Heavy rain has been accompanied by a strong wind. I listened to John Laws on the radio and watched the second half of “11A.M.” Geoff Harvey played the four choices for Australia’s new national song, on “The Mike Walsh Show”, and freely advocated “Waltzing Matilda”. The Dargie Sisters sang “In The Mood” which, of course, is not one of the finalists for the nation’s national song!
If a show of hands from the audience in the studio is of any guide it appears as though it will be a close decision between “Advance Australia Fair” and “Waltzing Matilda”.
At half past one I switched to Channel Seven to watch “The Mask Of Sheba”, a film from 1970, which stars the veteran actor, Walter Pidgeon, and the late Inger “The Farmer’s Daughter” Stevens, as the lady with the differently coloured eyes. Inger, who was born in Stockholm, died from an overdose of barbiturates shortly after this film was made, at the age of thirty-five.
“Mannix” finds himself in a glider, alongside a counterfeiter, which is being shot at from a light aeroplane.
Following “Flashez”, “The Last Of The Wild” concentrates upon the lemming of the Arctic. “Dangerfreaks”, from half past seven on Channel Nine, is hosted by Grant Page, an Australian, who is an expert in the martial arts and a professional stuntman. The programme includes a playful wrestle with a leopard in Africa.
From half past eight I listened to 2GB and the ‘live’ broadcast of the interstate clash between New South Wales and Queensland, which was being played at Lang Park, in Brisbane. Queenslanders who play rugby league for clubs in New South Wales are eligible to be selected to play for their ‘adopted’ state. This is a point of grievance to many Queenslanders.
It teemed during the match, which served to slow the visitors’ style of play. Nevertheless, New South Wales still led by nine points to nil at half-time and extended this to nineteen points to three by the final whistle.
“Little Fauss And Big Halsy”, a film that bears the copyright of 1970 and features Robert Redford, Michael J. Pollard and Lauren Hutton, is also on television tonight.