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The $500 million ATO fraud highlights flaws in the myGov ID system. Here’s how to keep your data safe

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rob-nicholls-91073">Rob Nicholls</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> The Australian Tax Office (ATO) paid out more than half a billion dollars to cyber criminals between July 2021 and February 2023, according to an <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-26/ato-reveals-cost-of-mygov-tax-identity-crime-fraud/102632572">ABC report</a>. Most of the payments were for small amounts (less than A$5,000) and were not flagged by the ATO’s own monitoring systems. The fraudsters exploited a weakness in the identification system used by the myGov online portal to redirect other people’s tax refunds to their own bank accounts. The good news is there’s plenty the federal government can do to crack down on this kind of fraud – and that you can do to keep your own payments secure. <h2>How these scams work</h2> Setting up a myGov account or a myGov ID requires proof of identity in the form of “<a href="https://www.afp.gov.au/sites/default/files/PDF/NPC-100PointChecklist-18042019.pdf">100 points of ID</a>”. It usually means either a passport and a driver’s licence or a driver’s licence, a Medicare card, and a bank statement. Once a myGov account is created, linking it to your tax records requires two of the following: an ATO assessment, bank account details, a payslip, a Centrelink payment, or a super account. These documents were precisely the ones targeted in three large data breaches in the past year: at <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-does-the-optus-data-breach-mean-for-you-and-how-can-you-protect-yourself-a-step-by-step-guide-191332">Optus</a>, at <a href="https://theconversation.com/medibank-hackers-are-now-releasing-stolen-data-on-the-dark-web-if-youre-affected-heres-what-you-need-to-know-194340">Medibank</a>, and at <a href="https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/news-items/guidance-for-consumers-impacted-by-the-latitude-financial-services-data-breach/">Latitude Financial</a>. In this scam, the cyber criminal creates a fake myGov account using the stolen documents. If they can also get enough information to link to the ATO or your Tax File Number, they can then change bank account details to have your tax rebate paid to their account. It is a sadly simple scam. <h2>How government can improve</h2> One of the issues here is quite astounding. The ATO knows where salaries are paid, via the “<a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/business/single-touch-payroll/what-is-stp-/">single touch</a>” payroll system. This ensures salaries, tax and superannuation contributions are all paid at once. Most people who have received a tax refund will have provided bank account details where that payment can be made. Indeed, many people use precisely those bank account details to identify themselves to myGov. At present, those bank details can be changed within myGov without any further ado. If the ATO simply checked with the individual via another channel when bank account details are changed, this fraud could be prevented. It might be sensible to check with the individual’s employer as well. Part of the problem is the ATO has not been very transparent about the risks. If these risks were clearly set out, then calls for changes to ATO procedures would have been loud and clear from the cyber security community. The ATO is usually good at identifying when a cyber security incident may lead to fraud. For example, when the recruitment software company <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-06/australian-data-may-be-compromised-in-pageup-security-breach/9840048?itm_campaign=newsapp">PageUp was hacked in 2018</a>, the ATO required people who may have been affected to reconfirm their identities. This was done without public commentary and represents sound practice. Sadly, the millions of records stolen in the Optus, Medibank and Latitude Financial breaches have not led to a similar level of vigilance. Another action the ATO could take would be to check when a single set of bank account details is associated with more than one myGov account. A national digital identity would also help. However, this system has been in development for years, is not universally popular, and may well be <a href="https://www.themandarin.com.au/226280-gallagher-warns-community-support-for-digital-identity-not-ubiquitous/">delayed</a> until after the federal election due in 2024. <h2>Protecting yourself</h2> The most important thing to do is make sure the ATO does not use a bank account number other than yours. As long as the ATO only has your bank account number to transfer your tax rebate, this scam does not work. It also helps to protect your Tax File Number. There are only four groups that ever need this number. The first is the ATO itself. The second is your employer. However, remember you do not need to give your TFN to a prospective employer, and your employer only needs your TFN after you have started work. Your super fund and your bank may ask for your TFN. However, providing your TFN to your super fund or bank is optional – it just makes things easier, as otherwise they will withhold tax which you will need to claim back later. Of course, all the usual data safety issues still apply. Don’t share your driver’s licence details without good reason. Take similar care with your passport. Your Medicare card is for health services and does not need to be shared widely. Don’t open emails from people you do not know. Never click links in messages unless you are sure they are safe. Most importantly, know your bank will not send you emails containing links, nor will the ATO.<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;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210459/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rob-nicholls-91073">Rob Nicholls</a>, Associate professor of regulation and governance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/the-500-million-ato-fraud-highlights-flaws-in-the-mygov-id-system-heres-how-to-keep-your-data-safe-210459">original article</a>.

Technology

"I'd ban their whole operation": Tiny sticker highlights huge crisis

From advertisements to artwork there’s no escaping stickers on street poles, but one that was spotted in Melbourne has made waves, calling out a glaring issue that is impacting so many Australians. The sticker in question was stuck to a traffic light in Melbourne and appears to take aim at homeowners who are worsening the national housing crisis by listing their properties as short-term Airbnb stays rather than long-term rentals. The sticker, shared to social media reads, “You wouldn’t open an Airbnb in a housing crisis” a spoof of the mid-2000s ‘Piracy. It’s a crime.’ public service announcement that was played before movies. Images of the sticker have been shared across a number of social media platforms, with many people quick to praise the “genius” DIY PSA and requesting copies to stick around their suburbs on lockboxes in their own apartment complexes. While some found the funny side of the message, others were more critical of the sticker calling out landlords and Airbnb. “You wouldn’t incentivise opening an Airbnb by making it less onerous and more profitable than renting out your property,” someone said. “Course they would,” another responded. “The ‘f**k you, got mine’ mindset is getting stronger.” “If I had my way I’d ban their [Airbnb] whole operation overnight.” The issue of short-term holiday letting and the growth of Airbnb across the country is that it's eating up potential long-term rentals, which is a The calls come amid the rental crisis in Victoria, with vacancy rates reaching a record low of 0.8 per cent in Melbourne in April 2023, which is one of the better rates recorded across Australia as new rental listings dropped by 18.9 per cent. The only capital city to have rental vacancy above one per cent is Canberra, at 1.6 per cent. While Adelaide holds the tightest rental market with a mere 0.3 per cent vacancy. Perth is close behind at 0.4 per cent. Sydney’s new listings fell by 17 per cent in April 2023 and 5.1 per cent in the past year while Melbourne dropped by 20.8 per cent in the span of a month, and 17.9 per cent in the past year, according to PropTrack. The NSW government introduced regulations to limit the time a property could be on the market to 180 days a year. The Victorian Greens have called on the Andrew’s government to strip it to 90 days. A similar, “tourism tax” has been introduced to cities overseas, where a small payment is added to the guest’s bill in certain tourism hot spots each night in a big to funnel money back into local communities’ infrastructure. Airbnb told The Age that a statewide tourism levy was the preferred way to regulate the industry as it is more consistent than a council-by-council approach. “We believe tourism levies are a fair and sustainable way to raise revenue for local communities, especially in areas of high tourism, as they broaden the revenue base without imposing an additional burden on local ratepayers or businesses,” Airbnb Australia and New Zealand’s head of public policy Michael Crosby told the outlet. Speaking to news.com.au, Airbnb's country manager for Australia and New Zealand Susan Wheeldon said the platform had proposed a series of measures to “help build stronger communities, foster sustainable tourism growth, and equip governments across Australia with tools to help address important issues, such as housing affordability and amenity”. It included a statewide registration scheme to document new listings, introducing consistent Codes of Conduct for guests, hosts, and communities, as well as support for government reviews of eviction protections. “Airbnb is keen to work together with a broad range of stakeholders and help play a part in helping to provide meaningful solutions and tackle the issue of housing supply and affordability,” Wheeldon said. “While short term rentals generally comprise a tiny proportion of the overall property market, we’re keen to keep finding ways that we can make a positive contribution to this important issue.” Image credit: Reddit

Real Estate

All the highlights of Kyle's Big Day

In the star-studded Australian party of the year (so far), familiar faces from all realms of ‘celebrity’ have flocked to ‘shock jock’ Kyle Sandiland and Tegan Kynaston’s Darling Point wedding. Among the guests were Kyle’s radio co-host Jackie O, singer Guy Sebastian, Today’s Karl Stefanovic, and former-NRL-turned-TV-star Beau Ryan. Convicted drug smuggler Simon Main and former-Kings Cross nightclub owner John Ibrahim were also in attendance - as well as Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese. The latter drew waves of criticism for his decision to attend in the lead up to the big day, particularly when considering the shadier portions of Kyle and now-wife Tegan’s guest list. However, when pressed about it, Albanese stressed that he was just going to witness their love. “Yes, I was invited to the wedding,” he said. “yes, I was invited in the context of Kyle saying how happy he was with Tegan. "The thing that occurs at a wedding, it's a public expression in front of people, invited guests, of love between two people. That's a good thing. "I enjoy weddings and I will be going to the wedding." Albanese made matters worse for himself when he went on to call Kyle an “Australian success story”, with many quick to point out the many controversies surrounding the radio host over the course of his career in the public eye. However, for those who were at the wedding, it was good to see the top politician there - who stayed for most of the night, despite assumptions he would pop in to congratulate the couple and then dash out again. “I’ll be honest with you,” Beau Ryan told The Daily Telegraph, “it was a big effort for him to come. “I thought he’d turn up for a hi-and-bye, but he was there for a lot of the night. I had visions of Albo with the headphones on, fully DJ’ing, but a DJ came in after Guy [Sebastian] and Conrad [Sewell] performed,” Ryan continued. As Karl Stefanovic added, “it was an absolutely fabulous wedding. “A great big Aussie mix of family and friends. And a Premier and a PM whose partners are more fun than them. “The best part was Tegan’s grandfather walking her down the aisle, 97 years young.” Singer Guy Sebastian - who sang Ray Charles’ ‘Hallelujah I Love Her So’ for the couple’s first dance - also opened up about his experience at the event, explaining that he “loved performing for their first dance, which started out as a romantic moment between the two of them, and ended with the whole room joining in with them. “I’ve known Kyle for 20 years now, he has always been in my corner and it’s great to see him so happy in love as a husband and a dad.” As for whether or not he had any particularly strong feelings about controversy surrounding the guest selection, Guy only had one thing to note, “it was the diversity in that community which made for some seriously interesting people watching.” And when it came to the happy pair and their future together, he gushed that “Tegan is such a kind and calm person and seeing them balance each other out on the day made it obvious to everyone that they are perfect for each other.” “Kyle was really overwhelmed and emotional,” Beau shared. “The ‘wow’ moment was when we all turned around and saw her at the end of the aisle. “My wife grabbed me and said ‘look at Kyle’. Seeing him be vulnerable was quite powerful.” Images: Instagram

Relationships

Murdoch v Crikey highlights how Australia’s defamation laws protect the rich and powerful

There is no better example of how Australia’s defamation laws enable the rich and powerful to intimidate their critics than Lachlan Murdoch suing Crikey.com over a comment piece concerning Fox News, Donald Trump and the Washington insurrection of January 6 2021. Crikey says it has <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/08/22/lachlan-murdoch-letters-crikey-why/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published the correspondence</a> between its lawyers and Murdoch’s in order to show how media power is abused in Australia. The correspondence begins with a “concerns notice” Murdoch sent to Crikey, which is the essential first step in launching an action for defamation. In it, Murdoch claims that the <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/06/29/january-six-hearing-donald-trump-comfirmed-unhinged-traitor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Crikey commentary</a> by Bernard Keane, published on June 29 2022, conveyed 14 meanings that were defamatory of Murdoch. <h2>Murdoch’s allegation and Crikey’s defence</h2> According to Murdoch’s claims, Keane’s piece alleges that Lachlan Murdoch illegally conspired with Donald Trump to overturn the 2020 US presidential election result and incite an armed mob to march on the Capitol to prevent the result from being confirmed. Crikey has responded by disputing that these meanings are conveyed, saying they are “contrived and do not arise”. Crikey also argues that whatever it published could not possibly have done serious harm to Lachlan Murdoch’s reputation. In order to get an action for defamation off the ground, Murdoch, the plaintiff in this case, has to satisfy the court that serious reputational harm has been done. The court may well decide this is the case. Crikey says that given what much bigger media companies such as the Washington Post, the New York Times and the ABC (American Broadcasting Company) have already published about Murdoch’s Fox News and its propagation of the “Big Lie” that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen, what Crikey has published cannot further harm Murdoch’s reputation. <h2>US vs Australian defamation protections</h2> This brings us to the first way Australia’s defamation laws facilitate intimidatory action by the rich and powerful. Since those two big American newspapers have published similar material to that published by Crikey, the question naturally arises: why has Lachlan Murdoch not sued them? The answer is that in the United States, there is a “public figure” defence to defamation. In the US, Lachlan Murdoch would easily qualify as a public figure, being executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation. If he sued there, he would have to prove malice on the part of the newspapers. That means he would have to prove that the newspapers lied or were recklessly indifferent to the truth. No such defence is available to the media in Australia, despite decades of intermittent campaigning by the media that it is needed. The reasons these efforts have gone nowhere are twofold. First, Australian politicians are among the most avid users of defamation laws, and it would be unrealistic to expect they would change this convenient state of affairs. This has been illustrated recently by the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/05/friendlyjordies-%20defamation-case-jordan-shanks-apologises-to-john-barilaro-to-settle-claim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">successful defamation action</a> taken by the former deputy premier of NSW, John Barilaro, against an online satirist, Jordan Shanks, aka friendlyjordies. Second, the tradition of accountability in public life is weak in Australia and the tradition of secrecy is strong, as vividly demonstrated by Scott Morrison’s behaviour in the affair of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/aug/16/scott-morrison-five-more-secret-ministries-minister-portfolio-ministry-including-treasury-home-affairs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple portfolios</a>. Another major factor in the chilling effect that the Australian defamation laws exert on the media is the extravagant damages the courts have awarded to plaintiffs that sue media companies, as well as the high cost of litigation. This has caused large media companies to settle cases even when they had an arguable prospect of defending themselves. A recent example was when the biography of the AFL player Eddie Betts was published, confirming what had happened at the now notorious training camp held by the Adelaide Crows in 2018. At the camp, Betts alleged he was targeted, abused and the camp “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-02/eddie-betts-autobiography-adelaide-crows-training-camp/101294046#:%7E:text=Former%20Adelaide%20star%20Eddie%20Betts,from%20the%20club's%20leadership%20group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">misused personal and sensitive information</a>.” However, when The Age broke the story initially, it was sued by the company that ran the camp. The newspaper <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-players-betrayed-by-a-win-at-all-costs-culture-%2020220804-p5b78a.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued an apology</a>, although it did not admit the story was wrong. The Age said its parent company, Nine Entertainment, had made a “business decision” to settle the case. In other words, it did not want to risk the costs and damages involved in contesting the suit. <h2>Liabilities for online publication</h2> A third main factor is the failure of the Morrison administration to bring to finality stage two of the defamation law reforms, which concern the liabilities and defences for online publication. Currently, anyone who publishes a website or a blog is liable for the comments made there by <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-08/high-court-rules-on-media-responsibility-over-%20facebook-comments/100442626" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third parties</a>. Continuously moderating comment streams for potentially defamatory material is onerous and expensive at a time when media organisations have far fewer resources than they did in the pre-digital age. Against this backdrop, it is hardly surprising that Lachlan Murdoch feels he can use his immense wealth and power to intimidate and silence a relatively small outfit like Crikey.com. Behind him stand corporations with a market capitalisation of billions. Crikey says its company, Private Media, is valued at less than $20 million. <h2>Murdoch’s demands</h2> Murdoch wants Crikey to take down the story and issue an apology. In pursuit of his case, he has filed suit in the Federal Court. In defiance of Murdoch’s claim, Crikey has published his 2014 oration at the State Library of Victoria named in honour of his grandfather, Sir Keith Murdoch, as part of its <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/08/22/lachlan-murdoch-letters-crikey-why/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">publishing of the legal correspondence</a>: <blockquote> Censorship should be resisted in all its insidious forms. We should be vigilant of the gradual erosion of our freedom to know, to be informed and make reasoned decisions in our society and in our democracy. We must all take notice and, like Sir Keith, have the courage to act when those freedoms are threatened. </blockquote> Quite. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/murdoch-v-crikey-highlights-how-australias-defamation-laws-protect-the-rich-and-powerful-189228" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty

Legal

Prince Charles, Duran Duran and a giant bull: All the highlights of the Comm Games Opening Ceremony

The 2022 Commonwealth Games are officially underway, after the impressive opening ceremony kicked off on Thursday evening. The extravagant ceremony captivated the attention of local and international fans, with TV viewers around the word tuning in to the Birmingham event. Prince Charles arrived at the Alexander Stadium in style, driving the same Aston Martin the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge famously left Buckingham Palace in on their wedding day. The Prince of Wales drove his luxury, vintage car out onto the arena before a display where several motor vehicles combined to form a perfect Union Jack on the arena surface. The ceremony celebrated aspects of the rich history and culture of Birmingham, with a 10 metre tall mechanical "Raging Bull" being waltzed into the stadium. The Bull Ring is a major shopping district in the city, which also features a sculpture of a bull, while the mascot for these Commonwealth Games is Perry the Bull. Female chain makers dragged the bull into the stadium, representing the chains used during the slave trade. The bull then broke free of those chains — symbolising the abolition of the slave trade and the 1910 wage strike that paved the way for women to break free from poverty. Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai addressed the audience early in the ceremony, sharing a heartfelt message about how Birmingham became her home and welcomed her family. Musical act Duran Duran, who began their career in Birmingham, closed the ceremony as they belted out fan favourite tracks such as Save A Prayer, Planet Earth and Ordinary World. The Commonwealth Games will run until August 8th, with 72 countries competing in 19 sports over the 11-day event. Image credits: Getty Images

International Travel

Girlboss or businessperson? Should we highlight or downplay gender in our language?

Just hearing the term “girl boss” makes me cringe. But after reading new research findings on gendered language in the workplace, I’m now more open to embracing it. Gender-neutral words such as “businessperson” may not be gender-neutral at all, and may even be reinforcing stereotypes. This is because if gender is not specified, often we fill in the blanks with a masculine default – so suggests new research <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2022.05.001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> in Trends in Cognitive Sciences. “If anyone suggested saying ‘female politician’ or ‘lady scientist’, I think many would say, ‘No, thank you’,” says co-author of this study, Assistant Professor Stav Atir, from the University of Wisconsin, US. “But wholesale gender neutrality in language is no panacea. Occupation words such as ‘businessperson’ or ‘surgeon’, though technically gender neutral, likely conjure up an image of a man. Likewise, ‘nurse’ (also technically gender neutral) conjures up an image of a woman.” The alternative, using a gender-marking approach, can be useful to highlight women and nonbinary people’s successes in a normally male-dominated field. “In order to spotlight the breakers of glass ceilings and those following in their footsteps, we must mention their gender,” says Atir. “If we discuss the CEO of YouTube, for instance, or the 2020 Nobel laureate in physics, and don’t mention they are women (Susan Wojcicki and Andrea Ghez, respectively), we’d be missing an opportunity to change people’s perceptions of who belongs and who can be successful in these professions.” This is similar to the effect of not “<a href="https://ideas.ted.com/why-saying-i-dont-see-race-at-all-just-makes-racism-worse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seeing race</a>”, where ignoring someone’s <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/does-race-count-in-healthcare/">race</a> means we could be failing to recognise and celebrate additional obstacles overcome by underrepresented people. The lack of “gender marking” could have negative effects on nonbinary people too. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p194192-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 resetting spai-bg-prepared" action="/people/girlboss-or-businessperson-should-we-highlight-or-downplay-gender-in-our-language/#wpcf7-f6-p194192-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="resetting"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page spai-bg-prepared" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> “The gender-neutral businessperson is technically inclusive, but the same male-default thinking that makes women disappear in gender-neutral language likely makes nonbinary people disappear, too.” says Atir. “Even writing about gender in a nonbinary way is difficult using existing linguistic tools.” Unfortunately, gender marking also has its own drawbacks, and potentially reinforce stereotypes between different genders. “Gender marking, then, should not be used thoughtlessly,” says Atir. “Though it can draw attention to professionals whose gender is underrepresented, it can also have ironic consequences, prompting stereotypical thinking and bolstering the perception of women as exotic exceptions to the male rule.” So what do we do? “We might be tempted to throw up our hands and give up the endeavour of using language to express and promote our beliefs,” says Atir. “That would be a mistake. “Language remains one tool in our toolbox for social change, and, unlike some of our other tools, it’s one that we can all use. The key to using this tool effectively is to tailor our language to the context, taking into account our situation-specific goals.”  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=194192&title=Girlboss+or+businessperson%3F+Should+we+highlight+or+downplay+gender+in+our+language%3F" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/girlboss-or-businessperson-should-we-highlight-or-downplay-gender-in-our-language/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/qamariya-nasrullah">Qamariya Nasrullah</a>. Qamariya Nasrullah holds a PhD in evolutionary development from Monash University and an Honours degree in palaeontology from Flinders University. Image: Getty Images </div>

Caring

Our favourite highlights of the close of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations

<div>Day three of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations closed with an extravagant show in front of Buckingham Palace.</div> <div> </div> <div>The Party at the Palace concert kicked off at 8 pm local time, featured a huge line-up with the likes of Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Diana Ross, Alicia Keys and Hans Zimmer.</div> <div> </div> <div>Here is a rundown on some of the key moments:</div> <div>The concert opened with a skit of the Queen sitting down to tea with fellow British icon Paddington Bear.</div> <div> </div> <div>A well prepared Paddington Bear offered the Queen an emergency marmalade sandwich, something he keeps stashed in his hat — but it turned out that was unnecessary, as The Queen also came prepared.</div> <div> </div> <div>Lee Mack's Partygate joke:</div> <div>Popular British comedian, Lee Mack cracked Partygate joke, following the infamous investigations into a series of parties allegedly held by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, at his official residence during the countries strict Covid-19 lockdown.</div> <div> </div> <div>Mack referenced the Partygate affair while on stage, saying:</div> <div> </div> <div>"Welcome to the Platinum Party at the Palace!</div> <div> </div> <div>"We are here right outside the gates of Buckingham Palace for the party of a lifetime.</div> <div> </div> <div>"And I tell you what, finally we can say the words "party" and "gate" and it's a positive.</div> <div> </div> <div>"That wasn't in the autocue …"</div> <div> </div> <div>Mr Johnson has been urged to resign and was in fact, booed on arrival at the Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service.</div> <div> </div> <div>The Performances:</div> <div>Queen stunned the audience, with Adam Lambert on vocals.</div> <div> </div> <div>They played We Will Rock You and Don't Stop Me Now, with military drummers adding something extra to the performance.</div> <div> </div> <div>Guitarist Brian May really drove the whole "queen" reference home by popping up above the stage in front of the Queen Victoria statue.</div> <div> </div> <div>Later in the concert, Sam Ryder played Space Man — the song that earned him second place in the Eurovision Song Contest. Of course, tweaking the words slightly, singing "space ma'am" as a nod to the Queen.</div> <div> </div> <div>Drones lit up the sky:</div> <div>A carefully coordinated drone show took to the sky to produce some rather regal images above Buckingham Palace.</div> <div> </div> <div>Prince Charles paid tribute to 'Mummy' and 'Papa':</div> <div> </div> <div>Future king Prince <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/prince-charles-emotional-tribute-to-your-majesty-mummy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles took to the stage to pay tribute</a> to his mother as images of the monarch were projected on the walls of Buckingham Palace.</div> <div> </div> <div>Joined on stage by his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the prince spoke about the monarch's "strength and stay" and said his "Papa", Prince Philip, was much missed.</div> <div> </div> <div>Prince William's speech followed, addressing the crowd with a focus on climate change. He remains optimistic about the future.</div> <div> </div> <div>Images: Getty</div>

Beauty & Style

"Dying alone": Royal commission highlights aged care crisis

One of the commissioners of the Royal Commission into aged care says the system is in crisis - and that the federal government is to blame for failing to prepare for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.Commissioner Lynelle Briggs - formerly the CEO of Medicare Australia - said the isolation of elderley people in their rooms for months without regular showers and care was “completely unacceptable”.“What we’re looking at in aged care is months on end with no-one visiting them, and sometimes dying alone,” Ms Briggs <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-04/royal-commissioner-says-aged-care-is-in-crisis/100804202" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.“It really shouldn’t be allowed to happen and the government should have sorted its strategy out for how to prevent this happening again.”Ms Briggs said the government’s lack of preparation had taken “a bad situation to a crisis”.With the submission of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s final report last year, the commissioners recommended significant and urgent work was needed to improve the workforce and governance of aged care.The report, simply titled Neglect, painted a heartbreaking picture of the conditions people have experienced in aged care settings, <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-03/final-report-executive-summary.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including</a> cases of abuse, poor nutrition, and substandard care regarding oral health, injuries, mental health and social needs.Recently, Minister for Aged Care Richard Colbeck has faced mounting calls to resign as the number of deaths in aged care in the last month have outstripped those for the whole of 2021.Since July 2021, a total of 777 aged care residents have died with Covid.Around 500, or 64 percent, have passed away within the last month.Senator Colbeck has denied that the system is experiencing a crisis and says Australia has seen fewer deaths than overseas.However, Ms Briggs said this isn’t good enough.“The fact that we’re doing better than overseas on deaths in aged care is not the answer,” she said.“We were quite clear in the reports we put through that the life of an older person should be valued equally with the life of a younger person.“We shouldn’t be seeing the disproportionate impact on this group when we’ve known for two years they were particularly vulnerable to the disease.”When Channel Nine asked Defence Minister Peter Dutton about the problems in aged care, he said it was hard to find the balance between protecting residents and ensuring they weren’t completely isolated.“You can’t argue on the one hand that people feel isolated and you want to allow loved ones in - which is the natural reaction - but then say we’re surprised when Omicron is introduced into aged care facilities,” Mr Dutton said.“It’s a witches’ brew, it’s difficult to deal with.”The comments from Ms Briggs come days after the federal government announced it would offer two one-off $400 payments to aged care workers to recognise the continuing difficulty of their work and retain workers, with a quarter of shifts reportedly going unfilled.Unions and the opposition have called the payments an insult to workers, with the government rejecting pressure to back a Fair Work case for a $5 hourly wage increase.Ms Briggs said the royal commission had warned of a worker shortage a year ago, and that the workers in the aged care sector were under-recognised, underpaid and underskilled.She said the one-off payments were “simply not enough” and that not introducing a pay rise was “short-sighted”.“I had been expecting that the government would join with employers and employees in this case,” she added.Image: Getty Images

Caring

Diverse, daring and rugged – highlights of exceptional New Zealand

Diverse and daring, New Zealand is a destination of exceptional beauty – imagine horse rides through otherworldly gorges and glaciers, soaring around dramatic coastlines and gliding down the best ski fields of the southern hemisphere. Home to ethereal landscapes featured in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, natural hot springs and idyllic beaches, New Zealand is celebrated for its breathtaking phenomena – the perfect choice for those after a serene natural escape. An exceptional port of call for adrenaline-seekers, New Zealand is renowned as an adventure capital, with everything from sky diving and white-water rafting to spectacular hiking trails and, of course, world-renowned skiing Queenstown. Toast the coast For a comparatively tiny country, New Zealand’s geography boasts 14,000 km of coastline, making it the 10th longest in the world. From boisterous west coast beaches, to the more family friendly east, with such a modest population – just 4.7million at last count – you’re sure find the perfect cove, sometimes even an entire beach to yourself. Although, if you’d rather follow the herd, in the height of summer you can join the crowds on the beach at Mt Maunganui or Takapuna and settle in amongst the heavenly bodies. On Your Bike Cycle tourism in New Zealand is taking off, largely thanks to the birth of Nga Haerenga: The National Cycleway featuring everything from rail trails to forests. With 22 Great Rides, the less famous but equally fabulous cousins of New Zealand’s Great Walks, these trails provide mild to wild adventures on two wheels. From The Twin Coast Trail in Northland which connects the east and west coasts to Alps2Ocean in the South Island, a journey that rolls from Mt Cook to the coastal town of Oamaru, you can ride for days or an afternoon and with the advent of e-bikes, you don’t even have to be that fit. Picture perfect Renowned for dramatic landscapes and pristine natural beauty, New Zealand is paradise for photographers and painters or simply those who like to look. And with many beauty spots made famous by Sir Peter Jackson’s films, location tourism has really taken off. From the twinkling waters and diving dolphins in the Bay of Islands, to the majestic alps, gorges and glaciers of the South Island, this is a country where you don’t want to be in a hurry, as you’ll be needing to stop and stop often to truly appreciate the breathtaking sights. Satisfy your cravings Wining and dining in the land of The Long White Cloud are taken very seriously with world-class experiences available in big cities and small towns. From Pacific Fusion cuisine to small family run eateries from around the globe, New Zealanders pride themselves on fresh food, fine wine and a vibrant culinary scene. Whether you’re shopping at a farm gate to prepare a Masterchef masterpiece in your campervan or stopping in at one of the over 500 vineyards you’ll find as you roam – you’ll treasure your gastronomic adventures. Hot Spots Bursting with geothermal energy, beneath New Zealand’s surface there bubbles a steaming heat that regularly warms waters to temperatures that humans find perfect for relaxation. From laid-back Ngawha Springs in Northland to the plethora of spas in the central North Island and beyond, bathers can choose to bathe in high-end spas or in the bush surrounded by nature. Written by Elisabeth Easther. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/diverse-daring-and-rugged-highlights-of-exceptional-new-zealand/">MyDiscoveries.</a>

Cruising

'Joker' fans flocking to a Bronx stairway highlights tension of media tourism

New York’s <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2019/10/the-joker-stairs-an-afternoon-at-nycs-newest-attraction.html">newest tourist attraction</a> isn’t a museum, park or art installation. It’s a stairway. Sandwiched between apartment buildings in the Bronx, it’s been dubbed by moviegoers the “Joker Stairs,” earning its name and fame after being featured prominently in “<a href="https://www.joker.movie/">Joker</a>.” Since the film’s release, fans have flocked to the stairs, where they’ve been posing for photos – much to the annoyance of <a href="https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/tourists-flood-joker-stairs-frustrating-bronx-residents">some local residents</a> – and uploading them to social media. As I’ve learned from studying <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21502552.2014.937923">film-related tourism</a>, it’s common for people to visit the places they see in their favorite movies and TV shows. But the relationships among tourist sites, visitors and locals aren’t always the same, and some destinations are more benign than others. A place appears on screen – and is transformed The Joker Stairs are the site of one of the movie’s most memorable scenes: when Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, embraces his murderous Joker identity and blithely dances down a long stairway near his apartment. The film cues viewers to the significance of the moment. Peppy music eclipses the sounds of the city. Slow-motion shots allow viewers and Fleck to linger. The scene appears on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joker_(2019_film)#/media/File:Joker_(2019_film)_poster.jpg">movie posters</a> and in other <a href="https://www.joker.movie/">publicity materials</a>. When fans learned that the iconic scene was filmed on location at the outdoor staircase connecting Shakespeare and Anderson Avenues in the Bronx, they started <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2019/10/the-joker-stairs-an-afternoon-at-nycs-newest-attraction.html">traveling to the site</a>. Some wore costumes. Some played music from the film’s soundtrack. Others simply brought their cameras. Images tagged <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/jokerstairs/">#JokerStairs</a> started appearing on Instagram, introducing the visually striking site to even more people, who then wanted to see it for themselves. It’s not unusual for people to visit sites they know from movies, TV shows, books or memes. Tourists strike their “<a href="https://www.artic.edu/artworks/6565/american-gothic">American Gothic</a>” pose in front of the Eldon, Iowa, house from Grant Wood’s famous painting. So many people flocked to the shore of Thailand’s Maya Bay after watching “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163978/">The Beach</a>” that the site became overcrowded and polluted. In <a href="https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/attractions/game-of-thrones/game-of-thrones/">Northern Ireland</a>, official tours showcase places that appear in “Game of Thrones,” and <a href="https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/SI_ENG_6_4.jsp">South Korea’s tourism board</a> highlights sites from popular dramas. Tourists who visit these attractions view them through what scholars call a “<a href="https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/the-tourist-gaze-30/book234297">mediatized gaze</a>” – a way of seeing a place that’s been influenced by its depiction in some form of media. The mediatized gaze can change an otherwise unremarkable site into a must-see destination. It can make locals, not just visitors, think differently about a place. One of the most famous examples of this phenomenon involves another set of stairs. In 1976, “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075148/">Rocky</a>” sparked a fan practice that <a href="http://tupress.temple.edu/book/20000000009206">turned the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art</a> into a landmark now known as “the Rocky Steps.” One set of stairs isn’t like the other Beyond the fact that they’re both outdoor stairways that have become tourist destinations, the Rocky Steps and the Joker Stairs are more deeply intertwined. The film’s director, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls025720609/videoplayer/vi4003249945">Todd Phillips</a>, has acknowledged that “Joker” pays homage to many movies from the 1970s and early 1980s. Its scenes, stylistic features and characters include nods to films such as “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075314/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1">Taxi Driver</a>,” “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/?ref_=nv_sr_2?ref_=nv_sr_2">Network</a>” and “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085794/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1">The King of Comedy</a>.” Few critics, however, have made the connection to “Rocky.” Each film tells the story of a down-and-out guy who, over the course of the movie, gradually finds his confidence. And each film uses an architecturally striking set of stairs to symbolize the protagonist’s development. Rocky, the boxer played by Sylvester Stallone, initially struggles to run up the art museum steps; he’s out of shape and daunted by the prospect of training for the biggest boxing match of his life. Only after building up his physical strength and self-esteem does he bound up the steps, pump his fists and soak in the view of the Philadelphia skyline. In early scenes of “Joker,” Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck trudges up the long flight of stairs – a routine that underscores his sad existence. When he emerges as Joker, however, he navigates the stairs with eerie aplomb. At the turning point in “Rocky,” however, Rocky ascends the stairs; Fleck, on the other hand, descends. For one character, it represents his heroic potential. For the other, it symbolizes his descent into infamy. The Rocky Steps and the Joker Stairs are different in another important way. The Rocky Steps lead to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a space designed for crowds and tourists, and imbued with cultural power. The Joker Stairs are located in a more residential neighborhood that is poorer than other parts of the city. In the film and through tourism, the Rocky Steps bring people into a space of privilege. They represent success and accomplishment, both for the fans who spring up the stairs and for a city that has benefited from their pop culture fame. At the Joker Stairs, however, it’s the people with privilege who are more likely to descend on the neighborhood and its newly famous steps. They see and treat the site differently than locals who know the stairs as part of their commute, the place they used to skateboard or where their parents told them not to walk after dark. These differences contribute to the tension surrounding the Joker Stairs. While a tourist might be excited about the adventure of tapping into a piece of popular culture, a local might be wary about the attention from outsiders. To truly understand what’s happening at the Joker Stairs, it’s important to think about the role they play – both in the film and in real life. Written by Laura M. Holzman, Associate Professor, Public Scholar of Curatorial Practices and Visual Art, IUPUI. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/joker-fans-flocking-to-a-bronx-stairway-highlights-tension-of-media-tourism-125907" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

International Travel

Discover the best of Perth

Western Australia has a long history of defying expectations. For millennia Europeans knew some things were true without a shadow of a doubt. Pigs don’t fly, unicorns were mythical and swans were white. So when the Dutch mariner Willem de Vlamingh returned from exploring the west coast of Australia in 1697 with a couple of black swans he’d caught there, Europe was amazed. So it’s not surprising that WA’s original European settlement was named the Swan River Colony in 1829. It became Western Australia in 1832 but the black swans on the Swan River remain. While Perth, a city of almost two million people, is a long way from the rest of Australia’s population – and separated from it by the expanse of the Nullarbor Desert – it rewards exploration. Here’s the WYZA list of a dozen things to see and do in and around Perth. King’s Park This is a great starting point as it provides the best views over the city from near the War Memorial. Take the time to wander through the Botanical Gardens up here to grasp the incredible diversity of WA’s wildflowers. Ideally, take a picnic lunch and soak in the great views of the city and river. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park" target="_blank">bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park</a> <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663693/the-best-of-perth-kings-park-wyza-com-au.jpg" alt="The -best -of -perth -kings -park -wyza -com -au" width="700" height="466" /> Admire the spectacular city views from King's Park Perth Mint Much of Western Australia’s early growth came about from its various gold rushes. At Perth Mint you can watch gold being poured every hour and see a one tonne gold coin in a heritage building. Visit <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.perthmint.com.au/" target="_blank">perthmint.com.au</a> Swan Bell Tower This striking building on the banks of the river may not be the first place you’d think to look for bells from London’s St Martin in the Fields with a history going back to the 14th century. The bells were a bicentenary gift in 1988. They rang out to mark the sailing of James Cook on the Endeavour, the voyage that led to the founding of Australia. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.thebelltower.com.au/" target="_blank">thebelltower.com.au</a> Northbridge This thriving area of eclectic restaurants and hip bars ensures you can dine out on a wide range of international cuisines or pop in to one of the many pubs, hotels and nightclubs here. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.northbridgealive.com.au/" target="_blank">northbridgealive.com.au</a> Swan River Take a cruise along the river to Fremantle and take in the sights along the way. You can drive there in half an hour but the river is a much more atmospheric way to arrive. Domain Stadium If you are in town when the two local AFL teams are playing each other do whatever you can to obtain a ticket to Domain Stadium (previously known as Subiaco Oval). There’s no love lost between the two tribes of West Coast Eagles and the Freo Dockers and that can provide great entertainment. This will be the last year for the stadium before the footy moves to the new Perth Stadium for the 2018 season. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.domainstadium.com.au/" target="_blank">domainstadium.com.au</a> Fremantle This city and offshore Rottnest Island deserve their own article but here’s a summary. Besides boasting the nation’s best 19th century streetscapes, Freo (as it’s universally known) was recently declared as one of the best cities in the world by Lonely Planet for its appealing mix of craft breweries, hipster bars and varied dining options. That’s especially true on weekends. You can stay in the stylish YHA Hostel<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.yha.com.au/hostels/wa/perth-surrounds/fremantle-prison-yha" target="_blank"></a> within old Fremantle Prison and take a walk through the bustling Freo markets. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.visitfremantle.com.au/" target="_blank">visitfremantle.com.au</a> <img src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663711/aerial-view-of-fremantle-perth_credit-alan-deveau_700x398.jpg" alt="Aerial -view -of -Fremantle -Perth _credit -Alan -Deveau" width="700" height="398" /> Fremantle from above Rottnest Island It would be worth flying to WA simply to visit the smiling quokkas of Rotto, the world’s friendliest marsupials. Hire a bike and ride around to swim at some of the island’s 63 beaches and bays. There are coral reefs to dive upon and decent surf in some bays. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.rottnestisland.com/" target="_blank">rottnestisland.com</a> <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663701/best-of-perth-rottnestisland-wyza-com-au.jpg" alt="Best -of -perth -rottnestisland -wyza -com -au" width="694" height="392" /> Say hello to the adorable quokkas - and take a selfie or two Pinnacles Just two hours north of Perth at Cervantes are the strange desert landforms of the Pinnacles, limestone outcrops rising through the sand. While you’re in the area visit Lake Thetis, where you’ll find thrombolites that are strange living fossils. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.visitpinnaclescountry.com.au/" target="_blank">visitpinnaclescountry.com.au</a> <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663712/the-pinnacles-nambung-national-park-credit-greg-snell_700x398.jpg" alt="The -Pinnacles -Nambung -National -Park -credit -Greg -Snell" width="700" height="398" /> The Pinnacles at Nambung National Park Cottesloe Beach While in Perth you need to head to the coast to watch a sunset over the ocean, a sensation denied to those living on the east coast. That can be done from a café or pub on the boulevard or on the lawn beneath the Norfolk Island pines at Cottesloe after a day of swimming, snorkelling or surfing. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.cottesloe.wa.gov.au/" target="_blank">cottesloe.wa.gov.au</a> <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.cottesloe.wa.gov.au/" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663695/the-best-of-perth-cottlesloe-beach-wyza-com-au.jpg" alt="The -best -of -perth -cottlesloe -beach -wyza -com -au" width="700" height="402" /></a> Located between Perth and Fremantle, Cottesloe is famous for its beaches, cafes and relaxed lifestyle<a rel="noopener" href="http://www.cottesloe.wa.gov.au/" target="_blank"></a> Swan Valley Less than an hour from Perth, the Swan Valley is a convenient place to visit some WA wineries, do some bushwalking or visit a weekend market. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.swanvalley.com.au/" target="_blank">swanvalley.com.au</a> <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.swanvalley.com.au/" target="_blank"> </a>Avon Valley This is a great place to take an earth morning hot balloon flight over the valley’s patchwork fields. It’s even more spectacular during WA’s wildflower season. One of the region’s more unusual experiences is <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.newnorcia.wa.edu.au/" target="_blank">New Norcia</a>, Australia’s only monastic town. It was founded in 1847 from Spain and remains a place of spiritual retreat. There’s an impressive museum or you can join a town tour. Incongruously, in 2003 the European Space Agency opened a Deep Space Ground Station here with a 600 tonne, 40 metre-high antenna to monitor projects such as the Mars express. New Norcia was picked because it’s at the right latitude, has good weather and is far enough from a major city but still has good telecommunications. Visit: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.avonvalleywa.com.au/" target="_blank">avonvalleywa.com.au</a> Have you travelled to Perth? What were some of the highlights? Photography: (in-text) Alan Deveau, Greg Snell, Pernille Aggerholm. Written by David McGonigal. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/travel/the-best-of-perth.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.

Domestic Travel

"The highlight of my life": Peter Overton's special night off

Nine newsreader Peter Overton was nowhere to be seen on screen Wednesday as he spent the evening attending to a special commitment. The father-of-two revealed that he locked in a night off for a major event on the school calendar at the request of his eldest daughter, Allegra. “She came to me and said, ‘Don’t forget, it’s the father-daughter dance this year and you have to have the night off,’” Overton told <a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/" target="_blank">9Honey</a>. “She really wanted me there and I really wanted to be there as well, so I said to her, ‘Of course I’ll be there’.” The 53-year-old said his supervisor was more than supportive of his leave. “I went and told the news director and he said, ‘That’s a no-brainer, you’ve got to have that off’.” At the event, the father-and-daughter pair went to join dozens of fellow Year 6 students and their fathers or grandfathers to have a go at Macarena, barn dances, YMCA and other classics. <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/Bxeb4M4l2ni/" 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/Bxeb4M4l2ni/" target="_blank">A post shared by Jessica Rowe (@jessjrowe)</a> on May 15, 2019 at 12:55am PDT </div> </blockquote> “It was the highlight of my life,” he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.2gb.com/the-highlight-of-my-life-peter-overtons-special-night/" target="_blank">2GB</a> about the night. “It was lovely to go and do it without having to do the news, just completely devoted to the little one.” Overton said he is determined not to let work commitments prevent him from being present for his daughters’ milestones. The conviction came after a chat with his cameraman, a fellow father of two. “He was telling me one of his greatest regrets was that he’d missed just about every milestone in his daughters lives because of the job,” Overton said. “I, at that moment, said, ‘That’s not going to happen to me.’” <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/BvaL08PBEqp/" 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/BvaL08PBEqp/" target="_blank">A post shared by Jessica Rowe (@jessjrowe)</a> on Mar 24, 2019 at 4:15pm PDT </div> </blockquote> Overton shares two daughters – 12-year-old Allegra and 10-year-old Giselle – with wife Jessica Rowe. “I’ve never loved in such a pure way as I love my children,” he said on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/peter-overton-talks-about-his-family" target="_blank">Super Mums</a> podcast.

Caring

4 highlights of modern cruising holidays

Holidays on board cruise ships are more popular than ever with over 22 million people taking to the seas in 2015. The industry is expanding its on-board activities to appeal to every type of passenger. Try these for size. 1. Scale a rock-climbing wall Snoozing around the pool isn’t everyone’s idea of holiday fun. The cruise ship Oasis of the Sea from Royal Caribbean has two nine-metre rock climbing walls, two surf-simulator pools, a flying fox and an ice-skating rink. 2. Walk above the water The Regal Princess, owned and operated by Princess Cruises, features a glass-bottomed walkway that sits 39 metres high and extends 18 metres out over the ocean, offering dramatic views. 3. Themed cruises It’s fair to say that Disney is fast rewriting the fantasy cruise experience for families. Not only does its Disney Dream cruise ship sport a 223 metre-long outdoor tube waterslide, but it’s Very Merrytime Cruises host a Santa’s Winter Wonderland Ball complete with snow and special appearances from Frozen’s Anna and Elsa. 4. Around the world in 180 days For people who love life at sea, the Insignia, operated by Oceania Cruises, takes 180 days and nights to circumnavigate the globe, taking in 44 countries. The ship departs from the US, then travels to the Caribbean, South America, Africa and Asia. This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/cruising/4-highlights-of-modern-cruising-holidays">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestsubscribe?utm_source=readersdigest&utm_campaign=RDSUB&utm_medium=display&keycode=WRA85S">here’s our best subscription offer</a>. <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Cruising

Indian Pacific: Off-train excursions highlight of train journey

Justine Tyerman continues her journey on the famous trans-continental Indian Pacific train from Perth to Sydney. On Day 3 of her epic 4352km, three-night, four-day trip across Australia, she visits the South Australian capital of Adelaide, learns the tragic story of two early explorers and meets a couple of drag queens… The Indian Pacific was cruising sedately into Adelaide when I woke up on day 3 of my train journey across Australia from Perth to Sydney. Before boarding coaches to explore the city, we farewelled barman Brendan, hostess Nikki, dining room manager Mario and others who had looked after us so well since boarding in Perth. They were taking a break before heading north on the Ghan and we picked up a new crew for the Adelaide to Sydney leg of the journey. I managed to have a quick chat to Brendan before disembarking. He was such a delightful, gregarious fellow, and a whiz at making cocktails so it came as a surprise to find he’d only been behind the bar since April. Prior to this, he was studying for his masters in social work at Flinders University and before that he was teaching maths and science to years 7-10 and in Townsville. He enjoyed teaching and study but loves his new job. “On the train, I work with wonderful, caring, talented people and brilliant guests who are always seeking fun, happiness and good times,” said Brendan. “It’s great being involved in creating fun memories for guests and new friends in what is really a unique atmosphere, and watching passengers build relationships with each other. Everyone arrives as strangers and leaves as friends. “I work on the Ghan as well as the Indian Pacific so I get to see Australia and explore fantastic, scenic places. It’s an awesome job,” he said. “I’ll see you on the Ghan in September,” I said as I thanked him, hopped off the train and onto our smart tour bus. He thought I was kidding! <img style="width: 500px; height: 333.33333333333337px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820238/1-the-famous-adelaide-oval.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3dbecbc48cae4166af281a0335135969" /> The famous Adelaide Oval. Australia’s capital of festivals and the arts, Adelaide is a most attractive, well-designed city encircled by beautiful parks. Historic buildings like St Peters Cathedral have been carefully-preserved and the lovely River Torrens adds a tranquil feel to the busy metropolis. After an informative bus tour of the city and the option of exploring Adelaide’s fresh produce market, we enjoyed a lavish breakfast at the famous Adelaide Oval. The cricket buffs amongst us were frothing at the mouth with excitement. I watched a team of groundsmen meticulously grooming and conditioning the grass in preparation for the season ahead and envisaged the stands full of excited fans. No disrespect to lovely Adelaide but after two days in the Outback, I felt oddly resentful at the intrusion of civilisation into my bubble. I breathed a sigh of relief when we returned to the Indian Pacific and I snuggled into my cabin, waiting for the next phase of the trip through South Australia and New South Wales. Travelling north though the state’s green and gold fruit-bowl with vast windfarms on the horizon, we skirted the fringes of the Barossa Valley, a world-class wine-growing area famous for its shiraz. Passengers on the Sydney to Perth trip can take a tour of the region’s world-class boutique wineries and dine at a vineyard. I envied my NAMs (new Aussie mates) who were doing the journey both ways. We zipped through settlements rich in history like Peterborough in the wheat-lands, population about 1500. The rail line through Peterborough was once the busiest single track of railway in the world. A huge number of trains loaded with freight and ore, and the Ghan carrying passengers to and from Darwin, all passed through the town. A record was achieved in 1923 with 102 trains in a 24-hour period. An original 1880s Y Class locomotive sits alongside the track as a reminder of the steam-driven era. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820240/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6af1109e83294bef84d3f5cbdd31e9d9" /> The Indian Pacific near Port Augusta with the Flinders Ranges in the background. The cuisine on board the train was outstanding every day but lunch on day 3 was exceptional – a chicken salad with pistachio, currants, red onion, lemon rocket, pearl couscous topped with mint yoghurt dressing followed by rhubarb parfait with figs, honey ricotta ice-cream and praline. The Vasse Felix Filius chardonnay from Margaret River was a superb accompaniment, along with a lively political debate with a couple of retired school teachers. The landscape here was not as relentlessly flat as the Nullarbor and featured a few mulga trees and an undulating horizon. Somewhere near the Outback town of Manna Hill, home to about 66 people, I spotted a few kangaroos, emus and something that looked like a camel shimmering in the distance… but no one else saw it so it may have been a mirage. After lunch, my NAMs drew my attention to a plaque on the wall in the Outback Lounge. It told the tragic story of explorers Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills who set off in 1860 with the objective of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the south, to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, a distance of 3250 kilometres. At the time there was much fervour for epic journeys of exploration. Most of the inland of Australia had not been explored by non-indigenous people and was largely unknown to European settlers. <img style="width: 500px; height: 333.33333333333337px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820241/3-passengers-enjoying-drinks-and-listening-to-mattie-in-the-outback-explorer-lounge-before-the-dancing-began.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/feab4d21e80549a6ada044b71caa131b" /> Passengers enjoying drinks and listening to Mattie in the Outback Explorer Lounge… before the dancing began. The expedition team of 15 men, 26 camels, 26 horses, many wagons, 6 tonnes of firewood and enough food for two years left Melbourne on August 20, 1860 amid much fanfare. Bad weather, poor roads and broken-down wagons meant they made slow progress at first. Burke took an advanced party on to Coopers Creek and waited for the majority of the supplies to follow under the supervision of William Wright. But Burke was a man with a mission in a hurry to get to the Gulf of Carpentaria. So he departed with Wills, John King and Charles Gray on December 16 leaving most of the stores behind with four men who were instructed to wait three months until they returned. A diary note on March 28 1861 documented that salt water marshes stopped the explorers from reaching the open ocean at the gulf so they began the retreat just short of their destination. The return trip was plagued by delays and monsoon rains and the death of Gray from scurvy, apparently because the lime juice had been left behind. When they reached Cooper Creek on April 21, 1861, they found the camp had been abandoned just hours earlier. Wright had never arrived with the main supplies but some stores had been buried in a box under a tree marked with the word ‘DIG’. Rather than try to catch up with the rest of the party, Burke decided to make for Mount Hopeless. A relief party was sent to the site but did not find a note left by Burke. With their provisions and strength failing, Burke and Wills died in late June 1861. In September 1861, a search party found the Irish soldier John King living with Aboriginal people who had fed and sheltered him. The remains of Burke and Wills were discovered and returned to Melbourne for a public funeral in January 1863. At some point in the afternoon, the Indian Pacific crossed the path of their doomed expedition. Looking at the unforgiving landscape, I shuddered to think of the men perishing out there in the wilderness. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820242/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/312416c22e61499e8a0043e7be5ea9c8" /> The Indian Pacific near Broken Hill at dawn. Just as I was about to slip into my customary post-prandial reverie, our guitarist Mattie started tuning up in the lounge. In no time, his ‘fan club’ were singing and dancing in the aisle like a bunch of teenagers at a rock concert. Before I joined them in the ‘mush pit’, I stood at the end of the carriage and looked around the animated faces of my fellow passengers and NAMs who just three short days ago, were strangers to each other. Quite apart from the extraordinary landscapes we witnessed, the trip is an exceptionally social experience – a veritable party on rails with exquisite cuisine and cocktails included. It was hugely enjoyable even without close friends but with a carriage load of old mates, it would be quite a celebration. A great way to mark a 60th… or even an 80th as some of our fellow passengers were doing. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1f42c0143dbb4c2baabab412b3f05874" /><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/27625e741e2843349a0257e74f8af661" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 333.75670335873554px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820244/5-the-miners-memorial-at-broken-hill-an-off-train-excursion-for-those-travelling-from-sydney-to-perth.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/27625e741e2843349a0257e74f8af661" /> The Miners Memorial at Broken Hill, an off-train excursion for those travelling from Sydney to Perth. When we crossed into New South Wales, we lost a few hours and pulled into Broken Hill in darkness. Like many Outback towns, Broken Hill was built on precious metals. In 1883, silver, lead and zinc were discovered here, deposits that proved to be the largest and richest in the world. Broken Hill, known as ‘Silver City’, holds the distinction of being Australia’s oldest mining city. It’s also the base for the legendary Royal Flying Doctor Service and School of the Air. The choices of off-train excursions at Broken Hill had me in a dither. I could opt for culture at the regional art gallery and the world’s largest acrylic painting by local artist Ando, or attend a live drag queen show. When I discovered that the cult movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was filmed right there at the Palace Hotel in Broken Hill in 1994, it was no contest. ‘The Main Drag’, starring the brash and brassy Shelita and Christina, was hugely entertaining. The high-energy, up-tempo show totally blew me away and had the audience singing, clapping and participating in no time. The glitzy, sequinned costumes, garish wigs and make-up worn by the two strapping local lads, one an accountant and the other a teacher by day, were hilariously OTT - their eyelashes were so long and thick, I’m surprised they could see at all and their stilettos were so high, they were like stilts. From the moment Shelita and Christina sashayed onto the stage with a couple of dancers, they wowed the audience. Their opening remarks set the outrageous tone for the show: “Welcome to the Main Drag! Firstly there are some simple rules of engagement. Flash photography is strictly… mandatory! “Do we look gorgeous? Do we look beautiful? Do we look sexy? Well drink up! The more you drink, the prettier we look! Oh come on, you have to spend a lot of money to look as cheap as this.” With scenes from Priscilla projected on the wall above the stage, the girls sang well-known hits from the movie like ‘I will survive,’ ‘Hey, big spender’ and ‘I love the nightlife’ to the delight of the audience. <img style="width: 363.6191915375897px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820245/6-justine-with-shelita-and-christina-after-the-main-drag-show-at-the-palace-hotel-in-broken-hill.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/70fb0e2a729d406697002fe62e3fdda9" /> Justine with Shelita and Christina after the Main Drag show at the Palace Hotel in Broken Hill. After the show, I had a look around the grand old Palace Hotel. It’s an icon in its own right with grandiose murals on the walls and ceilings including a copy of Botticelli's Venus – quite surreal with a disco ball lighting effect. Dinner that evening was divine – as usual, there were three or four choices at each course which was always the hardest decision of the day. The lamb shoulder slow cooked in honey and black vinegar looked very tempting but I opted for carrot and coriander soup to leave room for the Hunter Valley beef fillet with Pacific oyster sabayon sauce, and blood orange meringue tart with wild berry salsa. The tart had a handmade chocolate pastry case. It was dreamy. The 80th birthday party celebrations continued in the lounge long after I retired. Such energy! Read Justine’s account of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/what-it-s-like-travelling-across-australia-on-board-the-indian-pacific">Day 1</a> and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/on-board-the-indian-pacific-the-magic-of-the-nullarbor">Day 2</a> of the Indian Pacific. To be continued… Look out for the final part of the Indian Pacific travel series next Wednesday. Justine Tyerman was a guest of Rail Plus and Great Southern Rail. * The Indian Pacific is a four-day, three-night 4,352km, 65-hour journey from Sydney to Perth and vice versa operated twice a week by Great Southern Rail. <a href="https://www.railplus.co.nz/australia-by-rail/australias-great-train-journeys/indian-pacific/itinerary.htm">Find more information here. </a><a href="https://www.railplus.co.nz/australia-by-rail/australias-great-train-journeys/indian-pacific/itinerary.htm"></a>

Domestic Travel

Kensington Palace shares touching video of royal family highlights

Kensington Palace has released a touching highlights clip revisiting the big milestones celebrated by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry in 2017. Some of the big moments in the slideshow include four-year-old Prince George's first day of school, two-year-old Princess Charlotte's first posey and Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle's engagement announcement in November. Watch the video here (hover over the middle of the image and the play button will appear): <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: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></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/BdYTRmyA0sE/" target="_blank">A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal)</a> on Dec 31, 2017 at 12:20pm PST </div> </blockquote> But eagle-eyed royal supporters noted that there was one important royal moment that was missed from the collection – William and Kate’s baby announcement! The couple are expecting their third child together in April next year. Although some supporters questioned why the significant announcement was left out of the top 10 moments, most others were delighted by the video and the opportunity to relive the best royal moments of 2017.

Technology

New study highlights baby boomers’ shocking relationship with alcohol

Professor Ann Roche and Victoria Kostadinov are Director and Research Officer (respectively) of the national Centre for Education and Training on Addiction at Flinders University. If you ask someone what a typical heavy drinker or drug user looks like, they’re probably more likely to evoke images of Gen Ys with tattoos and piercings than greying baby boomers. But recent Australian data, outlined in our <a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j3885" target="_blank">British Medical Journal editorial</a>, shows rates of alcohol and drug use are actually decreasing among younger age groups, while increasing dramatically in people over the age of 50. Not only is there a rise in the proportion of older people who regularly drink at risky levels, there are also more older people using cannabis. So, it’s not surprising Australia’s <a href="https://www.hcasa.asn.au/documents/555-national-drug-strategy-2017-2026/file" target="_blank">recently released National Drug Strategy 2017-2026</a> identifies older people as a priority group for attention. The data has implications not only for the health of the over 50s, but also for health professionals that diagnose and manage substance use or misuse, and the complications that can arise from it. Evidence shows we can no longer view drug and alcohol issues purely as a young person’s concern. Why is alcohol and drug use rising in older Australians? Low birth rates and extended life expectancy have resulted in large increases in the <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/facts-and-figures/ageing-australia" target="_blank">proportion of older Australians</a> and higher absolute numbers of older people who drink and use drugs. For example, the <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data-sources/ndshs-2016/data/" target="_blank">one in four 50- to 59-year-olds</a> drinking at risky levels (five or more standard drinks in a single session) corresponds to <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3101.0Sep%202016?OpenDocument" target="_blank">about 755,394</a> people. Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) have <a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d6761" target="_blank">higher rates</a> of alcohol and drug use than earlier cohorts of older Australians and many continue this use into their older years. <a href="http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/3514/1679/0404/EN557.pdf" target="_blank">Improvements in health care and treatments for substance use</a> mean more people survive into old age, drinking and taking drugs for longer. Older Australians today also have more disposable income than in previous generations, making access to alcohol and drugs <a href="http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0021-25712012000300004" target="_blank">more affordable</a>. What does the evidence say? Our research, using data from the <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data-sources/about-ndshs/" target="_blank">National Drug Strategy Household Survey</a>, shows high-risk drinking (11 or more standard drinks on a single occasion) in the over 50s increased significantly between 2004 and 2013. People living in regional or remote areas or who smoke tobacco were more likely to drink this way. The <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data-sources/ndshs-2016/data/" target="_blank">newly released 2016 data</a> indicates this upward trend is continuing even more strongly. <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data-sources/ndshs-2016/data/" target="_blank">In 2016</a>, 11.9 per cent of 50- to 59-year-olds drank at high-risk levels at least yearly (up from 9.1 per cent in 2013). A total of 5.8 per cent did so at least monthly (up from 4.1 per cent). Cannabis use among the over 50s <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajag.12357/abstract" target="_blank">more than doubled</a> between 2004 and 2013, from 1.5 per cent to 3.6 per cent. Unmarried men who smoked, drank alcohol, and used other drugs were particularly likely to use cannabis. There is little reliable data on other illicit drug use in older people. But our data shows older people are using more pharmaceuticals, like <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pds.1899/abstract" target="_blank">sedatives</a> and <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2011/195/5/prescription-opioid-analgesics-and-related-harms-australia" target="_blank">opioids</a>, than before. And <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/alcohol-and-other-drugs/data-sources/ndshs-2016/data/" target="_blank">in 2016</a>, 4.1 per cent of 50- to 59-year-olds and 4.5 per cent of people 60 and over used pharmaceutical drugs for non-medical purposes. Older people often use pharmaceuticals to treat pain (both physical and emotional) or sleep problems. This can also result in balance problems, falls/injuries, reduced ability to function, and even death. You can find out more about the prevalence of substance use among older Australians in the <a href="http://nadk.flinders.edu.au/" target="_blank">National Alcohol and Drug Knowledgebase</a>. Why is all this concerning? Growing use of alcohol, cannabis, and prescription drug misuse among older Australians is concerning for a number of reasons. Older people are more sensitive to the toxic effects of substances such as alcohol. This is because ageing <a href="http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/4114/2249/7473/RCP_2011.pdf" target="_blank">reduces the body’s capacity</a> to metabolise, distribute, and excrete alcohol and drugs. Older people are also more likely to have <a href="http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/3514/1679/0404/EN557.pdf" target="_blank">existing physical or psychological conditions</a>, or to take medicines that may <a href="http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/4114/2249/7473/RCP_2011.pdf" target="_blank">interact</a> with alcohol and drugs. So older people who use alcohol and/or drugs may be more <a href="http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/4114/2249/7473/RCP_2011.pdf" target="_blank">likely to have</a>: falls and other injuries, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, mental health problems (including suicide), obesity, liver disease, <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b8ed/eefa7da25bb2656bc0335cc6768d62b9f039.pdf" target="_blank">early-onset dementia and other brain injury</a>, sleep disorders, and blood borne diseases. Not all older people have problems with drugs and alcohol Not all older people who use alcohol and/or drugs have problems. Older people, like other age groups, use alcohol or drugs in many different ways and for many different reasons, as we show with this “<a href="http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/7014/1679/1083/EN559.pdf" target="_blank">typology of older users</a>”: <ul> <li>maintainers continue with their previously unproblematic use as they get older. But age-related changes (like those already outlined) result in increased harms later in life</li> <li>survivors begin using alcohol/drugs early in life. They have a long history of substance use problems that persist into older age and this often results in other physical and/or mental health problems</li> <li>reactors begin using alcohol/drugs in their 50s or 60s, often due to <a href="http://au.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118993772.html" target="_blank">stressful events</a>, like grief, retirement, marital breakdown, social isolation (<a href="http://press.psprings.co.uk/bmj/august/substancemisuse.pdf" target="_blank">particularly older women</a>), or due to pain.</li> </ul> Do treatments work for older people? The good news is, research shows substance use treatment is <a href="http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/9814/2250/4969/Hunter_2010.pdf" target="_blank">just as effective</a> for older people as it is for younger age groups. Treatment programs adapted specifically for older people have <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878764915001394" target="_blank">even better outcomes</a>. This is important, as the number of older people who require treatment for alcohol or drug problems is increasing substantially, <a href="http://press.psprings.co.uk/bmj/august/substancemisuse.pdf" target="_blank">both in Australia</a> <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13607863.2013.793653?tab=permissions&scroll=top" target="_blank">and</a> <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/43/2/304/675582/Substance-use-disorders-and-psychiatric" target="_blank">overseas</a>. Not everyone gets treatment Unfortunately, there are <a href="http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/1314/1679/1662/EN561.pdf" target="_blank">barriers</a> that can <a href="http://alcoholresearchuk.org/downloads/finalReports/FinalReport_0085" target="_blank">make it harder</a> for older Australians to access treatment or support. Health-care practitioners and family members may: <ul> <li>be reluctant to ask older people “embarrassing” questions about substance use</li> <li>not know alcohol/drug use is common in older people, or how to address it</li> <li>incorrectly attribute symptoms of problem substance use to “just getting older”</li> <li>incorrectly believe older people are too old to change.</li> </ul> Older people may also be reluctant to seek help because of embarrassment, logistical problems (like a lack of transport), inappropriate treatment services for older people, or they do not know where to turn for help. To combat these problems, we developed a <a href="https://www.peninsulahealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/AODPenHealth_150915.pdf" target="_blank">free guide</a> to preventing and reducing alcohol and drug related harm among older people for health and welfare professionals. What needs to change Health-care services and the aged care sector need to work better together to prevent problem substance use among older people. They also need to provide age-appropriate treatment and harm minimisation services to people who need them. Clinicians also need to better identify and treat alcohol, cannabis, and prescription drug misuse in their older patients. Finally, we need more research into the best approaches for helping older people with substance use problems. Written by Ann Roche and Victoria Kostadinov. Republished with permission of <a href="http://theconversation.com/" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.<img width="1" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/82753/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation"/>

Body

New report highlights dire state of preventable deaths in aged care

Hundreds of thousands of us trust aged care facilities to protect our loved ones and keep them healthy and happy. However, a startling new report has found that Australia’s nursing homes have become increasingly dangerous places to live. Of the 21,672 deaths reported in nursing homes between 2000 and 2015, 15 per cent were the result of preventable causes. In addition, 61 per cent of these preventable deaths were of women between the ages of 25 and 106 – although most occurred in the 85 to 94 years range. According to <a href="https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/world-first-study-reveals-increase-in-premature-deaths-in-australian-nursing-homes" target="_blank">a new study</a> by Joe Ibrahim, a researcher at Monash University, falls, choking and suicide were the most common causes of preventable deaths – a trend Ibrahim believes shows the industry is “not looking hard enough” for ways to combat. “Because health is now market-driven, there isn’t one group that is advocating for residents,” Ibrahim tells <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/may/26/preventable-deaths-in-australian-nursing-homes-quadrupled-in-10-years" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. “We need to have a national group that is promoting better care, the government should have the ability to withdraw funding if they’re not happy, the accreditation agency should have the ability to not accredit.” Ibrahim’s findings and recommendations have been welcomed by Dr Catherine Yelland, President of the Australian College of Physicians, who conceded to the <a href="http://www.afr.com/lifestyle/health/mens-health/high-rate-of-premature-deaths-in-australian-nursing-homes-a-systems-problem-study-20170526-gwdwna" target="_blank">Australian Financial Review</a> that the industry “can do better”. “We all have the right to be safe in our homes, and the recommendations by Ibrahim and his co-authors for action in policy, practice and research should be heeded by our federal and state departments of health, responsible for aged care.”

Caring

Funny poem highlights how the meaning of words have changed

<img width="144" height="196" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/29255/bob_144x196.jpg" alt="Bob" style="float: left;"/>Bob Pacey, 65, is the Rockhampton region’s best-known bush poet. He has a verse stored in his memory for just about every occasion. Getting Older Well I must be getting older And I don't know who to blame All the words now have new meanings Though they still sound just the same. And I was so good at English Now I get the words all wrong cause when I put them in a sentence it’s just like they don't belong. Like, when a bloke was really happy it used to be ok to say “He's gay” a “Rap” was how you hit a door And Hi! just meant gidday. “Grass” was grown upon your lawn We used a "Pot" to cook a stew A “Score” was what your team made And a "Dope" meant silly you A “Dyke” that was just a little dam A “Poof” a puff of smoke and “Bread” was flour and water Now if you've got none well your broke And “Cactus” was a prickly plant But now it means you’re dead a “Joint” was an old run down shack A place to rest your weary head. “Acid” was something we used in Chemistry at school and winter was the only time that we could say we’re “Cool”. A “Trip” meant falling over when we tangled up our feet And lollies were the only thing that we could say were “Sweet”. A “Camp” was just a little tent set up out in the scrub. We only “Stuffed” our chickens and food was our only “Grub”. If someone had a bit of luck we’d say that's really slick now when something’s great mate well they say it’s “fully sick”. And we put “ice” into our eskies just to cool our beer and rum and the only "Smack" I ever got was on me bloody bum. People stopped you in the street to talk about the weather now when you ask a question the kids simply say “Whatever”. Well I’ve tried to understand it It's progress I've been told But I really have to face it mate Gees I must be getting old. Do you have a story or poem to share? Please head over to the Over60 <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/community/contributor/community-contributor/">“Share your story” page.</a> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/09/the-biggest-problem-new-retirees-encounter/">The biggest problem new retirees encounter</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/09/is-it-ever-too-late-to-get-healthy/">Is it ever too late to get healthy?</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/08/signs-you-are-ready-to-retire/">8 signs you’re ready to retire right now</a>

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