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Two iconic locations officially given dual Indigenous titles

<p>In a significant move to recognise and honour the rich cultural heritage of the Indigenous peoples of Australia, two iconic locations in northern NSW will now be officially known by their Indigenous names. This decision comes after impassioned calls from the community to acknowledge the profound significance these sites hold in Indigenous culture and history.</p> <p>Walgan, translating to "shoulder" in the Bundjalung language, has been designated as the dual name for Cape Byron, marking it as the Australian mainland's most easterly point. Cape Byron, situated in the picturesque town of Byron Bay, has long been a hotspot for tourists seeking stunning coastal views. However, beyond its natural beauty, this area holds deep cultural significance for the Arakwal and other Bundjalung people. It has served as a sacred site for important gatherings and traditional ceremonial practices, anchoring it firmly in the cultural tapestry of the region.</p> <p>Similarly, Nguthungulli, referred to as the "Father of the World", will now share its name with Julian Rocks, a renowned diving destination located 2.5km off Cape Byron. This underwater marvel, steeped in Aboriginal lore and legend, is intricately tied to the dreaming stories of the Arakwal and other Bundjalung communities.</p> <p>By bestowing these dual names, authorities aim to not only pay homage to the Indigenous heritage of the land but also to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of its significance among all Australians.</p> <p>The decision to officially recognise these dual names was approved by the NSW Geographical Names Board, following a submission from the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Additionally, in a nod to preserving local Indigenous language and culture, a reserve in the suburb of Bangalow will be formally named Piccabeen Park. The term "Piccabeen" originates from the Bundjalung language, referring to the bangalow palm and the traditional baskets crafted from its fronds.</p> <p>Jihad Dib, the Customer Service Minister, emphasised the NSW government's commitment to safeguarding and promoting Indigenous language and culture through place naming. "All Australians share a relationship to the land and the names we give to places convey their significance, sense of history and identity," he said "Dual-naming acknowledges the significance of Aboriginal culture and represents a meaningful step towards the process of unity in NSW."</p> <p>Echoing these sentiments, David Harris, the Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty Minister, underscored the enduring connections that the Arakwal and other Bundjalung peoples have maintained with these sites since time immemorial. "It is only right to honour that history and that connection through names that bring story and language to life for all Australians to enjoy," he said.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Legal

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Jackie O reveals awful nickname she was given in her early career days

<p>Jackie O Henderson has recalled the awful nickname she was given by upper radio management at the start of her career. </p> <p>The 48-year-old started her career in the media after ringing a station to win Guns N' Roses concert tickets, which led to a role answering phones for the station. </p> <p>Chatting candidly on <em>The Kyle and Jackie O Show</em>, she revealed, "I was called "Jackie the Phone Tart'."</p> <p>The nickname was perpetuated by an influx of hate from some radio listeners, particularly boy band fans who mistakenly believed she was sleeping with their idols when they came into the station for interviews.</p> <p>"I'd get all this hate [from fans] because my name was "tart" and they all thought, 'Oh, she's in there making moves, you know, being a sl*t'."</p> <p>"So I changed [my nickname]," added the radio host.</p> <p>Jackie has previously explained that while she was living on the Gold Coast as a teenager, she would call up the local Sea FM station in the early 90s in a bid to score concert tickets from radio host 'Ugly' Phil O'Neil.</p> <p>"I never worked at Sea FM," she said, adding that Ugly Phil took her out "on a date" after asking her to come and visit the radio station and collect the concert tickets she had won. </p> <p>Jackie recalled the pair had only been together for three months before he was offered a radio job in Canberra.</p> <p>"I moved with him because we were in a relationship," she added.</p> <p>The couple then relocated to Adelaide where Jackie got offered a job "on the phones" at the station where Phil hosted a show.</p> <p>"The rest is history," Jackie said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Music

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Hard to watch! Paralympic champion given the worst gifts ever

<p>A Spanish Paralympic cyclist has been given the worst trophy gifts in history, with his calm and collected reaction making waves online. </p> <p>Ricardo Ten Argiles was last week crowned world champion in three separate events at the 2023 UCI World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.</p> <p>During the post race ceremonies, he was presented with two gold medals, along with two very surprising gifts from the event's major sponsor: international watch company Tissot.</p> <p>The 47-year-old was gifted not one, but TWO watches in a fancy display case, despite having both his arms amputated at the forearm. </p> <p>A video of Ten keeping a straight face while being handed one of the watches has started to spread across the internet with more than 800,000 views.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Not a very well thought gift. <a href="https://t.co/hRhaTfnGsE">pic.twitter.com/hRhaTfnGsE</a></p> <p>— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) <a href="https://twitter.com/OutOfCycling/status/1691136594747469836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>One video shows Ten standing on the podium and exchanging some friendly words with an official as he holds the watch case tightly between his arms. </p> <p>Understandably, the mortifying moment has been met with outrage and black humour. </p> <p>The athlete himself has been laughing off the incident and has embraced the way his social media pages have exploded with comments.</p> <p>Many of the comments suggested that Ten regift the expensive watches at Christmas, while others wondered how officials at the event could've let the awkward gifts happen. </p> <p>Despite the outrage from fans, Ten responded to one news story about the “tactless blunder” by writing on Twitter, “I am very happy to have won two TISSOTs, one for each arm, but above all for what it means for Paralympic cycling, total inclusion of the sport at the highest level”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Twitter</em></p>

Body

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Aussie patient given new drug worth $5 million per dose

<p>A potential cure for a rare genetic disease is being trialled, and it comes with a hefty price tag.</p> <p>Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is part of a groundbreaking new trial aimed at potentially curing haemophilia B – a hereditary bleeding disorder.</p> <p>Patients with haemophilia B have a mutation on the F9 gene, which causes excessive bleeding and damage to joins as they lack the protein that helps blood to clot.</p> <p>A mere 40 patients worldwide will be infused with the gene therapy, with each dose the equivalent of $5 million, or over $1,000 a drop.</p> <p>A safe virus carrying the F9 gene is infused into the body, sending it to the liver cells, where doctors hope the protein is made for the rest of the patient’s life.</p> <p>Professor John Rasko, Head of Cell and Molecular Therapies at RPA, said the process is a “thrilling moment in the history of gene therapy”</p> <p>"We are pushing the boundaries of medical technology hoping to bring cures to individuals," he said. "It's a massive international effort that takes time and money and ultimately the manufacturing alone costs millions and millions of dollars."</p> <p>Haemophilia B patients currently require three injections a week. This revolutionary treatment could mean just one infusion in a lifetime.</p> <p>The infusion on May 22 was the culmination of more than two decades of work.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Caring

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Bizarre, "distressing" survey given to new mums in hospital

<p>A survey sent to Queensland mothers who had recently given birth at a Brisbane hospital has been slammed for its inappropriate and “distressing” questions.</p> <p>Some of the questions asked mothers to rate their own behaviour during labour and if they had any fantasies of their newborns facing harm.</p> <p>Two surveys went out to mothers who had given birth at the Mater hospital in Brisbane, one prior to the birth and one six weeks afterwards.</p> <p>One question asked mothers to rate their experience, including “what happened when labour was most intense”, where they were given a scale of “I behaved extremely badly” to “I did not behave badly at all”.</p> <p>Another question asked, “Had you, during the labour and delivery, had any fantasies that your child would die during labour/delivery?” where mothers could respond between “never” and “very often”.</p> <p>In the surveys sent to mothers prior to delivery, they were asked to rate how they expected they’d behave during pregnancy.</p> <p>The survey was part of the CERPA study and asked several questions.</p> <p>The study explores the “CErebro Placental RAtio as (an) indicator for delivery following perception of reduced fetal movements”, according to an online entry.</p> <p>The survey questions were originally written in Swedish and were translated to English.</p> <p>A potential mistranslation has copped the blame for why the questions were so alarming.</p> <p>“Mater recognises the English translation in some questions is unsuitable and regrets that this may have caused distress to respondents,” a spokesperson for Mater Hospital said.</p> <p>One mother, Toni-Ann Drury, visited the Mater hospital toward the end of her pregnancy after she moved to Queensland.</p> <p>She received a call from the hospital soon after visiting, where they asked her to answer questions via email.</p> <p>“I had no idea that it was as part of a research program or anything like that,” she explained.</p> <p>They informed her during the call she should expect more questions thrown her way six months after giving birth.</p> <p>Drury described that the questions in both surveys were “distressing”.</p> <p>“How do women behave badly during labour?" she said.</p> <p>“I don’t think that labour and birth should be put in the same sentence as behaving badly.</p> <p>“Women go through extreme pain and body changes and all that sort of stuff, so I don’t think that any woman should associate the way that they responded to pain with behaviour.</p> <p>“The other questions were quite distressing in nature and the wording that was used.”</p> <p>Drury added that the mistranslation explanation is not a good enough reason.</p> <p>“I think Mater Hospital, as fantastic as they are, have a responsibility to the women that they’re providing services to,” she said.</p> <p>“To protect them from the stuff that they are delivering, ultimately, because their name is on that email that is going out.”</p> <p>The Maternity Consumer Network described the questions on the survey as “some of the worst, paternalistic, misogynistic, thoughtless BS we’ve ever seen asked of women”.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Caring

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“Cruel disease”: Bruce Willis given heartbreaking new diagnosis

<p>In a devastating statement on Instagram, Bruce Willis’ family have shared an update on his health, announcing that the actor has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.</p> <p>Bruce’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, shared a picture of Bruce smiling on a beach, with a caption that provided their supporters news of the development in his health battle, and explained that his condition has gotten worse since his aphasia diagnosis in 2022. The same post was shared by Bruce’s ex-wife, Demi Moore, and daughter Rumer. </p> <p>On behalf of herself and the “Ladies of Willis/Moore”, Emma wrote, “our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis. </p> <p>“In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.</p> <p>“Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”</p> <p>In their full statement, the family explained that FTD is a “cruel disease” that is largely unheard of, although it is the most common form of dementia for individuals under the age of 60. Symptoms, which can worsen over time, include a loss of motor skills - from having trouble walking to muscle spasms. </p> <p>“Today there are no treatments for the disease,” the family wrote, “a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research.”  </p> <p>“Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately. We know in our hearts that – if he could today -- he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.”</p> <p>The statement - from the hearts of Bruce’s wife, ex-wife, and five daughters - concluded with a plea for fans to go out and educate themselves on the disease, and to support the mission to help others, whether or not they had any experience with FTD themselves. </p> <p>“Bruce has always found joy in life – and has helped everyone he knows to do the same,” they finished. “It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us. We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.”</p> <p>In response to the news, fans and fellow Hollywood stars came to share their love and support for the actor, as well as his loved ones as they all come to terms with the new diagnosis. </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/Cou_gFCPvjB/?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/Cou_gFCPvjB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Emma Heming Willis (@emmahemingwillis)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Thank you for sharing this with us. Sending Bruce and all the families love,” wrote American actress Rita Wilson. </p> <p>“I do understand, I lost my father from this disease,” a supporter shared. “I have to say- we kept finding gifts in the darkness and came out his death with a deeper love and an abundance of appreciation for life because though dementia is awful, we didn’t let it define him or us. We met him where he was hour by hour, minutes by minutes and learned so much him and ourselves. Sending all our love and light.”</p> <p>Surprisingly, a fuzzy cat even dropped by to send its love to the family, telling them “I send you all my love Bruce, Emma, Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn.”</p> <p>And as one fan on Twitter said, “Thanks to the Willis family for sharing his diagnosis, it helps raise awareness of FTD. To his and other families with a loved one with FTD, stay strong. Keep fighting. We are all here for each other.”</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Qantas staff to be given $5,000 bonus

<p dir="ltr">Qantas has announced a nice $5,000 bonus to 19,000 of its employees as the carrier continues to recover after Covid. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Australian carrier’s net debt had risen to an eye-watering $6.4 billion due to next to no flights during the two years of closed borders. </p> <p dir="ltr">The net debt now sits well below pre-covid levels at $4 billion as more customers are opting to travel with Qantas. </p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas is now set to give 19,000 of its employees a one-off recovery boost of $5,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to the bonus, Qantas group will look at increasing permanent wages by two per cent, which were also frozen during lockdown and closed borders. </p> <p dir="ltr">It is expected that the entire ordeal will cost Qantas a whopping $87 million in the 2022 Financial Year. </p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said recovery of the carrier began in December when the company decided to bring its workers back before borders opened. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s been a tough few years for everyone in aviation but we promised to share the benefits of the recovery once it arrived,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“For our people, the recovery really started last December when we made the decision to bring everyone back to work ahead of schedule and well before all borders opened.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In February, we announced a bonus scheme that gives employees at least 1000 shares in the national carrier if key conditions are met, which are on track.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’re announcing a one-off payment that goes some of the way to acknowledging the sacrifices our people have made, including long periods of no work and no annual wage increases. It also recognises the great work they are doing as we restart the airline, which has been challenging for everyone.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This comes at a time when travel demand is rebounding but our people are facing a unique set of cost of living pressures, which frankly they’d be in a better position to handle if aviation hadn’t been so badly hit over the past two years. That’s now changing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We can’t afford to permanently increase salaries beyond the two per cent threshold we’ve set, but we can afford to make this one-off payment on top of the Qantas share rights we’ve already given.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Getting our permanent cost base right is how we’re able to reinvest, which ultimately means more opportunity for our people.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The structure of our business means many of our people see their salary increase significantly as their careers progress. That progression often relies on the business growing, so the recent investments we’ve announced in new aircraft and new ventures will see employees share in the benefit as the national carrier enters a new phase.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Qantas</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Rare albino echidna given a second chance at life

<p>An extremely rare albino echidna – affectionally named Mr Spike by his rescuers – has been found, saved and re-released back into the wild after being hit by a car.</p> <p>After sustaining minor injuries to his spikes, the unique monotreme was placed into WIRES Wildlife Rescue care before being whisked to Albion Park Veterinary Hospital in NSW for treatment.</p> <p>It was here that Dr Cindy Jarrett named the special white guy Mr Spike before clearing him to be placed back into bushland after several days of gentle rehab.</p> <p>A lack of melanin makes this adorable little creature albino and particularly rare, with only a handful of the mammals ever sighted in the country.</p> <p>Echidnas have been around for about 50 million years but are considered quite mysterious by researchers and scientists, often burrowing into the ground or moving at a hasty speed of 2.3 kilometres per hour.</p> <p>Local and overseas travellers alike know just how special it is to spot an echidna in the wild – so imagine how amazing it must have been to stumble across Mr White, and then be able to help him safely return to his home.</p> <p><em>Image: WIRES</em></p>

Family & Pets

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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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Bambi-obsessed mother given the ultimate surprise

<p>A woman has shared the heart-warming moment she gave her ill mother the ultimate surprise while she was in palliative care. </p><p>In a post to the popular Facebook group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/515507852491119?multi_permalinks=940210780020822&amp;hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Kindness Pandemic</a>, Lisa McDonald said she and her sister have been caring for their sick mother, who is a life-long fan of deer and the Disney film <em>Bambi</em>. </p><p>Lisa and her sister came up with the idea for a real-life Bambi to visit her in her palliative care homes and got in touch with a couple how owned a mobile petting farm. </p><p>The couple, Chris and Simone, travelled two and a half hours to Melbourne in order to surprise Lisa's mother with the adorable fawn, coincidentally called Bambi. </p><p>Lisa shared the tear-jerking video of her mother meeting Bambi, and becoming instantly besotted with the animal. </p><p></p><p>"She has Bambi statues everywhere, she is wearing a Bambi T-shirt in her bed and will be cremated in one too," Lisa wrote. </p><p>"My sister and I and the rest of the family that are supporting us are also wearing Bambi T-shirts... we are calling them our nursing uniforms."</p><p>Lisa contacted Simone and Chris after finding their business and arranged for them to bring Bambi to her mother's bedside the following day. </p><p>"However unfortunately mum deteriorated quickly today and Simone and Chris didn't hesitate... they drove two and a half hours to bring Bambi to meet mum," Lisa said.</p><p>"Out of pure love and kindness. I cannot thank them enough for what they have done for my mum and my family."</p><p>Lisa's post to the Facebook has been flooded with well-wishes after receiving over 17,000 likes. </p><p>"Brought me to tears. What a special and touching moment. Absolutely beautiful people to drive all that way for your mum to experience something so magical before she passes," one woman wrote.  </p><p>"This is so beautiful. She would have absolutely loved this so much. You can see it in her eyes how much joy it brought to her. Bless them, and bless you and your beautiful Mum," another said.</p><p>"I have tears streaming down my face. What a beautiful thing for you to arrange and have happen for your mum!!! She has certainly raised two beautiful daughters with such dedication," a third person said. </p><p><em>Image credits: Facebook - The Kindness Pandemic</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Mum outraged after nine-year-old daughter given alcohol at a sleepover

<p dir="ltr">A British mum has taken to the internet to vent her frustrations after her daughter was given alcohol at a sleepover without her permission.</p> <p dir="ltr">Susan wrote on the Netmums forum about a birthday sleepover her nine-year-old daughter attended for a friend’s 10th birthday. She wrote, "My daughter attended a 10th birthday sleepover with five girls (mix of nine and 10 year old's) from school. I'm very friendly with all the mums. They had a great time and my daughter came back exhausted but in good spirits.</p> <p dir="ltr">“During the day she told me bits and bobs of what they got up to and it all sounded lovely until she mentioned that she tried a snowball (Advocaat and lemonade) and I'm furious.</p> <p dir="ltr">"At home she's had the odd sip of bucks fizz (champagne and orange juice) with me and my husband, but the mum has given my child (and other children) some alcohol without my permission. Worst of all my daughter thought it was her fault and got [very] upset."</p> <p dir="ltr">The post attracted a lot of attention, with most commenters agreeing that Susan was right to be angry, with some even calling it child abuse and urging her to call the police or child protective services. One commenter wrote, "I agree that this was not on at all! At the very least, if she was planning on letting them try the snowball she should have checked with the parents first that it was OK."</p> <p dir="ltr">Another mum shared her own experience in a similar situation, saying, "I'd also be absolutely livid. I've been there with my 14-year-old daughter. If there's alcohol involved the parents' permission should be obtained. I'd not be letting my child near that house again as trust would be completely shattered."</p> <p dir="ltr">Others said they couldn’t see the issue as she had given her daughter alcohol in her own home, with one commenter saying, "I think if she is allowed a bucks fizz at home then a little snowball is not really that bad? You need to talk to your daughter about drinking alcohol and what is allowed and what isn't.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In the UK, it is against the law to give children alcohol at home if they are under the age of five. That means that on private premises like homes, children aged five to 16 are allowed to consume alcohol, although<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/alcohol-and-the-law/the-law-on-alcohol-and-under-18s" target="_blank">Drinkaware</a><span> </span>and the Chief Medical Officers advise against it.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: hobo_018</em></p>

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"The world is a safer place”: Couzens given UK’s most severe sentence

<p><strong>Warning: This story contains graphic content which may disturb some readers.</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wayne Couzens, the former policeman responsible for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of 33-year-old English woman Sarah Everard has been sentenced to life behind bars, with no chance of parole. Lord Justice Fulford handed down a whole life order, the most severe sentence in the UK, on Thursday, describing Everard’s murder as “devastating” and “tragic”, and Everard herself as an "intelligent, resourceful, talented and much-loved young woman".</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lord Fulford said, "First and foremost, Sarah Everard was a wholly blameless victim of a grotesquely executed series of offences that culminated in her death and the disposal of her body.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lord Fulford went on to Couzens’ actions in kidnapping Sarah, by using his position as a police officer to provide him with a pretext for stopping and questioning her. “I have not the slightest doubt that the defendant used his position as a police officer to coerce her on a wholly false pretext into the car he had hired for this purpose. It is most likely that he suggested to Sarah Everard that she had breached the restrictions on movement that were being enforced during that stage of the pandemic.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sarah was walking home from a friend’s house in south London on March 3 when Couzens pulled over his rental vehicle and stopped her. Couzens then falsely arrested her for breaching COVID-19 restrictions and handcuffed her before putting her in the car.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Couzens proceeded to rape and strangle Sarah before burning her body and clothes in an old refrigerator on land he owned before dumping her body. She was found in Ashford, Kent, roughly 100km south-east of London, a week later, following a dedicated search. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sarah’s family released a statement following the sentencing, saying, "We are very pleased that Wayne Couzens has received a full life sentence and will spend the rest of his life in jail. Couzens held a position of trust as a police officer and we are outraged and sickened that he abused this trust in order to lure Sarah to her death. The world is a safer place with him imprisoned."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 328.2710280373832px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844538/screen-shot-2021-10-01-at-91204-am.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/25e57405cf404a3fb800b60cf3229b05" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her family had previously </span><a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/i-can-never-forgive-you-sarah-everard-s-parents-face-her-killer-in-court"><span style="font-weight: 400;">shared victim impact statements with the court</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, with Sarah’s mother Susan, expressing profound grief, saying, "Sarah died in horrendous circumstances. I am tormented at the thought of what she endured. In her last hours she was faced with brutality and terror, alone with someone intent on doing her harm. The thought of it is unbearable – I am haunted by the horror of it."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sarah’s father Jeremy said he would never forgive Couzens for what he did to her. "The horrendous murder of my daughter, Sarah, is in my mind all the time and will be for the rest of my life. Sarah was handcuffed and unable to defend herself. This preys on my mind all the time. I can never forgive you for what you have done, for taking Sarah away from us."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In handing down the sentence, Lord Fulford said of Couzens, “Notwithstanding your guilty pleas, therefore, I have seen no evidence of genuine contrition on your part as opposed to evident self-pity and attempts by you to avoid or minimize the proper consequences of what you have done.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Metropolitan Police</span></em></p>

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Major change shows Sydney has given up

<p>Despite the rising number of COVID case numbers in NSW, authorities are no longer identifying venues visited by COVID cases.</p> <p>Instead, social media watchers have noticed that over the past few days, venues of concern in Sydney have not been listed, despite the majority of cases occurring in the city.</p> <p><em>The Daily Telegraph</em> has revealed that, under a new risk-based approach, places like supermarkets and shopping centres throughout Sydney won’t be added to the list of venues of concern.</p> <p>The change, made quietly over the weekend, means officials will now focus their contact tracing efforts on other settings where COVID is more likely to be transmitted. These include visits between households, workplaces, healthcare and education sites.</p> <p>As NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty said in a press conference early this week: “We’re really trying to focus the public’s attention on those where we believe there is a true risk.”</p> <p>“What we’ve learnt is where the infection is most likely to spread. So that’s why we’re focusing on those areas.”</p> <p><em>Photo: Getty Images</em></p>

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Young mum given three years to live after beautiful gesture

<p><span>Megy Gough received the shock of her life when she was told she’d have just three years left to live.</span><br /><br /><span>Following a wonderful gesture where she rallied 30 vendors to gift a $50,000 wedding to a couple who survived bowel cancer, she found out in November 2019 that she had the same horrible disease.</span><br /><br /><span>The disease had already spread to her liver and lymph nodes, and doctors declared her cancer “inoperable”.</span><br /><br /><span>However the mother-of-one is determined to watch her four-year-old daughter, Harper, grow up.</span><br /><br /><span>“My heart breaks at the thought of not being able to watch her grow up to be the woman that we're raising her to be. But, for her I know I have to fight this disease,” Mrs Gough told the <em>Gold Coast Bulletin.</em></span><br /><br /><span>The 31-year-old skin with her husband are fighting hard, despite losing their jobs at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.</span><br /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840595/daily-story-a-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/02fc17707b644c5087829c927129f58e" /><br /><span>The pair are trying to fund integrative oncology, which is not covered by Medicare and will cost her more than $50,000.</span><br /><br /><span>While it won’t cure her disease, doctors say, it will buy her time.</span><br /><br /><span>It was only four years ago that Mrs Gough gave back to the community by helping a cancer-stricken couple.</span><br /><br /><span>She roused dozens of vendors to donate their services for a $50,000 wedding as a present for Rebecca Limb and Matt McLean.</span><br /><br /><span>“After the wedding I was providing her with assistance around growth shampoos, to help with her hair regrowth after her chemotherapy. Now the tables have turned. I could never have imagined that I would be walking down the same tough road though just a couple of years later,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>Mrs Gough said she missed key signs that her health was deteriorating, and put her symptoms down to exhaustion as she had started her own company within the same year.</span><br /><br /><span>She admitted her health had become a “last priority”.</span><br /><br /><span>After delaying a doctor’s visit for six months, she says it is a decision that became the “biggest regret of her life”.</span><br /><br /><span>Mrs Gough underwent 17 major rounds of chemotherapy after she could not find any doctors in Queensland willing to give her surgery.</span><br /><br /><span>She eventually found a Sydney doctor to take on her case.</span><br /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840597/daily-story-a.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c7ae29be7be14378b6d7b9000de35ba6" /><br /><span>They gave her a peritonectomy in August to remove half of her bowel and 75 per cent of her liver, gallbladder, appendix and stomach lining.</span><br /><br /><span>Sadly, the family received another devastating blow when it was discovered there were two nodules in a scan that had become active.</span><br /><br /><span>Doctors also found cysts on her ovaries tha were determined to possibly be cancer.</span><br /><br /><span>She went on to undergo surgery to remove spots on her lungs, but ended up in an induced coma for five days, with liver failure and a collapsed lung.</span><br /><br /><span>The harsh reality has not deterred Mrs Gough’s hope, as she remains determined to have more time with her family.</span><br /><br /><span>The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help the couple through their hardship.</span><br /><br /><span>“I’ve always struggled and hated asking for help. I would prefer to help,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“But I realised you either ask for help or you could potentially never see your daughter grow up.”</span></p>

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Brave boy battling rare cancer given police honour

<p>A six-year-old boy has been welcomed into the New South Wale Police force for a day as a new recruit.</p> <p>Mitchell Ray has been battling an extremely rare form of cancer for the last seven months after being diagnosed in January.</p> <p>The young boy has spent months in chemotherapy and surgery and as a way to honour the schoolkid for his brave fight, NSW police offered Mitchell a rare chance to be a police officer for just a day.</p> <p>He was taken on the ride of his life alongside Highway Patrol who cruised him to the harbour to hang out with the Marine Unit.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837529/eg-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d47612789aad48d3811902861fe700e2" /></p> <p>Mitchell was also allowed to get his hands on the Police Rescue’s special tools and gadgets.</p> <p>His mum Erin and dad Jeremy are currently unable to work and have been <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/mitchell-blasts-neuroblastoma?fbclid=IwAR0O4FE5UfAM3wrVBWRjhII3dde0lCltaFJav9YuY4RAYF_0fD2TS-djjE0" target="_blank">crowdfunding</a> so they can stay by their son’s bedside.</p> <p>The pair are worried they may just have to return to working.</p> <p>“It would be heartbreaking to have to go back to work while Mitchell is going through the treatment that he is,” Erin told 7NEWS.</p> <p>“We just really want to make the most of being together and make sure we’ve got these memories.”</p> <p>More than $35,000 has been raised on the GoFundMe established for Mitchell’s family.</p>

Family & Pets

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Prince William reveals the worst gift he's given Kate Middleton

<p>Prince William has revealed the worst gift he's ever given Kate Middleton in a new podcast.</p> <p>He appeared on <em>BBC Radio Five Live's That Peter Crouch Podcast</em>, and explained just how bad the gift was.</p> <p>"That was early on in the courtship that was. I wrapped them. They were really nice," William said, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/royals/prince-william-shares-curry-snacks-and-beers-to-talk-soccer-and-mental-health-see-the-picture/" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink"><em>People</em></a>. </p> <p>"I was trying to convince myself about it. I was like, ‘But these are really amazing, look how far you can see!’ </p> <p>"She was looking at me going, ‘They’re binoculars, what’s going on?’ It didn’t go well. Honestly, I have no idea why I bought her a pair of binoculars."</p> <p>Luckily, the pair seemed to work things out as they got married and have three beautiful children.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBrAw7GFOv6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBrAw7GFOv6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@kensingtonroyal)</a> on Jun 20, 2020 at 2:30pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Despite being members of the royal family, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have had to adjust to the challenges of homeschooling during the coronavirus pandemic.</p> <p>Prince William admitted that it hasn't been easy.</p> <p>"My patience is a lot shorter than I thought it was... and my wife has a lot of patience."</p> <p>He joked about his lack of math knowledge as he tried to help out his children with their homework.</p> <p>"I was a bit embarrassed about my maths knowledge—I can’t do Year 2 Maths!"</p>

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"Butter chicken man" given free butter chicken for a year after $1652 fine

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Construction worker Noel Atkinson drove 32 kilometres in search of butter chicken and defied stay-at-home orders in his hunt for food.</p> <p>He was pulled over by police just metres from his ideal restaurant, he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/mad-mad-world/melbourne-man-half-indian-drives-30km-for-butter-chicken-fined-rs-86k-for-lockdown-violation/articleshow/77081044.cms?fbclid=IwAR1BcIacC4Wi-7OglljjaA1evo8edsC0bg0gvYoO-uNa2ZAlXoxCZpCD5x0" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink"><em>Times of India</em></a>.</p> <p>"Since it was after 11pm, all restaurants in my area were closed and I wanted to have butter chicken. I finally found one restaurant that was open, but there was no home delivery to my place due to the distance. So I decided to go there."</p> <p>Atkinson was issued with an infringement notice for breaching the stay-at-home orders issued in Melbourne.</p> <p>"I told the police I was out to buy food but was ordered to go home. Cops followed me for some time to make sure I was headed home," he explained.</p> <p>He made headlines around the world as "Butter Chicken Man", as many could relate to his quest for food.</p> <p>Atkinson plans on contesting the fine in court.</p> <p>"I don't think the rules are clear on how far a person is allowed to travel for food or takeaway. I will ask police to waive off the fine or approach the local court."</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CC0Al6FBfkJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CC0Al6FBfkJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/melbourne-man-cops-covid-fine-for-driving-from-werribee-to-cbd-for-butter-chicken-c-1175594 We 𝓀𝒾𝓃𝒹𝒶 get it... The lengths one can go to get that #Perfect👌 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧... especially during the lockdown #Werribee you don't need to risk a fine for a delightful 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 Just give our @desidhaba.tarneit outlet a call on (𝟎𝟑) 𝟖𝟕𝟓𝟒 𝟖𝟕𝟏𝟏 - And We'll deliver in a jiffy 🛵💨 . . . . . #MelbourneLockdown #melbournelockdown2 #melbourneLockdown2020 #ClientTestimonial #melbournelockdownagain #melbournelockdownroundtwo #smallbusinesssupport #melbournecbd #melbournecity #melbournelife #melbournefood #melbourneiloveyou #melbourneeats #cityofmelbourne #melbournesights #melbournetodo #ilovemelbourne #bhfyp #williamslanding #laverton #melbournewest #melbournian #tarneit #truganina #pointcook #wyndhamvale #hopperscrossing #localbusiness</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/desidhaba_melbourne/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Desi Dhaba</a> (@desidhaba_melbourne) on Jul 18, 2020 at 10:53pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Amit Tetja, owner of Desi Dhaba, which was the restaurant Atkinson was driving to, said he was surprised someone got fined for driving to his restaurant.</p> <p>"I will be providing him free butter chicken for a year once he is able to visit us post lockdown."</p> <p>In an Instagram post, they wrote: “We kinda get it … the lengths one can go to get that perfect butter chicken, especially during lockdown.</p> <p>“Werribee you don’t need to risk a fine for a delightful Sunday night dinner.”</p> <p>The restaurant said it was not supporting or promoting that people should step out in these times and break rules.</p> <p>“We are only being compassionate for Noel and his love for our food as these are hard times for all and our empathy is towards all,” the eatery said.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

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Aussie Blue Heelers actor given death sentence in China

<p><span>An Australian man sentenced to death in China for smuggling drugs is a former actor who once appeared on the show </span><em>Blue Heelers</em><span>.</span></p> <p><span>Friends of Karm Gilespie have defended him and are pleading with the government to do more to prevent his death.</span></p> <p><span>Gilespie was arrested with more than 7.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in his check-in luggage in 2013 as he tried to board an international flight from Baiyun Airport in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.</span></p> <p><span>The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has said in a statement that they are “deeply saddened to hear of the verdict,” adding that “access to prisoners in China remains difficult given measures implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19”.</span></p> <p><span>Bali-based entrepreneur and futurist, Roger James Hamilton took to Facebook to reveal that he once taught Gilespie seven years ago before he vanished.</span></p> <p><span>"We spent a few years trying to find out how he could disappear so suddenly and so entirely. After that, we resigned ourselves to the idea that he had left because he wanted to start a new life," he wrote in the post.</span></p> <p><span>"He had been an active member of our community, encouraging others to be the best they could be. He was always there for others, which was why it was so strange that he suddenly disappeared."</span></p> <p><span>Mr Hamilton believes his former friend was set up and was innocent of the conviction made against him.</span><br /><span>"Knowing Karm, and knowing the love he had (and has) for his wife and his children, this is not a man that deserves to lose his life.</span></p> <p><span>"This is an Australian citizen who has been kept secretly in jail by a foreign government for seven years before being sentenced to death with no due process."</span></p> <p><span>Another friend also shared his shock on Facebook.</span></p> <p><span>"The Karm I met would never get knowingly involved in such a crime and does not deserve such a severe penalty for his trusting nature being taken advantage of," Andy Greenhill wrote.</span></p> <p><span>Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said this morning that Gilespie’s case was not necessarily linked to the ongoing friction between the countries.</span></p> <p><span>The Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court announced his sentence on Saturday. The court also confiscated all of Gilespie’s personal property.</span></p> <p><span>"This is very distressing for Mr Gilespie and his loved ones, and our government will continue to provide consular assistance," Senator Birmingham told Sky News' </span><em>Sunday Agenda</em><span> program.</span></p> <p><span>He said Gilespie still has a 10-day window to appeal the verdict.</span></p> <p><span>He also issued a reminder to everyone travelling across the globe.</span></p> <p><span>"This is a reminder to all Australians ... that Australian laws don't apply overseas, that other countries have much harsher penalties, particularly in relation to matters such as drug trafficking," the minister said.</span></p>

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Australians should be given $100,000 to avoid full-blown financial crisis, economist says

<p>Every Australian should be handed $100,000 to wipe out household debts and prevent a full-blown financial crisis from the coronavirus pandemic, an economist has said.</p> <p>Professor Steve Keen of the University College of London said the economy cannot recover from the COVID-19 shock unless a large chunk of private debt is written off.</p> <p>“Give $100,000 per person as a flat rate to everyone to eliminate the private debt,” he told <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8330913/Every-Australian-handed-100-000-stop-country-sliding-financial-disaster.html">Daily Mail Australia</a></em>.</p> <p>Australians have the world’s second-largest household debts, sitting at around 120 per cent of GDP. A <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/retirement-income/most-australians-struggle-managing-their-debts-amid-covid-19-survey-finds">recent survey</a> also found that about three in five Aussies could not manage their debt amid the COVID-19 outbreak.</p> <p>“We let ourselves get into the biggest debt bubble in human history,” Professor Keen said.</p> <p>He said bank lending had “financed” the private debt bubble, which pushed up house prices and in turn led to even higher levels of debt.</p> <p>The solution was to reduce individual debt to the rates Australia had before the recession of the early 1990s.</p> <p>Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said $200 billion worth of loans had been deferred, most of which were residential mortgages.</p> <p>Nearly 600,000 people left the workforce in April, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said, wiping away two years of jobs growth.</p>

Money & Banking

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Owner of killed dog “given fake details” while family mourns loss

<p>A heartbroken girl is begging for the man whose dog killed her beloved pet to come forward with the right details as the family mourn their loss of their dog.</p> <p>Laura, 12, was walking with her mother along the coast of North Reef in Perth and encountered a man complaining about not being able to walk his two dogs on the beach.</p> <p>As Laura and her mother attempted to pass the man, one of the animals attacked Laura's seven-year-old dog Indy.</p> <p>Indy was bitten and the other anima<span>l refused to let go, with Laura trying to save her beloved family pet.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7835972/body-dog-killer.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/591c364b695647f9afa87bf5918161cd" /></p> <div class="body_text "> <p>She said she was also attacked.</p> <p>"It started hurting and I looked down, and it all started bleeding on my shoes," Laura said.</p> <p>The owner of the attacking dog gave his name and number to a witness of the incident and was last seen leaving a carpark near the Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club.</p> <p>However, the details that the man gave to the witness were fake and the family have been unable to track the man down.</p> <p>They are now pleading for the man to come forward.</p> <p>The attacking dog is described as a large mastiff or tosa, with its owner believed to be aged in his 60s.</p> <p>He was wearing long shorts and a polo shirt, and driving a small white sedan.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/owner-of-killer-dog-gave-fake-details-as-family-mourned/ar-BB13BMY2?li=AAgfYrC" target="_blank">9News</a></em></p> </div>

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