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“These are people’s lives”: Calls for gambling reform after fatal cruise ship plunge

The shocking death of a 50-year-old father who went overboard on a P&O Cruise has caused widespread outrage, with many questioning who is to blame for his untimely passing. Shane Dixon had racked up $5,000 of gambling debt while onboard the Elvis-themed voyage, which his mother, who was also travelling with him, helped him to repay. The next day, Dixon went back to the cruise ship's casino where he racked up another $4,000 in debt, before he plunged to his death while the vessel was on its way into Sydney Harbour. While questions have arisen about the circumstances surrounding his death, the CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform Carol Bennett said the cruise ship operator had failed to provide Shane with an adequate duty of care, and encouraged him to keep gambling. "It's really concerning that when a ship sails 12 nautical miles off the coast it can then allow anything and everything to happen," she told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13414919/Anti-gambling-Shane-Dixon-cruise-ship-casino.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a>. "The rules that might apply on land no longer seem to apply and yet you would expect this cruise line would have some kind of duty of care to ensure that people are not plied with inducements, promotions and advertisements that are pushing them to gamble to extremely harmful levels." "It is just beyond belief that there is not an expectation that when a cruise ship leaves a dock that the rules of that jurisdiction apply." "But clearly that's not the case and we leave it all in the hands of the cruise line operator who may or may not apply the responsible service of gambling." Ms Bennett said it was "fundamental" that gamblers were able to set spend limits, self-exclude themselves and be in an environment free of inducements: all of which are required by law when it comes to casinos on Australian soil. "This is just basic harm reduction that any provider or organisation that is providing gambling services should be complying with," she said. "And if they're not, we need to really seriously think about what governments need to do to address this problem because you do wonder how widespread this is. This could be just the tip of the iceberg." Ms Bennett said Australia loses an estimated $25billion on legal forms of gambling each year, with the consequences spreading far beyond the impact on the economy. "It leads to everything from domestic and family violence to health and mental health issues, anxiety, depression, financial distress, right through to suicide," she said. "It is a huge and to some degree hidden problem in Australia, which is why we need stronger enforcement of safeguards and guardrails around gambling that don't see people led into a situation where they see no other way out but suicide." "These are peoples lives. For every person who gambles, there are six people around them who are going to be directly impacted." Labor backbencher Graham Perrett said the British cruise line most likely operated under the UK's gambling laws. "My understanding is that the UK gambling laws are not dissimilar to ours in terms of marketing and advertising," he said. "It's not just a gambling free-for-all, even if they are outside our territorial seas they still have to follow the laws of the UK." Image credits: Facebook / Shutterstock

Cruising

Baby Reindeer's "real life stalker" breaks silence

The woman believed to be the inspiration for the stalker "Martha" in Richard Gadd's Netflix hit Baby Reindeer has denied the allegations that she stalked the show's creator. The show depicts an aspiring comedian - Donny Dunn, played by Gadd himself - who meets a woman at a bar and she quickly develops an unhealthy obsession with him. Fiona Harvey, 58, the person believed to be "real life Martha", spoke to Piers Morgan on his Uncensored YouTube show on Thursday and said that she was planning to take legal action against both Netflix and Gadd for the attention the semi-autobiographical show got her. “You’re 100 per cent it’s not you?” Morgan asked. "Yes,” she replied. Harvey reportedly received death threats after internet sleuths tracked her down within hours of the show's premiere. She also said that she only met a him a few times, and that the show's portrayal of events - including the one where they first met - were completely fictionalised. “He didn’t offer me a cup of tea. No one gets anything free from the Hawley Arms,” she told Morgan, referencing the real-life pub Gadd worked at. “He interrupted a conversation with another barman he said, ‘Oh, you’re Scottish,’ and basically commandeered the conversation. “You know, I was talking to somebody. It’s pretty rich. So he seemed to be obsessed with me from that moment onwards.” In the show, Gadd also claimed that he had received 41,071 emails, 744 tweets, 106 pages of letters and 350 hours of voicemail from the woman who Martha is based off, and Harvey denied this, although she did send him a few emails. “There may have been a couple of emails exchanged. Just some jokey banter,” she said. “I have no idea (where the other emails and communications came from). I think it’s probably made up himself. “I don’t see how anyone could do 41,000 emails.” When asked to put a number on the emails she had sent, she replied: “A handful, 10? Not 41,000”. “Even if the email thing was true, the rest is not,” she added and said that “I wouldn’t be suing if there were 41,000 emails out there." She also said that she never sexually assaulted him, contacted his parents or attacked his girlfriend and was never charged – let alone convicted – of any offence, another claim that the show made. When asked by Morgan if she thought Gadd was “mentally unwell,” she replied "yes". ”I think he always was. Whether that rape was real or conceived in his mind. He's completely off his head,” she said. “He’s crazy and wants to make this up," she added. “My mind is made up – he is a lair”. Morgan then asked her if she had a message for Gadd, and she went straight to the point: “Leave me alone please. Get a life. Get a proper job. I am horrified at what you’ve done”. Image: Piers Morgan / Netflix

“We’re now in a death spiral”: Complete collapse of Channel Ten predicted

The future of Network Ten is in jeopardy, as the broadcaster continues to face dwindling ratings nationwide, while also juggling a turbulent ownership battle at its American parent company Paramount. <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/media/network-10-is-in-total-turmoil-and-may-not-survive-as-australias-third-commercial-broadcaster/news-story/8834f836947d5f4ca478c9b88db9e47f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to a report by news.com.au</a>, the existence of the Network is in "total turmoil", after high profile shows such as The Masked Singer and The Bachelor have both been axed, leaving many wondering how long the broadcaster can stay afloat. Queensland University of Technology Professor Amanda Lotz, who leads the Transforming Media Industries research program, told the outlet that it’s unlikely Australia will still have three free-to-air commercial networks in the near future. “I would suspect by the end of the decade that we will have two commercial broadcasters,” Prof Lotz said. “It’s just math. We’re now in a death spiral. And eventually, it might be that we just have one.” QUT Professor Anna Potter, an expert in digital media and cultural studies, agreed that the landscape for commercial TV in Australia is now so stretched that television businesses are dangerously unviable. “I think there’s a big question too about whether Australia can support three television (commercial) broadcasters – and I’m not sure we can,” Prof Potter said. A major part of Ten's toppling has been the ongoing defamation suit against the network, launched against Bruce Lehrmann. While Ten successfully defended the suit, they hardly came out unscathed as the Federal Court criticised its handling of various matters related to the broadcast of The Project’s explosive interview with Brittany Higgins in 2021. Daily headlines about the court case overshadowed many popular programs, many of which failed to deliver a significant ratings recovery. As the network has consistently lost viewers over the past years, nationwide ratings have continuously put Network 10 behind its other commercial competitors, making parent company Paramount doubt how viable the business can be long term. Media analyst and Pearman director of strategy and research Steve Allen said, “A new owner of Paramount Global is unlikely to see Ten as an asset worth retaining because the business is in serious turmoil.” “There’s no programming momentum and they haven’t found a really solid anchor for prime time, their revenue looks steady but they can’t seem to significantly reduce overheads, and now there’s upheaval in terms of their US ownership." “Network 10 is in a real pickle and I don’t see a way out for them.” Image credits: Ten

Channel 10 presenter exposes on-air dress shaming

Channel 10 presenter Narelda Jacobs has exposed a “humiliating” email she received from a viewer who commented on an outfit she wore on-air Tuesday. The Australian journalist, who hosts 10 News First, wore a v-neck blouse and patterned blazer when she was reporting that day, when the unsolicited "feedback" came through. Jacobs shared a screenshot of the email that was sent to the Ten News group on Instagram. “Inappropriate dress sense for reading the news. Cleavage is for the nightclub,” the email read. Addressing the email, Jacobs began: “Yes, we still receive emails like this. Yes, it went to the entire newsroom." “Yes, I was on air at the time. Yes, it is intended to shame and humiliate me," the 48-year-old added. “No, what I’m wearing is not inappropriate but your email sure is.” Followers took to the comments to back Jacobs, with fellow journalists sharing their own experience of receiving sexist criticism. Retired swimmer Giaan Rooney wrote: “Yep. The number of emails the newsroom used to get attacking everything about my appearance when I was presenting the weather was incredible.” The Guardian journalist Amy Remeikis recalled how “not that long ago” a woman felt that she had to “hide” her nine-year-old son from the TV when she was on-air. “Because he wanted to know why that woman (me) had ‘sex face’ and what my boobs were,” Remeikis wrote. “Had never seen breasts apparently, but could use the phrase ‘sex face’.” ABC Radio host Yumi Stynes joked, “How dare you cleavage?” before complimenting Jacobs for her radiant look, while Dessert Masters judge Melissa Leong wrote, “File under ‘When you really hate yourself, so you decide to email random strangers to tell them.’” Comedian Janelle Koenig slammed the ‘feedback’ as “absolute insanity.” This comes after thousands attended <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/it-s-up-to-men-anthony-albanese-joins-violence-against-women-rally" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rallies</a> in late April calling on the government to take action against the recent spate of acts of violence against women. Image: Instagram

Hughesy spills the beans on major shows set to be axed

Dave Hughes has shared his prediction that The Masked Singer is die to be axed from Network Ten's lineup this year as the network continues to battle dwindling ratings. The host of the show made the admission on his radio show on Tuesday, saying he hadn't been given any updates on when filming was due to commence. “We’ve been waiting on a production schedule. That production schedule has not come through, so as far as I know, The Masked Singer won’t be filmed this year for Channel 10,” Hughes said on his show Hughesy, Ed and Erin on 2DayFM. “We’ve had such a great time over those years, it’s been such a fun show to be on, so many great singers have been on,” he continued. “We’ve had great panels. We started with Jackie O, Dannii Minogue, [Lindsay] Lohan, then Urzila Carlson came in, we’ve got Abbie Chatfield, Chrissy Swan, Mel B. All stars in their own right." “It’s a tough one for the production team.” Later during the radio show, Hughesy and the team called Osher Günsberg to question whether The Bachelor was facing the same grim fate as The Masked Singer. “I tell you what, I haven’t cancelled our trip to Fiji, which is in the middle of the shooting window we normally have [for The Bachelor],” Günsberg, who has been host of the dating show since 2013, said. Osher went on to criticise Australian TV for putting British and American shows on prime time, rather than favouring homegrown talent. “I personally feel we really need to value our own stories, and our culture, and our own voices far more highly,” he said. “And we’ve got to do what we need to do to make that happen on our screens." “If we’re not going to sing our own songs and tell our own stories – we’re just going to be this weird echo of the US and the UK, and that’s not going to work out well for us.” Last year's season of The Bachelor premiered to the franchise’s lowest ratings in its decade-long history, while personalities involved with The Masked Singer have repeatedly said "it is a very expensive show to produce". Image credits: Ten

"A Duck-Filled Platypus?!": Wheel of Fortune contestant's $10k mistake

A Wheel of Fortune contestant has made a hilarious mistake that cost her US$7250 ($10,900) with viewers blasting her on social media for not knowing the painfully obvious answer. During an episode of the American game show this week, Floridian contestant Kimberly Wright failed to complete the puzzle when she picked the wrong letter, according to Fox News. The puzzle board read “D U _ _ – _ _ L L E D PLATYPUS,” and Wright chose to spin the wheel which landed on the Express wedge. “I’m going to call an F,” she said, which elicited groans from audiences in the studio. Wright believed that the answer was “duck-filled platypus”, when it was “duck-billed platypus" an animal native to Australia, and many fans were in disbelief over her "painful" mistake. “I have never been more enraged watching wheel of fortune,” one fan wrote in response to a clip of the viral moment. “Oh my, that was painful. F?? She thought the platypus was filled? with what exactly?” another tweeted. “F***** brutal,” a third agreed. “Where did this lady think an F was going to go in this puzzle?" a fourth asked, while another wrote: “wheel of fortune puzzle was clearly duck-billed platypus and the lady asked for an F she’s like reverse autocorrect.” “A Duck-Filled Platypus!?” another chimed in. “Oh, I hope Red isn’t on social media. She gonna get blasted for missing that puzzle,” wrote another viewer. Image: News.com.au/ Wheel of Fortune

Why are adults without kids hooked on Bluey? And should we still be calling it a ‘kids’ show’?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-balanzategui-814024">Jessica Balanzategui</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/djoymi-baker-1269345">Djoymi Baker</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> “Bluey mania” shows no sign of abating. Bluey’s season finale, The Sign, was the <a href="https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/04/the-sign-breaks-abc-iview-records.html">most viewed ABC program</a> of all time on iView. A “hidden” follow-up episode, aptly named The Surprise, created a storm of <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13338251/Bluey-fans-wild-mystery-ending-surprise-episode-meaning.html">headlines</a> around the world, many of which <a href="https://mashable.com/article/bluey-surprise-baby-who-is-the-father">have a decidedly adult tone</a>. As highlighted in social media fan communities <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/08/bluey-adult-fandom-tiktok/">and</a> <a href="https://gizmodo.com/bluey-disney-plus-bbc-australian-animation-adult-fans-1850426890">articles</a>, the show has struck a chord with adults, many of whom aren’t parents. What do they get from a show that is ostensibly “for kids”? <h2>Parents love Bluey (sometimes more than kids)</h2> Our <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/pfpp--australian-children%27s-television-cultures-actc.pdf">research</a> with <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiDjeXNluuFAxW2bmwGHf2aDvoQFnoECA8QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aph.gov.au%2FDocumentStore.ashx%3Fid%3Dec6900b5-42b0-4c3d-b200-5c05ae895fec%26subId%3D751969&usg=AOvVaw2BpyYjP_6i62kXdJqyrplx&cshid=1714522763110954&opi=89978449">children aged 7-9</a> and their parents provides evidence of how enraptured adults are by Bluey. Our findings also suggest it’s the parents who often drive household Bluey obsessions. As one mum told us: "If we could tell the Australian TV gods something that we’d like to have on Australian TV, it would be more Bluey, don’t get rid of Bluey. […] Bluey is loved by mums a lot." Another explained how the show provided learning for parents: "It’s the gentle parenting, kindness, empathy for the children, the humour […] And helping kids [and] families work through real life situations with kindness and compassion." When one eight-year-old and his mum told us about their favourite shows, the following exchange took place: <blockquote> Mum:: What about Bluey? Son: I sometimes [watch it]… Mum: You don’t want to say. He doesn’t want to say he watches Bluey. Bluey’s fantastic. Son: I sometimes- Mum: He wants to be a big boy. […] Everyone in this room probably loves Bluey. It’s not just for kids. Son: Enough about that. </blockquote> Beyond families, Bluey has also attracted teen and adult fans without kids – in part thanks to a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/08/bluey-adult-fandom-tiktok/">vibrant TikTok community</a> (aka <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/search?lang=en&q=blueytok&t=1714526488575">#blueytok</a>). While some commentary suggests this adult fandom <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2024/04/bluey-the-sign-episode-ending-parents-adults-kids-disney-plus.html">is “weird”</a>, Bluey is only the latest in a long line of “children’s” shows with a passionate adult fanbase. <h2>Shifting barriers in television</h2> The distinction between “children’s” and “adult” television has long been crucial to our cultural understandings of what separates a child from an adult. In the 1950s, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1749602020911359">academics were concerned</a> children were watching TV content that was too mature for them, turning them into “adultised children”, and that adults watching kids’ shows were becoming “infantile adults”. The industry took note. In 1957, a reduction in children’s TV production in the United States made space for so-called “kidult” shows designed for both age groups. Since then, the boundaries between children’s and adult television have continually shifted. In television’s early days, science fiction was associated with child audiences (which is why many initially assumed Star Trek was <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/to-boldly-go-9781838609733/">a kids’ show</a>). These boundaries were also influenced by television scheduling. Warner Bros’ early animation shorts were initially all-ages theatrical releases, but in 1960 were packaged into the Bugs Bunny Show – pitched for kids and aired on Saturday mornings. As a result, by 1967 animation was considered <a href="https://web.mit.edu/sp.778/www/Documents/From_Saturday_morning_to_---elevision_cartoons.pdf">kids’ fare</a>. The boundaries shifted again in the 1980s as adult Japanese anime such as Akira (1988) became popular in the West. In 1989, The Simpsons debuted on TV. Our research reveals even today there is confusion regarding the show’s suitability for young children. Some of our seven-to-nine-year-old participants described secretly watching it without their parents’ knowledge. <h2>Childhood healing</h2> Bluey’s adult appeal is credited to the show’s playful <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/04/14/disneys-giant-new-bluey-episode-the-sign-is-making-parents-cry/?sh=3c4a664f6234">yet emotionally complex</a> content. One reason adults tune into today’s kids’ TV is because it’s far more diverse than the shows they could access growing up. Take 19-year-old Bluey fan <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/bluey-internet-fandom/">Darby Rose</a>, who points to an episode in which a Jack Russell terrier has ADHD. “As a neurodivergent person myself, this representation makes me ecstatic,” Rose says. This is also true of many teen programs, with the queer-friendly high-school romance Heartstopper attracting a large <a href="https://time.com/6301556/heartstopper-netflix-season-2-fans/">adult following</a>. It’s not just <a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-bluey-why-adults-love-re-watching-australian-kids-tv-from-their-childhoods-169727">childhood nostalgia</a> that drives adults to kids’ shows (although <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/bluey/comments/x1xgf9/what_trips_down_memory_lane_and_nostalgia_does/">this is one aspect</a>). Watching kids’ shows can be self-affirming for adults who missed out on seeing their identity onscreen growing up. Some adult fans <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bluey-adults_n_65e774c1e4b0f9d26cac99a7">even say</a> Bluey has helped them heal childhood wounds. <h2>Children’s television meets adult fan cultures</h2> Watching “adult” television enables kids to feel more grown-up. Conversely, adults can watch children’s television to embrace aspects of their personality they feel social pressure to repress. The latter is often the case for “Bronies” (a portmanteau for “bro” and “pony”): adult male fans of the animated kids’ show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (2010-20). The community has attracted much <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-previews/military-men-obsessed-little-pony-6498303">controversy</a>. But <a href="https://researchportal.tuni.fi/en/publications/its-ok-to-be-joyful-my-little-pony-and-brony-masculinity">research</a> has found the reasons behind being a Brony aren’t suspicious or bizarre, but are empowering in unexpected ways. As Bronies themselves have explained, the fandom allows them to rethink what masculinity means to them, with the support of other fans online and at events such as <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/08/14/750595032/the-friends-we-made-along-the-way-after-9-years-bronycon-calls-it-quits">BronyCon</a>. Why can’t “manliness” include watching a cute show about ponies with friendship at its heart? <h2>The changing nature of children’s television</h2> The rise of streaming has led to yet another shift. On-demand viewing means freedom from the constraints of TV scheduling, which historically set the terms for “child” and “adult” viewing. As <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Netflix-Dark-Fantastic-Genres-and-Intergenerational-Viewing-Family-Watch-Together-TV/Baker-Balanzategui-Sandars/p/book/9781032121895">our book details</a>, Netflix has invested in the expansion of cultural expectations around what makes “child-appropriate” television. Netflix’s mega hit Stranger Things deliberately pushes at these boundaries to attract a wide audience, from children and teens, to families, to adults without kids. As co-creator <a href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/stranger-things-duffer-brothers-share-secrets-hit-show/">Matt Duffer explains</a>, the aim was to get children hooked on the show, and then later in the season “scare the shit out of them. Then the parents can get mad.” Parents certainly aren’t mad about their children getting hooked on Bluey. They may even be the secret to its global success: to keep the children watching, get the adults hooked.<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/228610/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-balanzategui-814024">Jessica Balanzategui</a>, Senior Lecturer in Media, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/djoymi-baker-1269345">Djoymi Baker</a>, Lecturer in Media and Cinema Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: ABC This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-adults-without-kids-hooked-on-bluey-and-should-we-still-be-calling-it-a-kids-show-228610">original article</a>. </div>

"You will be a massive failure": Steve Price unleashes on Kyle Sandilands

The feud between Steve Price and Kyle Sandilands has taken a new turn, as Price unleashed on Sandilands over the launch of The Kyle and Jackie O Show in Melbourne. The Project panel were discussing the show's first episode in the Victorian capital which was met with a mixed reception, given the use of coarse language. Price took the discussion to the next level as he made it clear he is not a fan of the KIISFM show or its host. “Kyle, last time I mentioned you on this program I called you a grubby buffoon. That was a compliment in hindsight,” Price said on Monday night's episode of The Project. “That garbage you put to air this morning, sexualised rubbish, toxic, nobody should listen to it and you will be a massive failure in Melbourne.” Price continued his tirade, accusing Sandilands of sending him a “threatening message” last November after his “grubby buffoon” comments, and he dared the KIIS FM star to “do it again”. He ended the spray by saying, “I do note that you didn’t have the guts to sit down and do an interview with me to talk about your new radio show, perhaps because you’ve got the intellect of a cumquat”. Sandilands responded to Price's comments live on air on Tuesday morning, taking aim at the co-host and the show at large. “[The Project] is no good,” he said about the Channel 10 program. “It’s a piece of s**t”. “No one watches it, and they don’t like us.” As for Price's claims, Sandilands accused the fellow broadcaster of being “fake”, and claimed that Price sent a revealing note to his manager last month. The note allegedly said, “I’m very aware Kyle and I have had some interesting whacks at each other over the years but as we know, it’s all part of the game.” “See, I’m right, it is feigned outrage,” Sandilands said. “Does he mean what he says or is he just full of s**t?” Kyle and Jackie O tried to call Price on Tuesday morning to address their ongoing feud, but he didn’t answer. Image credits: The Project / Instagram

Family of eight forced to live in tent amid rental crisis

A family of eight have been forced to live in a tent for over six months as they wait to find suitable accommodation after their last rental lease ended. Cameron and Tameka Fletcher and their six children, aged between one and 10, have been living in a tent and have had to move from campsite to campsite since September. The couple claimed that the government can't support them because they have "too many children", and are waiting for public housing, but they might not meet the criteria to be eligible for it. They were reportedly staying in a makeshift tent city in a suburban park north of Brisbane. "We've always had a house, we've never done this," Cameron Fletcher told Nine News. "Everyone here is going through the same thing. But it's the only way to get help." “We can only do what’s best for our kids, to keep a roof over their heads,” his wife added. One of the couple's daughters is due to start school next year, and they have been struggling to enrol her as the family doesn't have a permanent address. The family said they are also struggling with day-to-day activities like finding breakfast, washing their clothes and getting the kids ready for school, and are using solar camping showers purchased from Kmart to clean themselves. According to Nine News, the family would be happy with a three-bedroom home but were told by state housing officials that they can only be offered a five-bedroom home to avoid overcrowding, but there are currently none available. In a statement issued to Yahoo News, a spokesperson for Department of Housing said it “has been working with the family since September last year, including providing accommodation which they chose to leave”. "As we’ve been assisting them to find longer-term options, they have declined further offers of accommodation," the spokesperson said. "With regards to social housing, there are eligibility factors that need to be met, including income thresholds. However, the department continues to work with the family to find a private rental and give any other support they might need." This comes as new <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/rent-shock-what-youll-be-paying-in-every-australian-suburb-in-2024/news-story/10b67da9ebe170a2e2d37caa7e66bf40" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PropTrack</a> data, released in March, revealed that rent has increased by 17 per cent over the past 12 months, across all the capital cities in Australia. More than half of Queenslanders who have applied for social housing are reportedly homeless and have had to wait for over two years amid a lack of supply and increased demands. Earlier this year, the Queensland government announced it was aiming to build another 53,500 social homes by 2046, with a $3.1 billion funding boost to deliver one million homes. Images: Nine News

Money & Banking

Insider spills on Robert Irwin's plans for I'm a Celeb

Robert Irwin received rave reviews for his co-hosting skills alongside Julia Morris on this year's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here, but an insider has claimed that he won't be returning for another season. "His easygoing and faultless live TV skills have won over the nation. But his career at Ten will only be short-lived, and he is heading back to Seven," a source told Woman's Day. The negotiation is believed to have been orchestrated by the ultimate "mumager" Terri Irwin. "The Irwins are very smart when it comes to negotiations," the insider added. The source also claimed that Robert's decision to join I'm a Celebrity was seen as a one-off opportunity to elevate his television profile - which he has achieved after bringing fresh energy into the show. Channel Seven is reportedly keen to welcome Robert back with a massive deal, according to the source. "Seven want Robert back and have thrown a king's ransom at him," they said. If the deal goes through, Julia Morris will have to find a new partner to head to the jungle with. Many fans have praised Robert for bringing some fun into the jungle. "I have not ever been keen on watching this show but Robert you have brought some class and good honest fun to the jungle. Thank you," one fan wrote under a clip of the show's grand finale that Robert posted on his Instagram. "How awesome was Robert? This gig was like it was made for him. What a natural," another added. "Best year of I'm a Celebrity, and it was because you added something to the show as Co-Host. Brilliant job for somebody with no experience but with a lot to give," commented a third. Images: Instagram

Spice Girls reunite for Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday

The Spice Girls have reunited and performed one of their most iconic songs at Victoria Beckham's lavish 50th birthday party. The birthday bash – which cost an estimated $480,000 – was hosted at Oswald’s, a private members’ restaurant in London, with all five Spice Girls, plus host of star guests, including Tom Cruise and Eva Longoria in attendance. David Beckham took to Instagram to share what Spice Girls fans have been dying to see - a video of the girl group singing and dancing to "Stop". “I mean come on x," he captioned the post. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6AWKeaoENX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6AWKeaoENX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham)</a> </div> </blockquote> Fans were over the moon and even British supermodel Adwoa Aboah commented: “What dreams are made of!” “David you are the best social media manager out there, thank you for giving the people CONTENT,” one fan wrote. “I am crying happy tears! OMG! I love Spice Girls so freaking much! Happy birthday, Victoria!” another commented. “The moment the entire planet has been waiting for,” a third added. "The way a whole generation is SHAKING," commented a fourth. Just last month, during an appearance on UK talk show Loose Women, Mel B hinted at a Spice Girls reunion of some kind, which she said would "definitely" be happening this year. “We are definitely doing something,” she told co-host Christine Lampard. “I’m probably going to get told off (for revealing that), but I’ve said it. There you go. I’m in trouble now.” Images: Instagram

Do optimists really live longer? Here’s what the research says

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fuschia-sirois-331254">Fuschia Sirois</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/durham-university-867">Durham University</a> Do you tend to see the glass as half full, rather than half empty? Are you always looking on the bright side of life? If so, you may be surprised to learn that this tendency could actually be good for your health. A <a href="https://content.apa.org/record/2020-71981-001">number of studies</a> have shown that optimists enjoy higher levels of wellbeing, better sleep, lower stress and even better cardiovascular health and immune function. And now, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35674052/">a recent study</a> has shown that being an optimist is linked to longer life. To conduct their study, researchers tracked the lifespan of nearly 160,000 women aged between 50 to 79 for a period of 26 years. At the beginning of the study, the women completed a <a href="https://local.psy.miami.edu/people/faculty/ccarver/availbale-self-report-instruments/lot-r/">self-report measure of optimism</a>. Women with the highest scores on the measure were categorised as optimists. Those with the lowest scores were considered pessimists. Then, in 2019, the researchers followed up with the participants who were still living. They also looked at the lifespan of participants who had died. What they found was that those who had the highest levels of optimism were more likely to live longer. More importantly, the optimists were also more likely than those who were pessimists to live into their nineties. Researchers refer to this as “exceptional longevity”, considering the average lifespan for women is about 83 years in developed countries. What makes these findings especially impressive is that the results remained even after accounting for other factors known to predict a long life – including education level and economic status, ethnicity, and whether a person suffered from depression or other chronic health conditions. But given this study only looked at women, it’s uncertain whether the same would be true for men. However, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.1900712116">another study</a> which looked at both men and women also found that people with the highest levels of optimism enjoyed a lifespan that was between 11% and 15% longer than those who were the least optimistic. <h2>The fountain of youth?</h2> So why is it that optimists live longer? At first glance it would seem that it may have to do with their healthier lifestyle. For example, <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.310828">research from several studies</a> has found that optimism is linked to eating a healthy diet, staying physically active, and being less likely to smoke cigarettes. These healthy behaviours are well known to improve heart health and <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases">reduce the risk</a> for cardiovascular disease, which is a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)">leading cause of death</a> globally. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857242/">important for reducing the risk</a> of other potentially deadly diseases, such as diabetes and cancer. But having a healthy lifestyle may only be part of the reason optimists live a longer than average life. This latest study found that lifestyle only accounted for 24% of the link between optimism and longevity. This suggests a number of other factors affect longevity for optimists. Another possible reason could be due to the way optimists manage stress. When faced with a stressful situation, optimists tend to deal with it head-on. They <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16859439/">use adaptive coping strategies</a> that help them resolve the source of the stress, or view the situation in a less stressful way. For example, optimists will problem-solve and plan ways to deal with the stressor, call on others for support, or try to find a “silver lining” in the stressful situation. All of these approaches are well-known to reduce feelings of stress, as well as the biological reactions that occur when we feel stressed. It’s these <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body">biological reactions to stress</a> –- such as elevated cortisol (sometimes called the “stress hormone”), increased heart rate and blood pressure, and impaired immune system functioning –- that can take a toll on health over time and increase the risk for developing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159115004316?via%3Dihub">life-threatening diseases</a>, such as cardiovascular disease. In short, the way optimists cope with stress may help protect them somewhat against its harmful effects. <h2>Looking on the bright side</h2> Optimism is typically viewed by researchers as a relatively stable personality trait that is determined by both <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/twin-research-and-human-genetics/article/sex-differences-in-the-genetic-architecture-of-optimism-and-health-and-their-interrelation-a-study-of-australian-and-swedish-twins/58F21AA11943D44B4BA4C63A966E6AC7">genetic</a> and early childhood influences (such as having a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6541423/">secure and warm relationship</a> with your parents or caregivers). But if you’re not naturally prone to seeing the glass as half full, there are some ways you can increase your <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221122?journalCode=rpos20">capacity to be optimistic</a>. Research shows optimism can change over time, and can be cultivated by engaging in simple exercises. For example, visualising and then writing about your “<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-matters-most/201303/what-is-your-best-possible-self">best possible self</a>” (a future version of yourself who has accomplished your goals) is a technique that studies have found can <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221122">significantly increase optimism</a>, at least temporarily. But for best results, the goals need to be both positive and reasonable, rather than just wishful thinking. Similarly, simply <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/SOCP.149.3.349-364">thinking about positive future events</a> can also be effective for boosting optimism. It’s also crucial to temper any expectations for success with an accurate view of what you can and can’t control. Optimism is reinforced when we experience the positive outcomes that we expect, and <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1970-20680-001">can decrease</a> when these outcomes aren’t as we want them to be. Although more research is needed, it’s possible that regularly envisioning yourself as having the best possible outcomes, and taking realistic steps towards achieving them, can help develop an optimistic mindset. Of course, this might be easier said than done for some. If you’re someone who isn’t naturally optimistic, the best chances to improve your longevity is by <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003332">living a healthy lifestyle</a> by staying physically active, eating a healthy diet, managing stress, and getting a good night’s sleep. Add to this cultivating a more optimistic mindset and you might further increase your chances for a long life.<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/184785/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fuschia-sirois-331254">Fuschia Sirois</a>, Professor in Social & Health Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/durham-university-867">Durham University</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/do-optimists-really-live-longer-heres-what-the-research-says-184785">original article</a>.

Caring

People in the world’s ‘blue zones’ live longer – their diet could hold the key to why

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-roberts-1176632">Justin Roberts</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joseph-lillis-1505087">Joseph Lillis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-cortnage-438941">Mark Cortnage</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> Ageing is an inevitable part of life, which may explain our <a href="https://time.com/4672969/why-do-people-want-to-live-so-long/">strong fascination</a> with the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2726954">quest for longevity</a>. The allure of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26566891/">eternal youth</a> drives a <a href="https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/longevity-and-anti-senescence-therapy-market-A14010">multi-billion pound industry</a> ranging from anti-ageing products, supplements and <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/longevity-diet">diets</a> for those hoping to extend their lifespan. f you look back to the turn of the 20th century, average life expectancy in the UK was around 46 years. Today, it’s closer to <a href="https://population.un.org/wpp/">82 years</a>. We are in fact <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27706136/">living longer than ever before</a>, possibly due to medical advancements and improved <a href="https://www.health.org.uk/publications/reports/mortality-and-life-expectancy-trends-in-the-uk">living and working conditions</a>. But living longer has also come at a price. We’re now seeing higher rates of <a href="https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/mortality-and-global-health-estimates/ghe-leading-causes-of-death">chronic and degenerative diseases</a> – with heart disease consistently topping the list. So while we’re fascinated by what may help us live longer, maybe we should be more interested in being healthier for longer. Improving our “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4632858/">healthy life expectancy</a>” remains a global challenge. Interestingly, certain locations around the world have been discovered where there are a high proportion of centenarians who display remarkable physical and mental health. The <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15489066/">AKEA study of Sardinia, Italy</a>, as example, identified a “blue zone” (named because it was marked with blue pen), where there was a higher number of locals living in the central-eastern mountainous areas who had reached their 100th birthday compared with the wider Sardinian community. This longevity hotspot has since been expanded, and now includes several other areas around the world which also have greater numbers of longer-living, healthy people. Alongside Sardinia, these blue zones are now <a href="https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81214929">popularly recognised</a> as: Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California. Other than their long lifespans, people living in these zones also appear to share certain other commonalities, which centre around being <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3874460">part of a community</a>, having a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4224996/">life purpose</a>, eating <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33514872/">nutritious, healthy foods</a>, keeping <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-021-01735-7">stress levels</a> low and undertaking purposeful daily <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30202288/">exercise or physical tasks</a>. Their longevity could also relate to their <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9010380/">environment</a>, being mostly rural (or less polluted), or because of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22253498/">specific longevity genes</a>. However, studies indicate genetics may only account for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8786073">around 20-25% of longevity</a> – meaning a person’s lifespan is a complex interaction between lifestyle and genetic factors, which contribute to a long and healthy life. <h2>Is the secret in our diet?</h2> When it comes to diet, each blue zone has its own approach – so one specific food or nutrient does not explain the remarkable longevity observed. But interestingly, a diet rich in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288">plant foods</a> (such as locally-grown vegetables, fruits and legumes) does appear to be reasonably consistent across these zones. For instance, the Seventh-day Adventists of Loma Linda are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10641813/">predominately vegetarian</a>. For centenarians in Okinawa, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20234038/">high intakes of flavonoids</a> (a chemical compound typically found in plants) from purple sweet potatoes, soy and vegetables, have been linked with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11710359/">better cardiovascular health</a> – including lower cholesterol levels and lower incidences of stroke and heart disease. In Nicoya, consumption of locally produced rice and beans has been associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34444746/">longer telomere length</a>. Telomeres are the structural part at the end of our chromosomes which protect our genetic material. Our telomeres get shorter each time a cell divides – so get progressively shorter as we age. Certain <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21102320/">lifestyle factors</a> (such as smoking and poor diet) can also shorten telomere length. It’s thought that telomere length acts as a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31728493/">biomarker of ageing</a> – so having longer telomeres could, in part, be linked with longevity. But a plant-based diet isn’t the only secret. In Sardinia, for example, meat and fish is consumed in moderation in addition to locally grown vegetables and <a href="https://journalofethnicfoods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42779-022-00152-5">traditional foods</a> such as acorn breads, pane carasau (a sourdough flatbread), honey and soft cheeses. Also observed in several blue zone areas is the inclusion of <a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.10.041">olive oil</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33669360/">wine</a> (in moderation – around 1-2 glasses a day), as well as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3830687/">tea</a>. All of these contain powerful antioxidants which may help <a href="https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10049696/">protect our cells</a> from damage <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6273542/">as we age</a>. Perhaps then, it’s a combination of the protective effects of various nutrients in the diets of these centenarians, which explains their exceptional longevity. Another striking observation from these longevity hot spots is that meals are typically <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7232892">freshly prepared at home</a>. Traditional blue zone diets also don’t appear to contain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6538973/">ultra-processed foods</a>, fast foods or sugary drinks which may <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32330232/">accelerate ageing</a>. So maybe it’s just as important to consider what these longer-living populations are not doing, as much as what they are doing. There also appears to be a pattern of eating until 80% full (in other words partial <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9036399/">caloric reduction</a>. This could be important in also supporting how our cells deal with damage as we age, which could mean a longer life. Many of the factors making up these blue zone diets – primarily plant-based and natural whole foods – are associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35706591/">lower risk of chronic diseases</a> such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28728684/">heart disease</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37589638/">cancer</a>. Not only could such diets contribute to a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37836577/">longer, healthier life</a>, but could support a more <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33397404/">diverse gut microbiome</a>, which is also associated with healthy ageing. Perhaps then we can learn something from these remarkable centenarians. While diet is only one part of the bigger picture when it comes to longevity, it’s an area we can do something about. In fact, it might just be at the heart of improving not only the quality of our health, but the quality of how we age.<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/221463/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-roberts-1176632">Justin Roberts</a>, Professor of Nutritional Physiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joseph-lillis-1505087">Joseph Lillis</a>, PhD Candidate in Nutritional Physiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-cortnage-438941">Mark Cortnage</a>, Senior Lecturer in Public Health and Nutrition, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/people-in-the-worlds-blue-zones-live-longer-their-diet-could-hold-the-key-to-why-221463">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

How much sport will you be able to watch for free under proposed new Australian broadcast rules?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-fujak-290599">Hunter Fujak</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-rowe-16403">David Rowe</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> Watching sport on television and other screens is integral to the <a href="https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au/islandora/object/uws%3A57259">cultural lives of many Australians</a>. This is why, in 1995, the anti-siphoning scheme was introduced to ensure sport “<a href="http://www.tandfebooks.com/isbn/9780203758397">events of national importance and cultural significance</a>” would not be captured exclusively by pay TV at the expense of free-to-air coverage. There have been enormous <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429402265-5/television-tony-bennett-modesto-gayo-david-rowe-graeme-turner">changes in television</a> since and this analogue-era legislation is increasingly out of step with the modern digital media landscape. Critically, under current definitions, streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon fall outside a scheme restricting subscription broadcasters like Foxtel. The federal government <a href="https://anthonyalbanese.com.au/media-centre/labor-will-support-local-tv-free-sport-in-the-streaming-age">promised</a> before its election in 2022 to review the anti-siphoning scheme. Its subsequent <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r7132">Communications Legislation Amendment (Prominence and Anti-siphoning) Bill 2023</a> is designed to close the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/streaming-platforms-will-soon-be-required-to-invest-more-in-australian-tv-and-films-which-could-be-good-news-for-our-screen-sector-198757">regulatory gap</a>” that has emerged within media law since Netflix’s launch in Australia in 2015. The Senate referred the bill to its Environment and Communications Legislation Committee. Its report has just been released and will help shape Australians’ access to sport media content. <h2>The importance of prominence</h2> “Prominence” refers to the discoverability of individual media applications, such as Netflix or 9Now, on the user homepage of smart televisions. The federal government is troubled by overseas services like YouTube and Amazon being immediately visible on smart televisions through commercial licensing agreements, effectively “burying” Australian free-to-air TV. Public service broadcaster SBS, for example, <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/anti-siphoning-prominence-laws-australia-free-to-air-tv-channels/87bc8ddd-4120-4542-864e-2c84a781411e">claimed</a> during Senate hearings that one television manufacturer demanded both a placement fee and a 15% share of revenue to feature on the television’s homepage. Prominence is crucial in sport because anti-siphoning legislation is based on the principle that, although in <a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2023/03/06/tv-habits-australia">general decline</a>, free-to-air TV is still the most effective, <a href="https://accan.org.au/files/Reports/ACCAN%20Research%20Snapshot%20How%20Australians%20Watch%20TV.pdf">low-cost, readily-accessed</a> vehicle for delivering premium sport to a majority of Australian households. <h2>Anti-siphoning</h2> While often criticised by <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/anti-siphoning-scheme-review">subscription media companies and many sports</a> as anti-competitive, anti-siphoning legislation is significantly responsible for the continued abundance of free major sport on our televisions. In a portent of the risks ahead, <a href="https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3807634/amazon-prime-video-secures-icc-broadcast-rights-in-australia-t20-odi-world-cup-world-test-championship-2024-27">International Cricket Council</a> World Cups will disappear from free-to-air television between 2024 and 2027, after the world governing body signed an exclusive four-year deal with streaming platform Amazon. The <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-boss-flies-to-us-for-talks-with-media-companies-20220425-p5ag16.html">AFL</a> also reportedly met Amazon in 2022 as part of its media rights negotiations. <a href="https://theconversation.com/regardless-of-the-rules-sport-is-fleeing-free-tv-for-pay-and-it-might-be-an-avalanche-154640">Loopholes</a> in the scheme are also being increasingly exploited. This problem was exposed in 2018 when <a href="https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3296093/tvs-antisiphon-list-and-cricket-explained">Australian one-day international cricket matches</a> went behind a paywall, despite being listed as free-to-air events. As <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/streaming/nrl-calls-for-technologically-neutral-overhaul-to-sport-broadcasting/news-story/31fc06ab986e12c7e6f720df33d23ad1">Foxtel</a> told the Senate hearing, both Nine (Stan) and Ten (Paramount+) are now hybrid networks, able to move acquired sports from free-to-air broadcast to behind a streaming paywall. At present, free-to-air networks cannot be compelled to acquire the rights to any sport, broadcast them if they do, or refrain from on-selling them to a pay platform. <h2>What are the implications for sport and other viewers?</h2> The majority Senate report broadly supported the federal government’s existing <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/exposure-draft-prominence-regulations-released">exposure draft</a>. Regarding prominence, this means free-to-air channel “tiles” will be highly visible when you turn on a new smart TV. A 12-month phased implementation of a prominence framework was recommended by the committee – and would only apply to new televisions. The committee also broadly accepted the draft bill’s anti-siphoning provisions, which will affect what and where sport is viewed by fans. First, the listed events will be expanded by 30% and incorporate more women’s and parasports. They include the AFLW and NRLW finals, NRLW State of Origin, and the Summer Paralympic Games. To provide counterbalancing benefits to subscription broadcasters, sport events not acquired by a free-to-air broadcaster will become more quickly available to subscription platforms (12 months before an event starts, rather than six months before). This provides subscription platforms with greater lead-in times to plan, organise and promote their content schedules. The most controversial recommendation related to the scope of anti-siphoning laws, affecting how Australian viewers can access sport in the medium term. It supported the government’s position, on grounds of excessive competitive advantage, that anti-siphoning should only apply to terrestrial broadcasting. This excludes digital rights for live streaming through broadcast video on demand apps such as 9Now, Seven+, iView and SBS On Demand. Commercial free-to-air broadcasters called this a “<a href="https://www.mediaweek.com.au/industry-reacts-to-prominence-and-anti-siphoning-findings/">nightmare scenario</a>”, as they <a href="https://www.freetv.com.au/access-to-local-tv-services-and-free-sport-under-threat-unless-laws-are-strengthened/">estimate</a> 50% of households will be watching TV online by 2027. For viewers without televisions connected to aerials, this could make major sport events on free-to-air TV unavailable. Although terrestrial TV is still the most <a href="https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/10.1386/jdmp_00098_1">universally available screen sport vehicle</a>, aerials are no longer routinely installed in new housing developments. Research by the <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/television-research">Australian Communications and Media Authority</a>, though, indicates that free-to-air network claims about disappearing TV aerials are somewhat exaggerated. Nonetheless, as modernisation was a central justification for the anti-siphoning reforms, the strategic compromise over broadcast video on demand apps will inevitably be scrutinised. Notably, in a dissenting minority report, the Greens were unhappy the bill did not go far enough in either prominence or anti-siphoning. They reserved their right to reject it unless suitably amended to guarantee global corporations could not capture Australian sports rights. <h2>What happens next?</h2> The amended bill must pass through Parliament to become law, and its final shape and the fate of any amendments are as yet unknown. While it is widely, though not universally, acknowledged action is needed to protect free screen sport viewing, intense disagreement remains among competing interest groups over what is to be done now and in the future. To safeguard their viewing interests, Australian sport fans will need to watch these formidably technical debates as closely as their favourite sport contests.<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/226499/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-fujak-290599">Hunter Fujak</a>, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-rowe-16403">David Rowe</a>, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Research, Institute for Culture and Society, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/how-much-sport-will-you-be-able-to-watch-for-free-under-proposed-new-australian-broadcast-rules-226499">original article</a>.

Viewers stunned after Denise Drysdale booted from I'm a Celeb

The first celebrity has been voted out of this year's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Aussie TV legend Denis Drysdale became the first shock elimination of the 2024 series after arriving late in the jungle. While fans and campmates were shocked when Robert Irwin announced the star's name, she was more than happy to return to civilisation. “Oh, it was more than what I expected,” she told the show's hosts, Irwin and Julia Morris. When asked if she felt "bittersweet" about being the first celebrity booted out of the show, she admitted: “Can I say not so bitter?! It’s sweet! I’m sorry, I have to be – I have to be completely honest!” “It is s**t in there!” she continued. “It is s**t, it’s unbelievable! The dunnies, the dirt! Now I’m a clean person – there’s dirt upon dirt upon dirt upon dirt.” “But I’m so glad that I’ve done it. I’ve done it and I’m proud of myself. So I must say thank you to the Celebrity people for giving me the opportunity to prove to myself I can go in there and do it," she added. A few fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their shock at the decision. “What on earth?!” wrote one. “People saved Callum over DENISE??” added another. Images: Network Ten

"Worst experience of our lives": Aussies break silence after being stranded by cruise ship

An Australian couple have spoken out about how their dream holiday turned into a nightmare after they were abandoned by their cruise ship and left stranded in Africa. Violetta and Doug Sanders were two of eight travellers on the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship who took off on a private tour not organised by the cruise while they were docked on the small African island of São Tomé. After their <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/the-key-decision-that-led-to-cruise-passengers-being-abandoned-by-ship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">private tour ran late</a>, the Aussie pensioners and their fellow travellers were unable to rejoin the cruise as the ship was ready to disembark from the port, and were left stranded. Doug and Violetta are still attempting to rejoin the cruise in Senegal to be reunited with valuables such as their passports to finish out their journey. The couple spoke to Sunrise on Wednesday, detailing their nightmarish experience in the foreign country. “It’s been the worst experience of our lives to be abandoned like that in a strange country, can’t speak the language — Portuguese or an African (language),” Violeta said. “We have no money, our credit cards aren’t accepted.” The group of stranded travellers have been racing through six African countries to get to where the ship is docking in Senegal in time, but US travellers Jill and Jay Campbell have cast doubt on whether they will re-board the ship. “We believe that it was a basic duty of care that they have forgotten about — although there are a set of rules, they have followed them too rigidly,” Jill told US media overnight. The group, which included four elderly people, a pregnant woman, a quadriplegic and a person with a heart condition, were set to rejoin the ship last Sunday in The Gambia, however, low-tide meant the ship couldn’t dock at the African port. The Campbells have been using their credit card to look after the entire group, spending more than $5,000 USD so far. Norwegian Cruise Lines has said it is up to guests to be back on time. “Guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship’s intercom, in the daily communication and posted just before exiting the vessel,” it said. The cruise line later said it was in contact with passengers and had been “working closely with authorities” to allow the guests to re-join the ship. Image credits: Sunrise

Travel Trouble

The extraordinary amount the I'm A Celebrity contestants are paid

Each year, an array of reality stars, sporting legends and international names head into the South African jungle, fighting for the chance to emerge victorious. At the end of each season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here when the winner is crowned, their prize is revealed as a huge cash donation to a charity of their choice. Despite the celebs not taking anything home for winning, that doesn't mean they walk away from the jungle empty handed, as each of the celebrities are paid a hefty salary for their appearance on the show. As season 10 of the show premiered on Monday, season two winner Brendan ‘Fev’ Fevola spoke candidly about the salaries and explained that you get more money the longer you stay in the jungle. “In 2015 I got paid $250,000 upfront, and then $5,000 every show after the [first] two weeks,” he said on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick on Monday. “So you’d lay there on a Sunday and you’d think, ‘There’s another 7 days, there’s $35,000, boom. Hopefully, they don’t have an eviction during the week’.” According to <a href="https://www.pedestrian.tv/entertainment/how-much-im-a-celebrity-pay-australia/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:Pedestrian;cpos:6;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="13" data-v9y="1">Pedestrian</a>, one of this year’s male celebrities is being paid $90,000 for a minimum of two weeks in the jungle and will receive an extra $5,500 every day following that they don't get evicted. The publication also asked a handful of 2024 contestants directly about their pay cheques, with reality star Callum Hole revealing that he was paid “good money” and “a lot more than Love Island”. Despite Hole's claims, influencer and former Big Brother star Skye Wheatley said money wasn’t her motivation for going on the show and she would actually be earning more if she stayed home. “I’d do it for free,” she said. “It’s for charity, babes, who gives a f**k about the money. I love that it can be for charity and I love the opportunity. So I’m very grateful.” Former MasterChef contestant Khanh Ong revealed that he had been asked to head into the jungle several times, and this year he was offered “a considerable amount more” than the first time he was asked. Image credits: Network 10

Undernourished, stressed and overworked: cost-of-living pressures are taking a toll on Australians’ health

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-black-103425">Nicole Black</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anthony-harris-7148">Anthony Harris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/danusha-jayawardana-1406565">Danusha Jayawardana</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-johnston-1126643">David Johnston</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> For the past few years, it has been impossible to escape the impact of inflation. Meeting our most basic needs – such as food, housing and health care – now costs significantly more, and wage increases <a href="https://futurework.org.au/post/for-most-workers-wages-are-still-failing-to-keep-up-with-inflation/">haven’t kept up</a>. There are signs relief could be on the horizon. Inflation has fallen to its <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/latest-release">lowest levels</a> since January 2022. But Australia now also finds itself in the midst of an <a href="https://theconversation.com/prepare-to-hear-about-an-official-recession-unofficially-weve-been-in-one-for-some-time-224963">economic downturn</a>, putting further pressure on households. Rising prices have an obvious negative impact on our financial health. But they can also have a profound effect on our physical and mental wellbeing, which is often overlooked. Australians may continue to feel the health effects of high inflation for quite some time. <h2>It’s costing more to live well</h2> Between March 2021 and March 2023, the price of goods and services <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/jun-quarter-2023">rose substantially</a>, marking a period of high <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/inflation-and-its-measurement.html">inflation</a>. <iframe id="5vFeh" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/5vFeh/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> Worryingly, the prices of basic needs that are important for staying healthy – nutritious food, health care, housing and utilities – rose between 11% and 36%. <h2>Who is affected the most?</h2> Higher prices on essentials are virtually impossible to dodge, but they impact certain groups of people more than others. Wealthier households have managed their higher expenses by <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/fsr/2023/oct/pdf/financial-stability-review-2023-10.pdf">cutting back on discretionary spending and dipping into savings</a>. However, lower income households spend <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/fsr/2023/oct/household-business-finances-in-australia.html#:%7E:text=Lower%20income%20households%2C%20including%20many,than%20households%20on%20higher%20incomes.">a much larger portion of their income</a> on housing and other essentials. Without a savings buffer, these households experience severe financial strain and poor health outcomes. <h2>Financial stress affects our health</h2> Our research shows that high inflation has <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/resources/resource-download/high-inflation-and-implications-for-health">a range of effects</a> on people’s health. These effects fall into three main groups: material hardship, psychosocial, and behavioural. 1. Material hardship People facing material hardship can’t meet their basic needs because they can’t afford to pay for them. Material hardship can present itself in a variety of ways: <ul> <li><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-many-australians-are-going-hungry-we-dont-know-for-sure-and-thats-a-big-part-of-the-problem-195360">food insecurity</a> – not getting adequate nutrition</li> <li><a href="https://theconversation.com/1-in-4-households-struggle-to-pay-power-bills-here-are-5-ways-to-tackle-hidden-energy-poverty-204672">energy poverty</a> – struggling to pay for electricity and gas</li> <li>deferred health care – putting off medical treatment</li> <li>housing insecurity – struggling to find a stable place to live.</li> </ul> Between August 2022 and February 2023, when inflation hit its highest levels in 33 years, over half (53%) of surveyed Australians reported <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/data/taking-the-pulse-of-the-nation-2022/2023/australians-face-challenging-budgetary-constraints">struggling to afford</a> their basic needs. Finding ourselves in this situation can have far-reaching implications for our health. For example, food insecurity is linked to <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">an increased risk of poor nutrition, obesity and chronic illness</a>, as households facing cost-of-living pressures shift towards cheaper, lower-quality food options. Energy poverty is linked to <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">physical and mental health problems</a> as people struggle to keep warm in wintertime, and cool in the summer. Delaying health care <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">increases</a> the risk of facing severe health problems, staying in hospital for longer, and being admitted to the emergency department. This isn’t just worse for individuals, it’s also far more costly for our health care system. 2. Psychosocial effects Psychosocial effects are the ways in which cost-of-living pressures impact our mind and social relationships. Difficulties in meeting our basic needs are strongly associated with <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">increased levels of psychological distress</a>, including symptoms of anxiety and depression. This impact can worsen over time if individuals experience sustained financial stress. By undermining our ability to work well, the psychosocial effects of prolonged financial stress can initiate a “vicious cycle”, leading to reduced productivity and lower earnings. Financial stress can also have a detrimental impact on spousal relationships, which can affect the mental health of other household members such as children. 3. Behavioural effects Cost-of-living pressures can also cause a number of changes in the way we behave. For many, these pressures have become a reason to work longer hours and gain additional income. Last year, Australians collectively worked 4.6% longer, an <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/aug-2023">extra 86 million hours</a>. But working longer hours <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VH_High-Inflation-Paper_FINAL_1.pdf">reduces people’s overall health</a>, especially among parents of young children facing greater time constraints. It also leaves less time for activities that help to keep people healthy, such as getting regular exercise and cooking healthy meals. <h2>How can policymakers respond?</h2> In theory, the Reserve Bank of Australia’s primary tool for combating inflation – raising interest rates – should help. By reducing aggregate spending in the economy, it is designed to put downward pressure on prices. But by bluntly increasing the cost of borrowing, it also puts significant short-term financial pressure on both lower-income mortgage holders and renters. Better acknowledgement of this fact, and of inflation’s broader impact on people’s physical and mental health, would be a great start. When formulating policy responses to high inflation, governments could factor health and wellbeing impacts into their assessment of the trade-offs between alternative policy responses. This could help minimise any policy’s long-term negative health consequences and its impact on the health care system. Policymakers could also focus on making sure affordable and timely access to health care, especially mental health support, is made available to those most vulnerable to cost-of-living pressures.<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/223625/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-black-103425">Nicole Black</a>, Associate Professor of Health Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anthony-harris-7148">Anthony Harris</a>, Professor of Health Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/danusha-jayawardana-1406565">Danusha Jayawardana</a>, Research Fellow in Health Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-johnston-1126643">David Johnston</a>, Professor of Health Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/undernourished-stressed-and-overworked-cost-of-living-pressures-are-taking-a-toll-on-australians-health-223625">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Princess of Wales and King Charles: one in two people develop cancer during their lives – the diseases and treatments explained

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gavin-metcalf-1340598">Gavin Metcalf</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> The Princess of Wales released a <a href="https://x.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1771235267837321694?s=20">moving video message</a> on March 22 to address speculation about her health. In it, the future queen disclosed that she’d been <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68641710">diagnosed with cancer</a> following tests conducted after she underwent major abdominal surgery at a clinic in London in January. Catherine explained that she was undergoing “preventative chemotherapy” – but emphasised that her surgery had been successful, and that she was “well” and “getting stronger every day”. The message was the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/22/princess-kate-cancer-royal-family-health-annus-horribilis">second announcement</a> of a royal family cancer diagnosis in recent weeks. On February 5, Buckingham Palace <a href="https://www.royal.uk/a-statement-from-buckingham-palace-5Feb24">published a statement</a> that King Charles III had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68208157">cancer, unrelated</a> to the treatment he had been receiving for an enlarged prostate. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3xzKooCaRXU?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The statement said that he had begun “regular treatments”. The king postponed all public-facing duties during his treatment, but <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68213383">reportedly continued</a> with his “constitutional role as head of state, including completing paperwork and holding private meetings”. Cancer is the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer">leading cause of death</a> worldwide. <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/#:%7E:text=The%20cancerous%20cells%20can%20invade,of%20cancer%20during%20their%20lifetime.">One in two</a> people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime – so the condition will affect almost every family. However, many cancers can be cured if, as appears to be the case with the king, the condition is <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68213383">detected early</a> and treated effectively. <h2>What is cancer?</h2> Our bodies are made up of more than 100 billion cells, and cancer typically starts with changes in a small group of cells – or even a single one. We have different cell types depending upon where in the body they are and the function that the cell has. The size, amount and function of each of these cells is normally tightly regulated by genes – groups of codes held within our DNA – that instruct cells how to grow and divide. However, changes (mutations) to DNA can alter the way cells grow and multiply – often forming a lump, or solid tumour. Cancers can also develop in blood cells, such as white blood cell cancer which is known as leukaemia. This type of cancer does not form solid tumours; instead, the cancer builds up in the blood or sometimes the marrow in the core of bones, where blood cells are produced. In all, there are <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/what-is-cancer/how-cancer-starts/types-of-cancer#:%7E:text=For%20example%2C%20nerves%20and%20muscles,of%20cell%20they%20start%20in.">more than 200</a> types of cancer, but all start with mutations in the DNA contained within each and every cell. <h2>What exactly are mutations?</h2> Think of your DNA as a big recipe book, and your genes as individual recipes for making different dishes. Mutations are smudges or missing words from this recipe that can result in key ingredients not being added into the mix. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8BJ8_5Gyhg8?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Regardless of the type of cancer or the cells from which it develops, mutations in our genes can result in a cell no longer understanding its instructions. These mutations can happen by chance when dividing, but can also be the result of lifestyle choices such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6141049/">smoking</a>, <a href="https://www.ndph.ox.ac.uk/news/new-genetic-study-confirms-that-alcohol-is-a-direct-cause-of-cancer#:%7E:text=These%20mutations%20both%20disrupt%20the,aldehyde%20dehydrogenase%202%20(ALDH2).">drinking</a>, and <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/obesity/physical-activity-fact-sheet">inactivity</a>. Research has found that in order for a normal cell to turn into a cancerous cell, anywhere from <a href="https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/1-10-mutations-are-needed-drive-cancer-scientists-find/">one to ten different mutations</a> are normally required. <h2>How is cancer treated?</h2> Treatment options for cancer depend on a variety of factors, including where your cancer is, how large it is, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body. The main treatments for cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to target and kill cells that are rapidly dividing in our bodies. This approach is effective at targeting fast-growing cells in various cancers – but also has negative side effects. It also targets healthy cells that rapidly divide, such as hair and the cells lining our digestive system. This can lead to commonly reported <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chemotherapy/side-effects/">side-effects</a> such as hair loss, nausea and diarrhoea. <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/chemotherapy?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-_mvBhDwARIsAA-Q0Q6tyQxTuBzU7vVD7SHjQ5dF-fRdqnL7S74-k5LXyTqODydsrPfJVsoaAkgyEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds">Chemotherapy</a> can be used both preventatively – as in the case of the princess – and therapeutically. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FkZn5u3MIiY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Preventative chemotherapy, also known as <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/adjuvant-therapy">adjuvant chemotherapy</a>, is given after surgery or other primary treatments to eliminate any remaining cancer cells in the body. It aims to reduce the risk of the cancer returning (known as recurrence). Therapeutic chemotherapy is used as a treatment option for cancer that has spread or is well established, such as advanced-stage cancers. <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/surgery/about">Surgery</a> involves the physical removal of cancerous tissues as well as nearby lymph nodes – small glands which act as filters in your body that cancers can spread through – to eliminate the tumour. Surgery is often used to remove localised cancers that haven’t spread throughout the body. <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/radiotherapy">Radiotherapy</a> uses high-energy radiation beams that are able to target specific areas where tumour cells are located to destroy or shrink the tumour. Radiotherapy can be applied externally or internally. Chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy are often combined in cancer treatment to improve outcomes for patients. Thanks to developments in cancer research over the last 50 years, survival rates have improved greatly – although the rate of improvement has <a href="https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/02/02/world-cancer-day-2024/#:%7E:text=Improvements%20in%20cancer%20survival%20have%20slowed%20in%20recent%20years&text=Survival%20increased%20three%20to%20five,consistently%20lags%20behind%20comparable%20countries.">slowed recently</a>. Cancer survival depends on various factors such as age – people under 40 have a <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/age">greater chance</a> of survival – overall health and fitness, as well as family history. <h2>What you should do</h2> Particular changes in your body or warning symptoms could indicate the presence of cancer. These include, but are not limited to: <ul> <li>Unexplained weight loss;</li> <li>Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest;</li> <li>Changes in bowel or bladder habits;</li> <li>Persistent cough or coughing up blood;</li> <li>Difficulty swallowing;</li> <li>Persistent pain;</li> <li>Noticing lumps, such as in a breast or testicle.</li> </ul> The symptoms may not necessarily be the result of cancer. But it is important to get checked by a doctor if you notice anything out of the ordinary or have had persistent symptoms that don’t ease. Early detection and treatment can <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/science.aay9040">significantly improve</a> outcomes for many types of cancer.<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/226456/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gavin-metcalf-1340598">Gavin Metcalf</a>, Cancer Biologist and Lecturer in Biomedical Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/princess-of-wales-and-king-charles-one-in-two-people-develop-cancer-during-their-lives-the-diseases-and-treatments-explained-226456">original article</a>.

Caring

Kyle Sandilands lashes out at Robert Irwin

Kyle Sandilands has let rip at Robert Irwin, after the young wildlife warrior was crowned Australia's Top Broadcast Talent. In a survey conducted by Lewers Research, 7,000 Aussies were quizzed over their attitudes towards top Australian celebrities, actors, broadcasters, and others. Irwin was named Australia's Top Broadcast Talent, beating out last year's winner, Hamish Blake, as well as Andy Lee, Dr Chris Brown, Ally Langdon and Natalie Barr, to name just a few. The 20-year-old I'm a Celeb co-host also came out on top in the Top 10 Male Talent list. "We were excited to see Robert Irwin top the Talent Index for the very first time. It demonstrates that he is significantly more liked than disliked by audiences nationally," Talent Corp Managing Director Mark Noakes. "That makes him a great choice for Network 10 to cast him in the forthcoming series of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!" Clearly unhappy with Irwin's victory, Kyle Sandilands was quick to slam the decision to crown the wildlife warrior, sharing his anger with the listeners of the Kyle and Jackie O Show. "The b**** has done nothing. It’s a sympathy vote," he said. Sandilands, who was named the most controversial broadcaster in the survey, then poked fun at co-host Jackie O, who scored 59 out of 100 on the "likability" scale. "You're liked? I find that hard to understand," he joked. Despite the radio host's protests, Irwin shared how honoured he was to be named Australia's Top Broadcast Talent, taking to social media to thank his fans for always supporting him. "Wow, it’s a real honour to officially be named Australia’s most popular broadcast personality," he said on Instagram. "I’m here to spread important messages and a bit of positivity with the world, so this commendation means so much. I’m humbled and grateful." Image credits: Instagram

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“These are people’s lives”: Calls for gambling reform after fatal cruise ship plunge

Baby Reindeer's "real life stalker" breaks silence

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Spice Girls reunite for Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday

Do optimists really live longer? Here’s what the research says

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How much sport will you be able to watch for free under proposed new Australian broadcast rules?

Viewers stunned after Denise Drysdale booted from I'm a Celeb

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Princess of Wales and King Charles: one in two people develop cancer during their lives – the diseases and treatments explained

Kyle Sandilands lashes out at Robert Irwin

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Shop

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Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

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“These are people’s lives”: Calls for gambling reform after fatal cruise ship plunge

Baby Reindeer's "real life stalker" breaks silence

“We’re now in a death spiral”: Complete collapse of Channel Ten predicted

Channel 10 presenter exposes on-air dress shaming

Hughesy spills the beans on major shows set to be axed

"A Duck-Filled Platypus?!": Wheel of Fortune contestant's $10k mistake

Why are adults without kids hooked on Bluey? And should we still be calling it a ‘kids’ show’?

"You will be a massive failure": Steve Price unleashes on Kyle Sandilands

Family of eight forced to live in tent amid rental crisis

Insider spills on Robert Irwin's plans for I'm a Celeb

Spice Girls reunite for Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday

Do optimists really live longer? Here’s what the research says

People in the world’s ‘blue zones’ live longer – their diet could hold the key to why

How much sport will you be able to watch for free under proposed new Australian broadcast rules?

Viewers stunned after Denise Drysdale booted from I'm a Celeb

"Worst experience of our lives": Aussies break silence after being stranded by cruise ship

The extraordinary amount the I'm A Celebrity contestants are paid

Undernourished, stressed and overworked: cost-of-living pressures are taking a toll on Australians’ health

Princess of Wales and King Charles: one in two people develop cancer during their lives – the diseases and treatments explained

Kyle Sandilands lashes out at Robert Irwin

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