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Why are my muscles sore after exercise? Hint: it’s nothing to do with lactic acid

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-andrew-robergs-435390">Robert Andrew Robergs</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/samuel-l-torrens-1476404">Samuel L. Torrens</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> As many of us hit the gym or go for a run to recover from the silly season, you might notice a bit of extra muscle soreness. This is especially true if it has been a while between workouts. A common misunderstanding is that such soreness is due to lactic acid build-up in the muscles. Research, however, shows lactic acid has <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">nothing to do with it</a>. The truth is far more interesting, but also a bit more complex. <h2>It’s not lactic acid</h2> We’ve known for decades that lactic acid has <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27409551/">nothing to do with</a> muscle soreness after exercise. In fact, as one of us (Robert Andrew Robergs) has long <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00114.2004">argued</a>, cells produce lactate, not lactic acid. This process actually <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">opposes</a> not causes the build-up of acid in the muscles and bloodstream. Unfortunately, historical inertia means people still use the term “lactic acid” in relation to exercise. Lactate <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1101141">doesn’t cause major problems</a> for the muscles you use when you exercise. You’d probably be <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00114.2004?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&">worse off</a> without it due to other benefits to your working muscles. Lactate isn’t the reason you’re sore a few days after upping your weights or exercising after a long break. So, if it’s not lactic acid and it’s not lactate, what is causing all that muscle soreness? <h2>Muscle pain during and after exercise</h2> When you exercise, a lot of chemical reactions occur in your muscle cells. All these chemical reactions accumulate products and by-products which cause water to enter into the cells. That causes the pressure inside and between muscle cells to increase. This pressure, combined with the movement of molecules from the muscle cells can stimulate nerve endings and cause <a href="https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(11)00099-8/fulltext">discomfort</a> during exercise. The pain and discomfort you sometimes feel hours to days after an unfamiliar type or amount of exercise has a different list of causes. If you exercise beyond your usual level or routine, you can cause microscopic damage to your muscles and their connections to tendons. Such damage causes the release of ions and other molecules from the muscles, causing localised swelling and stimulation of nerve endings. This is sometimes known as “<a href="https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(11)00099-8/fulltext">delayed onset muscle soreness</a>” or DOMS. While the damage occurs during the exercise, the resulting response to the injury builds over the next one to two days (longer if the damage is severe). This can sometimes cause pain and difficulty with normal movement. <h2>The upshot</h2> Research is clear; the discomfort from delayed onset muscle soreness has nothing to do with <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UVjRNSUAAAAJ&view_op=view_citation&citation_for_view=UVjRNSUAAAAJ:J_g5lzvAfSwC">lactate</a> or <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">lactic acid</a>. The good news, though, is that your muscles adapt rapidly to the activity that would initially cause delayed onset muscle soreness. So, assuming you don’t wait too long (more than roughly two weeks) before being active again, the next time you do the same activity there will be much less damage and discomfort. If you have an exercise goal (such as doing a particular hike or completing a half-marathon), ensure it is realistic and that you can work up to it by training over several months. Such training will gradually build the muscle adaptations necessary to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness. And being less wrecked by exercise makes it more enjoyable and more easy to stick to a routine or habit. Finally, remove “lactic acid” from your exercise vocabulary. Its supposed role in muscle soreness is a myth that’s hung around far too long already.<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/214638/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-andrew-robergs-435390">Robert Andrew Robergs</a>, Associate Professor - Exercise Physiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/samuel-l-torrens-1476404">Samuel L. Torrens</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</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/why-are-my-muscles-sore-after-exercise-hint-its-nothing-to-do-with-lactic-acid-214638">original article</a>.

Body

19 handy uses for toothpaste that have nothing to do with your teeth

<h2>Remove scuffs from shoes</h2> A little toothpaste does an amazing job of removing scuffs from leather shoes. Just squirt a dab on the scuffed area and rub with a soft cloth. Wipe clean with a damp cloth. The leather will look like new. <h2>Clean your piano keys</h2> Has tickling the ivories left them a bit dingy? Clean them up with toothpaste and a toothbrush, then wipe them down with a damp cloth. Makes sense, since ivory is essentially elephant teeth. However, toothpaste will work just as well on modern pianos that usually have keys covered with plastic rather than real ivory. <h2>Clean your sneakers</h2> Want to clean and whiten the rubber part of your sneakers? Get out the non-gel toothpaste and an old toothbrush. After scrubbing, clean off the toothpaste with a damp cloth. <h2>Clean your clothes iron</h2> The mild abrasive in non-gel toothpaste is just the ticket for scrubbing the gunk off the bottom plate of your clothes iron. Apply the toothpaste to the cool iron, scrub with a rag, then rinse clean. <h2>Polish a diamond ring</h2> Put a little toothpaste on an old toothbrush and use it to make your diamond ring sparkle instead of your teeth. Clean off the residue with a damp cloth. <h2>Deodorise baby bottles</h2> Baby bottles inevitably pick up a sour-milk smell. Toothpaste will remove the odour in a jiffy. Just put some on your bottle brush and scrub away. Be sure to rinse thoroughly. <h2>Prevent fogged goggles</h2> Whether you are doing woodworking or going skiing or scuba diving, nothing is more frustrating (and sometimes dangerous) than fogged goggles. Prevent the problem by coating the goggles with toothpaste and then wiping them off. <h2>Prevent bathroom mirrors from fogging</h2> Ouch! You cut yourself shaving and it’s no wonder – you can’t see your face clearly in that fogged-up bathroom mirror. Next time, coat the mirror with non-gel toothpaste and wipe it off before you get in the shower. When you get out, the mirror won’t be fogged. <h2>Shine bathroom and kitchen chrome</h2> They make commercial cleaners with a very fine abrasive designed to shine up chrome, but if you don’t have any handy, the fine abrasive in non-gel toothpaste works just as well. Just smear on the toothpaste and polish with a soft, dry cloth. <h2>Clean the bathroom sink</h2> Non-gel toothpaste works as well as anything else to clean the bathroom sink. The tube’s sitting right there, so just squirt some in, scrub with a sponge, and rinse it out. Bonus: the toothpaste will kill any odours emanating from the drain trap. <h2>Remove crayon from walls</h2> Did crayon-toting kids get creative on your wall? Roll up your sleeves and grab a tube of non-gel toothpaste and a rag or – better yet – a scrub brush. Squirt the toothpaste on the wall and start scrubbing. The fine abrasive in the toothpaste will rub away the crayon every time. Rinse the wall with water. <h2>Remove ink or lipstick stains from fabric</h2> Oh no, a pen opened up in the pocket of your favourite shirt! This may or may not work, depending on the fabric and the ink, but it is certainly worth a try before consigning the shirt to the scrap bin. Put non-gel toothpaste on the stain and rub the fabric vigorously together. Rinse with water. Did some of the ink come out? Great! Repeat the process a few more times until you get rid of all the ink. The same process works for lipstick <h2>Remove watermarks from furniture</h2> You leave coasters around. But some people just won’t use them. To get rid of those telltale watermark rings left by sweating beverages, gently rub some non-gel toothpaste on the wood with a soft cloth. Then wipe it off with a damp cloth and let it dry before applying furniture polish. <h2>Clear up pimples</h2> Dab a bit of non-gel, non-whitening toothpaste on the offending spot, and it should be dried up by morning. The toothpaste dehydrates the pimple and absorbs the oil. This remedy works best on pimples that have come to a head. Caution: this remedy may be irritating to sensitive skin. <h2>Clean smells from hands</h2> The ingredients in toothpaste that deodorise your mouth will work on your hands as well. If you’ve gotten into something stinky, wash your hands with toothpaste, and they’ll smell great. <h2>Stop bug bites from itching</h2> Put toothpaste on your bug bite to keep it from itching. Dab a dime-sized amount onto your bug bite. This method also helps to cool down burns on your skin. <h2>Remove a stain from the carpet</h2> Rub toothpaste into the stain on the carpet with a toothbrush or sponge. Rinse with water and repeat until the stain comes up. <h2>Clean your foggy headlights</h2> Make the headlights on your car shine like new. Put toothpaste onto a sponge and scrub your headlight in circular motions. Wipe the toothpaste off with a damp cloth. <h2>Remove small scratches from your phone screen</h2> Rub toothpaste on the front or back of your phone (wherever there are scratches). The toothpaste will work to reduce the look of the scratches and make your phone screen look much better. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/diy-tips/19-handy-uses-for-toothpaste-that-have-nothing-to-do-with-your-teeth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

Seinfeld: how a sitcom ‘about nothing’ changed television for good

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-abrams-122305">Nathan Abrams</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a> A quarter of a century ago, on 14 May 1998, the final episode of Seinfeld was broadcast, ending one of the most significant sitcoms of all time after nine seasons and 180 episodes. In fact the self-styled “show about nothing” was so important we can talk about the pre-Seinfeld and post-Seinfeld eras. Set in Manhattan, Seinfeld focused on the minutiae of daily life for four friends: Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), his best friend, George Costanza (Jason Alexander), his ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and his neighbour Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards). Such a setup might sound familiar to fans of 90s American comedy shows. But Seinfeld abandoned the traditional sitcom structure of an A story and a B story and instead gave each character their own storyline, full of self-aware and metatextual jokes. While co-creators Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld wanted a single-camera, filmlike aesthetic, the network, NBC, forced them to adopt a multi-camera setup taped in front of a live studio audience to supply the laughter track. Eventually, David and Seinfeld subverted that by shooting more scenes using single cameras and externally so that they could not be taped in front of a studio audience. They also employed a rapid-paced, quick-cutting, music-led style that was then unusual for sitcoms. This created the opportunities for expanding the narrative and cinematographic possibilities we’ve seen since. Seinfeld was a forerunner of the cinematic television we watch today. Consider the elaborate single-camera set pieces of the comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime, or the epic, cinematic look of Netflix’s Better Call Saul. Seinfeld tackled a host of then-taboo topics, which were part of everyday life, including antisemitism, same-gender relationships and masturbation. But because censorship and social mores at that time would not allow the characters to say the word “masturbation”, instead they referred to who can be the “master of their domain”. Such topics are commonplace these days. All four characters are antiheroes. None of them is particularly likeable nor were they intended to be. They are morally ambiguous, malicious, selfish, self-involved and extremely petty. They refuse to improve themselves, evolve or even manifest the slightest desire for change. They learn no lessons and the arc of the entire series revisits those they have wronged. Similar characters can be found in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367279/">Arrested Development</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472954/">It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia</a>. Also, consider Walter White from <a href="https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/70143836">Breaking Bad</a> and <a href="https://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos">Tony Soprano</a>. If all four leads in Seinfeld are bad, then George is the worst. Modelled on co-creator, Larry David, he is the epitome of male privilege. Such characters populate the televisual landscape today, not least in David’s later show, <a href="https://www.hbo.com/curb-your-enthusiasm">Curb Your Enthusiasm</a>, in which he stars as a version of himself. Elaine Benes stands out as a strong female character for the time. In one episode, in the face of a shortage of contraception, she judges whether her sexual partners are “sponge-worthy” or not. Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays her with a tremendous physical comedy, as well as comic timing. She was unapologetic, and her sexuality and work life are foregrounded. Clearly, this set the template for her later series, <a href="https://www.hbo.com/veep">Veep</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1njzgXSzA-A?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Festivus is celebrated on December 23 each year, thanks to Seinfeld.</figcaption></figure> The show generated billions of dollars in revenue, making NBC US$150 million (about £93 million) a year at its peak. By the ninth and final season, Jerry Seinfeld was earning US$1 million an episode. NBC executives tried to get him to return for a tenth season by offering him US$5 million an episode, but Seinfeld turned it down. Among the show’s fans was the legendary director Stanley Kubrick. “He was crazy about The Simpsons and Seinfeld,” his friend <a href="https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/movies/kubrick-by-michael-herr/">Michael Herr recounted</a>. As a Kubrick expert, I even suspect that the set design influenced his final film, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120663/">Eyes Wide Shut</a> (1999). Watching Seinfeld again now – and I have re-watched every episode – some of it lands terribly today. Take the episodes with Babu Bhatt, a Pakistani immigrant who runs a restaurant across the street from Jerry’s apartment. He appears in three episodes of the show and is known for his catchphrase, “Very bad man!” which he uses to insult Jerry. The problem is that Babu is played by actor Brian George, who was born in Jerusalem to Iraqi Jewish parents, and is clearly wearing makeup and affecting a south Asian accent. At the same time, the lack of diversity in Seinfeld is striking. New York is represented by Manhattan alone, rather than any of the other four boroughs that make up the metropolis. Its image of the Big Apple is white and middle class. As journalist and screenwriter Lindy West has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/09/politically-correct-jerry-seinfeld-comedy-marginalised-voices">observed</a>, the series featured only 19 black people, 18 of whom were one-off characters such as “the waiter” and “the guy who parks cars”. There was only one recurring black character – Kramer’s lawyer, Jackie Chiles – whose mimicry of OJ Simpson’s lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, makes him look like a real shyster. So, while Seinfeld may feel like a dated product of the late 1990s, it was ahead of the curve aesthetically, structurally and in terms of narrative and characterisation. Today’s television would be unthinkable without it.<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/201497/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Image credit: Getty <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-abrams-122305">Nathan Abrams</a>, Professor of Film Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a> 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/seinfeld-how-a-sitcom-about-nothing-changed-television-for-good-201497">original article</a>.

Sam Mac accused of basically doing nothing

Sam Mac has been called out in the Sunday Mail newspaper, with a local questioning what he actually does for a living. The Sunrise weatherman shared the snippet onto Instagram titled “Not a cloud in the sky” which was sent in by Neill from Woodcroft. Neill said he smiled when Sam said he had a “fantastic week” before slowly drilling the weatherman and his antics. “I had to smile when Sunrise’s Sam Mac recently said he’d had a fantastic week,” the note began. “Well, of course he would say that after being in the Hunter Valley all week. But what does he actually do? “It seems to me very little, except for giving the weather temperatures and telling viewers if it’s going to be raining or sunny. “Not a bad job: getting paid while enjoying free accommodation, meals and, I presume, airfares. “I’d like to know what he does for the rest of the day.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfBS5-TOXrX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfBS5-TOXrX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sam Mac (@sammacinsta)</a> </div> </blockquote> Sam responded to Neill by sharing his hobbies, making it unclear on whether or not he should be offended by the letter. “Hello Neill from Woodcroft, & thank you for your enquiry,” Sam began. “Firstly, I must commend you on your accurate summary of my role as a Weatherman, ie telling people the weather. Well spotted Sir. You got me. “Now, in answer to your question, when I’m not basking in the glory of free accommodation, meals & airfares, I like to spend the rest of the day partaking in my favourite hobbies…Stone skipping, latin dancing, managing the anxiety of having to decide which jar to put my local matters bottle top in at Grill’d, collecting navel fluff, breakfast tv cosplay (aka “Kochplay”), beatboxing, downloading podcasts I have no intention of listening to, quilting, learning national anthems on the flute, & if there’s anytime left over, I like to write snide letters to my local newspapers. “How about you Neill? What do YOU do for the rest of the day? Sincerely, Sam.” Sam discussed the letter with his colleagues Nat Barr and David Koch, who laughed and said they agreed with Neill. “A guy named Neill, with two Ls, from Woodcroft in South Australia wrote a letter in the Sunday Mail asking ‘what does that weatherman do for the rest of his day?’,” Sam said. “He thinks I’m just on holiday, he thinks I’m just having a laugh, but as you guys know, I do the hard yards!” “Neill is very perceptive. We get you, Neill,” Kochie said. “Neill is all of us,” Barr laughed. “Is your pen name Neill?” Sam then asked Kochie. Images: Instagram

Travel Trouble

“There’s nothing like it”: Unique ‘sculpture’ house hits the market

A home built from nearly 100 tonnes of salvaged steel has become known as the “Steel House” in Ransom Canyon, Texas, and its new owners are hoping to sell it. Courtney and Blake Bartosh, realtors with Taylor Reid Realty, bought the home several months ago from the builder’s daughter, before putting it <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/85-E-Canyonview-Dr_Ransom-Canyon_TX_79366_M70027-66092" target="_blank">back on the market</a> for $USD 1.75 million ($AUD 2.49 million). ‘We purchased it with every intention of turning it into an Airbnb or VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner). We’re getting a cash out [refinance] to finish the house, because the inside of it is not done,” Courtney Bartosh told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/steel-house-in-texas-live-inside-a-scuplture/" target="_blank">realtor.com</a>. “If it sells for what we’re asking, great. If not, as soon as we get our refinancing done, we will take it off the market, and we will finish it.” Construction of the Steel House began in 1974, but its builder, Robert Bruno, never finished it, passing away from colon cancer in 2008. The structure has been unoccupied ever since. “Robert built an incredible house, and nobody has ever really been allowed in it,” Bartosh added. “He built it for a reason, not to just sit there and have people drive by and look at it. He wanted people to see inside of it. We don’t want someone to buy it and never open it up. Robert built this incredible thing. People drive by it constantly, and they should be able to go in and see it.” The unfinished home is made up of two steel shells with insulation between them, and features stained glass windows, winding stairs connecting the different floors, and archways and curved designs throughout. Bartosh said some of the walls could be painted, but that the steel still comes through. “I don’t think that the house is meant to be a warm and cozy house. People are not going to go stay in it because it is warm and cozy,” she said. “They’re going to want to stay in it because it’s iconic. It’s different. There’s nothing like it.” Currently, the home’s configuration includes three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms inside the 200-square metre steel structure. However, its new owners will need to put some work in to get it ready to live in. “There’s subfloor and tile in some places. Some areas need some flooring. Some of the windows need to be worked on. One of the bathrooms is not finished, and the kitchen needs to be finished out,” Bartosh said. The house sits on four legs - which also contain rooms including a sitting area and an office - and boasts views of the Ransom Canyon below. “The house sits on three lots, and it overlooks the Ransom Canyon and the lake. The main window in the living room is incredible to look out of. It’s an incredible view,” Bartosh said. Despite the majority of the house appearing suspended, you enter through a regular front door. “Where you park in the street, you just walk straight into the house,” Bartosh explained. “When you walk in, you’re on the main level.” This level also houses the living space, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, and a couple of bathrooms, and the master bedroom is found upstairs. Bartosh said she and her husband plan to finish construction in about six months, but they know they might encounter obstacles once the work begins. Though she said she is OK if the home doesn’t sell, Bartosh added that it is a unique opportunity for a new owner. “Who else can say they live inside a sculpture?” she asks. “We love the house. It’s an incredible home. Nobody else in the world can say they’ve owned something like it.” Images: Realtor.com, Courtney Bartosh, The Bartosh Realty Group

Real Estate

New Tourism Australia ad has nothing to do with Australian destinations

Tourism Australia has taken a drastic new approach to their latest marketing campaign in an attempt to get Aussies travelling again. Rather than boasting scenic shots of Australian destinations, their message is simple: get vaccinated. Tourism Australia is encouraging more Aussies to explore more of their own backyards and take up more domestic travel opportunities for the sake of our mental well-being. However, with lockdowns continuously extending and borders remaining closed, the message portrayed in the newest ad is to encourage Aussies to get the jab. The campaign launches on Friday and is called "It's Our Best Shot for Travel", which will be rolled out across major newspapers, TV stations and social media platforms. <img style="width: 500px; height: 375.9259259259259px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843216/screen-shot-2021-08-18-at-94951-am.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/12019c2ceba941f098b74b6cb8dfa188" /> Image credit: Tourism Australia “We need to claim back our way of life so that we can visit friends and relatives, get back into the workplace, get our kids back to school, travel domestically and internationally again, and welcome the world back to enjoy all that Australia has to offer,” Tourism Australia’s managing director Phillipa Harrison said. Ms Harrison told an online webinar that domestic travel recovery plans have been a huge focus for Tourism Australia as Aussies remain locked down, saying the industry has “a tough couple of months ahead of us”. As Scott Morrison announced that Australia could move into the third phase of the pandemic's exit plan once 80 percent of Aussies are vaccinated, it is clear that the tourism industry shares the same goal. Ms Harrison said it was “very clear now that the pathway out of this is vaccinations, and it’s going to be hugely important to us.” “I think we have a little bit of clarity now that this isn’t going to go away, and even if you’re not in a lockdown market, you are certainly being affected by the fact that the two largest domestic source markets are in lockdown,” she said. Many parts of the tourism industry have taken a pro-vaccination stance as it continues to suffer from the effects of lockdowns and travel restrictions. Image credits: Tourism Australia/Shutterstock

Domestic Travel

Daniel Craig explains why his children will inherit nothing

<div> <div class="reply-list-component"> <div class="reply-component"> <div class="reply-body-component"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply-body-wrapper"> <div class="reply-body-inner"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Daniel Craig has zero plans to leave an inheritance to his children. He admitted during an interview with UK’s Candis magazine that he finds the practice of leaving money to descendants “distasteful”. "Isn't there an old adage that if you die a rich person, you've failed?" he said. "I think Andrew Carnegie gave away what in today's money would be about 11 billion dollars, which shows how rich he was because I'll bet he kept some of it, too. “But I don't want to leave great sums to the next generation." He went on to add: “I think inheritance is quite distasteful. "My philosophy is get rid of it or give it away before you go." Craig has a reported net worth of US$160 million (approx. $220 million). He has three children, Ella, 29, Henry, 15 and a daughter he welcomed into the world in 2018. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Money & Banking

Scott Morrison fires back at budget accusations: “Nothing else matters”

Scott Morrison has furiously denied allegations that the 2021 budget was devised to win re-election. Speaking on Today, the Australian Prime Minister declared all he cared about was saving “lives and livelihoods” in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also confirmed the Federal Election would take place next year. "Nothing else matters," Mr Morrison said, shrugging off suggestions that he had spent big to win another election. "There's no politics or ideology in a pandemic, there is just government needing to do what we need to do to save lives and livelihoods and that's what we've done. "(I) couldn't careless about the politics. I care a lot about people's jobs, about their health and doing what is necessary." Mr Morrison said his "only opponent" right now was the COVID-19 pandemic. "That's the opponent I'm focused on." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The Federal Budget has painted a grim picture for international travel, assuming Australia will be closed off from the rest of the world until mid-2022. That's even after a full vaccination program is in place. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Budget2021?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Budget2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusPol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusPol</a> DETAILS: <a href="https://t.co/RriJ27Kzc8">https://t.co/RriJ27Kzc8</a> <a href="https://t.co/lx3gBxjLF3">pic.twitter.com/lx3gBxjLF3</a> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1392266525407580166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2021</a></blockquote> Today host Karl Stefanovic went on to say that Mr Morrison ought to be in a better mood this morning and asked if the PM was okay. "It is a very big budget. Josh Frydenberg had a very big smile. I thought you might be happier this morning, PM?" Stefanovic asked. "I'm fine, mate," Mr Morrison replied. "I appreciate the care and concern. "Budgets are big events and that's all fine but I just know the fight we're in. "I am very cognisant of how big those challenges are, it is with me every second of every day." The budget assumed the international borders would remain slammed shut until the second half of 2022, a belief that Mr Morrison says was necessary. "The borders for now, of course they have to remain closed," he said. "The pandemic is raging around the world. The idea that we could open Australia up in that environment is not responsible, it's not sensible." He went on to say the government had worked hard to keep the virus out of Australia. Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said the budget only benefits Mr Morrison ahead of the election in 2022. Mr Albanese questioned the "plans" announced by Mr Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. "The treasurer spoke about plans for jobs – this is a plan for Scott Morrison's job, no one else's" Mr Albanese said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Here's how the 2021 Federal Budget could help or hinder an average Aussie family. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Budget2021?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Budget2021</a> We've done the hard yakka for you - everything you need to know about how the Budget will impact your and your family, explained simply: <a href="https://t.co/uQTJF5OaOT">https://t.co/uQTJF5OaOT</a> <a href="https://t.co/ws27jsNLet">pic.twitter.com/ws27jsNLet</a> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1392242526556495882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2021</a></blockquote> "There is no long-term plan here." The $74 billion splurge is believed to set up decades of deficit that will see net debt peak at almost $1 trillion. Mr Morrison said Treasury had looked "into the abyss" as the country faces down the biggest economic challenge since the Great Depression. The budget has set up generations of Australians with decades of deficit that will see net debt peak at almost $1 trillion. "Australians we are living in this country like virtually nowhere else in the world," Mr Morrison said. "That has been hard won and we need to ensure we continue to hold on to these gains and we build on them."

Legal

Meghan Markle addresses Black Lives Matter movement in new video: “The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing”

Meghan Markle has delivered a moving speech on racism in light of the Black Lives Matter movement recently re-lit by George Floyd’s death in police custody. In a powerful video message to the graduating class of the Los Angeles high school she attended, the royal member called the events of the past week “absolutely devastating”, admitting she “wasn’t sure what to say” at first. “I wasn't sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that it would get picked apart,” she said. “I realised the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing,” she told the Immaculate Heart High School students. “Because George Floyd's life mattered and Breonna Taylor's life mattered and Philando Castile's life mattered and Tamir Rice's life mattered … and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know.” The Duchess of Sussex was born and raised in Los Angeles, where she now resides with her husband Prince Harry and their son Archie. In the new video shared to social media, the royal recounted her memories of the riots that occurred in the city in 1992, which she described as similarly triggered by “a senseless act of racism”. “I remember seeing men in the back of a van just holding guns and rifles. I remember pulling up the house and seeing the tree, that had always been there, completely charred,” she said. “Those memories don't go away, and I can't imagine that at 17 or 18 years old, which is how old you are now, that you would have to have a different version of that same type of experience. That's something you should have an understanding of as a history lesson, not as your reality.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> “We are going to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild until it is rebuilt. Because when the foundation is broken, so are we.” - Meghan Markle <a href="https://t.co/km7j5Gu7Bv">pic.twitter.com/km7j5Gu7Bv</a> — shondaland tv (@shondaland) <a href="https://twitter.com/shondaland/status/1268604404434755590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote> She went on to apologise that the world isn’t “in a place where you deserve it to be”. “I am so sorry that you have to grow up in a world where this is still present,” she said. The former Suits actress finished off her powerful five-minute speech by urging students of her former highschool take action and be leaders in inspiring change as they forge a path outside high school. “We are going to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild until it is rebuilt. Because when the foundation is broken, so are we,” she said to the students. “You are going to lead with love, you are going to lead with compassion, you are going to use your voice in a stronger way than you've ever been able to, because most of you are 18, or you're going to turn 18, and you're going to vote. “I know you know that black lives matter, so I am already excited for what you are going to do in the world. You are equipped, you are ready, we need you and you are prepared.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBCIojaDggp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBCIojaDggp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by El Universo Vida y Estilo (@eluniversovidayestilo)</a> on Jun 4, 2020 at 5:30pm PDT </div> </blockquote> Both Meghan and Harry have maintained a low profile during the Black Lives Matter protests, having stayed offline during Black Out Tuesday this week on their Sussex Royal Instagram page. The Queen's Commonwealth Trust, which is overseen by the Queen, Harry and Meghan, this week shared on Instagram and Twitter a Martin Luther King Jr quote, saying “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Beauty & Style

“Nothing can stop it”: Financial expert predicts two-year crisis

Australia is set to see “massive bankruptcies”, quadrupling unemployment rates and crashing property prices within months, a financial expert predicts. US demographer and financial writer Harry Dent said the COVID-19 pandemic is simply the “perfect trigger” to set off a depression for an already struggling economy. “Central banks and governments have stimulated the economy so much that the entire world is on the brink of a 1930s style meltdown,” he said. “They have literally printed trillions and trillions of dollars, and along with the Australian Government’s multi-billion dollar stimulus package, have created a property and mortgage bubble that combined with increased unemployment will be the catalyst for massive bankruptcies. “This is a two-year meltdown between late 2020 and late 2022 and nothing can stop it.” Dent said conditions were “much worse” now than before the Global Financial Crisis and predicted Australia’s real estate market could fall as much as 50 per cent. “The bubble is off the charts. It’s so obvious and there’s no easy way out and no magic solution,” he told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/world-economy/finance-expert-predicts-massive-bankruptcies-in-twoyear-meltdown/news-story/eb31a77fa22a108646973e06e1a0f388">News.com.au</a>. “This is a once in a lifetime thing and its closest correlation is not the GFC, it’s not the recessions of the 80s or 90s – it’s like the early 30s. “It’s the greatest bubble in history … there’s no way [central] banks can beat the monsters they created with financial asset bubbles.” Dent said people still had time to sell assets they did not want to keep for life. “Get out of risky assets for a couple of years,” he advised. “This will not last forever, I’m not bearish at all, but it’s the biggest risk of a crash we’ll see in our lifetime so if you don’t get serious about your financial assets, you’re going to be in trouble. It’s D-Day. “My point of view is simple and you can believe it or not.” Financial commentator Peter Switzer offered a more optimistic outlook, saying Australia could see a few years of rising stocks after the coronavirus crisis ended. He said the pandemic only brought forward the inevitable market crash that would have taken place in 2021 due to the bull market cycle. “No one knows how the anti-pandemic economic stimulus packages will play out around the world and whether we’ll be crushed by a second-wave of infections that will close economies down again, but right now the stock market is into a range because it doesn’t know either – but it’s leaning to the positive!” Switzer wrote on his <a href="https://switzer.com.au/the-experts/peter-switzer/kiyosaki-and-dent-say-doom-is-coming-does-it-pay-to-believe-them/">website</a>. “Cautious investors could wait about six months and in that time they could see a great buying opportunity after another big leg down, or they could wait for another leg up driven by the best-case scenarios for the virus and the economy.” Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki, who will be joining Dent and property analyst Martin North on a May 24 webinar to discuss the crisis, said the world’s current level of debt was “unprecedented in history”. Kiyosaki told the outlet Australia was at risk because China was in a compromised financial position and “when China catches a cold, Australia gets pneumonia”. He said the crisis presented an opportunity for entrepreneurs. “Einstein said ‘imagination is more important than knowledge’ and I’m very optimistic the future will belong to entrepreneurs and not corporate guys because they’re nimble and can make changes more quickly.”

Money & Banking

“Barnaby had nothing to do with it”: Vikki Campion speaks up on new parliament role

Vikki Campion has broken her two years of silence amid her return to work, denying claims her partner Barnaby Joyce helped her land her new role in the parliament. Campion is set to work under the Nationals as a part-time casual media adviser for federal parliament deputy speaker Llew O’Brien. “Barnaby had nothing to do with it,” the mother-of-two told The Australian’s <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/vikki-campion-i-need-more-than-wiping-babies/news-story/94833b45fbe508eeec368c153edcba4a">Media Diary</a>. “I adore my kids, but I also want to challenge myself with more than wiping babies’ faces. And I haven't worn high heels in two years!” Campion will be working during parliamentary sitting weeks for four hours a day, carrying out administrative tasks and writing speeches and op-ed pieces for O’Brien. “Ms Campion is exceptionally well qualified for the role and Parliament House is a family-friendly work environment complete with a crèche,” a spokesman for O’Brien said in a statement. “Ms Campion has worked for regional and national media outlets.” Campion and former Nationals leader Joyce welcomed their second son Thomas in June 2019. The birth came after the pair’s first son Sebastian was born in April 2018.

News

Did you know: More than 80% of strip searches turn up nothing

It is difficult not to be cynical about the New South Wales Government’s recent <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/nsw-government-shuts-down-police-watchdogs-strip-search-inquiry/">decision to shut down the Law Enforcement Corruption Commission’s (LECC) inquiry into strip searches</a>, particularly in light of new statistics published this week that show that in an overwhelming majority of cases, strip searches turn up nothing. Figures from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) show that of the 211,000 personal searches conducted by New South Wales police in 2018, 88 per cent resulted in police finding nothing – not illegal drugs, not knives or other concealed weapons. In fact, nothing at all. The numbers paint a damning picture. Police targeting children and indigenous Australians More than 26,000 searches were conducted on children under the age of 18. When looked at geographically, in some areas around the state up to as many as 37 percent of strip searches involved children, with nothing found in more than 90 per cent of these. About 78 per cent were conducted on Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people. Until the moment it was canned in December last year (at the same time as the New South Wales government dismissed former head of the LECC Michael Adams QC) <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/watchdog-to-investigate-strip-search-of-teen/">the inquiry into strip searches</a> was tackling an issue that has become one of great social concern – that police are increasingly using the highly invasive procedure of strip searches, and are not always following the law when doing so. Strip searches conducted illegally Mr Adams’ tenure as head of the LECC and also head of the strip search inquiry was not renewed shortly after he told an LECC hearing that he would examine whether some of the unlawful strip searches the LECC had been investigating classified as indecent assaults. If any of this had actually been proven, <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/suing-police-over-unlawful-strip-search-an-interview-with-luke-moore/">the NSW police force would be potentially liable to compensate victims</a>. Because such a significant number of searches result in nothing being found, then it stands to reason that police are either inadequately trained to appropriate conduct strip searches, <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/what-are-the-rules-for-strip-searching/">they misunderstand the governing guidelines</a>, or are potentially ignoring the regulations which stipulate that they must have need to have ‘reasonable suspicion’ in order to conduct a strip search. It is also possible that police could be simply using strip searches to threaten, intimidate and humiliate members of the general public. This accusation has been made previously, on a number of occasions. Police performance targets Also of serious concern also is the fact that police commands are given targets for the number of personal searches officers must conduct. Personal searches can involve a frisk or requiring someone to remove outer layers of clothing, but they can also include strip searches, in which all the person’s clothing may be removed. Across NSW in 2018-19 police were expected to perform 242,000 personal searches. Of the 238,923 actual searches conducted, two per cent, or 5353, were strip searches. Nothing was found in 66 per cent of these. In the same period, a total of 17,535 searches were conducted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with nothing found in 88 per cent of these. Police have defended the targets, saying that the force is responsible for enforcing drugs and weapons laws and searches are a “vital detection tool and often necessary to find and seize these illegal items” despite the fact that looking at these figures, it is logical to conclude, because they turn up nothing in the vast majority of cases, that strip searches are largely ineffective, and a waste of police time and resources. What does the law say? The law governing the conduct of strip searches, which also outlines the rights of anyone subjected to the procedure, are outlined in the <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/what-are-the-rules-for-strip-searching/">Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW).</a> The Act contains safeguards for children and vulnerable people, with which police must comply, including the fact that minors must be accompanied by an adult ‘support person’ during the search. It also stipulates that strip searches must be conducted by an officer of the same sex as the person being searched irrespective of their age, and must <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/aboriginal-elder-strip-searched-on-busy-sydney-road/">be carried out in private</a>. But as<a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/nsw-police-are-illegally-strip-searching-children/"> last year’s public inquiry into strip searches found</a>, these safeguards are often ignored. For example, when investigating the strip searches of three boys aged 15, 16 and 17 at a music festival, none of which found any <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/driver-carrying-200-million-in-illegal-drugs-crashes-into-parked-police-cars/">illegal drugs</a>, the LECC found that police arranged for two SES volunteers to act as independent support people, instead of enabling them to have a parent, guardian or trusted adult friend present. The inquiry heard at least 25 children at one under-18s event were potentially subjected to the practice unlawfully, with volunteers from the Red Frogs charity also being used to oversee the strip-searching. There have long been concerns about the psychological impact of strip searches, particularly on young people, with some calling it <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/strip-searches-are-effectively-a-form-of-state-sanctioned-sexual-assault/">a form of state-sanctioned sexual assault.</a> And with little evidence to prove they are actually an effective policing practice, it’s time that the NSW Police force re-considered the use of these searches. It’s also time for the New South Wales government to review the laws which govern them. Written by Sonia Hickey. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/more-than-80-of-strip-searches-turn-up-nothing/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</a>

Retirement Life

“Nothing wrong with writing 300 poems”: Delta Goodrem stalker defends actions

A man has been convicted of stalking after he went to Delta Goodrem’s home five times in one day and sent her 300 love poems. James Joseph Lafferty, 47, on Tuesday pleaded guilty in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court to three charges including stalking and intimidation, using a carriage service to harass, menace or offend, and failing to comply with a police direction. The Grafton man went to Goodrem’s Sydney CBD apartment on February 14 and attempted to leave a Valentine’s Day gift but was blocked by the concierge. The Grafton man returned four more times that day. On February 15, the Voice judge went down to the concierge desk to pick up a dress when Lafferty walked past and called out “Delta, Delta”. He then sent messages to Goodrem’s Instagram account including “I’m here”, “please come down and meet me”, and “I’m at concierge”. Police were called and Lafferty was arrested outside the building. He reportedly told police he had sent the singer 300 poems in the lead up to Valentine’s Day and said, “You’d think she’d at least reply”. Lafferty told the court that Goodrem’s “address is on Google anyway”. Legal Aid lawyer Richard Ikaafu said father-of-three Lafferty did not at any point threaten Goodrem’s welfare or safety. Magistrate Jane Mottley noted Lafferty’s previous convictions dating back to 1991 for aggravated break and enter whilst armed, drug possession, damage of property, trespass, drink driving, intimidation and, in January last year, assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Lafferty was placed on an 18-month community corrections order and fined $600. He was also ordered to stay away from Goodrem’s home. Following his sentencing, Lafferty told reporters there’s “nothing wrong with writing 300 poems to somebody” before adding, “It’s better than a sleazy one-liner in a nightclub, isn’t it?”

News

“I’ve got nothing to hide”: Man accused of koala massacre speaks out

The man accused of Victoria’s “koala massacre” has said he is not guilty of animal cruelty and will return to face the state’s “fascist” wildlife authorities. Investigators from Victoria’s Conservation Regulator were still carrying out their assessment on Thursday at a cleared gum tree plantation near Cape Bridgewater after scores of koalas were found injured or dead. More than 80 koalas have been assessed since Friday, and 30 were euthanised. The Victorian environment minister Lily D’Ambrosio said on Monday the event was “devastating” for the koala population in the Portland region and the government would do “everything possible” to hold the perpetrators accountable. “Every Victorian can rightly feel not only appalled, deeply saddened and heartbroken, but angry. I am absolutely angry,” D’Ambrosio said. “This can never be repeated.” The private property is run by Keith Troeth, who is working in NSW. “I’m not concerned because I’ve done nothing wrong,” Troeth told <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/koala-massacre-farmer-tells-of-death-threats/ar-BBZIjCB?li=AAgfYrC">The Age</a> on Thursday. “I’ll come back, I’ve got nothing to hide. “The fascists have yet to complete their investigations so until that happens, I won’t be making any more comment.” <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/koalas-starved-says-farmer-accused-of-portland-massacre-20200203-p53x7r.html" target="_blank">Earlier this week</a>, Troeth said a small number of animals might have died while the land was cleared with bulldozers in late January. “We made every effort to do it professionally, we made every effort to minimise any fatality,” he said. “There may have been one or two koalas killed and I’ll wear the responsibility, but it’s not the big hoo-ha it’s been made out to be.” D’Ambrosio said the government would consider breaches of the Wildlife Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Killing, harassing or disturbing wildlife could attract a penalty of up to $8,000 and an additional fine of more than $800 per head of wildlife under the Wildlife Act. A spokeswoman from the Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning said the Conversation Regulator’s Major Investigations Unit remains on site to collect evidence and take witness statements.

Travel Trouble

Should I tell my lawyer the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

When engaging a criminal defence lawyer, clients are sometimes unsure about how much to say at the first meeting – concerned that telling their lawyers everything all at once could make it harder to achieve the best possible outcome. Indeed, in serious cases, lawyers may not obtain full instructions from their clients until they have received the statements and other materials upon which the prosecution relies, and until both they and their clients have gone through those materials. So, what are the rules that affect how a lawyer can deal with information from clients? Legal professional privilege The client/solicitor relationship is one of the most fundamental of our legal system. As such, principles have been established so that clients can provide full and frank disclosure to their lawyer without fear that this information will be used against them. Chief of these principles is ‘legal professional privilege’ also known as ‘client legal privilege’ which protects conversations between lawyers and clients. In the words of Dean J in Baker v Campbell (1983) 153 CLR 52: “That general principle represents some protection of the citizen – particularly the weak, the unintelligent and the ill-informed citizen – against the leviathan of the modern state. Without it, there can be no assurance that those in need of independent legal advice to cope with the demands and intricacies of modern law will be able to obtain it without the risk of prejudice and damage by subsequent compulsory disclosure on the demand of any administrative officer with some general statutory authority to obtain information or seize documents.” Legal professional privilege protects against the disclosure of communications between client and lawyer made for the dominant purpose of seeking or providing legal advice or for use in anticipated legal proceedings. This means your lawyer is generally prohibited from disclosing communications made for the purpose of your cases, subject to the exceptions outlined below. Privilege applies to both verbal and written communications between a lawyer and his or her client; whether in person, over the phone, by mail or over the internet – so it’s a broad protection which seeks to facilitate free communication between the parties. Exceptions to client legal privilege There are, however, a number of exceptions to client legal privilege that you need to be aware of. In NSW, sections 121 to 126 of the Evidence Act provide a number of situations where client legal privilege does not apply to the admissibility of evidence, which are: <a href="http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ea199580/s121.html">121</a> – Where the client has died or where disclosure is necessary to enforce a court order, <a href="http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ea199580/s122.html">122</a> – Where the client waives privilege, or consents to the lawyer disclosing information or producing materials, or where the client acts in a manner inconsistent with maintaining the privilege (eg discloses to others), <a href="http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ea199580/s123.html">123</a> – Where a defendant is giving evidence in criminal proceedings, unless it is a a confidential communication or document between an associated defendant and a lawyer acting for that person in connection with the prosecution of that person. <a href="http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ea199580/s124.html">124</a> – Where two or more clients have jointly retained a lawyer in civil proceeding and one or more of them wishes to disclose a confidential communication or contents of a confidential document, <a href="http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ea199580/s125.html">125</a> – Where a communication is made or document prepared in furtherance of a <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/criminal/offences/fraud-charges/">fraud</a>, an offence or an act which would render a party liable for a civil penalty, and <a href="http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ea199580/s126.html">126</a> – Certain information necessary to understand material to which privilege does not apply as a result of the preceding sections. What if I’m actually guilty but want to plead not-guilty? There are some circumstances where being too frank with your lawyer may limit how they can advocate for you inside the courtroom. And it should be said that if you are indeed guilty, pleading that way will entitle you to <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/what-is-a-guilty-plea-discount/">a guilty plea discount</a> – which could result in a less serious type of penalty than if your were to plead not guilty and be found guilty. For example, an early plea of guilty could result in a penalty such as an <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/criminal/penalties/nsw/intensive-correction-orders/">intensive correction order</a> or <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/criminal/penalties/nsw/community-correction-order/">community correction order</a> instead of a prison sentence. However, an experienced criminal defence lawyer will be able to ask you questions in a way that reduces the risk of future prejudice. If you do admit to the offence, but wish to plead not-guilty to it – your lawyer will be limited in how he or she can present your case in court. This is because all lawyers are required to abide by professional ethics and conduct rules which can limit the questions that can be asked in certain situations, and the way cases can be argued. The rules do not prohibit lawyers from representing clients who admit their guilt to their lawyer; however, lawyers are strictly prohibited from lying or knowingly misleading the court on behalf of their clients. A lawyer who knows their client is guilty can still ‘put the prosecution to proof’; which means they can ask questions of prosecution witnesses and make submissions to the court to the effect that the prosecution has failed to prove each of the ‘essential elements’ (or ingredients) of the charge case beyond a reasonable doubt, and that their client should therefore be acquitted. But again, the lawyer will not be able to elicit false or misleading evidence, or make false or misleading submissions to the court. For example, a lawyer to whom you admit your guilt can assist by questioning and challenging prosecution witnesses. But he or she cannot allow you or another person to tell lies on the witness stand. If this nevertheless occurs, the lawyer would be well advised to submit to the court that he or she is ‘embarrassed’ and withdraw from the case. Often honesty is preferable, as you may be guilty of a lesser offence than the one you have been charged with, in which case your lawyer can push for the charge to be downgraded, or tailor your defence to ensure you are found not guilty of the charged offence in court. So it’s a bit of a tricky area, but experienced defence lawyers are well-aware of the rules, the pitfalls and how to act in the best interests of their clients whilst abiding by their other ethical obligations. Changing lawyers If you don’t feel your lawyer can adequately represent you – whether this is because you have told them something you shouldn’t have, or you believe they are not suitably experienced, or for another reason – it may be in your interest to obtain new legal representation. Changing lawyers is a simple process, and when making that decision you should always bear in mind that choosing the right lawyer may be one of the most important decisions you ever make, and that you should always be looking out for your own best interests. If you want to change lawyers, you will normally need to sign an ‘authority to uplift’. Your new lawyer will be able to provide you with this document, and can send it to your previous lawyer on your behalf in order to obtain the materials they have. If you have unpaid fees with your previous lawyer, it is advisable that you pay these to enable a smooth transfer and ensure your previous lawyer doesn’t seek to exercise a ‘lien’ over your materials – which means to refuse to forward your materials on to your new lawyer. Going to Court? If you are going to court and require expert advice <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/about/lawyers/">from experienced, specialist criminal defence lawyers</a>, call Sydney Criminal Lawyers anytime on (02) 9261 8881 to arrange a free first conference. Written by Jarryd Bartle. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/should-i-tell-my-lawyer-the-truth-the-whole-truth-and-nothing-but-the-truth/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</a>

Legal

In praise of doing nothing

In the 1950s, <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Take_Back_Your_Time.html?id=_UmpZOlnvU0C&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false">scholars worried that</a>, thanks to technological innovations, Americans wouldn’t know what to do with all of their leisure time. Yet today, as sociologist Juliet Schor <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=KjZ54lNDE2EC&dq=overworked+american&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y">notes</a>, Americans are overworked, putting in more hours than at any time since the Depression and more than in any other in Western society. It’s probably not unrelated to the fact that instant and constant access has become de rigueur, and our devices constantly expose us to a barrage of colliding and clamoring messages: “Urgent,” “Breaking News,” “For immediate release,” “Answer needed ASAP.” It disturbs our leisure time, our family time – even our consciousness. Over the past decade, I’ve tried to understand the social and psychological effects of our growing interactions with new information and communication technologies, a topic I examine in my book “<a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-Terminal-Self-Everyday-Life-in-Hypermodern-Times/Gottschalk/p/book/9781472437082">The Terminal Self: Everyday Life in Hypermodern Times</a>.” In this 24/7, “always on” age, the prospect of doing nothing might sound unrealistic and unreasonable. But it’s never been more important. <h2>Acceleration for the sake of acceleration</h2> In an age of incredible advancements that can enhance our human potential and planetary health, why does daily life seem so overwhelming and anxiety-inducing? Why aren’t things easier? It’s a complex question, but one way to explain this irrational state of affairs is something called the force of acceleration. <a href="https://cup.columbia.edu/book/social-acceleration/9780231148351">According to German critical theorist Hartmut Rosa</a>, accelerated technological developments have driven the acceleration in the pace of change in social institutions. We see this on factory floors, where “<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=bdBTAAAAMAAJ&q=inauthor:%22Edward+J.+Hay%22&dq=inauthor:%22Edward+J.+Hay%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjs5vHLm6vbAhUjLn0KHaRSAqcQ6AEILjAB">just-in-time</a>” manufacturing demands maximum efficiency and the ability to nimbly respond to market forces, and in university classrooms, where computer software instructs teachers how to “move students quickly” through the material. Whether it’s in the grocery store or in the airport, procedures are implemented, for better or for worse, with one goal in mind: speed. Noticeable acceleration began more than two centuries ago, during the Industrial Revolution. But this acceleration has itself … accelerated. Guided by neither logical objectives nor agreed-upon rationale, propelled by its own momentum, and encountering little resistance, acceleration seems to have begotten more acceleration, for the sake of acceleration. To Rosa, this acceleration <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/hartmut-rosa-essay-acceleration-plagues-modern-society-a-909465.html">eerily mimics</a> the criteria of a totalitarian power: 1) it exerts pressure on the wills and actions of subjects; 2) it is inescapable; 3) it is all-pervasive; and 4) it is hard or almost impossible to criticize and fight. <h2>The oppression of speed</h2> Unchecked acceleration has consequences. At the environmental level, it extracts resources from nature faster than they can replenish themselves and produces waste faster than it can be processed. At the personal level, it distorts how we experience time and space. It deteriorates how we approach our everyday activities, deforms how we relate to each other and erodes a stable sense of self. It leads to burnout at one end of the continuum and to depression at the other. Cognitively, it inhibits sustained focus and critical evaluation. Physiologically, it can stress our bodies and disrupt vital functions. For example, <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Gender-Divisions-Working-Time-New-Economy-Diane-Perrons/9781847204974">research finds</a> two to three times more self-reported health problems, from anxiety to sleeping issues, among workers who frequently work in high-speed environments compared with those who do not. When our environment accelerates, we must pedal faster in order to keep up with the pace. Workers receive more emails than ever before – <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/3395457/this-is-how-much-time-you-spend-on-work-emails-every-day-according-to-a-canadian-survey/">a number that’s only expected to grow</a>. The more emails you receive, the more time you need to process them. It requires that you either accomplish this or another task in less time, that you perform several tasks at once, or that you take less time in between reading and responding to emails. American workers’ productivity <a href="https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/">has increased dramatically since 1973</a>. What has also increased sharply during that same period is the pay gap between productivity and pay. While productivity between 1973 and 2016 has increased by 73.7 percent, hourly pay has increased by only 12.5 percent. In other words, productivity has increased at about six times the rate of hourly pay. Clearly, acceleration demands more work – and to what end? There are only so many hours in a day, and this additional expenditure of energy reduces individuals’ ability to engage in life’s essential activities: family, leisure, community, citizenship, spiritual yearnings and self-development. It’s a vicious loop: Acceleration imposes more stress on individuals and curtails their ability to manage its effects, thereby worsening it. <h2>Doing nothing and ‘being’</h2> In a hypermodern society propelled by the twin engines of acceleration and excess, doing nothing is equated with waste, laziness, lack of ambition, boredom or “down” time. But this betrays a rather instrumental grasp of human existence. <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1809754">Much research</a> – and many spiritual and philosophical systems – suggest that detaching from daily concerns and spending time in simple reflection and contemplation are essential to health, sanity and personal growth. Similarly, to equate “doing nothing” with nonproductivity betrays a short-sighted understanding of productivity. In fact, psychological <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2432964">research suggests</a> that doing nothing is essential for creativity and innovation, and a person’s seeming inactivity might actually cultivate new insights, inventions or melodies. <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780060750510/in-praise-of-slowness">As legends go</a>, Isaac Newton grasped the law of gravity sitting under an apple tree. Archimedes discovered the law of buoyancy relaxing in his bathtub, while Albert Einstein was well-known for staring for hours into space in his office. <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/40222893?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">The academic sabbatical</a> is centered on the understanding that the mind needs to rest and be allowed to explore in order to germinate new ideas. Doing nothing – or just being – is as important to human well-being as doing something. The key is to balance the two. <h2>Taking your foot off the pedal</h2> Since it will probably be difficult to go cold turkey from an accelerated pace of existence to doing nothing, one first step consists in decelerating. One relatively easy way to do so is to simply turn off all the technological devices that connect us to the internet – at least for a while – and assess what happens to us when we do. <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/cyber.2016.0259">Danish researchers found</a> that students who disconnected from Facebook for just one week reported notable increases in life satisfaction and positive emotions. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/16/technology/16brain.html">In another experiment</a>, neuroscientists who went on a nature trip reported enhanced cognitive performance. Different social movements are addressing the problem of acceleration. The <a href="https://www.slowfoodusa.org/about-us">Slow Food</a> movement, for example, is a grassroots campaign that advocates a form of deceleration by rejecting fast food and factory farming. As we race along, it seems as though we’re not taking the time to seriously examine the rationale behind our frenetic lives – and mistakenly assume that <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/being-busy-is-nothing-to-brag-about_us_5a4b9a6de4b0d86c803c7971">those who are very busy</a> must be involved in important projects. Touted by the <a href="https://twitter.com/nbcnews/status/898748875225260032?lang=en">mass media</a> and <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2013/11/06/microsoft-office-declares-get-it-done-day/">corporate culture</a>, this credo of busyness contradicts both how most people in our society define “<a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-the-good-life-4038226">the good life</a>” and the tenets of many Eastern philosophies that extol the virtue and power of stillness. French philosopher Albert Camus perhaps <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/20617-idleness-is-fatal-only-to-the-mediocre">put it best</a> when he wrote, “Idleness is fatal only to the mediocre.”<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/95998/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Simon Gottschalk, Professor of Sociology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/in-praise-of-doing-nothing-95998" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

"Complaining has done nothing": Why taxis continue to refuse to take short fares

The NSW Taxi Council wants to take a tougher stance on drivers who refuse to take passengers short distances which result in short fares, but people are saying that the taxi council are part of the problem. Many readers shared their experiences with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/uber-vs-taxis-taxi-drivers-refuse-to-drive-passengers-short-distances/news-story/5efe0d3c9a80699254f0318127489328" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> with drivers refusing to take passengers short distances. “Few weeks ago, I tried to get a cab at 2 am in the city to Leichhardt (in Sydney’s inner west) and two drivers wouldn’t open doors and then drove off,” Scott Rhodie wrote. “I called the cab company, but they didn’t care.” The NSW Taxi Council wants to help deal with the problem and is aware that it’s an issue that faces the industry. “It is definitely an issue within our industry and it’s something we take quite seriously,” the body’s deputy chief executive Nick Abrahim told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/taxi-industry-accused-of-refusing-to-act-on-drivers-refusing-short-fares/news-story/e71d64b42a4990771bc7bcbef1561454" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. “We want to tackle it head on and try and deal with it … because it’s not in the interest of good customer service.” Some people say that the Taxi Council is a part of the problem. “The ‘Taxi Council’ is actually a huge part of the problem,” said one reader. “Did absolutely zero for years — them and their partners never disciplined drivers. As an owner I can tell you that there are drivers working for the biggest Sydney taxi company who have multiple complaints.” Another reader said, “The moral is the taxi industry has no shortage of feedback on what needs to change for them to remain competitive, but they refuse to act.” Despite the Taxi Council being aware of the issue, readers are annoyed nothing is being done. “People have been complaining about this for years and been raising it with the taxi industry,” another reader said. “You know what, you didn’t care then so what’s going to be different now? “The only difference now is that there is a better model that you DON’T want to compete with because you're a lazy expecting industry.” Abrahim is trying to let people know that there are procedures in place in order to stamp out the behaviour that leaves passengers stranded on the side of the road. Any driver whose reported for avoiding short fares would be pilled in and given a counselling session if they were a first-time offender whereas repeat offenders could face instant dismissal. Abrahim admitted there were issues that needed to be faced but said that “everyone in the chain needs to do their part”. This is because complainants used to be able to complain directly to the NSW government but now have to complain straight to the taxi company. “The rules of the game have changed with regards to how a customer makes a complaint,” he said. “It’s a tighter and more informal process.” “Everyone in the chain needs to do their part,” he said. “The accountability needs to happen on all levels. The message needs to get through that we want to stamp out this behaviour and, in some cases, we need to get tougher.”

Travel Tips

“I have nothing”: Waleed Aly lost for words over father’s plight

Only a few short hours after a man discovered his wife had been arrested overseas, he appeared on The Project and left panellists speechless after sharing his plight. Featuring on Monday night’s episode of Four Corners, Sadam Abudusalamu shed light on the distressing situation the Uyghur people are currently facing. The ethnic group of Turkic-speaking Muslims are dealing with persecution by the Chinese government as the institution has been accused of ethnic cleansing. Mr Adudusalamu has not seen his wife Nadila in two years as she’s been unable to leave the Xinjiang province, where the largest population of Uyghurs live. Due to this reason, he has never met his two-year-old son Lufty. Shortly after the Four Corners episode went to air, Nadila was arrested and the devastated husband sat down with The Project to plead for her freedom. “To be honest I don’t know what to say now – I told ABC this is going to happen, and it’s exactly happening because I am speaking out,” Mr Abudusalamu said on Tuesday evening. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> A two-year-old Australian boy is caught in the middle of a human rights atrocity unfolding in China right now. His Australian dad wants him home but China won’t let him leave. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/IPlw7WygsZ">pic.twitter.com/IPlw7WygsZ</a> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1151066906754895873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">16 July 2019</a></blockquote> “(At) 3:30 (pm) Sydney time they just took my wife, and two-year-old baby, I don’t know where he is now … she just sent me a message (saying) police just called me, if I can’t come out, please take care of yourself.” This prompted Waleed Aly to ask him whether he was comfortable opening up, due to the evident distress he was facing. “Sadam, do you feel like you shouldn’t be talking to us?” asked Aly. “No, I have to speak out, I’ve got nothing to lose anymore. Even if I don’t speak out nothing is going to change, so I have to speak out,” Mr Abudusalamu responded. “I just can’t imagine how hard it is, not having ever seen your son let alone now not even knowing where he is,” added Carrie Bickmore. The young father placed blame on the Australian government, saying they refuse to help due to trade interests with China and said he felt like “being a Muslim is a crime at the moment.” “I’m living in Australia but feel like I’m under Chinese government pressure,” he said. As the interview came to a close, Aly acknowledged that he didn’t have any words after hearing Mr Abudusalamu’s struggles. “Sadam Abudusalamu, I don’t know, ordinarily I try to find something I could say to console you. I have nothing,” said Aly. “There’s nothing I can say at this point except that we’re watching, we will watch with interest, I hope that it turns out in a way that’s far from the worst of the possibilities. “I commend you on your bravery for speaking up and thank you very much for speaking to us tonight.”

Relationships

"Nothing can forgive that": Maggie Beer's disgust at aged care food standards

Maggie Beer has slammed the quality of the food served in aged care homes, saying the $7 budget for each resident was inadequate. It is “impossible” to prepare quality meals for the residents with such a limited budget, the celebrity chef told the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety on Tuesday. “They would have to use processed food, frozen food, frozen vegetables, fish that is usually frozen and imported, not even Australian,” she said. Some aged care facilities spend as little as $6.50-$7 a day on food per resident to cut costs, the royal commission has been told. Chef Nicholas Hall said he had to “cut corners” at one home he worked at, which had a food budget of $7.20 per resident. “[The food] wasn’t great, that’s for sure,” said Hall. “You’re having to use frozen foods, you’re having to use processed foods just to feed the residents. “At the end of the meal if the resident was still hungry and they wanted more food, there was no more food to give them.” Hall said some aged care providers and third-party caterers are focused solely on saving costs. “They're just racing to the bottom to see who can feed for the lowest amount of cost.” Beer recalled seeing the food her aunt would eat when she was in aged care in Sydney 50 years ago. “My aunt didn’t want to eat anything, lost all the weight because the food was without a smell. It was institutionalised food in its most basic form,” she said. Beer said she feels terrible when she reads complaints about the food from residents and their relatives. “It just breaks your heart because it doesn’t have to be like that. It should never be like that,” she said. Beer said she is “shocked” at the evidence presented at the commission. “Nothing can forgive that and nothing can accept that. “We have a responsibility to give a good way of life for those in aged care and in the community.” Beer said while the minimum food budget should be increased to $10.50, “you can do really good food” with $14. “Every bite of sustenance should be of goodness, but flavour first: flavour, goodness and pleasure,” she said. “Without those things in equal measure they don’t have enough to look forward to to get up in the morning.”

Caring

"We have nothing left": 83-year-old tricked into buying $26K car she can’t use

An 83-year-old great-grandmother who requires the help of a walking frame to get around says she felt pushed into buying a $26,000 Great Wall ute that she is unable to use. As Mary Dewes hasn’t driven in three years, the ute isn’t required. Her husband, Philip, also has a brain injury that causes him to constantly fall asleep, which means he is unable to drive as well. However, when Philip replied to an online car ad, salesman Christian Van Lieshaut quickly called them up. "We got the call, he said he was the salesman and would we like a demonstration run and Phillip said yes," Mrs Dewes told A Current Affair. "Next thing we know, he was at the door and we were out in the four-wheel drive." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> Mary Dewes is 83, needs a walking frame to get around, and suffers memory loss. But that didn’t stop a car dealer selling her a 1.7-tonne ute. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9ACA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9ACA</a> | FULL STORY: <a href="https://t.co/Yon1H6cxOJ">https://t.co/Yon1H6cxOJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/GDQWEAEEjf">pic.twitter.com/GDQWEAEEjf</a> — A Current Affair (@ACurrentAffair9) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9/status/1138373222343143424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">11 June 2019</a></blockquote> Mary said that Mr Van Lieshaut picked them up at their retirement home and he was able to see that she needed the walking frame to move around. Mary also said that he had to help her get into the ute as she was unable to do it by herself. Once the test drive was finished, they were driven straight to the car yard where a contract was put in front of them. Mary said she and her husband felt “pushed into something we didn’t understand”. Mary’s daughter Tracy explained that her mother suffers from memory loss and by the next day was unable to remember signing the contract. Mary also thought she had put down a deposit of $1000, instead of the full $26,000 price tag. "My mum won't even look at the car because it's too distressing and she ended up in hospital the other day and it's caused a lot of stress for her," Tracy said. "That was their life savings and they have nothing left." As the couple now have a car, they are rendered ineligible for the retirement home’s free bus to the shops, which left them struggling for weeks to buy groceries. Mary is angry at herself and her husband for the situation. "I'm angry with ourselves and I'm angry with that man that did not take anything into consideration," Mary said. "All he wanted was our signature on that contract." There is no cooling-off period with a new car, but after some investigation by Tracy, she realised that there’s a provision in the contract for the dealer to tear it up and keep 10 per cent of the purchase price. Tracy reached out to Van Lieshaut and begged him to tear up the contract, but he declined to do so. Van Lieshaut declined to comment when approached by A Current Affair, but his boss Paul Nelson agreed to discuss the issue with Tracy off camera. The day after the segment aired, Mr Nelson drove to the retirement village where Mary and Philip live to apologise and offered a refund. Mr Nelson also retrieved the Great Wall ute.

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Should I tell my lawyer the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

In praise of doing nothing

"Complaining has done nothing": Why taxis continue to refuse to take short fares

“I have nothing”: Waleed Aly lost for words over father’s plight

"Nothing can forgive that": Maggie Beer's disgust at aged care food standards

"We have nothing left": 83-year-old tricked into buying $26K car she can’t use

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

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Information

Keep up to date

Search

Why are my muscles sore after exercise? Hint: it’s nothing to do with lactic acid

19 handy uses for toothpaste that have nothing to do with your teeth

Seinfeld: how a sitcom ‘about nothing’ changed television for good

Sam Mac accused of basically doing nothing

“There’s nothing like it”: Unique ‘sculpture’ house hits the market

New Tourism Australia ad has nothing to do with Australian destinations

Daniel Craig explains why his children will inherit nothing

Scott Morrison fires back at budget accusations: “Nothing else matters”

Meghan Markle addresses Black Lives Matter movement in new video: “The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing”

“Nothing can stop it”: Financial expert predicts two-year crisis

“Barnaby had nothing to do with it”: Vikki Campion speaks up on new parliament role

Did you know: More than 80% of strip searches turn up nothing

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