Search

Placeholder Content Image

Grandma banned from babysitting after ignoring daughter's simple request

<p>A new mum has banned her own mother from babysitting duties, after she blatantly refused to follow a few basic safety instructions. </p> <p>The young mum took to Reddit to share her plight, after moving back home so she could save up to buy a house, which at the time her mum "very enthusiastically agreed to".</p> <p>But, after a few months of living together again, the 23-year-old mum has had more things added onto her plate, as she's constantly worried about her own mum not following her instructions when it comes to her son, who was born in September. </p> <p>She said that her mum has been "constantly checking to see if he has teeth" or pushing them to "stop feeding him milk", or even trying to "give him really complicated food" like candy yams.</p> <p>And whenever she expresses her concerns, her mum nonchalantly responds with: "I did with you and you survived". </p> <p>It reached a peak when her mother gave her baby boy some water, which according to The World Health Organisation, children under six months should not be drinking anything else other than breast milk or formula. </p> <p>This is because babies stomachs are very small and their kidneys are still developing, so they are unable to process water in the same way adults do, plus it puts them at risk of water intoxication and nutrition loss.</p> <p>The grandmother blatantly ignored her daughter's request and gave her grandson water anyways responding with, "See, he's fine. He isn't dead."</p> <p>That was the young mum's breaking point and she immediately took her baby away. </p> <p>"She will no longer be watching the baby alone since she is constantly overstepping my boundaries and doing everything I ask her to not do," she wrote. </p> <p>But she said that things are complicated since they're living together and now her mother isn't speaking to her because she made her "feel like a bad parent and grandparent."</p> <p>The young mum questioned whether she was the bad guy in this scenario, but other Reddit users were quick to defend her for setting her boundaries. </p> <p>"One would hope for a *little* bit more for their kid than "not dead"," one wrote. </p> <p>"This is an incredibly low standard for her to be proud of maintaining",  another added. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Bride sparks feud for banning her niece from her big day

<p dir="ltr">A bride-to-be has sparked a feud for deciding to ban her sister’s “loud and distracting” toddler from her wedding ceremony, with the bride asking social media users for advice. </p> <p dir="ltr">The bride was only weeks away from her intimate destination wedding, which included a guest list of only a few friends and close family. </p> <p dir="ltr">After being met with a difficult decision, the bride took to Reddit to share how a massive family feud had erupted in the weeks before the big day.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My sister is bringing her one-year-old toddler. The child is more than welcome — she’s part of the family and we want her there as part of the day,” she began.</p> <p dir="ltr">“However, as she’s still very young (and very loud at times), I’ve asked that somebody takes her out during the ceremony if she’s being distracting, shouting and babbling loudly.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know that this will probably happen as she’s constantly chatting loudly and is never quiet.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“But it’s only for half an hour and she can be as loud as she likes for the rest of the day.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I just want everybody to be able to focus on the ceremony and I don’t want the distraction.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The bride said she was worried about sounding selfish, but then admitted that she was allowed to be selfish on her big day, and wanted all eyes on her and the groom.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We want everyone to be able to enjoy them and, to be honest, we want the guests’ attention focused on us,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, after the bride told her sister of the plans, things didn’t go down well. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My sister has told me I’m being an a****** for ‘excluding’ my niece from the ceremony and therefore by default ‘excluding’ my brother-in-law who will be the one to take her out,” the bride said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She says that I’m asking him and the one-year-old to go all that way just for the evening meal as they will miss the ceremony and that the toddler will most likely miss that too as it will be after bedtime.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve told her that there’s a whole afternoon of relaxing things going on — photos, cake, a little walk outside and late lunch that they will be part of but apparently she’s still really annoyed with me.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The bride says her sister is now “threatening” to attend the wedding alone, leaving her partner and their daughter at home.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve called her bluff and said if that’s what she wants to do then we understand,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To be honest, she’s p***ing us off so much that we’d be fine with all three of them not coming at this point.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t think that I’m asking anything unreasonable.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“All I want is a peaceful, relaxed ceremony where we can all focus on what’s going on without a toddler babbling away.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Also, to be honest, even if this WAS an unreasonable ask, surely as it’s my wedding day then it’s up to me? Isn’t it the one day of my life when I can do literally anything I want?”</p> <p dir="ltr">The post was quickly met with hundreds of comments, with most people flocking to the bride’s defence. </p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote, “This is basic event etiquette, but it seems like sis cannot be relied on to follow basic etiquette - or even asked to do so without herself acting like a toddler.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another suggested: “Removing a disruptive baby from a formal event would be normal etiquette, but if you specifically had to ask in advance, I’ll guess she’s got a history of not doing so.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Your wedding, your rules. You could have gone completely child-free, all you asked was for the common courtesy of taking her outside if she got noisy.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Mother bans in-laws from seeing her baby after they go against her wishes

<p dir="ltr">A woman has banned her in-laws from seeing her newborn daughter after they “betrayed her trust” and directly went against her wishes. </p> <p dir="ltr">The new mum shared the story to Reddit, as she explained why she was cutting contact with her husband’s parents after they pierced her child’s ears without their knowledge or consent. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My husband is from a culture where it's not uncommon to pierce baby girls' ears and his mother started pestering me about getting my daughter's ears pierced a few days after she was born,” the 32-year-old mum began. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I made it clear that I would not be doing that, and that I'd be waiting until she's old enough to ask for it herself. We live in my country where piercing a baby's ears isn't common at all.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The new mum's world soon came crashing down after the baby spent a weekend with her grandparents, before she went back to her parents red in the face and screaming. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My mother-in-law was looking after her over the weekend and decided to pierce her ears without my knowledge or consent.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“When I saw this I threw a fit. My baby was crying in pain, and I actually took her to the doctor to get their advice on whether or not to take them out.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The doctor advised the parent to take the earrings out as they were irritating the baby, but the issue didn’t end there. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I decided at that moment that my mother-in-law and everyone else on that side of the family (except for my sister-in-law, who's on my side about this) is going to have no alone contact with my daughter ever again - or at least until she's a teenager.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“My worry is that she'll do the same thing again, and to be frank, she's lost my trust entirely. I told her that if she had a problem with that, I'd report what she did to the police.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The husband of the baby girl reluctantly sided with his wife over the issue, despite saying it wasn’t a big deal and suggesting everyone move on from the incident.</p> <p dir="ltr">The story prompted a mixed response online, with some people saying the woman was overreacting and should work towards rebuilding trust with her in-laws.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others, however, had the opposite opinion, with one person saying, “Forget rebuilding trust, I'd be having them charged with assault.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another person said, “They mutilated a child and they knew it was against the parents wishes. These people have serious problems. Not that I'd press charges, but getting holes poked in someone else's kid is a huge thing.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

South Australian Government's sprinkles ban sparks outrage

<p>New guidelines for school canteens in South Australia have sparked outrage for "taking all the enjoyment away from children". </p> <p>Sprinkles of any kind, including 100s and 1000s - which are an essential ingredient for the iconic fairy bread - have been categorised as “red 2", meaning that they “should not be promoted or encouraged in schools on any occasion”.</p> <p>The ban comes after processed meats including ham would be limited at canteens in Western Australia, with similar restrictions now in place for South Australian canteens. </p> <p>Processed meats fall into the “red 1” or “amber” categories in South Australia, which means that products featuring them would be limited depending on nutritional criteria. </p> <p>These restrictions mean that children will no longer be able to regularly enjoy Australian staples like ham and cheese toasties and fairy bread at school. </p> <p>“Why are they taking all the enjoyment away from children?” one person told 7News. </p> <p>Dieticians have also questioned the decision, saying that it might only cause further problems in the future. </p> <p>“All your brain wants to do is eat that food, and eventually, you can restrict it for a little bit, until you get to that point where you just give in, you want to eat it, and then you binge,” dietitian Mattea Palombo said. </p> <p>Another expert suggested changing the foods we associate with good times. </p> <p>“Celebration foods aren’t so much about the foods that we have at the time of the celebration, but the friends and family we have around at the time of celebrating,” dietitian Dr Evangeline Mantzioris said.</p> <p>“So I think we probably need to balance it out a bit, so healthy foods are available at those celebrations.” </p> <p>Although the changes impact canteens, parents are still free to pack whatever they want in their kids' lunchboxes. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

“Petty”: Steve Price’s bid to ban Dan Andrews called out

<p>It seems that golf, the sport known for its calm demeanour and leisurely strolls, is continuing to become a battleground for political disagreements. Move over, parliamentary debates; we've got a straight-up fairway feud on our hands.</p> <p>It all started when former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews decided he wanted to swap the political arena for the green one. Little did he know that his membership application to the Portsea Golf Club would turn into a full-blown scandal, complete with threats to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/i-ll-quit-steve-price-s-fairway-feud-with-dan-andrews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tear up memberships</a> and accusations of petty behaviour.</p> <p>The took another turn on a recent episode of <em>The Project</em>, where hosts Waleed Aly and Sam Taunton found themselves caught in the crossfire of their co-star Steve Price's golfing fury.</p> <p>The dispute centres around the fact that more than 100 club members have written a strongly-worded letter, demanding that Andrews be rejected. </p> <p>Price, the self-proclaimed defender of fairways and greens, threatened to "tear up" his Portsea Golf Club membership if Andrews gets the green light. Aly, doing his best to keep the peace, questioned Price about the gravity of the situation.</p> <p>"But why is it a big deal?" he asked Price on the panel. "If he gets admitted, you don’t have to walk around the golf course."</p> <p>Price, however, had a different concern: "I have to go into the bar, and he might be having food." Ah, the horror of sharing a clubhouse with a former premier!</p> <p>Taunton, sensing the absurdity of the situation, almost called the whole debacle "petty" before wisely biting his tongue. But Price, ever the instigator, goaded him to finish his sentence, to which Taunton finally admitted, "No,  I was going to say it is petty. It was years ago, and at some point, don’t you move on? Why?"</p> <p>Price, standing firm as the guardian of golfing justice, declared, "No. Because we don’t want him there!" It seems the only thing harder to overcome than a water hazard is a political grudge.</p> <p>In the grand scheme of things, it's a bit bewildering that a golf club membership is causing such a ruckus. You'd be forgiven for thinking they were discussing nuclear disarmament, not whether Andrews should be allowed to practice his swing in peace.</p> <p>As the world anxiously awaits the fate of Andrews' golfing aspirations, we're left to wonder: will he get the coveted membership, or will Price be left tearing up his golf club card like a rejected love letter? Only time will tell if this golfing saga will go down in history as a hole-in-one or just another bogey.</p> <p><em>Images: Network Ten</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Woman receives lifetime ban from cruise line over "illegal" item

<p>A 42-year-old mother has received a lifetime ban from Carnival Cruise Line voyages, after she attempted to board one of the company's ships with a seemingly innocent item. </p> <p>Melinda Van Veldhuizen, a nurse practitioner and mother of two from Texas, said she was treated "like a criminal" when cruise ship employees found a bag of the CBD “sleep tight” gummies in her luggage while at a port in Miami. </p> <p>Melinda told local news station <em>WPLG</em> she packed the gummies to help her get some sleep on the August trip she had planned to take with her family to celebrate both her 21st wedding anniversary with her husband and her son’s senior year of high school.</p> <p>Ms Van Veldhuizen was taken to a separate area of the security check-in when the discovery was made, and was questioned by Carnival security and police for two and a half hours. </p> <p>The mother was blocked from boarding the ship, and her husband and son also disembarked as they didn’t want to go on the cruise to Aruba, Curaçao and the Dominican Republic without her.</p> <p>The family had spent just under $9,000AUD on their planned vacation, Ms Van Veldhuizen’s attorney Daren Stabinski told the <em>Washington Post</em>.</p> <p>CBD is a compound commonly derived from hemp that doesn’t cause impairment or a “high,” and is different from marijuana's mind-altering substance of THC. </p> <p>CBD is becoming more readily available across the globe, and is used to treat ailments from chronic pain to sleeplessness. </p> <p>In most parts of the US, CBD products that contain no greater than 0.3 per cent of THC are legal. </p> <p>According to <em>WPLG</em>, Ms Van Veldhuizen’s gummies contained less than 0.01 per cent THC.</p> <p>Despite the product being legal in the state Ms Van Veldhuizen was departing from, the hemp product is prohibited by Carnival Cruise Lines.</p> <p>“While certain CBD products used for medicinal purposes may be legal in the US, they are not legal in all the ports we visit and therefore are also considered prohibited items,” its website states.</p> <p>Soon after Ms Van Veldhuizen was forbidden from going on the cruise she paid for, she received a letter from Carnival informing her she was banned from all Carnival ships for life.</p> <p>The letter signed by Captain Rocco Lubrano states that she will “not be permitted to sail on-board any Carnival Cruise Lines vessel in the future.”</p> <p>“This decision was based on your actions on the current cruise, which were a violation of the ship rules, interfered with the safety and/or enjoyment of other guests on the ship or caused harm to Carnival,” Mr Lubrano wrote.</p> <p>Ms Van Veldhuizen said she has taken more than a dozen Carnival cruises over the years and was freaked out by the letter and the whole experience, and was not expecting such a severe reaction. </p> <p>“I thought it was one of those situations where you’re like, ‘Oh shoot, I left a bottle of water in my backpack; you gotta throw it away,’ kind of thing like that happens at TSA,” she said.</p> <p>Ms Van Veldhuizen is pursuing an internal claim with Carnival, but has threatened to sue if her situation isn’t resolved “appropriately” and hired Mr Stabinski to assist her. </p> <p>“Out of all the cases I take, this one was just specifically outrageous,” Mr Stabinski said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: WPLG</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

All-girls Catholic school bans same-sex couples from formal

<p dir="ltr">An all-girls Catholic school in the Sydney suburb of Kingsgrove has refused to let same sex couples attend the year 12 formal together, prompting widespread outrage. </p> <p dir="ltr">Students at St Ursula’s College have been vocal in their disapproval of the rule, banding together to form a petition to let same sex dates attend the end of year dance.</p> <p dir="ltr">The petition on <a href="https://www.change.org/p/allow-same-sex-couples-at-st-ursula-s-school-formal?source_location=petitions_browse">Change.org</a> has already racked up thousands of signatures in a matter of weeks, after being created by concerned student Abbie Frankland, who labelled the policy “discriminatory”.</p> <p dir="ltr">In her petition, Ms Frankland expressed the sentiments of the LGBTQ+ community at the school, voicing her concern for the exclusionary rule. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My girlfriend and I, along with many other students at St. Ursula’s in Kingsgrove NSW, Australia, have been eagerly awaiting the school formal for months,” she wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve purchased non-refundable tickets and outfits in anticipation of this event. However, we’ve recently discovered that the school does not allow same-sex couples to attend the formal together.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The policy also ignited a fire within the student body to push for change.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In Australia, 61.6 percent of people voted ‘Yes’ in a national survey on marriage equality, showing widespread support for LGBTQ+ rights across the country,” Ms Frankland added, referencing the Australian Bureau of Statistics. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Yet, despite this clear public sentiment towards inclusivity and acceptance, schools like St Ursula’s continue to uphold discriminatory policies.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The petition, which has racked up over 2,000 signatures so far, calls for the school to realign itself with the broader values of inclusivity and equality. </p> <p dir="ltr">It also calls on the college to allow all students, regardless of sexual orientation, to bring their chosen partner to the school formal at the end of the year. </p> <p dir="ltr">“By signing this petition, you’re standing up against discrimination and supporting equal rights for all students at St Ursula’s School in Kingsgrove, NSW, Australia,” Ms Frankland said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some parents have also called for the ban to be lifted, noting that the harsh rule has put unnecessary stress on students as they are dealing with their HSC exams. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s totally taken the kids’ focus off the HSC,” a concerned mother told Ben Fordham Live on 2GB. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mother said her daughter planned to take another girl to the formal, saying that, “She automatically was upset - crying in the car,” when she found out about the ban. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fordham was quick to point out a flaw in the school’s policy, pointing out that the woman’s 18-year-old daughter could legally marry a woman but not take one to her formal.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another parent also called into the radio show, saying, “It’s 2023 – what’s going on?”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Google Maps</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Entire town bans annoying influencers from entering its borders

<p>In the serene hamlet of Pomfret, Vermont, an extraordinary decision has been reached to combat the overwhelming presence of influencers and tourists who have inundated the town's peaceful streets.</p> <p>This picturesque countryside haven, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, has taken the audacious step of barring entry to all influencers and tourists.</p> <p>Pomfret, nestled in the heart of New England, has long been a magnet for visitors seeking to capture the exquisite autumnal tapestry that paints the town in warm, rustic hues – a perfect setting for their coveted "fall" photographs.</p> <p>Vermont, as a whole, typically draws more than 13 million tourists annually, and Pomfret, with its population of a mere 916, has witnessed a significant influx during the autumn months, particularly September and October.</p> <p>While the town has a history of welcoming tourists, the character of these visitors has undergone a profound transformation in the last half-decade. Gone are the days of nature enthusiasts and out-of-town guests staying at cozy local bed-and-breakfasts. Pomfret is now attracting a new breed of visitor: the social media luminaries eagerly hunting for content to grace their online profiles.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">‘Christian Girl Autumn’ influencer Caitlin Covington announces she is going to Vermont in October to take her annual Fall photos. 🍂 <a href="https://t.co/nZjRCWvPIE">pic.twitter.com/nZjRCWvPIE</a></p> <p>— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) <a href="https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1703840317907021849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Mike Doten, a resident whose family has deep roots in the area, humorously dubs this emerging group "TikTockers" and cites them as the catalyst behind this drastic measure.</p> <p>Cloudland Road, a narrow, unpaved stretch renowned for its spectacular views of picturesque farms, rolling hills and vibrant foliage, was once a tranquil destination for nature enthusiasts. However, it has now become an internet sensation and a must-visit spot for "leaf-peepers" across the state.</p> <p>Unfortunately, this newfound fame has brought a series of issues in its wake. The new wave of tourists is often described as rude, disrespectful, impatient and selfish. They go to great lengths to capture the perfect photograph or video, often disregarding the impact on those around them.</p> <p>Local farmer Cathy Emmons recounted an incident where an influencer trespassed onto private property, erecting a makeshift changing booth and emerging in different outfits for her selfies. There have also been reports of tourists casually invading farms and helping themselves to produce, with one individual spotted plucking tomatoes from Cathy's farm.</p> <p>Another resident recalled a particularly unsettling incident when a drone hovered just feet above his head during an evening dinner with his family. In a separate incident, a tourist parked illegally in a resident's driveway and, astonishingly, used the garden shed as a makeshift toilet.</p> <p>The surge in tour buses and cars has caused gridlock on Pomfret's narrow roads, rendering them impassable and obstructing the movement of emergency vehicles. In response, the local council issued a memo announcing road closures to motor vehicle traffic from September 23rd to October 15th, specifically targeting Cloudland Road in Pomfret and the entire length of Cloudland Road in Woodstock, both heavily frequented tourist areas.</p> <p>Furthermore, the town has implemented temporary parking restrictions, signage and barriers. The memo cited concerns related to safety, environmental impact, aesthetics, and overall quality of life, emphasising a comprehensive effort to address these issues in collaboration with residents, local government partners and through communication on various information platforms.</p> <p>These traffic mitigation measures will also restrict access to the famed Sleepy Hollow Farm, a private residence that has become a hotspot for influencers seeking the perfect selfie backdrop. In response to these challenges, local residents have launched a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-cloudland-road" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe campaign titled "Save Cloudland Road"</a> to raise funds for road closures and traffic enforcement during the autumn season.</p> <p>The campaign's description highlights the surge of Instagram and TikTok-driven tourists, many of whom derive income from sponsorships and have transformed a private residence on Cloudland Road into a sought-after social media photo destination. The influx has led to overcrowding, accidents, damage to roads, gardens, and private property, as well as confrontations with residents.</p> <p>Can the community surrounding Cloudland Road, in partnership with the towns of Pomfret and Woodstock, restore tranquility, safety and civility to their cherished enclave? Their plea is clear: to regain peace for the families who call this idyllic corner of Vermont home.</p> <p><em>Images: GoFundMe / Instagram</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

"The last male sanctuary": Barber shop campaigns to formally ban women

<p>An Adelaide barber shop which prides itself as "the last male sanctuary", has applied for an exemption to the Equal Opportunity Act, which, once approved, will allow it to formally ban women. </p> <p>The team behind Robbie's Chop Shop took to Instagram to ask over 42,800 of their followers to help with their application to Equal Opportunity SA. </p> <p>In their first pinned post on Instagram, the barber shop posted a photo of the letter explaining that they have applied for an exemption following a complaint made to the commission about their request for women to observe that it is a male-only business. </p> <p>"Unfortunately, this is not the first complaint of this type that we have received, so in order to deal with them once and for all, we have decided to make an application for an exemption to the Equal Opportunity Act," they wrote in the letter. </p> <p>They added that the business prides itself in being able to provide "a safe space for men to discuss their issues", so they applied for the exemption to deal with the complaints once and for all. </p> <p>The business believes that they are "not in breach of the act" if they are able to obtain this exemption. </p> <p>"As part of our application, we would like to include statements from you, our loyal and valued customers, that explain why you love Robbie's Chop Shop, and why you feel that is so important for Robbie's Chop Shop to be a safe space for men to come together and discuss their issues," they pleaded. </p> <p>Their plea has divided followers, while some men and women agreed with them, others seem to disagree with their stance. </p> <p>"I love that this exists and love the safe space you've created for men to unload their weights of the world without being judged and freedom speak up in a space with others that may be facing similar issues," one woman wrote. </p> <p>"I’ll never understand why this is an issue. There are so many women only places around. As a woman I’d much prefer to go to a hair salon than a barber," commented another woman. </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/p/CvPYHawy18U/?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/p/CvPYHawy18U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 💈 Robbie's Chop Shop 💈 (@robbieschopshop)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"💯 support - Great idea to have a space for men. In the UK there are lots of ladies/women only spaces and events etc. Don’t see the issue for men having their own space in society as well. 👍" wrote one man. </p> <p>"The concept of the last male sanctuary is not to discriminate against women but to offer a place for men to come and discuss the issues in their lives, in comfort with other similar men," commented another. </p> <p>One person wrote that they hope the business is equally welcoming to non-binary or trans people. </p> <p>"I hope you would welcome trans men, non-binary people and folks of any gender wanting a masculine haircut. We all deserve to feel included and safe to approach businesses knowing we won’t be turned away based on personal attributes we can’t change."</p> <p>"More like Robbie's Mojo Dojo Casa House," another quipped in reference to Ryan Gosling's character Ken establishing the patriarchy in Barbie land in the 2023 <em>Barbie m</em>ovie. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Unseen photo of Dan Andrews slammed after gas ban fury

<p>Dan Andrews has come under fire after a photo emerged of him cooking on a gas stove, just weeks after announcing a state-wide ban on natural gas in new homes. </p> <p>The Victorian premier has been slated online after Liberal MP for Mornington Chris Crewther shared a photo of Mr Andrews cooking on a gas stove inside his home during Covid-19 lockdown in April 2020.</p> <p>“I agree with what Dan does: cooking with gas. It’s much better!” the Liberal MP wrote alongside the photo.</p> <p>“But I don’t agree with what Dan says: banning gas cooking in new homes from next year. Future cooking quality is going to go downhill!”</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FCrewtherChris%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0cbvPq9wQyCJXLcfBXyPj9fucoxTvNUiaRnTYXtS35m3G1xmSPaGcyWqgGu1Q6rcJl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="658" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Angry Victorians were quick to slam the premier in the comments of the photo, which has racked up over 6,000 comments. </p> <p>One person on Facebook said it was “proof we are truly living in a socialist dictatorship”.</p> <p>Another described Mr Andrews as a “menace”, while someone else asked “Why can’t we just have a Dan ban?”</p> <p>Slamming the new initiative, one commented wrote that “homeowners should be free to have the choice of gas or electricity”.</p> <p>The photo comes just weeks after Dan Andrews announced that from January 1st 2024, no new homes or residential subdivisions requiring a planning permit in Victoria would be connected to gas. </p> <p>The state government is dubbing the move as a measure to reduce cost of living pressures, claiming households will save up to $1,000 off their annual energy bills while reducing household emissions.</p> <p>The all-electric requirement would also apply to all new government buildings which have not yet reached design stage, including schools, hospitals, police stations and public housing.</p> <p>Despite the public backlash of the initiative, the Energy Efficiency Council applauded the decision.</p> <p>CEO Luke Menzel said “all-electric homes are all-good for Victorian families. They are cheaper to run, healthier to live in, and help lower emissions.”</p> <p>“Given the upfront costs of building an all-electric home are comparable to building a home with a gas connection, that makes going all-electric a no-brainer,’’ he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

George Calombaris bans "racist" diner

<p>Celebrity chef George Calombaris has publicly slammed a diner's "racist" review of his Victorian restaurant, The Hellenic House Project, and banned them from visiting his business. </p> <p>The diner left a negative Google review of the restaurant yesterday, claiming that it was the "Worst 'non' dining experience ever!"</p> <p>The diner claimed they had to wait six weeks for a booking to arrive at the first sitting, and had issues with the manager who they ordered food from. </p> <p>They alleged that after 45 minutes of waiting for their food to arrive, they had to find a waiter themselves and was told the manager had  "forgot" to put in the order. </p> <p>"Typically, we weren't offered any compensation except that our food would be out in 5 mins. Which it wasn't. I should've realised it was going to be a disaster when I had to ask for the menu after 10 [minutes]," wrote the customer.</p> <p>"Like others, we've dined in many, many restaurants and were keen to try this 'authentic Greek' experience. It was far from it.</p> <p>"Practically none of the staff were Greek (including' the Manager who was of Indian descent) and the menu didn't reflect what has been posted online. Calombaris - this place is a joke and you've certainly got a few people fooled," they concluded.</p> <p>They gave a one out of five star rating for everything. </p> <p>The celebrity chef hit back at the scathing review by posting a screenshot of it on Instagram with the caption:  "Won't lie. I am 99 percent a very positive human. But this is horrible.</p> <p>"Yes. We made a mistake with your order. We are humans. And yes my manager is Indian. You know who you are guys. You're not welcome ever to @thehellenichouseproject," he added. </p> <p>"You don't have to speak Greek or be a Greek to work at THHP. You just have to be a good human. I am so proud of my team. I hate racism. F****n hate it."</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/p/CvRLCjGSYZy/?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/p/CvRLCjGSYZy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by George Calombaris (@gcalombaris)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Various celebrity chefs have come to his defence including, <em>My Kitchen Rules</em> judge Manu Feildel. </p> <p>"Well done George, people like this should just stay home. And that is a very polite way to say what I really feel like saying," he commented with an angry emoji.</p> <p>Calombaris' former <em>MasterChef </em>co-host and celebrity chef also came to his defence, with a quote from diplomat Mohamad Safa. </p> <p>"Our world is not divided by race, colour, gender or religion. Our world is divided into wise people and fools. And fools divided themselves by race, colour, gender, or religion," he commented</p> <p>Former <em>MasterChef </em>contestant Nicholas Fredrick Riewoldt also commented his support and said,  "5/5 across the board when I visited @thehellenichouseproject love you GC ❤️".</p> <p>Another former <em>MasterChef</em> contestant Dan Churchill also defended Calombaris. </p> <p>"Standing up for your team mate, huge. You often ask if this kind of note means the individual needs a hug. Absolutely love @thehellenichouseproject," he commented. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Queensland proposes ban on certain dog breeds

<p>Queensland is proposing stricter laws in a bid to bring down the number of dog attacks in the state.</p> <p>The laws would include increased jail time for owners after dog attacks, the potential banning of select breeds and for all dogs to be “effectively controlled” in public.</p> <p>The Palaszczuk government released a discussion paper on June 23 outlining the options as well as a survey asking Queenslanders to speak out about the issue before the legislation is put together.</p> <p>A significant number of dog attacks occurred in the state in April, with three children suffering severe injuries in separate incidents that involved several dogs.</p> <p>The major factor to consider for the paper is whether Queensland should ban animals from the Commonwealth’s restricted breed list, which would make owning them in any capacity illegal.</p> <p>The restricted dog breeds include the pit bull terrier, dogo argentino, fila brasilerio, japanese tosa and the presa canario.</p> <p>Currently, those who seek to own these breeds are required to apply for a permit, but that would be withdrawn if the proposed laws are put into place.</p> <p>The discussion paper says that any changes would include a “grandfather clause” that would allow individuals with a current permit to keep their pet.</p> <p>The government has also proposed to include imprisonment as a maximum penalty for more serious attacks.</p> <p>If an attack causes death or grievous bodily harm to a patron, according to present laws, the owner could be fined up to $43,125 but would not face jail time.</p> <p>“It is proposed to introduce a new criminal offence in the Act that captures conduct of an owner, or responsible person for a dog, who fails to take reasonable steps to effectively control their dog if the dog causes bodily harm, grievous bodily harm or death to a person,” the report states.</p> <p>“Including a proposed new offence for the most serious dog attacks would send a clear message to owners and people responsible for dogs that fail to take reasonable steps to protect people in the community from harm from serious dog attacks will not be tolerated.”</p> <p>The move would bring the state into line with the laws in the ACT, NSW, Victoria, NSW and Western Australia.</p> <p>In NSW, an owner who encourages a dangerous dog to attack another person faces up to five years in prison.</p> <p>Another proposal is to set up a new requirement for dogs to be “effectively controlled” in public, which would ban off-leash dog walking.</p> <p>“Effective control could be defined to include a person who is physically able to control the animal, it is on an appropriate leash and supervised or in a temporary enclosure adequate to contain the animal,” the paper reads.</p> <p>Instant fines would be issued to owners who failed to control their dogs in public and exceptions would be made for designated off-leash areas.</p> <p>Councils are urging for certain breeds to be banned and for tougher restrictions, according to Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Alison Smith.</p> <p>“Ratepayers would be alarmed to know that Queensland councils are being forced to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on legal fees because irresponsible owners are using the courts to drag out the fate of these dangerous animals after their dog has been impounded and a destruction order made,” she said.</p> <p>“For too long, irresponsible dog owners have been able to hold the community and councils to ransom. That needs to change.”</p> <p>Agricultural Industry Development Minister Mark Furner is calling on all Queenslanders to participate in the survey to “have their say” on the proposed reforms.</p> <p>“Community feedback on this discussion paper will be vital in drafting new legislation,” he said.</p> <p>“It is so important that we get this right to make sure any new laws meet community expectations.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty / Shutterstock</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

“F**k vegans”: Top chef bans vegans from restaurant

<p dir="ltr">Top Aussie chef John Mountain has banned all vegans from his restaurant in Connoly, Perth after an ugly dispute with a customer split the internet.</p> <p dir="ltr">The chef took to Instagram on Tuesday to announce that vegans won’t be catered to at his restaurant Fyre, which is a big missed steak for the vegans.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sadly all vegans are now banned from Fyre (for mental health reasons),” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We thank you for your understanding. Xx.”</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/p/Ctq0GAXP1Lm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctq0GAXP1Lm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Fyre (@fyrerestaurant)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The ban reportedly came after a diner complained about the lack of vegan options and was charged $32 for a vegetable dish that was “okay but not that filling”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The young woman also added a personal attack against Mountain and said that his lack of accommodation showed his “shortcomings as a chef”.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also added that she’s “seen many restaurants come and go from that building and none of them last.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If you don’t get with the times, I don’t hold out faith that your restaurant will be the one that does.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mountain accepted the complaint but not the personal attack, so he replied: “Thanks for your negative review… please feel free to share your s**tty experience and I look forward to not seeing you again.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“How very childish. You and all your vegan mates can all go and enjoy your dishes in another venue. You are now banned”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mountain, who was all Fyred up, also said: “F**k vegans seriously … I’m done. At the end of the day, it’s not what I want to do, they can f**k off.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Since the entire ordeal Fyre has been flooded with one star reviews, but many others have awarded it five stars and flooded the comments with positive messages.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Because of your news article I'm now following you and intend to book ! Love your comments and your wit!” wrote one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Never been to your restaurant before but we sure will be coming for a steak soon!!! Good on you for standing up for your restaurant,” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I can’t understand why so many vegans behave like meatheads,” commented a third.</p> <p><em>Image: Nine/ Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Mayor chimes in on one town’s 30-year cat ban

<p dir="ltr">When residents of Halls Gap, Victoria, were first handed a cat ownership ban in 1993, they were not immediately onboard with the scheme. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, according to now-Halls Gap Community president David Witham, in the three decades since the rule was imposed, most have come around to the idea.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ban - which would see anyone caught with a feline face a fine of up to $100 - first came into effect as part of the region’s move to protect the sanctuary of the Grampians Ranges, an area also known as Gariwerd. </p> <p dir="ltr">Similar restrictions aren’t anything new in Australia, with a number of other Victorian councils having placed their own 24-hour curfews on cats, but Halls Gap’s ruling is one of only a few to go so far as to ban ownership entirely.</p> <p dir="ltr">Halls Gap is situated in the Grampians National Park, in the heart of a place that is also home to some of Australia’s most known and most threatened species. The ban served as an attempt to protect those species, which included the likes of vulnerable flora and fauna, including bandicoots and gliders.</p> <p dir="ltr">And while the ban was introduced late in 1993, and was incorporated into the Northern Grampians Shire Council’s local laws, no-one can say for certain whether or not it has had any effect.</p> <p dir="ltr">The impact of domestic cats on native wildlife is well documented, with a study previously revealing that over 340 million native animals are killed by them each and every year. </p> <p dir="ltr">And so, many believed that Halls Gap might have seen such figures drop for the area over the course of the three decades, but that was not the case. </p> <p dir="ltr">Since the restriction was introduced in 1993, no formal survey - by either local or state government - has been conducted, so any potential success remains an unknown factor.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Mayor Kevin Ewert - who joined the council 10 years after the cat ban came into effect - told <em>ABC</em> that it “must be working”, as there weren’t many cats lingering around, and that the locals couldn’t have minded too much. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Because of the myriad of native animals that  are living [in] the Grampians, I think most people probably think it’s a good thing,” he added. </p> <p dir="ltr">But as Witham noted, the area’s signage for the ban had come under fire a number of times, with vandals setting their sights on their controversial canvases. </p> <p dir="ltr">There was still hope for the future of their ‘project’, with Witham also mentioning that “the most recent time the shire have put the cat free zone signs back up - they're still up, which is promising.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty, Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

5 times movies were banned for the silliest reasons

<p>Sometimes films are banned for poor taste, extreme themes, or literal pornographic content. Other times, films are banned for ridiculous reasons. These are their stories.</p> <p><strong>1. <em>E.T. The Extra-Terrestria</em></strong><em>l</em></p> <p><a href="http://www.ifc.com/shows/the-spoils-before-dying/blog/2015/06/10-movies-that-were-banned-for-crazy-reasons" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Apparently</strong></span></a>, the governments of Norway, Finland, and Sweden worried that <em>E.T.</em> film portrays adults in such a bad light that if children were allowed to see it, it would provoke a full-scale revolt. The Swedish Board of Film Censorship banned anyone under the age of 12 from seeing the film in cinemas when it was released.</p> <p><strong>2. <em>Back to the Future</em></strong></p> <p>The much loved time travel romp is beloved around the world, not least of all because Michael J Fox is just so damn fun to watch. Unless you’re in China, that is, where any kind of time travel plot is outright banned from the country.</p> <p><strong>3. <em>The Interview</em></strong></p> <p>Written by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg (the same guys who wrote comedy hits <em>Superbad, This Is the End</em>, and<em> Pineapple Express</em>) <em>The Interview</em> was always going to be edgy and hilarious. Little did anyone realise just how much trouble the film would prove to be as it neared release. The film is about a TV talk show host and his producer who are recruited by the US government to travel to North Korea and assassinate Kim Jong-un. Strangely, the North Korean dictator and his government didn’t see the humour in the film’s plot, and had hackers break into Sony’s computer networks. The regime also threatened violence against any American movie theatre screening the film, which worried most theatre chain enough that the film was shunted sideways into an unglamorous video-on-demand release.</p> <p><strong>4. <em>Wonder Woman</em></strong></p> <p>Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman was the superhero 2017 desperately needed, and the worldwide box office and reviews reflected how joyously she was welcomed in just about every corner of the globe. One notable exception to this was Lebanon, where the film was officially banned by the nation’s government. The reason? Because of the war between the two countries, Lebanon bans its residents from having contact with Israel’s people or products. Star Gal Gadot is Israeli, meaning that the film was a no-show.</p> <p><strong>5. <em>Beauty and the Beast</em> (2017 version)</strong></p> <p>While there are those of us who could have done without this (perfectly fine) remake, some Disney fans (and professional angry-about-everything-ers) balked when director Bill Condon announced that the film would feature Disney’s first “exclusively gay moment” in a feature film. The news was met with mixed reactions from the LGBTQI community (which we won’t go into here), but with pure venom from some conservatives who believe that this constituted a direct attack on their right to see a young white woman fall in love with a violent beast without being exposed to gayness at the same time. As a result, at least one cinema, in Alabama, refused to screen the film when it was released.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty / Instagram</em></p>

Movies

Placeholder Content Image

"I'd ban their whole operation": Tiny sticker highlights huge crisis

<p>From advertisements to artwork there’s no escaping stickers on street poles, but one that was spotted in Melbourne has made waves, calling out a glaring issue that is impacting so many Australians.</p> <p>The sticker in question was stuck to a traffic light in Melbourne and appears to take aim at homeowners who are worsening the national housing crisis by listing their properties as short-term Airbnb stays rather than long-term rentals.</p> <p>The sticker, shared to social media reads, “You wouldn’t open an Airbnb in a housing crisis” a spoof of the mid-2000s ‘Piracy. It’s a crime.’ public service announcement that was played before movies.</p> <p>Images of the sticker have been shared across a number of social media platforms, with many people quick to praise the “genius” DIY PSA and requesting copies to stick around their suburbs on lockboxes in their own apartment complexes.</p> <p>While some found the funny side of the message, others were more critical of the sticker calling out landlords and Airbnb.</p> <p>“You wouldn’t incentivise opening an Airbnb by making it less onerous and more profitable than renting out your property,” someone said.</p> <p>“Course they would,” another responded. “The ‘f**k you, got mine’ mindset is getting stronger.”</p> <p>“If I had my way I’d ban their [Airbnb] whole operation overnight.”</p> <p>The issue of short-term holiday letting and the growth of Airbnb across the country is that it's eating up potential long-term rentals, which is a</p> <p>The calls come amid the rental crisis in Victoria, with vacancy rates reaching a record low of 0.8 per cent in Melbourne in April 2023, which is one of the better rates recorded across Australia as new rental listings dropped by 18.9 per cent.</p> <p>The only capital city to have rental vacancy above one per cent is Canberra, at 1.6 per cent. While Adelaide holds the tightest rental market with a mere 0.3 per cent vacancy. Perth is close behind at 0.4 per cent.</p> <p>Sydney’s new listings fell by 17 per cent in April 2023 and 5.1 per cent in the past year while Melbourne dropped by 20.8 per cent in the span of a month, and 17.9 per cent in the past year, according to PropTrack.</p> <p>The NSW government introduced regulations to limit the time a property could be on the market to 180 days a year. The Victorian Greens have called on the Andrew’s government to strip it to 90 days.</p> <p>A similar, “tourism tax” has been introduced to cities overseas, where a small payment is added to the guest’s bill in certain tourism hot spots each night in a big to funnel money back into local communities’ infrastructure.</p> <p>Airbnb told <em>The Age</em> that a statewide tourism levy was the preferred way to regulate the industry as it is more consistent than a council-by-council approach.</p> <p>“We believe tourism levies are a fair and sustainable way to raise revenue for local communities, especially in areas of high tourism, as they broaden the revenue base without imposing an additional burden on local ratepayers or businesses,” Airbnb Australia and New Zealand’s head of public policy Michael Crosby told the outlet.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>news.com.au</em>, Airbnb's country manager for Australia and New Zealand Susan Wheeldon said the platform had proposed a series of measures to “help build stronger communities, foster sustainable tourism growth, and equip governments across Australia with tools to help address important issues, such as housing affordability and amenity”.</p> <p>It included a statewide registration scheme to document new listings, introducing consistent Codes of Conduct for guests, hosts, and communities, as well as support for government reviews of eviction protections.</p> <p>“Airbnb is keen to work together with a broad range of stakeholders and help play a part in helping to provide meaningful solutions and tackle the issue of housing supply and affordability,” Wheeldon said.</p> <p>“While short term rentals generally comprise a tiny proportion of the overall property market, we’re keen to keep finding ways that we can make a positive contribution to this important issue.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Reddit</em></p>

Real Estate

Placeholder Content Image

Dog lovers rejoice after "greedy" serial puppy farmer handed life ban

<p dir="ltr">A serial puppy offender has faced sentencing over 17 charges of animal cruelty, with both a lifetime ban and thousands of dollars in fees included in her punishment. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 51-year-old woman from Bullsbrook, a northern suburb in Perth, had been breeding sick dogs in squalid conditions while charging their potential new owners thousands of dollars, and has now been banned from owning or breeding any more dogs for the rest of her life. </p> <p dir="ltr">For her cruel actions, the Perth Magistrates Court handed her a “10-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, $25,000 in fines and an 18-month Intensive Supervision Order.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Additionally, the repeat offender - who has been in custody since April 14 after breaching the conditions of her bail - was also ordered to pay $24,279.11 in legal costs, as well as care and treatment costs totalling $18,241.01.</p> <p dir="ltr">The charges were in relation to 23 dogs who were seized from her property in June 2020 - with sought-after breeds including the likes of Maltese, shih-tzus, poodles, and cavalier King Charles spaniels among them.</p> <p dir="ltr">It wasn’t her first offence - instead her fourth - but her most recent was in 2014 when the RSPCA found 50 dogs at her former home, with 12 of the animals “hidden in a bunker three metres underground”. </p> <p dir="ltr">This time around, she had been trying to conceal her crimes. As the court heard in December, she has been moving the dogs between three different Bullbrook addresses in a bid to avoid detection.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was a display of “callous disregard or at least wilful blindness,” Magistrate Janie Gibbs said. </p> <p dir="ltr">RSPCA WA had launched their investigation into her after a member of the public reported their concerns - they had been trying to purchase a puppy through Gumtree, and had grown suspicious when they were informed they couldn’t visit the dog at home. </p> <p dir="ltr">From there, RSPCA WA seized 32 dogs from the woman’s property - of which there were four adult males, 19 adult females, and nine puppies - with the majority of them showing signs of being “underweight, unkempt, or unwell”, and nearly all of them suffering from “ear infections and/or dental disease and … matted, overgrown hair”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two did not survive, and five of them were pregnant, giving birth to 22 more puppies in the weeks to follow. All have been in the foster care of RSPCA WA while the case went on. </p> <p dir="ltr">As RSPCA WA Executive Manager Animal and Enforcement Operations Hannah Dreaver explained, the woman responsible had been operating a profit-driven business, and had been placing her income well above the welfare of the dogs in her care.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This included using several locations to hide this operation from both authorities and potential puppy buyers,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All were popular breeds selling for thousands of dollars. These dogs were making her a fortune and she was treating them as nothing more than money-making machines, having litter after litter without proper care.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Please, if you want to get a dog, consider adoption from the RSPCA or another reputable rescue organisation first. If you do decide to buy a puppy, never buy online and never buy sight unseen. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Always meet your new puppy and its mum in the home where it’s being raised.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: RSPCA WA</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Iconic Aussie author caught up in bizarre book ban

<p>Australian author Mem Fox, best known for her iconic <em>Possum Magic </em>book, has become the latest writer caught up in Florida’s wave of book bans. </p> <p>Her 1988 release <em>Guess What?</em> is the target, facing the ban in schools throughout Duval County over allegations of “pornography” in its depictions of nudity.</p> <p>The 2022 Florida law, part of the parental rights in conservative governor Ron DeSanti’s education bill, prohibits adults from distributing on school premises any content “of a person or portion of the human body which depicts nudity or sexual conduct, sexual excitement, sexual battery, bestiality, or sadomasochistic abuse and which is harmful to minors".</p> <p>Punishment for not complying includes a third-degree felony, which can mean a prison sentence of up to five years for any individual caught. </p> <p>The book asks children to guess the identity of character Daisy O’Grady with a series of questions - all yes or no - before finally revealing that she’s actually a witch. </p> <p>Illustrations through <em>Guess What?</em> - created by illustrator Vivienne Goodman - see Daisy going about her day-to-day routine, including one key ‘problem’ activity: taking a bath. </p> <p>It’s this scene that caused the trouble for Fox, with some dubbing it “pornographic”. </p> <p>However, it isn’t the first time that<em> Guess What? </em>has come into question for its depictions - past reviews took issue with its images of dead fish in underwear as well. </p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/05/GuessWhat_Embed.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>Fox doesn’t seem too concerned about the ban though, with her agent even telling <em>The Guardian </em>that “Duval County is a county of 997,000 people in Florida. It is not important."</p> <p>As Fox herself said on <em>ABC Radio</em>, “it's pitiful, isn't it? It's like, the Americans keep killing each other with guns and then they do things like this as well.</p> <p>"You just feel sorry for them, you just think, 'people, you're so unsophisticated, you're so pitiful'.”</p> <p>She went on to note that Americans had treated her well in the past, in her 100-plus visits to the country over the course of her career. </p> <p>"They were so kind to me, they were so, so good, so generous, so warm-hearted, so affirming,” she said. “I just grieve for them.”</p> <p>And when it came to the bath time scene, she was firm in her stance that it is “completely appropriate. </p> <p>"She's washing herself, she's sort of sitting in this sink, you can't see any of her private parts at all.</p> <p>"The whole book is about guessing who this person is, it turns out to be a witch in the end."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty, Facebook</em></p>

Books

Placeholder Content Image

Florida’s plan to ban ‘period talk’

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Politicians in Florida are considering a draft law to strengthen state control over sex education in students.</p> <p dir="ltr">This would ban any lessons in schools teaching students about menstrual cycles before high school.</p> <p dir="ltr">The proposal comes after Florida’s Republican-dominated legislature, backed by Governor Ron DeSantis, passed various laws limiting discussion in schools of gender and sexuality, reducing the emphasis on diversity in public schools across the state. </p> <p dir="ltr">The latest proposal came from Republican Stan McClain which would allow instruction "acquired immune deficiency syndrome, sexually transmitted diseases, or health education” only from sixth grade through to 12, typically children aged 12-18. </p> <p dir="ltr">Girls generally have their first period between the ages of 10 and 15, but some do as young as eight. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Imagine a little girl in fourth grade, going to the bathroom and finding blood in her panties and thinking that she is dying," state representative Ashley Gantt, a Democrat, said in a social media post.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She doesn't actually know what's going on. And her teacher does not even have the ability to tell her that this is a part of life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the bill passed the subcommittee by a 13-to-5 vote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Planned Parenthood said the legislation would take "total control from local school districts in approving sex ed curriculum and give it to the State Department of Education", in turn presenting a "reductive and binary view of sex" and stigmatising LGBTQIA+ students.</p> <p dir="ltr">Critics say conservative legislatures in the USA are trying to impose their own views on others, preventing students from having a well-rounded education. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Graffiti grandma banned by council

<p dir="ltr">A fed up grandma who helped motorists avoid huge potholes has been banned by the local council.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jenny Hartich from the NSW Central Coast has taken it upon herself to spray paint warning signs or colourful animals around and near potholes.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 76-year-old said she was sick of waiting for the council to fix the roads and knew she had to take matters in her own hands.</p> <p dir="ltr">“No, I've been fixing it, doing it and getting it done, getting them filled,” she told <em>A Current Affair.</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“The community have donated money and donated spray cans just to keep me going to keep everyone safe. They know they're coming up to a pothole.”</p> <p dir="ltr">But despite her helpful work, Jenny said she has been banned from warning motorists for her own safety and requested she take photos of the potholes and send it to them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They didn't want to see me splattered on the road.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Severe rain has caused many potholes to open up on NSW roads with drivers becoming frustrated waiting for compensation from the government.</p> <p dir="ltr">Transport for NSW (TFNSW) said more than 1,000 claims for damage have been made between March and June this year.</p> <p dir="ltr">Only 82 of the claims have been processed due to a delay in investigations.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When a claim is received, an investigation into the condition of the road is carried out," a TFNSW spokesperson said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Factors such as the incident location and date as well as inspection and maintenance records are taken into consideration to determine whether there is potential liability and the claim may be accepted."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: A Current Affair</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Our Partners

Over 60

© Copyright 2024 OverSixty.All Rights Reserved.