Australia’s Most Mentioned Issues in the News (September 24 – 30, 2016)

Editor’s Note: Welcome to this weekly recap of Australia’s news, powered by iSentiaMedia focused on the Brownlows and the Western Bulldogs qualifying for their first grand final in over 50 years this week, as they take on the Sydney Swans this Saturday at the MCG.  The Swans are regularly featured in the last round, winning the 2012 premiership and were defeated by Hawthorn in the 2014 grand final. Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield claimed his first Brownlow Medal this year, 35 votes ahead of second place.Most media commenters say the start will be crucial in deciding the NRL grand final at ANZ Stadium this Sunday, with Melbourne Storm playing the Cronulla Sharks. The Storm won their most recent clash – a home game - in round 26. Other coverage focused on lineups and the Dally M Medal, with Storm’s Cooper Cronk tieing with North QLD Cowboys’ Jason Taumalolo for the award earlier in the week.Forbes has been declared a natural disaster zone after being hit by flooding last weekend, with disaster recovery funding announced by State and Federal governments on Wednesday. New South Wales was hit by the tail end of the storm cell that wreaked havoc in South Australia on Wednesday night, with towns already flood-ravaged in central NSW preparing for potential flash flooding in the next few days. Evacuation orders for Forbes remain in place. The entire state of South Australia suffered an electricity outage on Wednesday night following wild weather and damaging winds up to 130 kilometres per hour, with the blackout starting at around 8pm and power restored at 3am for most households, but close to 60,000 properties still without as of Thursday afternoon. PM Malcolm Turnbull raised South Australia’s reliance on renewable energy as a possible cause for instability in the state’s electricity grid, while Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said it was the weather, not government policy that caused the blackout.  According to a new survey, 48 per cent of Australians would prefer a vote in Parliament for the legalisation of same-sex marriage, while 39 per cent favour the government’s plans to hold the $200 million plebiscite. The same poll showed 62 per cent of voters would support a move for marriage equality. Quote of the week: "This is profoundly stupid, profoundly selfish… this is not a Contiki tour." Shadow Defence Minister Richard Marles after former Minister Wyatt Roy was caught up in a clash between Islamic State and Kurdish Peshmerga forces.