor Daryl Jones from Griffith University tells Mark while only about 10 per cent of magpies swoop, they never forget a face.

After eight days of continuous toil volunteer bushfire fighters across Queensland are getting some well earned rest as interstate crews come in to relieve them.

However, the break will be short lived with conditions set to deteriorate over the weekend and the prospect of extreme conditions returning mid next week.

Fire authorities warn it’s an extremely early start to bushfire season in Queensland and it promises to be a long hot summer with little prospect of rain.

QFES Acting Deputy Commissioner Neil Gallant tells Mark it will mean commanders will need to be careful about the demands put on volunteers.

Southeast Queensland is “ahead of the pack” to host the 2032 Olympics, at least according to one of the key members of a top level delegation that has met with IOC President Thomas Bach.

The delegation was in Switzerland to learn from Olympic officials what they now expect under new rules designed to make it easier and cheaper to host a games.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s representative on the delegation is Sunshine Coast MP Ted O’Brien and he tells Mark southeast Queensland is already ahead of the game.

The new Aussie film Ride Like A Girl is movie of firsts.

It tells the story of jockey Michelle Payne, the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup, while the film is the first as a director for Aussie actor Rachel Griffiths.

Michelle and Rachel joined Mark ahead of preview screenings in Brisbane and Michelle tells Mark it was exhausting watching herself race on the big screen.

Ride Like A Girl opens on the 26th of September

The annual Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers promises to be in fine voice this year with the addition for the first time of a Carnival Choir.

The choir will perform at the Festival of Food and Wine in Queens Park just ahead of the headline act, John Farnham.

It will perform two classics - Jimmy Barnes’ Working Class Man and  Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer.

The Carnival Choir will be led by local musician and entertainer Ruby Slipperz who tells Mark she needs 800 singers and time is short.

https://www.tcof.com.au/choir/