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

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

Legal

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"Pathetic": Council slammed after move against FREE health program

<p>A woman who runs a free mental health yoga program has been ordered to pay the council $10,000 because her classes at St Kilda beach in Melbourne have become too popular. </p> <p>The City of Port Phillip Council was slammed for their actions after they told Eliza Hilmer she must pay them hundreds of dollars  per session for her <em>Feel Good Flows </em>classes.</p> <p>Hilmer, who does not make a profit from the classes, said she started the program during the pandemic to help people manage their mental health. </p> <p>“I play by the rules as much as I can,”  Hilmer told <em>Yahoo News</em>, adding that she acquired personal trainer permit as requested by the council. </p> <p>“We’ve been operating as an outdoor gathering for mental health practices more than anything, and it’s been really incredible." </p> <p>The classes, which initially attracted a few people, has gained a bit of traction with around 50 to 80 regular attendees. </p> <p>Hilmer encourages her attendees to leave a donation and provides free hot drinks and a live musician at the biweekly sessions. </p> <p>Because of its popularity, the council have classified <em>Feel Good Flows </em>as a commercial event, as the classes exceed the number of people covered by Hilmer's personal training license, and she was ordered to pay $400 a session. </p> <p>Hilmer was also given the option to cap the sessions at 15 people a time, but she said that "this isn't an option" as “many vulnerable people” rely on the service.</p> <p>With Hilmer having to pay three months upfront to keep classes running, the total adds up to $10,000, and locals are furious. </p> <p>"Another pathetic decision by useless bureaucrats,” one wrote on social media. </p> <p>“This council is being very mean spirited. Leave her alone!!”</p> <p>“Keep on going love don’t bow to the council,” a third added. </p> <p>Despite the outrage and being asked to pay to host her free yoga sessions, Hilmer remains positive. </p> <p>“I don’t want to fight,” she said.</p> <p>“The council can be the solution”.</p> <p>Port Phillip Mayor Heather Cunsolo replied saying that while she was "delighted" to see so many taking part in yoga sessions, "the business needs to adhere to its Personal Training Licence" to "ensure our popular public spaces remain available, safe and enjoyable for everyone." </p> <p>“We encourage Feel Good Flows to look at hosting additional yoga sessions on the foreshore to support its growing popularity," the <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Port Phillip </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">mayor said. </span></p> <p>“Other businesses operating along the foreshore pay a licence fee for the use of public open space and adhere to the 15 person limit per session.</p> <p>"These capacity limits help provide fair access for many businesses operating with a Personal Training Licence, while minimising any potential disruption for visitors to our foreshore." </p> <p>She added that she has been in contact with  Feel Good Flows, and are happy to discuss details further. </p> <p>"If the petition is sent to Council the matter will be heard in the Council Chamber.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

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Council accused of "endorsing criminals" after statue vandalised

<p>The Yarra City Council has been accused of pandering to those who <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/captain-cook-memorial-vandalised-ahead-of-january-26th" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vandalised</a> a statue of Captain Cook in the days before Australia Day. </p> <p>In the early hours of the morning on January 25th, a statue of the British colonist was sawn off at the ankles, while "The colony will fall" was spray-painted on the stone column. </p> <p>Now, the Victorian city council will vote on whether to remove the statue for good, with one councillor claiming that replacing it would be a "waste of money".</p> <p>However, a spokesperson for local residents said "giving in" to vandals would only encourage such destructive behaviour.</p> <p>"If you're going to let vandals and criminals win, then you might as well give up altogether," Adam Promnitz, founder of the Yarra Residents Collective, told Melbourne radio station <em>3AW</em>.</p> <p>While Mr Promnitz admitted there were changing conversations around Australia Day in the inner Melbourne are,a he said this was the wrong way to have a discussion about removing the 110-year-old statue.</p> <p>"This isn't the right way to do things," he said.</p> <p>"You don't just get your own way by being destructive and anti-social and causing criminal damage."</p> <p>"How can it be a good outcome for any body when it is basically a green light for vandals and criminals everywhere that we'll let you get away with what you want and you'll get what you want if you behave like this?"</p> <p>Councillor Stephen Jolly said the majority of the council didn't share this view, telling the <em>Herald Sun</em> that replacing the statue would come at a cost that would better spent elsewhere in the community. </p> <p>"Even people who love Captain Cook, who love Australia Day, will see that repairing a statue that costs thousands to fix isn't the most important thing to spend money on," Cr Jolly said.</p> <p>"Residents want better bin services, more childcare services, cheaper swimming pools."</p> <p>"All of these things are a better way of spending the money [than] on a statue that we know is absolutely certain is going to get ripped down again."</p> <p><em>Image credits: 9News</em></p>

Legal

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"Surely this is a prank": Council slammed for ridiculous parking restriction

<p>Melbourne City Council has been slammed online for offering free parking, but only for a measly 15 minutes. </p> <p>The new initiative, which was shared in a video to the City of Melbourne Instagram account, details how parking fees will be waived for drivers needing to run a quick errand in the CBD, as long as they return to their vehicle within 15 minutes.</p> <p>Drivers can park in a “green signed” parking space such as a ‘2P Meter’, and start a 15-minute session on the Easy-Park app to claim the offer.</p> <p>The council said they introduced the initiative for those who want to “run an errand, support a local business and take in city vibes”.</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/C0lApxrt35h/?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/C0lApxrt35h/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by City Of Melbourne (@cityofmelbourne)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The initiative, however, has been rinsed online, with many people pointing out that 15 minutes is not enough time to do anything, especially in the CBD.</p> <p>“Surely this is a prank?” one person questioned.</p> <p>“As if you can take in the vibes in 15min. And based where the carpark spots are, you’d barely make it to the shop or restaurant and back in 15,” said another.</p> <p>“15 mins? Such overwhelming generosity,” another commented. </p> <p>“How can you support any business in 15 minutes time? By sprinting to a shop and run back to the car only to find a ticket on the dashboard?,” wrote another person. </p> <p>Despite the negative feedback, City of Melbourne said more than 90,000 people had taken up the free parking offer since it was first introduced in the central city in July. </p> <p>"Drivers are embracing the flexibility of our new free 15-minute parking system, which is opening up the city by giving more drivers access to free parking outside more businesses and services,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp said in a statement in November. </p> <p>“Early data shows our parking improvements are working exactly as intended – keeping spaces turning over outside city businesses, while making it easier to find a park.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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“Deeply disappointed”: The Wiggles hit out at council’s “harsh” use of iconic song

<p dir="ltr">The Wiggles have taken aim at the Western Australian city of Bunbury for using their iconic song in a “harsh” way. </p> <p dir="ltr">The childrens’ entertainers found out the local council had been playing their song <em>Hot Potato</em> on an endless loop to deter homeless people from congregating. </p> <p dir="ltr">The song had been playing at the Graham Bricknell Music Shell, a stage in one of the town’s parks, that plays host to bands and events. </p> <p dir="ltr">When not in use for entertainment purposes, homeless people would gather under the shell and pitch tent to seek shelter from the elements. </p> <p dir="ltr">After being alerted to the fact that their song was being used in such a callous way, The Wiggles contacted The City of Bunbury and banned them from using the song.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement given to the <a href="https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/the-wiggles-slap-the-city-of-bunbury-with-music-ban-over-homelessness-row--c-12413889" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>West Australian</em>, </a>they said, “The Wiggles’ music is created to bring joy and happiness to children and families around the world, and we are deeply disappointed to hear that it is being used in any other way.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The council had been using the Wiggles’ song for around six months before the band issued their ban. </p> <p dir="ltr">Mayor of Bunbury Jaysen Miguel defended his decision to play the music, saying, “The City of Bunbury has been running music on and off there for the past six months, as happens across Australia and across the world where you can have music in certain areas to deter anti-social behaviours.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“But... there has been a known problem where people are getting in and turning the music up to full bore.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Local homeless cafe provider Intown Centre said the council needed a better response to the homelessness crisis, as Chair David Bailey said, “In the last couple of days, I have been walking around and I have heard it, but I did not think it was the council.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought it was someone with a CD player,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It did strike me as odd. It is harsh . . . (and) there needs to be a better response.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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Family devastated after council mistakenly kills their dog

<p>A couple from New Zealand is grappling with profound sorrow following the euthanasia of their cherished family pet, Sarge, due to a heart-wrenching case of mistaken identity. Sarge, a dog equipped with a microchip for identification purposes, tragically met his end, according to a statement from the Gisborne District Council in New Zealand's North Island.</p> <p>The council expressed deep regret over the incident, attributing it to "human error", explaining that Sarge had been tragically misidentified as another dog slated for euthanasia on the same day. This grievous mix-up has left Sarge's owners, Logan and Piri, shattered.</p> <p>Sarge, a microchipped and well-cared-for dog residing in a securely fenced rural property, was affectionately described by the couple's friend, Kara Hull, who spoke on behalf of the distraught owners. Hull, <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/gisborne/300976911/beloved-family-dog-killed-by-gisborne-district-council-by-mistake" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speaking to Stuff.co.nz</a> on behalf of Logan and Piri, conveyed their devastation and criticised the council's response, likening it to a hypothetical scenario where a human life is accidentally taken, followed by a mere media statement.</p> <p>Sarge was also an integral part of Hull's fitness boot camp business, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hullkfit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hullkfit</a>, and had become something of a mascot. He was adored and recognised by clients who frequented the fitness sessions. Hull shared fond memories of Sarge, portraying him as the epitome of a gentle and friendly canine, rarely uttering a bark. She emphasised that Sarge was a beloved family member and an indispensable presence in their lives.</p> <p>On that fateful Friday, while Logan and Piri were at work, a council animal officer picked up Sarge and transported him to the pound, despite the protests of concerned neighbours who vouched for his safety. Despite the owners being called to retrieve their pet, Sarge was tragically euthanised before they could reach him.</p> <p>The couple received the devastating news from a council representative who arrived at their doorstep, informing them of the fatal mistake. Their grief was compounded when they saw Sarge's lifeless body, shrouded in a bag, upon their arrival at the pound. To their horror, they discovered that he had been euthanised using a bolt gun, a method that the SPCA opposes for dogs, advocating instead for euthanasia by a veterinarian through lethal injection.</p> <p>A council manager visited Logan and Piri on Saturday, but according to Kara their anguish was too overwhelming for them to engage in a conversation. The Gisborne District Council has issued an unreserved apology and initiated a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to this tragic error.</p> <p>Council leadership has reached out to the grieving family to address the matter further, acknowledging the irreplaceable bond between families and their pets. "We understand that nothing can replace the deep bond and memories shared between a family and their pet, and we are deeply saddened by the unfortunate event."</p> <p>"Council is also providing support to the Animal Control officer involved, who is deeply remorseful and shaken."</p> <p>"We will take appropriate measures to ensure we learn from this and ensure it does not happen again. Gisborne District Council strives to provide an excellent standard of service to our community. In this case, it's clear, we have failed. We sincerely apologise."</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook / Hullkfit</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Gorgeous iconic department stores throughout history


<p>Do you remember shops with names like Farmer’s, Boan’s, John Martin’s, Buckley & Nunn, or McWhirter’s? Or maybe you're more familiar with David Jones and Myer? If any of these names ring a bell, a team of historians wants to speak to you.</p> <p>Professor Robert Crawford leads a team of historians at RMIT University and Macquarie University that are researching the history of department stores in Australia since the Second World War.</p> <p>“Department stores have played such an important role in the lives of countless Australia, but their history has hardly been documented,” explains Professor Crawford.</p> <p>Supported by the Australian Research Council, the project aims to collect Australian stories and experiences of their department store.</p> <p>While the project is keen to collect stories from those who worked in these stores, it is equally interested in hearing from shoppers.</p> <p>“Shoppers are an essential part of this story – their custom makes or breaks any retail outlet and department stores are no different,” notes Professor Crawford.</p> <p>“By collecting the stories of shoppers and staff, this project offers a unique perspective of the department store,” he adds.</p> <p>The research team has already interviewed a range of people across the country.</p> <p>“This week I spoke to a lady about shopping with her mother at Grace Brothers in Sydney in 1947 and the next day I spoke to a man about taking his daughter to David Jones in suburban Brisbane in 1995,” recounts Crawford.</p> <p>Participants of the project have recalled a range of familiar and forgotten experiences. <br />“Many have recounted their family’s unique rituals of going into to town and having lunch at the cafeteria, while others remember specific bits like the lift operators or the pneumatic tubes to transfer cash from the tills.”<br />While the project has undertaken many interviews, the research team is eager to speak to more people about their unique memories and experiences, so that they can get a fuller picture of the past.</p> <p>If you’re interested in participating in the project or learning more about it, further details can be found at <a href="https://www.departmentstorehistory.org.au/">https://www.departmentstorehistory.org.au/</a> </p> <p><em>Image credit: WikiMedia</em></p>

International Travel

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Four-year-old entrepreneur wins out against council complaints

<p dir="ltr">Four-year-old Leo Tyres is the proud owner of his very own fruit and vegetable stand, better known as Leo’s Little Shop, but his enterprise hasn’t come without its share of struggle. </p> <p dir="ltr">He first had to overcome a hurdle most small business owners know an awful lot about - a slow start. And from there, things escalated, when a complaint made to the local council against his stand almost shut down business for good. </p> <p dir="ltr">Leo operates his pop-up store, selling discounted fruit and vegetables with slight defects from outside his home in Gatton, Queensland. </p> <p dir="ltr">And as Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan told<em> 9News</em>, the complaint had been about “a business that was operating in a residential area. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Like most councils, we are complaint-driven, we have an obligation to go and check it out.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“If it’s a permanent structure, it becomes a shop,” she explained, before noting that if that were the case then the young family would have had a lot of hoops to jump through. </p> <p dir="ltr">Luckily for little Leo - and the 2000 locals who got behind a petition to save his venture - Milligan was of the opinion that “it’s no different to me than the old-fashioned lemonade stall or garage sale.” </p> <p dir="ltr">And so, the stand remains open for business, with Leo at the helm. </p> <p dir="ltr">As for how his regulars feel about the outcome, Leo was happy to report that “they say ‘good on ya’.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Leo’s mother, Barbra Sanchez, is delighted with the result as well, and shared some of the benefits of his experience, noting that “he is learning several life skills from interacting with people, [and he’s] saving money.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Those people are, of course, his customers, but also his suppliers. Local business is important to the youngster, who sources his produce from local farmers who are unable to sell the fruit and vegetables due to the ‘imperfections’ in their appearance.</p> <p dir="ltr">While he started out with just a bag of limes and two pumpkins, Leo’s empire has grown from there, and he now has his very own trailer to help with the crucial work of sourcing, carrying, and selling his wares. </p> <p dir="ltr">He was more than eager to share this proud achievement, too, declaring that he can now “take 10 pumpkins in the trailer! 10 pumpkins.” </p> <p dir="ltr">And for anyone wondering just what the four year old might be doing with his hard-earned savings, Leo was happy to explain, telling <em>9News</em>’ Cam Inglis, “I just buy toys.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 9News</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Where you can snap up a home for just $30,000

<p>More than a dozen homes in the mining town of Coober Pedy are being auctioned off for as little as $30,000 for an unusual reason. </p> <p>The properties in the regional South Australian town are being sold in an attempt to recoup unpaid council rates. </p> <p>Andrews Property director Warren Andrews said 16 properties are up for sale, due to years of outstanding rates payments. </p> <p>They ranged from residential blocks, commercial premises and incomplete underground dwellings or “dugouts” that needed plumbing or electricity fitted, he said.</p> <p>Andrews went on to say that some properties were in good condition, while others needed major refurbishments. </p> <p>Their prices started from about $5000 for an 800sqm residential block, to $800,000 for an entire office building.</p> <p>Andrews said the prices were great value for money, as prices that low wouldn’t be commonly seen outside the regional town.</p> <p>The price of a three-bedroom home varied between $30,000 to $550,000, he said.</p> <p>“I’m expecting a lot of buyers to be external. Coober Pedy attracts a lot of interest from NSW and Victoria. It’s very cheap real estate,” he said.</p> <p>The town of Coober Pedy is located in the centre of South Australia, nine hours from the capital of Adelaide and boasts a population of only 1,500. </p> <p>It is known as the “opal capital of the world” for its opal mining.</p> <p>Coober Pedy real estates and the district council have long been auctioning off homes in the hopes of recouping outstanding rates payments, as in 2021, 33 properties went to auction for the exact same reason. </p> <p>Although the town of Coober Pedy is located deep in the outback, Andrews said people have already shown interest on the auctions, with many seeing it as a desirable place to live away from bustling city life, or a great place to purchase an investment property. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Real Estate

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Check your rates: Couple's warning after being overcharged for more than a decade

<p>A disgruntled couple from the NSW south coast town of Kiama have slammed their local council after discovering they have been overcharged by around $8,000 for a rubbish bin they weren’t even using.</p> <p>The couple, Kim and Geoff Oppert reached out to <em>A Current Affair</em> to warn other ratepayers to carefully check the fine print on their bills.</p> <p>The pair had made the decision to downsize their red-lid general waste bin after their daughter moved out of the family home, which ideally would have lowered their rates.</p> <p>Due to a mistake on their bills - clouded by legal jargon - the couple were paying twice as much for their red-lid garbage bin.</p> <p>This meant Kiama Council had been charging them for TWO bins for the past 12 years.</p> <p>"Look at your rates notice and check you're paying for just one bin," Mr Oppert told A Current Affair.</p> <p>"Over 12 years we paid $16,000 in garbage waste disposal and it really should have been half that," he said.</p> <p>"Our rate notice doesn't clearly say how many bins we have. It's bureaucratic speak no one could understand."</p> <p>When the couple finally realised the mistake they went straight to the council.</p> <p>"But they would only give us a refund for two years and quoted some tax act as the reason why," Mr Oppert explained.</p> <p>"It is so unfair and just not right," Mrs Oppert added.</p> <p>"It was their mistake not ours, and they admitted it.”</p> <p>Mr Oppert seeks to warn all Australians paying a council for a bin service, "Check your rates notice and make sure you're not getting ripped off.”</p> <p>Kiama Council were made aware of the situation and gave a partial refund to the couple.</p> <p>"When this matter was brought to our attention, Kiama Council acted quickly to rectify the situation, in accordance with the law, as outlined below.”, a Kiama Municipal Council spokesperson said in a statement.</p> <p>“We refunded the amounts of $805.72 for 2021-22 and $818.61 for 2022-23.</p> <p>The couple have not received a full refund due to tax laws.</p> <p>"The Office of Local Government has advised that, where charges go back more than 1 year, the Recovery of Imposts Tax Act 1963 applies as follows", the spokesperson continued.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/03/BINS-PIC.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>"In addition, Kiama Council is now working on an audit of all our urban and residential waste services to ensure our charges are correct.</p> <p>"Council reminds all ratepayers to check their bills and if anything is unclear, please get in touch with us to discuss, we are always happy to help."</p> <p><em>Image credit: A Current Affair/Kiama Municipal Council</em></p>

Real Estate

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Embarrassing blunder sees road resurfaced around parked cars

<p>A Melbourne council has been left red-faced after a crew of contract workers made the astounding decision to resurface a residential street while cars were still parked along the roadside. </p> <p>Residents of McBryde Street in Fawkner, Melbourne, were rightly a little surprised to see the clumsy results of the attempted improvements – with the likely cause being the fact that a  letter of notification was sent only a few short days before the works were scheduled to commence. </p> <p>It seems that not everyone living on the street received the notification in time, with contractors rolling up to discover several cars still on the street.</p> <p>Instead of delaying the works or requesting the vehicles be moved, the extraordinary decision was made to carry on regardless – and lay the brand new bitumen right around the still-parked cars, with embarrassing results.</p> <p>“It just looks a bit stupid,” said local resident Patt Gibbs to <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/merribek-council-melbourne-council-apologises-after-resurfacing-street-around-cars/80810226-b287-4e7f-a869-67daa330abe0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a> at the time. Neighbour Monica Hodgkinson agreed, saying that “The street is probably in a worse state than it was to start with. It’s disappointing, because now the street is a mess.”</p> <p>After admitting being in the wrong, a Merri-Bek City Council spokesperson said in a statement: “We took the opportunity to complete these works more quickly when resources were available, which resulted in less notice being provided to residents. We apologise to residents for the inconvenience.”</p> <p>The spokesperson went on to say that workers will return to complete the works during the summer period, but gave no official date.</p> <p><em>Images: 9News</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Small town's Christmas display dubbed the "worst in history"

<p>The Port Macquarie Council have been widely roasted online after the unveiling of their Christmas tree display, which has been dubbed the "worst in history".</p> <p>Families and community members turned out by the hundreds to see NSW Central Coast town light up its Christmas tree last week, which was met with a very mixed reaction. </p> <p>The long-anticipated reveal, which forced onlookers to wait until midnight for the lights to be turned on, was met with a chorus of disappointed sighs as the underwhelming tree was finally illuminated. </p> <p>Families expecting a glowing symbol of Christmas cheer were instead treated to a sight of Christmas gloom with sad looking fairy light strings barely clinging onto the huge pine tree's branches. </p> <p>Port Macquarie Hastings Council took the disappointment in its stride, mocking its own tree with an 'Instagram vs Reality' meme on Facebook.  </p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpmhcouncil%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02tkGEispQKQLt4tsc5X3VP8iUQTyp2AFyMqLc1sQKw2CKZdGxsNHJKfSfCXVywhPVl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="677" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>"What can we say except ... you're welcome," the council wrote on Friday, alongside a smirk face emoji. </p> <p>"With everything our community has been through recently, we know everyone appreciates a good laugh!"</p> <p>"We are glad our very sad Christmas tree could provide that for everyone."</p> <p>"So let's be real. Our poor tree does look like it was decorated by Santa after he's whizzed around the world and had too many eggnogs."</p> <p>The council said its tree decoration was done with "the best of intentions" however "extraordinary winds and rain" had destroyed the lights. </p> <p>"Just like the rest of us - she's battered and bruised, but she's still standing," they said. </p> <p>Just days after the tree lights were turned on, the council confirmed it needed to strip the sad looking tree because it had become a "safety risk" to locals.</p> <p>"We have enjoyed your good humour and appreciation of our abstract piece of art," the council joked.</p> <p>"Unfortunately, the infamous lights will be removed, as they are slipping further down the tree and pose a safety risk and we are concerned if we leave the inflatable baubles up, we may not have any left by Christmas."</p> <p>Port Macquarie Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson later said the council was working hard to install their "original outdoor tree will be installed and working for everyone's enjoyment well before Christmas".</p> <p>"Again, I am so thankful to the community for coming and celebrating. Merry Christmas to our wonderful, witty and resilient community," she said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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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

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Locals rally after 12-year-old has business shut down

<p dir="ltr">A 12-year-old boy has gained the support of his local community after his snack-selling business was shut down by council.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jesse Lane was earning some tidy profits from selling cold drinks, insect repellent, dog treats and sunscreen in a tent on the Bondi to Coogee walk in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite his success, the venture was shut down after two locals complained that he shouldn’t be making profits on public land.</p> <p dir="ltr">The complaints came after Randwick Council rejected Jesse’s trading application because he didn’t have insurance.</p> <p dir="ltr">But even when he acquired insurance months later, the application was rejected again.</p> <p dir="ltr">With his tent stall facing a forced closure, locals have rallied around Jesse.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Jessie is the hard-working kid who sets up and sells a number of things for hot and thirsty walkers and their pets,” one person shared on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The world needs more kids to drive to work hard for themselves and not sit around and play video games all day.</p> <p dir="ltr">“His parents must be so proud of him and people should mind their business, if the kid wants to make money and work on his weekends good on him.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Susan Ley, the deputy leader of the Liberal party, chimed in to support the youngster, saying he should be commended for “having a go”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We won’t have the small businesses and entrepreneurs of tomorrow if we don’t back them today,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a foolish decision @RandwickCouncil and it should be reversed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Local community (equals) happy, 12-year-old kid having a go … what’s the problem?”</p> <p dir="ltr">In August, <em>Yahoo News</em> reported that Randwick Council confirmed that there had been a “number” of complaints about Jesse’s business.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He was initially selling drinks but has expanded to include a range of products including sunscreen, insect repellent and dog treats," a council spokesperson told <em>2GB </em>radio.</p> <p dir="ltr">“While we admire the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of the young man, there are restrictions on commercial operations in public parks.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Council received a number of complaints from people concerned about the precedent of commercialisation of the park as well as concern about the safety and welfare of a young boy trading and handling money in a public place.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Council has carefully considered the application. Unfortunately, it has determined that the activity is not consistent with the primary use of the land and it is not in the public interest for a proliferation of these types of activity along the length of the coastline.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4600703a-7fff-8fd5-8584-58c705a63219"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Jeremy Clarkson ordered to shut down Diddly Squat restaurant

<p dir="ltr">TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been ordered to shut down his restaurant less than three months after opening it on his Oxfordshire farm without planning permission.</p> <p dir="ltr">The former <em>Top Gear</em> host opened the Diddly Squat Farm’s restaurant to rave reviews in July, but an ongoing planning row with the local council could see its doors shut permanently.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite Clarkson claiming a “loophole” meant he didn’t need planning permission to open the restaurant, it emerged on Thursday that the West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) issued him with an enforcement notice to shut it down in August.</p> <p dir="ltr">WODC claimed in the enforcement notice that the toilets, parking area, and dining space installed on the farm were “visually intrusive and harmful” to the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 62-year-old has appealed the notice, with agents at the John Philips Planning Consultancy working on his behalf saying the venue wasn’t in breach of planning laws and that the council’s decision was “excessive”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The notice comes after the council denied Clarkson’s application to create the restaurant on his farm in late 2021.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9b2a3ebb-7fff-fdb0-be39-76f68d60320b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">In July, he shared that he had found a “delightful little loophole” that allowed his plans to come to fruition, though the site of the restaurant had changed.</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/p/Cf9dDC7sV1d/?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/Cf9dDC7sV1d/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Diddly Squat Farm Shop (@diddlysquat.farmshop)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">While he never revealed which loophole he was referring to, the appeal lodged with council referenced permitted development rights under Town and Country Planning Order 2015, which allows landowners to bypass normal regulations if they meet certain criteria, such as changing the use of agricultural buildings to a flexible commercial use.</p> <p dir="ltr">One particular section, known as Class R, allows for agricultural buildings to be used as farm shops without permission as long as the shop doesn’t exceed 150 square meters and was in agricultural use in 2012.</p> <p dir="ltr">A “lambing shed” in a field on Clarkson’s farm has since been converted to seat seven tables of four outside, with the appeal stating that the existing planning permission gave them the right to use the farm as a restaurant and that there had been no “material change” to the land.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the council said the restaurant was an “unlawful use of Diddly Squat Farm” and that it was “unsuitable and incompatible with its open countryside location”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7a3c062e-7fff-271c-4dc9-ab874b84b2eb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The notice ordered that the restaurant be closed and that dining tables, chairs, parasols, picnic tables, and the mobile toilet be removed.</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/p/CjCyJ8yM1S6/?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/CjCyJ8yM1S6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Diddly Squat Farm Shop (@diddlysquat.farmshop)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">WODC told <em>The Telegraph</em> that the farm “continues to operate outside the planning permissions granted” and that “advice has been ignored”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Council officers have worked with the owner and planning agents of the business, over many months, to investigate breaches in planning control, advising on how the business can be operated in a lawful way and trying to reach a solution,” a spokesman said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is the responsibility of the Council to ensure that planning laws and processes are followed correctly.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The spokesman added that the council would “detail the breaches of planning control” as well as why the enforcement notice should be upheld and Clarkson’s appeal be dismissed.</p> <p dir="ltr">They noted that the local Cotswalds community had felt a “significant impact” from Clarkson’s activities.</p> <p dir="ltr">Although Clarkson bought the farm in 2008, it was operated by a local until the presenter retired in 2019 and decided to see if he could run it himself.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9004149d-7fff-92df-dbea-0e3e09606049"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: The Telegraph</em></p>

Food & Wine

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$5000 fine for smelly bins set to cause a huge stink

<p dir="ltr">New rules introduced in a Perth suburb could see them face a fine of up to $5,000 if their rubbish bins get too smelly.</p> <p dir="ltr">A new law could see residents of Victoria Park cop a hefty fine if their green-lidded Garden Organics (GO) bins have a bad odour, which were introduced for the disposal of grass clippings, weeds, leaves and sticks.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mayor Karen Vernon told <em><a href="https://www.6pr.com.au/rumour-confirmed-vic-park-ratepayers-face-5k-fine-for-smelly-organic-bins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6PR</a></em> the fine was introduced in a bid to ensure people sorted their rubbish correctly.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We will need some powers, as a local council, to be able to make that behaviour change appropriately,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So what’s really important is that the contents of that third bin is just organic material, so there needs to be no level of contamination in there, that’s what makes an organic collection process to work really well,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">While some have shared their support for the move, others have taken to social media to critique the “rubbish” decision.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Fining someone because their rubbish bin smells, should be a council service to disinfect bins when emptied. We pay astronomical rates let‘s see them justified,” Sheldon Baker wrote on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Omg who seriously has clean smelling rubbish after a week in an outside bin? Maybe they can provide deodorant for our bins or perfume!” Christine Stephan said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I mean, if your bins smell, it‘s because you are lazy and that’s on you,” Kendall Mulvena-Trinder said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rumours have also emerged that the council would employ “bin smellers” as part of the decision, with Councillor Vernon dismissing them as “exaggerated”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That certainly doesn’t mean we will be employing people to go smell other people’s bins,’’ she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the GO bin is currently restricted to garden waste, the council is hoping to expand this to food organics in the “not too distant future”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3c38e030-7fff-0f36-9a51-abf4ba6ea50d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @townofvicpark (Instagram)</em></p>

Legal

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Wave of support for Dr Charlie Teo

<p dir="ltr">Renowned brain surgeon Dr Charlie Teo has received an outpouring of support from doctors overseas calling for his current restrictions on surgeries to be overturned.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Charlie Teo is not allowed to conduct any surgeries in Australia without written approval from a fellow surgeon after the Medical Council of NSW received three complaints about him.</p> <p dir="ltr">This has led to the 64-year-old coming out and saying to 2GB radio host Chris Smith that he would even perform surgeries for free in public hospitals, because he has “had enough” of the ban from “jealous colleagues”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's gang warfare. It's purely based on professional jealousy. Even a governing body has said that I'm a competent surgeon,” he said to Smith on air.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said that there have been multiple instances in which his receptionist would break down crying when people would beg for him to perform their surgery.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The bottom line is, it's a pretty desperate situation, it's sad, it's wrong,” Dr Teo continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It all started from nameless, faceless, cowardly people who went to the media, made allegations and made up stories about me to try and destroy my reputation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If I'm as bad as surgeons say I am, if I'm offering people false hope and false promises, come out and say it... and put a face to the allegations.”</p> <p dir="ltr">His comments come as six top-performing doctors across the world wrote to the Medical Council of NSW calling for the ban to be overturned.</p> <p dir="ltr">Professor Giovanni Broggi, who worked for more than 40 years at the Neurological Institute Carlo Besta in Milan, said that Dr Teo’s willingness to perform risky operations and successfully is important to people and their families.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Given his excellent clinical results and great surgical skills in treating brain tumours, Professor Teo often accepts to operate on very complex cases,” Professor Broggi wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This attitude, coupled with his ability to truly share the patient’s point of view, is what allowed him to save many patients.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Although he could not save the life of patients affected by malignant brain tumours, such as Glioblastomas, the truth is that in most of the cases he was able to significantly prolong patients’ survival and to provide a good post-operative quality of life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Professor Paul Gardner from the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre said that Dr Teo’s emotional investment in each patient is what drives him to ensure he’s doing the best he can.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All of us who manage the most complex and dangerous cranial tumours face the constant risk and fear of devastating complications,” Professor Gardner wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Indeed, the only way to avoid these in such cases is to never operate.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is clear, however, based on the medical literature, that many of these disease have significantly better prognosis and outcome if a more radical removal can be performed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is exactly this tightrope that Prof Teo is willing and able to walk every day.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Any of us who attempt to do so will occasionally have devastating complications. This is the nature of our business.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“The emotional investment this requires cannot be overstated. I have seen Prof Teo invest this in every one of his patients I have seen treated and I have seen the impact on him when there is even a minor complication.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There is no question in my mind that he is offering every patient the highest level of care available in the world.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Stanford Medicines Associate Professor of Neurosurgery Robert Dodd also addressed the NSW Medical Council, calling for his colleague to be given permission to perform surgeries again.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I hope you are able to navigate through this investigation and find direction to see that Professor Teo is indeed a good and passionate physician, a master surgeon, and an Australian treasure,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Teo already had a name for himself in Australia, but it was when Amelia "Milli" Lucas, a 14-year-old from Perth who crowdfunded $170,000 to afford Dr Teo's services that he gained worldwide attention.</p> <p dir="ltr">He flew across the country to Sydney to perform Milli’s operation and successfully removed 98 percent of her life-threatening brain tumour with the experimental surgery.</p> <p dir="ltr">She was hailed Dr Teo's "miracle girl".</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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Guide to getting approval for renovations

<p>Home renovations can be fun, exciting and even life changing, but before you get carried away with the romance of it, it’s important to be aware of the red tape.</p> <p>We’re going to take a look at some of the essential legal boxes you need to tix when renovating. While doing so may seem like a bit of a nuisance during the renovation process, it will ensure that you don’t waste your money (and risk your safety).</p> <p><strong>Council approval</strong></p> <p>Depending on where you live, the nature of your lodgings and the type of renovations you have planned, you may require some form of council approval.</p> <p>Your best bet here is to contact your local council ahead of time and check what your requirements are. You may need a planning permit if your renovation requires building alterations and you may need a surveyor to confirm the plans meet regulations.</p> <p><strong>Meeting requirements</strong></p> <p>If you’re taking a gung-ho approach to the renovations and planning to manage the project yourself, rather than hiring a registered builder, you’ll need to make sure you obtain the correct building permits and ensure the work is up to required standards. </p> <p><strong>Hiring licensed tradespeople</strong></p> <p>It’s generally recommended that you only used licensed building practitioners and tradespeople. Builders, architects and engineers must meet certain obligations to maintain their accreditation, which ensure their work and your home are protected.</p> <p>Make sure you ask for references, check for a current license and insurance policy and even consider a simple contract describing the work and any warranty.</p> <p><strong>Additional hazards you may have to deal with</strong></p> <ul> <li>Termites can be a big problem and undo months of hard work on renovations and building projects. If you’re concerned about termites affecting your project, it’s advisable to contact your local council and find out if your area has a documented termite problem. From here they can advise you on how best to protect your renovations from infestation.</li> <li>Many homes may contain asbestos building products, and if you think yours does you’re obliged to get a check from a reputable assessor. If they find asbestos, make sure you hire a licensed removalist to ensure you get rid of it safely.</li> </ul> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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"What's happened to Australia?": Why Karl ripped into "woke" councils

<p dir="ltr">Karl Stefanovic has once again let rip at “woke” neighbours and local councils, this time over one that forced a Queensland mum to remove a basketball hoop off a nature strip alongside her own driveway.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mandy Overton from the Gold Coast was threatened with a $750 fine if she did not get rid of the basketball hoop from in front of her house.</p> <p dir="ltr">Furious neighbours complained to the local council about Ms Overton’s children playing basketball in their own front yard, for allowing the ball to bounce on the road and for being too noisy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I got a knock at my door on Tuesday. The council officer came to the house and just basically said, if you don't move your basketball hoop by Friday, you will get $750 fine,' the mother told <em>The Today Show</em> co-host.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Not only that, but she also mentioned too many kids playing with my basketball hoop. I don't think that's a problem. Kids being kids and playing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Also, they were saying if an accident would happen it would be on their call because it's on their land. They're just playing. I don't see what is the problem. They're getting out. Getting off iPads. Getting sociable with all the kids.”</p> <p dir="ltr">A furious Karl took aim at the local council and the neighbours who filed the complaints, saying the kids should be allowed to be kids.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Can I say something here? This is not politically correct at all. I don't know what has happened to Australia,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have people around in our neighbourhood now who are just whingers and whiners.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They have nothing better to do with their day than complain to the local council, who are so woke and left that it passes on to us in the form of complaints and blah, blah, blah, I'm just sick of it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What's happened to Australia? You can't have a basketball hoop on the median strip?</p> <p dir="ltr">‘I'm sick of it. I don't know what has happened to this great country. Everyone whines now.</p> <p dir="ltr">‘It's local councils who are awful. Just fix the potholes, bros, as Kyrgios would say. Just do council stuff. Don't get in our lives.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Today Show</em></p>

Home & Garden

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“People are going to die”: Over 1000 uncared for after council aged care services end

<p dir="ltr">More than 1000 elderly residents on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula have been left without care after the local council stopped providing care services and made more than 110 staff redundant.</p> <p dir="ltr">In July, private aged care service providers took over the care of more than 3500 residents who had previously been cared for by the council, with 2063 people transferred to Mecwacare and 1554 to Bolton Clarke, per <em><a href="https://www.watoday.com.au/national/victoria/nobody-s-checked-i-m-alive-more-than-1000-stranded-as-council-retreats-from-aged-care-20220808-p5b81l.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WA Today</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Aimee Bonfield, a spokeswoman for Bolton Clarke, said “essential services” were being provided for 300 residents, with services starting or scheduled for another 200.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All remaining clients have been contacted and we remain in touch on a regular basis to update on progress and to address any immediate needs,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Bolton Clarke has a strong track record of understanding local needs and supporting wellbeing and independence for older people on the Mornington Peninsula.”</p> <p dir="ltr">But, at least 1000 residents have been left without care, including Barbara Rimington, who has a fused back from spinal surgery and has undergone surgery for lung cancer and was receiving assistance with cleaning from the council.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since Bolton Clarke took over on July 1, the 77-year-old said she hasn’t received any care and is “one of the luckier ones” because she is still relatively independent.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The council said they are monitoring,” she said. “Pig’s arse they are. Nobody has contacted me to see if I am still alive.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Rimington said she was worried for others who needed help with shopping, since there are limited delivery options available on the peninsula.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Are any of these people eating?” she said. “People are going to die. Some people are totally isolated. It’s an indictment on the whole of society.”</p> <p dir="ltr">89-year-old Michael Nolan said he and his wife, 85, were left in the lurch by Mecawacare and haven’t received care for more than a month.</p> <p dir="ltr">The council used to provide assistance to Nolan once a fortnight, helping with cleaning and tasks around the home, such as checking smoke alarms, changing light bulbs, and changing bed sheets.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[Mecwacare] has been on the job since July 1 and nothing is happening,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We have to try and do the cleaning ourselves and we tackle it a little bit at a time, but it takes us days and days to do because I can’t bend down, otherwise I fall over.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Mecwacare has had months and months to prepare for this. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It is typical of the former federal government, they want to give everything over to private enterprise.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony Marsh, the mayor of Mornington Peninsula, said the council decided to “transition” away from using its own staff to prepare for the federal government’s open-market system, and that the council had no say in the providers that would replace them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The peninsula had no provider other than council delivering these services and we needed to ensure our residents had choice and the advantage of a competitive market environment,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We did not get a say in the appointment of new providers; that was done by the federal government.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Marsh said the council was assured by both providers and the government that essential services would continue from July 1, and that an offer to keep some staff on “to help with the transition” was turned down.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The welfare of our older residents is a major priority for council, and we will continue to advocate to the federal government to make sure older people receive the support they need to remain independent and involved in the community,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">A government spokesman said the government was “continually reviewing” the transition and selection process for councils that chose to exit the Commonwealth home support program and was aware of the situation on Mornington Peninsula.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e0887fa8-7fff-732a-46d4-1c85b94eac52"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The department is aware of the transition of clients from Mornington Peninsula Shire council to Mecwacare and Bolton Clarke and is actively working with My Aged Care and the providers on outstanding transition issues,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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