A few weeks ago I went to Newcastle, the Australian one, and spent some time chatting with the voice of Newcastle herself, Carol Duncan OAM. She was ABC Radio’s morning presenter for quite some years, then she was a city councillor, and she does a lot of other things too.
In this episode we discuss her Medal of the Order of Australia and her status as a Freeman of the City of Newcastle. Also, her time in the music industry, chocolate and other confectionary, and the sheer sexual magnetism of Queensland politician Bob Katter.
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Helping you create great content and hold important conversations
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Journalist, writer, podcast & media content producer, Newcastle Councillor 2017-2024. Founder @lostnewcastle. linktr.ee/carol.duncan
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[13 March 2021] In this episode we travel to Newcastle to kick off The 9pm Autumn Series 2021 with special guest Carol Duncan — journalist, multimedia producer and Newcastle City Councillor.
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[3 October 2025] City of Newcastle has named civic leader Carol Duncan OAM as the 21st Freeman of the City for a community-focused career with international impact.
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The Freedom of the City of London started around 1237 as the status of a 'free man' or 'citizen', protected by the charter of the City of London and not under the jurisdiction of a feudal lord. In the Middle Ages, this developed into a freedom or right to trade, becoming closely linked to the medieval guilds, the livery companies.
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The Newcastle Light Rail is a light rail system in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, running from Newcastle Interchange through the central business district to Pacific Park. Major construction commenced in September 2017 and the line was opened on 17 February 2019. It is operated by Newcastle Transport for Transport for NSW.
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Seniors Card holders can get a Gold Opal card, giving unlimited travel for only $2.50 a day on metro, trains, buses, ferries & light rail. Conditions apply.
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[4 July 2026] The NSW premier has shortlisted two sites in the Hunter region for a factory to build a new fleet of trains.
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[2 July 2026] I like trains. Do you like trains? I hope so, because today we’re talking about trains. There’s a strong focus on China and on high-speed trains, and our guest on the internet from Beijing is Chinese-Swiss international rail visionary, it says on his YouTube channel, David Feng.
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The D sets, also referred to as the Mariyung trains, are a class of double-decker electric multiple units (EMU) that operate on Sydney Trains intercity lines in New South Wales, Australia. Built by Hyundai Rotem, the trains currently operate on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line, Blue Mountains Line and the South Coast Line.
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A sickness bag (also known as a sick sack, airsick bag, airsickness bag, emesis bag, sick bag, barf bag, vomit bag, throw up bag, disposal bag, waste bag, doggie bag, sickness sack or motion sickness bag) is a small bag commonly provided to passengers on board airplanes and boats to collect and contain vomit in the event of motion sickness... Another common use is that of a photographic mailing envelope (especially Australia). Airlines have also printed bags to serve as card game scoresheets and Continental Airlines once suggested that they be used as doggy bags for airline food.
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[19 June 2024] “I collect barf bags” is not a complete sentence. The grammar is there, but it demands further explanation. To make sense of this singular hobby, a “because” or a charitable “and” is needed to steer listeners through the bewilderment of hearing that set of words, arranged in that way, for the very first time.
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[10 July 2026] When Carol Duncan noticed a missed call and voicemail from an unknown Canberra number, she assumed it was a scam. “When I finally listened to the message I was floored,” she recalls of the moment she learned she’d been nominated for a Medal of the Order of Australia.
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The Order of Australia is an Australian honour which recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding service and achievement.
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Another episode of "Nat's Life" is now live on my Patreon! I share something that I have kept in storage for the longest time...my awards!
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The ultimate Haigh’s treat that continues to delight generations of chocolate lovers, our solid Milk Chocolate Super Frog is crafted using the finest quality cocoa beans to create our signature creamy milk chocolate.
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Robert Bellarmine Carl Katter (born 22 May 1945) is an Australian politician. He has been the member of Parliament (MP) for the Queensland division of Kennedy since 1993 and is the father of the House, being the longest-serving member of the Australian Parliament. Prior to federal politics, Katter was prominent in Queensland state politics, serving as a minister in the Bjelke-Petersen, Ahern, and Cooper governments.
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Robert Carl Ignatius Katter (born 3 March 1977) is an Australian politician. He serves as the member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for Traeger, having previously represented Mount Isa from 2012 to 2017. He is the leader of Katter's Australian Party, having taken over from his father Bob Katter in February 2020.
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Musk sticks are a popular confection in Australia, available from many different suppliers. They consist of a semi-soft stick of fondant, usually pink, and often extruded with a ridged cross-section in the shape of a star. Their flavour and aroma is quite floral, and, as the name suggests, also reminiscent of the smell of musk. They are also called "musk sweets" and "musk lollies".
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FADS Fun Sticks, formerly known as FAGS, and later FADS, are a brand of candy cigarette initially made by Riviera Confectionery (a division of Fyna Foods Australia) in Victoria, Australia, until its manufacturing was outsourced at an unknown date to Colombia.
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Indulge in our Milk Hazelnut Chocolate, a smooth and creamy European delight made with Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa. Rich roasted whole hazelnuts provide a satisfying crunch, making it perfect for sharing or enjoying on your own. It's a treat for every chocolate lover.
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Refreshers are a real retro sweet. Multicoloured, disk-shaped fizzy sweets with a fruit flavour that leaves you with a unique tongue tingling taste.
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Armando Iannucci hosts the programme that gives you a cast-iron guarantee to be laser-focused on decoding the baffling world of political language.
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Tim Tam is a brand of chocolate biscuit introduced by the Australian biscuit company Arnott's Biscuits Holdings in 1964. It consists of two malted biscuits separated by a light hard chocolate cream filling and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate.
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There have been more than 400 limited-edition seasonal and regional flavors of Kit Kat chocolate bars produced in Japan since 2000, many exclusive to the country.
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[23 April 2017] Why do we have to protest every chang in Newcastle? A protest song about protesting.
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