The Back Cover

19/03/2026

Words by ✍️

African and multicultural families across Melbourne will gather in the city’s southeast this Saturday March 21 to celebrate children’s rights, cultural pride, and community connection at the Day of the African Child event hosted by the African Women and Families Network (AWAFN).

The community celebration will bring together families, youth, service providers, and community leaders for an afternoon of cultural performances, panel discussions, and family activities.

AWAFN Program Manager and Coordinator Theresa Ssali said the event holds deep historical and cultural significance.

“The AWAFN Day of the African Child event commemorates the historic struggle of African children for equal education and their fundamental rights,” Ssali told BACKCOVERNEWS.

“The event focuses particularly on services available for African and other multicultural children, youth, and families, providing a platform to celebrate cultural identity, promote inclusion, and empower young people within the community.”

READ THE FULL STORY AT BACKCOVERNEWS.COM ✨

12/01/2026

As authors abandon Adelaide Writers’ Week after cancelling of Randa Abdel-Fattah, is free speech in tatters?

The decision by the Adelaide Festival Board to exclude Palestinian Australian author and academic Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah from Adelaide Writers’ Week on the grounds of “cultural sensitivity” is based on a dangerously broad and vague criterion for suppressing free speech. The board appears to have overruled Writer’s Week director Louise Adler to remove Abdel-Fattah from the program, arguing it would not be culturally sensitive to include her so soon after the Bondi terror attacks, due to her “past statements”....

The decision by the Adelaide Festival Board to exclude Palestinian...

12/01/2026

Venezuela’s leader may be gone, but his regime remains – with a new chief in Washington

US President Donald Trump has insisted the United States will now be “running” Venezuela after US forces bombed the capital on January 3 and whisked Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife out of the country to face federal charges in New York. Trump has promised that “large US oil companies” would be going into Venezuela to “start making money”. And in passing, he has also ...

US President Donald Trump has insisted the United States will...

07/09/2025

Smoke curled skyward from the sacred fire at Camp Sovereignty on Saturday as thousands gathered for a “Sovereign Day Out” in Melbourne’s Kings Domain.

Days after a violent attack on the site shocked the nation, the mood was transformed into one of healing, resilience and unity.

Families, activists, and allies came together under spring sunshine to share food, music, and culture. The stage featured performances from The Terrys, Miss Kaninna, Becca Hatch, Kee’ahn, Birdz, Mo’Ju, Kian, Dallas Woods and more, guided by MCs Shiralee Hood, Hau Latukefu and Sosefina Fuamoli.

Among the crowd were high-profile supporters including Senator Lidia Thorpe and rapper Baker Boy, standing alongside community members in solidarity with the camp’s message: sovereignty never ceded.

READ THE FULL STORY AT BACKCOVERNEWS.COM ✨

07/09/2025

EXCLUSIVE: Camp Sovereignty Rises After Neo-Nazi Attack — Baker Boy and Artists Join Day of Healing

Smoke curled skyward from the sacred fire at Camp Sovereignty...

31/08/2025

Words by ✍️

Australia’s streets turned into battlegrounds on Sunday as far-right agitators, fringe conspiracy theorists and self-styled “patriots” rallied under the banner of March for Australia.

In Melbourne, the city’s heart was choked by a sea of Australian flags and anti-immigration placards, the rally led by extremists including a neo-Nazi who proudly boasted “his men” had marshalled the march. “If we do not stop immigration, then our death is certain,” declared Thomas Sewell, one of the most notorious figures of Australia’s far-right fringe.

The gathering was no grassroots demonstration but a toxic convergence of hate: promoted online by neo-Nazis, fuelled by pandemic anti-lockdown personalities and fringe groups searching for a megaphone.

While the federal government denounced the events as “un-Australian,” the rallies still drew political figures including Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts of One Nation in Canberra, and Bob Katter in Townsville.
Their presence gave legitimacy to movements described by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke as “less Australian than anything I can imagine.”

READ THE FULL STORY AT BACKCOVERNEWS.COM ✨

31/08/2025

EXCLUSIVE: Neo-Nazis, Politicians and an Immigrant Survivor Star: the Spectacle of Australia’s Anti-Immigration Rallies

Australia’s streets turned into battlegrounds on Sunday as far-right agitators,...

24/08/2025

Tens of thousands join Australia’s biggest pro-Palestine rallies after UN declares Gaza famine

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters have filled the streets...

10/08/2025

A startling analysis has uncovered a sharp drop in school attendance by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students as they transition from primary to high school, highlighting a critical failure in Australia’s educational policy that demands urgent reform.

Led by University of Queensland (UQ) researchers, the study shows that First Nations students, particularly in remote areas, face a significant “attendance cliff” when moving into secondary school.

A startling analysis has uncovered a sharp drop in school...

17/07/2025

Superstar comedian and Hollywood mogul Kevin Hart is heading back Down Under later this year, announcing a whirlwind three-city Australian tour for his latest stand-up show, Acting My Age.

Kicking off in Perth on September 23rd at RAC Arena, Hart will then hit Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on September 25th, before wrapping up in Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on September 26.

The Acting My Age tour marks Hart’s ninth major comedy tour, and promises a more intimate vibe than his previous sell-out arena shows.

“’Acting my Age’ is my ninth tour and I wanted to change things up by creating a more intimate environment,” Hart said. “This hour is about connecting with the audience and feeding off the crowd’s energy and laughter.”

Read the full story at BACKCOVERNEWS.COM ✨

16/07/2025

Last week, we officially kicked off The Back Cover Youth Creatives Training Hub!

Our very first workshop, Introduction to Journalism, was a powerful start — presented by Mibenge Nsenduluka and the incredible Billy Freeman.

We explored how traditional media is evolving, the role of AI in shaping the future of journalism, and the dangers of the fake news epidemic.

We also broke down the anatomy of a news story — from crafting a strong lead, understanding the nut graph, to building a compelling ending and headline that makes your story sing.

A big thank you to our wonderful participants for showing up with such curiosity and energy — we loved having you in the room!

Next up: Journalism & Content Creation featuring Uncle Charles Pakana on July 25th — trust me, you won’t want to miss it!📣 This program is proudly supported by the Victorian Government.Sign up today at BACKCOVERMEDIA.COM

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