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Happy update on "unsung" Bondi hero

<p>"Unsung" Bondi hero Muhammad Taha, originally from Pakistan, was stabbed in the stomach as he confronted killer Joel Cauchi on Saturday.</p> <p>While recovering in hospital, he made a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/forgotten-bondi-junction-hero-s-plea-to-pm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">desperate plea</a> to the government to let him stay longer in the country he now calls home, following the public praise and a confirmed visa extension for French national Damien Guerot, also known as “bollard man”. </p> <p>Now, the security guard confirmed that the government would be granting him the opportunity to stay here, and Taha says he is honoured. </p> <p>“Yeah, (the government) got in touch with me, so maybe they will soon start the process, hopefully,” he told <em>The Australian</em> on Thursday.</p> <p>“I’m very honoured. It’s a great gesture from the government.</p> <p>“I’ve been in Australia around one-and-a-half years. It’s home to me. I love being here. I’m very thankful for this.”</p> <p>Taha was on a graduate visa that was due to expire within weeks. </p> <p>In an interview with SBS reporter Janice Peterson on Thursday night, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Immigration Minister Andrew Giles had spoken with Taha and expressed confidence that his visa issues would be "sorted out". </p> <p>“We know that Mr Taha put his own safety at risk in order to protect people who were there shopping," Albanese said. </p> <p>The prime minister also told <em>A Current Affair</em> he was “very confident” the issue would be resolved on Friday. </p> <p>“The minister has spoken with the gentlemen who is still in hospital, Muhammad, and we wish him every swift recovery,” he said at the time. </p> <p>“We’re just going through our processes but we see no reason why this shouldn’t be approved, and I’m very confident it will be approved tomorrow.”</p> <p>He added that people like Taha were welcome in Australia. </p> <p>“This is again another person who is newly arrived, was here working, and put his life on the line in order to protect Australians who he didn’t know,” he said.</p> <p>“Amidst all this carnage and sorrow, there are stories of bravery ... he certainly is the sort of character that we want to see continuing to contribute here in Australia.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty/ news.com.au</em></p>

Caring

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

<p>Residents in a Sydney unit complex were left outraged after they were asked to turn off their air conditioners overnight.</p> <p>A letter placed inside the elevator of the 18-floor apartment building states that the utility can only be used “during the following times."</p> <p>“Weekdays 7am to 10pm, weekends and public holidays 8am to 10pm,” the letter said.  </p> <p>“At other times than this, please turn off your air conditioners, especially after 10:00 PM every day.”</p> <p>The letter, which was posted on Facebook, received a lot of backlash from other residents and renters</p> <p>One resident who lived in the 1960s building for a decade said it was the first time she had heard of such a request.</p> <p>“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. </p> <p>Many other renters expressed their annoyance, with one joking that they'd have to pry the aircon off their dead hands. </p> <p>“Anyone else feel like we are in a Nanny State?” one wrote. </p> <p>“To be honest with 30°c nights they can pry my aircon from my cold dead heads,” another quipped. </p> <p>One Facebook user also commented that building developers might be to blame. </p> <p>“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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>The local governments also recommend that residents and developers purchase high-quality airconditioners that won't cause noise pollution or disturb neighbours. </p> <p>“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. </p> <p>The letter comes as Sydney battles its second heatwave in the span of a week. </p> <p><em>Images: Facebook/ Getty</em></p>

Legal

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Billy Joel in tears over career announcement

<p>American singer and ‘Piano Man’ Billy Joel is set to conclude his “extraordinary” Madison Square Garden residency with his 150th lifetime show. </p> <p>Joel, MSG CEO James Dolan, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams were at a press conference at the venue when the announcement was made, with Dolan taking to the stage to share that the first of the star’s final ten concert will take place in October 2023, with the final one scheduled for July 2024. </p> <p>"What Billy Joel has accomplished is extraordinary," Dolan said. "Although the residency is coming to an end, we look forward to an exciting closing run to celebrate all that you have accomplished and forever welcoming you back home to the garden anytime, anytime you like."</p> <p>An MSG Entertainment representative went on to discuss Joel’s time at the venue - with the singer having headlined over 60 times more than any other artist, and having sold more than 1.6 million tickets - before a video tribute was played in his honour, prompting another round of tears from him.</p> <p>In the wake of the announcement, Joel went on to offer his own words, telling the crowd, “Madison Square Garden is more than just our office, it's our home.</p> <p>"I'm kinda flabbergasted it lasted as long as it did.</p> <p>"It's hard to end – even 150 lifetime shows, but as I said, we're not abandoning New York, we're just spending a bit more time someplace else.”</p> <p>Reportedly, Joel’s team had advised him that the show could have gone on, but he had reached the decision that it was time to bring it to a close. </p> <p>“It keeps selling, people keep coming, people keep buying tickets,” he said, “[but] I'm now 74, seems like a nice number to just [say] 'okay'.”</p> <p>And as Mayor Adams went on to share, Joel’s music wasn’t going anywhere, even if the residency was moving on. </p> <p>"There's only one thing that's more New York than Billy Joel – and that's a Billy Joel concert at MSG," he said. "For more than 50 years, Billy's music has defined our city and brought us together. </p> <p>“On behalf of 8.5 million New Yorkers, congratulations, Billy, on a historic run of sold-out shows at MSG, and thank you for a lifetime of bringing joy to us all."</p> <p>When the news broke on social media, fans were sad to know the performances would be over, but wasted no time in congratulating him for a job well done, and thanking him for sharing his music with the world. </p> <p>“All good things must come to a end,” one wrote, “congratulations on this amazing run and thank you for some special memories”.</p> <p>“OMG I hope to see one of your shows by then,” another shared. “You give great concerts. That final performance there will be such a heartfelt sadness for all your fans who just love hearing and seeing you perform. Billy Joel, you are amazing and loved.”</p> <p>And as one other told the beloved Piano Man, “incredible! Congratulations and thank you for sharing your beautiful creativity with us. You've entertained, soothed and made us think. All the best!!”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Music

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Real life Ramsay Street resident reveals Neighbours secrets

<p>As the beloved Aussie soap <em>Neighbours</em> is being revived, a man who lives on the famous cul-de-sac has given some insight into the filming process.</p> <p>Miles Shackley has revealed what it’s really like to live at the 5 Pin Oak Court, Vermont South, Melbourne address, known by fans as Dr Karl and Susan Kennedy’s house on fictional Ramsay Street.</p> <p>Mr Shackley spoke on <em>news.com.au</em>'s podcast I’ve Got News For You; originally from the UK, he purchased the house in 2020, right before the pandemic hit, with his partner Hayley Jones, who just so happens to be a massive <em>Neighbours</em> fan.</p> <p>While the pair knew the fictional street would be no less than a tourist hotspot, they were shocked by just how many fans go out of their way to stop by to snap some pictures.</p> <p>“We still do get a fairly steady stream of people who just come along,” he told podcast host Andrew Bucklow. “I mean, there were official tours, but during the week, you get the occasional people who come and pose with the Ramsay Street signs and stuff.</p> <p>“But in general, it’s a public road, so people can just come along anyway. And that’s typically what we see happening, really, is just people coming along and take a few photos and that kind of thing. So it’s nice. It’s good that it still maintains that level of interest.”</p> <p>Mr Shakley was informed by previous residents that experienced fans knocking on their door, but it was generally more difficult for them to do so during the later seasons of the show as a security company patrolled and closed off the street during production.</p> <p>He also explained that only exterior scenes were shot on his street, any interior shots were filmed at a studio nearby. During filming, which spans anywhere from two to six hours, once or twice a week, he said he and his partner are asked to stay inside while the crew film on the property.</p> <p>Mr Shackley did not comment on reports that residents were paid somewhere between $33,000 to $50,000 a year by the production company to film on their property, but he did say it wasn’t an inconvenience.</p> <p>"You could be at home, that was no problem at all. But they typically ask us to remove our cars,” he explained. “I just often park it around the corner for them the previous night. But there’s no real impact, really – they just sort of let us know when they are filming and basically asked us not to come out the front door in the middle of a shot.”</p> <p>He also said that his partner thought it would be funny to volunteer him as an extra during contract renegotiations with Fremantle.</p> <p>“You’re speaking to sort the rules and regulations and what we’re meant to do and what we’re not. And [Fremantle] said, ‘Any questions?’ and my partner said, ‘Yes, commodity and extra fees.’ So she volunteered me,” he said, which resulted in his hands appearing on two episodes of the soap.</p> <p>Living right in the middle of the show’s action has always been a novelty for the couple, which almost came to an end in 2022 as UK broadcaster Channel 5 did not renew the show's contract. This meant that after 37 years of filming and 8.903 episodes, the show was set to end.</p> <p>“We were disappointed. Not for the show, but it was more just for the crew and the cast,” Mr Shackley said. “Obviously it was sad that the show was coming to an end. We were just kind of sad for them – and we knew we’d miss the sort of activity outside.”</p> <p>Only three months after what was supposed to be the finale, Amazon Freevee signed a deal with Fremantle to revive the treasured show.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram/Youtube</em></p>

Real Estate

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Only days left for one Aussie state's residents to make $1000 claim

<p dir="ltr">New South Wales residents who faced the brunt of July 2022’s floods have only one week remaining to claim their $1000 lump sum payment.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Disaster Recovery Payment [DRA] - of $1000 per adult and $400 per child - as he set off to tour some of the hardest hit regions in July 2022. The news gave some hope to those who had lost everything in the disaster that swept through their homes, and the chance to secure the likes of clothing, food, and temporary shelter.</p> <p dir="ltr">At the peak of the devastation, over 100 evacuation orders - amounting to roughly 85,000 people - had been issued across the state, with thousands of properties inundated, with SES crews responding to over 370 flood rescues, and a frightening 7600 help requests. </p> <p dir="ltr">People living in the local government areas [LGAs] that were directly impacted by the floods are eligible, although certain criteria must be met. Service Australia outlines that you (or a dependent child to whom you’re the principal carer) must be an Australian citizen or hold an eligible visa, be in an eligible LGA, and must be claiming the payment for the first time. </p> <p dir="ltr">Those whose homes suffered major damage due to the floods and required either repair or replacement in certain areas, as well as those whose “major assets” - the likes of caravans, vehicles, water tanks, and sheds - were also in need of repair or replacement are eligible for the payment as well. </p> <p dir="ltr">And residents who were seriously injured, or had an immediate family member (who is/was an Australian citizen) die or go missing in the floods, are also eligible. </p> <p dir="ltr">Furthermore, individuals who lost income as a direct result of the floods may be able to get the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment [AGDRP]. If this is the case, they are then also able to claim the DRA.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for which LGAs the payment covers, residents from the following who felt the floods’ impact should look into it: Bayside, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury Bankstown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Cumberland, Dungog, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Kempsey, Kiama, Lake Macquarie, Lithgow, Liverpool, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Narromine, Newcastle, Northern Beaches, Oberon, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Randwick, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, Strathfield, Sutherland, The Hills, Upper Lachlan, Warren, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly, and Wollongong. </p> <p dir="ltr">New South Wales residents who are eligible only have until April 5 to make their claim. To check your eligibility status, <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-new-south-wales-floods-july-2022-australian-government-disaster-recovery-payment?context=62849">head to Service Australia</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Minister steps in to stop deportation of family with Down syndrome son

<p dir="ltr">A Perth family who were on the brink of deportation because of their son’s Down syndrome have been granted permanent residency after an intervention from Immigration Minister Andrew Giles.</p> <p dir="ltr">Last month, the family from India were told to leave because their 10-year-old son’s condition was viewed as a “burden” on the taxpayers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Parent’s Krishna Aneesh and Aneesh Kollikkara begged the Immigration Minister to intervene, as their bridging visa was set to expire on March 15 and they had exhausted all other legal options.</p> <p dir="ltr">The family had been living in Australia for seven years, and on Wednesday they received the happy news through a letter from Giles.</p> <p dir="ltr">The letter read: "[The minister] has personally considered your case and has decided to exercise his public interest power in your case to substitute the decision of the [Administrative Appeals] Tribunal”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Aneesh and her husband spoke to reporters after the decision came out, and said they were “over the moon” when they found out.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I literally went into tears we can stay here we can live in this community we can provide a very good environment for our kids,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Both parents work in highly-skilled industries, with Aneesh as a cyber security expert and Kollikkara working in telecommunications.</p> <p dir="ltr">People with Disability Australia treasurer Suresh Rajan, the family representative, said that their contribution to the society was taken into consideration in the intervention.</p> <p dir="ltr">"That public interest criteria goes to the fact that Krishna and Aneesh are performing work in critical industries and the public wants them here," he said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Letter received from Minister Giles office granting Permanent Residency to Krishna and Aneesh. Hallelujah! <a href="https://t.co/iYnWHrAZ0C">pic.twitter.com/iYnWHrAZ0C</a></p> <p>— Suresh Rajan (@SureshRajan6) <a href="https://twitter.com/SureshRajan6/status/1633340769493999617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Rajan also shared the development on the family’s case on Twitter.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Letter received from Minister Giles’ office granting permanent residency to Krishna and Aneesh. Hallelujah,” he captioned with a picture of the family.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Caring

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The one food King Charles just banned from all royal residences

<p>King Charles III has banned a classic French delicacy from his royal residence. The ban comes following animal cruelty concerns, PETA have confirmed.</p> <p>The animal rights group said the King removed "foie gras" which is a traditional delacy made from the fattened liver of a duck or goose. It has been off the royal menu for quite some time now, both at Buckingham Palace and all other residences owned by the royal family.</p> <p>The food product was banned around 2008, while Charles was the Prince of Wales. PETA have more recently confirmed the King has issued a blanket ban on the product which was described as “torture in a tin”.</p> <p>The foie gras ban extends to Balmoral, Sandringham, Windsor Castle, Hillsborough Castle and Buckingham Palace, reports claim.</p> <p>"As Prince of Wales, King Charles removed foie gras – a despicable product for which ducks and geese are force-fed until their livers swell up to 10 times their natural size before the animals are slaughtered – from his royal residences," a PETA spokesperson said.</p> <p>The group made public a letter they received from royal officials confirming the ban.</p> <p>"I can confirm that foie gras is not purchased by the Royal Household nor served in Royal Residences, and there are no plans for this policy to change," the letter reads.</p> <p>The letter was signed by the Master of the King's Household, Tony Johnstone-Burt and dated November 10, 2022.</p> <p>Elisa Allen, PETA's vice president, said she hoped Charles' move would encourage other people to ditch foie gras from their diet.</p> <p>There is a ban on the production of foie gras in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. However, it can be imported and sold within those countries.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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You could visit the Queen’s residences sooner than expected

<p dir="ltr">In his first major announcement as a monarch, King Charles III has revealed he will be reopening the Queen’s former residences to the public - and it’s sooner than you might expect.</p> <p dir="ltr">On Thursday, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace, and the Queen’s Gallery in Edinburgh will be reopened to visitors following the ten-day period of national mourning for Queen Elizabeth II.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the late monarch’s home of Windsor Castle will remain closed until Thursday, September 29, potentially due to the royal family continuing their mourning period for another week after the Queen’s funeral.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1bd59aeb-7fff-b40c-aa50-d4c8e5d09429"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The Royal Collection Trust has confirmed that the State Rooms and Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace - which is set to become King Charles III’s new London home - won’t reopen this year.</p> <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/CiuShGctuI_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CiuShGctuI_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Royal Collection Trust (@royalcollectiontrust)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">It comes after the commemorative Platinum Jubilee displays at the royal residences were permanently closed following Queen Elizabeth II’s death.</p> <p dir="ltr">The exhibition Masterpieces from Buckingham Palace, currently on display at the Queen’s Gallery, will also be extended until Monday, October 31.</p> <p dir="ltr">It is understood that King Charles III may open more of Buckingham Palace to the public to increase revenue which will help pay for the reservicing of the home.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He will use Buckingham Palace because he knows that is his duty,” a royal aide told The Telegraph.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But he might choose to use fewer rooms and open up more of the building to the public.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It has also been suggested that the 73-year-old could gift Balmoral Castle to Scotland in the near future, making the Queen’s formerly private home open to the public all year round.</p> <p dir="ltr">As well as supporting his plans to slim down the monarchy and increase revenue, royal biographer Penny Junor told the UK newspaper the move would likely be a bid to reduce maintenance costs as well.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think he might bring in more income from the royal assets because he is quite an entrepreneur,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If he allowed more visitors into Balmoral that would be a good earner.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-70fdc6ee-7fff-fe76-db5a-6954522a5d75"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @royalcollectiontrust (Instagram)</em></p>

Real Estate

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Game of Thrones: King Charles III’s choice of royal residences

<p dir="ltr">After King Charles III was sworn in as England’s next monarch, he isn’t just assuming his late mother’s royal duties, but also ownership of her residences.</p> <p dir="ltr">Charles has a choice of five palaces when it comes to his official home, though he doesn’t necessarily have to select just one.</p> <p dir="ltr">If he follows in his mother’s footsteps, he could choose to travel between several locations for official duties and downtime.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He is going to have to weigh up the cost against the importance of keeping these palaces and castles and residences truly royal by using them," a source told The Times.</p> <p dir="ltr">With choices spanning London to Berkshire, here’s a whirlwind tour of the residences King Charles III can choose from.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Buckingham Palace, London</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Having been the official London residence for monarchs for 185 years, when Queen Victoria first took up residence there in 1837, Buckingham Palace has a lengthy history.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/buckingham-palace1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">The 775-room building is now used as the administrative headquarters, or royal office, of the monarch thanks to its 92 offices, 188 staff bedrooms, and 52 royal and guest bedrooms.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, if Charles does want to move in, current renovations to the palace mean he’ll have to wait. The changes are estimated to cost over $700 million, with an expected completion date in 2027.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Clarence House, London</strong></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2d39489f-7fff-5e30-274a-64c59b13a02d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Located beside St James’ Palace, Clarence House has been a royal residence for slightly longer than Buckingham Palace, having been built in 1827 for Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/clarence-house.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">King Charles and Camilla, now the Queen Consort, have called Clarence House home since 2003.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Sandringham House, Norfolk</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The 20,000-acre Norfolk property is known as the royal’s country house and has been passed down through the royal family for centuries.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4bb18b46-7fff-90ad-bae9-edbe888bb618"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">With its sprawling acreage, more than 200 people make their living from the estate, including gamekeepers, gardeners, farmers and workers at Sandringham’s sawmill.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/sandringham-house.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">Sandringham House has also gone down in history as the location of Queen Elizabeth II’s first televised Christmas message.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Highgrove House, Gloucestershire</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-5f131cc5-7fff-199d-a2a2-8d500d15656c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">King Charles has used Highgrove House as his private residence since the 1980s - over 180 years after it was built.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/highgrove-house.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">Before Charles lived there, the Georgian home belonged to Maurice Macmillan, the son of former British PM Maurice Macmillan.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nowadays, Highgrove House sees around 40,000 visitors walk through the estate’s expansive gardens each year.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Windsor Castle, Berkshire</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8caa6e34-7fff-332d-a7be-5ff6431b396c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">With more than 1000 rooms and over 300 fireplaces, Windsor Castle has been in the royal family for 900 years.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/windsor-castle.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">But it isn’t the only building located on the property, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s residence, Frogmore Cottage.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4717eb95-7fff-b26c-bd92-01a19636cb35"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

Real Estate

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Elderly resident rescued from a potentially fatal flooding incident

<p>A 72-year-old woman has been rescued from her car with only moments to spare after she was swept off the road and trapped in neck-deep flood water during an extreme weather event.</p> <p>Police responded to the elderly woman's triple zero call around 2:30 pm on Wednesday the 6th of July, after a flooded rural crossing in Collombatti, north of Kempsey on the NSW mid-north coast, swept her car downstream and wedged it in a line of trees.</p> <p>In the panicked call she said she was trapped inside the car with water up to her chest.</p> <p>A sergeant from Mid North Coast Police District used a 4WD winch cable as a safety line before entering the floodwater to find the vehicle.</p> <p>The officer, with the help of five other police, opened the woman's car door as water began to reach her neck, this incident could've been fatal.</p> <p>It is believed she was trapped in the car for about 45 minutes. She was then taken to the Kempsey Hospital where she was treated for hypothermia and exhaustion.</p> <p>The officers were not injured during the incident and the command is considering recommending all officers to be recognised for their efforts.</p> <p>About 60,000 people are still feeling the threat of widespread flooding in the Sydney, Hunter and mid-north coast regions following a week-long rain event.</p> <p><em>Image: NSW Police</em></p>

News

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Noosa resident sells home for 190 times what they paid for it

<p>A buyer has swooped in on a waterfront mansion in Noosa Heads, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.</p> <p>The property comes with a $17 million price tag and cost the vendor only $90,000 when purchased in the mid-'80s.</p> <p>On the numbers, it truly is the deal of a lifetime.</p> <p>The six-bedroom house at 32 Noose Parade was built in 1985 on a plum parcel of land, capturing 20-metre river frontage.</p> <p>The sold price for the brick home on highly-sought after Noose Parade, on the Noosa River, has not been disclosed, but the advertising campaign called for offers over $17 million.</p> <p>If the property achieved close that sum, which it is understood to have, it would be second highest sale ever in Noosa Heads, behind $19.5 million paid this year.</p> <p>The Sunshine Coast and Queensland property record is $34 million paid for the stunning 17 Webb Road, Sunshine Beach, in June last year.</p> <p>Listing agent for 32 Noosa Parade, Tom Offermann, said the riverside location is the "holy grail" for property seekers in Noosa Heads, and the home sold for its land value. He declined to comment on the buyer or their plans for the property.</p> <p>Offermann, director of Tom Offermnan Real Estate, said Noosa Parade has immense appeal and homes often only come to market when vendors reach older age.</p> <p>The listing for 32 Noosa Parade gives away very little about the condition of the house, but the few photos attached hint that it is faithful to the original design.</p> <p><em>Image: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

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Aged care residents given 10 weeks to find a new home

<p dir="ltr">Older Australians living in aged care have been forced out of their homes, after it was decided that the only facility in their small town would be shut down.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/elderly-aussie-residents-face-being-forced-out-of-nsw-aged-care-facility/78205e17-fc8a-4372-bb23-09aa081f538c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a></em> reported that the owners of Anglian Care, the only facility in the northern NSW town of Bulahdelah, gave families of residents ten weeks to find their loved ones a new place to live.</p> <p dir="ltr">The decision has angered the community, with local resident Rod telling the program that losing “40 staff” and “40 local jobs in a small community” will be devastating.</p> <p dir="ltr">Norma Hughes, a resident of the Cedar Wharf Lodge, told <em>A Current Affair</em> that she never imagined she would be asked to leave on the eve of her 90th birthday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was going to finish my days here but that’s not happening anymore,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her son Neil and daughter-in-law Lyn were also angered by the situation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The staff found out that day, I think I was the only one there that wasn’t in tears, they were all crying going ‘damn, what’s going on?’” Neil said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was pretty sad for them; for everybody in a sense.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Bob, another resident, passed away at the age of 99 shortly after his family was interviewed by <em>A Current Affair</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">His son-in-law, Kevin Carter, said the stress of being evicted was a heavy weight for him in his final days.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Ninety-nine is a lot of age and how do you accommodate meeting the new nurse and staff? It’s quite frightening,” Mr Carter said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bulahdelah’s nursing home has been in operation since 1991, and the decision to close its doors came after the church reviewed its 11 aged care homes and found it wasn’t viable to continue operating.</p> <p dir="ltr">The church said in a statement this was because the Federal Government wasn’t offering any long-term funding for small regional services like the one in Bulahdelah.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though the closest facility is half an hour away, many residents will be forced to travel an hour away to Taree, meaning their loved ones will have to embark on two-hour round trips to visit them.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rod told<em> A Current Affair</em> that a solution could arise through a “stay of execution”, but that he didn’t have his hopes up that Anglican Care and the bishop would change their minds.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Potentially it could be saved … but they’re not flexible, they’ve made their decision and they won’t listen,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now it seems the only hope for elderly Austraions in towns like Bulahdelah could come after the looming federal election, if the next leaders decide to funnel money into these areas.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d61e29f4-7fff-18c9-8fed-bbeab0d53b76"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: A Current Affair</em></p>

Retirement Life

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$250 million in accommodation vouchers for all NSW residents

<p>Adults in New South Wales are able to apply for accommodation vouchers to go towards their next intrastate holiday. </p> <p>From Monday February 21st, NSW residents can apply for one of the $50 vouchers to use on holiday, in order to help boost the state's financial Covid recovery.</p> <p>The new vouchers are part of a $250 million government scheme to help NSW residents explore their own state's destinations, all while helping local tourism businesses. </p> <p>“The Stay NSW voucher is a fantastic incentive for NSW residents to get out and explore the incredible cultural and natural wonders of their home state or even experience what it’s like to be a tourist in Sydney with a staycation in one of the world’s great CBDs,” Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said.</p> <p>“The NSW Government is committed to supporting our accommodation providers, who have experienced consecutive years of hardship with natural disasters and the pandemic."</p> <p>“This initiative will provide a much-needed boost to the sector as we continue on our roadmap to recovery.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">1️⃣ Are you 18 years or above?<br />2️⃣ Do you live in NSW?</p> <p>When you log in online or open your ServiceNSW app this morning - you may be eligible to claim a $50 Stay NSW voucher - to help support accommodation providers in NSW impacted by COVID-19. <a href="https://t.co/WyS50HTZE0">pic.twitter.com/WyS50HTZE0</a></p> <p>— Victor Dominello MP (@VictorDominello) <a href="https://twitter.com/VictorDominello/status/1495536895484469255?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>While residents are able to apply for the vouchers now, they will be rolled out in a staggered approach, with all residents having access by March 3rd. </p> <p>Unlike the Dine and Discover vouchers, accommodation vouchers can be used with family and friends. </p> <p>“People can pool the $50 Stay NSW Vouchers with relatives or mates, with no redemption limit,” Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said.</p> <p>The vouchers will be valid for use in New South Wales until October 9th.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Conflicts between nursing home residents are often chalked up to dementia – the real problem is inadequate care and neglect

<p>Frank Piccolo was a beloved high school chemistry teacher in Ontario, Canada, until his retirement in 1998. “His trademark was to greet all of his students at the door at the start of class to make sure everyone felt welcomed there,” <a href="https://www.saultstar.com/2013/02/21/remembering-frank-piccolo--oconnor">wrote a former student</a>. “He had extensive knowledge of his subject matter, passion for his craft, and empathy for his students.”</p> <p>But after Frank’s retirement, he developed dementia. When his condition declined, his family moved him to a Toronto nursing home. One evening in 2012, another resident – a woman with dementia – entered Frank’s bedroom. She hit Frank repeatedly in the head and face with a wooden activity board. Staff found Frank slumped over in his wheelchair, drenched in blood. He died three months later.</p> <p>The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care investigated. It found that the woman had a history of pushing, hitting and throwing objects at staff and other residents. But the nursing home didn’t address the woman’s behavioral expressions for weeks before the attack on Piccolo, <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/21048374/inspection-report.pdf">the agency determined</a>. “There were no interventions implemented, no strategies developed,” the report stated.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440940/original/file-20220115-27-vtyb52.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="Frank Piccolo and his wife, Theresa, standing near each othe, on vacation, with a hillside village and the sea behind them." /> <span class="caption">Frank Piccolo and his wife, Theresa, traveling together in Italy in 2001.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Theresa Piccolo</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></p> <p>As a gerontologist and <a href="http://dementiabehaviorconsulting.com">dementia behavior specialist</a>, I’ve <a href="https://www.healthpropress.com/product/understanding-and-preventing-harmful-interactions-between-residents-with-dementia/">written a book</a> on preventing these incidents. I also co-directed, with dementia care expert Judy Berry, a documentary on the phenomenon called “<a href="https://terranova.org/film-catalog/fighting-for-dignity-a-film-on-injurious-and-fatal-resident-to-resident-incidents-in-long-term-care-home">Fighting for Dignity</a>.” The film sheds light on the emotional trauma experienced by family members of residents harmed during these episodes in U.S. long-term care homes.</p> <h2>Reporting and stigmatizing</h2> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.01808.x">Resident-to-resident incidents</a> are defined by researchers as “negative, aggressive and intrusive verbal, physical, material and sexual interactions between residents” that can cause “psychological distress and physical harm in the recipient.”</p> <p>These incidents <a href="https://doi.org/10.7326/M15-1209">are prevalent</a> in U.S. nursing homes. But they are <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/11/29/resident-to-resident-incidents-hidden-source-nursing-home-harm/">largely overlooked</a> by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal agency overseeing care in approximately 15,000 nursing homes across the country. Consequently, such incidents <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2017.1333939">remain untracked</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2015.10.003">understudied</a> and largely unaddressed.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440941/original/file-20220115-18-1qy7een.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440941/original/file-20220115-18-1qy7een.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="An elderly man with severe injuries, including cut marks and bruises, across his face and forehead." /></a> <span class="caption">Frank Piccolo sustained severe injuries to his face and head after a woman with dementia entered his bedroom and hit him repeatedly with an activity board.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Theresa Piccolo</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></p> <p>These interactions don’t just result <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.291.5.591">in injuries</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464819863926">and deaths</a> among residents. They also leave behind devastated families who then must <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/08/20/nursing-home-immunity-covid-lawsuits">fight for answers</a> and accountability from nursing homes.</p> <p>Making matters worse, <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-19-433">government reports</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980815000094">research studies</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301220981232">media coverage</a> commonly describe these episodes with words that stigmatize people with dementia. Researchers, public officials and journalists tend to <a href="https://www.startribune.com/when-senior-home-residents-are-abusers-minnesota-rarely-investigates/450625693/">label the incidents as “abuse</a>,” “violence” and “aggression.” They call a resident involved in an incident a “perpetrator” or an “aggressor.” News outlets described the attack on Piccolo by the woman with dementia as “aggressive” or “violent.” And when reporting on <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/02/09/more_than_10000_canadians_abused_annually_by_fellow_nursing_home_residents.html">the phenomenon</a> in Canada, the Toronto Star called it “abuse.”</p> <h2>Getting to the root of the real problem</h2> <p>Most incidents, however, do not constitute abuse. A growing body of evidence suggests the true cause of these injuries and deaths is inadequate care and neglect on the part of care homes. Specifically, there is a lack of the specialized care that people with dementia require.</p> <p>Two of every three residents <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2021.02.009">involved in these incidents</a> have dementia. One study found that the rate of these episodes was nearly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.291.5.591">three times higher</a> in dementia care homes than in other long-term care homes. A recent study also found <a href="https://doi.org/10.7326/m15-1209">an association</a> between residency in a dementia care home and higher rates of injurious or fatal interactions between residents.</p> <p>But for these residents, the conflicts occur mostly when their emotional, medical and other needs are not met. When they reach a breaking point in frustration related to the unmet need, they may push or hit another resident. My research in the U.S. and Canada has shown that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2018.1474515">“push-fall” episodes</a> constitute nearly half of fatal incidents.</p> <p>Another U.S. study found that as residents’ cognitive functioning declined, they faced <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.291.5.591">a greater likelihood</a> of injury in these incidents. Those with advanced dementia were more susceptible to inadvertently “getting in harm’s way,” by saying or doing things that trigger angry reactions in other residents.</p> <p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that what it calls “aggression” between residents <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/ea_book_revised_2016.pdf">is not abuse</a>. Instead, the CDC noted that these episodes may result when care homes fail to prevent them by taking adequate action. And a study on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464819863926">fatal incidents</a> in U.S. nursing homes has shown that many residents were “deemed to lack cognitive capacity to be held accountable for their actions.”</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gk5iEo-s_6M?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <span class="caption">An undercover yearlong investigation into nursing homes in Ontario, Canada, revealed shocking instances of abuse and neglect by staff members.</span></p> <h2>How incidents often occur</h2> <p>In one study, researchers examined <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1054773813477128">situational triggers</a> among residents with cognitive impairments. The strongest triggers involved personal space and possessions. Examples include taking or touching a resident’s belongings or food, or unwanted entries into their bedroom or bathroom. The most prevalent triggering event was someone being too close to a resident’s body.</p> <p>That study also found that crowded spaces and interpersonal stressors, such as two residents claiming the same dining room seat, could lead to these episodes. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301213502588">My own work</a> and a different <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0733464820955089">Canadian study</a> came to similar conclusions.</p> <p>Other research shows that when residents are bored or lack <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F153331750502000210">meaningful activity</a>, they become involved in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1471301213502588">harmful interactions</a>. Evenings and weekends can be particularly dangerous, with fewer organized activities and fewer staff members and managers present. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2018.1474515">Conflicts between roommates</a> are also common and harmful.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438566/original/file-20211220-49721-z6ev8m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="With a smiling staff member looking on, two nursing home residents enjoy conversation while having coffee." /> <span class="caption">Residents with dementia who are meaningfully engaged in activities are less likely to become involved in harmful incidents with other residents.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/caretaker-with-senior-people-in-nursing-home-royalty-free-image/489582967?adppopup=true" class="source">Morsa Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images</a></span></p> <p>A growing body of research suggests that most incidents between residents are preventable. A major risk factor, for example, is lack of adequate supervision, which often occurs when staff are assigned to caring for too many residents with dementia. One U.S. study found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.7326/M15-1209">higher caseloads</a> among nurses’ aides were associated with higher incident rates.</p> <p>And with <a href="https://doi.org/10.4137/hsi.s38994">poor staffing levels</a> in up to half of U.S. nursing homes, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2018.1474515">staff members do not witness</a> many incidents. In fact, one study found that staff members missed the majority of unwanted <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2016.1211620">bedroom entries</a> by residents with severe dementia.</p> <h2>Residents with dementia are not to blame</h2> <p>In most of these situations, the person with dementia does not intend to injure or kill another resident. Individuals with dementia live with a serious cognitive disability. And they often must do it while being forced to share small living spaces with many other residents.</p> <p>Their behavioral expressions are often attempts to cope with frustrating and frightening situations in their social and physical environments. They are typically the result of unmet human needs paired with cognitive processing limitations.</p> <p>Understanding the role of dementia is important. But seeing a resident’s brain disease as the main cause of incidents is inaccurate and unhelpful. That view ignores external factors that can lead to these incidents but are outside of the residents’ control.</p> <p>Frank’s wife, Theresa, didn’t blame the woman who injured her husband or the staff. She blamed the for-profit company operating the nursing home. Despite its revenue of $2 billion in the year before the incident, it failed in its “<a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/02/09/more_than_10000_canadians_abused_annually_by_fellow_nursing_home_residents.html">duty to protect</a>” Piccolo. “They did not keep my husband safe as they are required to do,” she said.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173750/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eilon-caspi-1298265">Eilon Caspi</a>, Assistant Research Professor of Health, Intervention, and Policy, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-connecticut-1342">University of Connecticut</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/conflicts-between-nursing-home-residents-are-often-chalked-up-to-dementia-the-real-problem-is-inadequate-care-and-neglect-173750">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: CasarsaGuru/E+ via Getty Images</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Why are homes still being built along rivers? Flooded residents disagree on the solution

<p>Like many residents living near Calgary’s rivers, Irene’s house flooded in June 2013 when heavy rainfall melted the snowpack in the Rocky Mountains, inundating much of southern Alberta in what was, at the time, <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/2810070/top-10-most-costly-disasters-in-canadian-history-for-insurers/">the costliest disaster in Canadian history</a>.</p> <p>Irene watched as her belongings floated down the street. Everything in her basement and the first level of her home had to be discarded into a trash pile in her front yard.</p> <p>Reflecting on this trauma and her home’s devastation, she said: “Developers get away with a lot of shit they shouldn’t get away with.” She recalled arguing years earlier with the developer about how close to the river it planned to build the houses, and wondered if it might have been worse had her home been built as close to the river as initially planned.</p> <p>I was part of a team <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/15356841211046265">studying housing, environmental views and hazards</a> who interviewed residents of Calgary’s flood-affected neighbourhoods. Remarks like Irene’s were common.</p> <p>Calgary and many other cities, including <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/housing-development-in-ste-marthe-sur-le-lac-was-mainly-in-flood-zone">Montréal</a>, <a href="https://www.mapleridgenews.com/news/maple-ridge-council-proceeds-with-riverfront-subdivision/">Vancouver</a>, <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2019-10-08/commentary-the-danger-of-development-in-flood-prone-areas">Myrtle Beach</a> and <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Even-after-Harvey-Houston-keeps-adding-new-homes-13285865.php">Houston</a>, continue to build houses in areas that hydrologists and engineers have designated as being high-risk for flooding.</p> <p>In most jurisdictions, home-builders are not financially liable for flooding for very long. In <a href="https://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/n03p2.pdf">Alberta, the window of liability is one year</a>, at which point the risk is transferred to homeowners. Following floods and other disasters, research shows that the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.0.0047">development of new housing does not slow</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/sox054">but intensifies</a>, as flooded properties lose value, are bought by developers and, as memory of flooding fades, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/calgary-home-built-after-alberta-floods-11604521775">become lucrative investments</a>.</p> <h2>The residents’ point of view</h2> <p>The residents I spoke with viewed developers as myopic capitalists who choose profit over safety. Scott told me that while developers are responsible for driving the hazard risk, “You can’t blame the developers, they are … there to make bucks, right? And if the city says you can build there then, bingo!… They make a pile.”</p> <p>Surprisingly, even though their homes had been flooded, residents were not angry at developers for situating the houses close to a hazard. Rather, they were resigned to it.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434534/original/file-20211129-19-1bqnj0l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="A man wearing a mask and work gloves throws muddy debris into a pile next to a house." /> <span class="caption">Yahya Abougoush helps clean up his parents’ house in High River, Alta., on July 3, 2013.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh</span></span></p> <p>When asked what they thought should be done to keep people safe from floods, residents had two very different suggestions.</p> <h2>Better regulations</h2> <p>A sizeable group of Calgarians favoured new government regulations limiting development in flood-prone areas to rein in developers.</p> <p>Rachel said, “They can’t build where the city says they can’t…. It has to be government who says it can’t be done.”</p> <p>Gary said he believes Calgary’s municipal government “lacks the balls” to stand up to developers and regulate floodplain development. When asked why that was, he said, “It’s about money” and the political influence that developers wield over city council. Residents viewed the municipal government as weak, ineffectual and unwilling to stand up to developers.</p> <p>Quite often, the same people who argued for better government regulations on floodplain development also insisted that government should provide home buyers with a disclosure of a home’s location in a flood-prone area, a move that the real estate industry has dubbed “idiotic” and one that would “<a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jeff-goodell/the-water-will-come/9780316260206/">kill the market</a>.”</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431443/original/file-20211111-27-1w1jkn7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="A gravel path and some strips of grass separate a row of homes from a river." /> <span class="caption">New homes in Riverstone, with Bow River visible on the left.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Timothy Haney)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>Tasha wished she had been informed of the risk prior to buying her home, and told us, “I have lived here for 42 years and I have never heard of ‘flood fringe’ … maybe realtors should be more upfront about that.”</p> <p>The flood fringe is the area adjacent to the river with measurable flood risk — usually greater than one per cent annual probability of flooding. Angela said any declaration must go beyond a simple disclosure and “explain what it means.” Many preferred this type of new regulation.</p> <h2>Buyer beware</h2> <p>As one might expect in Alberta, a place known for <a href="https://press.ucalgary.ca/books/9781773850252/">right-wing populism</a>, other participants pushed back against new regulations and said individuals must bear responsibility. They deferred to the sanctity of private property rights and their distaste for government overreach. They felt that buyers must beware, often mentioning the need for “common sense.”</p> <p>Caleb said, “I think people can live wherever they want, but I think they have to carry that risk.” Others called it “instinctual.”</p> <p>Sociologists, like me, are often critical of “common sense,” looking at how such taken-for-granted knowledge is a culturally dependent and contextually specific <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/678271">product of socialization</a>. Still, many Calgarians did not see it this way and did not believe that the government should infringe on private property rights.</p> <h2>Precaution over profits</h2> <p>Calgary, like many cities, continues to develop <a href="https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/development-dispute-chaparral-residents-say-proposed-community-would-put-their-homes-at-risk-1.5326215">new housing close to rivers</a>. New neighbourhoods like Riverstone and Quarry Park offer housing marketed for their picturesque living and river access.</p> <p>In other areas, older homes near the river are being <a href="https://calgaryherald.com/life/homes/condos/white-the-evolution-of-calgarys-infill-housing">razed to make room for infills</a> — usually two or more homes on an existing lot. These infill developments increase the density in river-adjacent communities, putting more residents at risk.</p> <p>The lack of consensus among the study participants was also noteworthy. Citizen activism tends to get mixed results in influencing government decision-making on development <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13604813.2019.1690337">even when</a> there is <a href="https://uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295748696/pushed-out/">relative consensus</a>. But in the case of restricting development near rivers, there is no such consensus, which may make it difficult for residents to mobilize.</p> <p>My own view is that municipal governments must stand up to moneyed development and home-building interests by restricting growth near rivers, which should instead be preserved as green space.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434535/original/file-20211129-59784-d6hlez.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="aerial view of a bend in a river with some elongated islands, several bridges and homes and business developments on each bank." /> <span class="caption">After floods in 1993 and 1995, and facing future flooding due to climate change, the Dutch city of Nijmegen gave more room to the Waal River during periods of high water by relocating a dike and dredging a new channel.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(DaMatriX/Wikimedia)</span>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-SA</a></span></p> <p>This approach is often called “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15715124.2020.1723604">room for the river</a>,” and is particularly popular in northern and western Europe. With this approach, areas immediately adjacent to waterways are preserved, providing esthetic and recreational value, and people are moved away via buyouts when necessary. New development is restricted. It has been imported and applied in North American cities such as <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/cities-around-globe-eagerly-importing-dutch-speciality-flood-prevention-180973679/">Norfolk, Va.</a>, though with varying degrees of consistency and success.</p> <p>The more volatile climate we are experiencing as a result of climate change will undoubtedly bring new flood events near rivers and mounting flood losses. Society must work harder to keep people and property away from the water, starting with halting new developments near these hazards. The first step in getting out of a hole, of course, is to stop digging.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171660/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/timothy-j-haney-1032153">Timothy J. Haney</a>, Professor of Sociology and Board of Governors Research Chair in Resilience &amp; Sustainability, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/mount-royal-university-966">Mount Royal University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-homes-still-being-built-along-rivers-flooded-residents-disagree-on-the-solution-171660">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh</span></span></em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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Queen Elizabeth II’s outfits exhibited in royal residences

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, a trio of her most recognisable outfits will be exhibited in the royal residences. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Royal Collection will showcase the Queen’s outfits from her accession, coronation and jubilees at Windsor castle, Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the pieces will be the pink silk crepe and chiffon dress and coat worn by Her Majesty in June 1977 to mark her 25 year reign.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The iconic ensemble was designed by </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">royal couturier Sir Hardy Amies and a matching hat by milliner Simone Mirman. </span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845734/queen-exhibit-silver.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/307f48ed25b24399bfff029341527f20" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Also among the collection will be the Queen’s Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate she wore for her coronation in 1953. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This gown took eight months of research, design, workmanship and intricate embroidery to complete in time for her Majesty’s coronation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caroline de Guitaut, curator of the displays, said the collection will showcase timestamps in the monarch’s reign, with royal fans being delighted with the insider look. </span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845732/queen-exhibit-coronation.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f32dc6586af54278b4bc786e87e863c6" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Their historic significance resonates all the more greatly given their depiction of the longest reigning monarch in British history.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Visitors to the exhibitions will also see a rare collection of Her Majesty’s personal jewellery collection that adorned these historical outfits. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the priceless pieces on show will be the Queen's Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara - an heirloom wedding gift given to her by her grandmother, Queen Mary, when Princess Elizabeth married the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commonly known as Granny's Tiara, it is one of the Queen's favourite and most treasured pieces and she often wears the glittering headpiece, made of diamonds in a festoon and scroll design, to state banquets.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These exhibits will celebrate the 95-year-old monarch’s 70 year rule, which will be celebrated on February 6th 2022. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Victorian radio duo under fire for “cruel” prank on unsuspecting NSW resident

<p dir="ltr">Victorian radio duo Will and Woody, who were looking to prank Sydneysiders enjoying ‘Freedom Day’ on Monday, came unstuck after their stunt backfired.</p> <p dir="ltr">The duo had posted on social media asking listeners to ‘dob in’ friends in NSW they wanted to prank on Monday, the first day of many COVID-19 restrictions easing in NSW. They explained, “On behalf of a Victorian we are going to stitch up someone in NSW who is enjoying their freedoms”.</p> <p dir="ltr">One such Victorian was Annaleigh, who was feeling “a bit salty” that her NSW-based best friend Mia had dinner plans that evening. She explained that like many other NSW residents, Mia had recently moved her second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine forward so she could take advantage of the eased restrictions on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Woody then called an unsuspecting Mia, introducing himself as “Trent Summers from the NSW Health department” and warning that he was “unfortunately not calling with great news”. He informed Mia that a number of people during her booking window had been injected with saline solution instead of the vaccine, but kindly reassured her that it wasn’t harmful, “it just means that you potentially haven’t had the second vaccination”.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said the only way to confirm would be to perform a blood test, and then, after asking if she had plans that evening, proceeded to suggest she wear a “hazard suit, face shield and gloves” to dinner with her friends. To this, she responded, “Oh, really? Umm, I’d probably just rather not go out.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The host continued, saying, “You’d probably also have to bring your own drinks and food. And you’d probably have to sit by yourself.” At this point, all she managed was a, “Yep,” her voice breaking – at which point Woody revealed it was a “stitch up” and let Mia know her friend was on the line. “What the hell? I’m literally tearing up in the gym. My god,” Mia said. “I was thinking, ‘I’ll have to cancel everything!’ I hate needles! That was so mean.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Listeners were quick to share their thoughts on social media, with one describing it as “not funny at all” and wondering if it was “potentially an offence”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/willandwoody?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@willandwoody</a> calling young woman - as a prank - impersonating <a href="https://twitter.com/NSWHealth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NSWHealth</a>, telling woman that her second dose may have been saline, not vaxx, has to get a blood test, wear full PPE and stay away from other people when out in public. Pretty fucked up. She was distressed, crying.</p> — Shane Bazzi (@shanebazzi) <a href="https://twitter.com/shanebazzi/status/1447439206888837120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Another user pointed out that<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tga.gov.au/media-release/impersonation-commonwealth-public-officials#:~:text=Impersonating%20Commonwealth%20public%20officials%20is,that%20may%20lead%20to%20prosecution" target="_blank">impersonating Commonwealth public officials</a><span> </span>was certainly an offence under the<span> </span><em>Criminal Code Act 1995</em>, Division 148. A Melbourne man was<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/abdulfatah-awow-faces-extraordinarily-serious-allegations-for-posing-as-a-health-official-for-sex/news-story/5c28e4896baa68a06d8a05616df46f14" target="_blank">charged in August</a><span> </span>for impersonating a health worker and threatening her if she didn’t perform certain sex acts. Per the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2010-127#sec.115" target="_blank">NSW<span> </span><em>Public Health Act 2010</em></a><em>,<span> </span></em>it is an offence to impersonate an authorised officer, as well as under the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/phawa2008222/s184.html" target="_blank"><em>Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008</em></a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Aaron_OBrien9/status/1447472128702369795" target="_blank">tweeted</a><span> </span>that the stunt “wasn’t remotely funny”, and that there was a<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Schmallky/status/1447507276223299589" target="_blank">time and a place</a><span> </span>for jokes, “and this ain’t it, Chief.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: KIIS FM</em></p>

Legal

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39,000 New South Wales residents still have no idea their data was hacked

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Service NSW are trying to reach nearly 40,000 residents who have unknowingly had their private information stolen. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The massive hacking incident occured in March last year, as Service NSW chief executive Damon Rees discussed the details at a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Rees said the “unstructured nature” of the data that hackers gained access to meant it was proving difficult to identify who had been impacted and how to contact them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He said over 103,000 people had their private information shared online, while one third of the victims still remained unaware. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It could be the content of an email, it could be a scan of a handwritten document, it could be a scan of a receipt,” Mr Rees said of the stolen data.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He went on to say that Service NSW opted to notify those impacted by post rather than by phone or email, in an effort to minimise further risk. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If you put all that together, 63,500 customers were ultimately successfully notified out of the 103,000 (that were impacted),” Mr Rees said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He said that because the hackers gained access to people’s emails, the data they collected was scattered and it made it difficult to be certain of the identity of people mentioned in the emails.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“(It impacted our ability) to correlate that information and recognise, that, you know, the information that looks like it relates to someone called Damon Rees in this email account, and the information that looks like it relates to Damond Rees in that email account, are actually the same Damon Rees,” Mr Rees said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Deputy Commissioner for Investigations and Counter Terrorism David Hudson said in February police had a “fairly good handle” on the breach in security, and discussed the nature of their investigation. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We believe there was malicious intent, which would make it a cybercrime,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Some data breaches are caused by human error. Certainly wasn't the case in this — it was malicious actors.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Shutterstock</span></em></p>

Technology

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Polluted lakes turn pink, frustrating local residents

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though many tourist spots boast being unusually coloured, Argentina’s pink lakes won’t be widely advertised.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several lakes outside the city of Trelew have suddenly turned bubblegum pink, concerning locals and prompting authorities to search for an explanation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since then, the authorities have uncovered a truck which has been disposing waste from nearby fish factories in the region’s network of lagoons.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Environmental and virologist Federico Resrepo told AFP that the colour change was due to sodium sulfate in the fish waste, which is an antibacterial agent used to preserve prawns for export.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Juan Micheloud, the environmental control chief of the area, told AFP: “The reddish colour does not cause damage and will disappear in a few days.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Experts say pollution from a chemical used to preserve prawns for export purposes may have changed this Argentinian lagoon's color to bright pink. <a href="https://t.co/doGMeE9U6d">pic.twitter.com/doGMeE9U6d</a></p> — DW News (@dwnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1419773772727341059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Residents have complained about the pollution, which has also caused foul odours to spread. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In protest of the pollution, residents of the neighbouring town of Rawson blocked the roads to prevent trucks transporting fish waste from leaving the factory.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We get dozens of trucks daily, the residents are getting tired of it,” environmental activist Pablo Lada told AFP.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Those who should be in control are the ones who authorise the poisoning of people.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the factories generating thousands of jobs within the province, tension has been growing between frustrated locals and the area’s reliance on the factories economically.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Fish processing generates work … it’s true,” Lada said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But these are multi-million-dollar profit companies that don’t want to pay freight to take the waste to a treatment plant that already exists in Puerto Madryn, 35 miles away, or build a plant closer.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The lagoon, which covers an area between 10 to 15 hectares, is not used for recreation, and is located within the Industrial Park of Trelew.</span></p>

International Travel

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Angry residents ask neighbours to ban their kids from being outside before 9am

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A frustrated resident of Mosman on Sydney’s affluent harbourside has penned a letter to their neighbours about their noisy kids playing outside before 9am.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The letter was shared to a Mosman community Facebook page and received an abundance of comments from bewildered locals calling their request “ridiculous”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the letter, the author begins with a passive aggressive “Congratulations on your renovations”, implying the noise has been going on for some time. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They go on to write “we have endured many months of construction noise and now we are being disturbed by your kids in the backyard early in the morning.”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842875/mosman-complaint.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2b1d8847ab754020896603c90569cdb7" /></p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The author goes on to request that their neighbours keep their active children inside until 9am, instead of 7:30am when they are “disturbing the peace in the neighbourhood.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The letter concludes by stating “Kids will be kids but I’m simply asking if they can go out later so your neighbours are not awoken too early in the morning.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While some locals living in the elite suburb with an average house price of $4.1million sympathised with the person who wrote the complaint, most did not. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One commenter wrote, “'Seriously! We are in lockdown… We all need to show a little patience.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another perplexed neighbour said, “FFS let them get some outside air before at-home learning starts. It's good for them… Suck it up neighbours.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, through all the comments calling out the author of the note, some jumped to their defence. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One local parent wrote, “I have two kids and I never let them play in the garden until around 9am. I think it's really inconsiderate.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images/Facebook</span></em></p>

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