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What the fox! Driver finds wild animal trapped in his car

A motorist has shared the startling moment a fox got trapped in the front grill of his car, after he accidentally hit the wild animal while travelling at 80km/h. While driving down a country road in South Australia on Saturday night, the man behind the wheel said he was shocked when he felt something slam into the car. When he later checked the vehicle, he was astonished to find the angry fox trying to break free from behind the front grill of the car. “Y’all thought you had a bad day,” he can be heard saying while filming the animal furiously biting the front grill in an attempt to escape. In a series of videos posted to TikTok, the man documented the fox's attempts at escape, before informing his followers that he had enlisted the help of a local vet to help free the animal. “Took him to the vet, they sedated him and we got him out safely, the poor guy,” he said, adding he was glad — and impressed — the fox was alive after such a high-speed impact. Throughout his videos, many took to the comments to offer their advice to free the fox, as one person suggested "popping the lid", with the driver explaining that he did but “couldn’t even see him through the bonnet”. The saga has been viewed more than 400,000 times in the past 24 hours, with numerous people saying they were stunned the fox wasn’t seriously injured. “How does this even happen?” one person wondered. “What in the fox is going on here!” another joked, while others pondered how the man would explain the incident to his insurance company. “Insurance would never believe you if you didn’t have that video,” someone else added. Image credits: TikTok

Travel Trouble

Wild moment giraffe snatches toddler from car

A father has recalled the heart-stopping moment his toddler was snatched by a giraffe at a safari park in Texas. Jason Toten, 24, his fiancé Sierra Robert, 23, and their daughter Paisley were at Fossil Rim Wildlife Centre in Glen Rose where visitors can drive-through the park and get close to wild animals. "We were having a little family day, just getting out of the house," Jason told a local news outlet. While the family were admiring the view, one giraffe slowly approached them and the pair encouraged their daughter to offer it some food, but within an instant, the two-year-old girl was lifted into the air. "I looked out the back window and I saw the giraffe … and then up she went," Jason recalled. The giraffe, who was only trying to grab the bag of food from Paisley, accidentally hoisted the toddler up by her shirt, with other park visitors behind them capturing the wild moment. Sierra reacted immediately and clung to her child, as she was pulled into the air, and all it took for the giraffe to let go was a stern "hey". The giraffe then dropped the tot back into the car uninjured, and throughout the entire ordeal Paisley was the bravest of them all. "I guess it startled the giraffe. She wasn't even scared," Jason recalled. "As soon as her mom caught her, she went 'oh.'" "It scared me but after it was all over, we realised everyone was safe and unharmed, and we laughed about it," Jason added. After the incident, the family took Paisley to the gift shop and "all she wanted was a giraffe toy and a giraffe T-shirt." "We ended up getting her both, we figured she deserved it." Images: Facebook

Travel Trouble

“Entitled as”: Tesla driver mocked for creative parking

A Tesla driver's parking skills has sparked an online debate after pictures of the vehicle parked across two parking spots was posted on Facebook. The black Tesla Model Y was parked at the Orion Springfield shopping centre in Queensland, and most online commenters condemned the driver's actions. “Of course, it’s a Tesla owner. Entitled as mentality,” one wrote. “They should find somewhere else to charge it or go home," another commented. However, some commenters pointed out that the charging station could be the problem, and with an increase in drivers choosing electric vehicles, it sparked a few questions on the accessibility of the charging stations across the country. “Maybe that was the only way to reach the plug? EV owners should be allowed to fuel up just as we do," one commenter wrote. “The one at fault … is the silver car parked in the charging spot not on charge, so I guess they [the Tesla owner] had to park like that to charge up," another said. In another incident last April, another Tesla driver was criticised for parking their Model 3 – with an attached trailer – over the kerb next to the charging bay. However, the photo also highlighted the accessibility issues as current charging stations for EV's do not accomodate to oversized vehicles, so drivers may have to come up with other ways to charge. A spokesperson for Standards Australia said that a charger reform is currently being discussed by all relevant regulators. "There's a lot of work going on right now as our vehicle fleet becomes more electric. This includes consideration of charging infrastructure, its placement, and matters of safety and amenity," the spokesperson told Drive. "Standards Australia is working with governments, industry and the community to identify what standards are needed for charging infrastructure and how they can be embedded in our communities." Image: Drive/ Facebook

Legal

Quiet beach town offering $450k job with free house and car

A picturesque beach town in Western Australia has found a creative way to bring jobs to the area: by offering a range of enticing bonuses. The town of Bremer Bay, south-east of Perth, is desperate for healthcare providers to join the small town and have offered a range of persuasive perks to a doctor who would be willing to leave a big city for the job in the regional location. Bremer Bay is next to the Fitzgerald River National Park and nearly 40 minutes away from the closest town. Currently, they only have one temporary doctor; the next permanent GP is in Albany, almost 200 kilometres away, and the town is looking for the "Swiss army knife of doctors" to step up. According to the job listing on Seek, the successful applicant will be granted a rent-free five-bedroom house and a four-wheel drive, on top of a salary of up to $450,000 a year. "Live rent-free in a scenic location, experiencing the true essence of rural Australia," the advertisement reads. "We offer a competitive 70 per cent of Billings or a generous Salary, based on your preference. In addition, you'll enjoy the convenience of a beautiful new 5-bedroom home and 4X4." Applicants must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and be willing to train as a rural generalist. According to the <a title="Australian Institute of Health and Welfare" href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/rural-and-remote-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare</a>, people living in rural and remote areas have higher rates of hospitalisations, deaths and injury compared to city-dwellers, while also having poorer access to primary health care services. Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

'Boomer' cyclist allegedly caught keying cars

A baby boomer on a bicycle has allegedly been caught red-handed by CCTV footage, which reportedly shows the man keying a series of cars. Residents of the affluent Brisbane suburb of Woolloongabba have been terrorised by the anonymous car-keyer since September of last year. Mick Brown, who lives in the area, checked local CCTV cameras after his car had been keyed on September 29th, to try to identify the culprit. The footage showed what Mr Brown described as a “regular, well-dressed elderly man” cycling down Hubert Street. The man then turned around and cycled past 30 seconds later with one arm extended toward the parked cars with something attached to a red lanyard in his hand. Mr Brown told the <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CMWEB_WRE170_a_NEW&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.couriermail.com.au%2Fnews%2Fqueensland%2Fwoolloongabba-resident-claims-cars-repeatedly-targeted-by-man-on-bike-with-keys-over-period-of-months%2Fnews-story%2Fd6ca80fcd103ff0eaae3bc02e33e8fb4&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=LOW-Segment-1-SCORE&nk=5bc945873ffec79da7263488711d2aab-1715304777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courier Mail</a>, “This act cost myself and the owner of the other two vehicles in excess of $10,000 in repairs.” “After repairs were completed on all three vehicles this same person has struck again on Saturday, December 30 (2023),” he said. After being struck by the cyclist three times and paying over $10,000 to fix the cars, Mr Brown said his car was targeted again on May 5th. "These attacks are happening in broad daylight,” he said. “While these appear to be targeted attacks neither myself nor the other victim know or recognise this person." “It is becoming quite distressing and this individual needs to be stopped.” The cyclist has yet to be identified, and no charges have been laid. Image credits: Courier Mail

Legal

Dodgy tactic to keep driver's licence growing "out of control"

A criminal lawyer has exposed an alarming trend, which has caused more and more people to seek legal advice. Over the past year, there has been an increase in the number of drivers off-loading their demerit points to strangers in exchange for cash, as Aussies desperately try to keep their licences. The illegal tactic is often advertised on social media, where users attract those looking for someone to falsely nominate and palm off their demerit points to. The price of one demerit point can go for $30-$150, and criminal lawyer Jahan Kalantar revealed that more people are seeking legal advice after getting involved in the trend. "This used to be a very tiny part of my practice, I do about eight to nine consultations a week on this," he told 7News Sunrise. "This is becoming really out of control." <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/dodgy-drivers-licence-tactic-used-by-millions-growing-out-of-control-044254123.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Australia </a>shared a screenshot of a chat obtained from Facebook, which showed a person responding to an ad someone put up about selling their demerit points. "What fine is it?" the person advertising asked. "Speeding," the person replied. "Yeah I can sort it out for you," they said. When asked how it would work the advertiser replied: "If it's under 5 points it's $80 a point". There are tough penalties for those who choose to falsely nominate another driver, and for those who trade their demerit points for cash. In Victoria, offenders face fines of $9,000, while those in NSW and Queensland cop a maximum penalty of $11,000. In addition to hefty fines, imprisonment is also a risk, with one high-profile incident in 2006 landing former federal court judge Marcus Einfeld in prison after he was caught falsely declaring another driver for his speeding fine. Images: 7NEWS/ Facebook

Legal

Charges dropped for Hunter Valley bus driver

The driver responsible for the Hunter Valley bus crash that claimed the lives of 10 people has had major charges dropped as he faced court. Brett Andrew Button, 59, faced Newcastle Local Court on Tuesday, as all 10 manslaughter charges were dropped as part of a deal struck with prosecutors. As part of the deal, Button pled guilty to a string of other charges, including 10 counts of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of furious driving causing bodily harm. Another 25 charges of causing bodily harm by misconduct were also withdrawn. He was not yet required to enter pleas to back-up charges including negligent driving causing death. Since his first arrest, Button had been on bail after initially being granted release due to mental health and wellbeing concerns should he be kept in custody. However, he has now been remanded into custody on remand to await sentencing. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) declined to comment on the reason for the manslaughter charges being withdrawn. Mr Button was arrested after allegedly losing control of a bus that was transporting 35 wedding guests to a reception in the NSW Hunter Valley. The bus rolled over at a roundabout near Greta, killing 10 people and injuring 25 others. Mother and daughter Nadene and Kyah McBride, Kyah’s boyfriend Kane Symons, husband and wife Andrew and Lynan Scott, Zach Bray, Angus Craig, Darcy Bulman, Tori Cowburn and Rebecca Mullen all died in the impact. Button has previously apologised for the incident, telling reporters outside court in March he was “devastated by what has occurred” and that he was “truly and deeply sorry”. Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

Woman fined after paid car park gets set up around her parked vehicle

Josephine Williams had been leaving her car in a gravel clearing at Westgate in Auckland, alongside other commuters to catch the bus into the city for months. The New Zealand woman was left with a "nasty surprise" when she returned from work on Monday to find a NZ $85 ($77) fine sitting on her windshield. "To my unfortunate surprise - and many others - I was greeted by an $85 parking ticket for a breach and a flyer from Wilson Parking saying paid parking had started that day," Williams told Stuff. "But what breach exactly was made? How was I supposed to know paid parking started that day when there was nothing at all displayed anywhere in the car park?" Williams claimed that the Wilson Parking car park had been set up around her already parked car, even providing dash cam footage that showed her pulling into the gravel clearing at 7.45am, with no paid parking signs or Wilson branding in sight. By 6pm, a large red and white Wilson sign had been put up at the entrance, with "12 hours for $4" written on it. "Wilson deliberately put their sign up sometime after 9am and then took it upon themselves to fine every single car that was already parked there from the morning," Williams said. "$85 is a lot of money - it would have been two weeks' worth of grocery shopping for me," she added. "I'm lucky that I know the law and my rights, but some other people might not. What about students or the elderly or people who don't know English well?" She estimated that there was usually around 50 and 100 cars in the gravel clearing. Wilson argued that the carpark was always there and they had just added more signage, but have since waived Williams' fine after she lodged a request to have it reviewed by Parking Enforcement Services. Wilson Parking also said that they had started to set up the car park and installed a "clear signage" on April 22. "It was not set up around parked cars on 29 April as suggested," a Wilson spokesperson said. "Several payments were made by customers via the Parkmate app from 22 April proving that signage on the site was clear and effective," they said. They added that on April 29 more signs were added to all entry points of the car park. "In acknowledgment of the increased signage added on the 29th at the entry we've made the decision to refund all payments made until 30 April and waive any breach notices issued up to this date." They also denied issuing any breach notices before the signs were put up. "Payment options were available and signed from 22 April - but no infringement notices were issued prior to the 29th." Images: Stuff

Legal

Advocates slam "ageist" call for older drivers to undergo mandatory testing

A fresh push to make older drivers undergo mandatory health checks every year has been labelled ageist by advocates. General Practitioners have reignited the debate to introduce annual assessments for drivers in Victoria aged 75 and over, to bring the state in line with standards in other states including NSW, Queensland, WA and the Australian Capital Territory. “This is not about discriminating against older people, but a recognition that the skills that are required to drive safely can be lost as we get older,” the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Victoria chair Dr Anita Muñoz told The Age. "We do feel that having an annual assessment done for elderly drivers is a good thing," the college's Victoria co-deputy chair Dr Bindiya Sethi added. Victoria Police data obtained by The Age also showed that 145 people have died and 7080 have been injured in road incidents caused by people aged over 65. 20 per cent of licence holders in Victoria are over 65, which has gone up from 16 per cent a decade ago. In the last financial year, there were 247 deaths and 16,265 injuries caused by crashes on Victorian roads, with drivers aged 65 and over responsible for around 10 per cent of these incidences. However, Chris Potaris, chief executive of the Council on the Ageing Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria, has called the move "ageist". “We continue to support Victoria’s approach, which emphasises a driver’s behaviour and medical fitness to operate a motor vehicle,” he told the publication. “Driving should be based on ability, not on age.” Seniors Rights Victoria policy and advocacy manager Ben Rogers has also slammed the move. "We find it ageist and arbitrary ... It's targeting people that don't need to be targeted," Rogers said. MP Steve Dimopolous added that there was no evidence that an aged-based assessment model was any better than the existing rules. VicRoads also claimed that there is a lot of misinformation about older drivers, who are "usually more cautious, more experienced and more responsible" than younger drivers. "They are more likely to obey the law and are less likely to drink drive or speed," VicRoads said. However, a few others believe that mandatory assessments are a good move. "I think it's fair enough. Over a certain age, maybe 70 or so," local man Pat said. "I think the younger drivers are worse than the older drivers," another added. Image: Getty

Legal

Young boy killed in car crash just days after losing mum to cancer

A young boy killed in a car crash in rural Victoria has been identified as seven-year-old Harley Galea-Smith, who had just lost his mother to breast cancer prior to the accident. Harley was a passenger in the car when it crashed with a truck on Trafalgar-Willow Grove Rd in Trafalgar, just before 5:20 pm on Sunday. Despite paramedics best efforts, they couldn't save the young boy and the adult driver of the car, who both died at the scene. Two dogs in the vehicle also passed away, while the driver of the truck was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Harley’s mother Amy Galea, 39, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer earlier this year, and passed away just four weeks later. A friend has created a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/amy-and-harley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> for "Amy and her beautiful boy Harley” to help cover their funeral costs. “This has devastated Amy’s family and left them helpless,” they said. Victoria Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash. Image: GoFundMe

Caring

Escaped race horse shocks commuters at suburban train station

An escaped race horse has been spotted at a suburban Sydney train station, bamboozling confused commuters. CCTV footage captured the moment a retired racehorse wandered into Warwick Farm train station around midnight on Friday, as confused commuters hid from the animal. Sydney Trains CEO Matt Longland said they were alerted to the unexpected passenger, and notified train drivers to keep a look out for a passenger that was "horsing around". “Thankfully we were able to warn our train drivers to take extra care to look out for animals on the tracks” Longland said. “A train stopped at the station, (but) didn’t open its doors.” <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5mXYfHSINA/?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/C5mXYfHSINA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 7NEWS Australia (@7newsaustralia)</a> </div> </blockquote> After pacing the platform for almost 30 minutes, the horse was reunited with its owner, top Australian horse racing trainer Annabel Neasham. “Unfortunately, we had an intruder break-in to one of our stables,” Neasham said. “In the meantime, he managed to let our stable pony out.” “(Our) horse is back at home, none the wiser, not even a scratch on him.” Stable hand Keith Morrison said it was “highly unusual” that the horse ended up on the platform and left him with unanswered questions. “I still want to know how it got up the stairs and onto the platform — it didn’t use the lift!” Langland said Sydney Trains were giving the horse, now affectionately nicknamed “Mr Red” by train staff, a “stern warning” for “failing to tap-on at the station”. "It's not every day you see a horse on the platform, but that's what we saw at Warwick Farm," NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said. She said the horse was a well-behaved passenger, adding, "It kept its hooves behind the yellow line, which is a good thing." Image credits: 7News

Family & Pets

Police share wild seatbelt pic after fining driver for bizarre DIY fix

A driver has copped a $387 fine over their bizarre seatbelt fix during a random stationary test at Richmond in Sydney's northwest. A photo shared by NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol showed the shocking state of the driver's seatbelt, which was tattered and held together by duct tape. The police department have warned other drivers to make sure their seatbelts are in good condition, otherwise they too might cop a fine and demerit points. "Seatbelts help to save lives, except for this one...." they wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. "Hawkesbury Highway Patrol were recently conducting random stationary testing on Londonderry Road at Richmond when they spoke with a driver about his seatbelt. "Not only was the seatbelt not being worn, an inspection of the seatbelt found it to be dangerously defective," they added. "He was issued a defect notice and infringement in the amount of $387 and three demerit points. Please ensure your seatbelts don't look like this." <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/SeatbeltNSWPolice.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Many commenters were baffled as to how the vehicle passed the eSafety check, also known as a pink slip inspection, which is required for vehicles over five years old in NSW to be deemed roadworthy. "And who passed the Pink Slip? That’s where I’d be heading," one wrote. "I wonder who did the rego check on this vehicle," another added. "How does it even get to that stage," a third questioned, while others agreed that the seatbelt was no longer safe. Images: Getty / Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, NSW Police Force

Legal

"Find that car": Mother of fallen young lawyer speaks out

Mitch East, a vibrant 28-year-old lawyer from New Zealand, lost his life on Sunday in an alleged hit-and-run accident that has sparked a desperate plea from his grieving mother and a heartfelt outcry from those who knew him. Debra East, now in Sydney to grapple with the unimaginable loss of her only child, stood on the roadside where Mitch's life was abruptly taken away. In an emotional <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/find-that-car-mother-of-lawyer-mitch-east-killed-in-sydney-hit-and-run-shares-desperate-plea-as-tributes-flow-c-14013341" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview with 7NEWS</a>, she expressed her shattered state, saying, "I'm broken. He was my only child... I died too, on Sunday, with him." The pain of a mother losing her child in such a sudden and senseless manner is unfathomable, and her plea to find the perpetrator echoes through the community. Mitch's untimely demise occurred as he stepped out of an Uber onto Fletcher St, just metres away from his home, in the early hours of the morning. It is believed that he was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-investigate-after-young-lawyer-killed-in-cowardly-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struck by a car</a>, leaving him with critical injuries that tragically proved fatal. Despite the efforts of emergency responders, Mitch passed away at the scene. The circumstances surrounding Mitch's death point to a hit-and-run incident, with CCTV footage capturing <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-investigate-after-young-lawyer-killed-in-cowardly-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a white Subaru</a> driving on the street shortly after the accident. Debra East, grappling with grief and disbelief, voiced her anguish, questioning how the driver could have failed to see her son and pleading for assistance in locating the vehicle. “I got up early hours of the morning today and stood on the side of the road to try to understand how they couldn’t have seen him as they were driving up," she said. “I just need you to help the police find that car. Not that it will bring him back to me.” NSW Police Inspector Josh Hogan condemned the act as cowardly, urging the driver to come forward and take responsibility for their actions. Anyone with information about the death is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Images: GoFundMe | NSW Police

Family & Pets

Hunter Valley bus driver breaks silence

Brett Andrew Button, 59, who allegedly caused a fatal bus crash that <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/hunter-valley-bus-driver-hit-with-new-charges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed 10 people</a> and injured 25 others has broken his silence over the incident for the first time. Button appeared before Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday as he faces almost 90 charges associated with the horror crash. In a statement read by his lawyer, Chris O’Brien, Button said that there was “not a day that goes by that I don’t think about what happened that night”. “There isn’t an hour that goes by that I’m not thinking of the families that have been affected by the crash. “I truly feel for anyone involved, including the emergency services. “I am devastated by what has occurred and I am truly deeply sorry.” Button was the bus driver in charge of driving wedding guests to a Hunter Valley venue when the vehicle allegedly lost control and crashed. Husband and wife Andrew and Lynan Scott were killed in the crash and farewelled in ceremonies weeks later. Nadene and Kyah McBride who were among the ten wedding guests killed in the crash, were also <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/a-moving-time-hunter-valley-bus-crash-victims-honoured-at-aflw-grand-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">honoured with a tribute</a> at the AFLW grand final in December. Zach Bray, Angus Craig, Darcy Bulman, Tori Cowburn and Rebecca Mullen were the other victims of the horror crash. Button faces 89 charges including nine counts of negligent driving occasioning death and 16 counts of driving a motor vehicle furiously doing or causing harm. He has not entered any pleas. Image: Getty

Legal

Police seize suspect's car in Samantha Murphy investigation

Detectives looking into Samantha Murphy's alleged murder have seized a car as part of their investigation. Police have reportedly been watching accused killer Patrick Stephenson for two weeks prior to his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/new-details-emerge-in-samantha-murphy-murder-charge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrest</a> on Wednesday, according to 7NEWS. They also reportedly seized Stephenson's 4WD as part of a probe into whether or not the Ballarat mum was hit by his car. Speaking to The Herald Sun, one neighbour recalled the moment police swarmed a Scotsburn home that Stephenson and his partner were reportedly house-sitting at on Wednesday morning. “There were all sorts of cars, they all looked like unmarked police,” the neighbour said. “It was about 6.30am when I went past… I put two and two together and I said to my wife: ‘I reckon something’s going on, I reckon they were police’. “And sure enough, later that day (the news of an arrest) was released.” Despite his arrest and murder charge, the 22-year-old, who is <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/everything-we-know-about-samantha-murphy-s-accused-killer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the son of retired AFL player Orren Stephenson</a>, is not cooperating with police as they continue to search for Murphy's body. Murphy's family have shared a desperate plea as they continue to search for answers. “We are hoping he has a bit of a change of heart and that he will co-operate. That will help bring her home,” Murphy's husband, Mick, said on Friday. “We’d just like some more answers now.” Stephenson is due to face a committal mention on August 8. Images: 7News/ Facebook

Legal

Driver fined over "six-second stop"

A driver has been fined $387 for making "six-second stop" at what he thought was a 15-minute parking zone, and now he is fuming as he believes he is a victim of a cash grab. Sydney resident Michael was dropping off his partner in a quiet street on Darling Harbour and was shocked to receive a hefty fine and two demerit points for his quick drop-off. Revenue NSW reportedly told him that he had stopped within 10 metres after a crossing, which was a "serious" safety risk. Michael said that he was unaware he needed to pull in and believed he was allowed to stop where he did, as he was adjacent to the parking bay. "It's a flawed set up with the crossing being so close to the 15-minute parking," Michael told Yahoo News Australia. "If I was a metre over in the vacant bay I would have avoided the fine. But the signage is just not clear.. and that bay itself is within 10 metres of the crossing, so how does that work?" The photos supplied by Revenue NSW, all time-stamped 8:23am, showed Michael's vehicle in different positions of the Zollner Circuit, which he has argued is not sufficient evidence to prove that he stopped. The photos also showed no visible pedestrians, other than Michael's partner who had just gotten out of the car, and Michael argued that he was allowed to stop since there was the 15-minute parking sign. While Darling Harbour is located in the City of Sydney LGA, the area is managed by government-run Place Management NSW. "It is an offence to stop on or near a pedestrian crossing," a spokesperson stressed. Michael questioned why there was no leniency, with such a large fine particularly amid a cost-of-living crisis, but it is reportedly because those who clearly breach road laws would not be granted any. "There's no one around and I was there for six seconds... it just feels like someone was having a bad day and waiting to make a name for themselves," Michael argued. Images: Yahoo News Australia.

Legal

"Cruel" shopper slammed for leaving dog in hot car

A woman has been slammed on social media for allegedly leaving her dog in an unattended car for 40 minutes on a hot day. The incident occurred at Warringah Mall in Sydney's north on Monday, when temperatures reached up to 28 degrees. Claire, claimed the dog-owner pulled up next to her in an undercover car park, and then watched the woman leave her pet locked in an unattended car while she shopped. "Myself and my mother waited till she got back," she told Yahoo News Australia. "It was around 3.15pm and she didn’t come back till just before 4pm". During that time, Claire said she called security, who attempted to contact the owner via a mobile number on the dog's harness. She also tried calling the RSPCA and police but claimed that not much could be done. When the owner finally returned, Claire questioned her about leaving the "panting and drooling" animal unattended, but the woman reportedly just "laughed and scoffed" before "driving away as quick as possible". Claire shared photos of the pup on Facebook and criticised the owner, for her "absolute irresponsibility and disgusting behaviour", calling her an "absolute d**khead". "People like you should not own animals," she wrote. While many agreed that the woman's actions were "absolutely awful," a few others argued the act was fine as the car was undercover and "the dog doesn't look hot and distressed at all." Another person who claimed to know the owner, said that the woman's car "has an aircon function which allows the air-conditioning to run when the engine is not running" and the pet is generally "very spoiled and happy". A few others disagreed, and said that the act was "cruel" and "simply disgusting" regardless. "Undercover or not you don't lock a baby in a car, you don't lock an animal in a car ... no excuse," one wrote. An RSPCA spokesperson has also spoken out and said that leaving a dog inside a car unattended is "always dangerous" no matter the location or the temperature outside. They said that even on mild days, temperatures in a car can "rapidly heat up" and can reach "double" the outside temperature. "When it’s 22 degrees Celsius outside, the inside of a car can reach a stifling 47 degrees and this is no environment for a dog," the spokesperson said. Image: Facebook

Family & Pets

"It's just not fair": Driver slams council for misleading parking fine

A furious motorist has taken aim at a Sydney council's parking solution that resulted in an "outrageous" and "unjustified" fine. Ben drives to the Campbelltown train station in South West Sydney every day for his workday commute, and has recently been forced to find alternative parking plans due to a major disruption. A multi-deck carpark is being built near the station to accommodate the influx of traffic, but while the site is under construction, a makeshift parking lot has been set up. While the new car park will add 500 parking bays when completed, residents have claimed the council has drastically reduced the number of spaces in the meantime. Ben told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-parking-rules-drivers-outrage-over-tiny-detail-in-parking-fine/4cfe4d45-c311-4587-b68a-fc1d017675fc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9news.com.au</a> parking had become "a nightmare" since the temporary lot opened, leaving many motorists with no option but to park along the fence line. It's this act that saw Ben receive a $129 parking fine in the mail. He was outraged when he was issued a fine on February 9th for "not stand vehicle in a marked parking space" when he had no other parking option. "They've advertised that the temporary car park is the same amount of spaces lost during the construction, which is severely incorrect," he said. "I can only assume they are fining loads of drivers as that space along the fence line is always full of cars parked the same as mine was." Along with the fine itself, ticket inspectors supplied Ben a photo of a wordy and confusing sign located near the entrance to the lot, which only added to his frustration with the local council. He said while there were no marked bays along the fence line, signage was not clear enough to indicate to drivers they weren't allowed to park there. "I mean it's just not fair. It's a temporary gravel parking lot," he said. "They've created this mess and now they are targeting innocent commuters fighting to just leave their car somewhere to catch public transport into work." A spokesperson for Campbelltown City Council told Nine News they understood the construction of the new car park would "create some disruption". "A temporary 113-space parking lot has been opened adjacent to the existing parking lot in order to offset some of the parking loss," they said. The council was "actively monitoring and reviewing the current parking and signage arrangements as well as community feedback, to identify any further improvements that could be made and inform any additional community notification required". "While this review takes place, vehicles will only be fined where a safety risk to both other vehicles and/or pedestrians is identified," the spokesperson said. Image credits: Nine News

Legal

Why Mr Bean is being blamed for decreasing electric vehicle sales

Rowan Atkinson has been blamed for a decrease in electric car sales, with a "damaging" article being debunked in the House of Lords. The actor and comedian, who is also a well-known car enthusiast, wrote an article for The Guardian, claiming he felt "duped" by electric vehicles, saying they aren't as eco-friendly as they are often portrayed. Atkinson says the problem with the vehicles' sustainable marketing focuses on just one part of the car’s operating life: what comes out of the exhaust pipes and ignores other elements such as the manufacturing and the mining of rare earth minerals, shipping and building of the batteries. These claims, and the article itself, have been addressed by the UK's House of Lords, with politicians blaming the story for a decrease in electric vehicle sales. UK think tank the Green Alliance says, “One of the most damaging articles was a comment piece written by Rowan Atkinson in The Guardian which has been roundly debunked.” Other deterrents identified by the committee were the high purchase price and insufficient charging infrastructure. Social media users were quick to take Atkinson's side in the debate, with one person writing on X, “If Rowan Atkinson is responsible, then give him a knighthood.” Another user says, “Rowan Atkinson with a degree and masters in Engineering. Knows more than those pushing electric cars.” "Apparently it's Mr Bean's fault for the poor take up of electric cars. Cancel him," another said. For the last 12 months, high power costs in the UK have meant that fast charging your electric car can be more expensive than refuelling a petrol or diesel vehicle. The UK is planning to ban sales of petrol and diesel vehicles from 2035, despite the slip in sales. Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

Hunter Valley bus driver hit with new charges

The bus driver involved in the fatal crash that killed 10 people on the way to a wedding reception has been hit with new charges over the tragedy. In June 2023, Brett Andrew Button was driving the bus to a Hunter Valley venue when the vehicle allegedly lost control and crashed, killing 10 people onboard. The 59-year-old was initially charged last year, with his charges including 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death - driving in a dangerous manner and negligent driving occasioning death. On Tuesday morning, he was hit with 26 new offences, including 10 charges of manslaughter for each of the victims who died in the accident. The charges represent a significant upgrade in terms of legal severity, with Button facing a maximum of 25 years in prison for each manslaughter charge. He is also facing 16 counts of furious driving causing bodily harm, which relate to the manner in which Button was allegedly driving in the moments leading to the crash. Mr Button will now be facing a total of 89 charges over the incident when he returns to court on Wednesday, and is currently out on bail. In August last year, the court was told that it was clear Mr Button was “suffering” amid concerns about his mental health and wellbeing in custody. Mr Button has yet to enter pleas for the existing charges. The bus driver was taking wedding guests towards Singleton for the wedding reception of Mitchell Gaffney and Maddy Edsell, when he allegedly told bus passengers to “fasten your seatbelts” moments before losing control of the vehicle. Local husband and wife Andrew and Lynan Scott, Zachary Bray, Angus Craig, Darcy Bulman, Tori Cowburn, Rebecca Mullen, Kane Symons, and mother-and daughter Naden and Kyah McBride were all killed in the crash. Image credits: Getty Images

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