++ UPDATED 30 June 4.42pm 

There has been a call for a complete ban on mobiles in cars - and that includes handsfree units. The man making the claim has some compelling evidence.

Watch tomorrow to see what it is.

Adam (EP) was particularly struck by the moving concert dedicated to Nelson Mandela that aired last night. He was the only person on the team who watched it, but it's easy to get swept up in his enthusiasm so we will be keeping an eye out for some of the stand out performances.

It was clearly momentous with some profound statement like that by MC Will Smith.

"If the world could only have one father, the man that we would choose to be our father would be Nelson Mandela."

Note we're not making mention of anything Amy Winehouse did. We think her tales of misbehaviour has had enough oxygen. 

Someone who hasn't is Brian McFadden - he practivally lives here - thansk Delta - so we want to embrace him and tomorrow he will give you all an exclusive look at somethinghe's been working on.

Douggie - our lineup producer - has had us amused with the following video - although we don't in any way condone such behaviour.  

 

 

 

 

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++ UPDATED 29 June 11.07pm 

Well, if you have been watching the site closely you would have little doubt over what we've been working on.

The government's plan to limit the much needed solar panel rebate has us riled. When the climate change warnings became clear, Sunrise ran a Cool The Globe campaign (read about it here)to encourage households to take action that benefits the planet.

The response was massive.

And banking on that Aussie eagerness to step up to a challenge, we ran a petition to keep the solar panel rebate.

The government, then lead by John Howard, responded.

Now, the solar panel rebate is again in doubt, not through its removal but though a means test that will damage it terribly.

With a full solar installation costing up to $10,000 per house, a rebate of even $8000 ill still leave a bill of thousands for houses who, due to the restrictions, will be earning no more than $100,000 combined.

This desperate need for action - sign the Solar Panel petition now if you haven't - also comes in Power Week, when we shower you with star after star. Why don't they call it meteor week?

Tomorrow it's Daniel Macpherson on set in his new series. Tuesday, Meryl Streep.

Insider.

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++ UPDATED 26 June 4.08pm

In what is probably the country's worst example of medical malpractice, Jayant Patel, is now set to return to Australia.

It's one of those stories that seems so set in the news cycle it's hard to imagine it ever coming to a close. Reading the wires, where all the latest news headlines come down to us – yes, even quicker than the internet – it’s been a relief to see something positive on this one.

Tomorrow we'll investigate further into the latest news that Patel – having struggled for months to find loopholes in the extradition laws – now wants to confront the charges.

A certain famous golfer – who doesn’t mind dramatic headlines every now and then – has just tied the knot. No hole-in-one jokes allowed, Kochie.

We love an Australian singing success – so we’re glad an appearance of Claire Bowditch will be the latest in our endless run of top musical performances on the show.

There’s also a story coming together on a strategy that should limit the number of people defaulting on their mortgages. Good news for Kev’s ‘working families’, if any still exist. We think they may have become ‘struggling families’.

One more thing - Tomorrow (Friday) is Red Nose Day. We'll all be wearing noses- well, badges. You'd be surprised how shy some people in TV are. Make sure you give generously.

Insider 

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++ UPDATED 25 June 5.03pm

There is always an element of fishing to see what strikes a chord with Sunrise viewers. Sometimes a tale of a lost memento resonates with many people, and a recipe of great tasting brownies does not. 

Today we saw the issue of polygamy raised.

Many of today's papers claimed some Australian Muslims were pursuing the approval of one husband having multiple wives.

Our coverage saw many concerned soapbox comments rallying heavily against the idea of legalising polygamy in Australia.

The Islamic leader quoted most widely appeared on Sunrise this morning to clear up some confusion and express the issue more clearly.

Yes, he admitted, some Muslims lived this way (he knew of four).

He was not asking polygamy be legalised but that it be recognised to protect the women involved.

Once he said this, we even corrected our headlines on the website, from 'legalising' to 'recognising' but most comments did not reflect this tricky distinction. >> View comments

Your reaction was just as passionate regarding the story on child support a few days ago - and Sunrise, not afraid to cover the issues that matter, will look tomorrow at some new laws taking aim at the hidden abuse in relationships.

How do you know the seafood you're buying has not been frozen for a year and smuggled from the China Sea? We've pulled in a good solution to that one.

 Insider

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++ UPDATED 24 June 4.21pm

Particular comments Kochie makes on Sunrise tend to get certain areas offside. It's the kind of straight talking that helps set our show apart from the usual fare on TV shows - presenters not allowed to share their views and journalists without a backbone.

This morning, we didn't expect so many soapbox comments to be a reaction to something he said late in the show about the story of Tom Bartlett who saved his dog from a croc attack:

"Why didn't he just run? Why did he go back for the dogs... Why put your own life in danger for a dog?"

Boy, did Kochie cop it for that.

Tomorrow, we don't expect anything to get so many eyebrows raised - but that is the fun tension of working here. We just never know ...

All that drama was balanced with a funny video going around the office. We hope you enjoy it too.

Check in with us also for some parenting discussions - the latest trends sweeping school formals and an insight into what using the TV as a babysitter could be teaching your kids. 

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++ UPDATED 23 June 5.11pm 

What do you think brings happiness? Food?

Barbra Northwood pops up from behind the kitchen bench tomorrow to do us a Lemon Chicken meal that serves four for under $20. That will make anyone struggling with rent or mortgages very happy.

If you thought Australia's sunny days were a good part of achieving happiness, you won't believe the nations that beat us to the number one spot on the list of happiest countries in the world.

And if happiness comes with more money, tell that to people dependning on their Super Funds.

Super funds had a blooper year so we'll look at the ways people can avoid being charged up to 31% tax on their contributions.

Happiness is but a dream for people living in Zimbabwe.

International politics reaches certain points where it is clear to see action must be taken to maintain peace. Sadly, the way forward is never as clear as the need.

Tomorrow, we will cover infocus the situation engulfing Zimbabwe and what hope there is of a peaceful end to the affair. 

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++ UPDATED 22 June 5.42pm 

When a Sydney man was pulled aside by police for taking photos of his children at a local sporting event, he wasn't the only one alarmed... The question is begging: Why can't I take photos of my kid playing sport?

We'll be putting that issue out for your responses in the soapbox, aware that this issue just won't go away and raises more ire in Sunrise viewers than most others.

Coldplay have been back in the studio and we've got an interview that sees the side of Chris Martin our female hosts have always held a flame for. Check back on the site later tomorrow for the video, or read our review now that you can also add yours too.

The death of Jane McGrath has also sent a shock through our office - many of us, like many of you, were not aware she had taken another turn for the worse. We will pay tribute to her during tomrrow's show.

It's been a busy day. Our coffees were ordered larger than usual and the rundown of stories has no shortage of big stories you will want to see.

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++ UPDATED 19 June 5.54pm 

Swearing is everywhere - it's in the news, it's in most homes and it is certainly in our office when production meetings get heated, when the ratings come out or when something wrong goes to air.

 

Very rarely does Sunrise let rude words get out - despite the Chaser stunt (LANGUAGE WARNING!) of a few years back - but other shows are becoming more potty-mouthed each season. It may reflect common usage of certain harsh words but is it ok to use on TV? We'll be looking for your well-worded responses on that one..

Other stories set to be covered tomorrow sound as if they may be too good to be true.

 

One is Michael Buble - the crooner who some people swoon over more than their partners.  Michael returns to Sunrise with a Molly Meldrum interview live from the stage.

 

Other stories sound much like a spam email but as we purposely avoid anything that mentions Nigeria and requires you to submit bank details, we trust this one may make one viewer very rich.

 

Lottery officials are looking for the mystery winner of a million dollar prize. Could it be you? If it is, you don’t have long to claim your prize - so you had better be watching Sunrise in the morning.

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++ UPDATED 18 June 4.31pm

We all fell in love with Michael Buble just five years ago when Australia gave him his first real fanbase. And Coldplay has had us going since the late 1990s when they parachuted into our record collections. They are just one of those bands that EVERYONE seems to own.

And we're pleased to announce Michael Buble will be on Sunrise this Friday to discuss his sell out tour of Australia - we love 'the booble' around here and his Canadian crooning always stirs us up - plus an esxclusive interview with Coldplay too.

What a bumper music show!

Some of our producers headed to the new Mac store today opening not far from our studios, and its caused such a stir with some fans that several super-geeks are camping outside the store waiting for tomorrow night's opening!

Tomorrow we will also be detailing some important changes to child support - tell us now what you would like changed - and a song one country town would like to make their own national anthem. It's a Great Australian Farce!

Lastly, The Morning Show has been a marvelous success and a fun ride for all involved. Today was it's one year anniversary and huge red and orange chocolate cake. (We guess they won't be doing any stories on obesity for the next few weeks!)

++ UPDATED 17 June 9.31pm

(Sorry for the uploading time blogophiles. Just some office sickness which we will describe herein as a 'technical glitch' to avoid delaying the actual blog.)

The we've been discussing the annual trust list this afternoon. New results are out, and while the politicians and used car salesmen don't fare well (again), some interesting types get the nod from the public.

In fact someone you know VERY well features on the list, for an interesting reason. More on that tomorrow. Here's a question for parents - do kids need more freedom at school? We've got details on a Melbourne school that's allowing students to pick their outfits, and set class times to suit themselves. Maybe if the kids are mature enough, then at least it gets them ready for those relaxed rules at Uni.. But would it work for your kids? Tell us what you think. And Thirsty Merc are performing two songs in the morning.. They're hitting the road again in July, and they say this will be their last official tour for the year. So it's a good chance to catch them! See you tomorrow.... in just a few short hours.

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++ UPDATED 16 June 4.35pm

Well here's a tricky question we've been discussing around the desk: should a 12-year-old girl be competing in amateur boxing?

Tomorrow we're speaking with a Dad whose daughter is a successful boxer. She wears a helmet and protective padding, and Dad points out amateur boxing is NOT about the knockout.

But are you as happy with this activity as he is? Let us know..

And still on families, have you heard about Barack Obama's call for parents to spend more quality time with their kids?

The man who could be President made a powerful speech, urging fathers to stand up and take responsibility for their children.

So does he have a point, or is it all a bit "pie in the sky" as some have said? We'll get some perspective on that tomorrow.

And the Godfather of Aussie music, Molly Meldrum, makes his return to the show tomorrow. Find out what he's been up to lately.

Online, we've relaunched the Footy Tips page in response to lots of comments about people unable to see it on time or clearly. We hope this helps the Boys catch up to the girls...

See you tomorrow..

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++ UPDATED 12 June 4.43pm 

We know Mark Beretta is brave. He's a champ on the waterskis, which plenty of us wouldn't be game to have a go at. Now he's getting ready to battle peak hour traffic - on two wheels.
 
Make sure you check out his ride in the morning - not least for the outfit he'll be wearing!
 
And something that's got us all scratching our heads.. is what's in shampoo. If you thought it was all herbs and fragrant oils and a little bit of soap thrown in - think again.
 
Often the sweet-smelling stuff is at the bottom of the ingredients list, with a whole lot of nasties at the top.

Have some bottles handy in the morning, so you can see if your favourite shampoo is actually doing you harm.
 
And Kochie has been spending a lot of his "down time" on getting ready for Battle of the Choirs. It's ready to premiere this weekend.
 
Tomorrow we've got a performance of the Stevie Wonder classic "Signed Sealed Delivered" by Sydney's Soulfood. They're one of the choirs competing in the show, and they're aged from 21 to 63.
 
It's a taste of the sort of spectacle choir performances can produce. Well worth a look and listen.
 

Catch you tomorrow
 

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++ UPDATED 11 June 4.21pm

Are politicians that badly-behaved? A NSW Minister and his federal MP wife are at the centre of a row, over their supposed behaviour at a restaurant. The Prime Minister has told MP Belinda Neal to get some anger management.

Whether or not that's warranted, there are plenty of pollies who've lost it - and we'll be looking back at those incidents, plus asking whether the power goes to their heads.

Let us know if you think politicians put their importance, over good manners.

Monica's working on a segment, about kids crawling into bed with Mum and Dad during the night. Nearly every parent has faced this problem at some time. Plenty of people admit they've allowed a toddler to stay put, so the little one gets some sleep - even if the parents don't!

We're going to hear from a Mum and a parenting expert in the morning. No shaming, just practical advice. And don't forget to tell us your stories of trying to get kids to sleep.

Have you checked out Nat's blog on the website? Today she's revealed what she thinks of the hosts, and why Kochie is a big pussycat!

And Simon's got a fan - he just had a beer hamper delivered with the cryptic message "Good on you mate". He's got no idea who it's from!

See you tomorrow.

 

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++ UPDATED 10 June 4.04pm

Grant's back with us this week, and we've been working on his attempt to smash a world record, in regional Queensland. You'll see that on tomorrow's show - and it's all for a good cause.

Grant will be the "man on the land" for the morning, so tune in to find out what it's all about. And congratulations to Grant for his weekend racing win too.

This morning's chat about the new Apple iPhone has prompted plenty of discussion around the office. The 3G phone was launched just before the show went to air this morning, and we had Pete Blasina in to pass judgement.

Producer Paul is a real "Mac-head".. and he and Luke have been hotly debating whether it's worth all the hype. Paul (and Pete Blasina) can't wait to see the trendy little phone.

But tomorrow we're speaking with someone who doesn't even own a mobile.. In fact, he and his family don't even own a TV! It's an unusual situation in this day and age, so we'll find out why he's living a tech-free life.. Perhaps we can convince him of the merits of Sunrise!

See you tomorrow..

++ UPDATED 9 June 4.12pm

Well James Tobin has been getting compliments from around the office, for the way he handled his interview with Mariah Carey.

As you know, he won her over with a butterfly brooch.

But now he might have to take jewellery to every showbiz interview!

I'm not sure Jack Black needs a brooch.

The crazy star of Kung Fu Panda is James' latest interview subject, tomorrow on the show. James talks to him about how he got the part, and working with stars like Dustin Hoffman and Angelina Jolie.

By the way, Rob on the desk is working on our next Four Minutes to Save the World segment.. It's centred around a woman who definitely needs some change in her life. More on that soon.

And we've been enjoying pizza, paid for by the Boss! We saw the crew at Today Tonight getting stuck into some slices, so we thought we'd do the same..

Pizza is something you hit with a hole lot of passion in the first few slices but after a brief burst of energy, the zing of your first piece is gone. It reminds me of holiday romances. They're hot and passionate, but often brief. Maybe not for you though?

If you've had a holiday romance, successful or not, we'd like to hear from you. Contact us here! 

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++ UPDATED 8 June 3.52pm

Some of us have been spending quite a few hours looking over the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

It's released tomorrow, but details get sent out to the media in advance. That gives us time to read up on the stories of the many worthy recipients.

We'll hear some of those tomorrow, when we honour the unsung heroes on the list. You might not know their names, but their actions are truly inspiring.

Even though it's a public holiday in most states, we've got a big show planned tomorrow..

You'll see James Tobin's exclusive interview with Mariah Carey in Tokyo - you might have heard how he charmed her with a glittering gift. More on that in the morning.

Mariah talks about her recent marriage, and of course her music. This year she released her 11th studio album!

And still on music, Brekky Central is paying tribute to ABBA in the morning, just as the movie musical Mamma Mia! is about to be released.

The Aussie tribute Bjorn Again will take us back to the 70s with two ABBA classics. I'll bet Kochie knows all the words.

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++ UPDATED 6 June 4.39pm

Well how do you stay safe from net nasties? We've been pondering that. Probably stay off the net?

But seeing as that's not going to happen, we've been looking at safety for Aussie surfers. Tomorrow we'll have details of a new service, to alert us to Australian-specific spam and other internet threats.

It's FREE, and you'll hear about it first, tomorrow on the show

Our cutest puppy quest has surpassed our wildest expectations. We're nearly at five THOUSAND puppy pictures! It's true, we're not telling tails, err tales..

So our finalists are ready to go on the website, and you can vote for your favourite pooch. PLUS, there's a big secret to reveal..

And what happens to the outfits Channel Seven hosts and newsreaders are finished with, each season? They get sold to staff! There were some designer bargains here, which the girls went to jelly for..

In fact Rachel got THREE outfits for $70.. That's BIG news.

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++ UPDATED 5 June 4.00pm

We've all been glued to the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton speeches, coming in from the states. In fact a couple of us were nearly brought to tears, by Obama's speech!

It's certainly an interesting time in U-S politics, with Obama declaring victory in the Democratic race, but Clinton refusing to concede. Tomorrow we'll find out just what happens next.

Does anyone else feel like we're living in the West Wing TV series?

Monique had a great time at the Cascade Brewery this morning, and the place looked beautiful in the morning light. Tomorrow Monique is still in Tassie, but in a very different setting.

Let's just say the people she'll meet would appreciate a brew or two..

And find out if Pete Blasina can tell us about a new gadget, in just 60 seconds. We'll spend a minute on technology with our Gadget Guy, at 6:20.

See you tomorrow.

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++ UPDATED 3 June 4.12pm

We had a heartfelt email come in to the Soapbox recently, and we've been talking about it in the office ever since..

It was from a mum, who's hoping her son comes home for his 21st birthday. They had some disagreements a few years ago, and he broke off contact with his family. Now she just wants to hear from him again.

Tomorrow we'll be looking at how family arguments can escalate, and how you can mend fences.

Let us know if you've had a similar experience.

There's also been plenty of discussion about the biggest public gaffes people have made.

You might have heard about a politician who was trying to say the word "organism" in parliament, but he ended up dropping the "ni" out of the word - not once, but twice. It's made news across the country.

But that's not the WORST mistake in public.

You'll see more of them, in the morning.

And look out for our very busy Monique in Hobart tomorrow - it's another of our Wright Around Australia events..

Last night she hit the pink carpet for Sex and the City - this morning she had her say on All Stars - and tomorrow it's a visit to the Cascade Brewery!

See you tomorrow! 

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++ UPDATED 2 June 3.35pm 

We get lots of emails, here on the desk.

We love reading your Soapbox messages, but we also get heaps of media-related emails.. and sometimes it can all be overwhelming.

So we decided to ask for some advice.

Tomorrow Mel and Kochie will get quick tips on dealing with email overload. The first thing we're doing, is thinking about whether emails actually need an immediate reply.

Let us know how you reclaim your inbox!

It's great when The Wiggles are on the show.. The whole place has a vibe to it, and people crowd the balconies above the studio for a look at the fun. Tomorrow the guys in skivvies will have a special guest performing with them at Brekky Central - tune in to find out more.

And Nelson returns tomorrow, with a report on the devastating fire at Universal Studios. We've been thinking of all the movies filmed on the damaged set - one was Back to the Future, and Clint Eastwood delivered his memorable lines as Dirty Harry there too.

Catch you tomorrow!