Master of the bum joke, Andy Griffiths appointed Australia's Children's Laureate

The 20-year sentence handed down to Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai has reverberated around the world, with his family warning  the 78-year old will die in prison. For former Hong Kong legislator Ted Hui it's yet another reminder that he was lucky to escape Beijing’s wrath. Australia has given him sanctuary but even in Adelaide he finds himself the target of cruel slurs and a bounty on his head. The numbers don’t lie, Indigenous women are 27 times more likely to be the victims of domestic violence than other Australian women, and seven times more likely to be killed as a result. Today the federal government has finally committed to funding a dedicated national strategy to close this deadly gap. Indigenous Human rights champion Dr Hannah McGlade has worked tirelessly to make this happen. If you’re the parent of an eight year old you’ll know the power of good bum joke, and nobody has mastered the art of the gross like children’s author Andy Griffiths. 20 million copies of his books have been sold around the world, inspiring a love of reading in generations of young people. He’s just been named Australia's Children’s Laureate for 2026 and 2027.