News: The Wiggles and that bizzare interview. Watch here.

Former Yellow Wiggle offered payout

Sam Moran was apparently dumped as the yellow Wiggle with a $60,000 payout, a fraction of his $200,000 annual pay which was itself a fraction of the band’s $28 million earnings last year. Mr Moran apparently knew nothing of the news to come as early as Tuesday morning when he received a phone call to meet with the band’s manager. Blue Wiggle Anthony Field copped criticism yesterday for a Channel 9 interview in which he agreed with the statement Moran was just a ‘hired hand’ and said ‘his contract has come to an end’. Sam Moran had been with the group for nine years, five as the lead singer.

To get a feel for how awkwardly this has been handled, watch this interview with the Wiggles on the Today Show:

And here’s Sam Moran’s goodbye message to the kids:

Abbott makes cruise ship gaffe

The Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott has either stumbled over his words badly this morning or made an insensitive remark about the cruise ship Costa Concordia which hit a rock shelf and rolled over, killing at least eleven people. Mr Abbott was led into the exchange when an Adelaide Triple M radio announcer asked: “”This is just a bit from left field, the captain from the Costa Concordia wants to know if you need any help with your boat policy?” Mr Abbott responded: ”Well that’s one boat that did get stopped, didn’t it?” What do you think, storm in a tea cup or case of terrible judgment?

Referendum to ‘end’ racism in the Constitution

A special panel set up by the Federal Government has recommended changing the constitution to appropriately recognise Indigenous Australians, their language and their custodianship of the Australian land within its pages. Adding another preamble was simply not an option, the panel said. The SMH reported: It proposes prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of race, colour or ethnic or national origin, and recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages as ”the original Australian languages” and part of our national heritage. Receiving the report, the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said it was time ”to say ‘yes’ to an understanding of our past, to say ‘yes’ to constitutional change, and to say ‘yes’ to a future more united and more reconciled than we have ever been before”. Opposition leader Tony Abbott also welcomed the report. A referendum would be put to Australians before the next election in 2013 and the panel said it should be advanced by a well funded public education campaign.

Who has the best sex?

The Great Australian Sex Survey has so far heard the thoughts of more than 9000 Australians and the results are, surprising. Two thirds say sex isn’t the most important part of a relationship and would stay with their partners even if their life in the bedroom is less than satisfactory. 40 per cent said they would have sex with a friend’s partner if the opportunity arose. 56 per cent of men said they were turned off by fake breasts and South Australians are the most satisfied with their love lives. Victorians are the most desperate to have sex with a celebrity. The survey is backed by the Australian Sex Party. So, what would you have said?

Would you wear these?

Prada has released a line of news shoes with flames coming out of them. To be more precise, it’s a range modelled on the classic American cars of the 1950s. The heels are shaped as spoilers, wings and chrome-lined tail lights of the classics and there are some hot-rod versions with flames that lick up the ankle of the person wearing them. It might well be a lovely homage to the classics, but is it something you’d wear out on the town?

And if you missed the Week in Pics you should definitely have a click through here. Some amazing and bizarre images this week. Check it out: