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8 signs you should be booking a group tour

Not sure if you should take a tour or go it alone? These are the times you’re going to want that expert on hand. 1. When you’re on a really tight schedule A tour will help you squeeze in as much as possible in a very short time. It will plan out a sensible itinerary with no backtracking or wasted journeys and will give you a realistic idea of how much you can fit in for a day. Plus you won’t have to puzzle out public transport for yourself. 2. When you’re feeling nervous Arriving in a new place can be scary sometimes, so having someone to walk you through it will make all the difference. If a city has a reputation for being unsafe or if it’s just your first time in a foreign country, a tour will give you a great worry-free introduction. 3. When there’s a big language barrier We’re lucky in that much of the world speaks English, so we can usually muddle our way around. But in some countries you’ll find there’s a significant language barrier, so having a native speaker is going to make all the difference. 4. When you want to meet some locals This might sound counterintuitive, but an organised tour can be one of the best ways to meet some locals. First of all, your guide is likely to be local and can introduce you to their hometown. Secondly, it’s daunting to walk into a crowded bar or cool café when you don’t know anyone. A guide can smooth the way and ensure you don’t get stuck in tourist traps. 5. When it’s really busy If you don’t fancy joining the huge line outside a popular museum or waiting hours for tickets, a tour could be the way to go. They can often organise private or after hours visits, get special passes to cut the line or take you to areas that are off limits to the general public. 6. When it’s the law Want to visit North Korea? You’re going to need to join a tour. Some governments have restrictions in place that mean foreign tourists can only visit when accompanied by a registered tour guide and independent travel is simply not an option. 7. When you’re doing something really adventurous Trekking, white water rafting, canyoning or safaris – for safety reasons you’re going to need to join a tour. These kinds of activities can be dangerous, so you don’t want to be risking them on your own. A tour or private guide will show you the best way to get your heart pumping. 8. When you’re going right off the grid Places like Antarctica, the Arctic, remote corners of Africa or tricky countries like Russia are best done on a tour. Often the logistics of simply getting there are impossible for the independent traveller or you will need help navigating the complex visa process. In these instances, it’s a relief to put yourself in someone else’s hands and just concentrate on having fun. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

12 expert ways to manage stress at airports

Betsy Goldberg writes for <a href="http://blog.virtuoso.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virtuoso Luxury Traveller</a>, the blog of a <a href="http://www.virtuoso.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global luxury travel network</a>, and she enjoys nothing more than taking a holiday. Airports should be happy places. They’re the beginning of a journey, either to a new place, a vacation, business meetings, time with family and friends, or back home. If you’ve spent even a brief amount of time inside an airport, though, you know that’s not the case. They can be stressful places with people running to and fro trying to make flights. All while dealing with their day-to-day life via their phone. No surprise that a psychologist has even developed an air travel stress scale. Air travel stress gets to virtually all of us. But it doesn’t have to. How can you reduce the drama? 1. Put things in context A lot of reducing air travel stress comes simply from having a good mindset. The most important thing is to start with the right attitude, says Rishi Piparaiya, author of Aisle Be Damned: “We’re talking about an extremely complicated industry, where millions of people fly in the skies in metal tubes at the speed of sound. Sure, something may go wrong, but our ancestors would spend a lifetime to make the journey we make in half a day.” Here’s another take from Brent Bowen, dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He noted that in 2013 the overall performance of U.S. airlines hit its highest point in 24 years. “The number of customer complaints has gone down,” he says. “Mishandled baggage has gone down and on-time performance has improved. So technically, based solely on the data, (the flight experience) has improved over the last 25 years substantially.” 2. When to fly Leisure travellers tend to fly on weekends. Business travellers are crowding airports Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Therefore, book your flights for the quieter days of Tuesday and Wednesday when you can. Book an early-morning flight if possible to avoid more air travel stress. Airlines are less likely to have delays first thing in the day. 3. Use a packing list This prevents “Oh no!” moments at the airport. If you’re not even at security yet and you already think you’re missing something and don’t have the time to go get it, the rest of the airport experience probably won’t be great. Avoid that kind of air travel stress before you get to the airport by starting with a packing list. Also, learn how to effectively pack a bag. 4. Check in promptly Airlines let you check in online 24 hours before your flight. Do that to avoid lineups at the airport. Another bonus: it may help prevent you from being bumped off an oversold flight. 5. Carry on what you can The advantages: less to potentially lose in your checked luggage. No baggage fees. And a faster exit from the airport when you arrive. Always carry on essentials like keys, medications, valuables and anything critical for business meetings. You don’t want to arrive in the Caribbean and be waiting days for everything you need to actually enjoy the Caribbean. So remember that air travel is actually much more effective than almost any human mode of transport in history. And in the past few decades, the experience has technically only improved. Take a deep breath when that air travel stress hits you. 6. The early bird approach People fall into very distinct camps on this. Earlier tends to be better (especially around peak travel times like holidays). If you know security lines might be longer, why gamble and add more air travel stress? 7. The full charge Phone batteries are getting better as technology continues to develop. And more airports are offering outlets and charging stations. But always get to the airport on a full charge. If you encounter a hiccup, you’ll need your device as a resource. 8. What to wear Layers will help you navigate varying temperatures inside the airport and on the plane. Wear comfortable clothes you can move in, in case of a last-minute dash to a connecting flight. Wrinkle-free clothing is great, both for the journey to your destination as well as your trip itself. As far as footwear goes, wear something easy to slide on/off to get through security faster. In larger airports, you’re likely in for a big walk to and from your gate, so comfort is a must as well. 9. Entertainment Unless you’ve booked an entire row on the plane, your seatmates are a random act of chance. They could be great – and not bother you. Or they could be challenging in many ways. So load up on distractions. Those include magazines, books, e-books, movies, TV shows and work you need to complete. They’ll also help in case of delays while you’re still in the terminal. 10. Your fellow passengers Airports are amazing places for people-watching. If you stop at an airport bar or restaurant, you can usually strike up a conversation easily. You might be sitting next to someone from halfway around the world. You don’t get that chance every day, so take advantage of it. Want a conversation starter? Talk about the fastest way to board passengers. You’ll make some new friends and relieve your mutual air travel stress. 11. Airport lounges Another place to meet new people: an airport lounge. You’ll await your flight in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. And you’ll enjoy peace and quiet, comfortable seating, food, drinks and reading materials. First-class and business-class travellers and elite frequent flyers have access to their airline’s lounge. Also, certain credit card holders enjoy complimentary access. For everyone else, there’s a day pass. A pass at an independent lounge will run you about $30 to $50. 12. Advisors as air travel stress relief There are dozens of reasons why working with a professional travel advisor is a good idea. See here for real-life stories from actual travellers. One of those: an advisor can reduce air travel stress. Your advisor will work with you on itineraries, the best flight times, and any adjustments. If something crops up at the airport, you have a trusted resource one call away. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

Squats and lunges might help you avoid knee surgery

Whether it’s another round of squats and lunges, or a longer wall sit, researchers say working those quads could help lower your risk of a knee replacement. <div> In Australia, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/musculoskeletal-conditions/contents/arthritis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about 9% of the population</a> has osteoarthritis, a condition known to lead to hip and knee surgery in severe cases. About 14 million Americans suffer from knee osteoarthritis, about half are expected to face knee replacement surgery. But new research offers hope, finding stronger quadricep muscles could play a role in avoiding knee replacement surgery. A study presented to <a href="https://press.rsna.org/timssnet/media/rsna/newsroom2023.cfm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annual meeting</a> of the Radiological Society of North America, offers hope to people with arthritis, finding stronger quadriceps could help in avoiding a knee replacement. The two most important muscles in the knee are the extensors or quadriceps, and the hamstrings. Quads are the strong muscles located at the front of the thigh, which play a key role in gait. Hammies at the back of the thigh, are essential for hip and knee flexibility. The two muscles act as opposing forces, allowing physical activity while also protecting the knee. An imbalance can change the body’s biomechanics, and may progress to osteoarthritis. Using MRI scans – from the time of surgery as well as 2 and 4 years prior – researchers analysed thigh muscle volume in 134 participants from a national study called the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Using artificial intelligence to compute muscle volume from the MRI scans, the researchers compared 67 of the cohort who had a total, single knee replacement with 67 control participants who had not undergone knee replacement surgery. They found patients who had a higher ratio of quadricep to hamstring volume had significantly lower odds of a total knee replacement. Higher volume hamstrings were also associated with lower odds of surgery. The results suggest strength training – focusing on the quadriceps – may be beneficial, both in people with arthritis as well as the general population.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=289325&title=Squats+and+lunges+might+help+you+avoid+knee+surgery" width="1" height="1" loading="lazy" aria-label="Syndication Tracker" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" />Image credits: Getty Images</div> <div> </div> <div><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/squats-and-lunges-might-help-you-avoid-knee-surgery/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock/">Petra Stock</a>. </div>

Body

Trying to spend less on food? Following the dietary guidelines might save you $160 a fortnight

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-burch-438717">Emily Burch</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> A rise in the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook47p/CostOfLiving#:%7E:text=Consumer%20Price%20Index%20over%20time,but%205.1%25%20in%20the%20second">cost of living</a> has led many households to look for ways to save money. New research suggests maintaining a healthy diet, in line with the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/guidelines">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a>, is cheaper than an unhealthy diet and <a href="https://southwesthealthcare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/SWH-HP-Healthy-Diets-ASAP-Protocol-Warrnambool-Report-2023.pdf">could save A$160</a> off a family of four’s fortnightly shopping bill. Poor diet is the most common preventable risk factor contributing to chronic disease in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30752-2/fulltext">Australia</a>. So improving your diet can also be an important way to reduce the chance of developing chronic disease. <h2>First, what are the dietary guidelines?</h2> The guidelines provide information on the quantity and types of foods most Australians should consume to promote overall health and wellbeing. Recommendations include eating a wide variety of nutritious foods from the main five food groups: <ul> <li>vegetables and legumes</li> <li>fruit</li> <li>grains</li> <li>lean meats and meat alternatives such as tofu, nuts and legumes</li> <li>dairy products.</li> </ul> The guidelines recommend limiting our intake of foods high in saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol. <h2>What are Australians eating?</h2> Fewer than <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/dietary-behaviour/latest-release">7%</a> of Australians eat sufficient vegetables, in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. In fact, Australians have an average healthy diet score of <a href="https://www.csiro.au/-/media/News-releases/2023/Total-Wellbeing-Diet-Health-Score/Diet-score-2023-Report_September.pdf">55 out of 100</a> – barely passing. Foods that aren’t part of a food group are known as “discretionary” items, which includes alcohol, cakes, biscuits, chocolate and confectionery and most takeaway foods. Because they’re typically high in kilojoules, saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend they only be eaten occasionally and in small amounts (ideally zero serves). For many households, discretionary items make up a big portion of their grocery shop. Australians consume an average of <a href="https://www.csiro.au/-/media/News-releases/2023/Total-Wellbeing-Diet-Health-Score/Diet-score-2023-Report_September.pdf">28 serves</a> of discretionary choices per week (equal to 28 doughnuts, 28 slices of cake, or 28 cans of soft drink or beer). This is an increase of ten serves since 2015. One recent <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12966-022-01389-8">study</a> estimated 55% of Australians’ total energy intake was from discretionary items. <h2>What did the researchers find?</h2> Researchers from the Health Promotion Team at South West Healthcare <a href="https://southwesthealthcare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/SWH-HP-Healthy-Diets-ASAP-Protocol-Warrnambool-Report-2023.pdf">recently</a> visited four local supermarkets and takeaway stores in Warrnambool, Victoria, and purchased two baskets of groceries. One basket met the Australian Dietary Guidelines (basket one), the other aligned with the typical dietary intake of Australians (basket two). They compared prices between the two and found basket one would cost approximately $167 less per fortnight for a family of four at the most affordable supermarket. That’s equal to $4,342 a year. Basket one was sufficient to supply a family of four for a fortnight, and aligned with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. It cost $724 and included: <ol> <li>fruit and vegetables (made up 31% of the fortnightly shop)</li> <li>grains and cereals (oats, cornflakes, bread, rice, pasta, Weet-bix)</li> <li>lean meats and alternatives (mince, steak, chicken, tuna, eggs, nuts)</li> <li>milk, yoghurt and cheese</li> <li>oils and spreads (olive oil).</li> </ol> Basket two reflected the current average Australian fortnightly shop for a family of four. In the project, the team spent over half of the fortnightly shop on processed and packaged foods, of which 21% was spent on take-away. This is based on actual dietary intake of the general population reported in the 2011-2012 <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/australian-health-survey-nutrition-first-results-foods-and-nutrients/latest-release#:%7E:text=Food%20consumption,across%20the%20major%20food%20groups.">Australian Health Survey</a>. Basket two cost $891 and included: <ol> <li>fruit and vegetables (made up 13% of the fortnightly shop)</li> <li>grains and cereals (oats, cornflakes, bread, rice, pasta, Weet-bix)</li> <li>lean meats and alternatives (mince, steak, chicken, tuna, eggs, nuts)</li> <li>milk, yogurt and cheese</li> <li>oils and spreads (olive oil, butter)</li> <li>drinks (soft drink, fruit juice)</li> <li>desserts and snacks (muffins, sweet biscuits, chocolate, ice cream, potato chips, muesli bars)</li> <li>processed meats (sausages, ham)</li> <li>convenience meals</li> <li>fast food (pizza, meat pie, hamburger, fish and chips)</li> <li>alcohol (beer, wine).</li> </ol> <h2>But a healthy basket is still unaffordable for many</h2> While this piece of work, and other <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/11/2469">research</a>, suggests a healthy diet is less expensive than an unhealthy diet, affordability is still a challenge for many families. The Warrnambool research found basket one (which aligned with guidelines) was still costly, requiring approximately 25% of a median household income. This is unaffordable for many. For a household reliant on welfare, basket one would require allocating 26%-38% of their income. This highlights how the rising cost of living crisis is affecting those already facing financial difficulties. Around 3.7 <a href="https://reports.foodbank.org.au/foodbank-hunger-report-2023/">million</a> Australian households did not have access to enough food to meet their basic needs at some point in the last 12 months. Policy action is needed from the Australian government to make recommended diets more affordable for low socioeconomic groups. This means lowering the costs of healthy foods and ensuring household incomes are sufficient. <h2>What else can you do to cut your spending?</h2> To help reduce food costs and support your health, reducing discretionary foods could be a good idea. Other ways to reduce your grocery bill and keep your food healthy and fresh include: <ul> <li> planning for some meatless meals each week. Pulses (beans, lentils and legumes) are nutritious and cheap (a can is <a href="https://coles.com.au/product/coles-chick-peas-420g-8075852?uztq=46abcbb7e16253b0cdc3e6c5bbe6a3f0&cid=col_cpc_Generic%7cColesSupermarkets%7cPLA%7cCatchAll%7cAustralia%7cBroad&s_kwcid=AL!12693!3!675842378376!!!g!326304616489!&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkY2qBhBDEiwAoQXK5SceYhU2VtKepNLXWN218GH8Cp8Vs9cnYynCBwRqQPaW3UYNX2SVIBoC_6EQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">less than $1.50</a>. Here are some great pulse recipes to <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/filter/keywords--vegetarian/p2">try</a> </li> <li> checking the specials and buy in bulk (to store or freeze) when items are cheaper </li> <li> making big batches of meals and freezing them. Single-serve portions can help save time for lunches at work, saving on takeaway </li> <li> Australian supermarkets are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/2023/jul/27/cost-of-living-grocery-store-price-rises-cheapest-fresh-produce-australia-woolworths-coles#:%7E:text=The%20results%20showed%20independent%20and,best%20place%20for%20affordable%20groceries">almost never</a> the cheapest place for fresh produce, so shop around for farmers markets or smaller local grocery shops </li> <li> buying generic brands when possible, as they are <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/streamlined-datagathering-techniques-to-estimate-the-price-and-affordability-of-healthy-and-unhealthy-diets-under-different-pricing-scenarios/872EA6396533166E0C6FA94C809D9CAC#r">notably cheaper</a>. Supermarkets usually <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-that-makes-us-spend-more-in-supermarkets-and-feel-good-while-we-do-it-23857">promote</a> the items they want you to buy at eye-level, so check the shelves above and below for cheaper alternatives.<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/216749/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </li> </ul> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-burch-438717">Emily Burch</a>, Dietitian & Academic, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</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/trying-to-spend-less-on-food-following-the-dietary-guidelines-might-save-you-160-a-fortnight-216749">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

How does Australia’s health system stack up internationally? Not bad, if you’re willing to wait for it

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-duckett-10730">Stephen Duckett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> When things are going bad in the health system, we are reassured we’ve got one of the best health systems in the world. But we’re rarely told where we actually stand relative to others. A <a href="https://www.oecd.org/health/health-at-a-glance/">new report</a> from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows where Australia is doing relatively well – and not so well. The report is more than 200 pages with dozens of charts and tables. Here we highlight five charts showing Australia’s relative performance. Overall, Australia’s health system performs well, but can come after long waits. And our use of antibiotics is trending in the wrong direction. <h2>1. We spend less than average but live longer than average</h2> Despite the rhetoric about the unsustainability of the health system, Australia performs well. When mapping health expenditure against life expectancy, Australia (marked by the red dot) sits in the best performing quadrant – and has done so for the past decade. <iframe id="tc-infographic-996" class="tc-infographic" style="border: none;" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/996/32f7548791bf05b7559d74976bfa0b955319adc5/site/index.html" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> In contrast, the United States is stuck in the worst performing quadrant for the whole period – significantly higher spending than other countries with worse life expectancy. The life expectancy measure is used here but it involves an implicit assumption that the principal impact on life expectancy is from the health system, which is not really the case. Nevertheless, it is a good measure of overall system performance and combined with spending provides a good measure. <h2>2. Most Australians rate their health as good or very good</h2> The vast majority of Australians (about 85%) rate their health as good or very good, with Australia performing better on this metric than most other similar countries. Often good health is conflated with good health care, and the data show that Australia also has more doctors per head than other countries. <iframe id="Ygo7Z" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Ygo7Z/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> The founding charter of the World Health Organization (WHO) recognised that health is not just the absence of disease, but a “<a href="https://www.who.int/about/accountability/governance/constitution">state of complete physical, mental and social well-being</a>”. This points to a flaw in the nexus between good health and more health professionals. The WHO focus on well-being helps to explain why it is not surprising that, looking across countries, the number of doctors doesn’t appear to be a key determinant of performance on self-rated health. <h2>3. It’s harder to get a bed in aged care</h2> About 30% of people in OECD countries are over 65, while the Australian proportion is about 20%. The proportion of over-65s is rising everywhere. A minority of older Australians (14%) use aged care, with most of these using home care. However, monitoring access to residential aged care (represented here by the number of long-term care beds per thousand population over 65) might act as a “canary in the coal mine”, highlighting where access problems exist. <iframe id="lBe4O" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/lBe4O/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> In Australia, access to aged care beds is falling, by about 27% between 2011 and 2021. We started in the middle of the pack so this is a concern and probably contributes to more Australians being stuck in acute hospitals, rather than being in more appropriate accommodation in residential aged care. This “<a href="https://www.ama.com.au/articles/hospital-exit-block-symptom-sick-system">exit block</a>” in turn leads to problems of ambulance ramping. <h2>4. Australians wait too long for public hospital hip replacements</h2> Most publicly funded health systems are characterised by long waiting times for access to planned procedures such as hip replacements. Some waiting is to be expected as part of efficient management of operating theatre scheduling. But long waits, especially when the person is in pain, reflect poorly on management of the public hospital system. <iframe id="LNntD" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/LNntD/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> The data shows that almost two-thirds of people waiting for hip replacement surgery in Australia waited more than three months. This is marginally worse than the OECD average. Unfortunately, our performance is deteriorating. A number of states, such as <a href="https://www.health.vic.gov.au/planned-surgery-reform-blueprint">Victoria</a>, have developed strategies to improve the performance of the planned procedure system, or have identified opportunities for <a href="https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/about+us/about+sa+health/reporting+and+advisory+groups/health+performance+council/health+performance+council+reports">efficiency improvements in public hospitals</a> which would help address this issue. Although it’s understandable that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2049080122011554">planned procedures were affected</a> by the first few years of the COVID pandemic, governments should have adapted their funding and provision systems to bring waiting times back to the pre-pandemic levels. <h2>5. Our use of antibiotics is going in the wrong direction</h2> Antibiotics have saved millions of lives. But public health experts have long recognised the emerging <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance">problem of antimicrobial resistance</a>, where inappropriate use of these drugs can lead to their reduced effectiveness over time. Worldwide campaigns to promote appropriate use of antibiotics are bearing fruit and across the OECD, use of antibiotics is going down. Unfortunately, Australia’s trend is in the reverse direction. <iframe id="AK4GO" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/AK4GO/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe><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/218031/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-duckett-10730">Stephen Duckett</a>, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-does-australias-health-system-stack-up-internationally-not-bad-if-youre-willing-to-wait-for-it-218031">original article</a>.

Caring

Secret Santa pays off everyone's Christmas shopping at local Kmart

The festive season is all about spreading joy and love and one generous Aussie has gone above and beyond to make people's day so much better. A Secret Santa at a Victoria Gardens Kmart in inner-city Melbourne, covered the cost of items on lay-by for all of the customers at the local store, making some of them cry tears of joy. "We are overwhelmed by our customer's generosity at this time of year, and want to thank them for their act of kindness towards other members of our community," a Kmart spokeswoman said. "We are proud to call them one of our customers." The customer, who chose to remain anonymous, said that they simply wanted to contribute to something positive this holiday season. The shopper reportedly told retail staff that they "just wanted to do something nice for the community." The exact amount of the donation remains undisclosed, but they revealed that most of the items were Christmas gifts. Image: Tim Boyle/Getty Images

Money & Banking

Baby boomers fight back against "self-entitled whingeing generations"

Angry baby boomers have hit back at young Australians for continuing to blame the ageing population for the current housing crisis. A group of disgruntled seniors have shared their thoughts with the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/blaming-baby-boomers-for-your-money-woes-is-unfair-lazy-and-wrong-20231127-p5en21.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Morning Herald</a> about the "self-entitled" young Australians, who are facing never-before-seen financial and social barriers to break into the housing market. The open letters come in the wake of Census data showing empty-nesters are hanging on to their big homes in inner-city suburbs, while young families are struggling to find suitable housing while also battling mortgage stress and renters are getting relentlessly price-gouged. Despite the current system disproportionately affecting younger Australians, boomers have hit back at universal claims that they had it easier back in the day. "We bought and paid for these homes; it's not our job to house the next generations, it's the government's," explained Kathleen Kyle in a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald. "Nobody questions people who spend their money on lovely cars or antiques, or suggests that they don't need them any more." In another letter, Kathy Willis from Kew near Port Macquarie wrote, "Boomers have worked very hard to get what they have, having brought up their families in these homes." "I suggest the discourse be directed to people such as town planners, local councils and state governments for their lack of vision in the past, and what the present authorities are going to do about it – and of course, the taxpayers' expense." Suzanne Hopping from Redfern, Sydney, wrote that she could no longer stay silent on "boomer bashing" from "self-entitled whingeing generations". "I bought my first home when I was 39 in an undesirable suburb. Buying a home (at 17.5 per cent interest) was as difficult then as it is today." "When I left home I had no expectations of ever being able to afford to buy a place of my own." "Self-entitled whingeing generations, if you don't like what you see, do something positive about it. Each generation has its unique problems, stop the moralising." Wendy Cousins from Balgownie NSW wrote that "boomer bashing" is futile, adding, "Why encourage resentment of boomers because many choose to stay in their homes? This will not free up any housing." "Many have already downsized and those who haven't, have a variety of reasons why they don't. We have enough division in our society without the constant boomer bashing." Despite the views of many disgruntled boomers, University of Melbourne Professor Allan Fels, an economist and mental health advocate, said figures show beyond a doubt that life is much tougher for the younger generation, and basic economics prove it is much harder for them to buy a house. "We baby boomers have had it a lot easier than the new generation of young people," he told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12793605/Boomers-hit-self-entitled-whingeing-young-Aussies-reveal-theyre-not-blame-housing-crisis.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a>. "They face a future of much less home ownership and associated mental health stability. The mere fact they are missing out is a cause of stress." "The trend of rising prices adds to the stress because many used to think that they could buy their own house but they keep missing out because prices are continually rising just beyond their grasp." Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Kyle Sandilands storms out of studio after argument with Jackie O

Kyle Sandilands has stormed off his hit KIIS FM radio program after an argument with his co-host Jackie O Henderson over Covid-19. Sandilands stormed off just 11 minutes into the show on Tuesday morning, after bringing up that NSW Premier Chris Minns had cancelled his appearance on their show after testing positive to the virus. The argument sparked when Henderson downplayed the seriousness of the virus and said it was "just like the flu". Sandilands hit back saying that Henderson would probably still isolate if she caught the virus, considering how cautious she was in the past. "I'm allowed to change my opinion," Henderson shot back. Sandilands then argued that she should have some "consistency" in her opinions, before declaring that he was going home and storming out of the studio. "Well that escalated quickly," a stunned Henderson said. Not long after their Executive producer Pedro Vitola confirmed that the radio host had gone home. "What's happening today?" Henderson asked. "I'm telling you this full moon, it messes with people," she added referring to what astrologers call the full moon in Gemini, which they believe is a period when people are a bit more restless and rife with misunderstandings. It is unclear whether Henderson also went home as it is reported that the show has been playing repeats of old segments. Images: Instagram/ KIIS FM

Music

News

“Greatest innings of any kind ever”: Cricket world stunned

ODI hero Glenn Maxwell has single-handedly rewritten the cricket record books, leaving fans and fellow players alike scratching their heads in disbelief. In the recent ODI match against Afghanistan, where Australia found themselves in a precarious position at 7/91 chasing 292, Maxwell delivered an innings that has now been dubbed the "greatest innings ever" – or, in the words of captain Pat Cummins, "Just ridiculous. I don't know how you describe that." Maxwell's adventure leading up to this awe-inspiring performance involved a mishap on the golf course that left him nursing an injury and missing Australia's previous World Cup game. It seems that the golf course has its share of hazards, but Maxwell was more than willing to make amends with his cricketing prowess. The drama reached its peak when Maxwell, the man of the hour, made his entrance. He defied all odds and stats, forming an unbroken partnership of 202 for the eighth wicket with the skipper, who contributed a modest 12 runs. While Cummins found himself with little to do but admire Maxwell's heroics, he summed it up perfectly, saying, "I couldn't get on strike! I just let Maxi do his thing, how am I going to say anything to someone batting like that?" The cricketing world was equally flabbergasted by Maxwell's performance. Former England captain Michael Vaughan declared, "This is the greatest ODI innings ever. It might be the greatest innings of any kind ever." And the accolades didn't stop there; even cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar couldn't contain his awe, taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) to exclaim, "From Max pressure to Max performance! This has been the best ODI knock I've seen in my life." Maxwell's knock of 201 not out featured 21 fours and 10 sixes and made him only the third batsman in World Cup history to score a double century. His list of records broken during the game is so long that you'd need a bigger scoreboard to fit them all. He set records for the highest score in an ODI run chase, the highest score at No.5 or lower, the first ever 200-run score in a run chase, the highest score for an Australian batter in an ODI, and the second-fastest 200 in an ODI. Maxwell's cramp attack while batting at 146 was just a minor hiccough in his incredible journey. Following on-field treatment, he continued to pummel Afghanistan's attack with an array of shots that had fans gasping for breath. After the match, the exhausted but victorious Maxwell said, "Horrific, I feel shocking. It was quite hot when we were fielding, I haven't done a whole lot of high-intensity exercise in the heat. It got a hold of me today, I was lucky to stick it out until the end." In the end, it was a rollercoaster of a match that had spectators on the edge of their seats. Maxwell's incredible innings will surely be talked about for years to come, and who knows, maybe the golf course will become the secret training ground for future cricketing legends. Image: Getty

News

“There were bodies everywhere”: Five people dead in horror pub crash

Disturbing details have emerged from a horror crash where five people have died after a BMW crashed into a beer garden at a pub in regional Victoria. On Sunday evening in Daylesford, north of Melbourne, families were enjoying the last of the weekend at the Royal Hotel when a BMW X5 crashed into the busy venue. The pub was filled with hundreds of patrons in the hours before the crash due to the unofficial long weekend before Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup public holiday in Victoria. Superintendent John Fitzpatrick confirmed on Sunday night about 11pm four people had died at the scene: two men and a woman and a six-year-old boy, while a fifth person, a teenage girl, later died in hospital. Four others were injured, while a boy is fighting for his life in hospital. “I haven’t seen anything this drastic for a long time,” he said. “Any time you have five people die at a particular scene, it’s horrible.” “There are families that have got loved ones that are no longer going to be around.” “We don’t like to see anyone lose their life but to see a child – you don’t ever want to see anything like that.” The driver of the BMW, a 66-year-old man, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. "The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be determined and investigations remain ongoing," Superintendent Fitzpatrick said. “We are waiting to speak to him… It’s a very complex scene.” A woman who was working at the business next door to the pub witnessed the horrific moment, recalling how she and her staff saw bodies lying on the pavement. “We’re all pretty shocked,” she said. “It’s pretty bad, I’ve never seen anything so traumatic in my life.” “There were bodies everywhere, it was horrifying,” she said. “I watched the whole crash. The car went up into the sky. I thought it was just dust. It’s only now I know it was bodies.” Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, whose electorate Ballarat includes Daylesford, said the community was “devastated” by the incident. “Five people have lost their lives, and their families’ lives have changed forever. “It will really have shocked a lot of people, and I think we’re really only just coming to terms with what happened today.” “These sort of terrible accidents, the sort of level of trauma goes on for a long period of time, and people will need a lot of support and care, and the police obviously will need to undertake a significant investigation into what’s happened.” Image credits: Nine News

News

Elite school under fire over comments about Lilie James' suspected killer

The recent <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/slain-st-andrew-s-staffer-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">murder of 21-year-old Lilie James</a> at St Andrew's Cathedral School in Sydney has raised profound questions about the nature of violence, the portrayal of perpetrators and the responsibilities of our educational institutions. What made this tragedy even more unsettling was a newsletter written by Dr John Collier, headmaster of the Shore School in North Sydney, first <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-04/sydney-school-principal-lilie-james-murder-criticised-newsletter/103062628" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published by the ABC</a>, in which he described the suspected murderer, Paul Thijssen, as "an absolute delight" and "not a monster". This statement has sparked a wave of controversy and calls for reflection within the community. The horrifying incident that unfolded at St Andrew's Cathedral School last week sent shockwaves throughout the community. The life of a promising young woman was abruptly cut short, and the alleged perpetrator, her former boyfriend Paul Thijssen, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/lilie-james-grieving-family-breaks-silence-as-body-is-found-in-manhunt-for-suspect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was found dead</a> after an extensive police search. Dr Collier, who had served as headmaster of St Andrew's between 2010 and 2022, knew Thijssen during his time there and described him as a "fine student, a prefect, a role model". In his newsletter titled "Looking in the Face of Savagery", Dr Collier wrestles with the apparent contradiction between the image of Thijssen as a seemingly normal and well-adjusted young man and the heinous act he committed. Dr Collier's description of Thijssen as "an absolute delight" and "not a monster" has ignited a fierce debate about the language used to describe individuals who commit such acts of violence. "What is chilling about the tragedy which unfolded at St Andrew's, the shock and grief of which will cascade for a long time, is that the young man concerned was, in everybody's estimation, an absolute delight," Dr Collier wrote. "He appeared to be just like the best of us. An hour before he committed the atrocity, he was speaking in a relaxed, friendly mode with staff at that school. "He was not a monster; rather, in the last five hours of his life, he committed a monstrous act which was in complete contradiction to what everyone who knew him observed in the rest of this short life. "What led to his mental disintegration? Was it a psychotic episode which was deeply out of character?" Sexual consent advocate Chanel Contos pointed out to the ABC that this incident is symbolic of a more extensive problem that must be addressed. She argues that the normalisation of violence must be confronted and that we cannot simply classify such individuals as anomalies. Contos emphasises the importance of instilling a culture of respect and accountability, particularly within educational institutions. Schools like St Andrew's and Shore play a vital role in shaping the values and behaviours of young people. Shore acknowledged the criticism surrounding Dr Collier's newsletter and emphasised its commitment to building "good men" through character development programs that promote respect for women. However, this incident serves as a stark reminder that there is still much work to be done in addressing issues related to toxic masculinity, entitlement and violence. Lilie James's tragic death serves as a painful reminder of the urgent need to challenge harmful stereotypes, address toxic behaviours, and hold individuals accountable for their actions. Images: Facebook

News

Shock on-air resignation plunges Kyle and Jackie O show into chaos

The Kyle and Jackie O Show has been thrown into disarray after a key player in the production announced their shock resignation live on air. On Friday, one of the show’s producers unexpectedly quit in the middle of the broadcast, shocking the radio hosts. Kyle and Jackie O were presenting their show as normal when their producer Kayla, who uses they/them pronouns, made the bombshell announcement. Upon hearing the news of their departure, Kyle was so shocked by it he spilled the coffee they were handing him onto the computer, short circuiting the system and taking them off the air. “It’s Friday and the radio show is half broken,” Sandilands shared. “We're in a weird studio because I knocked coffee all down the computers. Non-binary Kayla came in and gave me the very sad news,” he later told listeners once the technical difficulties had been resolved. “They're abandoning us to live their own life. As they were handing the coffee over I grabbed it and was in such shock I spilt it all over the equipment.” Sandilands and Henderson said they didn’t know what was going on as equipment kept beeping and going off left, right and centre, and the second studio they were moved to “also failed”. “It wasn’t just you with the coffee Kyle, something crazy is going on here,” Henderson said. “None of our studios work, the sensor machine is beeping … it’s just crazy.” The shocking incident pulled the show off the airwaves for more than an hour, as technicians were called in to fix the coffee-covered equipment. They were eventually let back into their original studio but were sat among “wires everywhere”. “It’s like we’re on M*A*S*H,” Henderson joked. “We’re in an army tent and we’ve got some little box here that’s apparently broadcasting to air.” Image credits: KIISFM

News

Travel

Passengers stranded after three-year cruise abruptly cancelled

When Life At Sea <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/world-first-three-year-cruise-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> their world-first three-year voyage in early 2023, many were quick to jump at the opportunity to spend the next years of their life onboard. People from around the globe <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/meet-the-woman-preparing-to-spend-three-years-at-sea#xd_co_f=YTM5MzVmOGQtNTY4My00NWE1LThjNDctMTUxMjJlNjVhMWNj~" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sold their homes</a> and belongings to fork out the hefty $180,000 price tag to spend 36 months travelling the world, with their once-in-a-lifetime voyage set to kick off in November. But now, as their departure date loomed, Life At Sea have left passengers stranded after abruptly cancelling the trip in its entirety. Life at Sea Cruises was scheduled to depart from Istanbul, Turkey on November 1st but departure was relocated and delayed twice to November 30th, before passengers were informed on November 17th the cruise was off, according to CNN. The news outlet reported that the ship that was destined to be the vessel of the three-year journey was bought by another company just one day before the voyage was cancelled. The owner of Life at Sea Cruises’ parent company Miray Cruises, then confirmed they couldn’t afford the ship because investors had pulled out “due to unrest in the Middle East” – but suggested they were working on getting another ship and a new departure date. The idea that the vessel would be replaced filled some travellers with hope they would still be embarking on their three-year adventure, before CEO of Miray Cruises was forced to clarify: “In case we weren’t clear, the Life at Sea cruise trip is cancelled.” Passengers were devastated by the news, with those who thought they had locked in the next three years of their lives telling CNN they felt “incredibly sad”, “angry” and “betrayed”. “I had the next three years of my life planned to live an extraordinary life, and now [I have] nothing,” said one cruiser. “I don’t think they will ever understand how much damage they’ve caused us,” said another. The more than $180,000 three-year trip had been celebrated by big cruising fans and called a “nightmare” and “claustrophobic” by critics across social media. The company’s website is still advertising the cruise as normal, with a countdown stating on Monday it was three hours “until we go for an adventure of a lifetime”. Image credits: Life At Sea

Travel Trouble

Think potholes on our roads are getting worse? You’re right – and here’s why

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marion-terrill-169480">Marion Terrill</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/natasha-bradshaw-1358801">Natasha Bradshaw</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> If you’re a driver, particularly in the country, you could be forgiven for thinking potholes have become a design feature of Australia’s local roads. You would certainly know they are in a state of disrepair. And you have every reason to be fed up, because bad roads are dangerous, they increase your travel time, and they force you to spend more on fuel and on car maintenance. They are getting worse because we’re not spending enough to maintain them. Three-quarters of our roads are managed by local councils. Every year, those councils spend A$1 billion less on maintenance than is needed to keep those roads in their current condition – let alone improve them. The underspend is largest in regional and remote areas. New <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/potholes-and-pitfalls-how-to-fix-local-roads/">Grattan Institute research</a> finds the typical regional area has a funding shortfall of more 40%. In remote areas, it’s more than 75%. <h2>Federal funding is falling behind</h2> One reason for this underspend is that untied federal government grants to local councils haven’t kept pace with soaring costs. Councils raise most of their own revenue – 80% on average. But in large parts of the country, there are a lot of roads and not enough ratepayers to pay for them. Rural and remote councils have limited ability to raise more revenue from ratepayers. Their ratepayers already pay higher rates than those in cities, despite having lower average incomes. Rate caps in place in New South Wales and Victoria also make it difficult for councils to raise more revenue. <hr /> <hr /> Councils receive top-up grants from the federal and state governments. The primary grants from the federal government, available for councils to spend as they see fit – including on roads – are called <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/local-government/financial-assistance-grant-local-government">Financial Assistance Grants</a>. These are worth about $3 billion a year. But their value has not kept pace with rising costs. If they had kept pace, on our estimates they would be 20% higher, at $3.6 billion per year. <hr /> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561231/original/file-20231123-27-oa4fn0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><a class="source" href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/potholes-and-pitfalls-how-to-fix-local-roads/">Grattan Institute, 2023</a></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <h2>Road use is growing, but maintenance isn’t</h2> Another reason for the underspend is that even as funding dries up, we’re using roads more. A growing population means both more cars on our roads and more trucks needed to keep our shelves stocked. But despite the extra damage to our roads, spending on maintenance has stalled. <hr /> <hr /> <h2>Councils are spending more on other things</h2> Another reason roads are underfunded is that councils are coming under increasing pressure to fund other services. The legislation governing councils doesn’t clearly define what councils are responsible for, and there is no shortage of services communities want. Spending on transport has fallen from almost half of local government spending in the 1960s to 21% today. Environmental protection was only identified as its own area of spending for councils in 2018, but it now makes up 15% of all council spending. <hr /> <hr /> <h2>Delaying will cost us more</h2> If we don’t act now and start spending more to fix our roads, the pothole plague is going to spread. Australia is getting hotter, with more rain and floods. The Local Government Association expects the cost of repairing flood and rain-damaged roads in the eastern states and South Australia to top <a href="https://alga.com.au/building-better-roads-will-prevent-another-3-8-billion-blowout/">$3.8 billion</a>. Tight budgets make it tempting to delay maintenance. But delaying will only end up costing more in the long run, leaving taxpayers paying more to fix more badly damaged roads. <h2>Finally, a circuit-breaker</h2> Some might argue that now is not the time for more spending on roads, given pressures on the budget. But plenty is being spent on big roads and new roads. Infrastructure Minister Catherine King’s recent announcement of a <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/significant-boost-road-safety">funding boost</a> of for local roads is a very welcome circuit-breaker. She announced the Roads to Recovery program will increase gradually from $500 million to $1 billion per year, the Black Spot program from $110 million to $150 million per year, and funding for an amalgamated Bridges Renewal and Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity program will climb form $150 million to $200 per year. This decision is important. Not only will councils receive more funding for maintenance, but it will be predictable funding, enabling better stewardship of long-lived assets. The money can’t start flowing soon enough.<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/217784/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marion-terrill-169480">Marion Terrill</a>, Transport and Cities Program Director, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/natasha-bradshaw-1358801">Natasha Bradshaw</a>, Associate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/think-potholes-on-our-roads-are-getting-worse-youre-right-and-heres-why-217784">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Couple misses their own wedding after cruise ship forced to turn back

A couple has missed their own dream destination wedding after their cruise ship was denied entry into New Zealand. Janine Sherriff and Kyle Risk dreamed of exchanging rings at the popular Lord of the Rings filming location, Hobbiton, located on the north island of New Zealand. The couple were meant to meet up with some close friends and family in New Zealand, as they travelled across from Australia on a P&O cruise ship, but were turned back from docking over an unclean hull. The “Kiwi Adventure” cruise, which was meant to be a 13-day journey, turned into more of a Tasmanian adventure after the ship was told to head to Australia’s southernmost state instead. New Zealand’s biosecurity laws were triggered over just three juvenile mussels and one single hydroid (AKA: lace coral), which needed to be removed from the ship's hull. “We took the time off from work, we had our nearest and dearest friends and family all co-ordinate to be in New Zealand at this exact time,” Janine told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-25/cruise-ship-turned-away-from-nz/103151078">ABC</a>. “The plan was to get off the boat, go straight to Hobbiton, have our wedding, then head straight back to the boat for the rest of the honeymoon.” “Now we have to figure out what to do about our wedding, we have all this money down the drain. I am heartbroken this day has been taken away from me." Kyle added, “First off, I was furious.” “I saw Janine’s face when we got the news. I was ready to explode. “I got a selfie from our family and friends at the site in Hobbiton we should have been on about 20 minutes before we had to turn around.” “It would have meant a lot as it was a beautiful setting. As long as we have each other,” he added. The cruise operator in charge of the vessel, P&O, has offered customers $300 in on-board credit and a 50 per cent credit on a future cruise. “We apologise for the change in itinerary and thank our guests for their patience and understanding,” a spokesperson for the company’s Australian division said per the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12791331/Engaged-couple-P-O-cruise-forced-turn-New-Zealand-fume-dream-Lord-Rings-wedding-ruined.html">Daily Mail</a>. Image credits: Facebook / Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

"I've lost complete blood flow": Robert Irwin's near miss with python

Young wildlife warrior Robert Irwin suffered a near miss during a rescue mission over the weekend, when he tried to relocate a carpet python off the road. The 19-year-old took to Instagram on Sunday to share a video of him almost getting bit by the wild snake. "Gee, that gets the heart rate up - he missed me by that much," he said when the snake struck at him. "He's grumpy... he's really keen on biting me... what a gorgeous snake, he's big, he's not venomous but... they're designed to constrict," he said as the python began wrapping its body around his arm to ''constrict" him. "He's got a good grip there, I've lost complete blood flow to my hand, it's completely blue.. and I have no feeling left in my hand," he added. He eventually managed to rescue the snake, and relocated it to a safe spot in the bush the day after. "Near miss! Definitely had a good laugh with this grumpy carpet python - but great to get him rescued off the road and relocated to a much safer spot!" he captioned the post. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0Fc3k-hiy9/?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/C0Fc3k-hiy9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Robert Irwin (@robertirwinphotography)</a> </div> </blockquote> Fans shared their shock and couldn't help but comment on how much the young conservationist was like his late father, Steve Irwin. "Dude you are killing us with these like-father-like-son bits," one fan wrote. "Holy crap. I actually thought I was watching Steve for a second and it took me back a moment. He's very much still alive in his family. No doubt about that," another added. "This is precarious yet hiss-terical !😂 all at the same time. Thank you for helping snakey dude slither to safety! 👍🏼💕" added a fellow conservationist. Images: Instagram

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Health

Drug resistance may make common infections like thrush untreatable

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-carson-109004">Christine Carson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> We’ve all heard about antibiotic resistance. This happens when bacteria develop strategies to avoid being destroyed by an antibiotic. The consequences of antibiotic resistance mean an antibiotic previously used to cure bacterial infections no longer works effectively because the bacteria have become resistant to the drug. This means it’s getting harder to cure the infections some bacteria cause. But unfortunately, it’s only one part of the problem. The same phenomenon is also happening with other causes of infections in humans: fungi, viruses and parasites. “Antimicrobial resistance” means the drugs used to treat diseases caused by microbes (bugs that cause infection) no longer work. This occurs with antibacterial agents used against bacteria, antifungal agents used against fungi, anti-parasitic agents used against parasites and antiviral agents used against viruses. This means a wide range of previously controllable infections are becoming difficult to treat – and may become untreatable. <h2>Fighting fungi</h2> Fungi are responsible for a range of infections in humans. Tinea, ringworm and vulvovaginal candidiasis (thrush) are some of the more familiar and common superficial fungal infections. There are also life-threatening fungal infections such as aspergillosis, cryptococcosis and invasive fungal bloodstream infections including those caused by Candida albicans and Candida auris. Fungal resistance to antifungal agents is a problem for several reasons. First, the range of antifungal agents available to treat fungal infections is limited, especially compared to the range of antibiotics available to treat bacterial infections. There are only four broad families of antifungal agents, with a small number of drugs in each category. Antifungal resistance further restricts already limited options. Life-threatening fungal infections happen less frequently than life-threatening bacterial infections. But they’re rising in frequency, especially among people whose immune systems are compromised, including by <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/qld/first-heart-transplant-patient-to-die-from-fungal-infection-at-brisbanes-prince-charles-hospital-identified-as-mango-hill-gp-muhammad-hussain-c-12551559">organ transplants</a> and chemotherapy or immunotherapy for cancer. The threat of getting a drug-resistant fungal infection makes all of these health interventions riskier. The greatest <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2017.00735/full">burden of serious fungal disease</a> occurs in places with limited health-care resources available for diagnosing and treating the infections. Even if infections are diagnosed and antifungal treatment is available, antifungal resistance reduces the treatment options that will work. But even in Australia, common fungal infections are impacted by resistance to antifungal agents. Vulvovaginal candidiasis, known as thrush and caused by Candida species and some closely related fungi, is usually reliably treated by a topical antifungal cream, sometimes supplemented with an oral tablet. However, instances of <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/they-can-t-sit-properly-doctors-treat-growing-number-of-women-with-chronic-thrush-20230913-p5e499.html">drug-resistant thrush</a> are increasing, and new treatments are needed. <h2>Targeting viruses</h2> Even <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-there-so-many-drugs-to-kill-bacteria-but-so-few-to-tackle-viruses-137480">fewer antivirals</a> are available than antibacterial and antifungal agents. Most antimicrobial treatments work by exploiting differences between the microbe causing the infection and the host (us) experiencing the infection. Since viruses use our cells to replicate and cause their infection, it’s difficult to find antiviral treatments that selectively target the virus without damaging us. With so few antiviral drugs available, any resistance that develops to one of them significantly reduces the treatment options available. Take COVID, for example. Two antiviral medicines are in widespread use to treat this viral infection: Paxlovid (containing nirmatrelvir and ritonavir) and Lagevrio (molnupiravir). So far, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, has not developed significant resistance to either of these <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/low-levels-resistance-paxlovid-seen-sars-cov-2-isolates">treatments</a>. But if SARS-CoV-2 develops resistance to either one of them, it halves the treatment options. Subsequently relying on one would likely lead to its increased use, which may heighten the risk that resistance to the second agent will develop, leaving us with no antiviral agents to treat COVID. The threat of antimicrobial resistance makes our ability to treat serious COVID infections rather precarious. <h2>Stopping parasites</h2> Another group of microbes that cause infections in humans are single-celled microbes such as Plasmodium, Giardia, Leishmania, and Trypanosoma. These microbes are sometimes referred to as parasites, and they are becoming increasingly resistant to the very limited range of anti-parasitic agents used to treat the infections they cause. Several Plasmodium species cause malaria and anti-parasitic drugs have been the cornerstone of malaria treatment for decades. But their usefulness has been significantly reduced by the <a href="https://www.mmv.org/our-work/mmvs-pipeline-antimalarial-drugs/antimalarial-drug-resistance">development of resistance</a>. Giardia parasites cause an infection called giardiasis. This can resolve on its own, but it can also cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and bloating. These microbes have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6207226/">developed resistance</a> to the main treatments and patients infected with drug-resistant parasites can have protracted, unpleasant infections. <h2>Resistance is a natural consequence</h2> Treating infections influences microbes’ evolutionary processes. Exposure to drugs that stop or kill them pushes microbes to either evolve or die. The exposure to antimicrobial agents provokes the evolutionary process, selecting for microbes that are resistant and can survive the exposure. The pressure to evolve, provoked by the antimicrobial treatment, is called “selection pressure”. While most microbes will die, a few will evolve in time to overcome the antimicrobial drugs used against them. The evolutionary process that leads to the emergence of resistance is inevitable. But some things can be done to minimise this and the problems it brings. Limiting the use of antimicrobial agents is one approach. This means reserving antimicrobial agents for when their use is known to be necessary, rather than using them “just in case”. Antimicrobial agents are precious resources, holding at bay many infectious diseases that would otherwise sicken and kill millions. It is imperative we do all we can to preserve the effectiveness of those that remain, and give ourselves more options by working to discover and develop new ones.<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/213460/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-carson-109004">Christine Carson</a>, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</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/drug-resistance-may-make-common-infections-like-thrush-untreatable-213460">original article</a>.

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Millions of high-risk Australians aren’t getting vaccinated. A policy reset could save lives

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-breadon-1348098">Peter Breadon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ingrid-burfurd-1295906">Ingrid Burfurd</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> Each year, vaccines prevent thousands of deaths and hospitalisations in Australia. But millions of high-risk older Australians <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/a-fair-shot-ensuring-all-australians-can-get-the-vaccines-they-need/">aren’t getting</a> recommended vaccinations against COVID, the flu, pneumococcal disease and shingles. Some people are more likely to miss out, such as migrant communities and those in rural areas and poorer suburbs. As our new <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/a-fair-shot-ensuring-all-australians-can-get-the-vaccines-they-need/">Grattan report shows</a>, a policy reset to encourage more Australians to get vaccinated could save lives and help ease the pressure on our struggling hospitals. <h2>Adult vaccines reduce the risk of serious illness</h2> Vaccines slash the risk of <a href="https://www.ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2021-03/Influenza-fact-sheet_31%20March%202021_Final.pdf">hospitalisation</a> and serious illness, <a href="https://ncirs.org.au/recent-covid-19-vaccination-highly-effective-against-death-caused-sars-cov-2-infection-older">often by more than half</a>. COVID has already caused more than <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/provisional-mortality-statistics/latest-release">3,000 deaths in Australia this year</a>. On average, the flu kills about <a href="https://www.doherty.edu.au/news-events/news/statement-on-the-doherty-institute-modelling">600 people a year</a>, although a bad flu season, like 2017, can mean <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/3303.0%7E2017%7EMain%20Features%7EAustralia's%20leading%20causes%20of%20death,%202017%7E2">several thousand deaths</a>. And pneumococcal disease may also kill <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/49809836-8ead-4da5-81c4-352fa64df75b/aihw-phe-263.pdf?inline=true">hundreds</a> of people a year. Shingles is rarely fatal, but can be extremely painful and cause <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/shingles#complications">long-term nerve damage</a>. Even before COVID, vaccine-preventable diseases caused tens of thousands of potentially preventable hospitalisations each year – more than <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/primary-health-care/disparities-in-potentially-preventable-hospitalisa/data">80,000 in 2018</a>. Vaccines offered in Australia have been tested for safety and efficacy and have been found to be <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/immunisation/about-immunisation/vaccine-safety#:%7E:text=serious%20side%20effects.-,Vaccine%20safety%20monitoring,approved%20for%20use%20in%20Australia.">very safe</a> for people who are <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/immunisation/when-to-get-vaccinated/national-immunisation-program-schedule">recommended to get them</a>. <h2>Too many high-risk people are missing out</h2> Our <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/roundabouts-overpasses-carparks-hauling-the-federal-government-back-to-its-proper-role-in-transport-projects">report</a> shows that before winter this year, only 60% of high-risk Australians were vaccinated against the flu. Only 38% had a COVID vaccination in the last six months. Compared to a year earlier, two million more high-risk people went into winter without a recent COVID vaccination. Vaccination rates have fallen further since. Just over one-quarter (<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-11/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-update-10-november-2023.pdf">27%</a>) of people over 75 have been vaccinated in the last six months. That leaves more than 1.3 million without a recent COVID vaccination. Uptake is also low for other vaccines. Among Australians in their 70s, <a href="https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/Coverage%20report%202021%20SUMMARY%20FINAL.pdf">less than half</a> are vaccinated against shingles and only one in five are vaccinated against pneumococcal disease. These vaccination rates aren’t just low – they’re also unfair. The likelihood that someone is vaccinated changes depending on where they live, where they were born, what language they speak at home, and how much they earn. For example, at the start of winter this year, the COVID vaccination rate for high-risk Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults was only 25%. This makes them about one-third less likely to have been vaccinated against COVID in the previous six months, compared to the average high-risk Australian. For more than 750,000 high-risk adults who do not speak English at home, the COVID vaccination rate is below 20% – about half the level of the average high-risk adult. Within this group, 250,000 adults aren’t proficient in English. They were 58% less likely to be vaccinated for COVID in the previous six months, compared to the average high-risk person. High-risk adults who speak English at home have a flu vaccination rate of 62%. But for people from 29 other language groups, who aren’t proficient in English, the rate is less than 31%. These 39,000 people have half the vaccination rate of people who speak English at home. These vaccination gaps contribute to the differences in people’s health. Australians born overseas don’t just have much lower rates of COVID vaccination, they also have much higher rates of death from COVID. Where people live also affects vaccination rates. High-risk people living in remote and very remote areas are less likely to be vaccinated, and even within capital cities there are big differences between different areas. <h2>We need to set ambitious targets</h2> Australia needs a vaccination reset. A new National Vaccination Agreement between the federal and state governments should include ambitious but achievable targets for adult vaccines. This can build on the success of targets for childhood and adolescent vaccination, setting targets for overall uptake and for communities that are falling behind. The federal government should ask the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) to advise on vaccination targets for COVID, flu, pneumococcal and shingles for all high-risk older adults. <h2>Different solutions for different barriers</h2> Barriers to vaccination range from the trivial to the profound. A new national vaccination strategy needs to dismantle high and low barriers alike. First, to increase overall uptake, vaccination should be easier, and easier to understand. The federal government should introduce vaccination “surges”, especially in the lead-up to winter, as <a href="https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/09-10-2023-vulnerable--vaccinate.-protecting-the-unprotected-from-covid-19-and-influenza">countries in Europe</a> do. During surges, high-risk people should be able to get vaccinated even if they have had a recent infection or injection. This will make the rules simpler and make vaccination in aged care easier. Surges should be reinforced with advertising explaining who should get vaccinated and why. High-risk people should get SMS reminders. Second, targeted policies are needed for the many people who are happy to use mainstream primary care services, but who don’t get vaccinated – for example, due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-can-governments-communicate-with-multicultural-australians-about-covid-vaccines-its-not-as-simple-as-having-a-poster-in-their-language-156097">language barriers</a>, or living in <a href="https://theconversation.com/over-half-of-eligible-aged-care-residents-are-yet-to-receive-their-covid-booster-and-winter-is-coming-205403">aged care</a>. <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/phn/what-PHNs-are">Primary Health Networks</a> should get funding to coordinate initiatives such as vaccination events in aged care and disability care homes, workforce training to support culturally appropriate care, and provision of interpreters. Third, tailored programs are needed to reach <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/health-promotion">people who are not comfortable or able to access mainstream health care</a>, who have the most complex barriers to vaccination – for example, distrust of the health system or poverty. These communities are all very different, so one-size-fits-all programs don’t work. The pandemic showed that vaccination programs can succeed when they are designed and delivered with the communities they are trying to reach. Examples are “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36366401/">community champions</a>” who challenge misinformation, or health services organising vaccination events where communities work, gather or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/aug/11/hundreds-queue-for-hours-and-some-camp-overnight-at-pop-up-vaccine-clinic-in-sydneys-lakemba">worship</a>. These programs should get ongoing funding, but also be accountable for achieving results. Adult vaccines are the missing piece in Australia’s whole-of-life vaccination strategy. For the health and safety of the most vulnerable members of our community, we need to close the vaccination gap. <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/217915/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-breadon-1348098">Peter Breadon</a>, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ingrid-burfurd-1295906">Ingrid Burfurd</a>, Senior Associate, Health Program, Grattan Institute, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grattan-institute-1168">Grattan Institute</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/millions-of-high-risk-australians-arent-getting-vaccinated-a-policy-reset-could-save-lives-217915">original article</a>.

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Johnny Ruffo farewelled in emotional memorial

Johnny Ruffo's friends, family and co-stars have gathered at Balcatta Senior High School in Perth on Saturday to bid farewell to the former Home and Away star at his memorial service. Ruffo tragically <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/beautiful-soul-johnny-ruffo-passes-away-at-35" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost his battle with brain cancer</a> on November 10 at the age of 35. Home and Away co-star Lynne McGranger, Guy Sebastian, and former Seven journalist, Mark Gibson were among the attendees at the service. McGranger, who delivered the eulogy, recalled Ruffo’s sense of fun and humility. She also shared an emotional tribute on Instagram after the memorial. “Said ‘goodbye for now’ to this magnificent human today,” she recounted. “So many emotions, so much love, so blessed to be included in his huge and crazy family. So many people came to say goodbye, so many more couldn’t get here. “We cried and laughed and danced and sang and ate and drank and hugged and cried and …. - exactly how he would have wanted it. “Fly high my friend, I hope you know how much you’re loved," she ended her post. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0EgWRxp8pb/?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/C0EgWRxp8pb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lynne McGranger (@lynnemcgranger)</a> </div> </blockquote> The actress was a really close friend of Ruffo's and received messages of support from fans and co-star Ada Nicodemou who commented: “What a tough day Lynne, I know how hard it would’ve been.” “You were such a wonderful friend to Johnny and he loved you very much. "He will always be in our hearts, he touched everyone he came in contact with, just a beautiful human. Rest in peace our people friend.” Ruffo's girlfriend, Tahnee Sims was also in attendance, and shared that his humour stayed with him to the very end, and and that his “big cheeky grin had brightened even the darkest of days," reported Perth Now. Sims, who loved and supported Ruffo through two brain cancer diagnoses, couldn't hold back her tears as she shared that the couple were determined to pack as much joy, love and laughter into every day. “I know that not everyone gets to experience that kind of love, which is why I will be forever grateful,” she said. “John liked to say I was his guardian angel. But I think soulmates is more accurate. Everything I gave, he gave back tenfold. And more often than not he was my source of strength and courage. “For six and a half years I watched him go through a hideous cancer diagnosis, dealing with setback after setback and still act with courage and gratitude right to the very end. “I will miss every single thing about John ... Mostly I will miss the way he always managed to make me laugh, no matter the occasion or how inappropriate the joke ... until we meet again John, I love you.” Images: Instagram

Caring

Nine-year-old Hamas hostage believed dead is reunited with her father

Dozens of hostages are recovering after being freed from their captors, after a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas came into effect. Almost eight weeks of violence came to a halt as the truce began, with Hamas so far releasing 41 hostages in the first two days of the truce. Among those who were freed by the radical Palestinian group was nine-year-old Emily Hand, who's father thought <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/death-was-a-blessing-why-father-was-glad-to-hear-his-daughter-was-killed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">she was dead</a>. When Emily was at a sleepover on October 7th, the neighbourhood was bombed and her father Thomas, was told his daughter had died. Now, Thomas and Emily have been reunited, with their emotional reunion just one of many as families across Israel saw the return of their loved ones. Also released by Hamas was four-year-old Abigail Edan, an American-Israeli dual citizen who was abducted by Hamas almost eight weeks ago. US President Joe Biden commented on Abigail's release, saying she has been through "the unthinkable", as the four-year-old saw her mother get killed, before her father was also killed as he tried to shield her from the bombings. Biden said Abigail is receiving love, care and “the supportive services she needs” and adding he hoped “this is not the end of the temporary truce”. “What she endured was unthinkable. She has been through a terrible trauma,” he said. All 41 hostages released by Hamas from captivity in Gaza are stable, according to local medical professionals. The <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/11/24/israel-hamas-truce-comes-into-effect-how-it-could-now-unfold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">truce</a> between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Friday morning, marking the end of seven weeks of constant fighting since the bombing of southern Israel on October 7th. The four-day pause is expected to see the exchange of 150 Palestinian women and children imprisoned in Israeli jails for 50 women and children hostages held by Hamas. Israeli officials, while adamant that the truce is not an end to the war, have also agreed to pause fighting for an additional day for every further 10 captives freed by Hamas. Image credits: CNN

Caring

Lifestyle

Former Neighbours star’s stunning Yarra Valley wedding

In a celebration filled with love, laughter and music, singer and former Neighbours star Bonnie Anderson tied the knot with her beau, Samuel Morrison, in a breathtaking ceremony at the enchanting Acacia Ridge Vineyard in Yarra Valley, Victoria. The 29-year-old songstress and her landscaper husband exchanged vows in the presence of their closest family and friends, marking the beginning of a beautiful journey together. The radiant bride walked down the aisle in a sleeveless, halter-neck lace gown crafted by the talented Australian designer Jason Grech, while the dashing groom looked ever so handsome in a classic black tuxedo. The picturesque vineyard provided the perfect backdrop for this special day, creating an atmosphere of pure magic and romance. Sharing their joy with the world, Anderson captioned the first wedding photo on Instagram with the simple yet powerful words, "Mr and Mrs Morrison." The newlyweds flooded their social media with countless photos and videos, giving fans a glimpse into the magical celebration of their love. During the reception, the talented bride took the stage once again, not only as a singer but as a romantic lyricist. Anderson serenaded her new husband with a heartfelt song she had written especially for him, creating an unforgettable moment as their guests gathered around to witness their love story unfold. The celebration continued inside a marquee on the sprawling estate, where the bridesmaids, adorned in elegant black satin gowns, kicked off the festivities with a rehearsed entrance set to the iconic Beyoncé hit, "Single Ladies". Dinner was served, and the atmosphere was electric as the bride treated the guests to her musical prowess before the DJ took over, transforming the evening into a dance-filled extravaganza. In a pre-wedding interview with the Herald Sun, Anderson expressed her desire for the celebration to be a "big party" filled with entertainment and music, and she certainly delivered on that promise. Life may be chaotic as a mum, singer and wedding organiser, but for Bonnie Anderson, the chaos is well worth the joy that comes with looking forward to the future. The couple, who had already welcomed their bundle of joy, Bobby, in December the previous year, radiated happiness and love throughout the day. Anderson, who found fame at the tender age of 12 as the first winner of Australia's Got Talent in 2007, has come a long way, gracing the screens of Neighbours from 2018 to 2021. Now, as Bonnie Morrison, she begins a new chapter in her fairy tale alongside Samuel. As they dance into the rest of their lives together, Bonnie and Samuel Morrison serve as a testament to the enduring power of love, the magic of music, and the joy of sharing life's grandest moments with those who matter most. Cheers to the newlyweds, and may their journey be filled with endless love, laughter, and, of course, more unforgettable music! Images: Instagram

Relationships

Taste depends on nature and nurture. Here are 7 ways you can learn to enjoy foods you don’t like

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-archer-181464">Nicholas Archer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/astrid-poelman-1481227">Astrid Poelman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> You’re out for dinner with a bunch of friends, one of whom orders pizza with anchovies and olives to share, but you hate olives and anchovies! Do you pipe up with your preferred choice – Hawaiian – or stay quiet? This scene plays out every day around the world. Some people ferociously defend their personal tastes. But many would rather expand their palate, and not have to rock the boat the next time someone in their friend group orders pizza. Is it possible to train your tastebuds to enjoy foods you previously didn’t, like training a muscle at the gym? <h2>What determines ‘taste’?</h2> Taste is a complex system we evolved to help us navigate the environment. It helps us select foods with nutritional value and reject anything potentially harmful. Foods are made up of different compounds, including nutrients (such as proteins, sugars and fats) and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P_0HGRWgXw">aromas</a> that are detected by sensors in the mouth and nose. These sensors create the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZn2PMUWO-Y">flavour of food</a>. While taste is what the tastebuds on your tongue pick up, flavour is the combination of how something smells and tastes. Together with texture, appearance and sound, these senses collectively influence your food preferences. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MZn2PMUWO-Y?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Flavour is the overall impression you get when eating.</figcaption></figure> Many factors influence food preferences, including age, genetics and environment. We each live in our own sensory world and no two people will have the same <a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-do-some-people-find-some-foods-yummy-but-others-find-the-same-foods-yucky-77671">experience while eating</a>. Food preferences also change with age. Research has found young children have a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24452237/">natural preference</a> for sweet and salty tastes and a dislike of bitter tastes. As they grow older their ability to like bitter foods grows. Emerging evidence shows bacteria in saliva can also produce enzymes that influence the taste of foods. For instance, saliva has been shown to cause the release of sulphur aromas in cauliflower. The <a href="https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2021/acs-presspac-september-22-2021/childrens-dislike-of-cauliflower-broccoli-could-be-written-in-their-microbiome.html">more sulphur that is produced</a>, the less likely a kid is to enjoy the taste of cauliflower. <h2>Nature versus nurture</h2> Both genetics and the environment play a crucial role in determining food preferences. Twin studies estimate genetics have a moderate influence on food preferences (between 32% and 54%, depending on the food type) in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652305027X?via%3Dihub">children</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27385609/">adolescents</a> and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/twin-research-and-human-genetics/article/dietary-patterns-and-heritability-of-food-choice-in-a-uk-female-twin-cohort/8507AAF01330C599BAC62BCC0EF4CF06">adults</a>. However, since our cultural environment and the foods we’re exposed to also shape our preferences, these <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24452237/">preferences are learned</a> to a large degree. A lot of this learning takes place during childhood, at home and other places we eat. This isn’t textbook learning. <a href="https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/9780851990323.0093">It’s learning</a> by experiencing (eating), which typically leads to increased liking of the food – or by watching what others do (modelling), which can lead to both positive or negative associations. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652305027X?via%3Dihub">Research</a> has shown how environmental influences on food preferences change between childhood and adulthood. For children, the main factor is the home environment, which makes sense as kids are more likely to be influenced by foods prepared and eaten at home. Environmental factors influencing adults and adolescents are more varied. <h2>The process of ‘acquiring’ taste</h2> Coffee and beer are good examples of bitter foods people “acquire” a taste for as they grow up. The ability to overcome the dislike of these is largely due to: <ul> <li> the social context in which they’re consumed. For example, in many countries they may be associated with passage into adulthood. </li> <li> the physiological effects of the compounds they contain – caffeine in coffee and alcohol in beer. Many people find these effects desirable. </li> </ul> But what about acquiring a taste for foods that don’t provide such desirable feelings, but which are good for you, such as kale or fatty fish? Is it possible to gain an acceptance for these? Here are some strategies that can help you learn to enjoy foods you currently don’t: <ol> <li> eat, and keep eating. Only a small portion is needed to build a liking for a specific taste over time. It may take 10–15 attempts or more before you can say you “like” the food. </li> <li> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329302001106">mask bitterness</a> by eating it with other foods or ingredients that contain salt or sugar. For instance, you can pair bitter rocket with a sweet salad dressing. </li> <li> eat it repeatedly in a positive context. That could mean eating it after playing your favourite sport or with people you like. Alternatively, you could eat it with foods you already enjoy; if it’s a specific vegetable, try pairing it with your favourite protein. </li> <li> eat it when you’re hungry. In a hungry state you’ll be more willing to accept a taste you might not appreciate on a full stomach. </li> <li> remind yourself why you want to enjoy this food. You may be changing your diet for health reasons, or because you’ve moved countries and are struggling with the local cuisine. Your reason will help motivate you. </li> <li> start young (if possible). It’s easier for children to learn to like new foods as their tastes are less established. </li> <li> remember: the more foods you like, the easier it’ll become to learn to like others. </li> </ol> A balanced and varied diet is essential for good health. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666315003438?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=82a5fd5069821f63">Picky eating</a> can become a problem if it leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies – especially if you’re avoiding entire food groups, such as vegetables. At the same time, eating too many tasty but energy-dense foods can increase your risk of chronic disease, including obesity. Understanding how your food preferences have formed, and how they can evolve, is a first step to getting on the path of healthier eating.<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/215999/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-archer-181464">Nicholas Archer</a>, Research Scientist, Sensory, Flavour and Consumer Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/astrid-poelman-1481227">Astrid Poelman</a>, Principal Researcher, Public Health & Wellbeing Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/csiro-1035">CSIRO</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/taste-depends-on-nature-and-nurture-here-are-7-ways-you-can-learn-to-enjoy-foods-you-dont-like-215999">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

The Beast's exciting Down Under plans

Mark Lambett, better known as The Beast on The Chase Australia is living in a state of "pure happiness" with his girlfriend. Months after going public, Mark and his partner, British presenter Hayley Palmer, are busy planning the next stage of their relationship. The couple could be heading to Australian shores, as Palmer told <a href="https://7news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/the-chase-star-mark-the-beast-labetts-girlfriend-hayley-palmer-tells-of-australia-plans-c-12666368" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> that it would be "a dream" to spend some quality time Down Under. “I would love to come out to Australia. Mark and I have talked about it,” she said. “I have been to Sydney and Manly Beach is my favourite,” she says, adding that the picturesque ferry ride from the city is part of the fun. “So I really do hope to come out — that would be an absolute dream. I must put it on my vision board.” Palmer admitted that part of her love of Australia comes from watching Home and Away, with the Channel 7 soap showcasing influencing her love of the country's sandy beaches. “I am a huge Home and Away fan. Anyone will tell you that. I absolutely love it,” the presenter says. A trip to Australia would be a welcome holiday for the couple, who have been doing long distance for most of their relationship. Lambett has been in Australia filming the local version of The Chase game show, while Palmer has been working in her native England. It is because of this that they have learned to embrace “long distance”, with Palmer convinced it is why their relationship “really works”. “I think regarding the long distance, we both have our passions and dreams that we follow, so you have your own thing going on and then when you come back with your partner it is the cherry on top,” she says. “It’s a lovely feeling when you get together." “We’re both quite similar like that. We’re always busy and we come together and it’s pure happiness.” Image credits: Instagram

Relationships

Nat Bass shares sweet photos with new partner

Natalie Bassingthwaighte has made her public debut with her new partner, just weeks after announcing her same-sex relationship. The former Rouge Traders singer was supported by her girlfriend, who the <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/natalie-bassingthwaite-and-her-new-partner-step-out-publicly-for-first-time/news-story/43c2f8eaf59bd808fcda15b62dbaf686" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="43c2f8eaf59bd808fcda15b62dbaf686" data-tgev-label="entertainment" data-tgev-metric="ev">Herald Sun</a> has identified as her previously-unnamed new partner Pip Loth, at a concert in Melbourne on Saturday. Nat Bass shared a compilation of pictures and video from the day on Instagram, and among the vision were a couple of images of the couple happily holding hands. <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/C0GtnDYvz0r/?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/C0GtnDYvz0r/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Natalie Bassingthwaighte (@natbassingthwaighte)</a> </div> </blockquote> Bassingthwaighte’s daughter Harper was also in attendance at the show, as Nat Bass opened the show for headline act Christina Aguilera. The public display of affection comes just weeks after Bassingthwaighte told <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/it-feels-liberating-nat-bass-surprising-update-on-her-love-life-post-divorce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stellar magazine</a> that she was initially “terrified” about revealing her new same-sex relationship to the world, and sought advice from her ex, Rogue Traders bandmate Cameron McGlinchey, about how to handle it. “I rang Cam and I was hysterical. And he said, ‘It’s OK. This is your truth and you now have to sit in it and stand in it and own it.’ So to have that support from him has been nothing short of beautiful, and I’m very grateful for it,” she said. “Now I can speak from my own mouth, on my own truth, and that feels rewarding. I’m OK. Everything is OK, and everyone is OK. We’re in a good space. It feels liberating. But before? It’s terrifying and it’s debilitating because you’re waiting for someone to snap a picture of you and make it salacious. To live like that is … oh, it’s not fun. And I’ve been doing that for a little while now. So it’s nice to say it.” Image credits: Instagram

Relationships

Finance

Pitch to ditch the King from Aussie coins

Bob Katter is calling for a major overhaul of Australian coins, saying King Charles' image should be scrapped from the currency. The federal MP touted an alternative design for the national coins, suggesting it could feature a Kalkadoon warrior or distinguished Australian soldier Ralph Honner. “Surely you’d put Kokoda hero Ralph Honner on your coin, not some British monarch, demonstrating that you don’t believe that all people are born free and equal and that you don’t believe you’re a separate country, that you’re a nationalistic Australian,” Katter said on Monday. The Queensland MP plans to move an amendment to the Crown References Amendment Bill to omit references to the monarchy and substitute the words “sovereign people of Australia”. “For heaven’s sake, get rid of the affirmation that we believe that all people are free and equal,” Katter said. “If you’ve got a monarch on your coin, you do not believe that all people are free and equal.” Katter's pitch comes just weeks after the Royal Australian Mint last month unveiled the effigy of King Charles III, which will be seen on Australian coins by Christmas. For decades, the country’s coins have carried an image of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022. The Royal Mint also recently announced the production of a <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/new-commemorative-queen-coin-worth-serious-cash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commemorative coin</a> in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth, which is already in high demand among royal fans and avid coin collectors. Image credits: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Osher Günsberg slammed for "insulting Australians" over Voice defeat

Osher Günsberg has been slammed online after sharing his thoughts on the Voice to Parliament defeat, saying Aussies were "manipulated" into voting No. In the final episode of Q+A for 2023, the TV personality said that Australians should be "asking questions about who flooded the zone (with misinformation)", leading to a landslide defeat of the referendum. A tense exchange kicked off between the panellists when another guest, Liberal party activist Charlotte Mortlock, said the country needed to come together after the referendum defeat. Günsberg said during the course of the campaign, Australia went "from mostly wanting to do it" to "Oh my God the UN's coming to take my back yard". He said Australians should be "terrified of how quickly we were manipulated as a country". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QandA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QandA</a>: What is the next step for Indigenous Australians, after the Voice referendum? <a href="https://t.co/KgSoHkRp1d">pic.twitter.com/KgSoHkRp1d</a> — ABC News (@abcnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews/status/1729098407208440254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2023</a></blockquote> "We're really lucky that it wasn't during a khaki election," he said, referring to an election held at a time of war. Ms Mortlock defended the Coalition and No voters, saying, "It's been such a divisive year... I do absolutely think that there is work that we can do to in a constructive way that is going to really unite the country and that's what we all have to focus on." Günsberg was quick to question the Liberal party's real motives behind their No campaign, asking whether she felt Opposition Leader Peter Dutton really wanted to unite the nation. "I do. I think the question really is the how," Ms Mortlock replied. Günsberg said, "I don't believe he really wants to." Günsberg and the ABC were both later slammed online for how the program went with some calling the program "insufferable". Others were quick to poke fun at Osher's impressive reality TV résumé, saying, "After the way Osher insulted mainstream common-sense Aussies I will never watch Bachelor again." Image credits: Q+A <p class="mol-para-with-font" style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; min-height: 0px; letter-spacing: -0.16px; font-family: graphik, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial;">

Legal

Fed up farmer blasts major supermarkets for price gouging

In a heartfelt plea captured in a viral video, Ross Marsolino, a Victorian farmer and owner of Natural Earth Produce, expressed his frustration with major supermarkets and their pricing strategies for fruits and vegetables. Marsolino, who specialises in growing zucchinis, tomatoes and eggplants in Victoria's Goulburn Valley, said that the profit margins imposed by supermarkets are crippling farmers, adversely impacting consumers, and driving growers out of business. “We’re going to walk away from 80 acres today,” Marsolino said in his video posted to social media. “We’re not retailing the right price to be able to keep the product moving and selling. Plain and simple. The supermarkets are making too much profit out of our crops. We can’t survive. As growers we can’t afford to pay the workers, 50 people are going to be out of the system looking for work.” The crux of Marsolino's argument lies in the claim that supermarkets are engaging in price-gouging, purchasing produce from growers at a considerably lower price and then selling it at a steep markup. He highlighted the stark contrast between the $1.80 per kilo that supermarkets allegedly pay to farmers and the retail price of $4.99, stating that this disparity is unsustainable for growers. The consequence, as Marsolino outlined, is a domino effect on the entire supply chain. Farmers, unable to cover their costs, are forced to reduce the quantity of product they sell, leading to both financial losses for growers and higher prices for consumers. That is why, in his case, Marsolino is saying he is prepared to abandon his 80-acre zucchini crop, estimating the loss at a staggering $2 million. This decision, he said, is a result of the unsustainable economics of the industry. Marsolino's argument goes beyond his personal struggle; he contends that the high retail prices set by supermarkets are ultimately detrimental to consumers and the agricultural industry as a whole. He believes that if prices were lowered to a more reasonable level, consumers would be more inclined to purchase the produce, resulting in increased sales for growers and a healthier industry overall. The plea from Marsolino has also sparked a call for government intervention. He urged authorities to scrutinise the pricing practices of supermarkets, demanding transparency in their transactions with growers. Marsolino's desire is for someone to hold the major supermarket chains accountable for the prices they set and to ensure that they are fair and reasonable. In response to Marsolino's claims, representatives from Woolworths and Coles <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/fed-up-farmer-abandons-80acre-zucchini-crop-blaming-high-markups-at-supermarkets/news-story/30c5ebbaa296e74b8c12c1da356696cd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defended their pricing structures</a>. They argued that the prices paid to suppliers are influenced by various factors, including processing, transport, labour, packaging and market conditions. Both companies emphasised their commitment to fair pricing and their efforts to balance the interests of suppliers and consumers. Marsolino's plea serves as a reminder of the delicate balance required to sustain both the agricultural sector and the affordability of fresh produce for consumers. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether there will be a shift towards a more equitable pricing structure that benefits all stakeholders in the industry. Images: Instagram

Money & Banking

What is the ‘sunk cost fallacy’? Is it ever a good thing?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aaron-nicholas-1487960">Aaron Nicholas</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Have you ever encountered a subpar hotel breakfast while on holiday? You don’t really like the food choices on offer, but since you already paid for the meal as part of your booking, you force yourself to eat something anyway rather than go down the road to a cafe. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0167268180900517">Economists</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0749597885900494">social scientists</a> argue that such behaviour can happen due to the “sunk cost fallacy” – an inability to ignore costs that have already been spent and can’t be recovered. In the hotel breakfast example, the sunk cost is the price you paid for the hotel package: at the time of deciding where to eat breakfast, such costs are unrecoverable and should therefore be ignored. Similar examples range from justifying finishing a banal, half-read book (or half-watched TV series) based on prior time already “invested” in the activity, to being less likely to quit exclusive groups such as sororities and sporting clubs the more <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1960-02853-001">effort it took to complete the initiation ritual</a>. While these behaviours are not rational, they’re all too common, so it helps to be aware of this tendency. In some circumstances, you might even use it for your benefit. <h2>Sunk costs can affect high-stakes decisions</h2> While the examples above may seem relatively trivial, they show how common the sunk cost fallacy is. And it can affect decisions with much higher stakes in our lives. Imagine that Bob previously bought a house for $1 million. Subsequently, there’s a nationwide housing market crash. All houses are now cheaper by 20% and Bob can only sell his house for $800,000. Bob’s been thinking of upgrading to a bigger house (and they are now cheaper!), but will need to sell his existing house to have funds for a downpayment. However, he refuses to upgrade because he perceives a loss of $200,000 relative to the original price he paid of $1 million. Bob is committing the sunk cost fallacy by letting the original price influence his decision making – only the house’s current and projected price should matter. Bob might be acting irrationally, but he’s only human. Part of the reason we may find it difficult to ignore such losses is because losses are psychologically more salient relative to gains – this is known as <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1985-05780-001">loss aversion</a>. While most of the evidence for the sunk cost fallacy comes from <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40685-014-0014-8">individual decisions</a>, it may also influence the decisions of groups. In fact, it is sometimes referred to as the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/262131a0">Concord fallacy</a>, because the French and British governments continued funding the doomed supersonic airliner long after it was likely it would not be commercially viable. Another example is drawn-out armed conflict that involves a large loss of lives for the losing side. Some may think it impossible to capitulate because the casualties will have “died in vain”. <h2>Knowing about sunk costs can help you</h2> If you find yourself justifying behaviour due to costs you’ve paid in the past rather than circumstances of the present, or predictions of the future, it’s worth checking yourself. Identifying sunk costs allows you to cut your losses early and move on, rather than perpetuating larger losses. This is apparent in the housing example: the larger the crash, the cheaper the bigger house; and yet the larger the crash, the greater the perceived loss from selling the existing house. Hence, the greater the loss in opportunity inflicted by the sunk cost fallacy. If you find it difficult to overcome the sunk cost fallacy, it may help to delegate such decisions to others. This may include the decision of whether to <a href="https://direct.mit.edu/rest/article-abstract/93/1/193/57894/The-Flat-Rate-Pricing-Paradox-Conflicting-Effects">go to a buffet</a> or subscribe to Netflix, with the latter potentially being a double whammy: one may feel compelled to binge-watch due to the flat fee structure and, as mentioned earlier, to finish mediocre series once halfway through. <h2>Use sunk costs to your advantage</h2> A second, less obvious benefit is actively using the fallacy to your advantage. For example, many gym memberships require upfront payments regardless of how much you use the facilities. If you find it hard to ignore sunk costs, choosing gym memberships that have large upfront fees and minimal pay-per-usage fees may be a way to <a href="https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/mnsc.2018.3032">commit yourself</a> to a regular gym habit. This can also apply to other activities that involve short-term pain for long-term gain – for example, paying for an online course will make you more likely to stick with it than if you found a free course. But be warned, this doesn’t work for everything: it seems that spending wildly on a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ecin.12206">wedding ceremony or engagement ring</a> doesn’t have a “sunk cost” effect – it fails to increase the likelihood of staying married.<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/217798/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aaron-nicholas-1487960">Aaron Nicholas</a>, Senior Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-sunk-cost-fallacy-is-it-ever-a-good-thing-217798">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Entertainment

Kyle Sandilands leaves brutal voicemail for Steve Price

In the latest episode of "Australia's Got Voicemails", shock jock extraordinaire Kyle Sandilands unleashed a verbal tempest upon fellow broadcaster Steve Price. What sparked this war of words? Apparently, Price had the audacity to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/steve-price-slams-buffoon-kyle-sandilands-over-move-to-melbourne-airwaves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">label Sandilands a "grubby buffoon"</a> on national television. And you thought your family gatherings were awkward. Let's rewind to the moment when Price, with all the subtlety of a kangaroo in a china shop, decided to throw some shade on The Project. With the finesse of a wordsmith, Price declared, "I don't think grubby buffoons work in Melbourne." Ouch. Melbourne, known for its coffee, culture, and now apparently, a grubby buffoon ban. In response, Sandilands, not one to be outdone in the art of verbal gymnastics, left Price a voicemail that would make a sailor blush. "Hey, you piece of sh*t," Sandilands began, setting the tone for a heartfelt exchange of pleasantries, "we’ve spoken before, last time you forgot that you’re not allowed to mouth off about me. “Steve, it’s Kyle obviously, there is probably a long list of people who ring you. “Again just surprised at your feigned reaction on The Project, can’t you just be yourself? Can’t you just say your true thoughts? I can’t wait to see you face-to-face buddy, it’s been too long. “It’s disappointing that as you’ve gotten older you have turned into a real piece of sh*t. Feel free to play this on tonight’s Project because that’s the last gig you will ever have. "See you mate, by the way love the alcoholic nose, bye bro.” Despite the verbal thrashing, Price seemed unconcerned. "I described him as a grubby buffoon, and that's it," <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/page-13/pieceofsh-radio-war-of-words-between-steve-price-heats-up-with-veiled-threats/news-story/ed616773a1064b8e8afd8e448977b40b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Price retorted</a>, probably sipping tea and counting the days until the next headline-grabbing voicemail. It's all in a day's work for a grizzled commentator who's clearly impervious to verbal beatdowns. In the grand tradition of radio feuds, this clash of titans unfolded after Sandilands and his partner-in-crime, Jackie 'O' Henderson, inked a jaw-dropping $200 million deal live on air. As the radio waves settle from this tempestuous encounter, we can't help but marvel at the drama that unfolds in the seemingly mundane world of talk radio. Who needs reality TV when you have Australian broadcasters providing this level of entertainment? In the end, whether it's a buffoon's brawl or a radio roast, one thing's for sure – the Australian airwaves are never short of surprises. Tune in next time for another episode of He Said, He Said, where words are sharper than claws, and feuds are settled with voicemails, not handshakes. Images: Network Ten / KIIS FM

Radio stars reveal their worst on-air moments

In celebration of 100 years of Australian radio, the who's-who of the Aussie airwaves have shared their most awkward interview moments. Ben Fordham, Amanda Keller and Fifi Box were among the radio presenters who recalled their worst on-air moments to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/radio/celebrity-interview-derailed-by-radio-stars-bulge/news-story/056c130ab09f85c3c9e14a0fdeb5587b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, with the memorable moments ranging from mispronouncing a guest's name, to announcing the death of a celebrity who was very much still alive. 2GB's Ben Fordham revealed one of the more outrageous moments from his radio show, recalling when a caller asked him about classic Aussie TV show Simon Townsend's Wonder World. "I said, 'yeah, that was a great show. Sadly we lost Simon Townsend recently,' and then people started calling in saying, 'are you sure Simon Townsend is dead?'" he said. It turned out that Fordham had made an error, as it was actually Townsend's dog Woodrow who had died. He said, "When I came out of the ad-break I had to do a mop up job. It was pretty ugly." Amanda Keller from WSFM's Jonesy and Amanda shared a story about accidentally mispronouncing Weird Al Yankovic's name, despite her co-host trying to help her. "Jonesy (my co-host) kept telling me to pronounce his surname 'Yankovick', and I said, 'no, excuse me, it's pronounced 'Yankovich'." During the entire interview with the musician, Keller introduced the singer with her mispronunciation, and was eventually corrected by the singer when the time came for him to record a promo for the radio network. "It was humiliating," she said. Fifi Box recalled an experience back in 2013 when her then co-host Jules Lund blindfolded her and took her to a secret location for their show's 'Blackout Challenge.' "I was pregnant at the time, and basically found myself lying on a bed in a dark room being serenaded by the one and only David Hasselhoff!" she said. "The Hoff then decided it was funnier to take his pants off for an added extra surprise. Also, being heavily pregnant made the whole scenario a lot more awkward." Rounding out the awkwardness was KIIS FM's Will and Woody who had an uncomfortable interview with pop star Jennifer Lopez. "We overheard Jennifer Lopez screaming at her publicist about needing to do an interview with us. We were both dressed as Santa and had to go through the whole interview knowing that she really didn't want to be there," Will said. "Suffice to say that the interview wasn't one of our best." Image credits: Getty Images

Music

New outdoor cinema with Queen-size beds opening

Do you ever find yourself torn between wanting to catch a flick and the irresistible allure of your comfy bed? Well, brace yourself, because Sydney's movie scene is about to get a serious dose of comfort with the grand opening of Mov'in Bed in Barangaroo. Yes, you read that right – a cinema where you can literally Netflix and chill on a queen-size bed! Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Barangaroo skyline, Mov'in Bed promises a cinema experience that'll make you question why you ever settled for uncomfortable theatre seats in the first place. Picture this: a giant 15-metre 4K screen, plush queen-size cloud-like beds, and a total transformation of Barangaroo's Harbour Park into a sandy tropical paradise. It's like combining a day at the beach with a movie night – talk about the best of both worlds. The grand opening on January 12 marks the return of Mov'in Bed after an extended intermission courtesy of the pandemic. If you've been waiting for the perfect excuse to combine your passion for cinema with your love of lounging, this is it. The lineup promises a mix of new-release blockbusters and timeless classics, with films like Trolls and Barbie making their debut on the giant Mov'in Bed screen. For those who like to take their movie nights up a notch, Mov'in Bed offers VIP packages that include unlimited popcorn, bubbly on arrival and even a personal butler. Because why settle for a regular cinema experience when you can have someone cater to your every cinematic whim? But what about the practicalities, you ask? Fear not, for Mov'in Bed has thought of everything. Each bed comes with comfy blankets, LED-lit bedside tables for those all-important snacks – and, of course, comfy pillows for all your cinematic napping needs. And to ensure you don't miss a single dialogue or explosion, noise-cancelling headphones are provided – because the only explosions you want to hear are on the screen, not your neighbour's popcorn bag. And let's not forget the halftime experience; a nostalgic nod to classic drive-in nights where you can replenish your snacks or hit the bathroom during those longer films. Scorcese's epic Killers of the Flower Moon with its 3-hour-and-26-minute runtime? No worries, you've got time for a quick snack break without missing any plot twists. Mov'in Bed isn't just a cinema; it's a full-blown cinematic event. Partnering with local restaurants, you can savour delicious dinners while catching the latest blockbuster. It's the perfect excuse for a summer evening date night or a laid-back hangout with friends. So, mark your calendars, Sydney-siders! Mov'in Bed Barangaroo is here to redefine your summer nights from January 12 to April 14, 2024. Whether you're a film buff, a beach lover, or just someone who appreciates the genius of combining the two, <a href="https://movinbed.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mov'in Bed</a> is the place to be. Because why settle for a regular movie night when you can have a cinema experience that's fun, chill, laid-back and upbeat – all while lying in the lap of luxury? Get ready to sink into cinematic bliss under the glistening Sydney moon! Images: Mov'in Bed.

Movies

Steve Price slams "buffoon" Kyle Sandilands over move to Melbourne airwaves

The radio waves have been rocked once again after Steve Price, a man with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, dubbed fellow radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands a "grubby buffoon". The saga unfolded as Sandilands and his radio partner-in-crime, Jackie O Henderson, inked a deal reportedly worth a staggering $200 million. Yes, you heard that right – $200 million. But the real kicker as far as Price is concerned? The show is expanding to Melbourne next year, leaving the current breakfast hosts, Jason Hawkins and Lauren Phillips, with a one-way ticket to radio oblivion. In a tearful farewell on their Melbourne morning show, Phillips lamented: "This is certainly not the way we wanted to bow out." Price, the unsolicited guardian of Melbourne's radio sensibilities, didn't hold back in his assessment of Sandilands, calling him a "grubby buffoon" and then backpedaling to settle on "just a grub". “Kyle’s a grubby buffoon," Price said to the bemused panel on a recent episode of The Project. "And I don’t think grubby buffoons work in Melbourne. I probably shouldn’t call him a grubby buffoon. He’s just a grub.” Price also predicted that Melbourne might not be ready for the explicit nature of the Kyle and Jackie O Show. “Some of the sexually explicit material is off-putting," he explained. "Sarah [Harris] would know better than anyone else that it’s school drop-off time for kids. You don’t want people talking about anal sex at breakfast time, in my view. That’s what they do on that show. "Melbourne people are not going to embrace that. Look, the company that is putting them on the air has a different view to that, and I may be proven to be completely wrong, but that doesn’t happen very often.” Despite Price's dire predictions, Sandilands remains unfazed, his ageless charm apparently defying the laws of time. Given that the $200 million deal extends for the next ten years, that would put Sandilands well into his sixties – quite a challenging age for a "shock jock" to remain relevant. “Can a 60-year-old be smutty?” Price was asked by the panel. “I don’t think they can, and that is part of the problem,” he replied. “But Kyle seems to be ageless. I don’t know how, with that unhealthy lifestyle he has. But he doesn’t seem to age much. So perhaps he can, at 62 . . . You can’t imagine he’s going to be appealing to the 18 to 28-year-old demographic that the radio station is paying him to drag in. I find that really puzzling.” So brace yourselves, Melbourne: the radio waves are about to get a whole lot grubbier, buffoonier and possibly more explicit. It's the Kyle Sandilands extravaganza, and no amount of Price's disapproval can stop the buffoonery. Images: KIIS FM / Network 10

Property

Historic lighthouse keeper's cottage up for sale

A cottage next to Macquarie Lighthouse has been put up for sale, and one lucky buyer will have the chance to say they live next to one of the country's oldest lighthouses. Located on beautiful South Head Vaucluse, the lighthouse itself has stood since 1883 and it is the second tower built there after the first convict-designed one deteriorated. You don't have to worry about any noise as there's only one neighbour in sight. "How many houses can you buy with a lighthouse next door," McGrath sales agent Robert Alfeldi said. For $12 million, the lucky buyer will get the heritage home that was built 1881, with most of its original fittings still in tact and an old stables building, perched on 2600 square metres of land. Although the property has kept most of its original elements, the interior - specifically the kitchen and bathroom - have been updated into more modern versions of the original. However, those looking to renovate the property and add a second floor should look for a different property as it is a heritage home, so it limits what future owners can add. “It’s quite a unique property. People show up thinking they can put a second storey on. But it is what it is for a reason," Alfeidi said. Iconic properties like this don't go for sale often, and tends to create a buzz among wealthy potential buyers. The property was previously sold in October 2016 for $7 million. Images: Domain/ Nine

Real Estate

James Packer's insane $132-million mansion up for grabs

Aussie billionaire James Packer has put up his $132-million mansion up for sale. The 12-bedroom Beverly Hills home was previously owned by Hollywood star Danny DeVito, before Packer bought it off him in 2018 for $93-million, according to realtor.com. Dating back to the 1930's, the luxury estate has been named “Beverly Hills at its finest," as it sits on 2260 sqm and boasts a three-storey accessory dwelling, a separate maids quarter and a guesthouse. “Boasting living space across multiple structures, enjoy an unparalleled gem in one of the most coveted neighbourhoods in Southern California," the listing read. It's the embodiment of luxury and "iconic L.A. living", with a home theatre that's fully equipped with a bar, a game room, wine cellar, resort-style pool and cigar lounge. The primary suite has a fireplace, sitting room, dual bathrooms, and access to a terrace. With 18 bathrooms you don't need to worry about whether they are occupied as the master suite itself features two master baths, double vanities, a linen closet, powder room, and the option of a shower or a sub and steam shower. Not only that, the private balconies allow you to take in the magnificent views of the estate's lush yard, but also the surrounding canyons, so there's never a boring day in the multimillion dollar mansion. According to The Daily Telegraph, the billionaire is selling the home because he has no desire to live in LA if his kid's won't be visiting, after his ex-wife Erica Packer and their three kids moved to London earlier this year. Images: realestate.com.au/ Getty

Real Estate

Inside Bec and Lleyton Hewitt's new $10-million dream home

Bec and Lleyton Hewitt have headed back to Sydney after stints in Melbourne and the Bahamas, with hopes that their new $10.3 million dream home in the semi-rural suburb of Glenhaven, will provide more stability. "I'm a Sydney girl, I love Sydney," said Bec, who swapped the busy inner city life for a more secluded one with her husband their three kids, Mia, 17, Cruz, 14, and Ava, 12. Their new home is close to Bec's family, and one of their neighbours is none other than Bec's former Home And Away co-star Lynne McGranger. Their six bedroom home comes with a host of features, including an inground swimming pool with a cabana, a tennis court, guest cottage and office. It also includes a space that will be used as a "boys room" for Lleyton and his son Cruz. The home sits on just over two hectares, and even features a secret room hidden in the loft, if they want to escape and have some peace and quiet. The couple's lavish purchase comes after they sold their Melbourne mansion in the ritzy suburb of Toorak for $16 million in 2021. They didn't require a mortgage for their new home. A local insider told Woman's Day that "the house is tucked away on a quiet, dead-end road in a sleepy suburb, which will give them a bit more privacy." Images: @threebirdsrenovations / Instagram

Real Estate

Princess Diana's childhood home up for rent

The house Princess Diana spent her childhood and teenage years in is now available for the public to rent. Althorp House, located in West Northamptonshire in England, is owned by Diana's brother Earl Spencer, who has lived on the sprawling property as custodian of the estate since 1992. The expansive property has been listed for royal fans with deep pockets to rent on <a href="https://www.elysian-estates.co.uk/althorp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elysian Estates</a>, an upmarket equivalent of Airbnb. Althorp House, which is a 90 minute drive out of London, was built in 1508 and has been in the Spencer family for 19 generations. Lady Diana lived in the 90-room stately home for most of her childhood and teenage years, before she married the then-Prince Charles in 1981. Not just one grand property, the estate covers 13,000 acres of countryside as it encompasses cottages, farms, woodlands and villages, which are open to visitors but only at certain times of the year. Now, the home is once again available to rent via Elysian Estates. "Althorp offers unparalleled levels of service, privacy and luxury to rival the finest properties anywhere in the world; yet retains the truly welcoming and homely feel that makes Althorp so special," the listing says. "Walk in the footsteps of kings and queens, feast or celebrate in spectacular surroundings, marvel at the sense of history and artwork, and slumber in pure luxury." In the main house, there are six state bedrooms to choose from offering "a level of opulence befitting royalty, with these very rooms playing as much a part of English history as any royal palace". Prices for the rental are not yet publicly available as an enquiry must be sent to reserve the opulent property. The listing stated that the stay includes "butler service, a team of private chefs and housekeeping, with a dedicated concierge service". Althorp is today most famous for being the final resting place of Princess Diana following her death in Paris. Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram

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