Latest news with #DavidElliott
ABC News
09-06-2025
- Science
- ABC News
First reported sauropod fossil stomach contents show the dinosaurs were 'bulk feeders' of plants
Fossilised dinosaur guts unearthed in outback Queensland could back a long-standing theory on the diet of sauropods, the biggest reptiles to roam the planet. For nearly 150 years, it's been thought that sauropods — a group of four-legged, long-necked and relatively small-headed creatures like the Brachiosaurus — were herbivores. This was based on several assumptions, including their flat teeth and overall large body that would make it hard for them to chase down moving prey. But direct evidence of what these animals ate has been lacking. Now, in today's issue of the journal Current Biology, researchers report their first ever discovery of fossilised intestinal contents — referred to as "cololite" — from a sauropod. The cololite was found inside a relatively complete skeleton of Diamantinasaurus matildae in 2017 at Belmont Station, near Winton, with much of it sealed over by a layer of mineralised skin. "What was really exciting about it [the gut fossil] is in places you could see the folds of the gut," Belmont Station owner and palaeontologist David Elliott said. An analysis of the fossil showed a young Diamantinasaurus specimen, nicknamed "Judy", whose gut contained small voids — impressions left behind by decomposed plants. Palaeontologist and study lead author Stephen Poropat, from Curtin University, said Judy seemed to have eaten plants from a range of heights. "There's relatives of modern-day monkey puzzle trees, we have seed ferns, which are a totally extinct group," he said. "And we also have leaves from angiosperms, which are flowering plants. Back in the Cretaceous period when Judy was alive, they would have looked somewhat similar to modern-day magnolias." The study has shown not only what a sauropod like Diamantinasaurus ate, but how they ate too. Uppsala University palaeontologist Martin Qvarnström, who was not involved in the study, said the size of the food fragments found in Judy's gut supported the idea that sauropods fermented their food rather than chewed it. "The tricky part here was proving the plant material wasn't just random debris, and here the authors make a strong case, especially with evidence of the plants being sealed inside mineralised skin," he said. "The preservation of both gut contents and skin is unusual." Diamantinasaurus were first described in 2009 and lived in the mid Cretaceous, about 101 to 94 million years ago. They were part of the sauropod group of dinosaurs, which lived from about 201 million years ago until the end of the age of dinosaurs about 66 million years ago. When Diamantinasaurus lived, Australia was closer to the South Pole, and what is now outback would have been a wet flood plain covered in conifers, gingkos, seed ferns and other plants — plenty of food for a growing dinosaur. The largest-known sauropod eggs are smaller than a soccer ball so when the baby reptiles hatched, they may have been no bigger than 50 centimetres from tip to tail. Dr Poropat said they would then have to grow very fast to avoid falling victim to predators. "I often think about sauropods in similar context of turtles, where turtle mothers will lay a large number of eggs … and then basically abandon them," he said. "And when the babies hatch, they're ready to go. "For sea turtles that's the sea, but for sauropods they might have just needed to get into a forest … where they were surrounded by food and also had places to shelter." Dr Poropat said Judy was a sub-adult and probably measured about 11 to 12 metres. A fully grown Diamantinasaurus would have reached about 16m long. He theorised Judy (who is referred to as "she" although her gender isn't known) was in a transition phase where she was eating some of the plants she consumed when she first hatched. "We actually speculate that Judy might have had a diet different to an adult Diamantinasaurus," he said. "She couldn't reach up into the tops of conifers, but also she's starting to eat the conifer foliage that is targeted maybe more so by adults. "So it's kind of cool to think that sauropods would have changed their diet as they grew up, just as many animals do." Miami Frost Museum of Science palaeontologist Cary Woodruff, who specialises in sauropods but was not involved in the study, said capturing this transitionary period and its implications for sauropod growth were the crowning jewel of the new study. "Previous studies have shown that in some species, the young had pointed snouts, likely for selective feeding, and when they grew up, they had broad 'muzzles' for grazing," he said. "And in some, the young had teeth designed for both soft and coarse vegetation. Dr Woodruff said Judy captured a "moment in time" where the Diamantinasaurus had this Swiss Army knife. Mr Elliott said Judy the dinosaur, who scientists named after his wife, was likely to be given her own exhibit at a new building at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum in Winton. He said galleries were currently being designed and Judy was a prime candidate for a skeleton reconstruction. "We want to tell the story of Australian evolution as how from the very first life forms how Australian life has changed over millions of years."
News.com.au
02-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
NSW Premier Chris Minns rejects proposal to redevelop Sydney's Long Bay prison into housing
NSW Premier Chris Minns has rebuked a proposal to close Sydney's Long Bay prison and to instead use the site for housing following the failed Rosehill racecourse purchase. Former Liberal minister David Elliott suggested closing the Matraville prison and hospital on Monday and instead using the 45ha of land for a new housing development. It comes after the Australian Turf Club shot down a $5bn proposal by the government to redevelop the historic Rosehill racecourse into 25,000 homes and a Metro stop. Asked about the Long Bay site, Mr Minns told reporters on Monday that he was 'grateful that different ideas for housing are coming up' but voiced concerns about transport. 'The real challenge with Long Bay jail is the public transport … the closest heavy rail station from Maroubra is Central Station – it's a long way' Mr Minns said. 'If we're going to have a dramatic or massive increase in population, we have to take that into consideration.' Mr Elliott suggested closing the prison and relocating it to regional NSW in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. The former minister said he had pushed for the plan almost 10 years ago while serving as prisons minister, but it had faced resistance. 'For the life of me I don't understand why we've still got Long Bay jail,' Mr Elliott said. 'This is not a modern prison. It was designed along Victorian-era prison principles. All the rehabilitation programs and facilities are last century. 'You could sell that and build a new state-of-the-art, fit-for-purpose correctional facility in the outer suburbs or regional NSW where you'd get so much more bang for buck.' Mr Elliott said the Long Bay site could provide 'a magnificent place to live' for people working in the CBD and floated extended the existing city to southeast light rail. The state government's long-term plan for housing in Sydney was back under the spotlight last week when the ATC voted down the 'once-in-a-generation' plan. ATC leadership had supported the buyout, which chairman Peter McGauran said would have provided fiscal security for the club for the next '100 years'. The project would have involved 25,000 new homes and a Metro West station but faced pushback from stalwarts of the horse racing community. Mr Minns has, so far, failed to outline his 'Plan B' but revealed on Friday that the state government was discussing 'contingency' plans. 'I'm very disappointed by the Rosehill decision, but I don't regard it as a waste of time,' Mr Minns said. 'I think it's really changed the nature of the discussion about where people will be living in Sydney.'
The Age
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Sydney's commuters are sick of delays regardless of who is to blame
If the NSW Labor government hopes commuters' memories are short, it is hopeful at best, deluded at worst. When public services fail, governments are in the firing line. Tuesday's peak hour chaos, which started as students were trying to get home from school and extended well into the commuter hour, will have seriously tested the patience of heavy rail users. It was a broken overhead live wire landing on the roof of a train in Sydney's west that caused the delays but that is irrelevant. Sydney's commuters are tired of delays, regardless of who is to blame. Only as recently as February, commuters were collateral damage in the bitter ongoing wages dispute between the state government and rail unions. Few will forget Valentine's Day this year, when Sydney experienced massive train delays and cancellations. The city was thrown into chaos as a significant number of train drivers and guards called in sick, according to Transport for NSW. The unions, however, maintained the absences were no more unusual than other Fridays. After an elongated industrial dispute, last minute-negotiations broke down when the government said it was blindsided by a union claim for a one-off $4500 sign-on bonus. 'I think the union is gaslighting Sydney,' NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said. The Rail, Tram and Bus Union was having none of it. They insisted that the bonus was a deal signed by the former Liberal transport minister David Elliott. It was a classic case of he said, she said. It was not the only major disruption on the city's rail network during the months-long dispute, but it had a big impact.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney's commuters are sick of delays regardless of who is to blame
If the NSW Labor government hopes commuters' memories are short, it is hopeful at best, deluded at worst. When public services fail, governments are in the firing line. Tuesday's peak hour chaos, which started as students were trying to get home from school and extended well into the commuter hour, will have seriously tested the patience of heavy rail users. It was a broken overhead live wire landing on the roof of a train in Sydney's west that caused the delays but that is irrelevant. Sydney's commuters are tired of delays, regardless of who is to blame. Only as recently as February, commuters were collateral damage in the bitter ongoing wages dispute between the state government and rail unions. Few will forget Valentine's Day this year, when Sydney experienced massive train delays and cancellations. The city was thrown into chaos as a significant number of train drivers and guards called in sick, according to Transport for NSW. The unions, however, maintained the absences were no more unusual than other Fridays. After an elongated industrial dispute, last minute-negotiations broke down when the government said it was blindsided by a union claim for a one-off $4500 sign-on bonus. 'I think the union is gaslighting Sydney,' NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said. The Rail, Tram and Bus Union was having none of it. They insisted that the bonus was a deal signed by the former Liberal transport minister David Elliott. It was a classic case of he said, she said. It was not the only major disruption on the city's rail network during the months-long dispute, but it had a big impact.
Sky News AU
16-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Nuclear is the Coalition's ‘modern-day' GST
Former New South Wales police minister David Elliott likes the Coalition's nuclear policy to their plan to implement the GST in the 90s. 'I think nuclear is the modern-day GST, we lost the election in 93 because we could not explain GST, we did not explain nuclear,' Mr Elliott told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio. 'Then, 5 years later, we explained GST and we won an election.'
