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"Is this legal?" Residents outraged over demanding aircon letter

Residents in a Sydney unit complex were left outraged after they were asked to turn off their air conditioners overnight. A letter placed inside the elevator of the 18-floor apartment building states that the utility can only be used “during the following times." “Weekdays 7am to 10pm, weekends and public holidays 8am to 10pm,” the letter said. “At other times than this, please turn off your air conditioners, especially after 10:00 PM every day.” The letter, which was posted on Facebook, received a lot of backlash from other residents and renters One resident who lived in the 1960s building for a decade said it was the first time she had heard of such a request. “Can anyone please let me know if this is legal? Can they actually force people to not run their own AC units?” the person asked. Many other renters expressed their annoyance, with one joking that they'd have to pry the aircon off their dead hands. “Anyone else feel like we are in a Nanny State?” one wrote. “To be honest with 30°c nights they can pry my aircon from my cold dead heads,” another quipped. One Facebook user also commented that building developers might be to blame. “I think the strata builders got a bit cheap and installed less expensive aircons and therefore they are too loud. Bet if they had decent ones, the tenants wouldn’t have to suffer hot nights because of the noise,” they said. A few others commented that it might not just be a request from strata, but local councils that are enforcing new noise pollution restrictions which affect aircons. City of Sydney, Inner West, and Penrith councils, are a few of the local governments which require the airconditioners to be turned off 10pm to 7am during the week and until 8am on the weekend, the same time requested on the laters. The local governments also recommend that residents and developers purchase high-quality airconditioners that won't cause noise pollution or disturb neighbours. “Even if you’ve been told that it complies with noise requirements, it doesn’t mean it’s going to suit every location all the time,” the Inner West Council website read. The letter comes as Sydney battles its second heatwave in the span of a week. Images: Facebook/ Getty

Legal

Nick Kyrgios' honest thoughts on Shane Warne's open letter

In 2015, late cricket legend Shane Warne posted an open letter Nick Kyrgios on social media, calling out the then hot-headed tennis player's fiery behaviour off-court. "Dear Nick, we all realise you're only 20 and have a lot to learn buddy, but please don't waste your talent," the letter began. "Everyone in the world, especially us Australians want to respect you. You need to respect the game of tennis and yourself. We all make mistakes. "You're testing our patience mate, show us what you're made of and how hungry you are to be the best in the world. It's time to step up and start winning, no excuses," he added in the scathing letter. "We all make mistakes. It's how we learn from them and the way we conduct ourselves when we lose that shows true character. You're testing our patience mate," he concluded. A then 20-year-old Kyrgios had just beat Spanish champion Rafael Nadal during the 2015 Wimbledon, but also attracted a lot of controversy after insulting Stan Wawrinka at a tournament in Montreal, Canada. This was a particularly difficult time in Kyrgios' career, as he was suspended for 28-days and got a $34,705 fine from the ATP. Since the incident, Kyrgios has managed to get his professional life back on track, and in a recent interview with Piers Morgan on his show Uncensored, the tennis star shared that he never read the letter. "I saw it and didn't read it. I'm never going to be the first one to go out on social media and put someone down," he told the host. He added that he believed that Warne would be proud of how far he's come. "I look back at that letter and at how far I've come and I'd say he would be proud for sure. I’ve had a pretty successful career. I feel I've won a lot more than I've lost." Images: Getty

Nat Barr overwhelmed by Police Commissioner's heartbreaking letter to his fallen son

Nat Barr broke down live on Sunrise after hearing the heartbreaking letter from grieving police commissioner Grant Stevens, who lost his son just days ago in an <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/police-commissioner-s-son-killed-during-schoolies-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alleged hit and run</a> during schoolies. Charlie Stevens, 18, died on Saturday night surrounded by friends and family in Goolwa, 90km southeast of Adelaide, just a day after he celebrated finishing high school. Charlie's parents penned a letter to their youngest son, with the purpose of introducing South Australians to the 101st life lost on the state’s roads this year. On Tuesday morning, Matt Shirvington read an excerpt of the letter, and both hosts were equally emotional, with Shirvington's voice breaking at one point. “I am writing this sitting in a bedroom with dirty clothes on the floor, an unmade bed, six drinking glasses lined up on the bedside table, an empty KFC box next to the glasses, wardrobe doors left open and a row of skateboards leaning on the wall – it is a mess and it’s perfect. This is where 101 lived,” the letter read. “101 is Charles Stevens – Charlie, Charlie Boy, Chas, Links, Steve. You lived life and gave so much to so many. You were a force of nature and we will never forget your beautiful cheeky, disarming smile. “Son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, cousin, friends, workmate, teammate. So much more than just a number on a tragic tally.” His heartbroken parents described him as a "Cheeky, intense and funny" boy, who was loveable from the moment he could talk. "He was as frustrating as hell, but he was also the kid who would look after others, befriend the lonely, and help those who were struggling,” they added. “Intensity shone through as 101 committed to each new passion — Lego, BBL, scooters, footy, cricket, basketball, surfing, downhilling, Fortnight and his skateboard — it was all or nothing and it was always all.” His parents also shared stories about their son's passion for his work as an apprentice carpenter. “ … On a good day, we would be lucky to see 101 for half an hour between him getting home from work and heading out with his mates, but it was enough," they wrote. After sharing the emotional tribute, Nat Barr was choking back tears and had to cut to an ad break. The letter comes after the 18-year-old driver accused of being behind the wheel during the alleged hit-and-run was granted bail. On Monday, three witnesses stated in court that the driver performed a U-turn and hit Charlie, who was waiting for the Schoolies shuttle bus to take him and his friends to Victor Harbor from Goolwa Beach. It is alleged that the 18-year-old was speeding and travelling on the wrong side of the road before hitting Charlie. Another witness from inside the car said that a group of young men were on the west side of the road, partially on the footpath, and that there was a single male on the other side. She told the court that the male on the east side ran across the road and into the incoming car. The driver allegedly drove a short distance before calling his mum and asking her if he should turn himself in or call the police, before he was arrested. He was granted bail, with the condition that he forfeits his passport, live with his mum, and set aside $15,000 as a guarantee. Images: SA Police/ Channel 7

Caring

Waleed Aly and Steve Price clash over damning Voice letter

Waleed Aly and Steve Price have clashed over an anonymous letter from Yes campaigners, condemning those who opposed the Voice to Parliament. On Sunday night, a lengthy and unsigned letter was shared by activists associated with the Uluru Dialogue group, as the letter slammed No voters for committing "a shameful act" by contributing to the Voice defeat. On The Project, Price was quick to slam the author of the letter, who addressed the message to the Prime Minister and all federal members of parliament, saying they did not have "the guts" to sign it. "It seems to me the Yes campaign hasn't learned anything about the result that happened Saturday two weeks ago," he said on Monday night. "The public voted 60 (per cent) No, 40 (per cent) Yes and yet, they pen a letter that they then send to the Cabinet and Prime Minister calling people who voted No as doing a shameful act, suggesting No voters are racists." "If you are going to do that, at least have the courage to put your name to it." Aly then leapt to the defence of those who wrote the anonymous letter, saying, "I don't think they said all No voters were racist." "They said racism was a big part of the campaign and the vote, they are inextricably bound up." Aly admitted that while he did not agree with everything in the letter, it was "hard to have a simple response to it". "They must be so hurting. I can't deny them that. Whether we agree or not," he said. The open letter claims to be "the collective insights and views of a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, community members and organisations who supported Yes". The published letter said, "The truth is that the majority of Australians have committed a shameful act whether knowingly or not, and there is nothing positive to be interpreted from it. We needed truth to be told to the Australian people." Image credits: The Project

Legal

"Uniquely, magically, indescribably us": Read the emotional love letter from Suzanne Somers' husband

Just one day before her death, Suzanne Somers' husband gave her a handwritten love letter as part of an early birthday present. Somers' husband, Alan Hamel, gave the letter to his wife of 45 years just 24 hours before she passed away at the age of 76. According to Somers' publicist, R. Couri Hay, Hamel “gave it to her a day early and she read the poem and went to bed and later died peacefully in her sleep.” The emotional poem was an expression of love from Somers' husband, as he struggled to define their intense relationships. “Love I use it every day, sometimes several times a day. I use it at the end of emails to my loving family. I even use it in emails to close friends. I use it when I’m leaving the house,” the note began, via <a href="https://people.com/read-love-letter-suzanne-somers-husband-alan-hamel-wrote-to-her-day-before-her-death-8358234">People</a>. “There’s love, then love you and I love you!! Therein lies some of the different ways we use love. Sometimes I feel obliged to use love, responding to someone who signed love in their email, when I’m uncomfortable using love but I use it anyway. “I also use love to describe a great meal. I use it to express how I feel about a show on Netflix. I often use love referring to my home, my cat Gloria, to things Gloria does, to the taste of a cantaloupe I grew in my garden.” “I love the taste of a freshly harvested organic royal jumbo medjool date. I love biting a fig off the tree. I love watching two giant blackbirds who live nearby swooping by my window in a power dive. My daily life encompasses things and people I love and things and people I am indifferent to,” he continued. “I could go on ad infinitum, but you get it. What brand of love do I feel for my wife Suzanne? Can I find it in any of the above? A resounding no!!!! There is no version of the word that is applicable to Suzanne and I even use the word applicable advisedly.” “The closest version in words isn’t even close. It’s not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction. Unconditional love does not do it. I’ll take a bullet for you doesn’t do it. I weep when I think about my feelings for you. Feelings… That’s getting close, but not all the way.” “55 years together, 46 married and not even one hour apart for 42 of those years. Even that doesn’t do it,” he added. “Even going to bed at 6 o’clock and holding hands while we sleep doesn’t do it. Staring at your beautiful face while you sleep doesn’t do it.” “I’m back to feelings. There are no words,” he concluded. “There are no actions. No promises. No declarations. Even the green shaded scholars of the Oxford University Press have spent 150 years and still have failed to come up with that one word. So I will call it, ‘Us,’ uniquely, magically, indescribably wonderful ‘Us.’” Somers and Hamel tied the knot in 1977, giving them 45 years together as husband and wife. Somers died on Sunday morning after “an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” her publicist said in a statement. Suzanne was best known for playing Chrissy Snow on the 1970s sitcom Three’s Company and Carol Foster Lambert on the ’90s family comedy Step by Step. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Young girl who penned heartfelt letter to King Charles is floored by response

An 11-year-old girl from New South Wales has captured hearts with her touching words and well-wishes for King Charles III. Maeve Malone, who lives in Willoughby with her family, wrote a letter to the monarch in September 2022 to offer her condolences on the loss of Charles’ late mother, Queen Elizabeth, and to let him know that she believes he will be a “fantastic king”. Maeve’s letter, which she shared with Ben Fordham on his 2GB series, opened with a quick introduction, before she launched into the heart of her message, writing that she was “really sorry to hear about your mum. I am 10 and in Year 4, Mum and Dad let me stay up to watch Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. “You were so brave on that sad day. I think you will be excellent at leading the commonwealth. I also believe you will be a fantastic king.” At the end of the page - one embellished with colourful images of purple flowers - Maeve shared another personal message for Charles, letting him know of their shared interest in botany when she said, “Mum told me you like gardening, me too! I hope the flowers in your new home are blossoming.” “I hope to visit London one day,” she concluded. “When I do, I will go past your home and think of you and your mum. “Best of luck with your new job.” After reading Maeve’s letter, radio host Fordham checked in with the young girl, asking her what had prompted her to put pen to paper and contact Charles in the first place. “I wrote it because I wanted him to know that I was sorry for Queen Elizabeth,” Maeve explained, “I really liked Queen Elizabeth, ‘cause she was a really good leader, and it was really sad for Charles to lose his mum.” When Fordham asked what Maeve had expected from her kind words, and whether or not she had anticipated a response, the 11 year old was quick to admit that she hadn’t expected one. But to her delight, she’d been wrong, with a letter arriving in the mail, addressed to her and signed by the monarch. “I got it out of the letter box, and when I got it … I started jumping with joy,” Maeve said. That letter - typed up with Charles’ signature at the bottom - read, “it was so very kind of you to send me such a wonderfully generous message following the death of my beloved mother. “Your most thoughtful words are enormously comforting, and I cannot tell you how deeply they are appreciated at this time of immense sorrow.” And while Maeve’s entire day might have been made with the kind reply, she still won’t be able to tune in for her new friend’s big day - he might have his coronation to attend, but Maeve is a busy girl, and has a party of her own to get to. Images: Ben Fordham Live / 2GB

Family & Pets

Never-seen-before letter from Princess Di revealed

The late Princess of Wales wanted the monarchy “to survive”, according to her former butler Paul Burrell. He has previously revealed an unseen letter handwritten by Diana, saying he believes she would have fully supported her ex-husband King Charles at the coronation. Burrell said Diana’s words were "so poignant at this time” as the British monarchy prepares to celebrate the first coronation in 70 years. He shared the letter in an interview with OK! Magazine. Burrell said the note was written by Diana between 1993 and 1997 after she had separated from then-Prince Charles. Diana often wrote notes, sending them to her friends and staff. In the letter to Burrell, Diana wrote, "I so want the monarchy to survive and realise the changes that will take to put 'the show' on a new and healthy track. "I am here to support Mama [the Queen] and to bring W + H [William and Harry] up in order to cope with the fast changing world we live in. "I love my boys to death and hope that the seeds I've planted will grow and bring the strength, knowledge and stability that is needed.” Burrell explained he shared the never-before-seen letter because he believes it revealed Diana’s true feelings about the monarchy. "I wanted you to see Diana's handwriting and her words because they are so poignant at this moment in time, tied into the coronation and tied into the fact she was a monarchist. "She loved the royal family and she wanted the royal family to survive. And also, the fact her sons William and Harry were part of this, what she called, 'The Show’. "She used to leave notes and letters for me all the time on my desk. She'd say, 'Whenever I have a thought and you're not there I have to write it down otherwise I'll forget. "She was thinking about her life and the way forward and her sons and her part in the royal family.” With the coronation fast approaching, Burrell said Diana would have been there if she could have and would support the King and Queen Consort Camilla. "I always think to myself, 'What would she do in this situation?' And she would have been at the coronation looking glorious, in her sixties, outshining everyone the way she did. "I don't think she would hold any animosity at all towards her ex-husband or towards her ex-husband's wife. "I think she would have gone on in life and achieved her own ambitions, still being royal and regal." Image credit: Getty

Family & Pets

A letter to my mum this Mother’s Day

A couple of weeks ago, we asked the Over60 community what they would say if they could write their mother a letter. We were flooded with hundreds of beautiful, touching and heartbreaking responses, and we’d like to share a few of them with you. 1. The important lessons “There are so many things I would say, but thank you for making my childhood so good. For teaching the important lessons, like be kind to others, try not to do anything you have to be sorry for and if you do, don't be afraid to say sorry. Do your best always. Look for best in every situation. Money is important, but not the most important thing you can have as an adult. Love, self-respect and follow your dreams. Be the person you want your children to look up to. Be happy. Thanks mum for loving me so much, I love you.” – Raelene Sched 2. Best mum in the world “Dear Mum, there is not a day that goes bye where I don't think about you. Nothing on this earth prepared me for you leaving and learning to live without you. I miss you so much, the ache is still in my heart. I love you and wish you were still here with us. I feel so lucky that you were my mum, I truly believe you were the best mum in the world, you were so giving and selfless.” – Kathryn Wotherspoon 3. Thanks for being my mum “Thank you first for being my mum. Always there for me and loving me. The loveliest nature person I have ever met. Always trying to please everyone and families. You left us so young because God only takes the best. Loved you then and even more now. Miss you every day.” – Caroline Carlson Corbett 4. Never been forgotten “You left me when I was 11 years old, but you were too ill to stay. I’m 77 years old now and it’s just like yesterday. I miss you every day and will never forget you. I talk to your picture and wish with all my heart you could have been with me and seen your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I know you would be so loving and proud. I hope wherever you are happy. You have never been forgotten. I love you, mum.” – Pat White 5. My only regret “Dear Mum, I am all the better for having you as my mother, you worked so hard all your life and were a punching bag for Dad, but you survived and made sure we all had a way better life than you had. I love and miss you so much, and my only regret is not sitting by your bed and holding your hand as you got sicker and sicker. I let my two sisters have that pleasure while I was being too busy making sure everything was nice and clean and you had food to eat, if I had my time over, I would sit with you and tell you I love you over and over because we never know how much time we have left.” – Sharon Deans And for more brilliant gift ideas for Mum, check out the full range of <a style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.innovations.com.au/p/gifts/mothers-day-gifts?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=nativearticle&utm_campaign=MothersDayGifts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Innovations Mother’s Day Gift Ideas here</a>. Illustration: Midjourney

Family & Pets

“A letter that someone will never forget”: Charles’ $43,000 job offer

Charles and Camilla have put out a call for help with their royal duties, searching for a passionate wordsmith to pen responses to the thousands of letters they receive each year. Their request comes in the form of a one-year contract <a href="https://theroyalhousehold.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/appcentre-1/brand-3/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/4/opp/2849-Assistant-Correspondence-Officer/en-GB">posted to the palace’s official website</a>, for an individual to “support the important work of The King and The Royal Family”. Coincidentally, the position advertises a start date of May 2023 - the same month in which King Charles III’s coronation will take place. The royals are offering a wage slightly above the United Kingdom’s minimum wage of 10.42 GBP (~19.45 AUD) per hour, with prospective writers looking at an hourly rate of 11.79 (~22.01) on top of the advertised “benefits”. According to the job listing, the ideal candidate is someone who dreams of “drafting a letter that someone will never forget” as part of a like minded team committed to supporting the royal family and engaging with the public. “Thousands of letters addressed to The Monarch and Royal Family are received every year,” the ad explains. “Working as part of the Correspondence team, your challenge will be to ensure that each one receives a timely and well composed response. “Every day you will respond to letters sent by the public regarding social, community and national matters, drafting bespoke responses to answer varying and often unique queries.” Reportedly, the letters sent in one year to the late Queen Elizabeth II amounted to around 70,000, so it’s no small surprise that the family have opted to call in reinforcements to make sure each one receives a thoughtfully crafted response. “It's working in a team with a shared and unique purpose,” the website notes, “engaging with the public whilst supporting The King's role. This is what makes working for The Royal Household so exceptional … Recording and monitoring all correspondence, you'll be proud of the number of letters you handle and this will drive you to deliver consistently high standards. “In this way, you will help to support the important work of The King and The Royal Family.” Unsurprisingly, the ad calls for someone who is confident in their ability to process large volumes of work according to strict deadlines, and who preferably has previous experience in administrative duties. “Excellent written and verbal communication skills” are, of course, a given. The listing hints at a digital sidekick, noting that applications should “have strong IT skills” that they can apply to “bespoke systems”, as well as a “keen eye for detail” to deliver their work quickly and accurately. Most of all, however, enjoyment in a team-based environment is crucial, while an interest in current affairs couldn’t hurt - especially in such a “truly unique environment”. Images: Getty

Money & Banking

Post apocalypse: the end of daily letter deliveries is in sight

Australia Post is seeing red. A lot of it. After posting a razor-thin profit of $23.6 million in the last six months of 2022, it anticipates a loss for the full 2022-23 financial year – only the second time since being corporatised in 1989. The last loss was in 2014-15, following a $190 million investment in “transformational reform” of Australia Post’s letters business. At the time, it expressed confidence those <a href="https://auspost.com.au/annualreport2015/docs/australia-post-annual-report-2015.pdf">efficiency improvements</a> would allow it “to maintain a five-day-a-week delivery”. Now it is pessimistic. With the ongoing collapse in demand for letter delivery, it sees only more losses ahead. That’s a huge problem, because Australia Post has two main obligations, enshrined in federal legislation. It is required to operate on commercial principles – that is, the federal government wants it to deliver a dividend – while also meeting strict <a href="https://auspost.com.au/about-us/corporate-information/our-organisation/customer-commitment-and-service-charter">community service obligations</a>. Those obligations – established in 1989 and <a href="https://www.transparency.gov.au/annual-reports/australian-postal-corporation/reporting-year/2019-20-78">last reviewed in 2019</a> – require delivering letters to 98% of all Australian addresses five days a week, and in more remote areas to 99.7% of addresses at least twice a week, generally within two days of posting. The Morrison government <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020L00579">temporarily relaxed</a> those obligations between May 2020 and June 2021 so Australia Post could divert resources to its parcel delivery services as online shopping boomed during the pandemic. Now the organisation wants those community service obligations reduced permanently. <h2>Cost of service obligations</h2> Meeting the obligations cost $348.5 million in 2021-22, says a federal government discussion paper on “<a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/postal-services-modernisation-discussion-paper.pdf">postal services modernisation</a>” published this month. It says they “are no longer financially sustainable and are not well targeted at the needs of Australians due to changes brought about by the digitisation of the economy”. It’s hard to disagree. The numbers are incontrovertible. The hundreds of millions of dollars a year being lost on letter delivery will only get bigger. People just don’t need a daily postal service like they used to. <h2>In the red, and dying</h2> In the 2021-22 financial year, Australia Post made a slim profit of $55 million on revenues of $8.97 billion. That’s a 0.6% profit margin, far below the 8.5% average within the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/industry-overview/australian-industry/latest-release">transport services sector</a>. The surplus was due only to its parcel-delivery business, which grew about 12% in 2021-22 after four years of growing at more than 20%. Letters now account for less than 20% of Australia Post’s revenue. The discussion paper notes letter volumes in Australia is now less than half what they were in 2008. This is not as severe as countries such as New Zealand or Denmark, but worse than Germany, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom. Government agencies and businesses now account for 97% of mail sent. Overall volume will decline as they move to cheaper, more efficient online methods. Even major postal events like election campaigns are likely to disappear, with postal voting replaced by <a href="https://101blockchains.com/blockchain-in-voting/">digital technology</a>. <h2>What can be done?</h2> The discussion paper flags a range of possible responses. One is to charge higher prices. Britain’s Royal Mail, for example, has raised postage prices by <a href="https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/cymraeg/amdanom-ni/about-us1/media/press-releases/citizens-advice-responds-to-royal-mail-raising-stamp-prices/">64% over the past five years</a>. Australia Post increased the rate for standard letter delivery from A$1.10 to A$1.20 in January, which the discussion paper notes is significantly less than the average of $2.08 for OECD countries. Higher prices may boost profit for a year or two, but in the longer term will just accelerate the transition to non-postal methods. Another option is investing in more efficient sorting technology, particularly automation. The French and German postal services are doing this. But Australia Post has already made huge investments in efficiencies, and doing more will cost the federal government money – something it won’t want to do given the budget position. <h2>What about local post offices?</h2> Another option is to reduce Australia Post’s network of post offices, of which there are more than 4,300. This number is tied to another community service obligation: that no one live further than 2.5km from a post office in a metropolitan area, or 7.5km in a non-metropolitan area. The discussion paper notes Australia has more post offices than supermarkets. They cost $1.3 billion to operate in 2021-22. These provide posting, pickup, banking, transaction and retail services. But their need is diminishing as all things are progressively digitised. An argument could be made that some, at least in metropolitan areas, could be replaced with smart lockers for parcel pick-up. But that’s likely to be politically contentious, with less financial gain, than the most obvious choice – to scrap the community service obligation to deliver post five days a week. New Zealand’s postal service did this in 2013, moving to delivery every other day. Sweden did so in 2020 as a trial, with the intention of making it permanent. Some will miss the daily service. But most of us won’t. As the relaxation to deliveries every second day showed during the COVID period, it is likely most people won’t even notice. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/post-apocalypse-the-end-of-daily-letter-deliveries-is-in-sight-201094" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Money & Banking

"We've come so far": Deb Knight pens moving letter to daughters

Presenter Deborah Knight has written a touching letter to her children to celebrate International Women’s Day. In the letters - one to her daughters, and one to her son - Deb honours them as well as all of the other women, girls, and gender diverse individuals to have come before them, and highlights that although society has come a long way in many regards, we still have a long way to go in many, many others. “To my Dear Daughters,” Deb began, in the letter shared to 9News. “Happy International Women's Day! It's great being a girl, and there's so much to celebrate. “We've come so far from the days when girls weren't allowed to do so much. We couldn't have a job, or own our own things. We weren't allowed to vote at elections, or go to school, and a lot of this was not that long ago, and for no good reason. “Girls and women were just as able to reach their full potential as you are today - they just weren't given the chance. “Now, there are so many more opportunities for girls. If you work hard and put your mind to it, you can achieve so much in your life and career. You can even be a champion in sports that once only boys were allowed to play. But unfortunately there is still a way to go before you are judged only on what you are able to do, rather than whether you're a boy or a girl. “Your brother will still earn more money than you for the same job. He'll do less work around the house, and retire on more superannuation. He'll be more likely to be your boss or the Prime Minister. “You'll be at much greater risk of being a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, and if you do become a professional sports star, you'll earn a fraction of what your brother would, and most likely have to fit another job around your training to pay the bills.” Deb went on to write about how there was still much to celebrate - though she wouldn’t touch on the beliefs she held when she was their age. She stressed that for her girls, there would be a difficult road ahead should they choose to have children and a career, likely drawing from her own experiences when she wrote “you’ll feel like you’re failing at one or both jobs - letting down your boss and your family at certain points. You'll feel guilty, and be made to feel guilty for the choices you make. “The harsh truth is you can't easily have it all, maybe not all at once. But I really hope you try.” To her son, Deb wrote of her hope that one day “boys and girls will be truly equal.” “Your Dad does so much more in raising you and your sisters than Grandad or Great Grandad ever did,” she reflected, “and I know you will likely do more than all of them if you have your own family one day. Although you need to get better at hanging up your towel after you have a shower…” And in comments reflecting what she’d told her daughters, Deb urged her son to do the right thing, and use his privilege to help whenever he could, “the girls can fight as hard as they like to get the same opportunities as you, but they'll never really achieve it without boys like you stepping up as well. “You need to make sure you show them respect, and call out boys and men you see treating girls and women badly, either with their words or their actions.” Deb concluded by telling him that it would be better for everyone to have people of all genders treated equally, and how it would “make life so much easier for everyone. “So I hope you recognise the importance of International Women's Day, not just for your sisters, but for families everywhere.” Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

Unlikely trio decodes Mary Queen of Scots' secret letters

An international trio of codebreakers have made history by decoding and deciphering a treasure trove of lost letters written by none other than Mary Queen of Scots. The unlikely team - consisting of a computer scientist, a physicist, and a musician - have a passion for historical ciphers and have been working together for 10 years. The letters were assumed lost until they were discovered in Paris, in the National Library of France. The documents and their unusual symbols had been neglected in a mislabelled folder until the trio got to the bottom of them and revealed their true origin. It was only when the code had been broken that it was possible to identify the author as Mary. George Lasry, the team’s computer scientist and cryptographer, is a member of the DECRYPT Project - an organisation with the aim of digitising, transcribing, and identifying historical ciphers. It didn’t take long for the team to realise the letters were written in French, not Italian, once they began working on the unique ciphers. They noted the use of feminine form verbs and adverbs, and mentions of captivity, as well as one codebreaking keyboard: Walsingham. “We were expecting Italian because that is what the catalogue said, but then we started to see some French words - 'ma liberté' (my freedom) - and sentences no-one would write if they were free," Lasry explained to Good Morning Scotland. “So we knew it was someone in captivity, and some of the language was in feminine form, so it was a woman,” he went on. “She also wrote 'mon fils' - my son - so it was a woman in captivity with a son. "We thought 'this is too crazy', it can't be Mary Stuart. But then we saw the word 'Walsingham' and we knew Francis Walsingham was the spymaster of Queen Elizabeth I, so we concluded it was from Mary. "It was very difficult to believe at the start so it was a very exciting moment." Mary, who spent the last 19 years of her life in English captivity, was able to smuggle her letters out via trusted visiting courtiers. Said letters, amounting to around 50,000 words in total, have offered new insight into Mary’s time in captivity. "We have cracked more difficult codes, and we have deciphered an occasional letter from a king or queen, but nothing compared to 50 new letters from one of the most famous historical figures,” Lasry said of their historic accomplishment. While it is believed that other letters may still be hiding out there for the next team of enthusiastic researchers to discover, this batch is set to keep historians and researchers busy for some time yet. “In our paper, we only provide an initial interpretation and summaries of the letters," Lasry explained, “a deeper analysis by historians could result in a better understanding of Mary's years in captivity. "It would also be great, potentially, to work with historians to produce an edited book of her letters deciphered, annotated, and translated." Images: Getty

Technology

Rare unseen private letters of Princess Diana revealed

Previously unseen letters written by Princess Diana have shared a rare insight into her separation from King Charles. The late Princess of Wales confided in her close friends at the time, admitting "she never would have gone through with her divorce" if she knew how "desperate and ugly" the process would be. In the correspondence to her friends, she described how negotiations over the terms of the divorce left her "on her knees", while also sharing her paranoia that her phone at Kensington Palace had been bugged by the royal family. Princess Diana wrote 32 letters to her friends Susie and Tarek Kassem, who have chosen to sell a selection of the letters at auction, believing that the "ownership of these poignant documents is a responsibility" that they "do not wish to pass on to their children or grandchildren". The letters will be sold by <a title="Lay's Auctioneers" href="https://www.davidlay.co.uk/news/diana-the-private-correspondence-of-a-princess/?pc=337" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lay's Auctioneers</a> in Cornwall on February 16th and are expected to reach close to $160,000 AUD. Some of the proceeds will go to charities Diana supported during her life. In one of the most personal notes, dated April 28th 1996, Diana expressed her feelings about the breakdown of her marriage. Diana wrote, "I am having a very difficult time and pressure is serious and coming from all sides." "It's too difficult sometimes to keep one's head up and today I am on my knees and just longing for this divorce to go through as the possible cost is tremendous." In a letter dated May 20th 1996, Diana expressed her concerns that recordings of her private conversations were being passed on to the royal family, fearing her phone at Kensington Palace was bugged. "As I don't have a mobile it is difficult to discuss personal issues as my lines here are constantly recorded and passed on," she wrote. "If I'd known a year ago what I'd experience going through this divorce I never would have consented. It's desperate and ugly." Diana and Charles separated in 1992 but their divorce was not made final until August 1996. Image credits: Getty Images

Relationships

“You are not alone”: Prince Harry pens emotional letter to bereaved children

Prince Harry has penned a letter to children whose parents have died as a result of being in the military, telling him they share a bond in losing a parent and experiencing grief. The former royal wrote of how he learnt to cope with grief and encouraged the children to “lean into your friends” in his letter, which was shared by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers on Remembrance Sunday. “As many of us observe and reflect on Remembrance Sunday, I wanted to write to you and let you know you are all in my thoughts and heart today,” he began. “We share a bond even without ever meeting one another, because we share in having lost a parent. I know first-hand the pain and grief that comes with loss and want you to know that you are not alone. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/prince-harry-nov-letter.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Prince Harry penned a letter to children supported by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers for Remembrance Sunday. Image: Scotty’s Little Soldiers "While difficult feelings will come up today as we pay tribute to heroes like your mum or dad, I hope you can find comfort and strength in knowing that their love for you lives and shines on. Whenever you need a reminder of this, I encourage you to lean into your friends at Scotty’s Little Soldiers. "One of the ways I've learned to cope has been through community and talking about my grief, and I couldn't be more grateful and relieved that you have amazing people walking beside you throughout your journey. "We all know some days are harder than others, but together those days are made easier." Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that supports children who have lost a parent in the military, was founded in 2010 by Nikki Scott, whose husband Corporal Lee Scott was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 and left behind two young children. On Sunday, 55 children and their parents took part in the Remembrance Sunday parade wearing black and yellow scarves. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A proud moment for Scotty’s 💛 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RemembranceSunday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RemembranceSunday</a> <a href="https://t.co/CsD7wL9BQP">pic.twitter.com/CsD7wL9BQP</a> — Scotty's L Soldiers (@CorporalScotty) <a href="https://twitter.com/CorporalScotty/status/1591767075567333378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2022</a></blockquote> In his letter, Prince Harry acknowledged that taking part in the parade would be “hard but equally important to do” to raise awareness for others. “Today you will bring new awareness to young people, just like you, who will benefit from this community of support,” he wrote. “I salute you for serving others in need, in the most honourable memory of your parent.” The Duke of Sussex has long supported the charity, which was one of the organisations chosen by Harry and Meghan Markle to benefit from donations they received as gifts for their 2018 wedding. In 2017, he met with children who’d lost a military parent at a special party on the grounds of Buckingham Palace. This year, he and Meghan attended a service on Remembrance Day to pay their respects to those who died in war across the US and the Commonwealth. Image: Getty Images

Caring

“It’s time for the world to read this”: Simon Dorante-Day shares last letter to the Queen

Simon Dorante-Day, the Queensland man who claims he is the secret son of King Charles III and Camilla, has shared the final piece of correspondence he sent to Queen Elizabeth II. The 56-year-old took to social media on Australia’s National Day of Mourning with a full version of the letter he sent to the late monarch last November. In it, he explains that he wrote to the Queen after approaching Dr Jeanette Young, Queensland’s Governor General, about his case. “I take the liberty of approaching you via the Governor’s Office however, given the position with which my family and I find ourselves, we feel this action is justified,” he writes. He then details medical procedures he claims were performed on him as a child, including changing his eye colour from blue to brown when he was eight and filing two of his teeth at age 15. “These actions I believe were undertaken to conceal my true identity,” he continues. “Furthermore, over the years of residing with the Day family, my adopted grandparents Winifred and Earnest Bowlden often spoke about the time they worked for the Royal household. “Then on my last visit to the United Kingdom in 1998, my adopted grandmother Winifred told me herself, that my birth parents were your son Charles and his wife Camilla.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/dorante-day-letter.jpg" alt="" width="472" height="575" /> Simon Dorante-Day has shared the contents of the letter he sent to Queen Elizabeth II. Image: Facebook After detailing his claims, Dorante-Day appeals for help from the Queen with his case. “It would be naive of me to think you are not aware of my claims. Nor that you have not been following events to date,” he writes. “Subsequently, you will all be aware of the actions I have recently commenced and the level of attention this has already received. “I am writing on behalf of my family and I to ask for your assistance in coming forward and resolving this issue and stopping this global assault. “May God give you the strength to come forward.” Speaking to <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/man-who-claims-to-be-charles-secret-son-shares-last-queen-letter-before-she-died-c-8382605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>, Dorante-Day said it was finally time for the world to see the contents of the letter. “I think it’s time - it’s time for the world to read this,” the father-of-nine said. “I’ve kept the contents of the letter confidential until now, but with her passing I think it’s appropriate to share my last correspondence with her. “When she passed away, I was disappointed that she had died without responding to my message. That was my first thing - just sad, because that window of opportunity has closed.” He added that he is looking forward to taking up his case directly with Charles. “It makes no difference to me whether that mountain in front of me is male or female. It makes no difference to me how high that mountain is,” he said. “I’ve still got to climb it to prove what I know to be true. So from that regard, nothing has changed.” Along with the letter, Dorante-Day also shared a message to the Queen from his wife, Dr Elvianna Dorante-Day, including a “special thank you” for existing. “You and I knew we came from warring backgrounds, but we both loved something in common, your grandson Simon Charles, your first-born grandchild,” her message read. “In loving him as much as we do, we had to put our differences aside and pursue peace, not only for you and I but for the whole of humanity. No-one understood the path we walked together on this planet, and our work isn’t over, as you and I know. “Through your grandchild Simon Charles and his children your legacy lives on in them.” Image: Facebook

Family & Pets

Queen's letter for Sydney that can't be opened until 2085

Sitting inside a locked, glass case, within the dome of Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building, is a letter from Queen Elizabeth II that can’t be opened until the year 2085. The letter was written by the monarch in November 1986 and has become the subject of conversation once again following the news of <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Her Majesty’s passing</a> last week. Addressed to the Lord Mayor of Sydney, the Queen requested that her message be shared with the people of the city in 2085. “On a suitable day to be selected by you in the year 2085 AD, would you please open this envelope and convey to the citizens of Sydney my message to them,” the Queen wrote on the outside of the letter, signing it simply as, “Elizabeth R”. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/queen-letter-sydney-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1920" /> The letter in question will remain sealed until 2085. Image: Creative Commons She wrote the letter after the restoration of the Queen Victoria Building in the 1980s, which was saved from demolition in the late 1950s by “ardent public campaigning” from Sydneysiders. According to <a href="https://7news.com.au/entertainment/queen-elizabeth-ii/queens-secret-letter-is-hidden-in-sydney-vault-and-cant-be-opened-for-63-years-c-8193155" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7news.com.au</a>,it is unknown what the Queen wrote in the letter, even among her personal staff. In 2012, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hidden-treasures-to-expose-secrets-in-plain-sight-20121026-28b3l.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sydney Morning Herald</a> reported that the letter came to be in the building when the Queen visited, with then-centre manager Natalie Douglas telling the outlet that the monarch put the letter inside a time capsule and buried it in the central dome. “Nobody knows what it says,” Ms Douglas said. It seems that mystery will continue to surround the letter until its fateful opening many decades from now. Image: Getty Images

Domestic Travel

Man receives letter from Queen Elizabeth on the day she died

Just moments after hearing the news of Queen Elizabeth's death, a Tasmanian man received a letter from Her Majesty in the mail. Lloyd Babcock, who is just weeks away from his 100th birthday, received the honorary letter to celebrate his centenary, which was written by the Queen just before her passing. The 99-year-old said that the fact Queen Elizabeth was able to write him a personal letter so close to her death made it even more special. "She was just a wonderful person, I had complete admiration and respect for her, her whole reign," Lloyd told Today Extra. "I remember her coming to Devonport in 1954 and she's just one amazing person." Lloyd said his friends had been bragging about already getting their letter from the Queen and he had hoped he would too before she passed away. "I was very pleased to get it from Queen Elizabeth," he said. "I always said I wanted it from the Queen, not from Charles, so it was very timely." Lloyd's wife Barbara said the letter feels "very important", and said the letter would stay in their family for generations to come. Lloyd then assured he would be showcasing the letter to his friends and family at his 100th birthday party in a few weeks. Image credits: Today Extra

Retirement Life

"Find a life worth enjoying": Dame Deborah's final letter to her family

Dame Deborah James wrote a heartwarming letter to her family in her final days before succumbing to bowel cancer at the age of 40. The popular British media personality, mother-of-two and podcaster who raised millions of dollars for charity <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/vale-dame-deborah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed away</a> “peacefully” on June 28. In a section of a book titled How To Live When You Could Be Dead, Dame Deborah penned the final letter which her family would be left with. “I am currently sitting here next to the love of my life, Sebastien,” the letter began. “I never quite knew if you could really have a love of your life, but I now know what the very core of unquestioned love is between two people. “I have always loved my husband. I fancied him from when I first met him, and I knew I would marry him after our third date. It was clear to me that, while he wasn’t perfect, there was something about him that was right for me.” She then reflected on their time together and said it was so important to take time for the marriage and how sometimes you forget your loved one is there when life gets busy. “It’s easy to forget that the person you love is still there in front of you when things are clouded by the annoyance of childcare logistics, money pressures and living like ships in the night,” her letter continued. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfXIN1-ob4X/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfXIN1-ob4X/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Deborah James (@bowelbabe)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I wish I had learned at a young age that making time for your marriage to work should be as much a part of your timetable as going to the gym or cleaning your teeth. “It’s important that you don’t allow the big arguments to build up, when all you really want is to forget about everything and cuddle the one person who you love.” Dame Deborah then got candid about her feelings following her diagnosis with cancer, confessing that she felt “robbed” for not being able to be herself. “As cancer brings my life to an end, I feel this cruel realisation that I’m not fully able to be myself with the one person I have adored and needed in my life more than anyone else,” she wrote. “I feel robbed of the freedom of a body without pain to kiss with, the freedom for us to make whimsical plans for our future and retirement together. “Our goals and dreams have had to be adjusted week by week and day by day, depending on my cancer.” The media personality then reached a part for her children Hugo and Eloise as she recalled precious memories she had while raising them. “I’ve learned that there are many ways to parent — nothing is right or wrong as long as there is love,” she wrote. “There are mental snapshots of being a parent that will never leave you. But the beautifully etched memories that will come to you in your death are not necessarily the ones you might expect. “One of my first is of Hugo when he was four days old. He was lying next to me in our double bed in our flat, and he was looking for my breast to feed on — he was yellow and had a big conehead. “I remember looking at this little 6lb ball cradled against my tummy and thinking that it was only at this point that I had begun to understand what love was. “I now look at that same 14-year-old boy, who still takes the time to cuddle up next to me on the sofa, and I would give anything to continue being able to protect him in the way I did when he was just four days old.” Dame Deborah then ended with a reminder, telling readers that it is okay to relax and take time for yourself. “Take time out. Relaxing isn’t an indulgence — it’s a form of refilling ourselves. None of us can drink from empty cups. “Each day, do things that make you happy — build them into your life and never criticise others for the things that make them happy. “Every day we wake not knowing if we will see the full 24 hours of the day, so as the sun comes up on a new day, we should feel blessed. “We are given 86,400 seconds every day, and we each choose how to use them. “It is only as they begin to slip away from us that we understand the value of each and every one of those seconds.” You can read the entire letter from Dame Deborah James from How To Live When You Could Be Dead, by Deborah James out on August 18, 2022. Images: Instagram

Caring

“How do you write to your Queen?” Helen Mirren reveals contents of special letter

Helen Mirren has revealed the secret letter she wrote to Queen Elizabeth when the actress was playing Her Majesty in the 2006 biopic The Queen. The Hollywood legend reflected on crafting the letter in an interview with the <a href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/radio-times-new-issue-cover-helen-mirren/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Radio Times</a>, saying she felt compelled to write after realising the intensity of the Queen's role firsthand. "I realised we were investigating a profoundly painful part of her life, so I wrote to her," she said. "How do you write to your queen? Was it Madam, or Your Highness, or Your Majesty?" "I said: 'We are doing this film. We are investigating a very difficult time in your life. I hope it's not too awful for you'. I can't remember how I put it. I just said that in my research I found myself with a growing respect for her, and I just wanted to say that." The 76-year-old actress won an Oscar and a Bafta for her portrayal in the film, which is set during the time Princess Diana tragically died. While she never received a response to her letter from the Queen, Mirren said she did receive a letter from the Queen's secretary. Upon opening the response she confessed, "I was very relieved subsequently that I had written that letter." Earlier this year, the actress told <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/helen-mirren-interview-f9-golda-meir-1235097461/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hollywood Reporter</a> that she believes the Queen has watched the biopic. "At the time, it had never been done before, playing the queen. It was quite nerve-racking because I didn't know – no one knew – how the public would receive it, let alone the establishment in Britain," Mirren reflected. "But I got the sense that it had been seen and that it had been appreciated. I've never heard directly, and I never will," she added. Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

Court hears Chris Dawson was "always angry" in damning letter

During the highly publicised trial of Chris Dawson, the court has been told that Lynette Dawson told her sister that her husband Chris was “angry with her all the time” and thought he needed to see a doctor. Chris Dawson is standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court over the alleged murder of Lynette, four decades after her disappearance from Sydney's Northern Beaches. The former teacher and rugby league player has pleaded not guilty, denying killing her and disposing of her body. Mr Dawson's defence have claimed that he had no reason to want her to disappear and have denied allegations that he wanted to hire a hitman. On the second day of evidence, Ms Dawson’s sister Patricia Jenkins told the court she last spoke to Ms Dawson in early January 1982, just weeks before her disappearance. The court was told the Mr Dawson developed a sexual relationship with one of his students, who later moved into the Dawson's home as a babysitter. Just before Christmas in 1981, Mr Dawson left his home with the girl, who can only be known as JC for legal reasons, leaving Lynette with her two young children. However, he retuned several days later. Ms Jenkins told the court that Ms Dawson found out about Mr Dawson leaving when she arrived home to find his clothes and pillow gone and a note on the bed. “Don’t paint too dark a picture of me to the girls,” the note read, Ms Jenkins said. Ms Jenkins said when she spoke to her sister prior to Christmas in 1981, Ms Dawson had expressed concern about Mr Dawson’s health because she thought he was often “angry”. “She said to me he was always so angry with her all the time,” Ms Jenkins said. “Her descriptive words were ‘his black eyes flashing’. And she thought he needed to go see a doctor to see if it was some physical cause that he would react to her in such an angry way.” Image credits: Nine News

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"Find a life worth enjoying": Dame Deborah's final letter to her family

“How do you write to your Queen?” Helen Mirren reveals contents of special letter

Court hears Chris Dawson was "always angry" in damning letter

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"Is this legal?" Residents outraged over demanding aircon letter

Nick Kyrgios' honest thoughts on Shane Warne's open letter

Nat Barr overwhelmed by Police Commissioner's heartbreaking letter to his fallen son

Waleed Aly and Steve Price clash over damning Voice letter

"Uniquely, magically, indescribably us": Read the emotional love letter from Suzanne Somers' husband

Young girl who penned heartfelt letter to King Charles is floored by response

Never-seen-before letter from Princess Di revealed

A letter to my mum this Mother’s Day

“A letter that someone will never forget”: Charles’ $43,000 job offer

Post apocalypse: the end of daily letter deliveries is in sight

"We've come so far": Deb Knight pens moving letter to daughters

Unlikely trio decodes Mary Queen of Scots' secret letters

Rare unseen private letters of Princess Diana revealed

“You are not alone”: Prince Harry pens emotional letter to bereaved children

“It’s time for the world to read this”: Simon Dorante-Day shares last letter to the Queen

Queen's letter for Sydney that can't be opened until 2085

Man receives letter from Queen Elizabeth on the day she died

"﻿Find a life worth enjoying﻿": Dame Deborah's final letter to her family

“How do you write to your Queen?” Helen Mirren reveals contents of special letter

Court hears Chris Dawson was "always angry" in damning letter

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"Find a life worth enjoying": Dame Deborah's final letter to her family