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A man scouring Google Earth found a mysterious scar in the Australian outback – and now scientists know what caused it

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p>By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matej-lipar-1372667">Matej Lipar</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p>Earlier this year, a caver was poring over satellite images of the Nullarbor Plain when he came across something unexpected: an enormous, mysterious scar etched into the barren landscape.</p> <p>The find intrigued scientists, including my colleagues and I. Upon closer investigation, we realised the scar was created by a ferocious tornado that no-one knew had occurred. We outline the findings in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/ES24023">new research</a> published today.</p> <p>Tornadoes are a known threat in the United States and elsewhere. But they also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2016.03.011">happen in Australia</a>.</p> <p>Without the power of technology, this remarkable example of nature’s ferocity would have gone unnoticed. It’s important to study the tornado’s aftermath to help us predict and prepare for the next big twister.</p> <h2>Australia’s tornado history</h2> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-05381-8">Tornadoes</a> are violent, spinning columns of air that drop from thunderstorms to the ground, bringing wind speeds often exceeding 200 kilometres an hour. They can cause massive destruction – uprooting trees, tearing apart buildings and throwing debris over large distances.</p> <p>Tornadoes have been reported on every continent except Antarctica. They most commonly occur in the Great Plains region of the United States, and in the north-east region of India–Bangladesh.</p> <p>The earliest tornado observed by settlers in Australia occurred in 1795 in the suburbs of Sydney. But a tornado was not confirmed here by Western scientists until the late 1800s.</p> <p>In recent decades, documented instances in Australia include a <a href="https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/tornado-murray-river-townships-victoria-2013/#:%7E:text=Tornado%20%2D%20Murray%20River%20townships%2C%202013&text=At%20approximately%208.00pm%20on,border%20of%20New%20South%20Wales.">2013 tornado</a> that crossed north-east Victoria and travelled up to the New South Wales border. It brought winds between 250–300 kilometres an hour and damaged Murray River townships.</p> <p>And in 2016, a severe storm produced <a href="https://theconversation.com/severe-thunderstorms-are-sweeping-through-southern-australia-but-what-makes-a-thunderstorm-severe-241555#:%7E:text=In%202016%2C%20huge%20rotating%20supercell,after%20taking%20down%20six%20towers.">at least seven tornadoes</a> in central and eastern parts of South Australia.</p> <p>It’s important for scientists to accurately predict tornadoes, so we can issue warnings to communities. That’s why the Nullarbor tornado scar was useful to study.</p> <h2>A whirlwind mystery</h2> <p>The Nullarbor Plain is a remote, dry, treeless stretch of land in southern Australia. The man who discovered the scar had been using Google Earth satellite imagery to search the Nullabor for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24267-0_11">caves</a> or other karst features.</p> <p>Karst is a landscape underlain by limestone featuring distinctive landforms. The discovery of the scar came to the attention of my colleagues and I through the collaborative network of researchers and explorers who study the Nullarbor karst.</p> <p>The scar stretches from Western Australia over the border to South Australia. It lies 20 kilometres north of the <a href="https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/trans-australian-railway">Trans-Australian Railway</a> and 90 kilometres east-north-east of Forrest, a former railway settlement.</p> <p>We compared satellite imagery of the site over several years to determine that the tornado occurred between November 16 and 18, 2022. Blue circular patterns appeared alongside the scar, indicating pools of water associated with heavy rain.</p> <p>My colleagues and I then travelled to the site in May this year to examine and photograph the scar and the neighbouring landscape.</p> <p>Our results have been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/ES24023">published today</a> in the Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth Systems Science.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&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/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=315&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=315&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=315&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/633465/original/file-20241121-17-bx4uhg.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="map of Australia's southwest coast with dots showing recorded tornadoes" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Map showing tornado events in Western Australia and South Australia between 1795 and 2014. The location of the tornado scar in the study is shown with a red dot.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Source: Severe Thunderstorm Archive/Australian Bureau of Meteorology</span></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>What we found</h2> <p>The scar is 11 kilometres long and between 160 and 250 metres wide. It bears striking patterns called “cycloidal marks”, formed by tornado suction vortexes. This suggests the tornado was no ordinary storm but in the strong <a href="https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19720008829">F2 or F3</a> category, spinning with destructive winds of more than 200 kilometres an hour.</p> <p>The tornado probably lasted between seven and 13 minutes. Features of the scar suggest the whirling wind within the tornado was moving in a clockwise direction. We also think the tornado moved from west to east – which is consistent with the direction of a strong cold front in the region at the time.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&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/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622894/original/file-20241002-20-xzi4qn.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="spiralling masks in dry earth" /><figcaption><span class="caption">‘Cycloidal marks’ in the tornado scar, caused by multiple vortexes.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Google Earth satellite imagery</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Local weather observations also recorded intensive cloud cover and rainfall during that period in November 2022.</p> <p>Unlike tornadoes that hit populated areas, this one did not damage homes or towns. But it left its mark nonetheless, eroding soil and vegetation and reshaping the Earth’s surface.</p> <p>Remarkably, the scar was still clearly visible 18 months after the event, both in satellite images and on the ground. This is probably because vegetation grows slowly in this dry landscape, so hadn’t yet covered the erosion.</p> <h2>Predict and prepare</h2> <p>This fascinating discovery on the Nullarbor Plain shows how powerful and unpredictable nature can be – sometimes without us knowing.</p> <p>Only three tornadoes have previously been documented on the Nullarbor Plain. This is likely because the area is remote with few eye-witnesses, and because the events do not damage properties and infrastructure. Interestingly, those three tornadoes occurred in November, just like this one.</p> <p>Our research provides valuable insights into the tornadoes in this remote and little-studied region. It helps us understand when, and in what conditions, these types of tornadoes occur.</p> <p>It also emphasises the importance of satellite imagery in identifying and analysing weather phenomena in remote locations, and in helping us predict and prepare for the next big event.</p> <p>And finally, the results are a stark reminder that extreme weather can strike anywhere, anytime.</p> <hr /> <p><em>Hero Image: Author supplied/Google Earth</em></p> <p><em>This article has been amended to clarify that a reference to early tornado observations relates only to the period after British colonisation.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/239867/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matej-lipar-1372667">Matej Lipar</a>, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p><em>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/a-man-scouring-google-earth-found-a-mysterious-scar-in-the-australian-outback-and-now-scientists-know-what-caused-it-239867">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Domestic Travel

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Australia Post wants to charge more for stamps next year. Here’s why it has to keep letters alive

<div class="theconversation-article-body">By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-alexander-1126222">Paul Alexander</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p>Remember back at the turn of the millennium, when sending a small letter only cost 45 cents? If you haven’t used the postal service recently, you might be in for a rude shock.</p> <p>Late last week, it was announced Australia Post had notified the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) of a proposal to increase the price of stamps.</p> <p>If ultimately approved by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, the current basic postage rate for a small letter, $1.50, would <a href="https://auspost.com.au/disruptions-and-updates/pricing-updates/bpr-letter-pricing-update">rise</a> to $1.70 by mid-2025. Stamps for regular large and priority small letters would go from $2.20 up to $2.70.</p> <p>There would still be a discounted option for seasonal greetings cards, which would remain at 65 cents.</p> <p>If you’re feeling a sense of déjà vu, that’s because the last basic postage rate <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/decision-basic-postage-rate">increase</a> to $1.50 only just came into effect earlier this year.</p> <p>Like physical cash, letters have arguably been in terminal decline. According to Australia Post, <a href="https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/proposed-stamp-price-increase-as-letters-losses-mount">fewer than 3%</a> of letters are now sent by individuals. The rest are overwhelmingly business and government communications.</p> <p>But for some key groups, the “snail mail” remains a vital service. So why do we need to keep letters alive, and will increasing the price of stamps be enough to do so?</p> <h2>A duty to serve all Australians</h2> <p>As a publicly owned organisation, Australia Post has a range of formal community service obligations (CSOs). These are <a href="https://www.transparency.gov.au/publications/communications-and-the-arts/australian-postal-corporation/australia-post-annual-report-2022-23/other-important-information/community-service-obligations">enshrined in legislation</a> – the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989.</p> <p>These CSOs were set up to ensure essential postal services are accessible and affordable to all Australians, including those in regional, rural and remote areas.</p> <p>They include providing a universal access to a standard letter service at a uniform price across the country, as well as specific obligations on the frequency, range and speed of mail delivery.</p> <p>Since 2015, Australia Post has been lobbying to reform its community service obligations to <a href="https://www.afr.com/markets/equity-markets/australia-post-posts-222m-loss-letter-posting-in-terminal-decline-20150925-gjup78">better align</a> with changed consumer behaviour and needs.</p> <p>That has led to some changes in what’s expected, including a range of <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/postal-services-modernisation-discussion-paper.pdf">reforms</a> implemented by the Australian government over the past year.</p> <p>These have included <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-12/auspost-to-halve-letter-delivery-frequency-from-monday/103699458">reducing delivery frequency</a> for letters and reallocating resources to parcel delivery, while still maintaining essential services in regional and remote areas and for special interest groups.</p> <p>We are clearly in a broader transition to new CSOs – and a new role for Australia Post. Much of that comes down to the difficulty of delivering letters.</p> <h2>The long decline of letters</h2> <p>In the last financial year, Australia Post’s letter volumes <a href="https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/proposed-stamp-price-increase-as-letters-losses-mount">fell</a> by almost 13%, which the company said led to a loss of $361.8 million.</p> <p>But this is nothing new. From a peak in 2008, letter delivery volumes have been <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/ensuring-australia-post-can-deliver-more-australians">plummeting</a> for more than a decade.</p> <figure class="align-right "><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>Australia Post <a href="https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/proposed-stamp-price-increase-as-letters-losses-mount">says</a> they’re now at levels not seen since the 1950s. Remember, in 1955, the Australian population was only 9.2 million people.</p> <p>Parallels with declining cash usage highlight our aversion to doing things with paper.</p> <p>Cash use in Australia has also fallen to historic lows, forcing the government to step in with a plan to <a href="https://theconversation.com/businesses-will-have-to-accept-cash-for-essentials-under-government-plan-243899">keep it alive for essentials</a>.</p> <h2>All or nothing</h2> <p>A key conundrum is that we can’t keep letters half-alive. For all Australians to be able post letters on a scheduled basis with fast delivery requires Australia Post to maintain a complete letter network across the entire nation.</p> <p>The overall costs of operating this – while not specifically itemised publicly – include maintaining delivery routes and retail outlets, paying employee wages and investing in infrastructure.</p> <p>Naturally, increasing the cost of sending letters will discourage businesses from doing so, shrinking the market ever more.</p> <p>But because the size of the mail delivery network does not shrink proportionately, this can cause outsize problems for Australia Post.</p> <p>Australia is not unique. Postal services around the world have felt <a href="https://www.upu.int/en/publications/physical-postal-services/strategies-and-ways-for-developing-the-traditional-letterpost-documents-market">similar pressures</a>, many of which have diversified into parcel logistics and offering other digital services.</p> <h2>Could we just lose letters?</h2> <p>There are three core demographics in Australian society that still need to send and receive physical mail. These are:</p> <ul> <li> <p>older Australians, particularly those who are less familiar with or have limited access to digital platforms</p> </li> <li> <p>residents of regional and remote areas with limited internet connectivity</p> </li> <li> <p>concessional users for whom discounted mail is the most affordable form of important communications.</p> </li> </ul> <p>At the very least, these groups all need to have a guaranteed ability to send and receive official information. That includes bank statements, legal notices, utility bills and government correspondence, such as electoral information.</p> <p>Less critical, but still socially important and likely not to be terminated, is delivery of cards and letters for personal milestones, holidays or other events.</p> <p>That puts Australia Post in a tricky position. It likely cannot maintain such large mail delivery infrastructure unless it does so at increasing losses.</p> <p>That also reduces its ability to provide other, more relevant services and can blunt its competitiveness in the parcel delivery market.</p> <h2>Letters as small parcels</h2> <p>For Australia Post, one solution may lie in leveraging its <a href="https://auspost.com.au/content/dam/auspost_corp/media/documents/2024-australia-post-annual-report.pdf">thriving</a> parcels delivery network.</p> <p>Given the essential user base for mail delivery is now so small, it makes sense for letters to be “special” delivery services, much as courier document services are now. Parcel home delivery resources could take this mail the last mile.</p> <p>This would be much more expensive per item for Australia Post. But if the market continued to decrease in volume, it would minimise total costs.</p> <p>It would also allow the government to provide a targeted subsidy if required.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/244503/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-alexander-1126222">Paul Alexander</a>, Adjunct Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p><em>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/australia-post-wants-to-charge-more-for-stamps-next-year-heres-why-it-has-to-keep-letters-alive-244503">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Money & Banking

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Devastating update on Molly the Magpie

<p>Molly the Magpie is at risk of being separated from his rescue family again after a special wildlife carers licence was overturned in court this week. </p> <p>Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen had rescued the bird when he fell from a nest in 2020. The couple and their two dogs, Peggy and Ruby, have since formed a special relationship with the magpie who now lives with them. </p> <p>Molly's unlikely friendship with the two staffordshire terriers quickly became an internet sensation, but after complaints that the couple did not have the appropriate licences to look after the magpie, she was surrendered to Queensland wildlife authorities in March. </p> <p>After receiving pressure from the public and some politicians, the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) “approved a specialised licence” and returned Molly to the couple almost two months after the bird had been surrendered. </p> <p>The licence was granted on the condition that the couple would not make commercial gain from Molly, continue wildlife training and engage with the department  to “ensure the bird is receiving adequate care and enrichment”.</p> <p>However, on Monday the Supreme Court had overturned the granting of the specialised licenced, following a judicial review. </p> <p>Legal firm XD Law & Advocacy sought the judicial review on behalf of an unnamed wildlife volunteer representing a network of volunteers who work to care for injured and rescued birds.</p> <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/DC1Et0UpCio/?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/DC1Et0UpCio/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p> “This action was not about one magpie — it was about reinforcing Queensland’s wildlife protection laws and the integrity of the wildlife licensing system," the applicant said. </p> <p>“I am grateful to the Supreme Court and so proud of all the wildlife carers that stood up for the law when the Department and the former Premier failed to do so.</p> <p>“We are the ones who deal with the wreckage of the social media fad of capturing baby magpies and training them to do cute tricks.</p> <p>“There is nothing cute about wings and legs bitten off by family pets. There is nothing cute about seeing a domesticated magpie ferociously attacked by a wild flock when they first interact.</p> <p>“We are not commenting at all on what should be done with Molly — we will not be exposing our members to that violence and abuse again.”</p> <p>Following the court decision, a DETSI spokesperson said in a statement: “In trying to protect the welfare of the bird — which has always been our highest priority — we made an error, and we are currently considering next steps."</p> <p>Image: Instagram</p>

Legal

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Australian Word of the Year announced

<p>Cost-of-living pressures and anger at the nation-wide supermarket duopoly have influenced the Australian Word of the Year for 2024.</p> <p>The Australian National Dictionary Centre, based at the Australian National University, has chosen "Colesworth": a blended word referencing the country's largest supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths.</p> <p>Senior Researcher Mark Gwynn said the word is almost exclusively used in negative contexts, with many calling out the power held by both supermarket giants. </p> <p>Although the word itself has been circulated for several years, its use has skyrocketed over the past 12 months, according to Gwynn.</p> <p>"Aussies walk out of the supermarket with less after paying more, but then hear news of massive profits in the supermarket sector. And with official investigations into some of the pricing practices at Australia's two largest supermarkets, it's no wonder that ordinary shoppers have become cynical," he said.</p> <p>"The blend of the supermarket names Coles and Woolworths into Colesworth provides a succinct way of referring to both supermarkets while at the same time hinting at the negative aspects of what is perceived as an unfair duopoly."</p> <p>Other shortlisted words include a mix of terms referencing politics, tax, and climate change.</p> <p>"Breaking" also made the shortlist, following the iconic performance by Australian artist RayGun at the Paris Olympic Games, with words included "climate trigger," "ute tax," and "YIMBY" (Yes In My Backyard).</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Books

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Dwayne Johnson's emotional moment with cancer-stricken fan

<p>A heartfelt moment between Hollywood actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and a fan battling stage 4 cancer has gone viral. </p> <p>While on a trip to Target in New Jersey, Johnson met a woman who shared candidly that she was facing stage 4 pancreatic cancer. </p> <p>Johnson greeted her warmly in the shop, “Good to see you, how are you feeling?”</p> <p>With a smile, the woman replied: “Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Can’t do anything about it.”</p> <p>Johnson then offered to take a photo with her, to which she responded, “I would love to.”</p> <p>As they posed together, the woman proudly declared, “I’m a warrior,” prompting Johnson to affirm, “You are a warrior,” before the woman joked that they looked alike since they both had no hair.</p> <p>Before he parted, she told Johnson: “We gotta keep fighting, fight fight fight.”</p> <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/DCTEM7ixvm1/?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/DCTEM7ixvm1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dwayne Johnson (@therock)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The Rock then posted a video of the sweet moment to his Instagram, reflecting on the moment with the caption, "As frenzied, and chaotic as all this was - it hit me here just how unpredictable, yet beautiful life truly is."</p> <p>The video quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, with many commenting words of support for the fan. </p> <p>"The Rock is the most humble guy ever," one person wrote, while another added, "You made that woman's day!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Caring

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How should Australian media cover the next federal election? Lessons from the US presidential race

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865">Denis Muller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Media coverage in Australia of the US presidential election and of the Voice referendum in October 2023 offer some pointers to what we might expect during next year’s federal election campaign.</p> <p>They also suggest some ways in which the professional mass media might better respond to the challenges thrown up by the combination of disinformation, harmful speech and hyper-partisanship that disfigured those two campaigns.</p> <p>The ideological contours of the Australian professional media, in particular its newspapers, have become delineated with increasing clarity over the past 15 years. In part this is a response to the polarising effects of social media, and in part it is a reflection of the increased stridency of political debate.</p> <p>The right is dominated by News Corporation, with commercial radio shock jocks playing a supporting role. The left is more diffuse and less given to propagandising. It includes the old Fairfax papers, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, now owned by the Nine Entertainment Company, and Guardian Australia.</p> <p>These contours are unlikely to change much, if at all, between now and the 2025 election.</p> <h2>Impartiality versus ‘bothsidesism’</h2> <p>Under these conditions, how might Australian journalism practice be adapted to better serve democracy under the pressures of an election campaign? The objective would be to contribute to the creation of a political culture in which people can argue constructively, disagree respectfully and work towards consensus.</p> <p>In pursuing that objective, a central issue is whether and how the media are committed to the principle of impartiality in news reports. This principle is under sustained pressure, as was seen in both the presidential election and the Voice referendum.</p> <p>We know from the words of its own editorial code of conduct that News Corp Australia does not accept the principle of impartiality in news reports. Paragraph 1.3 of that code states:</p> <blockquote> <p>Publications should ensure factual material in news reports is distinguishable from other material such as commentary and opinion. Comment, conjecture and opinion are acceptable as part of coverage to provide perspective on an issue, or explain the significance of an issue, or to allow readers to recognise what the publication’s or author’s standpoint is on a matter.</p> </blockquote> <p>This policy authorises journalists to write their news reports in ways that promote the newspaper’s or the journalist’s own views. This runs directly counter to the conventional separation of news from opinion accepted by most major media companies. This is exemplified by <a href="https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2023/07/27/GNM_editorial_code_of_practice_and_guidance_2023.pdf">the policy</a> of The Guardian, including Guardian Australia:</p> <blockquote> <p>While free to editorialise and campaign, a publication must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.</p> </blockquote> <p>Appended to The Guardian’s code is the essay written in 1921 by C. P. Scott, first the editor and then the owner-editor of the Manchester Guardian, to mark the newspaper’s centenary. It includes these words: “Comment is free, but facts are sacred”. Referring to a newspaper’s public duty, he added: “Propaganda […] is hateful.”</p> <p>In the present overheated atmosphere of public debate, impartiality has come to be confused with a discredited type of journalism known as “bothsidesism”.</p> <p>“Bothsidesism” presents “both sides” of an issue without any regard for their relative evidentiary merits. It allows for the ventilation of lies, hate speech and conspiracy theories on the spurious ground that these represent another, equally valid, side of the story.</p> <p>Impartiality is emphatically not “bothsidesism”. What particularly distinguishes impartiality is that it follows the weight of evidence. However, a recurring problem in the current environment is that the fair and sober presentation of evidence can be obliterated by the force of political rhetoric. As a result, impartiality can fall victim to its own detached passivity.</p> <p>Yet impartiality does not have to be passive: it can be proactive.</p> <p>During the presidential campaign, in the face of Trump’s egregious lying, some media organisations took this proactive approach.</p> <p>When Trump claimed during his televised debate with Kamala Harris that Haitian immigrants were eating people’s pets in the town of Springfield, Ohio, the host broadcaster, the American Broadcasting Company, fact-checked him in real time. It found, during the broadcast, that there was no evidence to support his claim.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nlCe8iOCJlQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>And for four years before that, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/24/trumps-false-or-misleading-claims-total-30573-over-four-years/">chronicled</a> Trump’s lies while in office, arriving at a total of 30,573.</p> <h2>Challenging misinformation</h2> <p>During the Voice referendum, many lies were told about what the Voice to Parliament would be empowered to do: advise on the date of Anzac Day, change the flag, set interest rates, and introduce a race-based element into the Constitution, advantaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over others.</p> <p>These were rebutted by the relevant authorities but by then the lies had been swept up in the daily tide of mis- or disinformation that was a feature of the campaign. At that point, rebuttals merely oxygenate the original falsehoods.</p> <p>More damaging still to the democratic process was the baseless allegation by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton that the Australian Electoral Commission had “rigged” the vote by accepting a tick as indicating “yes” but not accepting a cross as indicating “no”.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y_4H1IQID_M?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Opposition Senate leader, Simon Birmingham, also said allowing ticks but not crosses undermined the integrity of the process.</p> <p>The electoral commissioner, Tom Rogers, was reported as repudiating these claims, but by then these lies had acquired currency and momentum.</p> <p>A proactive approach to impartiality requires establishing the truthful position before or at the time of initial publication, then calling out falsehoods for what they are and providing supporting evidence. Neither the principle of impartiality nor any other ethical principle in journalism requires journalists to publish lies as if they might be true.</p> <p>It would not have been a failure of impartiality to say in a news report that Dutton’s claims about a rigged referendum were baseless, with the supporting evidence.</p> <p>That evidence, set out in an <a href="https://antonygreen.com.au/how-many-voters-mark-referendum-ballot-papers-with-a-cross-not-many-based-on-evidence/">excellent example</a> of proactive impartiality by the ABC’s election analyst Antony Green at the time, was that the ticks and crosses rule had been in place since 1988.</p> <h2>‘Proactive impartiality’ is the key to reporting the 2025 election</h2> <p>The question is, do Australia’s main media organisations as a whole have the resources and the will to invest in real-time fact-checking? The record is not encouraging.</p> <p>In March 2024, the ABC dissolved its fact-checking arrangement with RMIT University, replacing it with an in-house fact-checking unit called ABC News Verify.</p> <p>In 2023, a team led by Andrea Carson of La Trobe University published a <a href="https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/21078">study</a> tracking the fate of fact-checking operations in Australia. Its findings were summarised by her in The Conversation.</p> <p>In the absence of a fact-checking capability, it is hard to see how journalists can perform the kind of proactive impartiality that current circumstances demand.</p> <p>On top of that, the shift from advertising-based mass media to subscription-based niche media is creating its own logic, which is antithetical to impartiality.</p> <p>Mass-directed advertising was generally aimed at as broad an audience as possible. It encouraged impartiality in the accompanying editorial content as part of an appeal to the broad middle of society.</p> <p>Since a lot of this advertising has gone online, the media have begun to rely increasingly on subscriptions. In a hyper-partisan world, ideological branding, or alternatively freedom from ideological branding, has become part of the sales pitch.</p> <p>Where subscribers do expect to find ideological comfort, readership and ratings are at put risk when their expectations are disappointed.</p> <p>Rupert Murdoch <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-trump-2020-0ac71f75acfacc52ea80b3e747fb0afe">learned this</a> when his Fox News channel in the US called the 2020 election for Joe Biden, driving down ratings and causing him to reverse that position in order to claw back the losses.</p> <p>These are unpalatable developments for those who believe that fair, accurate news reporting untainted by the ideological preferences of proprietors or journalists is a vital ingredient in making a healthy democracy work. But that is the world we live in as we approach the federal election of 2025.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/243267/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/denis-muller-1865">Denis Muller</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: DEAN LEWINS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial - LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p> <p><em>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-should-australian-media-cover-the-next-federal-election-lessons-from-the-us-presidential-race-243267">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Legal

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Give the gift of festive KINDness this Christmas

<p dir="ltr">A little kindness goes a long way, and with the festive season right around the corner, you can share the love, kindness and beauty to treat the makeup-obsessed people in your life.  </p> <p dir="ltr">The KIND Collective’s Christmas collection has something for everyone, with gifts to accommodate every budget, so you don’t need to break the bank to share small indulgences with your loved ones.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lynda Chapman, The KIND Collective founder, said of the festive launch, “The holiday season can be a stressful time regardless of economic health. We have been listening to the concerns of our community and focusing on how we can offer a beautiful gifting collection that is of high quality, cruelty free and vegan at an accessible price point.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“In 2024, we have doubled the range while maintaining the budget friendly prices. Choosing gifts for our loved ones should be about kindness, finding something they’ll love and cherish, while also being kind to ourselves by relieving the pressure to find items that are both high quality and affordable.”</p> <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/DB2obVqRBm7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/DB2obVqRBm7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The KIND Collective (@thekindcollectiveaustralia)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The range features stocking stuffers for under just $10, with lip gloss trios for $9 and What a Cracker trios available for $10, making the perfect addition to any gift.  </p> <p dir="ltr">Other gift sets feature mascaras, blushes, lip glosses and nail polishes for under $20 each, and palettes and brush sets available for under $30. </p> <p dir="ltr">For those looking to really splash out on their loved ones, the One of a KIND Beauty Bag features a bit of everything to complete an entire makeup look, and a selection of accessories, for just $39. </p> <p dir="ltr">So when you’re doing your Christmas shopping, make sure to pick up some of the gorgeous gifts from KIND to share love, beauty and kindness with the special people in your life this festive season.</p> <p dir="ltr">The KIND Collective Christmas gifting range is available at <a href="https://www.bigw.com.au/brands/kind-collective?srsltid=AfmBOoqKPWXD5U_UluIDPOJCclKIDIB2TNhw70GUo86ksiAMXxm__uMo">Big W</a>, <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/brand/kind-collective?srsltid=AfmBOooEDo0ZjQ_c8GWSTyltAsil8WjocCew2h9uafSdBPlriVDp57vP">Priceline</a> and KIND’s official <a href="https://www.thekindcollectiveaustralia.com/">website</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram / Shutterstock </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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The Block winners revealed after nail-biting auction

<p>The winners of the 2024 season of <em>The Block</em> have been crowned, after the nail-biting auction came to a dramatic end on Sunday night. </p> <p>In a break from tradition, it was the last house sold that made the most money, with sisters Maddy and Charlotte making a huge $1,550,00 profit from their house, as well as the $100,000 prize money.</p> <p>The sisters, aged just 25 and 22, were in disbelief at how quickly it was all over. </p> <div id="paragraph-9"> <div> <p>“It took us a second to be like, ‘No, no. Like, you just won <em>The Block</em>.’ And I think I was a bit of a stunned mullet,” Maddy said.</p> </div> </div> <div id="paragraph-10"> <div> <p>“I was expecting anticipation and to be, like, ‘Oh, what’s gonna happen next?’ It was like, ‘Well, you’ve won.’ It’s like … time to go. It was the quickest auction of the day; it was over so quickly.”</p> </div> </div> <p>Coming in second were Courtney and Grant with $1,300,050 profit, followed by Kristian and Mimi in third place with $1,030,000.</p> <p>Fourth were Haydn and Ricky who made $750,000 and coming in last, but still smiling, were Kylie and Brad who made $650,000. </p> <p>Kylie, who was embroiled in much on-screen drama this season, said all the hardships of the show were worth it, and they were happy with their result. </p> <p>"It was worth it," she said. "Unfortunately. Because I was a different person here. But… we made it. We're very grateful."</p> <p>Millionaire "Lambo guy" Adrian Portelli made a splash at what he said would be his final <em>Block</em> auction, as he ended up spending $15,030,000 in one day and breaking a Block record by purchasing every single house.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p>

TV

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Sad end in search for young boy swept out to sea

<p>A body has been recovered in the search for a young boy swept out to sea in front of his family while on a fishing trip at The Entrance, NSW over the weekend.</p> <p>Laith Alaid, 11, was crossing a channel about 5pm on Sunday when he was caught in the outgoing tide. </p> <p>His father managed to save his other three sons aged, three, seven and nine, but he could not reach Laith in time.</p> <p>Bystanders looked after the three children while Laith's father tried to reach him. </p> <p>“(The father) came here by himself and with his four beautiful boys ... and he tried to save them all, he saved three and by the time he turned around (Laith) was gone ... in a split second,” family member Zeid Alhirz said. </p> <p>The family were visiting the Central Coast from Sydney and had been fishing when it is understood they took a shortcut across the channel between an estuary and the ocean. </p> <p>Relatives said they had visited and fished at the popular tourist spot for years and had crossed the channel at least three times before tragedy struck. </p> <p>An extensive multi-agency search was conducted and on Wednesday police were called back to The Entrance after a body was found in the water. </p> <p>“While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing boy,” NSW Police said.</p> <p>Inspector David Piddington said “lots of people try to move across that channel” but he advised against it.</p> <p>A report will be prepared for the coroner.</p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Caring

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How are racehorses really treated in the ‘sport of kings’?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathrynne-henshall-572585">Cathrynne Henshall</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a></em></p> <p>It’s the time of year when shiny horses and colourful clothing fill our screens – the <a href="https://www.racing.com/spring-racing">Spring Racing Carnival</a>, which includes high profile races like The Everest, Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate.</p> <p>It’s also the time of year when questions are asked about the welfare of racehorses that compete in the so-called “<a href="https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/horse/how-we-shaped-horses-how-horses-shaped-us/sport/sport-of-kings#:%7E:text=Thoroughbred%20racing%20began%20around%20300,Asia%2C%20and%20the%20Middle%20East.">sport of kings</a>”.</p> <p>Previously, <a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/punters-life/how-many-horses-have-died-in-the-melbourne-cup-the-real-numbers/news-story/5f7e29011a7fbf3da9e0611e902d1ee6">high profile deaths during races</a>, the <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0015622">use of whips</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-17/making-a-killing/6127124">what happens to horses after racing</a> have been the focus of community concern.</p> <p>But recently, as we’ve come to know more about what makes a <a href="https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/advice/welfare-wednesdays/how-to-provide-a-good-life-for-horses-friends-freedom-and-forage">good life for a horse</a>, questions are being raised about the daily lives of racehorses.</p> <p>Industry participants will point to the <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/dont-tell-me-the-horse-racing-industry-doesnt-care/">high level care</a> that racehorses receive – comfortable stables, specially formulated diets, the latest vet treatments and added extras such as massages and swimming sessions.</p> <p>But does this care translate into good welfare?</p> <h2>The theory of ‘telos’</h2> <p>Firstly, a quick primer on the difference between care and welfare.</p> <p>Care includes all the things that make sure racehorses get fit, stay fit and stay healthy. This care helps maximise the chance a horse will win races.</p> <p>Welfare is the animal’s subjective or individual experience of its life – <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33066335/">how it feels</a> – and there are a number of ways to assess this.</p> <p>One way is the concept of “telos”, originally developed by Ancient Greek philosopher <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-causality/">Aristotle</a>.</p> <p>Telos is a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10806-012-9422-y">species’ anatomical, physiological, behavioural and cognitive characteristics</a> that have been shaped by millions of years of evolution.</p> <p>Telos helps us to identify what matters to animals – their behavioural, psychological and physiological needs.</p> <p>So to consider if racehorse care actually translates to good welfare, we can assess how closely it provides the animal with the things that matter to them, based on their telos.</p> <p>Equine telos involves living in groups, forming long-lived social relationships, grazing fibrous plants and being on the move for up to 18 hours a day, as well as staying safe by sensing danger and then moving away.</p> <p>It also involves living in variable environments to solve challenges, learn, engage in curiosity and play.</p> <p>Let’s compare that to the daily life of a racehorse.</p> <h2>Movement and feeding</h2> <p>Firstly, the vast majority of racehorses live in stables – sometimes up to 23 hours a day.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17970632/">Multiple studies</a> have found continuous stabling harms horse welfare.</p> <p>Stables significantly restrict opportunities for voluntary movement, and studies show stabled horses spend <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37813129/">the majority of the time inactive</a>.</p> <p>Even though stables house horses communally, most designs limit horses’ opportunities for social interaction.</p> <p>Thirdly, there’s little for a horse to do in a stable other than eat, stand, drink or lie, and they often develop <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34670688/">abnormal behaviours</a> that are associated with stress. These are never seen in free-ranging horses.</p> <p>When racehorses do get to move, they have little say over how far, how fast and for how long they move.</p> <p>The kinds of physical exercise racehorses do are both significantly shorter in duration and at much higher speeds than horses voluntarily choose. It’s those speeds that place them at <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17910268/">risk of suffering a serious injury</a>.</p> <p>What about diet?</p> <p>Although a lot of time and effort is spent ensuring racehorses enjoy high quality diets, they are mostly comprised of concentrated energy sources such as grains, rather the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10135103/">fibre horses evolved to eat</a>.</p> <p>Horses are <a href="https://madbarn.com/slow-feeders-for-horses/#:%7E:text=Horses%20are%20trickle%20feeders%20that,to%2025%20miles%20per%20day.">trickle feeders</a> (grazers), with small stomachs that continuously secrete digestive juices.</p> <p>In the wild, grazing keeps those stomachs full, which prevents the stomach lining from being damaged by digestive acids.</p> <p>In comparison, racehorses often consume their food very quickly – instead of spending up to 75% of their day eating, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780702026348500137">they spend only 33%</a>.</p> <p>This means their stomachs are empty for most of the day, which is why up to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37048517/">65% will get painful gastric ulcers</a>.</p> <p>And having to wait to be fed rather than eating when hungry, as happens in free-ranging horses, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/3/3/663">can lead to frustration</a>.</p> <h2>Other difficulties</h2> <p>Racehorses <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/does-whipping-hurt-race-horses-20211102-p595br.html">may be whipped</a>, and <a href="https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1982.tb02389.x">more than 50% </a> will experience some form of musculoskeletal injury during racing, of which between <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/270">7-49% are fatal</a>.</p> <p>Social relationships, in the limited form possible in a racing stable, are also frequently disrupted because horse populations are highly transient due to spelling, <a href="https://theconversation.com/black-caviars-death-has-prompted-uncomfortable-questions-about-how-champion-mares-spend-their-retirement-237039">retirement</a> or even just going to the races.</p> <p>So even if two horses are able to form a relationship of sorts, chances are one will be taken away. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=henshall+stress+repeated&amp;size=200">Separation distress is a significant stressor</a> for horses.</p> <p>Then there’s the gear that’s used to control them.</p> <p>Horses, like most animal species, escape and avoid painful stimuli.</p> <p>However, in racing (and many other equestrian activties) it is <a href="https://www.racingnsw.com.au/wp-content/uploads/NSWRules.pdf">mandatory to use</a> “bits” to control horses’ behaviour during riding and handling. Bits work by causing uncomfortable pressure and pain and may lead to mouth injuries.</p> <p>Studies have shown many people don’t understand how <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08927936.2023.2166713#abstract">to minimise the harm they can cause</a>. In addition, people also vary widely in their ability to read and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/12/1124">interpret behavioural responses to stress</a>.</p> <p>So, racehorses may be repeatedly exposed to pain from bits and perform a range of behaviours to try to escape that pain, like bolting, mouth opening or head tossing.</p> <p>To remedy this, additional items of restrictive equipment, such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34056705/">tongue ties</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/dressing-up-for-melbourne-cup-day-from-a-racehorse-point-of-view-104771">nosebands, lugging bits or bit burs</a> may be used to control the horse.</p> <p>Racehorses frequently show signs of difficulty coping with the stressors of racing life, including “going off their feed”, aggression towards handlers, becoming hard to control when ridden and a range of stress behaviours and health issues, <a href="https://avmajournals.avma.org/downloadpdf/view/journals/javma/260/15/javma.22.08.0358.pdf">such as bleeding from the lungs</a>.</p> <h2>What about welfare?</h2> <p>Racehorse care is often directed towards managing issues that are the direct result of the demands of the racing environment.</p> <p>Fancy stables and aqua sessions are not important to horses, and may even cause harm.</p> <p>What matters to horses are opportunities to make meaningful choices, such as the freedom to move, form friendships and graze for the majority of the day.</p> <p>Current racing industry practices often deny horses the chance to make these choices.</p> <p>There’s no doubt people in racing care deeply about their horses. But to experience good welfare during racing, racehorses need more than just good care.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/240998/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathrynne-henshall-572585">Cathrynne Henshall</a>, Post-doctoral Fellow, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>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-are-racehorses-really-treated-in-the-sport-of-kings-240998">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

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The Voice 2025 coaches line-up leaked

<p><em>The Voice Australia</em> appears set to have a major cast shake up, following Guy Sebastian's shock <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/guy-sebastian-drops-bombshell-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">departure</a> from the show after six years. </p> <p>An insider told <em>Yahoo Lifestyle</em> that current coaches Kate Miller-Heidke and Adam Lambert are also saying goodbye to the show. </p> <p>Channel Seven is said to be in the final stages of locking their new line-up, which includes former fan favourites like Keith Urban. </p> <p>“The line-up that Channel Seven wants is Keith Urban, Jessica Mauboy, Ronan Keating and LeAnn Rimes,” the source told <em>Yahoo Lifestyle.</em> </p> <p>“They’ve all been on the show before and conversations had started a few months back.”</p> <p>Urban last appeared on the singing competition as coach in 2022, and fans were overjoyed when he appeared as a guest earlier this year. </p> <p>"Keith was asked about returning when he recorded a performance for the grand finale and he sounded open to the idea - as long as it works with his wife Nicole Kidman's plans to be back in Australia at the same time," the insider said. </p> <p>The source also said that US singer Rimes is likely to return as well. </p> <p>"In the lead-up to this year’s finale, LeAnn's management kept talking about the next series and what she plans to do differently," they said. </p> <p> “LeAnn was clear about her ambition to return next year and Channel Seven are keen to have her back after her artist won.”</p> <p>Jessica Mauboy, who was coach for the show from 2021 to 2023, left the series this year to focus on her music and go on tour, but Channel Seven are also keen to welcome her back. </p> <p>“There were always plans to bring Jess back at some point and viewers really missed her contribution this season," the insider said. </p> <p>“The conversation about Jess had been on the cards with or without Guy. It seemed the network was already looking at flipping Kate Miller-Heidke, who seemed a little out of place on the show."</p> <p>As for Ronan Keating, who was last seen on the show in 2016, the source said he was keen to appear on the Australian version of the show again. </p> <p>Channel Seven is expected to officially announce the 2025 lineup for <em>The Voice Australia</em> at their upcoming Upfront event this month.</p> <p>“One thing is for sure <em>The Voice Australia </em>will go on without Guy Sebastian and 2025 looks set to have one of the best line-ups without him." </p> <p><em>Images: Channel Seven</em></p> <p> </p>

TV

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Guy Sebastian drops bombshell news

<p>Guy Sebastian has shocked fans after announcing he would be taking a step back from his coaching role on <em>The Voice </em>after six years in the red chair. </p> <p>In a statement shared to Instagram, the Aussie singer revealed that he is having a break from the show to focus on his other musical pursuits, such as a new album and upcoming tour. </p> <p>“I have made the decision to take a break from the best red chair on the planet. It’s been six amazing years as a coach and it’s honestly been the best gig ever!” he said.</p> <p>“I have nothing but good things to say about the show itself, and sharing the panel with such amazing coaches has been a pleasure."</p> <p>“The best thing about the show is how positive it is and how much care and passion goes into making it a safe place for artists.”</p> <p>“For me right now, it’s time to focus more on my core, which is writing and performing new music,” he added.“I am busy planning shows in Australia and worldwide and I am really looking forward to getting out and connecting with you all there."</p> <p>"For too long now, I have been reading comments from you asking when I will be visiting your town/country and it’s high time I come and visit!”</p> <p>Sebastian revealed he had been working his new album on and off for years, and is hoping he will now be able to give the new record his undivided attention.</p> <p>“I’ve worked on this upcoming album for four years and I’ve poured everything I have into it, so I need to pay respect to that effort and the art I’ve created,” he wrote.</p> <p>Signing off from the statement, Sebastian revealed he is planning to return to <em>The Voice</em> at a later date, while issuing a word of warning for his temporary replacement. </p> <p>He said, “Whoever has the audacity to take my chair, don’t get too comfortable ... I will wrestle for it back with zero dignity when I’m ready to return.”</p> <p>“Thank you everyone, it’s been a blast and let’s keep supporting fresh Aussie talent – it’s some of the best in the world!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: The Voice</em></p>

Music

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Hunt for Australia's first Golden Bachelor begins

<p>While former <em>Sunrise </em>host Samantha Armytage has been confirmed to host Nine's new reality series <em>The Golden Bachelor,</em> there are still a few major roles to fill. </p> <p>The bachelor and all the women needed for the series are yet to be found, but one well-known businessman is believed to be a leading contender for the show. </p> <p>“We are looking for Australia’s first Golden Bachelor and many incredible women who want to find love again,” read the official casting website. </p> <p>Nine are looking for people aged between 60 and 75 years old who are “looking for the last great love” of their life, live in Australia and are single. </p> <p>“Do you know someone in their golden years who deserves one more shot at their happily ever after?” the casting notice read. </p> <p>According to TV Blackbox expert Steve Molk, “Mark Bouris is being touted as their guy.” </p> <p>Bouris, 68, is a podcaster for <em>Straight Talk</em> and a former host of Nine's <em>The Celebrity Apprentice</em>. </p> <p>Molk added that it's not uncommon for a network to create buzz with the announcement “in the hope it will help shake the trees for prospective applicants to flock and submit their audition”.</p> <p>Although Nine has yet to confirm their broadcast date, Molk believes that it's likely to air mid next year. </p> <p>“This gives them time to cast and film while still showing partners why they would want to drop their cash with Nine."</p> <p>Armytage said the Australian version of the show has “got a different spin”. </p> <p>“This is for people who are looking for love again, who’ve got some miles on their tyres and are ready to fall in love again,” she told Nine's <em>Today</em> on October 29. </p> <p>“These are people with life experience. There’s going to be some great stories here, some kind of sad stories in some.</p> <p>“We’re looking for a happy fairytale ending.”</p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

TV

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Exploring The Lost Recipes by Ross Dobson

<p><em>In his quest to unearth Australia’s forgotten culinary treasures, Ross Dobson has dredged up everything from the delicate to the downright curious – recipes that had slipped into obscurity like an old record player and are now ready for a comeback.</em></p> <p>During the Covid pandemic I embalmed myself in nostalgia. There was loss on a global scale and, for many of us, it was also a time of great personal loss. Within a few short years, just prior to and during the pandemic, I lost both my parents. I found peace and comfort (and joy in spades) in reading old Australian recipes. </p> <p>I devoured recipes in old books, newspapers, magazines – anything I could get my hands on. Simple and even not-so-simple recipes. Shared or sought. I became interested in (nay, obsessed with) the forgotten: recipes that have been overlooked or disregarded, or were barely noticed in the first place. These are the lost recipes. </p> <p>We found a culinary oasis that was the beginning of the end of our ‘meat-and-two veg’ diet: a rival more exotic and delicious. </p> <p>The original idea for this book was to limit it to baking recipes: cakes, slices, biscuits and puddings. Surely we have all heard of, eaten or made a lamington, custard kiss, finger bun, passionfruit sponge or pav. These have all received top billing in any production of Australian classics. But what about a whimsy, fluffy dick, Napoleon cake, Australian shortbread or cream lily? These delicious things have been waiting in the wings for far too long. I am nudging them into the limelight. </p> <p>But as I perused an article in a magazine or newspaper, it was not uncommon to see a cake or slice recipe incongruously sandwiched between recipes for braised breast of lamb and devilled whitebait, or turmeric duck and farmhouse casserole (rabbit with inside-out stuffing). How could I possibly resist including these? And so, the scope of the book fell into place. </p> <p>I was drawn to the recipes that were popular at one point in time. A good recipe would be printed in newspapers again and again. Today, we would say it has ‘gone viral’. But, like a whispered game of ‘pass it on’, some good recipes would lose something or become something else over time. </p> <p>In researching for a previous book, <em>Australia: The Cookbook</em>, I noticed a recurring lack of nuance. There seemed to be little room for movement or deviation from a recipe. A lamington recipe was just that. There are, to this day, slight variations. Some recipes might call for a filling of jam, cream, buttercream or even panna cotta, a contemporary take. And if this was the case, it wasn’t a regional thing. It was shared and enjoyed on a national level. Much like a recipe for pavlova, meat pie or a hamburger with the lot. </p> <p>Nigella Lawson says of Australian food: ‘These [recipes] demonstrate that peculiar mixture of macho and camp that is a feature of a certain kind of Australian cooking tradition.’ </p> <p>I agree. I feel like much of our food tradition is binary: the meat and the sweet. The brown of a beef stew and the garish pink of coconut ice. Of course, this is reducing Australian recipes to a simple notion. </p> <p>There are exceptions to the rule, not as rare as one might think. It is these exceptions that I went in search of. In doing so, I inadvertently discovered that some Australians did cook with ingredients such as garlic, ginger, coconut milk and chilli. A simple roast lamb with garlic (page 110) and a chicken curry (page 96) laden with ginger and green chilli are testament to that. Capers, anchovies and lentils are also used in recipes that went under the radar. </p> <p>Looking at our past offers insight into who we are now. Through this culinary looking glass we can also see the opposite of what we might expect or what we might think is the norm. What we choose to cook and consume can be a revelation of our identity, of who we are. </p> <p>Our Indigenous culture is the oldest in the world, yet many of us are unfamiliar with native ingredients; Europeans brought cuisines and cultures to these shores, yet we are not European; Asia is our nearest neighbour and the origin of some of our favourite dishes, but we are not Asian. </p> <p>We are unique. In all this, there is wonder to be had, and wonder I do.</p> <p><em>To learn more about </em>The Lost Recipes<em> and other exciting upcoming publications from Echo Publishing, you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook, or visit our website at <a href="https://www.echopublishing.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.echopublishing.com.au/</a></em></p> <p><em>Images: Echo Publishing </em></p> <p><em>Brought to you by Echo Publishing</em></p>

Food & Wine

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"You are incredible": The Voice 2024 winner revealed

<p>In a thrilling conclusion to <em>The Voice's</em> 13th season, Reuben de Melo from Team LeAnn emerged as the winner after the public votes wrapped up on Sunday night. </p> <p>The finale saw  Annie Jones, Skÿe, Reuben and Jaedyn Randell each perform a duet with their coach and then a solo number.</p> <p>Reuben sang a stirring rendition of the Coldplay ballad <em>Fix You</em> with his coach. He then performed <em>House of the Rising Sun</em> by The Animals, a rendition which his coach described as "insane". </p> <p>The FIFO worker and father of three has previously said that winning <em>The Voice</em> and taking home the 100k grand prize would allow him to get out of the minds and spend more time with his family. </p> <p>“I never thought I’d get this far, this is crazy," Reuben said of his win, which also comes with a music masterclass and industry recording development package. </p> <p>“I’m so proud," LeAnn said. "You deserve every bit of this moment and I’m so honoured that I could be on this journey with you. You are incredible."</p> <p>LeAnne also explained why she'd taken to Reuben since his first blind audition, even using her "Ultimate Block" tool to stop the other coaches from snagging him for their teams. </p> <p>“I knew as soon as he opened his mouth, and I heard him sing. There was just so much feeling there. There was no way I was letting any of the other coaches get to him before I did,” she said.</p> <p>Earlier in the night, Skÿe from Team Guy, who was another strong contender, hit the stage with the Goo Goo Dolls' iconic song<em> Iris</em> and then sang <em>Against All Odds</em> by Phil Collins as his duet with Guy Sebastian.</p> <p>Annie Jones sang <em>Youngblood</em> by 5SOS as her solo and <em>Barracuda by Heart </em>for her duet with Adam Lambert, while Jaedyn performed Empire of the Sun's <em>Walking on a Dream </em>as a duet with Kate-Miller Heidke and then <em>Snow Angel </em>by Renee Rapp.</p> <p><em>Image: Seven</em></p>

Music

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Samantha Armytage hints at major career news

<p>Samantha Armytage has hinted at a major change, following reports that the former <em>Seven</em> star has joined rival network <em>Nine</em>. </p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">The former <em>Farmer Wants a Wife</em> host </span>teased her new gig as she was being interviewed by <em>The Daily Telegraph </em>at The Everest in Sydney over the weekend. </p> <p>Last week, it was reported that Armytage had signed a deal with Nine to host the Australian version of the dating show <em>The Golden Bachelor</em> in the coming year. </p> <p>The publication also revealed that the deal is believed to be worth a significant amount, with insiders confirming the news to them. </p> <p>When asked whether she had signed with <em>Nine</em>, the TV veteran remained coy, saying with a smile: "Look, watch this space. Exciting times ahead."</p> <p>The news reportedly comes after months of negotiation between the TV star and her new network. </p> <p>"There was a bit of back and forth, but I believe the contract has been signed" an insider told <em>The Daily Telegraph</em> last week.</p> <p>The Golden Bachelor is a spin-off of <em>The Bachelor</em> series, but the contestants of the show are senior citizens instead. </p> <p>"This is a smart move for Sam and Nine. She is well suited to this gig and breathed new life into <em>Farmer Wants a Wife</em>," the insider added. </p> <p>Armytage announced her departure from Seven in August after 21 years with the network. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Controversial suicide capsule applications suspended amid investigation

<p>Advocacy groups behind the suicide capsule have suspended the process of taking applications amid a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland. </p> <p>In a statement on Sunday, they said that 371 people were “in the process of applying” to use the device, known as the Sarco, as of September 23 and applications were suspended after its first use. </p> <p>The Sarco capsule is designed to allow the person inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas from a tank underneath into the sealed chamber, allowing the person to fall asleep and then die of suffocation in a few minutes. </p> <p>On September 23, an unidentified 64-year-old woman from the US Midwest, became the first person to use the device in a forest in the northern Schaffhausen region. </p> <p>The president of Switzerland-based The Last Resort, Florian Willet, said at the time that the woman's death was "peaceful, fast, and dignified", although those claims could not be independently verified. </p> <p>On the same day as the woman's death, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told parliament that use of the Sarco would not be legal.</p> <p>Willet and several others were taken into custody following her death and prosecutors opened an investigation on suspicion of incitement and accessory to suicide.</p> <p>Willet is currently being held in pretrial detention, according to The Last Resort and Exit International, an affiliate founded in Australia over a quarter-century ago. The others who were detained were released from custody. </p> <p>Exit International also clarified that their lawyers in Switzerland believed the use of the device is legal.</p> <p>“Only after the Sarco was used was it learned that Ms Baume-Schneider had addressed the issue,” the advocacy groups said in the statement Sunday.</p> <p>“The timing was a pure coincidence and not our intention.”</p> <p>Switzerland has some of the most permissive laws when it comes to assisted suicide, but the first use of the Sarco has prompted debate among lawmakers. </p> <p>Laws in the country permit assisted suicide, as long as the person takes their own life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person die do not do so for “any self-serving motive”. </p> <p><em>Image: Exit International</em></p> <p> </p>

Legal

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World’s longest treasure hunt ends as Golden Owl finally unearthed in France

<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">After more than three decades of mystery and intrigue, the world’s longest-running treasure hunt has come to a thrilling conclusion with the discovery of the elusive Golden Owl. Valued at approximately $240,000, the treasure had captivated the imaginations of thousands since it was first buried in France in the early 1990s.</span></p> <p>The hunt began with the publication of the now-famous book, <em>On the Trail of the Golden Owl</em>, written by communications expert Régis Hauser under the pseudonym “Max Valentin” and illustrated by artist Michel Becker. The 1993 book challenged readers to solve a series of intricate riddles and clues, which, when deciphered, would reveal the owl’s secret location.</p> <p>Despite years of painstaking attempts to crack the mystery, the Golden Owl remained hidden for decades, surviving even its creator. Hauser passed away in 2009, leaving the prize still buried. Michel Becker, who took over the management of the hunt, delivered the long-awaited news on October 3 via an online announcement that sparked a frenzy among treasure hunters: “A potential winning solution is currently being verified.”</p> <p>Two hours later, he confirmed: “Don’t go digging! We confirm that the Golden Owl countermark was unearthed last night.”</p> <p>The treasure hunt’s <a href="https://goldenowlhunt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official website was also updated with the announcement</a>, bringing an end to a search that has been both thrilling and, for some, overwhelming.</p> <p><strong>The obsession and madness behind the search</strong></p> <p>For over 30 years, the Golden Owl hunt transcended being just a hobby for many treasure hunters and became an all-consuming obsession. While some enjoyed it as a leisurely pursuit, others were driven to extreme lengths – financially, emotionally and mentally. The search for the owl has been linked to personal crises, including financial ruin and broken marriages. At least one individual reportedly ended up in an asylum due to their fixation on solving the hunt’s riddles.</p> <p>The toll wasn’t limited to individuals. Searchers caused considerable disruption across France, digging unauthorised holes in public and private lands. In one eastern French village, the local mayor was forced to plead with hunters to stop digging around its chapel, while in other cases, searchers brought power tools to banks and even considered destroying structures in the hopes of unearthing the treasure.</p> <p><strong>The Golden Owl’s elusive clues</strong></p> <p><em>On the Trail of the Golden Owl</em> contained a complex series of 11 riddles, each paired with a painting by Becker. The riddles, combined with maps, colours and hidden details, challenged readers to work out the owl’s hidden location.</p> <p>Before his death, Hauser revealed three crucial elements to solving the puzzle:</p> <p>The use of maps: Hunters needed to work with maps to narrow down the search area and use a specific map to pinpoint the final zone.</p> <p>A “mega trick”: This was the key to using the sequence of riddles to locate the final area where the owl was hidden.</p> <p>A final hidden riddle: Once in the final zone, hunters had to uncover one last riddle to lead them to the exact spot of the treasure.</p> <p><strong>Joyous celebration among treasure hunters</strong></p> <p>The treasure-hunting community was overjoyed when the news broke, with many expressing their disbelief and excitement. “Finally – liberated!” exclaimed one fan on the hunt’s Discord forum. Another added, “I didn’t think I’d live to see the day.”</p> <p>As of now, the exact location of the owl’s discovery and the identity of the finder remain undisclosed. However, Becker hinted at the complexity involved in concluding this monumental hunt. “Tons of emotions to manage for all those who are responsible for managing the end of this episode and complex logistics to put in place,” he said in a statement on October 6.</p> <p>For now, the Golden Owl, a treasure that has held a generation of sleuths in its grasp, has been unearthed. Yet, the fascination with its story will undoubtedly linger for years to come.</p> <p><em>Images/Illustrations: Michel Becker</em></p>

International Travel

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The Block couple calls off wedding

<p><em>The Block</em> couple Paige Beechey and Jesse Maguire have called off their wedding following their abrupt exit from the show earlier this month. </p> <p>The Perth-based couple have reportedly sent their wedding guests a note informing them that their wedding has been postponed, with no new date confirmed. </p> <p>“Dear friends and family, life, in its unpredictable course, has presented us with unforeseen circumstances that has led us to postpone our upcoming wedding on 12 December,” the message read, according to <a href="https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/the-blocks-paige-and-jesse-call-off-their-wedding-with-heartbreaking-note-042835911.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Yahoo Lifestyle</em></a>.</p> <p>“While we were eagerly looking forward to celebrating our love and commitment with you all, we believe it is essential to acknowledge when a moment is not right. This year, it is not.</p> <p>“We extend our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience and disappointment this news may bring. A new date for our celebration is unknown at this time, but we will keep you abreast of any rescheduling.”</p> <p>Despite their decision it is understood that the couple are still together, even telling the outlet that their reality TV appearance had brought them "closer" together. </p> <p>The couple were branded this season's "villains" due to their <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/violent-threats-the-block-star-opens-up-after-sudden-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple on-screen arguments</a>, with the show’s executive producer Justin Sturzaker forced to step in after their tensions escalated one night, and the couple were recorded yelling at each other. </p> <p>After reaching out to the counselling services on the show, the couple eventually decided to quit the show. </p> <p>“We feel as though you need to get to a place that’s out of here, to take care of yourself,” he told the couple, adding that their departure was “for the best", <em>The Block</em> host Scott Cam said during their final farewell. </p> <p>Cam also added that it was the couple's decision to leave and "we didn't force them out". </p> <p>"They made the decision they wanted to go home. We followed it up with professional care in their home state for as long as they needed it.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Legal battle could separate Molly the Magpie and carers again

<p>Molly the Magpie and her friends Peggy and Ruby the Staffies captured hearts around the world with their unlikely friendship. </p> <p>In March, the trio were separated from each other, following <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/tears-started-rolling-first-glimpse-of-molly-the-magpie-shared-by-carers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complaints </a>that his owners, Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, didn't hold a wildlife permit. </p> <p>After 45 days apart, Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) granted them a licence with <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/first-pics-of-molly-the-magpie-reunion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">special conditions</a> so Molly could return home to her adoptive family. </p> <p>But now their licence to keep Molly has been called into question, threatening to separate them again, according to <em>A Current Affair</em>. </p> <p>"Four years ago yesterday, when we came across a little magpie, who would have thought we'd be standing in front of the Supreme Court here in Brisbane," Wells said.</p> <p>Mortensen and Wells don't even know who is challenging the Queensland government's decision to reunite the magpie with the family, as the wildlife support volunteer and magpie specialist chose to remain anonymous. </p> <p>"Molly's 100 per cent, and always has been, our focus, his well being... and we just want to just move on and just get over, get on with it," Mortensen said.</p> <p>The applicant will stay anonymous as they contest the government's decision to grant them the licence to care for Molly. </p> <p>"Every time we're in the public sight and things like that, it raises awareness for people to get out there and try and do something to help wildlife and become involved," Mortensen added.</p> <p>"That's what we want to try and do is get get as many people involved as we possibly can in helping wildlife."</p> <p><em>Image: A Current Affair/ Instagram</em></p>

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